3-5-23 Willisburg Bulletin
Matthew 22:35-40 ~Real love causes pain~ Think about times a friend has wronged another and it pained the friend so deeply. Think about the time someone was in love and then had to endure a breakup. Think about those kids that love their parents and then have to go through a divorce. Think about the family you’ve lost. Pain happens through love, but it’s through the pain that the love either strengthens or splits.
Relating to Jesus:
Jesus’ life is the ultimate example of love changing people. He N E V E R used any of His powers for Himself, He used them A L W A Y S for others. He didn’t protect Himself when He was about to get hurt, he willingly took the beating, mocking, and scourging from sinners. He was completely upfront about the cost (suffering, trials, hate, etc.); he didn’t hide the contract or have fine print. He laid it out in front of us. When you realize the true love Jesus had, has, and will always have toward us, you will truly be changed. And when you are on your knees in awe of the Lord, you will understand that for God and others to be loved, I have to get out of the way. You will see loving, serving others, and getting rid of self is the love God calls for us to have.
Relating to your spouse:
Marriage is a blessing from God. When you’re in a relationship, we often find ourselves trying to change the other person because you don’t like this or desire that, but listen … don’t try to change them. Find the differences and thank God for them. Appreciate the differences that attracted you to them. If husbands would love their wife like Christ loves the church (constant, sacrificial love) then the wife will be willing to submit and love back. If the husband will honor the wife the way Christ glorifies His church, then the wife will adore the husband even more and be willing to happily serve her husband. If the husband will lead as Christ heads the church (loving, for the betterment of the other person) the wife will truly want to submit. And the same vice versa for the wives. If the wife will submit and love, the husband will lead to for the best. The reason for marriage is to serve God better together to reach Heaven. If the marriage is established in God’s Word and based off the Christ/church relationship, love will change the husband/wife to match.
A blessing IN CHRIST 🌿 We are blessed by the love from the Father himself and the love from brethren of the church.
The love from God is …
– Himself because He is love (1 Jn 4:8).
– not the “love is love” we see in the world.
– one that nothing can separate (Rom 8:39).
– indescribable and unfathomable.
– depicted by Him sending His Son to the cross.
The love from brethren is …
– agape love.
– true love never fails (1 Cor 13).
– bearing one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2).
-family love.
-the love talked about in 1 Cor 13 that suffers long and is kind; does not envy; does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.