LOVE

Biblical definitions of Love:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Character Study:
John – We read about the life of John throughout the Gospels, Acts and Revelation.
His father was Zebedee; his mother was Salome; his brother was James.
He wrote 5 New Testament books. The Gospel of John; 1, 2, and 3 John; Revelation.
1 John 2:7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment – to love one another – is the same message you heard before. v8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining. (NLT–New Living Translation)

John is known as:
The Beloved Disciple.
In the Gospel of:
1) John 13:23 he is “the disciple whom Jesus loved” reclining next to Jesus.
2) John 19:26 at the crucifixion of Jesus, was the disciple,” whom Jesus loved”, standing nearby Jesus’ mother.
3) John 20:2 when Mary Magdalene saw the empty tomb she ran to meet Simon Peter and the other disciple “the one Jesus loved.”
4) John 21:7 after Jesus’ resurrection when He appeared to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee, it was John “the disciple whom Jesus loved” that recognized Jesus.
5) John 21:20 says that after Jesus had reinstated Peter, Peter turned around and saw “the disciple whom Jesus loved” following them.”
The Apostle of Love
In 1 John 4:7-21, he writes about loving one another. The word “love” is mentioned repeatedly – 27 times in this passage alone.
In 1 John 5:3, he gives us the definition of how to love God.
Other facts about him
John 1:35 He was one of John the Baptist’s disciples before following Jesus.
John 1:37 He was also one of the first to follow Jesus after overhearing John the Baptist talking about Jesus.
Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2 He was one of the 12 disciples and with Peter and James, one of the inner three that were closest to Jesus and was present at the Transfiguration
Matthew 26:36-38; Mark 14:32-34 He was with at the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was in deep agony being troubled and distressed and praying to His Father to “take away this cup of suffering.”
John 19:26-27 At the crucifixion Jesus saw John standing beside His mother Mary. Jesus knew John could be trusted, so He gave him the charge of His mother.
John 2:17 John studied and knew the Scriptures. Throughout his Gospel, he writes how certain Scriptures had been fulfilled by Jesus.
He was a man of prayer: Mount of Transfiguration – Luke 9:28; On the Mount of Olives – Mark 14:33;
He also went to the Temple to pray – Acts 3:1
John was banished to the island of Patmos and there he received a vision from Christ, which he recorded in the Book of Revelation.
Weaknesses
Mark 3:17 Jesus gave the brothers James and John the name Boanerges, which means “Sons of Thunder”
Mark 9:38 He seems to be intolerant when he told Jesus that they had stopped a man who had been driving out demons in Jesus’ name
Luke 9:51-55 The two brothers tended outbursts of selfishness and anger.
In Matthew 20:20-22 their mother asks Jesus, whether James and John could sit at the right and left hand of Jesus in heaven.
In Mark 10:35-37 the brothers’ requests are the same as their mother’s.

What the Bible teaches us about love.
Old Testament:
While the Israelites were in the desert, God gave them The Ten Commandments and various other laws. Leviticus 19:18 says that they were not to seek revenge but to love their neighbours as themselves.
Deuteronomy 11:1-32 In this passage Moses instructs the Israelites’ to love and obey the LORD.
Psalm 145:1-23 This Psalm of praise was written by David. There will come a day when people all over the world will worship God Almighty. David writes that God will lift us, because of His: v3 greatness; v4 mighty acts; v5 glorious splendour; v6 great deeds; v7 righteousness; v8 graciousness, richness in love; v9 compassion and in v20 he writes that the LORD watches over all who love Him.
Jeremiah 31:1-14 Jeremiah writes that there is hope for the restoration of the people of Israel and God’s love for them. In v3 he reminds them that God has always loved them with an everlasting love.

New Testament:
1. 1 John 4:16 God’s love for mankind.
2. Mark 12:30-31 Love the Lord your God. Jesus said our most important responsibility in life is to love God.
3. Love your neighbour.
a) All the people of the world are our neighbours.
Luke 10:25-37 When Jesus was questioned by an expert in religious law about who our neighbour was,  Jesus, told him the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
b) Enemies are our neighbours too.
Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus teaches about loving enemies.
c) Sinners are our neighbours too.
John 8:3-11 Jesus forgives an adulterous woman.
4. Love is the greatest of the Spiritual Gifts.
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Paul defines real love.  v7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Even though all of us have different gifts, love is available to everyone.

Quote: “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” (Anonymous)

Conclusion:
1 John 4:8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Responding in Prayer
Read 1 Corinthians 13:1–13 – Love Is the Greatest.
This chapter defines real love. We can have great faith, we can offer sacrifices or have acts of dedication, and we can even have miracle-working power, but without love, it has little effect.
Ask the Lord to use your gifts and actions, and then you can show others, that with love it is available to everyone.

Journal – Scripture/Prayer/Thoughts: