Being a Channel of God’s Love
(Slide 1)
Today I would like to dissect the source of man’s love; the indicators of man’s love; and the necessity of God’s love in our lives. You, like me, may find yourselves becoming frustrated because of our inability to love in given situations. There is a good reason for this: it is called our Adamic nature, it comes natural for us. But, we can become conquers in this area IF WE LET GO AND LET GOD! The love of God is shed into our hearts this morning through the power of the Holy Spirit! Praise God!
Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:7-11 (SLIDE 2)
(vs. 7) “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
Beloved,
(1) Let us love one another
(2) For love is of God
(3) Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
(vs. 8) “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
He that
(1) Loveth not
(2) Knoweth not God;
For
(1) God is love.
(vs. 9) “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.
In This was manifested the love of god (toward us)
(1) That God sent his only begotten Son into the world,
(2) That we might live through him.
(vs. 10) “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Herein is love
(1) Not that we loved God,
(2) But that he loved us,
(3) And sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
(vs. 11) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Beloved
(If) God so loved us,
(Then) We ought also to love one another.
Some Things about God’s Love:
- Love is not just a virtue of God. It is God Himself.
- Love is not something God begins.
- God does not “extend His energy to maintain” love.
- The love of God is as eternal as the nature of God.
- The love of God is self existing.
Ref: Towns, Elmer: Theology for Today (Belmont CA: Wadsworth: 2002) 114.
How can we love like God
(1) We must allow God’s love to flow through you.
(2) We must allow our lives to become a channel of God’s love (Thompson, 33):
A.“Love for one’s brother comes “from God.” It is evidence of being “born of God.” . . . It is not a virtue innate (inborn) in us nor is it learned behavior. It is “from God” He is the originator—the giver of love.” (Barker, 342)
We have Yielded our Right to Choose
“When you make Christ Lord of your life ------ you forever surrender the right to choose whom you will love” (Thompson, 31).
LET’S LOOK AT ANOTHER TEXT:
Scripture Text: 1 John 3:16 SLIDE 3
16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
I) EXPRESSIONS OF GOD’S LOVE SLIDE 4
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:5 – God’s love is shed into our hearts through the Holy Spirit: “. . . because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians 2:4-5 - 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
II. GOD EXPECTS US TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE. SLIDE 5
A. Our Message to the World.
1 John 4:11 - Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
(1) God’s act (Jesus death, so that we might live [vs. 9)) has its intention not just for our salvation (Gospel of John 3:17) but our living. And it is to be a “living” in love so that God’s love is seen ‘visibly working’ in us and through us” [Wescott] (Barker, 343).
Three Incentives for Displaying Love (1 John 4:7-12)
(1) … because this is the nature of God (4:8); “for God is love” (Lea & Black, 558).
(2) ... because of the historical demonstration of love in Christ’s death (Lea & Black, 558).
1 John 4:10-11: Herein is love (agape) [Here is what love is], not that we loved God, but [A sharp contrast} that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation [Propitiation: This means the turning away of wrath by an offering] for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
(3) … because the practice of love makes the presence of the unseen God a reality (4:12)” (Lea & Black, 558) . . . If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected [perfected: completed by reaching the intended goal] in us.
B. Our valentine message to the world must be a message of
The Message of Patience (SL 6)
We live in a world of hurriedness and intolerance for others. We greatly need to have patience.
1 Thes. 5:14: Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Hebrews 10:36: For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
James 1:4: But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 5:7: Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Illustration
A young man, a Christian, went to an older believer to ask for prayer. "Will you please pray that I may be more patient?" he asked. The aged saint agreed. They knelt together and the man began to pray, "Lord, send this young man tribulation in the morning; send this young man tribulation in the afternoon; send this young man...." At that point the young Christian blurted out, "No, no, I didn’t ask you to pray for tribulation. I wanted you to pray for patience." "Ah," responded the wise Christian, "it’s through tribulation that we learn patience."
1. God is a patient God. He is longsuffering.
2. Christ is a patient Savior. He exercised patience with: Apostles and ultimately us.
3. Christ provides the avenue for our exercise of patience with others.
4. Patience suffers long; bears all things; endures; never retaliates.
The Message of Kindness SLIDE 7
Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. Scott Adams
Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Teresa
Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes the ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate. — Albert Schweitzer
Romans 12:10: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Ephesians. 4:32: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
a. Joseph was kind to his brothers.
b. The good Samaritan was kind to the wounded Jewish man.
The message of: Unselfishness and generosity. SLIDE 8
1 Cor. 13:5: 5 [charity] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Matthew 22:39 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1 Cor. 10:33 (Paul) Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
Luke 6:38: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
THE MESSAGE of Righteousness. SLIDE 9
Luke 1:74-75: That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, [75] In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Philippians 1:11: Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Illustration
A speaker held up a blank sheet of paper and asked, "What do you see?" The reply was, "A piece of paper." He then placed the paper on the podium, made a tiny dot in the center and held it up again. "What do you see now?" "A dot," was the unanimous reply from the audience. "Imagine this blank paper is a person," the speaker said. "The small dot you saw is his/her biggest fault. The white surrounding the dot represents all of this person’s worthwhile qualities which we so easily fail to see. Often a fault seems bigger than it really is and we allow it to overshadow the many positive aspects of that person’s personality."
CONCLUSION: SLIDE 10
We must strive to Follow Christ in: Patience, Kindness, Generosity and Righteousness; most of all in the power of God’s love. How are you doing on these traits today?
References:
Barker, Glenn W. “1 John.” The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 12:293-353.
Lea, Thomas D., David Alan Black. The New Testament: Its Background and Message (Nashville TN: Broadman & Holman: 2003) 558.
Thompson Jr., Oscar W.; Carolyn Thompson Ritzmann & Claude V. King. Concentric Circles of Concern, Seven Stages of Making Disciples. Nashville TN: Broadman & Holman: 1999.
Towns, Elmer: Theology for Today. Belmont CA: Wadsworth: 2002.
