Meditations on the Meaning of ChristmasShembull

Love Comes Down, Goes Up, and Goes Out

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12

When you use the word “love,” what do you usually mean?

Maybe the last time you used the word “love,” you said something like “I love that…” or “I would love to…” or maybe you even said to someone “I love you.”

What did you mean the last time you used the word “love”?

Did you mean that you liked something?

Did you mean that you found something enjoyable?

Did you mean that you have certain feelings about someone?

In reference to the kind of “love” that’s common among all people, Jesus said “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” (Luke 6:32)

In other words, anyone can have good feelings about people who are nice to them (you don’t need to be born again to experience that).

So when the apostle John says to us, “if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us”, he’s not talking about us simply having good feelings about people. Rather, he’s talking about a love for God and a love for people that can only be produced by the Holy Spirit!

He’s talking about a love that is 100% supernatural. He’s talking about a love for God that trumps all other loves. He’s talking about a love for people that is willing to give and willing to sacrifice. He’s talking about a love that is willing to die so that people might hear the gospel and worship Jesus Christ.

The apostle John uses a certain word to describe this kind of supernatural love; he calls it “perfected love.” Here’s what he means by “perfected love:”

·  First love comes down to us from God

·  Then love goes up from us to God

·  And then love goes out from us to others

When love comes down, love goes up, and goes out. That’s perfected love.

Perfected love begins with the love of God coming down at Christmas. Perfected love begins with the Word becoming flesh and being born in Bethlehem. Perfected love begins with the Creator of the universe emptying Himself and humbly entering into the world as a servant to save His people from the wrath of God to the glory of God!

And as we truly experience this love we are transformed into people who love God and love others.

This is perfected love: when love comes down, love goes up, and goes out.

Reflect

• Am I experiencing and delighting in the love of God right now in my life?
• Am I filled with love for God?
• Am I being intentional about loving others?
• How can I grow in all of the above?