1. Love in Action

2. A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, “I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.” So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

3. A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and took a trip to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money on wild living.

4. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him to feed his pigs.

5. The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

6. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, “At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say,

7. ‘ Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.’”

8. So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming.

9. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

10. The Father’s Love

11. The Legal Model of the Gospel

12. God’s Laws

13. Human Condition “ All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ).

14. Legal Consequences “ The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 ).

15. The Solution “ He bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24)

16. The Offer “ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16. NIV)

17. The Relational Model of the Gospel

18. Designed for Love “ Love the Lord your God…. Love your neighbour” (Romans 3:23 ).

19. Freewill Required God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. (1 John 4:16. NLT)

20. Satan Exploited the Situation "You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God..." Genesis 3:4-5. RSV

21. Selfishness Replaced Love For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and motivated by the Devil. James 3:15 NLT

23. The Solution “ He bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24)

24. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. 2 Corinthians 5:19. NLT

25. Reconciliation

26. What about people who have right beliefs but don't have love?

27. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20. NIV

28. What about people who love but don't know God?

29. Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

30. But anyone who does not love does not know God — for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8. NLT

31. I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

32. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Matthew 25:35-36. NLT

33. I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me! Matthew 25:40 NLT

34. For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home.

35. I was naked, and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' Matthew 25:42-43 NLT

36. I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me. Matthew 25:45 NLT

37. If we were measured by our love, what size would each of us be?