Welcome once again to the Weekend Sermon. Thanks for taking the time to read the message for this week. I hope that everyone is having a good week.
After taking a one week break to explore a different topic, we are going to continue this week with our sermon series that explores some of the characteristics of love that are presented to us in the Scriptures. Today, I want us to look at the fact that, in the Bible, love is expressed through service and sacrifice.
As always, our ultimate example is the Lord Jesus. We are instructed in the Bible to keep our focus on Him and to follow Him in the ways that He leads us. Jesus is the one who truly showed us that love is service and sacrifice.
We have seen that in the Gospel of John, Jesus gave His disciples a new commandment that they were to love one another even as He had loved them. Jesus loved them, and us, to the utmost level. He loved the world so much that He sacrificed His life on the cross in order to redeem us from sin and give us new life in Him.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said that He did not come to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus sacrificed all, and while He was on this earth, He manifested His love for others by serving others. He healed the sick, cast out demons, feed the hungry and acted in a compassionate manner to all those who would come to Him for help.
In the same way that Jesus showed love through serving others and through sacrifice, we are to do the same thing as we try to live for Jesus in this world. One of the Bible passages that really deals with this is found in I John 3:17-18 that reads, "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
Those that truly have the love of Jesus within their hearts will demonstrate that love by helping others. Those who truly love Jesus will do what the can with what they have to make this world a better place. They will try to do good to the least of those among us.
There is a lot of hurt and pain in this world. Many need help. We as believers in Jesus need to show that we have the love of the Lord within us by reaching out and helping in the way that we can. Some many be able to do more than others. If we see a need and we can offer aid, we need to do that. That is how we show that the love of God is in us.
The greatest need of the human race is to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. We show that the love of the Lord is within us by telling others of the life-changing love and grace of the Lord Jesus. By reaching out in love, we can offer people that which will not only matter for time, but it will ultimately matter for all of eternity. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I found out this week that one of my uncle's has cancer. Please pray that he will get better. Thank you.
Pray for those affected by the hurricane here in the US. Pray that those in need will get the assistance that they need.
Let us pray for an end to the mpox outbreak. Pray that vaccines will get to those who need them.
Continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us pray for peace in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. Pray for the release of the hostages.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Afghanistan and Mauritius. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Monday. I am working on a new book project that I hope to have ready to post in a few weeks. May God bless you all.
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