1 JOHN 4:7-12 “GOD’S PERFECT LOVE IN US”
* The word love is found 310 times in the Bible.
* Loveth is found 65 times and the word loved is found 98 times and charity is found 28 times.
A) I don’t know of anything more powerful than the love of God! * Love originates in God … 1 John 4:19
* Love is a powerful thing … When a man meets a woman and falls in love, they get married.
* They promise to love one another forever and until death do they part.
* Yes … Love is a powerful thing … It keeps couples together until death parts them!
* Song: Love Will Keep Us Together.
B) Of course, there are always battles in every marriage!
* You learn a lot after years of marriage. * I’ve learned the meaning of a few words that women
use from time to time. * For instance ... The word “Fine.”
* This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
C) “Five Minutes.” * If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour!
* Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game
before helping around the house.
* “Nothing.” * This is the calm before the storm … This means “something” and you should be on
your toes … Arguments that begin with “nothing” usually end in “fine.”
D) “Go Ahead.” * This is a dare, not permission, DON’T DO IT!
* “Loud Sigh.” * Although not actually a word, the loud sigh is often misunderstood by men.
* A “Loud Sigh” means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time
standing here and arguing with you over “Nothing.”
E) “That’s Okay.” * This is one of the most dangerous statements that women can make to men.
* “That’s Okay” means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you
will pay for your mistake.
* “Thanks.” * This is the least used of all words in the female vocabulary.
* If a woman is thanking you, do not question it …….
* Just say, “You’re welcome,” and back out of the room slowly. 1 Cor. 13:7 Love ... Beareth all things.
F) Love is a powerful thing … Love makes things happen!
* Let me show you what happens when you have the perfect love of God in you …….
(1) GOD’S LOVE BRINGS OBEDIENCE! * John 14:15, Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my …”
* Greek word for "keep" is tereo (tay-reh’-o) and means to hold fast, to serve.
* This is the only proper evidence and proof of our love to Jesus.
A) Look over at 1 John 5:2-3 ……. * What are these commandments?
* The Greek word is “entole” (en-tol-ay’) and means “an authoritative prescription.”
* 1 John 3:23 gives us the answer … * This is the love of God in action!
* This is not a choice or a suggestion … We have too many words and not enough action today!
* 1 John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and …”
B) The love of God in action is doing, not saying!
* John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
* John 15:17 “These things I command you, that ye love one another.”
C) If we love one another as Jesus loves us, we’ll serve and sacrifice one for another!
* He served … He gave … He sacrificed even the giving of His life, that we might be saved.
* And we should be willing to sacrifice for our brethren … 1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we …”
* John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
D) Notice … His commandments are not grievous!
* The Greek word is “barus” (bar-ooce’) and means “weighty, heavy, burdensome.”
* It’s certainly not grievous to love God, for to know Him is to love Him, and the better we know
Him, the more we love Him …….
* And the more we love Him, the more capable we are of loving the brethren …….
* And the more we’ll sacrifice and serve in the name of the greatest servant of all … Jesus!
E) And what about other commandments, such as reading and studying God’s Word?
* What about praying? * What about tithing? * What about being faithful in church attendance?
* Those who think they don’t need the church don’t think much of the One who founded it.
* What about witnessing to lost sinners about their faith in Christ?
* When I was lost, I didn’t do these things … When I was backslid, I wouldn’t do these things!
F) What does that say to you … What is the message that God is trying to tell you?
* You’re either lost or you’re backslid if you don’t obey His commandments!
* When I got my heart right with God, I started doing these things.
* Love makes the difference … Love brings obedience … Love Jesus and do right!
(2) GOD’S LOVE DESTROYS CRITICISM! * Real love is the secret to destroy criticism!
A) You don’t criticize your wife because you love her!
* And if you do criticize your wife, you do it privately, not in public or around other people!
B) A critical spirit grieves the heart of God!
* Judas criticized Mary for using the expensive ointment! * Some would criticize perfection!
* They did it to Jesus … But true love destroys criticism!
* Some criticize the Pastor, the Deacons, the choir members, other church members!
C) Sign on door of a church that read, “Come in without knocking and go out the same way!”
* Some people need to lay their critical tongue on the altar.
* If you criticize your pastor or deacons or any other person in the church in front of your children,
don’t expect them to ever win your children to the Lord, cause it won’t happen!
* Real love, true love destroys criticism … If you need to criticize someone, tell it to Jesus!
(3) GOD’S LOVE DESTROYS SELFISHNESS!
A) Greed and selfishness is what’s wrong with this world today!
* The word selfish means: caring too much for one’s self and too little for others …….
* It means: Putting your own interests first!
B) Why don’t people witness? * It’s because they’re selfish!
* Why don’t people tithe? * It’s because they’re selfish!
* There are probably stolen cars out there in that parking lot today, and some of the folk who
parked them out there are sitting in this building.
* Some of you bought things for yourself with God’s money … That’s selfishness!
C) Some took God’s tithe and made a car payment, bought Christmas gifts, bought your wants!
* When a man ceases to give, he ceases to believe!
* The matter of giving isn’t a matter of money, it’s a matter of faith!
* According to Mal. 3:8-10, you’re a robber if you don’t tithe!
D) God put “Ham” on Abram when he started tithing! * Don’t rob God!
* The reason you don’t tithe and support your church is because you’re selfish!
* God will take care of you! * God’s love in you will destroy selfishness!
(4) GOD’S LOVE TURNS ON THE WORLD! * 1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the …”
A) The word “world” here means “the kingdom of the devil!”
* “Things” are what the devil offers you to serve him. * Don’t love it!!!
* I’m gonna shock you … I drink, smoke, dance, cuss, sin all I want to …….
* I just don’t want to … Jesus took my want to away!
B) “Now preacher, what’s wrong with one beer?” * It’s what’s wrong with you?
* God took the hog out of me and I ain’t had a slopping since!
* A cussing man’s tongue is a conveyor belt … What’s in the heart comes out the mouth!
* Rock music … When the natives heard rock music, they wanted to know why they were playing
music that summoned the demons. * Rock music promotes drugs, sex and alcohol!
* 2 Cor. 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
* When you love Jesus, the things of the world comes in last place!
(5) LOVE PRODUCES FAITHFULNESS!
A) Faithful means: “Doing one’s duty, keeping promises, to be loyal!”
* Does Jesus deserve your faithfulness? * The most hurtful thing I could ever do to my wife is to
be unfaithful to her! * I promised to be true to her until I die, and I intend to do so!
* I promised to be faithful to Jesus and I intend to do so.
* I promised to be faithful to church … I intend to do so! * Pray, study the Bible (The way you treat your Bible is the way you treat Jesus), witness …….
B) What is faithfulness? * If your car cranks 9 times out of 10, is it faithful?
* If your refrigerator runs 1 week out of the month, is it faithful?
C) If you go to church every Sun. morning, Sun. night and Wed. night, are you faithful?
* If you pray every day … Witness everyday … Tithe every pay-check, that’s faithful!
* Think how Jesus feels when you’re unfaithful to Him! * Don’t break His heart!
* If you love Jesus, you’ll be faithful because love produces faithfulness!
CLOSE
A) The love of God makes things happen!
* It brings obedience … It destroys criticism and selfishness …
* It turns on the world … And it produces faithfulness.
B) Do you need to have a talk with Jesus right now?
* Then come to Him tonight!
