Christmas other than easter is probable the greatest time and the easy time to invite people to church. Well, maybe not that easy anymore but still easier than most times. Christmas is a time of joy and giving and love. We are to be that love, that joy, and be the giving hands of Jesus during Christmas and also any other time of the year but more so on this Christmas season.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. 1 John 4:7. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also. 1 John 4:7. We are to love all people and this a commandment from God. It says his brother and that can be taken as a family brother or the brother of Jesus or thy brother next door. we are to show Christ's love, to the world. Forget not to show love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2. We are to share the love to people we do not know, people who are perfect strangers.
That last statement brings me to the main point of my message today, God is love, that is what the heading says before verse 7 of chapter 4 of 1 john in my New American Study Bible. The first way we can outreach to people is to Show Christ's love on this Christmas season that is coming fast. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11. We need to be that of love and not of hate this Christmas season. but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. John 14:31. By what we show others they will know that we love God and by this that we are of love not of hate as I said. there is enough hate in the world we as Christians do not need to add to that hate that is present.
The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:31. the First is we are to worship no other gods but Jesus and the second is to love thy neighbor. these are the greatest commandments. These are from Jesus. One of the fruits of the spirit is love and by this love that is from the fruit of God's will, they know that we are from God.
This commandment and thought is written all over the New Testament, so that makes me sit up and take notice. Something this imports as to be second in a list of two must be something that we need to live out in our lives every day and more so on this Christmas season because we are Christians and believe in Jesus' Birth. Jesus is the reason for the season and if that is to be true the commandments that he holds us to, should be lived out as well.
But how do we show this love this Christmas season? I will talk about that tomorrow. Have a blessed day!!!
All Bible verses taken from the ASV
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