We Love Because God First Loved Us

1 John 4:8; Romans 5:8; Matthew 5:44 | February 28, 2021 | Katy Lee and Aaron Lee

Back in February 2021, Katy and Aaron spoke to children, parents, and families on a biblical worldview of love and marriage. The transcript is now available.

This transcript has been edited for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Katy

Hi everyone! We have a surprise guest with us today. Aaron is here, and he’s going to share from God’s Word. So make sure you have your Bible ready. We’re continuing our discussion about God’s Word, and we’ll begin with a word of prayer.

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father, we ask that You open our hearts as we listen to Your Word shared by Aaron today. Help us to know You, to love You, and to understand what love truly means. We know that You are a God of love—you are love. Help us to understand that more clearly today. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Aaron, many of us already know you, but could you tell us a little about yourself?

Aaron

My name is Aaron. I’ve been attending FCBC my entire life, ever since I was a child in children’s ministry. Back then, I helped lead music by playing the piano. I’ve been married for almost eight years now. My wife Jess and I don’t do a lot of exciting things these days because we have kids—as you can see, I’m in my room while my second son is sleeping! In the evenings, we like to relax by watching TV. We enjoy superhero shows—seeing people with superpowers—and we’ve also been watching a show where couples get married in really fancy ways. It’s fun to watch.

Katy

That’s interesting that you enjoy wedding shows, because we’ve been talking about the biblical worldview of marriage—and that’s what we’re discussing today. What was it like before you and Jess were married?

Aaron

Well, before we were married, we dated. During our first year of marriage, we were a little more romantic. We would write letters to each other. I still have a notebook filled with letters Jess wrote to me over the course of a year. But now that we have kids, we show love in different ways.

Katy

What were some things you liked about Jess when you were dating?

Aaron

Before I really got to know her, I noticed how she looked and how she carried herself. But as I got to know her better, I saw that she was like Jesus. She did things that pointed me to Him. That’s why I loved her—and why I still love her.

Katy

What do you mean by saying she points you to Jesus?

Aaron

I mean that she helps me see and understand God more clearly. She cares for me and our family like God cares for us. She forgives me when I sin against her, just as Jesus forgives us. She encourages and supports me, much like the Holy Spirit does. In those ways, she reflects God’s love to me.

Katy

That’s a beautiful picture of a biblical marriage. Marriage isn’t just about liking how someone looks or thinking they’re nice—it’s about pointing one another to God’s love.

Now, many of the children listening won’t be getting married anytime soon. Marriage often begins with friendship. As you dated Jess, you learned to love her more deeply. What does God say about love as we prepare for relationships—even now?

Aaron

The Bible says a lot about love. If I had to choose one verse, I’d point you to 1 John 4:8: “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” This verse shows us that love begins with God. He is the source of love. It doesn’t start with us—it starts with Him.

Katy

But sometimes it feels like we can love even if we don’t know God. What does it mean that love starts with Him?

Aaron

That’s a great question. Let’s look at another verse: Romans 5:8: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God demonstrated His love by sending Jesus to die for our sins. Even when we were sinners—when we were against Him—He chose to love us. Jesus died in our place and rose again because He is perfectly righteous. When we believe in Him, we experience God’s love personally.

The world often says, “I love you because you’re beautiful,” or “because you make me feel good.” But God’s love is different. He loved us while we were still His enemies. That’s what makes His love so amazing—it’s not based on what we do for Him. It’s based on who He is.

Katy

That really is beyond what we could imagine.

Aaron

It is. On wedding shows, couples don’t say, “I love you because you hated me.” But that’s essentially what God did for us—He loved us even when we were against Him.

Katy

So if we receive God’s love, how do we show it to others?

Aaron

The Bible tells us in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Since God loved us when we were His enemies, we reflect His love by praying for those who hurt us. This may especially apply to believers facing persecution, but it also applies to children. When someone is mean to you or hurts your feelings, you can pray for them and show kindness.

Katy

That makes sense. When we remember how much God has forgiven us, it helps us forgive others.

Aaron

Exactly.

Katy

In marriage, you and Jess aren’t enemies—but what does it look like to love each other with God’s love?

Aaron

Even though we love each other, we still disagree and sometimes hurt one another. In those moments, we ask for forgiveness—from each other and from God. We choose to persevere and keep loving each other. God’s love helps us continue fighting for our marriage, even after conflict.

Katy

And you don’t say, “I don’t want to be married anymore,” right?

Aaron

No. We rely on God’s love to forgive and move forward.

Katy

As we close, what encouragement would you give the children about experiencing God’s love now?

Aaron

I would suggest four things.

First, look up to Jesus. Believe in Him. Admit you’re a sinner, trust that He died for your sins and rose again, and you will be saved. You cannot truly love until you know His love.

Second, look to God’s Word. The Bible reminds us of His unchanging love. People change, but God does not.

Third, look around. Notice how God cares for you—through your family, food, clothing, and countless other blessings. Give thanks for those daily signs of His love.

Fourth, love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you. It’s hard—but through the Holy Spirit, we can do it. When someone is mean to you, choose kindness and pray for them.

Katy

Thank you, Aaron. That was very practical: look up to Jesus, look to the Bible, look around at God’s blessings, and look to prayer—especially for your enemies.

Would you close us in prayer?

Aaron

Of course.

Heavenly Father, thank You for this time to reflect on Your Word. Thank You for Jesus, who shows us a love so different from what the world offers. Thank You for forgiving our sins and giving us a relationship with You. Help us understand Your love more deeply and show that love to others. We pray all this in Jesus’ name, amen.