Read: John 3:16-18

Sometimes we need to return to the basics. Sometimes we need to look at John 3:16, even when we could say it in our sleep. Sometimes we need to be reminded of God’s love, even when we hear and read and talk and sing about it all the time.

God’s love is described over and over in His Word as steadfast, faithful, and enduring forever. The proof of this is right here in this verse – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” God’s love endured from the beginning of time – even after the Fall, even when His people doubted Him, when they forsook Him and worshipped idols. Over and over and over again His steadfast love endured through the wickedness and sin and rejection of Man until all that wickedness and sin was laid upon His Son, nailed to a cross.

I think we can often get confused by the love of this world. It is a weak, surface-level, selfish love. It really isn’t love at all. God doesn’t offer us that kind of love, He offers us a true love – a love so much deeper and full and satisfying and lasting. A love that gives us life. A love that changes everything.

It changes our future. Because of His love, God sent His Son to save us and to give us everlasting life. The Bible makes clear that we were in darkness, headed to the grave. And without God’s love intervening – without His love staying steadfast and faithful – that’s exactly where we would be. But instead, we now have life. We have a future. We have the hope of living in the presence of this love forever.

But it also changes our now. It changes the way we live here, today. 2 Corinthians 5:14, 1 John 4:11, Matthew 22:37-39 – These verses all make clear that the love of God should permeate through us, and should control and cover everything we do. Because God has loved us, we love others. Because God has loved us, we turn away from darkness and sin.

Because God has loved us, we are forever changed. We are forever alive. We are made His children. We are made His heirs. We are made free. And we are called to let that love pour out of us, into the world.

In what ways has God’s love changed you and your life?

In what ways does your love for others need to become more like His love?

Read: Matthew 28:16-20

I just finished reading “Through Gates of Splendor,” a book about five missionaries who gave their lives fulfilling this commission. One thing that struck me the most was this quote from Jim Elliot, one of the missionaries: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Will most of us give up our lives, like these men, in order to go spread the Gospel? No, probably not. But fulfilling the Great Commission, making disciples, spreading the Gospel – it does come at a cost to everyone. Our money. Our time. Our energy. Our comfort. But in reality, is any of this actually ours? Isn’t it really God’s money and time and resources that He’s graciously given us to steward?

I bring up the story of these missionaries not to point out how they went to another country to preach to savage tribes. I’m telling it to point out their hearts – hearts that were changed by God, and therefore wanted to see other’s changed by God. Hearts that were firstly motivated by their love for God, and secondly by their love for people. May our hearts be motivated by the same.

And are we prepared to share this Good News not only in planned evangelism, but in the opportunities God gives us in our everyday lives? Yes, God works greatly through missionary work – but most of our Gospel conversations will happen around dinner tables. At work. During our everyday lives, through relationships. Are we working to build those relationships? Are we “…prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have”? (1 Peter 3:15).

To be honest, these verses can be scary. Sharing the Gospel can be scary. It costs us our comfort; it costs some people their very lives. But the last sentence of the Great Commission gives me so much peace, and I think Jesus said it for that purpose. “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” He goes with us. The King of kings, the Prince of peace, the Good News himself – He never leaves us alone. By His power and grace may we go, and as we go, may we tell of Him.

Do you feel prepared to tell someone the Gospel?

If not, what is a step you can take to prepare yourself?

One great way to make disciples is to share your personal testimony. I encourage you to take some time this week to think over your testimony and how to share it with others.

Remember – He is with you always!

Read: Matthew 22:34-40

613 laws. Which one was the greatest? It wasn’t just one, it was the heart behind all of them. Love God and love people.

“On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” These two commandments really do sum up all of the laws. All of God’s commands. All of what God wanted, and wants, from His people.

First, He wants us. He commands us to love Him with all of our hearts, all of our souls, all of our minds. All of our LIVES. Loving Him is laying down our lives at His feet – because He laid down His life for us. Loving Him is taking up our cross and following Him – because He took up a cross for us. The cross is the proof of how much He really does want us. How much He really does love us. And we love because He first loved us.

Yes, we love HIM because He first loved us, but that also means we love others too. Jesus didn’t just die for us. He proved His love for the whole world on the cross. And if we are to follow in His footsteps, we are to love the world too. Not just the world as a whole, but the world as individuals. The co-worker with a bad attitude, the hard-to-love family member, even the person that cuts us off in traffic. I think that there are times when we could all use a reminder that these are people created in God’s image that He loves. And therefore, it’s people He’s called us to love too.

But remember, we can’t love God and our neighbor on our own. We can try, but it won’t be long until we put ourselves and our feelings first. That’s why Jesus promised us the Helper, the Holy Spirit. When we rely on His strength, not our own, He will guide us and grow us in loving God and loving others well.

Have you been relying on your own strength or the Holy Spirit to love God and others?

What are specific ways that you can show love to God and people this week?