Theme: THE LOVE OF GOD
Text: “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” – 1 John 3:16, 17.
Comment: Our Lord Jesus Christ, taught us to follow his example of sacrifice for our sake. He said: “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15) For the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ died so we may have “life and have it more abundantly” St. Paul, in the following verse stressed we should be doing likewise: “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35.
It is in the spirit of giving in order to alleviate the conditions of the poor and be blessed by God that Jesus Christ directed us that when we want to make a feast, we should not invite friends, brethren, kinsmen, rich neighbours, etc. in that such ones will seek opportunity to pay back. Rather, he said, we should invite “the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just”. – Luke 14:12-14.
The point is that it is ungodly to be living in abundance when those around us are wallowing in grinding poverty. John the Baptist advised, “He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise….” – Luke 3:10-14.
