After the resurrection, John recorded several accounts of Jesus appearing to his disciples. One of these is in John 20:19-20, Jesus visited his disciples who locked themselves in a room because they fear the Jewish leaders. Jesus came through those doors, and the first thing he said was “Peace be with you.” I believe that this is what God wants us to do after Easter! To live in peace with one another and to continue to imitate Christ in His character that the world may know that we are truly His!
TEXT: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother and sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen cannot love God, whom they have not seen. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:20-21).
In these two verses alone, John repeated the word LOVE 5X! John was not referring to some emotion or goosebumps when your eyes cast a beautiful lady or a handsome guy, or your feelings toward the man or the woman of your dreams? He is not referring to the love that many people in this world talks about. To some, getting attention is love! Some become suspicious and jealous if they don’t receive enough love/attention! To the world in general: love is sex and sex is love; hence, when they are denied of sex or don't receive sex, they feel guilty of not giving love to the person they have feelings for. This kind of love is dangerous and invites trouble more than peace. And No! He's not referring either to your performance of good works and good deed.
A lot of people equate love to giving and doing work for God and to the world. And we appreciate the fact that we have philanthropists and humanitarians in this world. They give generously and voluntarily to good causes.
We can admire the humanitarian works of Warren Edward Buffett, an American business magnate, and philanthropist. He is considered one of the most successful investors in the world, and is the third-wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of US$82.5 billion as of March 9, 2019. This man has pledged to give away 99% of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily through the foundation of the founder of Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates. Together, they wanted to help end poverty in areas of the world where needed.
BUT, THE LOVE THAT JOHN WAS REFERRING HERE IS THE LOVE THAT IS FROM GOD (v7)– Love THAT YOU, AND I CANNOT produce on our own! That’s why any human invention of Love falls short! IT leaves you wanting and searching. It leaves you void, empty, insecure, and uncertain! Satisfying your need for love is inadequate. You find yourself always in pursuit of approval, of assurance, of validation, over and over again. It is a tiring pursuit, a chasing after the wind! And I say this not to condemn but to graciously lead people to the word of God that heals, corrects and releases you to freedom, and For you to recognize true love from a false sense of love!
The kind of love that John refers to is the love of God that flows from the cross at Calvary where Jesus shed his blood and willingly offered his body as a sacrifice for all of our sins. It flows from his death on the cross to reconcile the conflict that exists between man and God (v9-10)! As far as God is concerned, the gravest need of humanity is far more than physical but spiritual. The greatest need of man is to resolve the conflict man find himself into after the Fall in the Garden. And this needs my friends was resolved by Jesus at the cross, once and for all. God is the aggrieved party. He is the offended party. We are the aggressors. We are the offender. And yet, God, through Christ demonstrates what Love is! God is love (v8)! And this is what He commands us to do. He commands us to do the same! To follow his examples. Our love must be sacrificial. It is sacrificial because you have to give way what you hold dear. It could be your position of being on the right. One that does not “only seek your interest but give more weight on the interest of others. One that is not motivated by selfishness or vain conceit, but one that values others above oneself. “ Phil. 2:3-4.
Our love must be reconciliatory. We must be people who resolve conflict the same way that Jesus did. In times of conflict, Jesus expects us to reconcile and to do it quickly without letting the sun go down (Ephesians 4:26). He expects us to be executors of peace first within ourselves and then to a brother or a sister who may have wronged us OR WE HAVE OFFENDED. The more I meditate on this thought, and I realized that God expects us, believers, to be reconciled and to remain reconciled to every single person.
I also realized that not unless you have settled the matter upfront with God AND THE PERSON, there is no genuine reconciliation, only a shallow and superficial display of ethical behavior and good works. But we are not saved by good works but by reconciliation with God.
LOVE AND FORGIVENESS ARE TWINS, AND IF YOU ADD RECONCILIATION, THEY ARE TRIPLETS! AND THESE THREE MY FRIENDS HAVE UNBREAKABLE BOND. At the cross, Forgiveness didn’t happen until Jesus uttered this word to the Father: “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34) in the same way, forgiveness can only be granted, and genuine reconciliation can happen when at least one party involved in the offense uttered the keyword: "Forgive me" will you forgive me" I am really sorry, I've hurt you" Until such time, genuine reconciliation will not happen. Display of good works and the right behavior expected of us will not replace the established pattern of reconciliation that Jesus had established at the cross – that is to ask for forgiveness like what Jesus did verbally!
LOVE is NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT RECONCILIATION AND RECONCILIATION IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT taking the effort and time to swallow pride and to verbalize the key words: “Forgive me.” and The sign of genuine love is obedience to God’s commandment (5:3).
QUESTION: WOULD YOU BE OBEDIENT TO GOD to VERBALLY ask THE PERSON YOU HAVE OFFENDED CONSCIOUSLY OR NOT TO FORGIVE YOU? WOULD YOU BE LIKE JESUS TO TAKE THE FIRST MOVE TO RECONCILE HIS UNDESERVING DISCIPLES TO HIM?
In Matt. 22:37-39, the ten commandments were summarized into two: "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself." John said that the commandments of the Lord are not burdensome. It can be done if you love God. Because to love God is to do what He asks you to do. In Matthew 11:30, Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." In John 14:15-17, "If you love me, keep my commands. (v16) And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate/Helper to help you and be with you forever. The Spirit of Truth!"
2. LOVING GOD AND OTHERS IS DONE IN FAITH and with the Holy Spirit! (V20) - We don't see God, but we received God in the person of Jesus Christ by faith. We believe, and we put our trust in Him as if we see Him even though we don’t see Him – that is faith! In the same manner, John is telling us to do the same! To love a brother and sister by faith – meaning as if we see a brother and a sister for what he/she can become in Christ; as if we see her/him even though we don’t see him/her in his/her finished product in God.
God knows of each other's imperfections, and yet, He still gave the command that we love one another regardless. "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (v12)
QUESTION: WILL YOU ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP YOU?
3. Loving a brother and sister is a command, not an option (V21). It requires action!
Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister – Dear friends, let us love one another (v7) No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (v12).
a) Love in action is a believer’s responsibility (v11) “Dear friends since God so loved us, we also ought to love another."
b) Love in action is more than words. It is demonstrated! Jesus is how the Father showed His love among us. (9) “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world… (10) He sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
QUESTION: JESUS IS NOT ASKING YOU TO DIE ON THE CROSS. WHAT HE IS ASKING YOU IS TO DIE TO YOURSELF? TO YOUR PRIDE? WILL YOU BE WILLING TO BE GRACIOUS, FORGIVING, RECONCILING, AND LOVING TO THOSE WHO GIVE YOU AN ITCH? BE IT IN CHURCH, AT HOME, ANYWHERE? WILL YOU BE WILLING TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE?
As I look back over the years, I have seen my share of immaturity and lack of God's love. And the painful and hurtful things that God allowed in my life through the years did a good job in me. I didn't know that God was teaching me to love the way He did and does! That is to love by faith with sacrifice! To give way even when I was right and that was killing me inside; to endure the hurt and the pain even when I could not go on anymore! And all I can do was cry out loud in most times and in other times, cry in quietness and silence! "My God, help me! I am at the end of my rope." To give way if that's what was required for others to see the work of Jesus in my life. That amid turmoil, there is still peace and calmness rather than panic, self-pity, and the urge to fight back and retaliate. There was just this overwhelming love of God within me, that taught me the love of God and the real beauty of praise and worship, prayer, and fasting! I didn't know that through those times of severe suffering and sacrifice, the Holy Spirit was doing His incredible work of purifying the impure and the immature in me.
Matt. 5:43-48 – (v43) "You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. (v44) But, I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; (45) that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (v46) If you love those who love you, WHAT REWARD WILL YOU GET? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (v47) AND IF YOU GREET ONLY YOUR PEOPLE, what are you doing more than others? DO NOT EVEN PAGANS DO THAT? (v48) BE PERFECT (MATURE) AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT."
LONG TIME AGO, I HEARD A WELL-KNOWN TELEVANGELIST MADE A PUBLIC CONFESSION OF HER OLD WAYS. BACK THEN WHILE WORKING IN AN OFFICE, SHE WOULD TAKE HOME LITTLE OFFICE SUPPLIES FROM WORK LIKE PENS AND SOME OTHER THINGS OF LITTLE VALUE. ONE DAY, THE HOLY SPIRIT REMINDED HER OF WHAT SHE DID AND ASKED HER TO GO BACK TO HER EMPLOYER TO ADMIT WHAT SHE DID AND TO APOLOGIZE FOR IT. IT DIDN'T COME EASY, BUT SHE DID! HUMILITY IS THE TRUE TEST OF MATURITY!
QUESTION: WILL YOU BE WILLING TO GO THROUGH A MATURATION PROCESS WHICH WILL REQUIRE YOU TO SEEK ACTIVE AND VERBAL FORGIVENESS TO A BROTHER OR A SISTER THAT YOU HAVE WRONGED EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AGAINST THEM? YOUR CASE COULD BE THAT YOU WERE WRONGLY ACCUSED LIKE JESUS. MAY ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU IS TO RESPOND LIKE JESUS! FORGIVE! GO TO THE PERSON AND HUMBLY TELL THEM HOW YOU HAVE FELT AND THAT YOU ARE RELEASING YOURSELF FROM THE HURT/OFFENSE. YOU MUST FOR YOUR OWN SAKE! FORGIVE!!!
GOD HAS BIG PLANS FOR YOU, AND SO HE WANTS YOU TO MATURE IN HUMILITY. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL DO IT IN AND THROUGH YOU!
