These are my notes for our 5/20/2012 church meeting.
Leader: Russ Farmer
Assignment
How do we know we love Jesus? How did he instruct us that he would know we love him? Bring scriptures and we'll discuss.
My Notes
Our love for GOD (and Jesus) is displayed through our attitude and actions of obedience.
Attitude
Jesus said our attitude should to love GOD with the entirety of our being—heart, mind, soul, strength (Mark 12:30)—and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:39).
Obedience
Regarding the importance of obedience and it's connection to love for Him, Jesus taught:
15 “If you love me, keep my commands...21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” ... 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
(John 14:15, 21, 23 NIV)
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
(John 15:9-12 NIV)
Decades later, the apostle John would write:
3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
(1 John 2:3-6 NIV)
10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister...13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
(1 John 3:10 NIV)
