EPISODE 537 – UNFEIGNED LOVE
Apostle Benjamin Nana Amissah AnsahCHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY
The Love-Life Agency
Saturday 13th July, 2024
UNFEIGNED LOVE
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
This commandment of Jesus is specifically for the people of His household.
He didn’t give this commandment to the multitudes.
He gave this commandment during His final moments with His disciples before His death.
The importance of loving one another is the testimony of our oneness to the world. God truly loves the world, however, it is His desire that we share His special love, with one another.
The only way we can reach out to the world is when we are one and love one another.
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34
Jesus had to include the need for the oneness of the saints in His heartfelt prayer in John 17
“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me” John 17:21 (NLT).
Beloved, the need for all the saints to be one and to love one another is imperative.
Love is an action and not just an utterance. (1 John 3:18).
Jesus demonstrated His love of service to us, by how He washed the feet of His disciples.
“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)
How are you serving your fellow brother in Christ?
Paul the apostle, puts it this way:
“But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (Amplified Bible)
Jesus’ death was God patiently showing and demonstrating His love to us.
This wasn’t Apostle Paul trying to make it up.
See what Jesus said,
“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:12-14
Jesus demonstrated His greater love through His sacrificial service. We also ought to love one another through our sacrificial service.
Apostle Paul admonished the brethren in Philippi with this ardent instruction:
“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care – then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death – and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever”, (Philippians 2:1-9, MSG)
This is how you follow the example of Jesus; to love others is to serve them.
You love others when you do things for them without expecting anything in return. You do things you may not like to do, and that will cost or inconvenience you. (NB: Not things that make you live contrary to God’s word).
There is no love without service. Jesus said He came to serve others:
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Beloved, we know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)
Hatred towards one another is not an option. You walk in darkness if you hate a brother or a sister. (1 John 2:9)
“The greatest among you shall be your servant”. (Matthew 23:11).
Have a blessed day.
Let me know how this blessed you in the comment session.
DIG DEEPER
(1 John 4:9-11; Philippians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 13)
WE PRAY
That the Lord grants us more opportunities to demonstrate His sacrificial love towards the brethren as Christ Jesus loved us.
BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2024
Isaiah 17 – 20
DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I make great sacrifices for others.
– I refuse to walk in hatred.
– Through me, the brethren see the reality of the love of Christ.
– I go the extra mile to help the brethren.
– I am a great lover of the saints.
– I refuse to be selfish.
– I refuse to esteem myself above the brethren.
– I serve the brethren with all humility.
Hallelujah!!!
This is how you follow the example of Jesus; to love others is to serve them
You love others when you do things for them without expecting anything in return. You do things you may not like to do, and that will cost or
inconvenience you. (NB: Not things that make you live contrary to God’s word).
The greatest among you shall be your servant”. (Matthew 23:11).
Emmmm I serve Men for I am the greatest.
Thank you Apostle for this wonderful episode.I has reminded me not to love because I Feel like but because of the love of God at work in me
I sincerely demonstrate my love for the brethren through my sacrificial service. In the name of Jesus, so help me God.
Glory be to God.Am really blessed through this Machaira shared by our Man of God Apostle Benjamin Nana Amissah Ansah
He said something that really move me.What he said is that there’s no love without service.Jesus said he came to serve others and not be served
And also hatred being in the heart of a born again believer meaning he or she walked in darkness because the love of the father is not in him
How refreshing this is.
This episode really got my mind to stand firmly on the Love of God for us and the very need to express that same Love.
Thank You Lord for Machaira with Apostle Bennie.
Hallelujah!
The chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 summarise it all about unfeigned love. I believe the highest form of demonstrating Christ runs on the wheels of love.
I love as Christ loveth.
Wow! I love as Christ loveth!
Love is demonstrated in service. This got me thinking. Indeed loving someone means being ready to put your selfish needs to make others comfortable even at the detriment of your comfort.
I begin to make conscious steps to demonstrate love to the brethren and my leaders.
Glory to God
Thank you so much Apostle.
Thank you Lord Jesus
As the saying Goes service to God is also service to man
You cannot serve God and hate men
Because men are what has filled the mind of God and it is because of man God went all to make sure his plans are fulfilled through Christ Jesus
Wow, very true sir.
The Love that God has shared abroad in our hearts as believed compels us to serve many with the. Truth that they will also come to the knowledge and live in liberty and walk in light
Unity is strength and anywhere there is no intimate love for each other there is easy distraction by unnecessary issues
So as brethren it is highly important we stay as one body in Christ , settle differences when needed , not to keep grudges and be plain about what you feel when needed so that there would be checks and balances to sustain harmony
That the prayer of Jesus will come to pass
That we will all be one in body and he being our head together we make the kingdom of this world the kingdom of God
Thank you Sir
In reading the Machaira I realize that to hate a brother is to walk in darkness. You may think ” he is the one who is at fault” but actually you are rather the target. The moment you start harbouring hatred toward your brother, you are gone and you hinder the others from believing.
I remember some time past how if someone offends me it really gets to me that I’ll hold it in me for a long time.
It got to a point that if someone offend me, the only thing I say is with all my inconsistencies God has always been there throughout so I have no reason to get upset with someone. Genuinely loving the brethren is what matters and that has really helped me.
I love the God-kind of love
Thank you Apostle Sir
Sincerely this episode is so humbling! What a life we ought to live then. Thank you Lord Jesus for living such a flawless examplary Life of Love and service! I am a lover not a hater
I demonstrate love to others.
Jesus came to serve but not to be served though he was higher in authority. He didn’t esteem himself higher than his disciples and even lowered himself by washing their feet. What a great kind of selfless love the Father has shown me. Thank you Lord for Machaira with Apostle Bennie.
I love you sir
I refuse to walk in hatred towards my brother
Thank you please
It is a blessing to understand that Love is synonymous to Service..
I serve the brethren.
Oooo hallelujah hallelujah thank you Jesus
I love as Christ loves
He being of the same status didn’t consider the privileges but humbled himself to death not any death but death on the cross for us
Thank you Lord for your love
I have the ability to love and serve the brethren.
“The greatest among you shall be your servant”. (Matthew 23:11).
I demonstrate love to the brethren through my sacrificial service for them.
1John.4.11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (NKJV)
I make great sacrifices for the saints!
Through me, the brethren see the reality of the love of Christ.
I serve the brethren with all humility of heart.
I’ve learnt that , real love is demonstrated and its mostly sacrificial
[…] There is something about setting your heart on the lovingkindness of the Lord and knowing that His love is everlasting. […]