Love is easy to talk about, but much harder to live—especially when someone thinks differently, votes differently, or has hurt us. In today's episode, Pastor Chuck Allen reflects on 1 Peter 4:8 and reminds us that love isn't reserved for those who agree with us; it's the defining mark of a life transformed by Jesus. Discover how God's love empowers us to break cycles of division, extend grace, and choose love not just with our words, but through our actions every day.
[00:00:05] Intro: Welcome to the weekday podcast of Sugar Hill Church, a church that truly is the perfect place for folks who aren't. So whether you're exercising, driving, meditating, or just hanging out with us today, thanks.
Let's join Pastor Chuck Allen for an encouraging message.
[00:00:20] Pastor Chuck: Thanks so much for that introduction and thank you for joining me on today's weekday podcast. Over in the little book of 1 Peter 4:8, the scripture says above all, maintain constant love for one another. For love covers a multitude of sins.
Now, when Peter, who also practiced the Jesus creed, grew up reciting the Shema daily, he was there when Jesus amended the Shema into the Jesus creed by adding, love your neighbor as yourself.
Now think about this. I mean, this is what love is in action. It's like John said, little children, let us love not in word or speech, but in truth and in action.
Frederick Buckner, who is a great theologian, said that to say that God is love is either the last straw or the ultimate truth. This ultimate truth invites me and you to walk with God, the God who makes that first move to end cycles of non love.
But back to this creed and back to this Shema.
When Peter wrote his first letter to the churches in his care, love was at the top of the list. Above all things, he says, maintain constant love for one another at the very top of the list. First and foremost, here's where it all begins. Love one another.
But we have just totally messed that up in our society today because we want to love people who agree with us.
I fear that today we love people who agree with us politically, even more so than we love people that agree with us theologically.
I often fear that what happened is we took the theology of Jesus, which was all about I have come with no condemnation but to give you life and to give it to you abundantly and to give it to you eternally. And we've turned that into but you mean that's for Republicans or Democrats or people who agree with us or just Americans.
Maintain constant love for one another, he says. Love because it's at the top of the list, my friend, is a resourceful thing.
The way kids can make cardboard boxes into an afternoon of fun, or a mechanic can convert a tool or two into all that he needs, or a cook can turn chicken into an ethnic taste you might actually want.
Or a committed couple can find their way through a difficult patch in their marriage. Those committed in the long term to one another know that love is resourceful.
The resource begins in God's love for us in Christ Jesus. Love makes tinkers of all of us as we try to work our way through this wonderful love that Christ offers us. You know, sometimes I fear that we have forgotten that that's what it's all about, you see, because God is love. We are to love and love is a cycle.
Philip Yancey in his wonderful book called what's so Amazing About Grace tells his own story of falling into the cycle of racism and about how he grew out of that only seeing the wonderful and supreme example of love and God's love in knowing that he could be empowered to end the cycles of that in his own family, in his own life. Little children, let us love not in word or speech, but in truth and in action. God bless you friend. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast.
[00:03:55] Outro: Thanks so much for joining us today for the weekday podcast. Please share these weekday podcasts with friends and family by tapping the share button. Have an awesome day.
