God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. (1 John 4:9-12)

Mrs. Roberts finished another day of teaching and was cleaning up her classroom when she found a piece of paper on the floor. When she picked it up and looked at it she realized she found a note that had been secretly passed during class between a boy and girl in her class.

The girl wrote, “Do you love me?” The boy responded, “I do.”

The girl wrote, “But r u ready to be there when I’m mad, or need to cry, and really be there for me?” The boy responded, “Yes I am ready unless I’m eating chicken fried steak.”

The girl asked, “So chicken fried steak is more important than me?” The boy responded, “Only chicken fried steak and only when I’m hungry. But if not then you are the only thing I care about.”

Well like that boy we often talk big when it comes to love but when it comes down to it our LOVE is limited by selfish priorities. However, the good news is that you can ask to receive something that you do not have. And the great news is that once you receive it then you have it to give. And the best news is that God has it and has given it to you through Jesus.

Listen to this best news in the whole wide world:
(1 John 4:7, 9-12, 19)

(7) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.

(9-12) God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

(19) We love because he first loved us.

His love is limitless for you! Because of this great love of God given to us through Jesus we are filled with His love and have His Spirit. This means that we now have this limitless love to give to others.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, You demonstrated so perfectly what love is all about when, instead of turning Your back away from us and our sin, You turned towards us, and You came to this earth and You walked among us, and You buried and carried our sins. And as You took our sins, You rose from that grave, and You forgave our sins, and You gave to us this new life. You’ve taken these hearts that can be stony and hard, and You’ve made them soft and full of Your love. And so, help us as You fill our hearts with the that love that You have, would You fill them to overflowing so that again, Lord, it would pour out onto those who we meet this week. It’s in Jesus’ Name that we pray. Amen.