Category: Advent Love

Luke 10:25-29
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus responded to this question with the parable of the good Samaritan, who had compassion and showed mercy to a man left half dead beside the road — seeking his wellbeing at personal cost and without expecting anything in return.  Jesus then said, “now go and do the same.”

In this season the Lord has been enlarging our view of “who is my neighbor,” inviting us to go and do the same in places precious to him. From our college campuses, workplaces or neighborhoods; to Paris, Puerto Rico, Kenya, or Ukraine. Whether through ongoing ministry, short-term missions or financial support, let’s pray the Lord leads us and empowers us to share his unfailing love.

Prayer: Lord, lead our churches in how we are to love our neighbor as ourselves in all the places you are calling us. Fill us with your compassion and mercy to live in Advent love, loving you and loving others until Christ returns. In Jesus name, amen.

Let’s sing “O Come All Ye Faithful (His Name Shall Be)” by Passion (click here).

-CWR

1 John 4:16 (NIV)
 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. 

Ephesians 6:24 (NIV)
24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

It may seem an impossible task to love Jesus with an undying love. But God has made the way for us through his undying love for us. And our love for him grows through the discipling of our hearts, as we spend time in the word, in prayer and in worship — through personal devotion and together with God’s people. In all these ways we are transformed by God’s love for us.

Let’s make the lyrics of this song our prayer, asking God to help us grow in love for him:

“Give me an undying love for You
Lord won’t You set my heart aflame
With passion for Your Name
Give me an undying love for You
Lord won’t You take me to the cross
I count it all as loss
Please burn away the dross
So that nothing else remains
But an undying love for You”
[Mark Altredgge, Undying Love]

Prayer: Lord, disciple my heart to love you and to love others. Grow disciples in our church who love you with an undying love.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to “Come Thou Fount (Above All Else)” by Shane and Shane (click here).

-CWR

1 John 4:13-16 (NIV)
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

“I did not love God, God knows, because I was some sort of saint or hero…I loved him because I couldn’t help myself. I loved him because the one who commands us to love is the one who also empowers us to love, as there in the wilderness of that dark and terrible time I was, through no doing of my own, empowered to love him…” (Frederick Buechner, A Room Called Remember).

It is not by our own strength but by the Spirit in us that we love God. Let’s pray for ourselves and for someone else in our church who God puts on your heart, that God would empower us together to love him no matter the circumstances.

Prayer: Thank you God, that your Spirit empowers us to love. Fill me alongside my brother/sister to love you today with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing “He Lives in Me” by Sinach (click here).

-CWR

1 John 4:7-11 (NIV)
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

“There is something different about a person that has been loved…For those in Christ who were brought from death to life…It never gets tiring to see God do miraculous acts of transformation as we care for one another…You witness a person come to our church barely talking, and then you see those ministering to them in love. Patient, very kind, sincere and even tough love. Teaching the word, much prayer together. And then many years later, we see that person having the most welcoming smile and embracing others…That is most of our experiences here.” (Pastor Mark)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love through your people that has changed us. Help us to love one another and to see your miraculous acts of transformation among us as we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s praise God for the transformation we’ve witnessed as we sing “All Because of You” by Elijah Oyelade (click here).

-CWR

Let’s read aloud the following verses:

1 John 4:9 (NIV)
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Mark 12.29–31 (NIV)
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“For Jesus, loving God and loving others are two sides of the same coin. Your love for God will be expressed by your love for people. For Jesus, love is action — the choice to seek the wellbeing of others without expecting anything in return…This kind of generous love reflects the very heartbeat of God.” (BibleProject Advent video, Agape/Love)

Prayer: God, thank you for your generous love shown to us in Christ. Help us to love you with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Empower us to love others today as Jesus loved us. Lead us to specific acts of love that reflect your heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s continue in this prayer as we sing “With Everything” by Hillsong United (click here).

-CWR