INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• When one decides they are going to have a house built, they may go to a home builder to get it done.
• One of the things the homebuilder should have is some plans or blueprints for building the house.
• Can you imagine what kind of home you would have without some blueprints for the builder to use as a guide?
• Most important things in life need a plan to follow.
• Without a plan, you will not accomplish much in life.
• If you want a successful career, it is wise to have a blueprint to follow. If you want to have a family, a plan is good to have.
• Today we are going to look at God’s blueprint for showing brotherly love to those around us.
• Love is not easy to give, there are times when we will not feel like giving love to others, yet we are called to love one another.
• By its nature, love demands some things from us.
• Relationships with others will demand some things from us.
• Do you realize that your desire to have a relationship with Jesus on the level that means something will demand something from us?
• Why is it that so many of us feel like we can get something out of their relationship with Jesus when they are not willing to put anything into it?
• As we examine the blueprint for brotherly love, we will open up some aspects of what love will demand of us. Love is never easy, it will require and demand things from us.
• It is great to talk about loving one another, it is another issue to put that talk into practice.
• The blueprint we will examine today will help us convert good thoughts into real results.
• Let’s look at 1 John 3:13-15 to being.
• SLIDE #2
• 1 John 3:13–15 (HCSB) — 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. Brotherly love requires understanding the blueprint. (13-15)
• The world shows it will hate what is good.
• This is a bit of an odd way to begin this section, but there is logic to it.
• John tells us not to be astonished or surprised when the world hats us. What he is really says is “stop being surprised” at what is happening.
• Are you ever surprised when a person tries to do good and then they become the object of scorn? You see a person who is doing good things being mistreated and you wonder why.
• The same world which Cain belonged to is the same world we live in. I have seen many instances where a person who is trying to do good or be a righteous person will be made fun of and even hated by those of the world.
• Tim Tebow is ridiculed, and some of the musical “artists” are hailed for their vile music.
• We live in a world which we are called not to love (1 John 2:15-17), a world where anti-Christ’s flourish. We live in a world which is blinded by Satan, is it any wonder that righteous, God-loving people would be mistreated?
• SLIDE #4
• John 15:19 (HCSB) If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
• The world rejected Jesus, it will reject you also.
• We are living in a world that is offended by righteous people because it makes them feel bad about their own condition; it makes them realize they are not as good as they thought.
• This is why Jesus is so offensive to many people. Jesus makes you face the reality about yourself and your condition.
• This is why the next though we see in verse 14 is vital to the blueprint.
• The love we show to one another is evidence of our salvation.
• We must be careful to remember that our goodness is not the reason we are saved; it is not HOW we are saved. I have repeatedly spoken of how we cannot earn our salvation. We must understand that loving someone is not going to earn your ticket to heaven.
• Our ability to love one another is evidence of the salvation we possess by grace though our faith in Jesus.
• Verse 14 tells us that we can KNOW that we have passed from death into life. It centers on loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• The word “PASSED FROM” denotes a geographical change. When we love our brothers in Christ we can know we have moved out of Death Valley into life.
• Love alone is not the basis of our acceptance before God. It is the base on which all other virtues rest.
• The one who continues not to love continues to abide in death. The absence of love is a sign that one is dead to God.
• Verse 15 spells out some dire consequences for the one who choses not to love.
• Verse 15 seems very extreme; listen to it again. It does not seem like it could be true?
• Isn’t there some middle ground?
• 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
• This builds on what Jesus said concerning the same subject in Matthew 5:21-22.
• Sin lies in the heart. Verse 15 tells us the one who hates their brother has the spirit and heart of a murderer.
• Only outward restraints have restricted the action already contemplated within the heart.
• The heart that is turned to evil thoughts and intents is not a heart for God.
• The hate is a continuous contempt for a person.
• How many murderers would we have in our society if there were no outward restraints?
• John is not saying we are guilty as a murderer, but the same spirit and disposition.
• The thing we need to understand is that no murderer has eternal life abiding in them. Love and hate cannot abide in the same heart.
• Let’s look at verse 16.
• SLIDE #5
• 1 John 3:16 (HCSB) This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers.
• SLIDE #6
II. Following the blueprint will require sacrifice. (16)
• Jesus was the model from which the blueprint was constructed.
• Jesus was our example.
• SLIDE #7
• John 10:11 (HCSB) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
• Jesus laid down His life by choice. John 10:18
• In verse 16 of our passage today, that thought is magnified.
• Jesus did what He did because it was for our best interests. He was looking out for us!
• SLIDE #8
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB) He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
• Cain was an example of what selfishness and hate will do to a person. Jesus is the example of what love will do for a person.
• When we feel it is hard to sacrifice for others, we need to consider Jesus and what He did for us!
• We are called to follow His example!
• Jesus did not give us the example for nothing! He gave it to us so we could follow it.
• The word “SHOULD” in verse 16 has the essence of a moral obligation, it implies we are bound to sacrifice our lives if need be.
• We are called to sacrifice materially if need be.
• Verse 17 will deal with this thought.
• The willingness to give what one has, even our life, for the sake of others, is the essence of true love.
• If we are willing to give our life for another, we will help them in the smaller ways also.
• Let’s turn to verse 17.
• SLIDE #9
• 1 John 3:17 (HCSB) If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need—how can God’s love reside in him?
• SLIDE #10
III. The blueprint reveals the need for compassion. (17)
• Brotherly love is built on the pillar of compassion.
• Verse 17 speaks of knowing a brother is in need and then closing our heart to them, this deals with being compassionate towards a brother in need.
• This passage speaks of physical needs, but I believe this goes deeper to spiritual needs.
• When we see a brother struggling materially, we need to try to help them, when we see them struggling spiritually, we need to help them.
• The physical needs are easier to take care of because it is usually a matter of some money, but having the compassion to help a struggling brother take time and patience.
• We have to be careful. We do not want our heart to close towards another person.
• There are some who put themselves in need and others who are in need because of circumstances beyond their control.
• We need to be willing to help when there the basic necessities are lacking.
• It is a matter of being willing to put others first. That can be difficult for us to do that. IF we are the center of the universe, then we will never be willing to help others.
• A person who lacks a heart for others lacks the love of God within them.
• Absence of compassion for those in need shows us that our love for God is non-existent to weak at best.
• John tells us that if we are willing to close our hearts to those in need, then the love of God is not in us. John says, HOW DOES THE LOVE OF GOD ABIDE IN HIM?
• The implication from the question is that it cannot. As our love for God increases so will our compassion toward others.
• Let’s look at verse 18
• SLIDE #11
• 1 John 3:18 (HCSB) Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action.
• SLIDE #12
IV. Making the blueprint a reality will require strenuous effort. (18)
• Faith without works is dead. Love without action is dead!
• James tells us this is James 2:14-18.
• WE are told by John that our love is not ONLY to be from word, but also by what we do!
• In order for our blueprint to move from a dream to reality, we must be willing to be involved in the lives of those around us.
• Actions or lack of actions will reflect our true heart.
• If we have no deeds to show for our talk, it shows how we really feel.
• I will pray for you! How many times have we told people we would do that only to not do it? We do not mean to not do it, but we forget, it is not that important to us to remember.
• Notice our love is to show in our words and deeds and in truth.
• We must do what we do out of a true spirit. Our love for one another is not to be hypocritical.
• Without demonstrations of actions, there is no love.
CONCLUSION
• We have spoken a lot about the issue of love in this book. I feel we do a pretty good job in the area of love, but as with everything, we have a lot to learn.
• I pray that we will all examine how we feel and act toward one another. God will not bless a non-loving church.
• As our love for each other grows, people will flock into this place because people are looking for love.
• The world is used to and expects hate, let us show them how to love one another!
• Are you lonely, feeling like you are unloved and unwanted? Jesus loves you and wants you, FCC loves you and wants you to be apart of our family. Are you ready?
