The Witness of Love

Mother’s Day and the witness of the love of our mothers

Jesus’ Mission

Luke 4:18–19 NIV

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Love God and Love Others

The Mission is this to Love Each Other

1 John 5:1 NIV

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

There are several conditional statements to remaining or abiding in his love.

Jesus obeyed the Father’s commands, therefore remained in his love.

Jesus calls us to obey his commands, and then we will remain in his love.

We are assured that we are the Children of God: by loving God AND carrying out his commands.

1 John 5:3 NIV

3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

When we distrust God’s commands, we become consumed by pride, thinking we know better than God.

If we don’t love others, we show that we do not love God.

Illustration of a Compass

Baptism and Communion

Jesus fulfilled expectations through his baptism and accomplished his mission through his shed blood on the cross, which we celebrate with communion.

God’s love comes to us unconditionally by the prevenient grace of God.

This grace also prevents us from being saved without responding with repentance.

Jesus Christ gives his life for us and purifies us, all through love.

How do we know we love God, by keeping his commands.

How do we know that we love others, by giving our lives for others.

If it was impossible to abide in Jesus, then he would not have called his disciples to obey his commands.

By remaining obedient to Jesus we are given assurance of God’s abiding love, who gives us his joy and causes us to bear fruit.

Servants become friends

as we begin to be about the Father’s business in restoring all of creation back to God.

Whatever we pray for, he will make it happen.

Romans 12:20–21 NIV

20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Everyone who is born of God, overcomes the world

temptations, distractions, corruptions, fears, or despair

Who overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

We love others by testifying to the grace of God given to us by the love of Jesus Christ.

We love other by living as Christ did, with loving action.

Whatever testimony humanity might give about Jesus, the testimony of the Spirit is greater.

The Spirit testifies that Jesus Christ is the Son of God because the Spirit is the Spirit of truth.

By this testimony of praise, the loving way of God is made known.

This is how others find God.