To “Love as Jesus Loved” is lived out by expressing LOVE

in the following seven ways in which Jesus Loved:

 

Sacrificial Love

Scripture References:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” 

 

John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

 

Romans 5:6 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

 

Jesus’ sacrificial love was seen in his obedience to God, the Father, as he became the sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was Jesus, the Son, and God, the Father, truly saying “I love you this much!”  Even though this means that any sacrifice we make out of love is small in comparison to the sacrifice Jesus made for us, we are still called to make sacrifices out of love for God and neighbor.

 

Unconditional Love

Scripture Reference:

Romans 5:8 “But God proves his love to us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

 

Even though we are an imperfect people, in fact a sinful people, Christ still loves us.  This simply means that Christ loves us just as we are with all our flaws.  Thus, Jesus’ love for us in many ways is an outrageous (shocking) love that includes loving unconditionally.  This means we are called to accept and love people for who they are with all their flaws just as we have been accepted and loved by Christ.  Indeed, that is an outrageous even shocking kind of love.

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Active love

Scripture Reference:

1 John 3:18 “Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”

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We are called to express love beyond mere words.  True love comes to life when it is made visible through our actions.  In the Gospels Jesus rarely says the words “I love you” to anyone other than God (cf. John 14:31, 15:9).  Yet, his love is seen in his acts of compassion, acceptance, and ultimately in his sacrifice on the cross.  Thus, to love as Jesus loved requires more than just speaking words of love it requires us to show our love through actions.

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Risk-taking Love

Scripture Reference:

             Luke 5:13 “Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, 'I do choose. Be made clean.' 

                                Immediately  the leprosy left him.”

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Jesus always took risks to make sure people knew they were loved and accepted.  To Jesus, no person was untouchable.  Perhaps, the biggest risk Jesus took was being born as a baby and relying on human beings, who were created by God, to care for him.  Likewise, we are called to take risks in showing love to others.

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Outward-Focused Love

Scripture Reference:

             Galatians 5:6 “...the only thing that counts is faith working through love.”

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We believe a primary part of life should be an outward focus to others.  This outward focus comes to life when we put our faith into action through acts of love.

 

 

We believe an outward focus allows us to share the love of God with others so that they may come to know God.

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Forgiving Love

Scripture Reference:

             Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’”

 

Jesus offered forgiveness to those who are persecuting him. This is an incredible lesson for us as it speaks to us about our need to forgive others. Forgiving love is a very powerful love.

 

God Centered Love

Scripture Reference:

              John 17:23 “I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may

                                  know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

 

              Luke 5:16 “But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray."

 

Jesus often took time to connect to God by journeying to quiet places to focus on his relationship with God.