Do You Feel the Luuuv?
How does that Beatles' song go? "All you need is love ..." When you think about it, just about everything we do with or for others boils down to love. Which, of course, doesn't come as a surprise to God-followers, the Creator of love. He IS love, after all (1 John 4:16), and the reason we can love at all: because He loved us first (1 John 4:19).
Jesus said THE most important commandment is to love God and to love Him with all we've got. When we do that, we'll love others--the second most important commandment. The second most important, yes, but so closely aligned with the first that it's impossible to split the two.
John put it this way: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen ... Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:20-21, NIV). And so on that one "peg" (love God/love others) hang ALL the commandments--the 10 Commandments, the Mosaic Law, and the 600 or so laws the Pharisees added to it.
So this month we have focused on love, which is choosing to give someone your time and friendship no matter what. The first week we began with the time the Pharisees got their heads together in an attempt to trick Jesus and His reply (which also happens to be our memory verse for the month, Matthew 22:37-39). When you love God, you'll love others. The second week of August we talked about what takes "first place" and the fact that when you love others, you give them your time, as Jesus pointed out when He visited Mary and Martha (Luke 10).
This past week revolved around Jesus' parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15): When you love others, you're quick to forgive.
THIS SUNDAY we'll focus on what Jesus told Peter after His resurrection (John 21). When you love Jesus, you'll treat others the way He does.
Next Sunday we'll depart from the norm and examine a "faith skill," the faith skill of prayer (dialoguing with God, both public and private). Jesus modeled all kinds of principles about prayer for us. But ultimately, He showed us that talking to God changes things.
Just thought you might want to know what your children are learning so that you can talk with them about LOVE at home.
