Live to Love Scripture Encouragement John 17.23

John 17:23 “I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” The world needs to see that God loves us with the same love that He has for His Son. How is that love known? It is known by the life of Jesus dwelling in us and loving through us in the same way that the life of the Father dwelt in and loved through Jesus. Do you realize how glorious this is?! The indwelling life of Jesus, who is the revelation of the love of God, has united all believers perfectly. It’s another way of saying that the love of Jesus is enough to satisfy our souls. Nothing can be added to make us more unified. Our love for each other is our glory. It is the glory of God for the glory of God. This is precisely why we must not allow anything to divide us. If we allow anything to divide us, we take God’s name in vain. We bring shame upon His name. We provide a stumbling block to the world. For whatever that thing is—an opinion, a perspective, a value, a belief, a preference—whatever it is, it makes a mockery of the love of God revealed in Jesus and screams that the love of Jesus is a sham. A professing believer in Jesus Christ, cancelling, rejecting, and refusing to love another professing believer declares to the world that the idea that God sent His Son, who is love, to live in the hearts of men so they can reveal His love is not only a lie, but a gross, malicious deception. It preaches that Jesus was a liar and an imposter. Have you allowed anything to separate you from another believer in Jesus Christ? Have you rejected the perfect bond of unity—the love of God for us all in and through His Son? Have you forgiven others like you have been forgiven by God on the basis of Jesus’ death for you? For God’s glory and Jesus’ name sake, drop whatever it is that you are holding on to, other than Jesus’ name and glory, and give the world a taste and testimony of the love and glory of God. Forgive and love your brother! Open wide your heart to him. Give him a place in your heart like Jesus gives you a place in His heart—a place of peace provided by His love. God wants them to know that He sent Jesus into the world and that He lives. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com