Pastor Lawson Perdue

You can love like Jesus each day and put radical compassion into action. The problem is that people are often intimidated by the high level of Jesus Christ’s love—they don’t even try! Just think about what impact could be made in this world when people get a revelation of Christ’s love for them and allow it to permeate every part of them so profoundly that their thoughts, words, and actions reflect His love. If you’ve never experienced the love of Christ in your life, I’ll be honest with you: it’s impossible to give something you don’t have. 

Jesus Christ loved you so much that He died in your place to pay your debt of sin. He didn’t consider His comfort but chose to leave Heaven and come to Earth. His love for humanity motivated Him, knowing this was the only way to bring people into a relationship with God. John 15:13 states, “Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” He valued each person so much that He chose to endure a horrific death and rise again so He could allow us to receive forgiveness of sins and begin eternal life with Him. That’s love! You can’t earn His love or deserve it. It is freely given and unconditional. The power of Jesus’ love can transform your life when you accept His gift of salvation. 

What does it mean to “love like Jesus?” I wish more Christians considered this question and let the answer guide how they minister to others. During his three ministry years, Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God but didn’t focus on sin, legalism, or condemnation (John 8:1–11). Instead, you will find the words, “Jesus had compassion,” then, you will read how Jesus healed and performed miracles because compassion moved Him. Before I had a revelation of God’s love and grace, I could use God’s Word like a hammer and pound people with the words in the Bible, but that didn’t produce life in them—it didn’t communicate the love of Jesus. The Word of God without grace produces the Law, but grace comes from the love of God and brings life.

We can experience eternal life because Jesus, the only sinless person who could die to pay the debt of sin, chose to love us enough to pay our debt of sin. Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Christ showed love in His death and through His life of service to others. We can follow His example and serve others. If we take seriously that we are His representatives here on earth and need to love like Jesus, every day, we are His hands and feet serving others and helping people experience God’s love for them. It’s a joy to preach and tell people about Jesus, but some people will listen to a sermon when they see radical compassion in action through a loving word or deed.

You can be motivated to love like Christ as you read God’s Word. There are several “love like Jesus” Bible verses:
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

The Bible gives two simple steps to “love like Jesus.” First, make sure you have received God’s free gift of salvation (John 3:16). Then, get baptized in the Holy Spirit. When you have the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, you can show that you know how to love like Jesus. Romans 5:5 says, “…because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” You can freely give what you have freely received. Let Jesus live His life big in you, and let Jesus love people through you! 

This blog includes excerpts from Pastor Lawson Perdue’s three-part teaching series, “The Compassion of Jesus,” available for free download at charischristiancenter.com. If you want to receive Christ’s love through His gift of salvation, please visit Charis Christian Center (Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30 am and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm) and let our prayer ministers pray with you to receive salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.