During this year’s youth retreat we focused on the theme of ‘Jesus loves me, this I know’
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:10
The objective of the sermon, bible study and all the activities during the retreat centered around sharing, discussing and answering the following questions below, which by doing so allowed the students to fully understand the depth of God’s unconditional and abounding love for us.
1) How does the love of God work?
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 (NIV)
2) How did God show His love for us?
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)
3) Is the love of God measurable?
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”
Psalm 86:5 (NIV)
‘Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.’
Isaiah 40:26-29 (NIV)
4) What happens when we experience and understand God’s love?
“For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.”
Deuteronomy 30:16 (NIV)
5) What should we do as disciples of God with the love He has shown us?
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one
another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (NIV)
