LIVE WITH LOVE
Pastor Corey Mantz
Woodland Church
Sunday, June 8, 2025
(John 13:34-35, NLT) “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
(Matthew 5:44-46, NLT) “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.”
1. Experience God’s love for you
(Romans 5:6-8, NLT) “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
(John 15:12, NLT) “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”
2. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt you
(Matthew 6:14-15, AMP) “if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.”
(Ephesians 4:32, Message) “Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.”
(Colossians 3:23, NLT) “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”
3. Behave in a loving way
(Luke 6:27-29, Amp) “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you, bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one also [simply ignore insignificant insults or losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity].”
- I am to love my enemies
(1 Peter 4:8, AMP) “Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others].”
- I am to do good
(Hebrews 13:16, GW) “Don’t forget to do good things for others and to share what you have with them. These are the kinds of sacrifices that please God.”
- I am to bless others
(Romans 12:14, CEV) “Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them.”
- I am to pray for others
(Romans 2:4, GW) “Don’t you realize that it is God’s kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you think and act?”