1 John 4:11-12 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Lot’s of people have trouble believing in God because they can’t see Him. This is one of the best answers to that. People have a hard time arguing with supernatural love! For all my intellectual and linguistic abilities, I’d say it’s safe to say I’ve loved far more people into the kingdom than I’ve convinced otherwise. People are hungry for love; that’s why the various counterfeits are so dangerous. They fall for the rush of hormones that come with sex, and they think that’s love. They fall for a steady, or even not so steady, supply of material things, and think that’s love. They fall for restrictive systems of rules that promise security, and think that’s love. They fall for group identity, for belonging, and think that’s love. It is the privilege and responsibility of Christians to demonstrate God’s love so that people can see it and believe it. John was present when Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,” (John 13:35) and he was the one who recorded it for posterity. People are often not convinced by an intellectual presentation of the facts of the Gospel, but they have a hard time arguing with real love when they see it.

As well as I know and understand what I’ve just written, I still try to convince people with words! Francis of Assisi had it right when he said, “Preach constantly. Use words when necessary.” God’s love shining through us is the greatest sermon. I need to remember and practice that more and more. It was just a year ago when someone told me that people weren’t going to understand Biblical forgiveness until they saw me demonstrate it. The same is true of God’s love. If I want this church to be an open channel of God’s love to this city, and I do, then it’s got to start with me. I’ve been given a ministry of words, but if they are not spoken in love, and if they are not backed up by a lifestyle of love, then they are ultimately empty and meaningless.

Father, thank You for Your grace and patience toward me, even when I have been less than loving, toward You or toward those around me. Especially today and tomorrow, help me rejoice in the love You demonstrated in sending Your Son, and share that love and joy with the people in this church, the people for whom we will be singing this afternoon and evening, and the people who come to the candle light service tomorrow, so that Your love through me may draw them to You, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!