Don’t Let Offenses Destroy Your Love, Become Like a Child — Dave Bertsch & Allan Daniel — Feb 4 2024
http://rlcf.church River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker emphasizes that the commandment to love one another, as taught by Jesus, is the defining mark of a disciple. He draws heavily from John's writings, noting that true love must be demonstrated not just by words, but by deeds and truth. A critical danger to this love is allowing offenses, often arising from petty matters, to cause division and cause the professed love to crumble.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Jesus's new commandment to love one anotherJesus gave His disciples a new commandment to love one another just as He loved them, which serves as the primary mark of His disciples.
John echoes the command to love in his later lettersDecades later, the Apostle John repeatedly emphasizes this same foundational commandment to love one another in deed and in truth.
How offenses destroy fellowship and loveWhile believers often talk about love, small offenses and petty matters can cause people to stumble and destroy their peace and love for one another.Psalms 119:165
Jesus places a child in the midst of the disciplesJesus teaches that unless believers turn and become like children, they will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Learning humility and trust from childrenWatching his own children respond to praise, unfamiliar situations, and simple contentment convicts the speaker to trust God completely without leaning on his own understanding.
Embracing child-like simplicity in prayer and worshipChildren remind believers how to pray and praise with pure sincerity, avoiding impatience with repetition and remaining tender-hearted.
