Great Reasons For Christians To Love One Another Series

Great Reasons for Christians to Love One Another

1 John 4:7-11

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Series: The First Epistle of John

(Prepared January 14, 2024)

(Revised January 23, 2024, with a new outline)

BACKGROUND:

*One of the greatest themes in the New Testament is for Christians to love other people with the same kind of patient, merciful love that God has for us. God wants us to have this kind of love for our neighbors, for lost people, and even for our enemies. But the special focus in 1 John is Christians loving one another. And we know this because the Holy Spirit led John to use the original words for "love" 51 times this letter. Today's Scripture gives us some great reasons why we should love one another. Please focus on this as we read 1 John 4:7-11.

MESSAGE:

*Has your turn-by-turn driving app ever let you down? Oh yeah. A lot of us have been there. The last time I remember, we were going to a lakeside condo some friends had offered us for the weekend. We followed the directions step by step, and we arrived at our destination. There it was, -- across a hundred feet of water. It would have been perfect if we were in a boat, but it took us another 15 minutes to pull in the driveway.

*When it comes to the way we should go, things and people will let us down. We will also let ourselves down. But God's Word will never let us down! And today's Scripture gives us some great reasons why Christians should love one another.

1. FIRST: WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE GOD COMMANDS IT.

*We see this truth in vs. 7 where John said, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God."

*For Christians to love one another is one of the Lord's greatest priorities for His followers. We know this because John repeated this crucial command 5 times in this very short letter. Jesus first gave this command in John 13:34 where He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, that you also love one another." Remember the background there: The time for the cross was almost at hand. In John 13:31 Judas had already gone out to betray the Lord. In John 13:38 Jesus would tell Peter that he was about to deny the Lord. The agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and His death on the cross were just hours away. In a moment like that, the most important things rise to the surface.

*King Duncan explained, "Now was the time to make sure the disciples understood the basics. And nothing was more basic to Jesus' ministry than the message of love," so in John 13:34 Jesus said, 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; As I have loved you, that you also love one another.'" This new commandment from Jesus must have been one of His greatest priorities. (1)

*Imagine how passionate Jesus was when He spoke those words. Karen Watson had this kind of passion in the "last letter" she wrote as a missionary. These letters were inspired by the old tradition of soldiers and missionaries writing a last letter in advance, in case they didn't make it home.

*Karen's letter was read by her pastor at her funeral, because she was one of the four missionaries killed in Iraq on March 15th, 2004. The vehicle they were riding in was ambushed in the city of Mosul. Karen was 38 and had been a Christian for about 8 years. She loved God's Word and His work with great passion. Here is Karen Watson's Last Letter:

"Dear Pastor,

You should only be opening this letter in the event of my death. When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn't called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward...

*The missionary heart:

Cares more than some think is wise

Risks more than some think is safe

Dreams more than some think is practical

Expects more than some think is possible

I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience...

There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you and my church family.

In His care, (Peace), Karen" (2)

*Karen Watson had boundless passion for the things of God! But Jesus had infinitely more passion when He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, that you also love one another."