#1357. By our love, people know we’re Jesus’ disciples (3/10/25)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) as we finish our vision series entitled, Rivers. 

Today, in this final devotional in the series, we reflect on how a loving community is God’s will for us and a powerful witness to the world that Jesus is truly alive and at work among us.

You can listen to this devotional below.

In John 7:37–39, we hear Jesus’ great invitation and promise:

Our vision, based on Jesus’ invitation, is simple yet profound:

Bringing people to Jesus — Myself, One Another, Our Community.

This week, we are focusing on the One Another aspect, and today we close this part of the series with the most profound vision of the church that God calls us to embrace: that we love one another as Jesus has loved us.

1. By our love we are recognised as Jesus’ disciples

To love is to imitate Jesus - to imitate the gospel - in our relationships. True love means putting others before ourselves. This is radical in a world where self-love has been elevated as a virtue.

Jesus commands us to love each other as He has loved us. His love is most clearly seen in the gospel: He, the eternal Son of God, left the glory of heaven; He lived and taught in a fallen, rejecting world; He died a criminal’s death as our substitute - taking the punishment we deserved. In Jesus, we see perfect love: love for those who deserved only rejection and judgment.

This is what we are called to imitate! And just in case you’re tempted to think, “But what about me? I feel let down, unappreciated, unloved” - remember: Jesus still calls you to love. His command is to take the initiative, to give love rather than retreat into self-pity. That may sound strong, but it’s a trap far too many fall into.

2. We apply this in church community

Jesus’ command to love as He loved is meant to be lived out in the local church. As long as we remain ‘floating’ or uncommitted Christians, we are not obeying His command. We must root ourselves in a local church and live out this love through real relationships — including the tensions and challenges that will inevitably arise.

Here’s one of many texts that speaks to how we apply Jesus’ command:

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24–25)

This is why one of our goals as a church, a goal that we’d love you to share is:

When Jesus invites us, “Come to me, and rivers of living water will flow from within you,” this is not just personal. It is corporate. We bring one another to Jesus; we encourage one another in faith; we go after the lost sheep; we urge the straying to return; we gather with a heart to build one another up. Such a community pleases the Spirit — and He delights to bless it.

Response

• Do we know that Jesus commands us to imitate His love by loving our local church?

• Are we faithful, and are we encouraging others to be faithful?

• Do we truly believe that as we come to Him together, rivers of living water will flow from within us?

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

As we’ve shared throughout our vision series, one very practical way to encourage one another in coming to Jesus personally is to ask, when we gather:

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Rivers Vision Series, #4

On Sunday we continued our vision series, Rivers. Our vision at CCP is simple:

Bringing people to Jesus – Myself, One Another, Our Community.

This vision flows out of Jesus’ invitation in John 7:

Discuss

1. As we finish our vision series, how does coming to Jesus lead to the Holy Spirit’s life and power overflowing through us into our communities?

On Sunday, Nev spoke on “Bringing One Another to Jesus.” Our vision for this is captured in the following statement:

2. Why is fellowship so vital for our spiritual health and for the mission Jesus has given us?

Our church’s goal is this:

3. How can you and your group take practical steps to deepen love, fellowship, and encouragement within your group?

Prayer

Pray for yourselves, your group, and our whole church family—that we would live out Jesus’ great command: