TOPIC: Perfect Love
MEMORISE: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
BIBLE READING: 1 John 4:15-21
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
MESSAGE:
God is love, and perfect love can only be experienced in Him, according to today’s Bible reading. No matter how strong human love is, it usually has a hidden agenda and will remain imperfect if it is not established in God. For example, David and Jonathan loved each other. However, in 1 Samuel 18:4, Jonathan gave David everything he had on him but his shoes. This is because, in those days, one way to seal a contract is the giving of shoes, without which everything given can be reclaimed (Ruth 4:7). Thus, we can say that Jonathan was telling David, “Even though we’re friends, you are a beloved servant and I am the son.”
However, much later, when it became obvious that David would be king, Jonathan begged to make a deal with him so that he could preserve his family. My child, be careful when people say that they love you; it may be because of what they can get from you, and when there’s nothing more to get, they will reveal their true nature.
The love of humans may be unconditional, but God’s love is perfect and unconditional; He loved us even while wee were yet sinners (Romans 5:8). Therefore, choose the perfect love of God today by Surrendering your life to Jesus if you are yet to do so. It is only in Him that we have eternal life (Romans 6:23).
KEY POINT:
Only the love of God is bot h perfect and unconditional.
HYMN 31 – Wonderful Story Of Love
1 Wonderful story of love! Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love! Wake the immortal strain.
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, O won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love!
Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful story,
Wonderful story of love!
2 Wonderful story of love!
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love!
Still he doth call today.
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation;
Wonderful story of love!
3 Wonderful story of love!
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love!
For all the pure and blest;
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous
chorus;
Wonderful story of love!
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 7:2 Luke 16:1-18
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE AND PASTOR FOLU ADEBOYE