Sunday Preview: Perfect Love

From the beginning, humanity was created in an extraordinary way—designed to reflect the image of God. This likeness is seen most clearly in our capacity for relationships. Just as the Trinity exists in perfect fellowship and communion, we are also made to connect with others and God. This divine design allows us to experience the depth of love—fellowship, care, sharing of thoughts, attitudes, and life experiences—that makes love the richest of all human experiences.

In 1 John 4:7-21, the Apostle John presents us with the profound theme of perfect love. But what is perfect love, and how do we experience it?

Defining Perfect Love
1 John 4:12 tells us, “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.” The term "perfected" here doesn’t imply flawlessness. Instead, it conveys the idea of something being made complete, whole, or carried to its fullest extent. God’s love is completed within us when we love one another.

Paul reinforces this idea in Romans 5:5, where he writes, “God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” This love is a gift, not something we come up with ourselves. The love God instills in us through the Holy Spirit is the foundation of our relationships and evidence of our faith.

Mere doctrinal correctness is not sufficient proof of conversion. True salvation reveals itself in love. As John writes in 1 John 4:21, “The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.” This love is not based on convenience but is a chosen response—rooted in service and sacrifice.

Love: The Essence of God
The essence of God is love. John makes this clear: “Love is from God,” he writes in 1 John 4:7, “because God is love” (1 John 4:8). Our ability to love comes directly from God. In fact, John tells us that we do not know God if we do not love. This is the central mark of a follower of Christ—God’s love flowing through us into the lives of others.

The Love of God Made Known by Christ
The greatest demonstration of God’s love was given to us through Jesus Christ. As John writes in 1 John 4:9, “God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” This is the ultimate manifestation of divine love: God sent Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. It was not because we first loved God but because He first loved us (1 John 4:10).

Scripture describes the selfless nature of Christ’s sacrifice in great detail. In Isaiah 53:6, we read, “We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.” Jesus took our sins upon Himself, bearing the punishment we deserved. This act of sacrificial love stands as the foundation of our faith.

As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate this love. 1 John 3:16 reminds us, “He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” Love is not an abstract feeling but a call to action, service, and sacrifice.

Love as Our Testimony
John highlights an essential truth in 1 John 4:12: “No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is made complete in us.” If the world cannot see God directly, how can it witness His power and glory? The answer is simple: by observing how we love one another.

Jesus Himself said in John 13:34-35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple. It is how we witness a world that is watching, searching, and longing for something more.

Closing Thoughts
Perfect love is not simply about feelings or words; it is demonstrated through sacrificial service to others. This is how we bear witness to the world. Love is at the very core of our Christian experience, and it is how we reflect the image of God to those around us.

OPENING / WELCOME
Eric Renegar
SONG LEADER
Titus Sullivan
PRAYER OF PRAISE
Kevin Shanesy
LEAD LORD'S SUPPER
Drew Triplett
 ASSIST LORD’S SUPPER
Bob Zehring
Rich Walker
Paul Braden
Brayden Grushon
SCRIPTURE READING
Matt Ringle
1 John 4:7-12
PREACHING
Matthew Allen
CLOSING PRAYER
Dan Dekoski
CLOSING COMMENTS
George Wacks
WELCOME CENTER
Sadonna Schofield / Tina Jacobs
USHERS
Dan Spargo / Randy Mullins
SONG DEVOTIONAL
Chris Terrian
COMMUNION PREP
Sadonna Schofield
CLOSING THE BUILDING
Mike Rosato