Back to the Basics

GETTING STARTED

I don’t know about you, but it really bothers me when people are fake. We live in a world of plastic surgery and high fashion, and that is just the outside appearance of people. I think people see right through someone who is not authentic. Our world craves people who are genuine and sincere. In our reading today, Paul challenges us to be different from the rest of the world.

  • Think of a time when you struggled to be loving to someone else. Do you think your efforts came across as sincere and genuine or maybe a little fake and insincere?

READ THE WORD: ROMANS 12:9-13 (ESV) 

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

1.  What does the passage say love should look like in our daily lives (vs. 9)?2.  To whom should we show love (vs. 10)?
3.  As a follower of Christ, why do you think God tells us that our love must be genuine?
4.  How can you be more genuine in the way you love others?

RESPOND TO GOD

This passage is truly Christianity 101. We must be genuine in the way we love others. It will not be loving or feel like love to others if we are not sincere. First, we must know and love God intimately in order to love others genuinely. If we are spending time with God daily and God is love, then we will be more loving because of the way he loves us. Like Jesus, we need to love others by serving. Remember, when we serve others we are really serving as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23). Our love of others has to come from God to be genuine and sincere. And we love well by learning from Jesus.

  • Pray God would fill you with his love today so you can love on someone who doesn’t know about Jesus yet.
  • Ask God to show you someone specific you can help today in a tangible, practical way.