God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. This family is called to love God, love others, and love one another as Jesus demonstrated through serving and sacrificing for others. The essence of God's love is defined as being patient, kind, trusting, hopeful and unselfish. Members of God's family are meant to passionately pursue others and allow others to pursue them with this same love of Christ.

1. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. We are created to love and to be loved.

2. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. We are created to love and to be loved. THEREFORE We must passionately pursue others with the love of Christ, and allow others to pursue us with the love of Christ.

3. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. The primary definable characteristic of God is “love”. The primary definable characteristic of God’s family should be “love”.

4. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. Jesus is the perfect representation of God (John 1:18) Jesus gave two crucial rules for living in His Kingdom. LOVE GOD & LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

5. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. Before Jesus left, He entrusted the message of His coming kingdom to eleven men.

6. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. “ My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:33-35

7. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. Jesus’ love was characterized by: S ERVING - something i wouldn’t normally do - for someone i might not normally do it for - with no hope of gaining anything in return S ACRIFICING - giving up something beneficial or desirable - for the good of someone else

8. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. “ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

9. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. We were created to love and to be loved. THEREFORE…

10. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. We must passionately pursue others with the love of Christ, and allow others to pursue us with the love of Christ. WHY DON’T WE?

11. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. Our fear of rejection is most often caused by: - Our past experiences of rejection - Our knowledge of our own faults JESUS KNOWS YOUR FAULTS BETTER THAN YOU. JESUS WANTS TO GIVE YOU A NEW EXPERIENCE

12. God has acted throughout history to produce a family who will represent Him to the world. Who will you love this week? Who will you let love you this week?