Is Jesus Really All about Love?

At our Bible studies last week, we asked the question, "Is Jesus really all about love?"

First, we read well over a dozen passages from the New Testament which talk about Jesus' love, compassion, and mercy. Here are two:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16–17)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34–35)

After reading many such passages, we came to the conclusion that, in His time on earth, Jesus was indeed driven by love.

But then we asked the question, "If Jesus is really all about love, then what's different about the love that Jesus teaches, as compared to the teaching of other philosophers and religious teachers?"

Isn't that a claim you've heard people make? That Jesus' teaching boils down to the same moral message as Gandhi's, Buddha's, Lennon's, Gaga's…? Have you made that claim? What's supposed to be so different about Jesus' teaching? Is there anything different?

Here's one big way to answer the question…

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