MEMORY VERSE: 1 Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent charity among
yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
BACKGROUND: Love is at the core of the Valentine’s Day celebration. Love is what makes for good relationships. No love, no real relationship between people. It is the power of love that can cure a bad relationship, because love covers “the multitudes of sins”. Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it [Ephesians 5:23].
WITHOUT THE LOVE FROM GOD CHRIST WOULD NOT HAVE COME: John 3:16-20
When all men were lost in sin and enslaved by Satan, God sent His only Begotten Son to save us. Love came into play in our salvation; else we would have all been lost. Love gives something valuable to those who do not deserve it. The song “Amazing Grace,” should remind us of the blessedness and impact of love. Those who believe in the love of God will not perish, but have everlasting life. Those who reject the love of God have condemned themselves already, for he that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love [1 John 4:8].
WITHOUT THE LOVE OF CHRIST NO ONE CAN BE SAVED: John 15:13
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
This verse summarizes the story of our redemption. Jesus suffered and died for us because He loved us. There are many leaders in the world, but Christ surpasses them all because of the power of His love to forgive the undeserving. This is the role Christ’s love plays in our salvation. Based on this unconditional love, we should respond kindly to Christ’s words and His deeds. Thus, if we love Him, we should keep His commandments [John 14:21-24].
WITHOUT LOVING ONE ANOTHER WE ARE NOT CHRIST’S DISCIPLES: John 13:34-35.
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
Christ has commanded us to live, relate, and minister to others with the love of God. This love comes from the Father to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Loving one another is not optional, but a commandment to be kept. We should follow in the steps of Christ to let brotherly love continue in whatever we do in this world. Christ’s love is the only thing that can heal our wounds in the body of Christ or between husbands and wives or between parishioners, regardless of the name of the denomination.