Mighty C. Rasing
Youth Bible Study for February 14, 2010

Listen Up Y’all: 1 John 4:7-21; 2 Corinthians 3:7 – 4:2

Opening Salvo

How do you show love?
Are you into PDA? Public Display of Affection?
Do you feel loved? By whom?
How does God show that He loves you?

What Was That All About?

Love! Aah… This is probably the bestseller topic among young people nowadays. People just love talking about love or at least what they think is love.

How many times have you heard “God is love?” Do you know where that verse can be found? It is in 1 John 4 of course. In 1 John 4:7-21, the apostle John showed several kinds of love.

God’s love. God does not love us only by giving blessings, answering our prayers and caring for us. The ultimate expression of God’s love is the way he sacrificed his Son, Jesus Christ, to take away our sins.

Love for God. We respond to God’s love with our obedience and by loving him with all our hearts, all our minds, all our strength and all our lives!

Love for other Christians. John says that “anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.” The apostle also asked Christians throughout history to love other Christians.

The apostle John did not mention the following in this passage, but it is found elsewhere in the Bible.

Love for family and friends. Jesus said that it is easy to love those who love us also. These people are usually family and friends. They just love us for who we are. No strings attached.

Love for the opposite sex. We are attracted to the opposite sex. That is how God wired us. We even ask for textmates, friends (boyfriends and girlfriends?) during Christmas Institute and in schools. We develop love for a special person in our lives.

Love for enemies. This is probably the most difficult kind of love that Jesus preached about! Who would want to love people who hurt us and who want to destroy us? But this is one of the commandments of Jesus.

In our churches, we sometimes love only those who are like us. If they are different, if they do no look like us, if they do not go to the same school, if they do not like the music we like and the things that we do, we ignore them, we do not associate with them.

But 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says that “wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” We may not look alike, but God loves us all the same.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Let’s take a look at the people inside the church. Is it easy or difficult to love other Christians?
What are the things that make us hate other people? How can we deal with those feelings of hate?

Roll Out

Look at the following pictures. Which of them are more lovable? How can we love each of these people?

The Addict

The Terror Teacher

Taong Grasa

If you can’t download and print these pictures, then ask the participants about the people they hate. Then discuss how can they show love to the people they do not like.
End in prayer.

FILIPINO TRANSLATION

Basahin ang 1 Juan 4:7-21; 2 Corinthians 3:7-4:2

Unang Bugso

Paano mo ipinakikita na mahal mo ang isang tao?
Ma-PDA ka ba? Public display of affection?
Nararamdaman mo bang may nagmamahal sa iyo? Sino?
Paano mo nararamdaman na mahal ka ng Panginoon?

Ano Daw Yun?

Pag-ibig! Uyyy… Ito na siguro ang pinakapatok na pinag-uusapan ng mga kabataan ngayon. Madalas pag-usapan ng mga tao ang pag-ibig at kung ano sa tingin nila ang pag-ibig.

Ilang beses mo na bang narinig ang katagang “God is Love?” Alam mo ba kung saan sa Biblia ito makikita? Nasa 1 Juan 4 eto. At kung babasahin mo ang 1 Juan 4:7-21, may ilang uri ng pag-ibig ang binabanggit ni Apostol Juan.

Pag-ibig ng Dios. Minamahal tayo ng Dios hindi lang sa pamamagitan ng mga blessings, o kaya sa pagsagot ng mga panalangin natin. Ang ultimate expression ng pag-ibig ng Dios ay ang pagbibigay niya sa kanyang anak na si Jesus upang mamatay sa krus at linisin ang ating mga kasalanan.

Pag-ibig sa Dios. Ipinapakita naman natin ang ating pagmamahal sa Dios sa pamamagitan ng pagsunod sa kanyang kalooban at mga kautusan at sa pagmamahal sa kanya nang buong puso, buong isip, buong kalakasan at buong buhay natin.

Pag-ibig sa ibang mga Kristiyano. Ang sabi ni Apostol Juan, “sinumang umiibig ay anak ng Dios at nakakikilala sa Dios.” Bilin din ni Juan na dapat ang mga Kristiano ay magmahalan!

Hindi na nabanggit ni Juan ang mga sumusunod pero matatagpuan pa rin ang mga ito sa ibang bahagi ng Biblia.

Pag-ibig sa Pamilya at mga Kaibigan. Sinabi ni Jesus na mas madaling mahalin ang mga taong nagmamahal din sa atin. Usually, ito ay ang ating mga pamilya at mga kaibigan. Mahal nila tayo hindi dahil sa kung anong mga dahilan kundi dahil tayo ay pamilya at friends.

Natatanging pag-ibig. We are attracted to the opposite sex. That is how God wired us. Minsan nga sa CI o kaya sa school, kinukuha natin ang cellphone number ng ating mga friends (boyfriends and girlfriends?). We develop love for a special person in our lives.

Pag-ibig para sa mga kaaway. Ito na siguro ang pinakamahirap na uri ng pag-ibig na ipinakita ni Jesus. Sino bang gustong mahalin ang mga taong ayaw sa atin at nananakit sa atin? Yun nga lang, isa ito sa mga uto ni Jesus.

Sa ating mga simbahan, kadalasan, mahal lang natin yung mga katulad natin. Kapag hindi natin sila kapareho sa pananamit at ugali, hindi natin sila pinapansin!

But 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says that “wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” We may not look alike, but God loves us all the same. Mahal pa rin tayo ni Lord kahit na ano pa man tayo at kung sino pa man tayo.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Tingnan natin ang mga to sa loob ng Church. Madali ba o mahirap mahalin ang ating kapwa Kristiyano?
Ano ang mga rason bakit “hate” natin ang ibang tao? Paano natin matatanggal ang ganitong feelings?

Roll Out
Tingnan ang mga pictures sa itaas? Alin sa kanila ang lovable at alin ang hindi? Paano kaya natin ipapakita ang pagmamahal sa mga taong ganito?
If you can’t download and print these pictures, then ask the participants about the people they hate. Then discuss how can they show love to the people they do not like.
Tapusin ang session sa panalangin.

image credits: Teacher; heart; taong grasa;