The scripture lesson for Sunday is taken from the First Epistle of John, Chapter 4, verses 7 through 21. The focus of John’s message is Love: God’s love for us and our love for God and one another. The lesson contains some wonderful memory verses: “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” (v.7); “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them”. (v.16b) ; “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (v.18a); and “We love because he first loved us”. (v.19)
In a commentary on this passage, the Rev. Dr. N.T. Wright observes, “At the heart of this passage we find, repeated, a little word which means a whole world to John, as in his gospel it means so much to Jesus himself. ‘Those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. The word is a simple one, meaning ‘dwell’ or ‘remain’ or ‘make one’s home’; but the reality is profound, going to the heart of what Christian faith is all about…. It is a mutual indwelling: we in God and God in us.”
Presbyterian Church in Burlington 