2. If I were to ask you today what is the best way you can tell whether or not a church is genuine, what would your answer be?

3. COMPASSION FOR ONE ANOTHER

4. John 13:34-35 “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is

5. how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

6. Authenticity.

7. Understand that Christ is the source of our compassion.

8. Love principle: Our love for others will be no stronger than our bond with Jesus.

9. discipleship

10. In Matthew 22 Jesus taught that the most important commandment is to love God with all of your being.

11. When we are intentional about loving God it leads to a desire to be more like Jesus.

13. That’s why He taught that the second commandment was to love our neighbor.

14. This is for two reasons.

15. First, the Holy Spirit in your life increases your capacity to love other Christians because He helps you to see through the eyes of love.

17. Second, your love for Jesus is a great bond between you and other Christians.

18. Think with me about the preeminence of love:

19. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a

20. clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move

21. mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I

22. gain nothing. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

23. Think with me about a description of love:

24. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-

25. seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

26. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

27. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” we need help!

28. This love will change your life. Think about the change in the life of Paul.

29. This love will change the life of those around you.

30. Where can this happen in our church?

31. 1. Parking Lots 2. Hallways of our church 3. Worship time 4. Life groups*******