Do you ever struggle with loving others, especially those who seem unlovable? Discover how true love, as modeled by Jesus, can transform your relationships and bring light into the darkest places. Let’s explore this profound truth together.
Do you ever struggle with loving others, especially those who seem unlovable? Discover how true love, as modeled by Jesus, can transform your relationships and bring light into the darkest places. Let’s explore this profound truth together.
Key Scripture
“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, ‘I know God,’ but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
If anyone claims, ‘I am living in the light,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one. I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.”
What does it mean to truly know God according to the sermon, especially in relation to obeying His commandments?
The sermon discusses how John’s letter emphasizes the connection between knowing God and obedience to His commandments, which suggests that our actions reflect our relationship with God.
Can you think of a time when your actions did not match what you believed about God? How can you change that moving forward?
Why does John emphasize the importance of loving one another in this sermon, and how does that connect to living in the light?
John points out that loving one another is an essential commandment, and those who love are living in the light, while hate equates to living in darkness.
Who is someone you find difficult to love, and how can you take steps to show love toward them this week?
In what ways do you think our society today creates challenges for us to live out the command to love one another?
The sermon mentions how people justify their lack of love based on differences, such as political views or personal disagreements, which can lead to division in the church.
How can you actively create spaces of understanding and love in conversations with others who hold different opinions?
The sermon cites 1 John 2:3, stating, ‘We can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.’ What are some practical ways we can demonstrate our obedience to God in our daily lives?
The pastor talks about how obedience to God’s word shows our love for Him and fulfills His commands.
What specific commandments do you think are the hardest to follow, and how can you plan to work on them this week?
What did Pastor emphasize about the relationship between knowing God and living a life full of love, and why is that significant for Christians?
Pastor explains that a genuine relationship with God naturally leads a person to love others, which reflects the true nature of being a follower of Christ.
In what ways can you be more aware of how your love for others reflects your relationship with God in your daily interactions?
Prayer
Pray for the ability to demonstrate love to those who are difficult to love.
Ask God for clarity on how to apply the teachings from the sermon in our daily interactions.
Request God’s help in recognizing when we may not be living in the light and to seek forgiveness.
Bring forth specific prayer requests from the group and pray over them.
