Grow in Love for Others.

February 14, 2016

Vol. 16, No. 07

WORSHIP
SUGGESTED WORSHIP SONGS:
Wonder of Your Love, It Is Well with My Soul, God is Love, All for Love

WELCOME
Will You Marry Me? Just for fun, ask a close friend or a family member, if he/she would marry a person like you.

WORD
JOHN 13:34-35
34
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
WHY IS LOVE IMPORTANT?
Love is a commandment from God (Deuteronomy
6:5; Leviticus 19:18). Jesus commanded His disciples
to love as He loved them (John 13:34-35).
Love is an unconditional commitment toward
imperfect people to seek their highest good. This
often requires sacrifice. By nature, we love ourselves
more than we love others. But true love is selfless,
even to the point of giving up our rights.
Jesus loved His disciples despite their faults. It is not
easy to love others, especially those around you. You
see their weaknesses, flaws and faults. Even your
Dgroup, co-servants or your Pastor may disappoint
you. But love them anyway.
Love seeks the highest good. Sometimes the best
thing you can do for the people you love is allow them
to experience the consequences of their decisions.
The evidence of true Christianity is love in action. We
point others to Jesus. We love like He loved. As
followers of Jesus, let your actions match your words.
By loving others, we truly follow Christ.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE?
Loving others is evidence of genuine salvation.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from
God; and everyone who loves is born of God and
knows God. The one who does not love does not
know God, for God is love. – 1 John 4:7-8
We are not judged by what we say, but what we do.
He who has My commandments and keeps them is
the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be
loved by My Father, and I will love him and will
disclose Myself to him. – John 14:21
The more you love, the more you experience intimacy
with God. Your intimacy with God is priceless. Do not
trade it for anything else.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still
more and more in real knowledge and all
discernment, – Philippians 1:9
HOW DO YOU LOVE?
If you want to learn to swim, go to the water. If you
want to learn to love others, go to them, get involved
in their life and love them.
Treat others the same way you want them to treat
you. – Luke 6:31
How do you apply this? Think of the people you pass
by without a second glance. How do you treat them?
Do you treat them the way you would want to be
treated?
Love like Jesus.
Learn from the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke
10:28-37).
You can be religious like the priest or Levite but still
not have love (vv.31-32). The Samaritan, disliked and
looked down on by the Jews, was a better neighbor to
the man on the street. He felt compassion for the
man, took care of him and spent his own money for
the man’s treatment (vv.33-35).
Love is not easy. It is costly, risky, messy and time-
consuming. We must first humbly admit that we
cannot love perfectly by ourselves. We need Jesus to
be able to love.
Until we first experience God’s love, we cannot love
others how God wants us to love them. Remember
that we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
WORD (cont’d)
To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and
your heart will… possibly be broken… The only
place outside heaven where you can be perfectly
safe from all dangers of love is hell. – C.S. Lewis
To love people, you will get hurt.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
– Romans 5:8
Despite our failings and excuses, we just need to
humble ourselves and love others. If we do, then our
home, community, workplace and church will never
be the same.
God is calling those who have experienced His love to
love others as well. We are His arms, feet and
mouthpiece.
Let us put love in action. Grow in love for others.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(Leaders: Please choose questions that are appropriate to the level of spiritual maturity of your members)
1. Love Like Jesus. How must we love others according to John 13:34-35? Why must we love one another?
2. First Love. Explain what it was like when you first experienced the love of Jesus. How has it changed now?
3. Samaritan Love. Have you loved like the Samaritan in the story of Jesus? What motivates you to be like the
Samaritan?

WORKS
MISSION TO LOVE WEEKLY PRAYER POINTS
CCF’s mission is to honor God and make disciples I. Thanksgiving
who will make disciples. The foundation of this • Worship God for who He is, what He has done,
mission is love. and what He will do in our lives
If you are a disciple of Jesus, how will you II. Country and the World
intentionally live out this mission?
• Upright and moral governance of Public
Share your practical action steps with your Servants and a God-centered Philippines
accountability group. • Repentance and Salvation
III. Church
• That CCF Members would honor and love God
and make disciples
• Elders, Pastors, Leaders, and Families
• Ministries and Churches worldwide
IV. CCF Facilities
• Worship and Training Center
• Prayer Mountain
V. Personal Concerns
• Deeper intimate relationship with God
• Righteous living
• Salvation of family and friends