2月2日；
约翰一书 3:11-20；
唱诗：诗篇 63:1, 2；

主为我们舍命，我们从此就知道何为爱。（约一 3:16）

许多人对于爱是什么并不确定，究竟什么是爱？有些人声称拥有爱，却无法定义它。通常，爱被看作是对某人产生的一种感觉。还有许多人对爱非常地失望。《Plaisir d'amour》（爱的喜悦）很容易变为 《chagrin d'amour》（爱的痛苦），就像伊迪丝·琵雅芙（Edith Piaf，法国歌手）在20世纪40年代唱的那样。

许多人对于爱是什么并不确定，究竟什么是爱？有些人声称拥有爱，却无法定义它。通常，爱被看作是对某人产生的一种感觉。还有许多人对爱非常地失望。《Plaisir d'amour》（爱的喜悦）很容易变为 《chagrin d'amour》（爱的痛苦），正如艾迪丝·琵雅芙（Edith Piaf，法国歌手）在20世纪40年代唱的那样。

有时，我们遇见人们说他们爱某人，却没有任何行动来表示。所以，有一点很重要，我们要记住，在圣经中，爱是具有行动的词。当我们爱某人的时候，我们会尽一切所能来帮助和支持我们爱的人。

在今天的经文中，我们读到约翰说：“主为我们舍命，我们从此就知道何为爱”。我们的主看到我们因罪而陷入可怕困境，他决心采取行动。为他人的福祉而舍命是对爱最终极的证明。

主所给予的牺牲之爱是白白的、是自愿的。爱无法强迫，但必须给得快乐。有爱的人绝不会在他爱的人面临死亡的时候袖手旁观，他们会立即而果断地采取行动挽救对方。

说我们爱一个人很容易，而要以极大的牺牲来显示这种爱就非常困难。约翰呼召我们，不要单纯地口头上去爱，要在真理中用行动去爱。在天路中，让我们时刻牢记，爱必须以行动显示出来。

思考问题：有哪些方式可以说明爱是个会带出行动的词？在爱的哪些方面我们最容易失败？

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February 2
1John 3:11-20
Song: Psalm 63:1, 2

LOVE IS AN ACTION WORD

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” (1 John 3:16)

Many people en route are unsure about love. What exactly is love? Some may claim to have it, but they cannot define it. Often, love is seen as a kind of feeling into which we fall.And many people are quite disappointed at love. Plaisir d'amour (the joy of love) easily becomes chagrin d'amour (the pain of love), as Edith Piaf sang in the 1940s.

Sometimes we meet people who say that they love someone, yet do nothing to demonstrate that love. It is therefore important to remember that, in the Bible, love is always an action word. When we love someone, we do whatever is needed to help and support the one we love.

In today's passage, we read the words of John:"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. "Our Lord saw the terrible predicament into which we had placed ourselves because of sin, and he resolved to do something about it. To sacrifice one's own life for the benefit of others is the ultimate evidence of love.

Our Lord gave this loving sacrifice freely and voluntarily. Love cannot be forced, but must be given joyfully. Those who love never stand idly by when a loved one is perishing.They act immediately and decisively to save the other.

It is easy to say that we love someone. It is much harder to show this love in an ultimate sacrifice. John calls us not to love simply with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.En route, let us always keep in mind that love must be visible in deeds.

Questions: What are some of the ways in which we show that love is an action word? In what areas of love do we most easily fail?