Cultivate Love: But, Jesus!

Tap/click for the sermon reflection guide! In John 15, Jesus identifies himself as the true vine and explains that we, as the branches, must stay connected to him in order to bear fruit. To be the kind of people for whom love comes...

An episode of the HPUMC - Cornerstone Sermons (Contemporary Worship) podcast, hosted by Highland Park United Methodist Church - Dallas, Texas, titled "Cultivate Love: But, Jesus!" was published on September 23, 2024 and runs 32 minutes.

September 23, 2024 ·32m · HPUMC - Cornerstone Sermons (Contemporary Worship)

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Summary

Tap/click here for the sermon reflection guide! In John 15, Jesus identifies himself as the true vine and explains that we, as the branches, must stay connected to him in order to bear fruit. To be the kind of people for whom love comes naturally, we must remain (abide) in God’s love. But how do we do that? We remain in God’s love by keeping His commandment to love one another. In other words, we become more loving when we love others. Sounds simple enough! But what about people who are difficult to love? When it comes to loving others, it is important, and even loving, to establish healthy boundaries as unconditional love does not equate to unconditional access. Sin violates God’s boundaries, separating and detaching us from Him. But, Jesus came along and renewed our access to God, reattaching us to the source of all life and empowering us to become people of love.

Episode Description

Tap/click here for the sermon reflection guide!

In John 15, Jesus identifies himself as the true vine and explains that we, as the branches, must stay connected to him in order to bear fruit. To be the kind of people for whom love comes naturally, we must remain (abide) in God’s love. But how do we do that? We remain in God’s love by keeping His commandment to love one another. In other words, we become more loving when we love others. Sounds simple enough!

But what about people who are difficult to love? When it comes to loving others, it is important, and even loving, to establish healthy boundaries as unconditional love does not equate to unconditional access. Sin violates God’s boundaries, separating and detaching us from Him. But, Jesus came along and renewed our access to God, reattaching us to the source of all life and empowering us to become people of love.