In the family

(I don’t have this all figured out yet)

1 john 4.19-21

*is Agape love

Cf 1 John 2:9, 11

"The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes."

What does it mean to love God?

DEFFINTION OF A CHRISTIAN!

*john 14.15- "“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

Why do you love your parents? Why do you love God?

Because they do stuff for us?

No, because they love us!

Is it easy to just say something or actually show its true?

"But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." (James 2:18-19)

How do we show that we love God?

*loving our brothers & sisters

What is a brother/sister?
What does Jesus say a bro/sis is?

Read Matthew 12.48-50

=Disciples

*Believers, people in the church, other students in Rock

Your family at home too!

-should be a even better example, esp if believers

How do we hate our brothers?

-cliques= other people aren’t worth my time

-insults

"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire." (Matthew 5:22)

(hook movie- insults at table)

*”Boil picking, beak fart sniffing, bubble butt”

-getting angry easily

-ignoring needs- 1 John 3:17

-Focusing on ourselves only

What does it mean he is a liar? What are you not telling the truth about?

HE doesn’t love God!

*works show our faith is real

-"If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." (1 John 1:6)

Scary part:

If we don’t show love, we might be lying to ourselves

Sight, though not necessary to affection, aids it; and it is therefore easier to love men than God. If a man falls in the easier, will he succeed in the harder?”(pulpit commentary)

(easier to remember friends bday when they’re right in front of you)

(listen to parents when they’re watching you)

1 John 5:1

Do you love other believers?

Do you want to hang out with people at church or are you just annoyed by them?

Do you really love the father and His family?

Are you really a Christian?

21-

What should we do instead? What does love look like?

Is Philadelphia.. brotherly love

*introduce yourself to new people

-talk with them

-ask questions about who they are, don’t just talk about self

*8th graders, talk with 6th graders

-even though there are many

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)

*Consider others more important than me

(Jr high chair story)

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;" (Romans 12:10)

Called to love even enemies- Mt. 5:43-48

“The true test of genuine Christianity is how believers treat those whom they are naturally inclined to hate or who mistreat or persecute them”(New American Commentary)

How do we love this way?

1 John 4:9-11- "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

*By holy spirit…. But Realize what God has done for you

Cf Matthew 25:31-46

*how we treat God’s family is a sign of our eternal destiny

How do you treat your brothers and sisters in the faith?

" Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)

Let’s please love one another