[Anglican Devotional 17 April 2024] Topic: Expressed Love
TOPIC: Expressed Love
READ: 1 John 3: 13-24 (NKJV)
- Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
- We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [his] brother abides in death.
- Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
- By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.
- But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
- My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
- And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
- For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
- Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
- And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
- And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
- Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
THE MESSAGE: We do not love only in words but also in deeds. We express love through our actions which could sometimes require sacrifice. This is what God did when He sent Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, to lay down His life for us. That is the best gift God gave to mankind. Obviously, Jesus’ action is an example of an expressed love. Now, love is an evidence to people around us that we have passed from death to life and when we do not love, we make ourselves murderers and abide in death. The debt we owe to others is love and if we truly love one another, it is difficult for us to hate. God called us to express love sincerely without lip service. Eugene H. Peterson in simple English puts it this way, “If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear” (1 John 3: 17, Message). God does not expect us to give what we do not have, but according to the means He has provided. Can we ask ourselves this question: Are we not found wanting in expressing godly love?
Without love, Christianity becomes another secret cult. Love is the language of the church; it is highest expression of Christianity. Be an agent of the love of Jesus to our world.
PRAYER: O Lord, help me live above lip service and express love sincerely with right actions to my neighbour. Amen.
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