Ok, so I got a little Shakespearean with today's lesson title. So shoot me! I have noticed that in my search for the next lesson, I have found myself somewhat questioning God as to the subject he gives me. Remember, last weeks study on forgiveness I tried to push it aside because I felt we had covered it in our discussion’s on the group. Well, needless to say God won out and I taught what I was told. Again, this week as I felt he wanted me to teach on Love, I said, “come on, that’s a little milky isn’t it Lord”. I mean, we want MEAT, Right! My mind immediately went to this verse as Paul was telling these believers why he couldn’t teach them meaty lessons.

1 Corinthians 3: 1 - 2...1.Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

Now I am not saying that about us, God is…Bear with me here…Peter tells us this…

1 Peter 2 : 2...Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

When speaking of the pure spiritual milk, the part…”So that by it you may grow up in your salvation” really spoke to me. I think so many of us have been walking around in spiritual diapers for so long, that we have got to get back on the milk, and start growing all over again and that begins with your teacher. And, the most important milk lesson of God’s word is LOVE. Do we really know what love is? Is saying I love you just going through the motions of what we are expected to say? Have we been hurt so much in our lives that we can’t or don’t know how to love anymore? Were we brought up where love was rarely shown and (not loving) is a way of life for us now? Today, I will attempt to help answer that Shakespearean question, “To Love Or Not To Love”, and try to show you what God says about it…Let’s begin with a prayer…

Father, we gather today in the name of your son Jesus Christ to study your word. We invite you to come in and teach us what your word says about love. Convict us today of any hate and unforgiveness that we are holding onto in our hearts. Jesus, you are love, unconditional love, teach us that love today. We pray this in the Holy name of Jesus Christ…Amen

First of all lets get the dictionary meaning for the word Love…

LOVE…strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

Now, here is God’s ultimate description of Love…

John 3: 16 & 17...16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

So God’s ultimate act of love towards us was sending his one and only Son to die for us. But that is not the topic or the issue we will be studying today. We all know (if saved), that Christ died for us and our sins. But, after we are saved, how are we supposed to act, how are we to love? I only wanted to point out in John 3:16 that we could never equal God’s act of love, but we are commanded to love one another many times over in his word. Ok, everyone, get your bottle out and let’s throw down on some good old milk…and see what God has to say…

Here are a few of God’s commands for us to love one another…

1 John 3: 23 & 24...23. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

1 John 4: 7 - 12...7. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

See, we are told here that whoever does not love, does not know God…Wow!!! That’s pretty much to the point isn’t it? Just think about that for a minute…really ponder it…If we don’t love each other, we don’t know the God we claim to serve. And if you’re not really truly serving God, then who are you serving? Done pondering? ..Ok lets get back to it…

More commands to love…

Ephesians 5: 1 & 2...1. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2. and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

We are to be imitators of God and live a life of love. So, just like God forgives, we forgive. Just like God is righteous & holy, we are to be righteous & holy. Just like God loves, we are to imitate our God and his love for us and love everyone. Do we? Let’s get back to God’s word and see what else he says…

John 15: 7 - 17...7.If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14. You are my friends if you do what I command. 15. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17. This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus tells us here why we are to love one another. So that our joy would be complete and so that we would also bear fruit! He said he has chosen us and appointed us to go and bear fruit. How do we bear fruit, a fruit that will last? We Love one another, we follow his example. Another reason Jesus gives for us to love is so people will know that we are his disciples. Lets read…

John 13: 34 & 35...34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Ok, maybe by now you’re thinking…Hey, I love people, I love my Family, My Children, My Uncle Fred, My dog….But do you love your enemies? Ohhhhhhhh That smarted didn’t it? Lets see what God Says…

Matthew 5: 43 - 48...43."You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45. that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47. And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect

I told you that one was gonna smart…You’ll listen next time won’t you? Ok, so God raises the bar here quite a bit doesn’t he? It was kinda easy when we thought we could love only the ones we wanted to huh. See, our love life has become like a buffet, we get to pick and choose who we love and forget the rest…right? God will understand that we are just being cautious with our heart and you know, some people are just so mean they don’t deserve our love…right! I tried to love them once but they said forget me so forget them. Right? Lets see what God says…Boy don’t you get tired of me saying that?

James 2: 8 & 9...8. If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

So God is telling us here that we do not have the right to pick and choose (show favoritism) who we love. We are to love everyone equal, with a Godly love. Why? Because he is our example and he doesn’t show favoritism…want proof? Read on…

Romans 2: 11...11.For God does not show favoritism.

Boy that was short and sweet wasn’t it?

Before I wrap this up, I want to give a short pre-commentary on the next two scriptures. In the time of Moses, because of the continued rebellion of the Jewish people toward God, he gave them “The Law. That law consisted of 613 commandments, bet you thought there was only ten. Anyway, when Jesus came and died, the old law was abolished and a new law (now justified by faith) was ushered in. Here is how Paul describes it…

Galatians 3: 23 - 26...23.Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. 26. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus

So, now that we understand that we live by faith in Jesus Christ and are not under the old law, then in a way, you could say that we are under Jesus’ law and his new commands. Right? Right! But Jesus, in Matthew and Paul again in Galatians (below), tell us that we can fulfill the whole law by doing two simple things…You guessed it…Love God and Love your neighbor. Lets take a look….For this I will use the King James Version…

Galatians 5: 14...14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22: 36 - 40...36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38. This is the first and great commandment. 39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

So, not in Tim’s words, but in the words of Jesus Christ himself, he tells us that everything in our Christian life, (Everything) hinges on two things. The first is that we love the Lord God with all our heart, soul and mind. The second, is that you love your neighbor as yourself. So God is telling us that, you can read that big book called the Bible every day for your whole life and that everything in that big book boils down to this…God is about LOVE!! We are the disciples of his Son Jesus Christ, and are commanded by him, to be like him, and be all about love too. What do we do when that mean neighbor cusses us again and again? We love them! What do we do when that co-worker tells lies about us? We love them! What do we do when the Mother in law hates us? We love her! What do we do when someone attacks or hurts our children? OK, THAT ONE WE SHOOT! No, No, I’m just kidding, put your 357 away and answer this with me…WE LOVE THEM!! Now is it tough to love everybody? You bet it is! Did God ever say that being a Christian was easy? No he did not, in fact he stated just the opposite many times. Will we continue to pick and choose who we love? Can we get over our pain long enough and show that Godly love to our neighbors that God commands us to? Remember what the scripture above in 1 John 4: 7 - 12, that says, “whoever does not love, does not know God”. I don’t know about you, but when I stand before God, I do not want to hear those words, “Depart from me, I never knew you”! This whole bible study was started because of the verse in Matthew which says…

Matthew 28: 19 & 20...19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

So what are the things he commanded us? We are commanded to go ye therefore and love. Go ye therefore and not only love, but teach love. How can one teach love when they don’t know how to love themselves? It all starts with you and me. You know, we face bookers, send out smiles and hearts and hugs and prayer hands to our friends. Maybe we need to stop sending those things and start sending messages to our friends and “tell them” we love them! If we know that they are sick, send a quick message to them that you are praying for them. Send them a smile by being a true friend and sincerely care for them. Don’t send out praying hands, let them know you are on your knees for them. Instead of taking stupid quiz’s (which I have done many times too) telling us who we are, lets use face book to show the world who Christ is! Let them see the love of Christ that is in us. I will begin now by telling you all, I love you! I have only given you a hand full of the many scriptures that commands us as believers to love. The question is will we? To love or not to love, that is the question? You see, even God’s milk has a good meaty taste…..

If you came to this study today and don’t know Jesus Christ as your savior and you want to, pray with me wherever you are. Pray with a sincere heart and God will reach down from heaven, forgive your sins and give you new life….Lets pray…

Father God, I come to you in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place on the cross. I know I am not worthy, but I ask you today to forgive me of my sins and give me a new heart. I make Jesus the Lord of my life from this day and forward. Teach me the love this study is speaking of so I can love others. Thank you for forgiving me, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray…Amen

If you prayed that simple prayer with a sincere heart, your eternal destiny has been decided. God tells us that he takes that sin and casts it as far as the east is to the west. So forget the past and press on in your new walk with Christ. If you need help, or need a Bible, please contact me through the group. Here are a few Bible verses to show you the pure simplicity of God’s plan of salvation…Tim

Romans 3: 23 says…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

John 3: 16 - 18...16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

Romans 10: 9 & 10...9. That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Ok group, now it’s our turn…Lets go to God in prayer…

Father God, we come to you in the powerful name of your precious Son Jesus Christ. Today I learned Lord that I am not living the life of a true believer. I confess to you today that I have not loved my fellow man as you commanded me. I ask you to forgive me and teach me how to love everybody. Teach me the love, the unconditional love you want me to show. I release all of my hurts and pains and place them on the strong shoulders of my savior. I know you are love and I want to be just like you. Help me to grow in your love and word today and make me a warrior for the kingdom of Heaven. Thank you for forgiving me Lord. In Jesus name…Amen

I am very pleased with our group size so far. We now have 80 members. So far, only a handful have participated in the group discussions. Please come in and share your thoughts on this study or any other topic. You can start your own topic if you feel there is something on your heart that you want to discuss or want the groups opinion on. In the discussion section I have also started a “Prayer request”. Please come in and post your needs. Thank you for attending this study, you are all in my prayers.
Tim Barrett