In the Name of Love

We start with a very famous poem about love. That poem about love we can find in:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

When I read this poem, I see love not as an easy act. If we react in love we do the opposite of what we wish to do. Natural behavior has no love in it. We like to think first about ourselves. We like to keep everything for ourselves. We are collectors, not givers. And we protect ourselves against everything and everyone that can damage us. We don’t think about suffering as something that can do good. We like to do good with one condition: That we will not have to suffer because of it. This is why we have to pray for Yahweh’s love in us and in our life.
I will list all that love is once more:
Love is: patience, kind, not jealous, no bragger, not arrogant, act becomingly, seeks not himself, not provokable, don’t search for revenge, likes righteousness, likes truth, bears all things, believe all things, hopes all things and endures all things. We’re now going to read:

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of Yahweh, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as the Messiah also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to Yahweh as a fragrant aroma.

Yeshua wants us to be imitators of Himself and Yahweh. That means that we love others so much that we are even willing to give up our life to save others.
In 1 John chapter 2 we read more about the loving way of life. Let us read this one too:

1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of Yahweh lives forever.

When you love the things in the world, you aren’t loving Yahweh. The world is full of evil desires, pride and boasting. These things aren’t from Yahweh. Who does the Will of Yahweh has eternal life.

The next text is telling us what love is in the practical world we live in. We’re going to read:

1 John 3:14-19

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of Yahweh abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him.

Who does not love is dead. We suppose to take care of our brothers and sisters. If we have something and we don’t share, we have no love in us. A loving life is a giving life. Sometimes until death, like Yeshua did. Love is going about acts, not words. No love means no eternal life in Yahweh’s Kingdom. Love is the thing that keeps the body of Yeshua together. In other words: it keeps the congregation together. Or the family.
Let us follow the example of the first Christians. We can read about them in:

Acts 2:44-47

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising Yahweh and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.