1 John 4
October 17, 2022
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (v10)
Today, ‘love’ is being defined exclusively in terms of romantic attraction for another person. John, here, though, tells us that real love is God’s willingness to become “an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (v10). What a very different idea of love, one that is defined by self-giving sacrifice, rather than self-centered sensuality. And John says God had this kind of sacrificial love for us, even when we failed to love Him. That is real love.
Father, I praise You for Your great love, so perfectly demonstrated in Christ’s sacrifice for sinners. Whenever Your people tend to doubt Your love for them (and You know my burden for those who sometimes don’t “feel” Your love), may You bring to their minds the way You define love, and then proved Your love for them at the cross.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
