1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Luke 23:34, John 19:30
Consider:
Jesus is Love. These are His rules.
Rule #1 – Show unreasonable kindness to others.
Rule #2 – Be irrationally hopeful about others.
Rule #3 – Become fanatically focused on others.
Rule #4 – Stay unrelentingly committed to others.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7: If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (NRSV)
Luke 23:34: Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. (NRSV)
John 19:30: When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (NRSV)
John 15:13: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (NRSV)
Romans 5:8: But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. (NRSV)
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (NRSV)
2 Corinthians 9:10-12: He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; 12for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. (NRSV)
Luke 6:38: give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (NRSV)
Galatians 2:20: and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (NRSV)
Romans 8:31-39: What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NRSV)
Acts 3:6: But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” (NRSV)
Galatians 6:2: Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NRSV)
Romans 12:10: love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. (NRSV)