“Finish this sentence: This is how we know what love is…”
This is one of the most pressing questions of our culture, asserts Rev. Kanishka Raffel, the dean of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, before adding another: “And how can I know that God loved me? I’m a sinner. I suffer. How can I know that God loves me?”
The reverend goes on to quote what he describes as a “stunning verse,” 1 John 3:16, which answers both questions.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.”
Reverend Raffel explains that the verse answers both questions, giving us both the shape and pattern of love and the evidence of how we can know that God loves us.
“Loving others isn’t something we do as an act of charity. It’s an imitation…a celebration of the love we’ve known in the death of Jesus for our sakes. He spent himself, and we are to spend ourselves for our neighbours.”
Watch the full video here. Common Grace, a diverse movement of Christians in Australia, is walking through Holy Week to Easter Sunday with a set of daily reflections. For past videos, start here — and to follow along with more meditations for Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, visit the Love Thy Neighbor campaign.
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!