Sunday School: Freedom in Love

Good morning!
​We're so glad you decided to join us today!

This is our first week meeting after the early worship service. If you haven't joined us for Sunday School before, we would really enjoy having you!

When we meet together in person, we take some time to share our joys and concerns. If you have any prayer requests, you can add them as a comment to this post. When you are ready, use the prayer below (source) to get started. 

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the source of life and the fountain-spring of love. Help me to carry out Your will for my life, and may I love as Christ loves. I pray that I would do no wrong, in thought, word, or deed, to my family, friends, or neighbors. And help me to show the love of Christ to all with whom I come in contact today. This I ask in Jesus' precious name and for His greater glory. AMEN.

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Today's lesson is on Romans 13:8-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. 

The actions and attitudes of Christian love improve our spiritual view in critical areas.  First as we express that love, we begin to see more and more opportunities to express it. Second, this improved spiritual vision will cause us to see that to minister to others in love is to serve God. “Whoever loves God is known by God.” In Corinthians, Paul says “Let all that you do be done in love."  In 1 John, chapter 4, we read, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. We love because he first loved us." Proverbs says, “A friend loves at all times.” In the last verse of today’s text, Paul says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
 
Chris Tiegreen, writer and editor of a devotional magazine, says “Faith lasts only until it becomes sight, and hope lasts only until it’s fulfilled, but love lasts forever."

Prayer
Father, we live in a time where love is perhaps more desperately sought after than ever before.  Forgive us when we become callous to the needs around us.  Help us to follow the example of Jesus and to see others as he sees them.  In his name we pray. Amen.

Questions for Discussion

• What role do rules play in loving families with small children? With adult children?
• Do the rules in your family serve your love for one another?
• How have you seen love demonstrated when physical or mental abilities may be diminished?
• In what sense(s) should we put childish things behind us?
• In what sense(s) should we strive to remain childlike?
• What will you do this week to love your neighbors?

Benediction
Today's benediction is from the Revised Standard Version.

Next week's lesson will be on Colossians 2:16-23.