“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” - 1 John 4:7-21 (NIV)

In 1997, I was in my YPK (Youth Pastor’s Kid) Era, jamming to folks like DC Talk, Audio Adrenaline, and Jars of Clay in my car seat, chocolate milk in hand. The chorus of one Avalon song still randomly pops into my head today:

For as long as I shall live, I will testify to love

I can imagine the writer of 1 John jamming with me to this song. He’s really into love. Within one short letter, the author mentions love 28 times! In chapter 3, Christian love is not limited to merely words. Christian love is an action. Jesus laid down his life for us, and that love requires us to lay down our lives for others, too.

Love in action is a beautiful mantra. But it also rattles us. Have you ever stopped to consider the details of this sacrificial love?

James Heimlich brought this message after a medical emergency prevented Pastor Kendall and Jonathan from attending.

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