Free Love: Receiving It and Giving It

Text Verse (sort of):  “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.

• Matthew 10:8. “Freely you have received; freely give”
• Ephesians 1:6 “To the praise of His glorious grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved.”

John 2:23-25 “Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for He knew all men.”

• He would not let other change His course and His course was not self-preservation, it was ultimate love.
  • Luke 9:51 “As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”
  • John 14: 31 “the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded Me”
  • 1 Corinthians 9:19  “For though I am free from all men, I make myself a slave to everyone.”I have made myself a slave to all.”

So what about us?  What does this mean for us.

We are all God’s special treasures and like all precious things we come with care instructions from the Manufacturer.

1 John 3:16 “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 (brethren)”

• “Ought to” is a description of how it looks when the “love flow” is working properly.

It is better to think of obedience to God as various expressions of love rather than conforming to a moral code.

• Romans 13:9 “Whatever other commandment there may be, it is summed up in this love your neighbor as yourself.”
• All sin is an act of unlove in some way.
• Helps us avoid being rule keepers instead of grace-givers.

What does this look like for us?  Consider this panorama of verses with this important qualifier:  The Lord is not judging You for what is not working.  He is not looking for perfection.  He’s looking for connection that leads to a freely-given correction. 

• Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
• Romans 12:16 “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”
• Romans 14:13 “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”
• Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
• 1 Corinthians 1:10 “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
• Ephesians 5:19 “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.”
• Ephesians 5:21 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
• Colossians 3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

May the Spirit inspire us to excel in receiving and sharing His love this week.