1 John 3: 16

This Sunday, Pastor Ryan paused our normal verse-by-verse journey through 1 John to spend some extra time on a powerful truth from last week:

“By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” — 1 John 3:16

That kind of love leaves no room for complacency.

It’s easy to become comfortable—to come to church, hear the Word, fellowship together, and go home without allowing the Gospel to change the way we actually treat one another. But biblical love is active. We are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ with the same kind of selfless, sacrificial posture Christ demonstrated toward us.

Pastor Ryan challenged us to protect the unity of the body, and James 1:19 gives us such practical wisdom for doing exactly that: be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

And when hurt inevitably happens? We forgive.

In Matthew 18:23–35, Jesus tells of a servant who was forgiven an enormous debt but then refused to extend mercy to someone who owed him far less. It’s a sobering reminder: people who have received extravagant grace from God should be people who are willing to extend grace to others.

Love one another.

Fight for unity.

Listen before speaking.

Forgive from the heart.

Refuse to become complacent in your walk with Christ.

Church, we have been loved too deeply, forgiven too freely, and shown too much grace to withhold those things from one another.