Love - Lesson 1: Introduction

Love

Lesson 1: Introduction

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The Main Points for This Lesson:

This series of lessons will center around love as seen in chapter 13 of the apostle Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians. The purpose of these lessons is to teach about love: love's importance; what love looks like lived out, including what it is and what it isn't, and what it does and what it doesn't do; love's greatness.

Love is of the highest importance in God's kingdom. God first loved us, and so we love him. His commandments depend on love, they are summed up in love, and are fulfilled in love. The goal of the apostles' teaching, instruction and command is love. God expects to see us love both him and our neighbor.

The love commanded by God (and first demonstrated by God to us) is real and practical. This love is not first and foremost an emotion or feeling, though it may result in emotions or feelings. This love is made of real actions, choices and attitudes. The apostle John said that we can know if we love one another. How? Love is walking according to God's commandments.

Love is the greatest thing. Many other things, even good things (ie. prophecy, speaking in tongues, knowledge), will pass away, or one day become unnecessary. Love will never pass away or become obsolete. In this life we do not understand all things or see God or life clearly, though one day we will. Faith, hope and love will bring us through this life's obscure sight to the next life's brightness and glory, to the time when we see God clearly, face to face. Above all these things, put on love, which is the greatest of these.

Suggestions:

To open the lesson, pray for the teacher and the students.

Let the children know that we are now having some lessons on 1 Corinthians 13, about love. While 1 Corinthians 13 is not the only place God teaches us about love, it provides a very helpful, practical, and (perhaps) easily understood description of love.

In this lesson, we will give an introduction to the subject of love.

Ask the children to think of stories or verses from the Bible that talk about love. Is there a story where someone showed love to another person? Is there a story where God showed love to people? If they can't think of anything at first, give them a hint to remind them of the story of the good Samaritan. As they think of stories, ask them to tell you how they know that person showed love, or that a person was shown love.

Then, ask the children to describe love to you, or to explain to you what is in simple words. Write their descriptions down on the board so they can be seen. You may need to offer some suggestions to help them. You could remind them of the stories, to see if they give any ideas for explaining about love.

Finally, read to them 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Before you read it, ask them to listen to see if what you read fits with their descriptions of love and with the stories they thought of.

To close the lesson, pray with the children and have all the children read the Lord's prayer together.

Stories:

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 [1] If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. [3] If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.

[4] Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, [5] doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; [6] doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

[8] Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. [9] For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; [10] but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. [11] When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. [12] For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. [13] But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

More Stories and Examples:

Luke 7:1-10 [1] After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. [2] A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death. [3] When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant. [4] When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him, [5] for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.” [6] Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. [7] Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. [8] For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” [9] When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.” [10] Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Other Verses:

Exodus 20:5-6 [5] you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Leviticus 19:18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.

Leviticus 19:33-34 [33] “‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. [34] The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 [4] Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh is one. [5] You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 [12] Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, [13] to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?

Matthew 22:34-40 [34] But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together. [35] One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. [36] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” [37] Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ [40] The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Romans 13:8-10 [8] Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. [9] For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [10] Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatians 5:13-15 [13] For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. [14] For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another.

Colossians 3:12-14 [12] Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; [13] bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. [14] Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

1 Timothy 1:5-6 [5] but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith; [6] from which things some, having missed the mark, have turned aside to vain talking;

James 2:8 However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.

1 John 4:7-12 [7] Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. [8] He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. [9] By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. [10] In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

1 John 4:16-21 [16] We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. [17] In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. [19] We love him, because he first loved us. [20] If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? [21] This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.

1 John 5:1-3 [1] Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him. [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.

2 John 1:5-6 [5] Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. [6] This is love, that we should walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, even as you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.