Love: The Prerequisite To A Life Changing Experience Series

G.A. Studdert-Kennedy, the English chaplain poet, found himself alone one dark night on the cliffs of Dover, peering sightlessly into the darkness across the English Channel. His thoughts led him to wonder what kind of force lingered in the darkness. As he thought about who may be lingering in the darkness, he was led to ponder the ultimate question: Is there an Unseen Force that holds the world together? Is there really a God, and what does he feel about human beings? Recalling how many a sentry had nervously inquired, “Friend or Foe,” he asked, “Who is out there, friend or foe?”

We, too, when confronted with the oppressive darkness and evil that daily devours people, are challenged to ponder the nature of God.

Last week we looked at I John 4:1-6. Some view the passage about discerning the spirits as a parenthetical message simply inserted in the larger context, the passage on love. I think not! I believe it draws our attention to an especially important aspect of the Gospel.

Remember, John is writing to believers who were disturbed by what false teachers were saying about God. The Gnostics contended that spirit was good, and matter was evil, undermining the apostolic assertion of God as Creator and God becoming flesh. The believers, like Studdert-Kennedy, wanted to know: What kind of God is out there? In I John, Scripture answers that question for us. John holds before us three aspects of God that describe his nature:

1. The Divine Love of God: It is his nature to love us despite our carnal minds, our inadequacies, our sin, and our failures.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

"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. John 3:16

2. The Incarnational Love of God: God’s self-giving love demonstrated on the Cross–a full disclosure.

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. 1 John 3:16

3. The Spirit Filled Life of the Believer: God’s abiding presence that empowers us to take on the character of God–particularly as it is expressed in love.

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 1 John 3:23

As I read I John I am wonderfully impressed by the way John draws our attention to the redemptive purpose of God. God wants all people to know Him, worship Him and serve Him in the strength of His resurrected power.

How does God’s love become our love? This is the question we bring to the text this morning. The incredible love of God is not up for debate. The incarnational love of God stands as an uncontested demonstration of love. Yet how have we allowed the love of God to transform us? Literally! Just as a caterpillar is miraculously transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

Many found it very hard to believe that Jane Fonda had surrendered her life to the call of Jesus. Jane Fonda had her share of critics–some calling her “Hanoi Jane” because of her position regarding Viet Nam. Others were jealous and admired her physique; she sold more exercise tapes than Bill Gates has sold Windows.

All sorts of stories circulated when she divorced Ted Turner. I understand God used the wife of a Turner Broadcasting System executive and a chauffeur to understand and embrace His redeeming love. Gerald Durley, pastor of Providence Missionary Baptist Church, where the chauffeur is a member and where Jane Fonda attended Bible studies, says,

“I am extremely impressed with the genuineness and sincerity of {her} search for spirituality and wholeness...I think she has found a certain sense of peace among those who’ve found peace with Christianity.” (Mike Hays, p. 1)

This story illustrates the threefold process for acknowledging and confessing the love of God. Let us look briefly at how John presents love as an ongoing action.

I. LOVE IS THE PREEMINENT ATTRIBUTE OF GOD–IT IS HIS NATURE TO LOVE

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. I John 4

The Book of I John is best known for its emphasis upon love. As we have seen in this series, it brims with many nuggets of truth. Yet, they are all based upon a simple premise: Love. Three times in our text John uses the expression, “love one another” (:7, 11, 12).