Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Love – 1 John 3:16-18 – Despises His Neighbor – Growing As Disciples

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18 (NIV) 

What Love Is

What is love? What does love look like? How is love demonstrated? When have you seen love fully on display? I can answer those questions. You have made it easy for me to answer those questions. Love looks like you. You are the demonstration of love. I have seen love fully on display through how you lived your life. How so? You came into this world as a man. You emptied yourself of all your rights and privileges. You claimed nothing for yourself. You counted others as better than yourself. You looked not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. You lived your life fully and completely for others. You came into this world as a sacrifice for sin. You laid down your life. You poured yourself out. Why did you do this? You loved your Heavenly Father. You loved those He gave to you to be your followers. You loved all those who would one day come to know and love you through the word of their testimony. I am one of those people. You loved and gave yourself for me. You came into this world to live and die for me. That’s true.

So, you have seen me. You have heard and seen my example. You know what I have done for you. You know that I have lavished you with my love. I have made you to be my very own. You are my child. You are my brother. I am your Savior and Lord. I am your God and King. Yes, you are and for all this I am eternally grateful and thankful. That is very good. What is it that you now want to do? What is the desire of your heart and mind? How do you want to live your life? Will you follow my example? Will you go and do what I did? Yes Lord, I will follow your example. I will love like you loved. I will give like you gave. I will serve like you served. I will go and do the Heavenly Father’s will. With your help, I will accomplish His purposes and fulfill His plans. I will do the good works that have been prepared for me to do. I will lay my life down. I will give myself in service to you and to others that you bring into my life. Help me to love others deeply from my heart with all my thoughts and words and deeds. Use my life to bear fruit for your kingdom. Help me to bring glory to your name. Yes, I will you can be sure of that.

Father, help me to lay down my life in service to you and to others. May I not love in words alone but also in actions that express your sacrificial love to others. Use my life and all that I have to meet the needs of those around me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Love – 1 John 3-16-18 – Lay Down Our Lives – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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