— DAY 16 —

Tuesday 12 February, 2024





LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER


Matthew 5:12 (NLT)
12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.


John 13:34-35 (NLT)
34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

 

COMMENT
Jesus actually gave us a great relational model. He had 3 people in his inner circle, Peter, James & John, then he had the other 9 disciples, followed by the rest of the general populous. His inner circle of Peter, James and John were people that he shared the deepest connection with and they were with him at the critical points in his life. He did life with the other disciples and spent a significant amount of time with them. Outside of this Jesus invested small but significant amounts of himself with the people he came into contact with, his love overflowed even to those he didn’t know very well. Jesus was able to appropriately love people at each of these relational levels. He even showed love to his enemies, something extremely countercultural in his time. And of course his love for all people was demonstrated by going to the cross.

Love others, yep, easy as! I can do that….no problems. Sound easy but in reality we need God’s help to love other people, especially those close to us. It’s easy to love people when we keep people at a distance. Sometimes people that have no issues with loving others find it easy because they keep people at a distance. We are called to love people the way that Jesus loves them and Jesus loved up close, his love is powerful and relentless. Love is a powerful force that is another byproduct of spending time with God and being close to him. It’s so significant that Jesus said that it’s how that the world will know that we are his disciples.

Love for people flows out of relationship and connection with God in response to who he is and what he has done.

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. In what ways do you find it challenging to love those closest to you?

  2. In a practical sense, how do you show love to those around you?

  3. How do you go at loving like Jesus?

  4. How does time with God impact your ability to love other people?

 

PERSONAL CHALLENGE

Today, spend a minimum of 15min with God, no distractions, and ask him to speak to you about who you are in Christ, the inheritance you have been given, his promises and what he has done for you….ask him to help you to live out of these realities.

 

MAIN QUESTION (SELF REFLECTION)

What is God speaking to you about through this passage?

Encourage others by sharing your revelation in the group chat!
This is a self-reflection about what God is speaking directly to you about in YOUR life.
Words like “I” and “Me” are encouraged, “we” and “us” less so.

(On the Messages tab in Church Center)

 

PERSONAL PRAYER STARTER
Lord, help me to love others in the way that you love them…..help me to see them through your eyes. Reveal to me anything that I need to change in my heart attitude towards people.