Children’s Sermon

1 John 4:7-21

Perfect Love

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1 John 4:7-21

Perfect Love

By Lois Parker Edstrom

We hear a lot about love, but do we really know what it is? Where does it come from? What does it look like? How do we know someone loves us? How do you show someone you love them? How do we learn to love? (Use these questions to encourage discussion among the children and use their comments to expand the teaching of the lesson.)

The Bible teaches us that “love is of God” (4:7) and we learn that “we love him, because he first loved us” (4:19).

We love him, because he first loved us. God sent his Son into the world to teach us about love. You can think about this idea in the same way you think about how your parents love you.

From the time you were born your parents have loved and cared for you. This is how you learn about love. Your parents love you no matter what! Even when you make bad choices your parents continue to love you. This is called unconditional love. It goes on forever.

When you receive love, you are able to give it to others. The Bible says this: “If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us” (4:12).

Love is like a big river that flows into streams and then into oceans where it spreads out and goes everywhere. Love starts with God and is offered to anyone who will accept it. We learn about love because we are first loved and then we give it to our family and friends and they give it to others. It spreads out and goes everywhere. This is God’s Spirit being made perfect in us.

“No one has seen God” (4:12) but we are able to see God’s Spirit in those who love.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2012, Richard Niell Donovan