So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Php 2:1-11)

We love to imitate those we look up to

Paul instructed his young protégé Timothy: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” 1 Cor.11:1

Jesus: "follow me”

The best place to see "what does love look like: is with Jesus

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, Phil.2:5

Take the time to ask – how am I, how could I imitate Jesus by loving the way He loves?

THE LEPER

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” (Mat 8:1-4)

“Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”  Matt.8:2

Reaction of horror and disgust!

How does Jesus respond? By touching and healing him.

So what would it mean for us to imitate Jesus who said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” Matt.5:44

RICH YOUNG RULER

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” (Mar 10:17-26)

HOW DO we love such people? HOW DID Jesus love Him?

“Jesus looked at him and loved him” Mk.10:21

Truth telling

“One thing you lack, Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor… Then come follow me” Mk.10:21

As result of which “the man’s face fell and he went away sad. Because he had great wealth”! v20

The disciples were “amazed at his words” Mk.10:24

I wonder – do we allow Jesus to love us like this?

   Are we able to love each other in this same way?

THE SINFUL WOMAN

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luk 7:36-50)

Note the contrast

The Religious leader and a “woman who had lived a sinful life” Luke 7:37 

Now THIS IS shameful!

Jesus resonse? How does He love her? He honours her.   

This is what love is. This is what love does.

So what would it mean for you to love like Jesus. 

CONCLUSION

What would it mean if we all followed the example of Jesus and loved like Him?

It begins with experiencing this love for ourselves. 

“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

We need to experience and know HIs love

We are then motivated and enabled to love as He loves us.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1Jn 4:11-12)

COMMUNION

Real love isn't our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven. (1Jn 4:10)