We love people

Two sides of the same coin: Love God; Love People. These are the great and first commandment and the second one that Jesus identified as the two upon which all other commandments hang. We looked into what it means to love God in last week’s message, and I couldn’t help referring multiple times to what we’d be talking about this week because the two are intertwined and inseparable. In fact, the Apostle John says that, if you say you love God but don’t love people, you’re lying. And you’re likely not even saved. Harsh, but that’s the reality. So, in this Sunday’s message we’ll be examining what it means to love people. It’ll be challenging because this not only needs to be the character of our lives as believers, it needs to be the defining characteristic of our church.

Series: We Are Harvest
Message: We love people
Text: Matthew 22:34-40
Pastor Todd Dugard
Harvest Bible Chapel
January 30, 2022

1 John 4:20

We love people…

…as we’d like them to love us (Matthew 22:39; Luke 6:31; Romans 13:8-10)

The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

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…even when it’s hard to love them (Luke 6:27; Ephesians 4:2)

Love:
ἀγάπη (agapē)
– affection based on deep appreciation and high regard;
φιλέω (philēo)
– affection based on association

Both sets of terms are used for the total range of loving relations between people, between people and God, and between God and Jesus Christ—Louw & Nida

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…not only with words but practically (1 John 3:18)

James 2:15-16

Compassion Partners: Envisage Pregnancy Services; Barrie Food Bank, Salvation Army Bayside Mission; Children of Promise Ministries (Nigeria); Prison Fellowship Canada

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…in ways that cost us something (John 15:10-13; Philippians 2:3)

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…because Jesus said so (John 13:34)

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1 John 4:8 (edited) "Any [church that] does not love [people] does not know God, because God is love."