Love One Another

by Erin Bird

How's your week been going? Mine has been going quite well!

• I loved last Sunday's Baptism Worship Gathering.
• I heard from a church planting friend who saw two students make decisions to follow Jesus during a church potluck last Sunday.
• I got to chat with my church planting coach (who is coming this Sunday to teach at Riverwood).
• I got to work on some "future stuff" for Riverwood.
• I've gotten some quality time with my family.
• And my Kansas City Royals have started winning again. 🙂

So yeah, it's been a good week!

One Another Series

Today we are starting a new series on the five "one anothers" we find in the book of Romans. Before we get to our first "one another" let me set the stage.

In Romans chapters 1-11, the Apostle Paul wrote about the gospel. Like a skilled lawyer, Paul showed the importance and necessity of the gospel for all people.

Then in chapter 12, Paul makes a turn. He moves from discussing the theological and philosophical implications of the gospel to the practical application of the gospel. In verse 10, as he is helping his readers apply the gospel to their lives, Paul writes...

"Love one another with brotherly affection."

When you've been impacted by the gospel, realizing the love God has for you, it should lead you to love others.

Redefining Love

When I went on Unsplash to look for an image for this email, I typed in the search bar "love." And the first images that popped up all reflected romantic love.

So often, when we think of "love," we think kisses, hand holding, smiles, fluttering hearts, consuming thoughts, and all the trappings of romantic love.

But love is so much more than just dating and marriage.

• It's encouraging a co-worker.
• It's listening to a friend.
• It's serving a neighbor.
• It's giving a hug to someone in your church family.
• It's sending a letter of appreciation to someone.
• It's giving a gift to someone going through a tough moment.

This is the type of love that Paul is talking about in Romans 12:10. If you follow Jesus, how can you show this type of love to others, especially those who also follow Jesus? What do you need to do this week at work, at home, or out in your neighborhood to show love with brotherly affection?

Let us show love together to those in our church family and outside of it, because the love of Jesus has changed us.