Slices
Prepare
Ask yourself honestly: are you good at remembering things or do you need help from lists, a diary, other people or other ways to help you?
Bible passage
More on love and hatred
11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: we should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 if our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: we know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Explore
Have you ever found yourself using the words, ‘How many times do I have to tell you…’? Whether you’ve said those words as a tired parent, a frustrated spouse, an exasperated boss, a weary teacher or a discouraged friend, you know the irritation of having to repeat yourself. So often, it’s not done to hurt or annoy us, but we’re forgetful and we make mistakes.
John exhorts us to love one another (v 11) but reminds us also that we don’t always do this. From the beginning of the Bible, we see people falling out with one another. Adam tries to blame Eve for disobeying God (Genesis 3:12) and one of their sons, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel (v 12; Genesis 4:8). There is a sharp contrast between Jesus who lays down his life for us and Cain who murdered his brother, not laying down his life for him as verse 16 encourages.
How do we love with actions and in truth (v 18), not just with words? What acts of kindness that people have done for us have we appreciated? What helps us to obey God’s commands and to love one another? Having our hearts at rest in God’s presence (v 19) is something to cherish, and we can attain that through the way we love, with actions and in truth (v 18).
Respond
In what ways can you demonstrate your love with actions and in truth this week?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Jeremiah 5,6; John 3
Pray for Scripture Union
This autumn will mark the end of Claire Baines’ first summer season as Holidays and Missions Coordinator. Pray that as the team reset and begin to prepare for the 2026 season, God will guide and that she will be an encouragement and a blessing to the volunteer teams.
