Sermons from 1 John: 02-21-2010
Sermon #07: Loving God & Loving Each Other
Scripture Ref: 1 John 4:7-11
Introduction:
Several years ago BILL GAITHER wrote a song entitled, Loving God & Loving Each Other. That song title is what I would like to use for the subject of this morning’s message; Loving God & Loving Each Other.
JOHN was known as the APOSTLE of LOVE. When he was WRITING HIS GOSPEL he did not want to use his own name so he referred to himself as, the DISCIPLE who JESUS LOVED. It must have been OBVIOUS that JOHN had a SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP with JESUS.
Now I think that is a GREAT NAME, how about you? Wouldn’t we want to BE KNOWN as the DISCIPLE who JESUS LOVED? I surely would!
JOHN was FOND of the word LOVE. Here in this very brief epistle of 5 short chapters, John used the word LOVE over 40 times in 1st JOHN.
PREACHERS with HOBBY HORSES:
No matter what they say their SUBJECT is; they most always find their way back to that HOBBY HORSE SUBJECT. Years ago in PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCHES such as ours, some preachers’ HOBBYHORSE may have been WOMEN'S HAIR or WOMEN’S DRESS. They had MEMORIZED some OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES and they were CONVINCED that these things were the CAUSE of ALL the EVIL in the WORLD.
We might CONCLUDE that JOHN had a HOBBY HORSE. As I just said, he used the word LOVE over 40 times in 1 JOHN & he used the phrase, “LOVE ONE ANOTHER” 4 times and he used the phrase “LOVE THE BRETHERN” 5 times. If one is going to have a HOBBY HORSE then LOVE is a GOOD HORSE to RIDE, especially TODAY!
Someone has said that if you BOLIED the CHRISTIAN FAITH
DOWN to just ONE WORD then that ONE WORD would be LOVE.
Remember what PAUL wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:13
‘& now abides, faith, hope & charity {LOVE} but the GREATEST of THESE is LOVE.’
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In this passage that we’re looking at this morning – JOHN is going to DRAMATICALLY DEMONSTRATE for us the RELATIONSHIP of GOD’S LOVE for us & OUR LOVE for GOD & also OUR LOVE for ONE ANOTHER.
This PASSAGE takes up the ARGUMENT of GOD’S HEART.
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JOHN begins in chapter 4: 7-8 by giving us a DEFINITION of GOD’S LOVE.
‘Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of GOD & everyone who loves is born of GOD & knows GOD. He who does not love does not know GOD, for GOD is love.’
GOD is NOT just a LOVING GOD, ------ GOD is LOVE.
ALL that we KNOW about LOVE is ROOTED in the CHARACTER & in the NATURE of ALMIGHTY GOD.
GOD is the ORIGIN of LOVE.
GOD is the ORIGINATOR of LOVE.
LOVE is of GOD.
Any LOVE that we KNOW comes from GOD.
GOD is the ONE that TEACHES us HOW to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
The VERY DEFINITION of GOD is LOVE.
GOD is LOVE.
& WHAT is the DEFINITION of GOD’S LOVE, it is GOD HIMSELF.
GOD & LOVE are INTERTWINED so that there is NO WAY to SEPARATE THEM
This is the 3rd TIME that JOHN has TAUGHT on this SUBJECT of LOVE in this LITTLE EPISTLE.
This is NOT JOHN being FORGETFUL & REPEATING HIMSELF. NO, this is the WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT DRIVING HOME a MUCH NEEDED POINT in JOHN’S DAY & as well as in our day TODAY.
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In this EPISTLE JOHN gives us 3 WAYS that we MUST REMEMBER THIS:
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#1: 1st JOHN reminds us that WHEN we LOVE ONE ANOTHER we are WALKING in the LIGHT of GOD.
1 John 2:9-10 ‘He who says he is in the light, & hates his brother is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light & there is no cause for stumbling in him.’
GOD who is the ORIGINATOR of LOVE & the ORCHESTRATOR of LOVE & who TEACHES US to LOVE ONE ANOTHER reminds us through the WRITINGS of JOHN that WHEN we LOVE ONE ANOTHER we are WALKING in the LIGHT.
#2: WHEN we LOVE ONE ANOTHER we are WALKING in the LIFE of GOD.
John 3:14-15 ‘We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethern. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer & you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.’
WATCH CAREFULLY:
JOHN is saying, ‘The WAY we RESPOND to the LOVE of GOD & to LOVING OTHERS is a TESTIMONY to the FACT that we are WALKING in the LIFE of GOD. He talks here about ETERNAL LIFE.
#3: In the PASSAGE that we are LOOKING AT this morning JOHN TEACHES US that when we LOVE ONE ANOTHER we are WALKING in the LOVE of GOD.
1 John 4: 7 ‘Beloved, let us LOVE ONE ANOTHER for LOVE is of GOD & everyone who LOVES is BORN of GOD & KNOWS GOD’.
So if we GO BACK over those VERSES we DISCOVER that LOVING ONE ANOTHER is a MATTER of LIGHT & DARKNESS.
LOVING ONE ANOTHER is a MATTER of LIFE & DEATH.
& LOVING ONE ANOTHER is a MATTER of LOVE & HATE.
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JOHN is saying that if we REALLY UNDERSTAND the DEFINITION of LOVE – that GOD is LOVE & we CLAIM to BELONG to GOD & if we DERIVE OUR SOURCE from HIM then we CANNOT be ANYTHING OTHER than PEOPLE WHO LOVE & EXPRESS the LOVE of GOD.
This PHRASE LOVE ONE ANOTHER appears 3 TIMES in the SCOPE of these 3 VERSES.
JOHN TEACHES that BECAUSE we are RELATED to GOD (GOD’S CHILDREN) then we DO WHAT GOD DOES.
GOD LOVES & BECAUSE we are HIS CHILDREN we LOVE also.
We are to be a LOVING PEOPLE. The TRADEMARK of a CHILD of GOD:
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In VERSE 7 he gives us a COMMAND.
‘Let us LOVE ONE ANOTHER.’
In VERSE 11 he gives us the CONCLUSION ‘We OUGHT to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.’
Now JOHN wants us to KNOW that if we WANT to FIND OUT what LOVE IS then we have to LOOK at GOD.
But NOW he is going to SHOW US in these NEXT VERSES HOW that GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS LOVE.
LOVE is NOT LOVE UNTIL it is GIVEN AWAY; DEMONSTRATED.
Until THEN it is NOTHING MORE than EMPTY WORDS.
1 John 4: 9-10 ‘In this was MANIFESTED the LOVE of GOD toward us, because that GOD sent HIS only BEGOTTEN SON into the world, that we might live through HIM, Herein is LOVE, NOT that we LOVED GOD, but that HE LOVED US, & sent HIS SON to be the PROPITIATION for OUR SINS.’
1 John 3:16 ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of GOD, because HE laid down HIS LOVE for us; & we ought to lay down our lives for the brethern.’
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Now JOHN gives us the REASONS WHY we are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER:
It is BECAUSE GOD has DEMONSTRATED HIS LOVE for us.
3 TIMES in just the SPACE of 3 VERSES we read that GOD SENT HIS SON to us.
1 John 4: 9 ‘…… GOD sent HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON…into the world.’
1 John 4:10 ‘…. HE LOVED US & sent HIS SON to be the PROPITIATION for OUR SINS.’
1 John 4:14 ‘ …the FATHER has sent the SON to be the SAVIOR of the world.’
When GOD wanted to SHOW HIS LOVE for us HE LOOKED AROUND HEAVEN WONDERING WHAT HE could do. HOW can I TELL MY CHILDREN on EARTH that I LOVE THEM in a WAY that they CANNOT MISS the message?
& GOD said; ‘This I WILL DO. I will SEND to them the GIFT of MY OWN SON, the MOST COSTLY GIFT that I could give.’
& the BIBLE says that GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS LOVE toward us, in that HE SENT HIS SON.
1 John 4:9 ‘In this the LOVE of GOD was MANIFESTED toward us, that GOD sent HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON into the world, that we might LIVE through HIM.’
NOTICE the WAY in which JOHN DESCRIBES GOD’S GIFT: GOD’S GIFT was HIS SON.
1 John 4:14 ‘The FATHER sent the SON.’
1 John 4:10 ‘HE sent HIS SON.’
1 John 4:9 ‘GOD sent HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.’
NO GREATER GIFT from GOD is POSSIBLE therefore NO GREATER GIFT could GOD GIVE than WHAT HE has ALREADY GIVEN – HIS SON, JESUS.
That was the DEMONSTRATION of the LOVE of GOD.
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Now DON’T MISS the LOGIC of THIS:
The DEFINITION of LOVE is GOD.
But GOD is SPIRIT & WORD & HUMANITY.
HOW can we POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND LOVE? HOW can we KNOW IT?
The BIBLE tells us that GOD is LOVE.
So WHAT does that mean? GOD said I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU HELD in the BONDAGE of SIN. I will SEND YOU a MESSAGE about LOVE that you will have to UNDERSTAND.
& GOD sent HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST to PROVE to us WHAT HIS LOVE to us is all about.
11 Corinthians 9:15 says ‘Thanks be unto GOD for HIS unspeakable gift.’
Romans 8:32 “HE that spared not HIS OWN SON, but delivered HIM up for us all..’
UNDERLINE THAT PART: ‘HE that SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON.’
I DON”T KNOW HOW the DECISION was MADE in the HEART of GOD.
That was BOUND to NOT BE an EASY CHOICE for GOD to MAKE; to GIVE UP HIS SON to DIE upon an OLD RUGGED CROSS so that we could be SAVED, not just FROM HELL itself, but also to BE SAVED from the POWER of SIN OVER US in OUR DAILY LIVES.
I can ONLY PERCEIVE of it in the TERMS of MY OWN HUMAN UNDERSTANDING.
I am a FATHER. I have TWO SONS.
HOW MUCH would I have to LOVE SOMEBODY to GIVE those TWO SONS AWAY?
KNOWING they WOULD FACE a MOST HORRIBLE DEATH:
Yet GOD DID THAT!
BECAUSE HE LOVES US!
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1 John 4:9 says ‘…GOD sent HIS only begotten SON into the world that we might have life’
1 John 1:7 ‘The blood of JESUS CHRIST, HIS SON cleanses us from all sin.’
1 John 2:2 ‘HE HIMSELF is the propitiation our sins…’
ALL THOSE VERSES from 1 John tells us ONE THING:
When GOD sent HIS SON, HE not only sent us HIS SON, HE sent us a SAVIOR.
& when HIS SON CAME & HE DIED on a CROSS HE became NOT just the SON of GOD HE became the SAVIOR of the WORLD.
You might say, PASTOR HOW can that be?
In the SIMPLIEST LANGUAGE I KNOW--BECAUSE HE was GOD – the SON.
When HE CAME to this WORLD HE was STILL GOD the SON.
& EVERYTHING about GOD is INFINITE – ETERNAL – BOUNDLESS
HIS LIFE & HIS ABILITY to DIE for the WHOLE WORLD
If that was us we COULD ONLY DIE for ONE PERSON. But GOD is INFINITE. & HE POURED the INFINITY of HIS GODHEAD into HUMAN FLESH & when HE HUNG on the CROSS – HE DIED & HIS DEATH was WORTH EVERY SINGLE PERSON who would put THEIR TRUST in HIM.
So WHEN HE DIED on the CROSS HE BECAME the SAVIOR of ALL THOSE WHO would BELIEVE.
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So WHAT is JOHN’S POINT?
GOD IS LOVE!
We could ALMOST YAWN when we THINK of THAT for it is so BEYOND OUR HUMAN REACH.
But we CANNOT YAWN WHEN we get to this 2ND POINT! LISTEN!
GOD is LOVE & HE PROVED HIS LOVE when HE DEMONSTRATED HIS LOVE.
HE SENT HIS SON & HE SENT a SAVIOR into the WORLD.
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& this is ALMOST UNFAIR because HIS CONCLUSION is WHAT INVOLVES EACH ONE of US. LISTEN CAREFULLY:
WATCH the DEMAND of GOD’S LOVE:
1 John 4: 11 ‘Beloved, if GOD so loved us, we ought also to love one another.’
Let me ASK us a QUESTION:
Do we have ANY DIFFICULT PEOPLE in OUR LIVES?
Do we have ANY HIGH MAINTENANCE PEOPLE?
Do we have ANY CHRISTIAN ACQUAINTANCES who DON’T ALWAYS BEHAVE CHRIST LIKE?
Do we ever FIND OURSELVES STRUGGLING WITHIN with THIS THOUGHT:
That’s MY BROTHER or that’s MY SISTER & I KNOW I am SUPPOSED to LOVE THEM but FRANKLY, I DON’T WANT TO:
So WHAT do we say?
We SAY: “I LOVE YOU in the LORD.”
That’s SOME SORT of a COP OUT, isn’t it?
I LOVE YOU in the LORD but I HATE YOU in MY HEART:
LISTEN to WHAT JOHN is saying here:
We CANNOT LOVE OTHER PEOPLE OUT of OUR OWN SOURCE OF ABILITY.
We can ONLY LOVE OTHER PEOPLE OUT of the SUPPLY SOURCE of the LOVE of GOD which has been GIVEN TO US.
HOW DO WE LOVE SOMEONE WHO is BASICALLY UNLOVEABLE?
We STOP for a MOMENT & we REALIZE just HOW UNLOVEABLE WE WERE when GOD LOVED US.
If GOD can LOVE US then we can LET GOD LOVE THROUGH US to THOSE PEOPLE who are UNLOVEABLE.
& we HAVE to WORK at THAT! Don’t we?
But we have to HAVE that TRUTH in us or we have NOTHING to WORK WITH.
BEFORE we FINISH the MESSAGE we must ASK “But WHAT does that MEAN?”
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It MEANS that the GIFT of GOD’S LOVE not only ASSURES US of GOD’S LOVE for US but it LAYS UPON US AN OBLIGATION.
NO ONE who has BEEN to the CROSS & has EXPERIENCED the IMMEASURABLE LOVE that was DISPLAYED THERE can GO BACK to a LIFE of SELFISHNESS.
The IMPLICATION here is THIS:
We are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE GOD LOVED US.
& we are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER in the SAME WAY that GOD LOVED US.
Now, HOW DO WE DO THAT?
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#1: We are to LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY:
HOW DID GOD LOVE US? Did GOD say “CLEAN UP YOUR ACT & THEN I’LL LOVE YOU?”
NO, HE LOVED US JUST AS WE WERE.
NONE of US would have ANY HOPE if that WASN’T TRUE!
If THEY are OUR BROTHER or OUR SISTER in the LORD we LOVE THEM AS THEY ARE & then we PRAY for GOD to DO a WORK in THEIR LIVES.
GOD LOVES US AS WE ARE --- BUT HE LOVES US TOO MUCH to LEAVE US AS WE ARE!
So we LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY:
LISTEN to Romans 5:7-8 ‘For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But GOD commended HIS love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST dies for us.
GOD LOVED US when there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WORTH LOVING ABOUT US!
GOD LOVED US when LOVED US when we were ALIENATED AGAINST HIM; LIVING in SIN & COMMITTING EVIL & WICKED WORKS.
GOD LOVED US when we were TRAMPLING UNDER FOOT HIS WORD.
GOD LOVED US when TIME after TIME REJECTED HIS GRACE & BROKE HIS COMMANDMENTS.
& now JOHN WRITES that ‘If GOD so loves us we OUGHT to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.’
‘While we were yet sinners CHRIST died for us.’
When there was NOT ANYTHING IN US that was WORTHY of GOD’S LOVE.
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We ALL WANT to BE LIKE GOD, don’t we?
WE are NEVER MORE LIKE GOD than WHEN we are LOVING LIKE GOD.
We DIDN’T DESERVE HIS LOVE.
IT WASN’T EARNED. IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.
But there is SOMETHING ABOUT that in the LIFE of a CHILD of GOD that WHEN we LOVE SOMEBODY who has HURT US or has WORKED AGAINST US in SOME WAY & we STILL LOVE that person we are being LIKE GOD.
& by the way, if the ONLY PEOPLE we LOVE are the LOVEABLE PEOPLE then HOW are we ANY DIFFERENT FROM the WORLD?
#2: WE LOVE THEM SACRIFICALLY: WITH SACRIFICAL LOVE:
Notice 1 John 3:16-18 ‘Hereby perceive we the love of GOD, because HE laid down HIS life for us; & we ought to lay down our lives for the brethern. But whoever has this world’s good, & sees his brother have need, & shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of GOD in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed & in truth.’
That is SO EASY to UNDERSTAND isn’t it?
We LOVE SACRIFICALLY.
We can GO ALL OVER the WORLD telling people of GOD’S LOVE but WHAT really TOUCHES PEOPLE is WHEN we SHOW THEM GOD’S LOVE.
LOVE has become an EMPTY WORD.
It has been POLLUTED by the WORLD.
It means ALMOST NOTHING.
TOO MUCH FOCUS on SELF & MINE & NOT on ONE ANOTHER.
But WHEN we LOVE SELF SACRFICIALLY it has the POWER to TOUCH OTHERS.
That is EXACTLY WHAT GOD DID – HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON.
GOD LOVED SACRIFICALLY:
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#3: WE LOVE THEM PERSONALLY:
1 John 4: 20-21 ‘If a man say, I love GOD, & hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love GOD whom he has not seen.’
NOTICE that these PRONOUNS here are PERSONAL.
We CANNOT LOVE PEOPLE as a CHURCH. “Oh, that’s a LOVING CHURCH!” But LOVING CHURCHES are MADE UP of LOVING PEOPLE.
Get INVOLVED PERSONALLY & REACH OUT to PEOPLE in ACTS of GENUINE LOVE.
