May 13, 2016 – I John 4:16-17

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. I John 4:16-17The relationship between living and loving is described in this chapter of I John.  A bare living, and living in richness is described.  What makes rich living?  It is love.  Love that is ultimately spelled — s-a-c-r-i-f-i-c-e.  Our sacrifice?  No!  The Father and Son both sacrificed to bring us the free gift of money?  Things of the world?  No!  They give something that we cannot buy.  Salvation! Freedom from guilt because we are forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus.  God gave His Only Son and Jesus bled and died on the Cross.  And then God raised His Son from the grave on the third day, just as we will be raised.Such love is given to us by our Lord God.  Such love is beyond our understanding and knowing, the depth of Love is our Gift from God.  Only when we love others continually – the unconditional kind of love, do we know God’s Love.  The kind of love that only God can give.When God becomes our Everything, we know Him.  A portion of the lyrics of praise song, my friend wrote, clarifies this love for me…Creator, world maker, God of space and time, Unchanging, unmoving, Constant Friend of mine – All my life and all my worship, To You my everything, All I have with all I am, For You my everything. How could I ever repay, What You gave? (Kati Pessin)Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. I John 4:7-9