1. Love
All NKJV unless otherwise specified
1 John 4 v8
8
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1 Corinthians 13 NKJV (NIV)
1
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging
cymbal. 2
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and
though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4
Love suffers long (patient) and is kind; love
does not envy; love does not parade itself (does not boast), is not puffed up (is not proud); 5
does not behave rudely, does not
seek its own (not self seeking), is not provoked (not easily angered), thinks no evil (keeps no record of wrongs); 6
does not
rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7
bears all things (protects), believes all things (always trusts), hopes all things,
endures all things (always perseveres). 8
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are
tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9
For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10
But
when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I
understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12
For now we see in a mirror,
dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13
And now abide faith, hope,
love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
 If we were to reflect on our own lives at this point could we honestly say that we have all of the above characteristics?
 If we are missing the mark on any or all of the above, we should ask God for help in these areas.
 We should be quick to confess when we fall short of the above. God is faithful to forgive us when we sincerely repent.
 God wants the above for each believer. We are to be representatives of Christ on earth.
Matthew 22 v37-40
37
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38
“This is the first and great commandment. 39
“And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40
“On
these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
 Where are our daily thoughts? Are they on the Lord? If not, are we transgressing this first great commandment?
 What kind of a relationship do we have with God? Do we spend time with Him? Can we love someone without
spending time with them?
 What are our attitudes towards others? Do we have time for them? Are our own troubles more important, such that we
could not be bothered with their concerns and problems?
 If we were to honestly judge ourselves, we would find scope to repent and ask forgiveness for not living this example.
1 John 3v14 (NIV)
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
Can we live this way without Jesus? Let’s see below:
John 15 v1-6
1
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3
“You are already clean because of the word which I have
spoken to you. 4
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can
you, unless you abide in Me. 5
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing. 6
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather
them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
 We are to bear fruit as Christians
 The process of pruning may be painful (we don’t necessarily have a puffy cloud experience at all times as Christians)
but once pruned, we bear more fruit. Allow God to dress the vine…….
 We as the branches cannot bear fruit if we are not connected to the source of life, the vine (Jesus).

2. John 15 v9-17
9
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My
love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy
may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved
you. 13
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14
“You are My friends if you do
whatever I command you. 15
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have
called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16
“You did not choose Me, but I
chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the
Father in My name He may give you. 17
“These things I command you, that you love one another.
 Loving God is obedience to God.
 Obedience to what? See Matthew 22 v37-40 above
1 John 3 v16
16
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17
But
whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide
in him? 18
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
 We can see that Jesus lay down His life for us.
 We can see that we also should do the same for others.
 We can also see that it is not lip service, but rather practical. It will manifest itself in an action.
 We can also see that we love from the heart.
1 John 4 v7-11
7
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8
He who does
not love does not know God, for God is love. 9
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only
begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and
sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
How has God shown His love for us?
Romans 5 v6-11
6
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7
For scarcely for a righteous man will one
die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him. 10
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much
more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11
And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
John 3 v16
16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
Perseverance, Character and Hope
Romans 5 v1-5
1
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2
through whom also we
have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3
And not only that, but we also
glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4
and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5
Now
hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
 The Holy Spirit, our helper and comforter, will help us to live a life of love towards God as well as others.
Psalm 91 v14-16 (NIV)
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call
upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy
him and show him my salvation.”