1. LCS talk 6:
Loving Neighbor

2. To live Christ by living the command to love one’s neighbor.
Goal:
To live Christ by living the command to love one’s neighbor.

3. Loving neighbor, together with loving God, form the core of the Christian life. Jesus summed up the whole law in these two greatest commandments.

4. Mark 12:28-31
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

5. The two go together. Thus it is clear: no love for others, no Christianity.

6. 1 John 4:20-21
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.  And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

7. What Christian love is NOT.

8. What Christian love is NOT.
Love is not only having positive feelings.

9. What Christian love is NOT.
Love is not only having positive feelings.
Love is not always saying “yes”.

10. What Christian love is NOT.
Love is not only having positive feelings.
Love is not always saying “yes”.
Love is not defensive.

11. What Christian love is NOT.
Love is not only having positive feelings.
Love is not always saying “yes”.
Love is not defensive.
Love is not self-seeking.

12. What Christian love is NOT.
Love is not only having positive feelings.
Love is not always saying “yes”.
Love is not defensive.
Love is not self-seeking.
Love is not manipulative.

13. So what is Christian love? What does God mean by love?

14. The answer is in John 15.

15. The answer is in John 15.
Jesus spoke of a love that is connected with keeping God’s commandments.

16. The answer is in John 15.
Jesus spoke of a love that is connected with keeping God’s commandments.
John 15:9-10
 “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments remain in His love.”

17. Jesus was specific about how we are to love one another.

18. “This is My commandment: love one another as I love you.”
Jesus was specific about how we are to love one another.
John 15:12
“This is My commandment: love one another as I love you.”

19. How does Jesus love? With a self-sacrificial love.

20. How does Jesus love? With a self-sacrificial love.
It is not just giving our time, imparting our wisdom, praying for other, etc., but it is being willing to die for others.

21. How does Jesus love? With a self-sacrificial love.
It is not just giving our time, imparting our wisdom, praying for other, etc., but it is being willing to die for others.
John 15:13
“No one has greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

22. But most are not called to actually die for others
But most are not called to actually die for others. How then do we translate love into practical everyday terms?

23. But most are not called to actually die for others
But most are not called to actually die for others. How then do we translate love into practical everyday terms?
The answer is in the washing of the feet.

24. John 13:1-5
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that His hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved His own in the world and He loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God, He rose from supper and took off His outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around His waist.

25. But most are not called to actually die for others
But most are not called to actually die for others. How then do we translate love into practical everyday terms?
The answer is in the washing of the feet.

26. But most are not called to actually die for others
But most are not called to actually die for others. How then do we translate love into practical everyday terms?
The answer is in the washing of the feet.
After Jesus washed the apostles feet, He told them to do likewise.

27. John 13:14-15
 ” If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

28. But most are not called to actually die for others
But most are not called to actually die for others. How then do we translate love into practical everyday terms?
The answer is in the washing of the feet.
After Jesus washed the apostles feet, He told them to do likewise.

29. But most are not called to actually die for others
But most are not called to actually die for others. How then do we translate love into practical everyday terms?
The answer is in the washing of the feet.
After Jesus washed the apostles feet, He told them to do likewise.
Christian love is therefore committed service.

30. Gal 5:13b-14
“For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

31. And who is your neighbor? Can you choose whom to love?

32. And who is your neighbor? Can you choose whom to love?
The answer is in the parable of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10:29b-37)

33. How do we love in everyday life?

34. Characteristics of Christian love.

35. Characteristics of Christian love.
Patient – slow to anger; able to give allowance for the shortcomings of others.

36. Characteristics of Christian love.
Kind – not an attitude of criticism, but posture and speech that builds up and encourages.

37. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not jealous – not coveting what others have, or begrudging another for having something you do not have.

38. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not pompous or inflated – humble, not thinking of your own importance; more impressed with your own unworthiness than merit.

39. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not rude – accord honor and respect to one another.

40. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not self-seeking – not focused on having your rights met, but more on your duties.

41. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not quick-tempered – able to master your emotions and feelings.

42. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not brooding over injury – not holding grudges or resentments.

43. Characteristics of Christian love.
Not rejoicing over wrongdoing – always seeking the good of others, even enemies.

44. Characteristics of Christian love.
Rejoices with the truth – telling the truth to one another.

45. Characteristics of Christian love.
Forebears – can bear insult, injury, disappointment, without taking counter action; has self-control.

46. Characteristics of Christian love.
Trust – believing the best about other people.

47. Characteristics of Christian love.
Hopes – having a positive attitude towards life and problems; can remain joyful and peaceful under any circumstance.

48. Characteristics of Christian love.
Endures – can bear things, not with passive resignation but with triumphant fortitude.

49. CONCLUSION

50. CONCLUSION
Christian love s a command, and it is essential to Christianity.

51. CONCLUSION
Christian love s a command, and it is essential to Christianity.
We have seen what it is not..

52. CONCLUSION
Christian love s a command, and it is essential to Christianity.
We have seen what it is not..
We have seen what it is…

53. CONCLUSION
Christian love s a command, and it is essential to Christianity.
We have seen what it is not..
We have seen what it is…
We have also taken a look at the various characteristics of love.

54. CONCLUSION
If you come to the conclusion that Christian love is difficult or even impossible, you are right.

55. CONCLUSION
If you come to the conclusion that Christian love is difficult or even impossible, you are right.
Given the nature of love and also our own human limitations, mere human effort will fail. It is impossible without God’s help.

56. CONCLUSION
If you come to the conclusion that Christian love is difficult or even impossible, you are right.
But Jesus who commanded us to love also gives us the power to love. To enable us to love, God made us temples of the Holy Spirit.

57. Romans 5:5
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

58. Group discussion
How has your understanding of love changed based on its biblical meaning?