Embodying Love: The Challenge and Call to Serve

In today's gathering, we explored the profound nature of love and its challenges, particularly within the context of our closest relationships. Love, as we understand it, is not merely an emotion but a deliberate action that reflects the very nature of God. The essence of love was perfectly embodied in Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings provide us with a blueprint for loving others.

We began by acknowledging the difficulty of love, especially when it comes to those we are closest to—our family, friends, and daily acquaintances. Love is hard, and it often manifests most intensely with those we interact with regularly. The apostle Paul described love as patient and kind, virtues that are simple to understand but challenging to consistently practice.

To truly comprehend love, we must recognize that God is love. This understanding is not just intellectual but experiential. We engage in spiritual practices not for the sake of formality but to align our hearts with God's heart, to become people of love as Jesus desired for his followers.

On the night before his betrayal, Jesus shared a final meal with his disciples, emphasizing two crucial truths through symbolic actions. He broke bread and shared a cup, representing his body and blood, signifying his impending sacrifice. But he also washed his disciples' feet, a task reserved for servants, demonstrating that true greatness lies in servanthood.

Jesus disrupted the disciples' notions of status and power, teaching them that greatness comes from serving others. He knew that after his death, resurrection, and ascension, his followers would need to love each other deeply to overcome the challenges they would face, including internal disagreements and external persecution.

We were reminded that love is not about giving advice or exerting control but about being present and listening. Being heard is so closely related to being loved that they are nearly indistinguishable. We were encouraged to ask those close to us when they feel loved by us and to listen to their responses with an open heart.

In closing, we were invited to reflect on who God is calling us to love with patience, kindness, and active listening. We were encouraged to consider the practical actions we can take to demonstrate true love to those around us.

Key Takeaways:

- Love is an active choice that reflects God's nature, requiring us to be patient and kind even when it is difficult. This love is not just for those who are easy to love but also for those who challenge us, as Jesus demonstrated by washing the feet of his disciples, including those who would betray and deny him. [44:18 <_tXS8UnuI4k>]

- True greatness in the Kingdom of God is not measured by status or power but by our willingness to serve others. Jesus redefined greatness as a posture of servanthood, teaching us that the greatest among us are those who serve with humility and love. [33:37 <_tXS8UnuI4k>]

- Listening is a profound act of love that can transform lives. We must strive to be great listeners rather than great speakers, as it is through listening that we truly understand and connect with others, reflecting God's love for us. [47:55 <_tXS8UnuI4k>]

- Love requires vulnerability and the courage to ask others how they experience our love. This openness to feedback is essential for growth in love and can lead to deeper, more authentic relationships. [48:36 <_tXS8UnuI4k>]

- Our spiritual practices should lead us to become more like God in love. As we engage in worship, Bible study, and prayer, our goal is to embody the love of Christ in our daily interactions, becoming agents of His love in the world. [25:10 <_tXS8UnuI4k>]

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **John 13:1-17** - Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet
2. **1 Corinthians 13:4-7** - The Characteristics of Love
3. **1 John 4:7-12** - God is Love

#### Observation Questions
1. What specific actions did Jesus take to demonstrate love to His disciples during the Last Supper? (John 13:1-17)
2. According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, what are the characteristics of love that Paul describes?
3. How does 1 John 4:7-12 define the relationship between God and love?

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus chose to wash the feet of His disciples, including those who would betray and deny Him? (John 13:1-17) [43:33]
2. How do the characteristics of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 challenge our everyday interactions with those closest to us? [22:53]
3. What does it mean to say that "God is love" as stated in 1 John 4:7-12, and how does this understanding impact our view of God and our relationships with others? [23:34]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you found it difficult to love someone close to you. What specific actions can you take to show patience and kindness in similar situations in the future? [22:53]
2. Jesus redefined greatness as servanthood. How can you adopt a posture of servanthood in your daily life, especially in your family, workplace, or community? [33:37]
3. Listening is a profound act of love. Think of a recent conversation where you felt unheard. How can you improve your listening skills to make others feel more loved and valued? [47:55]
4. Vulnerability is essential for genuine love. Who in your life do you need to ask, "When do you experience love from me, and when do you not?" How will you respond to their feedback? [48:36]
5. Our spiritual practices should lead us to embody the love of Christ. What specific spiritual practice can you focus on this week to align your heart more closely with God's heart of love? [50:07]
6. Jesus' love for us is the foundation of our love for others. How can you remind yourself daily of Jesus' love for you, and how will this reminder influence your interactions with others? [51:40]
7. Identify one person in your life who challenges your ability to love. What practical steps can you take this week to demonstrate love to them, even if it is difficult? [49:24]

Day 1: Love as Deliberate Action

Love is not a fleeting emotion but a conscious choice to act with patience and kindness, even when it is difficult. This kind of love goes beyond mere feelings and requires a steadfast commitment to embody the virtues that reflect God's nature. It is easy to love those who are kind to us, but the true test of love is how we treat those who challenge us. This love is sacrificial and unconditional, as demonstrated by Jesus when he washed the feet of his disciples, including Judas, who would betray him. It is a love that does not come naturally but is a deliberate action we choose to take, day after day.



"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7



Reflection: How can you show love through your actions to someone who has been difficult to love in your life? [07:40]



Day 2: Redefining Greatness Through Service

The Kingdom of God measures greatness not by status or power but by one's willingness to serve others. Jesus redefined what it means to be great by taking the position of a servant and washing his disciples' feet. This act of humility and love is a powerful example for us to follow. True greatness is found in the quiet moments of serving others without seeking recognition or reward. It is in these moments that we reflect the servant heart of Jesus and embody the values of God's Kingdom.



"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:43-45



Reflection: In what ways can you adopt a posture of servanthood in your daily interactions with others? [33:37]



Day 3: The Transformative Power of Listening

Listening is an act of love that has the power to transform relationships. It is through listening that we truly understand and connect with others. Being a great listener is more than just hearing words; it is about being present, showing empathy, and giving others the space to express themselves without judgment. When we listen, we affirm the value of others and reflect God's love for us. It is a simple yet profound way to love others as we have been loved.



"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." - James 1:19-20



Reflection: Who in your life needs to be truly heard, and how can you make an effort to listen to them more intently? [47:55]



Day 4: Embracing Vulnerability in Love

Love requires vulnerability and the courage to ask others how they experience our love. This openness to feedback is essential for growth in love and can lead to deeper, more authentic relationships. It is not always easy to be vulnerable, but it is in these moments that we allow ourselves to be shaped and molded by the love of God. By asking others how they feel loved by us, we can learn to love more effectively and reflect the heart of God in our relationships.



"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16



Reflection: Can you reach out to a close friend or family member and ask them when they feel most loved by you, and why? [48:36]



Day 5: Spiritual Practices as Pathways to Love

Our spiritual practices, such as worship, Bible study, and prayer, are not ends in themselves but means to becoming more like God in love. These practices should lead us to embody the love of Christ in our daily interactions, becoming agents of His love in the world. As we draw closer to God through these disciplines, our hearts are aligned with His, and we are transformed into people who love deeply and authentically, just as Jesus did.



"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." - Colossians 3:12-13



Reflection: What is one spiritual practice you can commit to this week that will help you grow in your capacity to love others? [25:10]

**Worship**

Come, now is the time to give your heart. Go ahead and have a seat.

Um, that incredible song—just, I love that we can come just as we are to worship. And, uh, however you are coming into this space today—whether you're a longtime part of Menlo Church, whether you're here for the first time, or you're just checking out faith in general, or you're joining us online—however, I am so glad that you're here. I'm glad you set your clocks and, uh, got here at the right time this morning. It is a beautiful day, but morning came a little bit earlier than normal.

Uh, but if you want to find a Next Step here at Menlo, the easiest way to find out more is to scan the QR code that's on the seatbacks in front of you. We would love to be a support, an encouragement, a blessing to you in your life, wherever you are in your spiritual journey. Or you can stop by Info Central, and there are some folks there just happy to answer any questions that you might have here.

Well, folks, Easter is just three weeks away—March 31st. We'll be celebrating the good news of the Resurrection: that Jesus, who died for us so that we could come just as we are to worship, also rose again. And because of that, we have hope. Because of that, we have new life. Because of that, there is hope for the world. We believe that we have the best news of all to share with our neighbors and those around us.

So, we'll have celebrations at 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. at all of our Menlo campuses and online. You can be a part of making that happen. You can invite friends, neighbors, uh, somebody you just met at Trader Joe's—say, "Hey, come celebrate Easter with me!"

Um, and join our Easter volunteer team. Even if you've never volunteered at Menlo before, this is a time you could just join for that one weekend because we want this to be the most hospitable, warm, welcoming place on the planet. It might be somebody's first time ever coming to a church. It might be the opportunity where someone encounters Jesus for the very first time, and you can be a part of that by serving on our Easter volunteer team.

There are opportunities out front, welcoming people, behind the scenes as well. You can go to menlo.church/easter for more information and to fill out a volunteer interest form.

Uh, we'll also have a Good Friday service leading up to Easter Sunday because it's hard to understand the joy of the Resurrection without going through Jesus's suffering and death for us. So, on Good Friday, March 29th, we're going to have one service for all of our campuses, and this will be a little different this year because we're going to have that at our Mountain View campus. We want everybody to experience kind of different Menlo venues.

So, at 7:00 p.m. on the 29th, we'll all be in Mountain View for a Good Friday service, and I hope to see you there as well.

And, of course, none of this can happen without your joyful, generous giving. If you're a part of Menlo Church, if you're a guest, please don't feel any obligation whatsoever. But for those of us for whom Menlo is our church home, our giving is not simply a way to help provide for ministries, though it does that. It's not simply a way that we can bring hope and healing to others through our generosity, though it is that. It is also an act of worship.

When we give, we acknowledge that all we have is a gift from God, and we don't want to cling too tightly to it. We want to grow in generous spirits that bless others. So, thank you for your generosity in, uh, worshiping God through gifts, whether that's online or using the offering boxes or whatever way or rhythm that, uh, works for you. Thank you for your generosity.

Cheryl Fletcher is going to be leading us in our next, uh, part of our sermon series and, uh, just talking about the God of love and all that that means.

So, will you join me in prayer as we prepare for that?

God, thank you for the opportunity to worship you today. Thank you for Brian Durksen and his team and just the some of the songs that he's written that have encouraged believers throughout the last few decades.

But God, thank you that we're here because you love us first. We love because God first loved us. And in love, you reached out to us. You sent your son Jesus to make a way for us to enter into the Holy of Holies, to enter into your presence with joy and thanksgiving.

And thank you that because of your grace, God, we don't have to pretend. We don't have to bring to you only the good parts that we feel like we've polished enough to bring into your presence. We bring you our brokenness. We bring you our failures as well as our joys and our thanks. We come before you with our whole selves, trusting in your love and your mercy and your power to redeem and to forgive and to transform.

And God, we pray for that for our world—a world that is so broken and in need of peace and justice and reconciliation and hope. And God, only you can bring it at the level that our world needs, so we pray for that.

And now, God, open our hearts, quiet our anxious thoughts—all the things, all the distractions, all the to-do lists, all the baggage that we're carrying into this space right now. We just ask that you quiet our hearts and help us to lay all that at your feet so that we could receive your life-giving word to us today.

Right now, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

In the Shadow Garden, where olives wept, a Savior knelt in anguish. Secrets kept his path of surrender—a heavy weight, a journey to the Cross sealed his fate. With grace in his eyes, forgiveness on his lips, the path of surrender—a love that equips.

Upon that cruel cross, he breathed his last breath. A tomb could not hold him; he rose anew. The path of surrender—redemption for me and you.

Good morning! I am Cheryl. I'm one of the pastors here at Menlo Church, and I want to give greetings to our campuses: Saratoga, Mountain View, Sano, and y'all right here in this room. So good to be together.

Well, love is hard. Love is hard. And I know I'm saying this to a community that loves fiercely—a community that loves well. Menlo Church, you love well. Almost every week, I hear stories of Life Groups that are gathering around people in their group who are maybe walking through tough stuff or Life Groups that are getting around people and celebrating their wins with them, um, or providing for needs that they have within that group. This is a place where there's a lot of love.

I know that many of you—I also hear stories of people just how you're practically loving co-workers, classmates, neighbors. But love can be hard. And I know for me, it typically shows up with the people that I love the most. It shows up with the people closest to me. It shows up with the people I see most often—co-workers. It shows up, um, with those who I come across in just my everyday ordinary life. Love can be hard.

The early church leader Paul said this about love: he said a bunch of things that love is not, but he said two things that love is. He said love is patient and it is kind. Love is patient and love is kind. And that's hard, right? To know God is to know him and experience him as love—that the God that we worship is a God who is patient and a God who is kind.

One of Jesus's friends, John, he wrote it this way: he said super clearly, "God is love." Not "God does loving things," which he does. Not "God is sometimes love and sometimes isn't." No, God is love.

And we enter into spiritual practices. Some of you have jumped on our Lent devotional on the YouVersion app. Over 4,500 people have subscribed to that Bible reading plan, and you're seeking to meditate on scripture and apply it to your life. You've stepped into the practice of community and communal worship by being here today or showing up at your Life Group and worshiping and opening God's word and, um, studying it together and praying for one another.

And you do this—I at least I hope we do it. I hope I do it for this reason: not just to know more about God, but actually to become like God, right? We do these practices of Bible study and worship and prayer because we want to become people of love.

This was the desire of Jesus for his followers as he made his way to his death—the crucifixion on the cross and ultimately to Resurrection that we'll celebrate on Easter. But Jesus knew that his followers were going to need to love each other—to love the ones they were close to, the ones that they would spend a lot of time with on mission together, to love those near them and in their community.

But Jesus also was aware that there were some things that were standing in the way of them loving each other. And I think those same things stand in my way of me loving those close to me, and maybe they stand in your way. And that's what we're going to consider together this morning.

But before we do, uh, let's pray once again. And if you feel comfortable, you might just open your palms upward as a physical and embodied way of just saying, "God, I want to receive from you."

Father, we need you. We need you to help us. I need you to help me. We receive your love for us. We receive your presence with us and in us. We receive you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Well, on the night that Jesus was to be betrayed by one of his friends and taken into custody and hung on a cross, he had a final meal with his twelve disciples. These were kind of the inner circle—these twelve guys. And at this meal, he drove home two really important truths to them—truths that he had been teaching them, truths he had been telling them. But at this meal, he would show them.

And before this meal, leading up to it, for us to be able to understand that moment, uh, before we get to this table with Jesus and that group of guys, uh, before Jesus unveils those two truths, I want to pull the camera back, if you will. I want to get a bigger picture.

And if we look at the four biographies of Jesus—the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—and we layer them over one another, we get such a fuller picture of Jesus and this journey to the Cross. We get a tapestry of Jesus's life.

And so, if we pull back and see what he was telling them, it will make sense what he was showing them. So, before this meal, before this table, Jesus repeatedly, repeatedly told these guys that he had to die and that he would be raised—three times explicitly, multiple times in other ways. But three times, Jesus said very explicitly, "I have to die and I will be raised. I have to die and I will be raised. I have to die and I will be raised."

And every time he tells them, they don't get it. The Bible actually says in some places, "And they did not understand." I've been there.

And what's fascinating to me is how they responded to this news. Almost every time Jesus says he's going to die, this group of guys starts a debate. And it's not a debate about who's going to be the saddest or how sad they're going to be. It's not a debate about how they can help Jesus or protect Jesus or any of that. No, they respond to Jesus's news that he has to die—they respond by debating their greatness.

That’s awesome! Six times we see Jesus's followers throwing down about who is going to be the greatest among them in Jesus's Kingdom. Now, of course, to be fair, these guys really didn't have a concept for a Messiah who was going to die. They had no anticipation of a resurrection. Their understanding of being a part of Jesus's kingdom was being a part of a political overthrow of the current regime.

And I think they wanted to know that they were going to have a high standing cabinet post. Which one of us gets the best one? Which one gets to be Secretary of State? Which one gets to be Vice President? Which gets to be Vice King? Whatever. In their mind, if Jesus has to die, it must mean that they're going to battle, and that that will then put them in positions of power. And they want to know which position they're going to get, and they're debating which rank they might have.

And what I love about Jesus—what I love about Jesus is he doesn't respond by telling them, "You shouldn't want to be great." You know, a lot of Christians are like, "I don't need to be great." Um, that's my imitation of Christians.

But, uh, Jesus doesn't respond by telling them not to seek greatness or not to seek power or not to seek a position. What Jesus does is he tells them—he tells them what he wants their posture to be.

And so, Jesus brings a child into the circle at one point, and he says to them, "Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, for it is the one who is least among you who is the greatest."

Another point, Jesus refers to the leaders of that day, and he said, "Look at those guys. They lord over people. They bear down with personal power. Not so with you. Not so with you. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

And what Jesus does here for these guys—and he's doing it to me, and I hope he's doing it a little bit for you—what Jesus does is he disrupts their understanding of status.

You see, they see status as position, as a title. But Jesus sees status as a posture—the posture of serving, the posture of servanthood. Jesus disrupts their sense of power. They've seen power as lording over others. That's when you know you've arrived. That's when you know you're great—when people have to do what you tell them to do because you are in charge.

Jesus says power will come with the vulnerability of a child. Power will come in serving. To receive the least of these is to receive the greatest of these because the way of Jesus—God in the flesh—the way of Jesus is the way of love.

And these followers are going to need to love each other because after Jesus's death and his resurrection and his ascension to the Father, he's going to send his Spirit, and he's going to send this group of guys out to represent him. And they're going to face disagreements and criticism within one another.

Ever been to a church like that? Pretty much every church. So, you're going to face disagreements, and they're going to face criticism from one another and from others outside of their community. They're going to be beaten. They're going to be thrown in prison. And most of them will not just metaphorically surrender their lives for the way of Jesus; they will literally be killed for what they believe.

So, they're going to need to love each other. But it's hard to love those we're competing with. It's hard to love those we're competing with. Which one of us is going to be the greatest? Which one's going to have the best position, the most power? Which one of us is most favored in this classroom? Which one of us is most favored in this workspace? Which one of us is most favored in this family, this friend group?

It's hard to love those we're competing with. It's hard to love those we're comparing ourselves to—wanting more than they have or envying what they have or coveting or wanting what they have—or maybe even just puffing ourselves up with esteem because, "So glad I am not like them. So glad I'm better than those people."

Hard to love those we're comparing ourselves to. It's hard to love when we're trying to prove ourselves.

Probably one of my favorite followers of Jesus is a guy named Peter. And I love Peter because I relate to him so much. And you get this sense, uh, when you follow Peter's life that there might have been some times when he was jocking for position, right? When he's trying to prove he's worthy of what Jesus had called him to rather than just living into what Jesus had called him to.

Peter's the guy who told Jesus he was wrong, right? "You're not going to die. I got the answers, Jesus. I'm the answer guy. I'm smart. I know things."

Hard to love when you're trying to prove yourself. It's hard to love when you're keeping score. When the people closest to us aren't meeting our expectations—minus 50 points. When they aren't reading the lines that we've written for them in our mind—we haven't given them a script, but we expect them to know it—and they're not responding the way we planned on it—that's minus 192.

When they don't get us, that's minus 200. When they want too much, minus 500. When they don't empty the dishwasher, minus 797.

It's those things, right? It's those things. It's those things. Paul again: love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

So, you got this group of Jesus followers so concerned about their personal greatness, their status, their title, how they're seen as Christ's followers, how they perform, where they fall into the pecking order of disciples, whether they're going to be respected and esteemed as they feel they deserve to be.

This group apprenticing in the way of Jesus is competing and comparing and proving and keeping score. And when they come together to this meal with Jesus, Jesus knows this is their last meal together. Jesus knows it's not time to just tell them; it's now time to show them.

It's time to show them not the position of greatness but the posture of greatness. You can find all of this in John chapter 13 and Luke 22.

And what Jesus shows them is this: he shows them how he loves them, shows them how he loves them, and he shows them how they can do the same for one another. He shows them a cup, he shows them a loaf of bread, and he shows them a towel.

And in Luke, it says this: when the hour came, Jesus and his apostles—that's a word for leaders—they were going to lead in this early church. Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table, and Jesus said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer."

They would have eaten it together. This was a ritual; it was a ceremony. It was a meal that they shared to celebrate and remember God rescuing his people out of Egypt.

And Jesus says, "For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

And Jesus took bread, and he gave thanks, and he broke it, and he gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

In the same way, after the supper, he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant." That's a commitment deeper than any contract. "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

And, of course, they did not understand any of this. They even got in another argument about debating who was the greatest at this very meal. They didn't understand until they looked back, and they realized what we realize: the power of Jesus was displayed in the vulnerability of Jesus—his body broken, his blood shed, his death for their life, his death for their freedom—the freedom that would come through the forgiveness and redemption and unhindered access to a relationship with God that was accomplished because of Jesus's life and his death and his resurrection and his ascension.

And when we come to this table, which we're going to do in a bit, when we come to this table, we do it to receive from Jesus. We do it to remember what he has done and is doing for us—to remember his grace, his ongoing work of transformation, his promise that there will be a day in the fullness of his kingdom when he returns and he makes all things perfectly right—that we will physically and literally share this feast with him—to remember his covenant commitment to us that he is our God and we are his people and that he will not forsake that commitment to us.

Jesus took a cup, and he took bread, and at the same time, at this same meal, he took a towel. And he didn't initially tell them to be servants; he showed them.

Jesus took the posture and offered the service that would have been done by a slave or a servant. It was practical; it was active love. Jesus washed their feet. He washed the feet of Peter, who would soon deny having any relationship with him. He washed the feet of Judas, who would actually leave the meal and go betray him and have him sent to the cross. He'd wash the feet of John, who found his identity and his understanding of self by defining himself as one loved by Jesus.

He washed their feet. He showed them that this is the posture of greatness. Someone once said that the greater the title, the bigger the towel.

And after showing the cup and the bread and the towel, Jesus did say this to them: he defined what life with him looks like. He said, "A new command I give you: love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know—by this, by love—by this, by this, by this, everyone will know you belong to me. Everyone will know you follow me if you love one another."

John, who was at that meal, would later write, "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

And then, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love."

This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him—not just for him, through him.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

What does it look like for you, for me, to love those closest to us—those you see most often, those most dear to you? What is the practical action you can take that is truly loving, truly patient, truly kind?

And let me say this: it's rarely giving advice. If you're a consultant, do that in your workplace. But for those of you who are the people who are close to you, it's rarely giving advice. It's certainly not taking control.

If you find yourself—this is a check for me—if you find yourself feeling more powerful than present, that's probably a check in your spirit. More powerful: "I got the answers. I know stuff. I'm the thing. Look at me loving you."

If you find yourself feeling more powerful than present, that's a check. I imagine that our active love is more about us listening than us about speaking. I'm much better at speaking than listening.

David Augsburger, an author, says, "Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable."

Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person, they are almost indistinguishable.

I was at a retreat this past week with author and pastor Trevor Hudson, and he said something I can't shake. It was just on Friday. He said, "Crowds are made by great speakers." I'd like to be a great speaker. "Crowds are made by great speakers, but lives are transformed by great listeners."

Do I want to be a great listener? Lives are transformed by great listeners.

If we want to grow in the way of love, we'll have to ask the people closest to us. This will take courage. We'll have to ask them, "When do you experience love from me, and when do you not experience love from me?"

And if they're courageous enough—because this takes great courage—more courage to answer the question than to ask the question. And if they're courageous enough to answer, say thank you and then zip it.

Say thank you.

Who is it that God is inviting you to love? I want to just take a minute. Lord, would you put on our mind the person we need to move towards this week with patience and kindness, with listening and care—a cup, a loaf of bread, a towel?

The temptation will be to leave here and try to manufacture love. "I'm going to go be loving this week."

But Trevor Hudson again suggested this: he said that sometimes in the Christian community, he thinks that we maybe focused too much on the spiritual practices and not enough on our posture. We want to get the technique right, but we need to get our heart right.

I think Jesus knew this. He knew that we needed to get the order right—to put ourselves in a posture of love.

John, again, his friend, said, "We love because he first loved us."

Of course, John had heard Jesus say later in this same meal, John 15: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you."

But first, know, experience, believe this mind-blowing truth: as the Father has loved Jesus, Jesus has loved you, has loved me.

For the past month, after hearing a speaker suggest this in some books I've been reading mention the same thing, um, I've been trying to start my mornings with, in my sanctified imagination, gazing upon Jesus as he gazes upon me in love.

I just say, "Alexa, set the timer for 10 minutes." Then I don't have to look at anything, and I sit in a posture, and I just seek to imagine Jesus looking upon me—not with what he wants to change in me, not with what he wants me to do, but with his love for me.

Could we do that for just this last minute? Would you just close your eyes and imagine Jesus gazing upon you in love?

As the Father has loved me, he says, so has he loved you.

And his love never gives up on you. His love pursues you. His love finds you. His love adores you. Picture that.

Oh, Jesus, thank you. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for pursuing us. I thank you that you adore each person in this room.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

"It's hard to love those we're competing with, it's hard to love those we're comparing ourselves to, wanting more than they have or envying what they have... It's hard to love when we're trying to prove ourselves... It's hard to love when you're keeping score when the people closest to us aren't meeting our expectations... Paul again, love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... it keeps no record of wrongs." [36:52 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Love is patient and it is kind. And that's hard, right? To know God is to know him and experience him as love... God is love and we enter into spiritual practices... not just to know more about God but actually to become like God... we do these practices of Bible study and worship and prayer because we want to become people of love." [25:10 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Download cropped clip | Download captioned clip)

"Jesus disrupts their understanding of status... Jesus sees status as a posture, the posture of serving, the posture of servanthood. Jesus disrupts their sense of power... power will come in serving... the way of Jesus is the way of love and these followers are going to need to love each other." [33:37 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Download cropped clip | Download captioned clip)

"Jesus washed their feet, he washed the feet of Peter who would soon deny having any relationship with him, he washed the feet of Judas who would actually leave the meal and go betray him... he showed them that this is the posture of greatness... the greater the title, the bigger the towel." [44:18 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Download cropped clip | Captioning clip)

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth... This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." [45:53 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Jesus Took the posture and offered the service that would have been done by a Slave or a servant... Jesus washed their feet... he showed them that this is the posture of greatness... not the position of greatness but the posture of greatness." [39:07 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Jesus Took bread and he gave thanks and he broke it and he gave it to them saying this is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me... the power of Jesus was displayed in the vulnerability of Jesus, his body broken, his blood shed, his death for their life." [41:14 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Being heard is so close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable... Lives are transformed by great listeners... if we want to grow in the way of Love we'll have to ask the people closest to us when do you experience love from me and when do you not." [48:36 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Jesus knew that after his death, resurrection, and ascension, his followers would need to love each other deeply to overcome the challenges they would face, including internal disagreements and external persecution." [34:17 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Download cropped clip | Download captioned clip)

"Jesus repeatedly told these guys that he had to die and that he would be raised... every time he tells them they don't get it... they respond by debating their greatness... Jesus doesn't respond by telling them not to seek greatness or power, but to seek it in the posture of servanthood." [30:18 <_tXS8UnuI4k>] (Download clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)