The greatest of all is love and love is the most powerful influence in the world. When we learn to love as Christ did then our world will be changed. We will be willing to die for each other even as Christ died for us.
Romans 5:7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
This word good means the highest form of love. What the Lord is saying is that someone would not be willing to give up their life for someone who does the right thing but perhaps maybe someone would die for a person who loved them. Love is the greatest power in the world. We will always want to be around those who love us.
I John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
We know that Jesus loves us. He died for us and He would do it again. He did not die for us because we were good but He died for us because He is good. Jesus Christ is the expression of the highest form of love.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
The only way we can love with the love of Christ is if we die to ourselves first.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
We must deny ourselves and follow Him. It is a daily dying to ourselves and it is the path to freedom and to Christlikeness.
Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
This life is only possible through His Spirit and by His Spirit. He will only lead you where He has gone before you. There is no fear in a life of dying to self and following Him. In your dying you will begin living and in your death others will find life.
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Jesus went before us. He was crushed for our iniquities and by His scourging we are healed. He died for us.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
The Lord is pleased when we offer ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice. How is it seen by others? It is seen through our love for others as we are poured out as an offering to Him.
Isaiah 53:10-12 But the Lord was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.
You have the opportunity to be like Jesus when you intercede for those who have sinned against you. You may not be able to bear their sins as Jesus did on the cross but when you pray “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”, you will be more like Him than you will ever know and others will see Jesus in you.
Luke 23:24 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
The greatest is love and those who love are the greatest.
I Corinthians 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Instructions To A Young Life 