We Know What Love Is

1 John 3:16-17 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
 
“WE know what love is.” This is our second “We know.” of the four lessons around this short, powerful statement of faith.
   One thing we know is that John 3:16 is the most memorized and spoken verse in Scripture. Do you see that 1 John 3:16 is very much like it? They both speak of God’s love and Jesus’ sacrificial death. Then John goes one step farther here. We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. That is a huge love response! Is this something you are prepared to do? Do we have a choice?
   We must be prepared because we don’t have a choice if we are Jesus’ disciples. Let’s look to Jesus’ life to know what this love looks like .
   Our Lord’s greatest expression of his love is, of course, the cross. But before the cross John’s gospel reveals something most remarkable: John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. What is the full extent of Jesus’ love?
   John 13-18 and the other gospels record the Last Supper. There Jesus revealed the full extent of his love when he: 1) Washed the disciples’ feet. 2) Declared, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 3) Began the New Covenant: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” 4) Submitted to Judas’ betrayal. 5) Prophesied Peter’s denial. 6) Confirmed he was going away, so he could send the Spirit to empower the apostles’ work. 7) Promised his disciples (all of us) he will come back to take us to be where he is.
   Jesus showed this love because Jesus completely obeyed the Father. John 14:10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
   Jesus shows us true love living in the Father’s will. Love is slave-like submission and servant humility to the Father’s will. Love is sacrificial death for the Lord’s purpose. Love is God’s incarnation to become known to his own world that did not know him. Because God so loved the world, we must love his world, even when it hurts. We know what love is because Jesus lay down his life for us.