Truth about Love
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The Big Idea: If you’re a child of God the message is this: that we should love one another. If you’re not a child of God than you won’t.
Love one another:
Intro
From the beginning v.11What did Cain do? v.12Christians expect.. v.13What is changed in Jesus? v.14Hatred is serious v.15True love is: The ultimate example of love v.16Whats expected v.16How does that mean in practice? v.17How is true love shown v.18Christian Confidence:Benefit of Christian confidence v.21-22What does God expect of his people? v.22-23What's true if we live God's way v.24How do we know God is with us? v.24
Mother Teresa once said
“I Pray that you will understand the words of Jesus, “love one another as I have loved you.”
Ask yourself “How as he loved me? Do I really love others in the same way?”
Unless this love is among us, we can kill ourselves with work and it will only be work, not love. Work without love is slavery.
Its true isn’t it? if we don’t real love one another then its just work and as Mother Teresa said “work without love is slavary”
a couple of weeks ago David preached on where we were reminded about God’s children - who do what is right and know the love of God,
however the devil’s children - who practice lawlessness and do not love God.
In the passage today the apostle John is following on with those who are God’s children and who will love others but most importantly their bothers and sisters.
But for those who do not love their brothers and sisters do not love God or even know God.
So today we’re looking at :
firstly God’s children love one another
secondly God’s children know what true love is
There is a printed outline that you can follow on with
Thirdly God’s children have Christian confidence
firstly we will see that God’s children should love one another.
1. God’s children love one another
1. God’s children love one another
When we are God’s children there is true love or there should be true love - look with me at v.11 “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
It’s the message of the gospel that we know and that we have heard - the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But loving one another is essential for all the community of God. So is it ok to love when we feel like it or not? is it ok to love later on in the Christian walk when we are a more mature or older? or love when its convient to do so? NO.
John tells us that we are to love one another from the beginning. Its a very defined timeframe, and its a command to love because God’s very character is love.
John gives an example of Cain who murders his brother because he belonged to the devil whilst his brother was righteous.
Now your probably thinking I’ve never murdered my brother or sister! let alone anyone else, well good thing to know I’m glad about that.
But, and there’s always a but.. the bible tells us that hating someone is just as bad as murdering them in your heart. In fact I believe Jesus said that..
Years ago growing up as a young boy, I hated my dad. He had left my mum and me for other woman and he didn’t have a relationship with me anymore.
What was left of my childhood had been broken and the pain I tryed to forget - we could’nt trust him anymore and we couldn’t love him anymore.
But when I believed and trusted in Jesus, and I realised over time how much God loves me
and the grace that he extended to me changed me so that I could extend grace to my dad - he was unlovable to me but because I was now a child of God, I needed to love him.
Not because my dad deserved my love but because of God’s great, gracious, incredible love for me.
And by God’s grace and transformation, I can now have breakfast with him every week as father and son but also as my brother.
The apostle Paul began many of his letters with the phrase, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (; ; ).
God is the instigator of grace, and it is from Him that all other grace flows.
Don’t be like Cain, instead John says v.13 “Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you”
See as God’s children we arn’t promised an easy ride in fact we are guaranteed to face opposition, even hate, from people who reject the gospel.
But we are expected to respond with love! and also to show love to other Christians.
A big sign that we love Jesus is that we actually show real love to other people.
look with me at v.14 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.”
If your a Christian then you have passed from death to life, Jesus’ death and ressurection rescued us and puts us on the road to eternal life.
However if you continue to refuse to love your brothers and sisters then there is only death and no eternal life. thats a scary thought.
We cannot our brothers or sisters or we would just like Cain, a murderer
And the right response to this is to be truly loving to others.
Here we we will see why God’s children should love one another.. Because we know what true love is...
2. God’s children know what true love is
2. God’s children know what true love is
We are reminded again and again of what the gospel is especially in our verse for 2020. What was it again?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jesus loved us so much that he died on the cross for our sin so that we didn’t have to.
He gave himself up for you and me, so that we can be reconciled to a holy God.
Thats real love. Look with me at v.16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
Love is costly. Jesus gave up is life of for us - it wasn’t cheap, It also means giving your life for others. Look me at v.17 “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
Giving them your time, money, possessions, talents, loving others means being less selfish and more selfless.
Giving up what you have to help and please other people.
1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 313: Dying for Friends
Prisoners of war in Japanese camps during World War II endured horrific conditions. A few Christians formed Bible study groups, which brought about amazing transformations within the camps.
POWs who had stolen and cheated from one another became men who cared for and gave their lives for their friends.
Ernest Gordon, in Miracle on the River Kwai, writes:
During one work detail, a shovel was missing, and the Japanese guard shouted, insisting someone had stolen it. Striding up and down before the men, he worked himself up into a paranoid fury.
Screaming in broken English, he demanded that the guilty one step forward to take his punishment. When no one moved, the guard’s rage reached new heights of violence. “All die! All die!” he shrieked.
To show that he meant what he said, he cocked his rifle, put it to his shoulder, and looked down the gun sights, ready to fire at the first man at the end of the line.
To show that he meant what he said, he cocked his rifle, put it to his shoulder, and looked down the gun sights, ready to fire at the first man at the end of the line.
Another man stepped forward, stood at attention, and said calmly, “I did it.” The guard kicked the helpless prisoner and beat him with his fists.
The guard kicked the helpless prisoner and beat him with his fists. He lifted his rifle high over his head and, with a final howl, brought it down on the soldier’s skull, who sank limply to the ground and did not move. The men of the work detail picked up their comrade’s body, shouldered their tools, and marched back to the camp. When the tools were counted again at the guardhouse, no shovel was missing.
He lifted his rifle high over his head and, with a final howl, brought it down on the soldier’s head, who sank to the ground and did not move.
The men of the work detail picked up their comrade’s body, shouldered their tools, and marched back to the camp. When the tools were counted again at the guardhouse, no shovel was missing.
—Ernest Gordon, Miracle on the River Kwai (Collins, 1963)
Showing love to you’re brother and sisters means you will also give you’re life for them it’s a sign that you are a Christian, a sign to you are a child of God , ok we won’t love everyone all the time.
1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 313: Dying for Friends
Prisoners of war in Japanese camps during World War II endured horrific conditions. A few Christians formed Bible study groups, which brought about amazing transformations within the camps. POWs who had stolen and cheated from one another became men who cared for and gave their lives for their friends.
Ernest Gordon, in Miracle on the River Kwai, writes:
During one work detail, a shovel was missing, and the Japanese guard shouted, insisting someone had stolen it. Striding up and down before the men, he worked himself up into a paranoid fury. Screaming in broken English, he demanded that the guilty one step forward to take his punishment. When no one moved, the guard’s rage reached new heights of violence. “All die! All die!” he shrieked. To show that he meant what he said, he cocked his rifle, put it to his shoulder, and looked down the gun sights, ready to fire at the first man at the end of the line.
Another man stepped forward, stood at attention, and said calmly, “I did it.”
The guard kicked the helpless prisoner and beat him with his fists. He lifted his rifle high over his head and, with a final howl, brought it down on the soldier’s skull, who sank limply to the ground and did not move. The men of the work detail picked up their comrade’s body, shouldered their tools, and marched back to the camp. When the tools were counted again at the guardhouse, no shovel was missing.
—Ernest Gordon, Miracle on the River Kwai (Collins, 1963)
Showing love to others is a sign that you are a Christian, ok we won’t love everyone all the time.
But because we’ve already acknowledged God’s love for us we must work towards loving other people.
Not just by thinking it or talking about it but actually doing it. Look with me at v.18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth”
Words arn’t enough. It’s no good saying you love others but not doing anything about it!
Always think before acting. Ask yourself, is what I am about to do something that reflects well on God? or will it cause people to wonder if my faith is real?
will it cause people to wonder if my faith is real?
If so, why am I doing it? Remember, nothing we do goes unnoticed. Everything we do impacts our reputation and that of both our family here and God’s family.
Paul echoes our need to act and the fact that we are identified with God in when he commands us to be imitators of God “as beloved children.”
How do we do that? We imitate God by living righteous lifestyles and walking in love, just as John is saying in this letter.
We need to remember that God expects of us those benefits received from Him. For example, we are to forgive others as He has forgiven us in ().
First, Second, and Third John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary Application and Devotional Implications
Always think before acting. Ask yourself, is what I am about to do something that reflects well on God? Is it something that would embarrass Him if it became public knowledge? Or will it cause people to wonder if my faith is real? If so, why am I doing it? Remember, nothing we do goes unnoticed. Everything we do impacts our reputation and that of both our earthly and divine family. Paul echoes our need to act in accordance with our spiritual parentage and the fact that we are identified with God in Eph 5:1–2 when he commands us to be imitators of God “as beloved children.” How do we do that? We imitate God by living righteous lifestyles and walking in love, just as John is saying in this epistle.
3:17 We need to remember that God expects of us those benefits received from Him. For example, we are to forgive others as He has forgiven us (Matt 6:14–15). When Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:21–35), He concluded it with the warning, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” We express our appreciation for Christ’s self-sacrifice by our own self-sacrifice (3:16). We meet the needs of other Christians. Sometimes this will involve financial help, such as paying bills or purchasing food. Sometimes it will involve time and energy, such as listening to them or helping them work on something around the house. It will always cost us something in terms of money, energy, emotion, or time. If it cost us nothing it would not be a sacrifice. It may mean humble service, even as Jesus demonstrated
When Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant (), He concluded it with the warning, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
We express our appreciation for Christ’s self-sacrifice by our own self-sacrifice ().
We meet the needs of other Christians. whether thats helping financially, visiting when their in hospital, helping people in their home.
God knows us better than we do, and with our sinful hearts, God still loved and accepted us anyway.
So because of this we have Christian Confidence.
3. God’s children have Christian confidence
3. God’s children have Christian confidence
If you believe in the gospel ofJesus Christ then have confidence. You’re a Christian and your saved by grace through faith!
If you knew Michael my son when he was younger, he was more passive and he was always bullyed esecially when he played soccor for a short time for community sport.
Several times he said - that he didn’t want to play soccer anymore because he was always being bullyed.
once he started Brazzillian Jui -Jitsiu - in martial arts, at first he didn’t want to but after a couple of months or so he gained a lot of confidence and the skills he’s learnt in self defence and also fighting in his first compitition.
once he started Brazzillian Jui -Jitsiu
As a Christian we should be even more confidence not in our skills, talents or our own knowledge but in knowing Jesus and what he’s done for us!
But what benefit does Christian confidence bring? look with me at v.21-22 “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
But what benefit does Christian confidence bring? look with me at v.21-22 “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
look wth me at v.21-22 “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
Wow, what an incredble God. The God who created the heavens and the earth allows us to meet with him, talk to God and He will answer our prayers. If we abide in him, he will abide in us.
Trust in Jesus and live his way. Keeping his commands and pleasing him.
Like what David mentioned last week in his sermon - it’s our spiritual DNA to be doing right, just as your heavenly Father does right, you will also.
Friends, show love - real love with people around you especially your brothers and sisters! If you’ve been rescued by Jesus then live like it!
and the thing is we are not alone. v.24 “And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
v.24 “And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
Friends