4th Sunday in Advent Love

Today is the fourth Sunday in Advent. The Season of Advent has been shared in many different orders and it used to be that this Sunday we would light the Pink candle. Time and traditions seem to adjust to new times. We have never needed to show and share GOD's LOVE now more than ever to get people back on track with the truth of Love. 
​Mary and Joseph were almost in Bethlehem and they had to take things real slow. Joseph, deeply in love with Mary took great care and compassion in the travel so as to not harm the child or Mary. When they arrived in Bethlehem, Jesus was ready because this was where He would be born. There was nowhere to stay until the kindness of the Innkeeper's wife placed them in a safe and secluded stable. In a time of great anxiety (the census) love was shining through.    
Luke 2:10b-11
“…I bring you good tidings of great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” ~
The Shepherds guiding their flock by night were the first to hear these wonderful words. This profession as well as that of the fisherman would be the great examples on how Jesus would explain and have the Disciples share the Word with the world. Chosen leaders to shepherd the flock and fishermen to share the Word and make disciples. Shepherds have a great love for their flocks, they guide the sheep to the good food and water to keep them nourished and healthy. Jesus as the Great Shepherd guides us to the food and drink of the Spirit. He is the Way after all. Jesus showed love to all mankind even tough love to some as needed. It is this loving kindness and sharing of the power of love that captures the hearts of man.
John 3:16
 For God so Loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, That Whosoever Believes in Him Shall NOT Perish but have Everlasting Life. (Emphasis added)
Powerful words of Truth written in the Gospel of John. It was written as the truth in prophesy that God would send a Messiah, a Savior, who would be the one that has mercy on us as we are judged. God’s great love and compassion for His creation meant that He needed to send us a shepherd to guide us back to Him because of the straying away looking for ways to care for ourselves and seeking other deities when there were none. We show God’s love today through sharing and caring for others, friends, neighbors, even strangers.
1 John 4:19
We love because He first loved us.
There is no love stronger than God’s love which we are to emulate. Do not confuse this with the human definition because we are no longer part of this world and belong to God. He has shown us the diffrence between love and compassion, love and lust, love and deep friendship. God’s Love is called Ahava in Hebrew which is even stronger than agape. It is an all encompasing, compassionate, love which is everlasting. God’s Ahava love for us was given so that we could understand what true love is. Man’s love for man is nothing compared to God’s love for us but we are getting there.
John 15:13
Greater love has no man that this; that he would lay his life down for his friends.
Finally, Jesus shared this with the Disciples to help them understand what He had to do and what He asked of them. It is what He asks of us. We are to lay our lives down for the sake of His love and show others that our love is so strong for the will of God that we are willing to die in order that they may live and understand.
Think of what pain God had to go through, coming down to earth and giving up part of Himself to physically be with His creation as He was in the time of Adam and Eve. He suffered ridicule, shed tears, showed tough love on many occasions all for love. Then finally giving over His Son to death so that His creation could live. That is Love.
Remember this week to love. Share and show people that Love is not just a word, it is living a right life in Jesus.