Easter Points to the Love of God

. . . Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

Easter defines love. – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 Jn. 3:16).  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son …” (Jn. 3:16)

Easter demonstrates God’s love. – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).  “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 Jn. 4:9-10) .

Easter epitomizes love – “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13).

Easter enables us to love – “We love because he first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19).  “And live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:2).

Here is what we can learn about love because of Easter:

1. Easter teaches us that love sacrifices for another.
2. Easter teaches us that love gives to others.
3. Easter teaches us that love wants the best for others.
4. Easter teaches us that love does not wait for someone else to take the first step.
5. Easter teaches us that love reaches out unconditionally, even to the seemingly unlovable.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Eph. 3:17-19)