Session 10
Love Because God Loves You
From Understanding and Applying The Bible
1 John 4:15-21
15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
You might not know…
One day Jesus is really coming back and He is going to judge everybody. So when you see something like 'the day of judgment' that's what that's talking about. If you have a relationship with Jesus and follow Him it'll be all good, but that's why it's so important.
What does it say?
God loves people and Jesus is proof of that. God is the perfect example of loving others. If people claim to follow Jesus but fail to love the people they encounter, that's hypocritical. If somebody claims to love God, who they can't even see, then they must love everyone else who we can see because that's exactly what God does, love.
What does it mean?
God knows we need help. So God sent His Son Jesus to die in our place. If that isn't love then what is? Now we don't have to be afraid when we die. Because Jesus died and now He lives, we will live forever too. God is obviously trying to let everybody know how much He loves them.
What does it mean to me?
Since God went way out of His way to show us how much He loves me it only makes sense I would love people like He does. I show people how much God loves them by doing it myself.