Living with Love: A 30-Day Challenge
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound question: "What if you only had 30 days to live?" This question challenges us to focus on what truly matters, and one of the most significant aspects of life is love. Love is not just a feeling but an action that reflects the very nature of God. As 1 Corinthians 13:13 reminds us, love is the greatest force in the universe, surpassing even faith and hope. It is the essence of God's character, and when we love others, we are revealing God to them.
We began by reflecting on who truly loves us and who we genuinely love. This introspection helps us understand the importance of being on others' lists of those who love deeply. If we had only 30 days to live, we would want to be remembered for our love. Love is powerful because it is the very DNA of God, and when we love, we are modeling God's character to the world.
The practical application of love involves focusing on those God places in front of us. In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, we often overlook the people right in front of us. Yet, every person we encounter is an opportunity to show love, as if they were Jesus in disguise. This perspective transforms our interactions and allows us to be a reflection of God's love.
To love more effectively, we must stay close to the source of love—God Himself. As we draw nearer to God, our capacity to love grows. This week, I encourage you to express more love by listening, speaking encouraging words, and being generous. Remember, love is not about having all the answers but about being present and attentive to those around us.
Finally, we are reminded of the ultimate example of love: Jesus laying down His life for us. This sacrificial love calls us to love others with the same intensity and commitment. As we seek to increase our capacity to love, let us pray for God's guidance and strength to leave a legacy of love that reflects His heart.
Key Takeaways:
- Love as the Greatest Force: Love is the greatest force in the universe, surpassing even faith and hope. It is the essence of God's character, and when we love others, we reveal God to them. [23:00]
- Reflecting God's Love: When we love, we model God's character. Our love for others is a reflection of God's love, and it reveals His presence in our lives. [34:27]
- Loving Those in Front of Us: The most important person is the one in front of us. By seeing each person as Jesus in disguise, we can love more authentically and impactfully. [33:51]
- Staying Close to the To increase our capacity to love, we must stay close to God, the source of love. As we draw nearer to Him, our love becomes more perfect and powerful. [39:15]
- Living a Legacy of Love: If we had only 30 days to live, we would focus on leaving a legacy of love. By expressing love through listening, encouragement, and generosity, we reflect the love of Christ. [45:00]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [16:37] - Introduction to the Series
- [17:46] - Who Really Loves You?
- [18:53] - Who Would Put You on Their List?
- [20:32] - The Power of Love
- [21:49] - Love as the Greatest Force
- [23:00] - Love is the Essence of God
- [25:29] - The Two Dimensions of Love
- [26:53] - Loving Those in Front of Us
- [28:11] - The Most Important Person
- [29:08] - God's Direction in Our Lives
- [30:37] - Seeing Jesus in Others
- [33:51] - The Good Samaritan Example
- [34:27] - Revealing God Through Love
- [36:08] - Expressing Love Practically
- [39:15] - Staying Close to the Source of Love
- [41:28] - Reflecting on God's Love
- [42:01] - The Power of Perfect Love
- [43:34] - Increasing Our Capacity to Love
- [46:06] - Prayer for Increased Capacity to Love
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 13:13
2. 1 John 4:7-8
3. John 15:13
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Observation Questions:
1. According to 1 Corinthians 13:13, what are the three things that will last forever, and which is the greatest among them? [21:49]
2. In 1 John 4:7-8, what is the relationship between knowing God and love? How does this passage define God? [23:00]
3. How does the sermon describe the practical application of love in our daily interactions? [26:53]
4. What example from the sermon illustrates the idea of seeing Jesus in others? [30:37]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might love be considered the greatest force in the universe, surpassing even faith and hope, according to the sermon and 1 Corinthians 13:13? [21:49]
2. How does the concept of love as the essence of God's character challenge or affirm your understanding of God, as discussed in 1 John 4:7-8? [23:00]
3. What does it mean to love the person in front of you as if they were Jesus in disguise, and how might this perspective change one's daily interactions? [30:37]
4. How does the sacrificial love of Jesus, as mentioned in John 15:13, serve as a model for how we should love others? [42:01]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the people who would put you on their list of those who love them deeply. How can you intentionally show love to these individuals this week? [18:53]
2. In what ways can you slow down and be more present with the people God places in front of you, despite the distractions of a fast-paced, technology-driven world? [26:53]
3. Consider a recent interaction where you may not have shown love. How can you approach similar situations differently in the future to reflect God's love more authentically? [34:27]
4. How can you incorporate the practice of seeing each person as Jesus in disguise into your daily routine? What specific actions can you take to treat others with this mindset? [30:37]
5. Identify one way you can express love through listening, speaking encouraging words, or being generous this week. How will you hold yourself accountable to this action? [36:08]
6. What steps can you take to stay close to God, the source of love, and how might this deepen your capacity to love others? [39:15]
7. Reflect on the legacy of love you want to leave behind. What changes can you make in your life today to ensure that love is at the forefront of your interactions and relationships? [45:00]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Love as the Greatest Force
Love is the most powerful force in the universe, surpassing even faith and hope. It is the essence of God's character, and when we love others, we reveal God to them. Love is not merely an emotion but an action that reflects the divine nature. As we consider the profound question of what we would do if we only had 30 days to live, it becomes clear that love would be at the forefront of our priorities. Love is the very DNA of God, and through it, we model His character to the world. [23:00]
1 John 4:16-17 (ESV): "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world."
Reflection: Think of a person in your life who needs to experience God's love through you. How can you intentionally show them love today in a way that reflects God's character?
Day 2: Reflecting God's Love
When we love, we model God's character. Our love for others is a reflection of God's love, and it reveals His presence in our lives. This reflection is not just about grand gestures but also about the small, everyday actions that demonstrate care and compassion. By loving others, we become conduits of God's love, allowing His presence to be felt in tangible ways. This week, consider how your actions and words can reveal God's love to those around you. [34:27]
1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: Identify a recent interaction where you could have better reflected God's love. What specific actions can you take to improve in similar situations in the future?
Day 3: Loving Those in Front of Us
The most important person is the one in front of us. By seeing each person as Jesus in disguise, we can love more authentically and impactfully. In our fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook those right in front of us, but each encounter is an opportunity to show love. This perspective transforms our interactions and allows us to be a reflection of God's love. Consider how you can be more present and attentive to those you encounter today. [33:51]
Matthew 25:40 (ESV): "And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’"
Reflection: Think of someone you encounter regularly but often overlook. How can you intentionally show them love and attention today?
Day 4: Staying Close to the Source of Love
To increase our capacity to love, we must stay close to God, the source of love. As we draw nearer to Him, our love becomes more perfect and powerful. This closeness to God is cultivated through prayer, meditation on His Word, and a conscious effort to align our hearts with His. As we deepen our relationship with God, our ability to love others grows, allowing us to leave a legacy of love that reflects His heart. [39:15]
James 4:8 (ESV): "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to draw closer to God and increase your capacity to love others?
Day 5: Living a Legacy of Love
If we had only 30 days to live, we would focus on leaving a legacy of love. By expressing love through listening, encouragement, and generosity, we reflect the love of Christ. This legacy is not about the quantity of our actions but the quality of our love. As we seek to increase our capacity to love, let us pray for God's guidance and strength to leave a legacy that reflects His heart. Consider how you can make love the defining characteristic of your life. [45:00]
Colossians 3:14 (ESV): "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: What is one practical way you can begin to build a legacy of love today, and how can you ensure it continues beyond your lifetime?
Quotes
Love is patient and kind. It's not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It's not irritable. It keeps no record of being wrong. It does not rejoice about injustices, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. This is God. You can go back through this and you could, insert, God is patient and kind. God's not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. God does not demand his own way. God is not irritable and God keeps no records of being wrong. [00:24:27] (27 seconds)
I happen to believe that the most important, most important person on planet Earth, listen to me, I happen to believe that the most important person on planet Earth is the person that's in front of me. And instantly inside of you, you want to argue with me. Instantly you're like, yeah, but what about your wife? What about your kids? Well, hear me out. [00:27:25] (23 seconds)
When you decide to make the most important person on planet Earth the one in front of you and love them as if they are Jesus in disguise, you are showing them who God is. Your simple act of love is revealing, is pulling the veil back, and it's showing them who God is. You may not even have known it, but so many of you over and over and over and over and over again in your life, even though you are not God, you are showing them who God is. [00:35:01] (30 seconds)
Lastly, I would encourage you this week to express more love by being more generous. Use your resources. Be more generous. First, be more generous to God. Okay? Because you're going to see him one day. And I think you want to stand before him going, I was as generous as I could with you, Lord. With what you gave me, I gave it back to you. [00:38:33] (20 seconds)
So you want to stay close to the source of love. Because, I mean, in all reality, there's nothing inside of you. You don't have like a crank inside of you that you can go, I'm going to love more. I'm going to love more. I'm going to love more. I'm going to love more. Okay, here I go. And I'm going to love more. You can tell yourself before you get out of the car and you walk into a meeting where you know it's going to be difficult, I'm going to be more kind in this meeting. [00:39:15] (23 seconds)
You want your love to grow more perfect? The more you live in God, the more your love grows more perfect. The closer you get to the source of love, the more you reflect what true love is. It's like, look, I was just recently traveling and my cell phone, the battery was getting ready to die. And a buddy of mine, he gave me this little black box and he goes, hey, use this. [00:39:54] (19 seconds)
The more important love becomes in your life, the more love you will show. But the urgency of like, man, today is the only day I'm guaranteed right now, this very moment. This is the only thing I'm guaranteed is the moment I'm standing in front of you. I'm going to make it the most important. I'm going to love more than I have ever loved before. [00:44:05] (21 seconds)
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