4th Sunday Lesson: Ministering is Motivated by Christ-like Love

“We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement,

our support, our comfort, our kindness. … We are the Lord’s hands here
upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is
dependent upon each of us.” (Thomas S Monson, “What Have I Done for
Someone Today?” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 86.

Quotes from Sister Bingham are from:

Ministering as the Saviour Does (General Conference. April 2018)

What are some of the reasons we might serve others?

Sister Bingham: The Savior is our example in everything—not only in what

we should do but why we should do it. His life on earth was [an] invitation
 to us—to raise our sights a little higher, to forget our own problems and
[to] reach out to others.

Moroni 7:47 – pure love of Christ

How important is it that we have charity?

What less Christ-like motivations might some people have?

 Sense of duty
 To look good
 Going through the motions
 Guilt
 Because I have to

What does ministering motivated by Christ-like love look like?

Look for key words in this quote from Pres Nelson:

“Jesus is our exemplar. We need to be ministers – how? Just the way Jesus
would , that’s all. Look to the lonely, afraid, feeling unwanted, unloved.
Maybe they have had a bad day or bad news. Ministering in a holier way a
step higher – really loving someone, being a spiritual physician think about
where is the pain coming from? No matter what it is the gospel will lift. We
thought about names for visiting and home teaching and the thought
about shepherds but no, just ministers…… It is not complicated, convoluted
or complex. You love God, you love your neighbour.. by caring, loving,
making life better for people.’

What do you really like about this quote?

How do we develop Christlike love for those to whom we are

assigned to minister? (Moroni 7:48)
 What might ministering without Christ-like love look like?

 Going through the motions

 Doesn’t address peoples needs
 Spirit not involved
 Not effective

What is the effect on others when we minister with Christ-like

love

Sister Bingham: After all is said and done, true ministering is accomplished
one by one with love as the motivation. The value and merit and wonder of
sincere ministering is that it truly changes lives! When our hearts are open
and willing to love and include, encourage and comfort, the power of our
ministering will be irresistible. With love as the motivation, miracles will
happen, and we will find ways to bring our “missing” sisters and brothers
into the all-inclusive embrace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Have you ever been the recipient of Christ like ministering?

What is the effect on us when we minister with Christ-like love?

Sister Bingham: As we accept the opportunity to wholeheartedly minister to

our sisters and brothers, we are blessed to become more spiritually refined,
more in tune with the will of God, and more able to understand His plan to
help each one return to Him. We will more readily recognize His blessings
and be eager to extend those blessings to others.

Think about how you can more effectively minister as the Saviour
did, with your heart and hands