LOVING LIKE JESUS LOVES ME
Loving My Neighbor in a Hostile World
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind and all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. There are no commands more important than these.” Mark 12:30-31
Jesus: “I’m giving you a new commandment: Love each other in the same way that I have loved you.” John 13:34 (GW)
“I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you!” John 13:15 (NLT)
1. ACCEPT OTHERS LIKE JESUS ACCEPTS ME
“The Father gives me my people. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them.” John 6:37 (NCV)
“Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7 (CEV)
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you…” Romans 15:7 (NIV)
*Action Step
This week I will show acceptance to _________________
Someone who irritates you or is hard to love
2. VALUE OTHERS LIKE JESUS VALUES ME
“Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted! Do not be afraid. You are worth far more than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7 (NABRE)
VALUE DEPENDS ON WHO MADE IT
“… Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” 1 Timothy 4:4 (NIV)
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
VALUE DEPENDS ON WHAT SOMEONE WILL PAY
“… He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” 1 Peter 1:19 (NLT; TLB)
“Treat everyone you meet with dignity…” 1 Peter 2:17 (MSG)
*Action Step
This week I will affirm the value of _________________
Someone who has low self-worth
3. FORGIVE OTHERS LIKE JESUS FORGIVES ME
“… I am the God who forgives your sins, and I do this because of who I am. I will not hold your sins against you.” Isaiah 43:25 (GNT)
“[Long ago], even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
“[You must] make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 (NLT)
*Action Step
This week I will offer forgiveness to __________________
Someone who has hurt you or is carrying a load of guilt or shame
4. BELIEVE IN OTHERS LIKE JESUS BELIEVES IN ME
“If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 (TLB)
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 (NIV)
*Action Step
This week I will demonstrate trust in __________________
Someone you see has potential for growth: “I believe in you!”
“… May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love [really] is.” Ephesians 3:18 (NLT)