City Life Starter

John 1:17-18 (ESV)

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John 14:15 (ESV)

15  If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

II. Reflection Questions:

1. What are the qualities of love?

2. Who is the example of perfect love?

By Jason Scherzer

Christ Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and Lord of Glory, and He is love. Since love is from God, and God is love, we must seek Him as our source. If love is patient and kind, Christ is ultimate perfection of patience and kindness. If love does not envy or boast, Christ is ultimate perfection of humility; He held all authority in the highest heaven, yet left His throne to be born into our world as a mere human. If love is not self-seeking, Christ is ultimate perfection in selflessness. He gave His life for us, as it was the only way that we could be saved from our sin condition.

When Paul writes that love bears all things, we ought to begin to see that this characteristic of love is far beyond our ability. Only God can bear all things; all offenses, all debts, and all weights. Yet God has commanded us to love, so we find ourselves under a commandment to love that depends upon the inner strengthening of God to successfully fulfill. To borrow the words of John the Baptizer, “He must increase, and I must decrease,” in order that He may enable us to bear all things. This is particularly true when we are faced with a situation involving the offense of another person. Natural human response is to require the offending person to make ammends for the wrong; to forgive and bear all things requires inner strength which comes only by the Spirit of God.

John chapter 1 tells us that God’s law was given through Moses; grace and truth were given in Jesus Christ. Mankind cannot in the least satisfy the morally perfect requirements of the law. What we could not satisfy in the law, Christ has satisfied on our behalf perfectly. In so doing, He demonstrated His love for us. He met our greatest need, which is forgiveness of sin. It is our greatest need to have our sins forgiven, because it restores our once broken relationship to God.

IV. Application:

Meditate on the person of Jesus: His words, his teaching, his actions before his disciples, and his ultimate sacrifice on the Cross. Only Jesus shows love in all of its perfections. He is love. Ask frequently whether your actions and attitudes are pleasing to the Lord. Grow in His love today as you become more like Him.

Our response to His love is that we must love and obey Him, which is more than reasonable. He has given us infinitely more love and goodness than we will ever be able to return to Him. Christians ought to live very differently from the world, because it is by the love in the Church that people will recognize that we are Jesus’ disciples. Pray for opportunities to demonstrate love in the name of Christ to people around you who need God’s touch. You will be surprised at what God will do if you ask Him.

V. Prayer: 

Lord, You are love, and You always show love perfectly. I confess to You that I have often been lacking in love by my actions and attitudes. Strengthen me with Your mighty power so that I can be Your hands and feet and act in love. Use me this day for Your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.