How Do You Recognize a Christian? | Part 10 | The Circle of Love – 1 John 4:7-21 | Chris Voigt

The Circle of Love
How Do You Recognize a Christian?
August 8, 2021

On December 10, 2020, the Washington Examiner ran a story with this headline: Dairy Queen customers contribute to 900-vehicle ‘pay it forward’ chain. It began on December 3, when one man decided to pay for the car behind him — prompting a chain of giving that lasted almost three days and resulted in more than $10,000 in sales. Perhaps you’ve been in a Starbucks or McDonald’s drive-thru and been pleasantly surprised to have it happen to you; or maybe you’ve been the one spreading kindness to those in line behind you.

Though the concept of ‘pay it forward’ has been around for centuries, the idea was popularized by the 1999 novel and subsequent movie of the same name. However, there’s one significant difference between the book/movie concept and the drive-thru line experience. In the storyline, when someone, ‘pays it forward’ they must do something for someone else that the person cannot do for themselves. Hmmm.

We’ve been studying our way through the letters of the Apostle John this summer, in a series we’ve called How Do You Recognize a Christian? As followers and lovers of Jesus, the way we live should give to those around us clear evidence that we are who we say we are…people who love and follow Christ. Our lives should tell the story of God’s extravagant love for us…and for others. One of the first Bible verses kids learn in Sunday School says, “We love because He (God) first loved us.” In his gospel account of Jesus’ life, John records these words spoken by Christ, “Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” Just as I have loved you is a pretty tall order. I mean, I want to love others like Jesus did; but what does that really mean, practically speaking, for me and for you?