Walk in Love, as Christ Loved Us
Month 10: Loving One Another · Family Worship
Today's Scripture
Read together: Ephesians 5:1-2 & 1 John 4:16
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God. — Ephesians 5:1-2
16 And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. — 1 John 4:16
Memory Verse
“Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Luke 13–15
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time.The Heart of It
This week we've talked about forgiving, letting go of grudges, depending on the Spirit, and serving. Now Paul gathers it all into one beautiful command and one stunning reason. Here is the command. "Walk in love" (). Not just feel love, but walk in it, step by ordinary step, all day long. And here is the reason, the secret of how it is even possible. It comes first. "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children" (5:1). We're not told to love in order to become God's children. We love because we already are His dear children. Children naturally copy the parent they adore. We imitate our Father because He first loved us, and we belong to Him.
And what's the pattern we copy? "Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us" (5:2). The measure of our love isn't our mood or how nice the other person is being. The measure is Jesus giving Himself up for us at the cross. That's a love that gives. It sacrifices. It keeps loving even the undeserving. Then John lands the whole month with a verse worth treasuring. "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (). When your family forgives, serves, and is patient with each other, you're not just being well-behaved. You are abiding in God Himself, who is love. So as you worship together today, thank Him. Every bit of love in your home flows from the love He poured out first.
Around the Table
God is love, and we are His dear kids! Kids copy their daddy. So we copy God by loving.
Let's do it: Sing a favorite worship song together and end with a family group hug.
"Be imitators of God" means copy Him. And our pattern is Jesus giving Himself for us.
Let's talk: What's one way our family loved well this month? What's one way we can grow next month?
We love because we're already His dear children (5:1), not to earn it. Love is the family resemblance of God's kids.
Let's go deeper: "God is love" (). How is that different from saying "love is god"? Why does the order matter?
💬 Conversation Starter
If a stranger watched our family for one whole day, what would they guess we believe about love?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
"God is love" only makes sense if God is more than one Person. Love needs someone to love. The Father, Son, and Spirit loved one another before the world began (). So love is woven into who God always is. That truth is unique to Christianity. God is relational love at His very core. And we can share that gladly and gently ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
Family worship isn't a performance. It is a family doing together what it was made for. We turn our eyes to the God who is love. As you close this month, resist the urge to grade your family on how well you "did love." puts the indicative before the imperative. You are dear children before you are ever told to walk in love. The same is true for your kids and for you. Lead worship tonight not from the pressure of "we need to love better" but from the rest of "we are deeply loved." Sing, read, pray, and let the affection be unhurried. A father who worships honestly in front of his children, with voice cracking, hands open, and leaning on grace, disciples them more powerfully than any flawless lesson. Let them see that the love you're asking them to walk in is a love you receive first.
Draws on: Paul Tripp, Parenting; and Tony Evans, Raising Kingdom Kids.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, You are love itself, and You loved us first. Thank You that we are Your dear children. Help us walk in love every day, copying Jesus, who gave Himself for us. Let our home overflow with the love You pour into it. In Jesus' name, amen."
I don't love to become God's child. I love because I already am one, deeply loved first.