It’s one thing to tell people that you love them, but it’s an entirely different thing to show them. Love requires more than words and should be displayed through our deeds and truth.
1 John 3:11-24
Taking from the Life of Another (3:11-15)
- God cannot be blamed for our hatred of one another (3:11).
- Insecurity and jealousy are the leading causes for why we mistreat others (3:12).
- You will be targeted by the world if you refuse to adopt its divisive ways (3:13).
- If anger toward others is your go-to emotion, you are not abiding with Christ (3:14-15).
Giving Your Life for Another (3:16-18)
- Jesus did not give His life for those who deserved it (3:16).
- Meeting tangible needs is one of the surest signs that we actually love others (3:17).
- We profess our love with words but prove it by our actions (3:18).
Pushbacks
- “What if I don’t feel like it?”
- God is to more trustworthy than our hearts (3:19-20).
- “Who will take care of me?”
- Be confident that God hears your prayers and notices your obedience (3:21-22).
- “Can I just follow Jesus in isolation?”
- Our belief in Jesus is intrinsically linked to how we treat others (3:23-24).
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
