According to the scriptures, we don't come into this world with a natural inclination towards loving one another.

Rather, we come into this world as enemies of God, hating both him and each other.

This is preaching Christ.

Preaching Christ is a radio collection of sermons from Lutheran pastors around the world

who are dedicated to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified for the remission

of sins.

Today's sermon comes from Pastor Dan Kistler of Our Savior's

Lutheran Church in Pacifica, California. The text for this morning sermon is

the gospel according to St. John, the 15th chapter beginning of verse 9.

You know, it's odd that we have to be told to love.

You think that love is something that we'd all want for each other.

We all know how much we ourselves want to be loved.

And yet even the world seems to be aware of the lack of love that has existed among people for thousands of years.

There have even been a number of songs written, which mourn the fact that what the world needs now there's just

too little love. And yet when it comes to giving an answer for the reason why people

don't naturally love one another, the songs get it all wrong.

They like to lay the blame on the parents or the environment in which a child is raised.

They claim that children come into this world like blank slates,

and that if loved themselves, they would naturally love others.

Children must be taught to hate, so the philosophy goes.

But while it's true that a child might grow up expressing his hatred in a violent way due to his upbringing and

surroundings.

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