Introduction: God Is Love
A farmer placed a weather vane inscribed with the words “God is love” on top of his barn. One day a traveler stopped by the farm and watched the weather vane moving with the breeze. Then, with a smirk on his face, he asked, “Do you mean to say that your God is as changeable as the wind?”
The farmer shook his head and replied, “No. What I mean to say is that no matter which way the wind blows, God is love!”
The statement “God is love” implies much more than that God demonstrates His love regardless of the circumstances. It means that love is the essence of God’s character. We will never be able to plumb the depths of His love—not even in eternity. But the apostle John pointed out that we can begin to understand it as we view the cross (1 Jn. 4:9-10). As we see Christ dying there for us, we catch a glimpse of the beauty of the loving heart of God.
John went on to point out that if God is love, His children should resemble Him (vv.11-21). Consequently, if there is no warm glow in our hearts for our brother, if we do not thrill to the lovely name of Jesus, we may well question the reality of our conversion experience.
Do we know and reflect the love of God?
Unfailing is God's matchless love,
So kind, so pure, so true;
And those who draw upon that love
Show love in all they do. —DJD
A person who knows God's love shows God's love.
Source: Henry G. Bosch
I. We Have Seen And Testify 14
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
A. We Have Seen The Savior Of The World
1. When Jesus was a baby…
a. Simeon and Anna
i. Simeon
Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against
—Luke 2:34
ii. Anna
And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
—Luke 2:38
b. But Simeon and Anna did not witness Jesus becoming the Savior of the World.
2. When Jesus was a Child
a. The wise men arrived
And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
—Matthew 2:11
b. But the Wise Men did not witness Jesus becoming the Savior of the World.
3. When Jesus was a Young Man (pre-teen)
a. Mary and Joseph lost him and found him three days later in the Temple with the Doctors of the Law.
Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
—Luke 2:51
b. Mary saw him become the Savior of the world, but kept those things in her heart.
i. Mary might be excluded from this list.
ii. She was one of the women who found the Empty Tomb and believed immediately.
iii. To say that she did not testify is to argue from silence for the Scripture says nothing about this.
4. But John was an eyewitness almost from day one.
a. Peter and his brother Andrew were the first Apostles called.
b. Next were James and his brother, John – this John
5. What did he see and hear?
a. Jesus
i. Walk on water
ii. Heal the sick
iii. Raise the dead
b. Jesus did something far more important that these miracles
i. He preached the Gospel
ii. He saved the lost
c. What good would it have done if
i. Jesus walked on water and Did Not Save The Lost?
ii. Healed the sick and Did Not Save The Lost?
iii. Raised the dead and Did Not Save The Lost?
iv. Preached the Gospel and Did Not Save The Lost?
B. We Testify The Father Sent The Son As Savior
1. Simeon and Anna saw and recognized Jesus when he was just eight days old.
2. The wise men saw and recognized Jesus when he was a toddler.
3. Mary recognized the divinity of Jesus from conception.
a. Gabriel was sent to announce the births of both John the Baptist and Jesus.
b. Both sets of parents knew their sons would be extraordinary.
c. But Mary was told
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
—Luke 1:31-33
4. John had all this info at his fingertips and recorded this telling exchange.
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
—John 6:68-69
5. By far and away the most important thing John says, and by extension, urges us to emulate, is - we have seen and testify
—Text 14a
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
II. We Have Confessed And Abide 15
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
A. Confess
1. It is of the utmost importance that we make our confession of Jesus Christ as:
a. The Savior of the World
b. The Savior of David, or Rosemary, or Anne, or Cheryl or fill in the blank.
i. Jesus makes this point far better than I can.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?
23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
24 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
—Matthew 7:22-24
ii. Before you:
a. Preach the wondrous name of Jesus…
b. Cast out demons in the wondrous name of Jesus…
c. Do wonders in the wondrous name of Jesus…
iii. You must build your house on the wondrous name of Jesus!
a. There must be a place, a time, a person, that Holy Spirit Superintended moment when you gave you heart to Jesus!
b. We must be able to go place to the time and place where we first received the Lord Jesus Christ!
2. It is of the utmost importance that we make confession to Jesus Christ – the Savior of the World.
a. But it is not enough to periodically take a stroll down memory lane to that wonderful time and place.
b. We must make regular confession of our sins to the Savior of the World!
B. Abide
1. It is not enough to be close to Jesus – close is only good in horse shoes and hand grenades.
2. Consider the curious case of Judas Iscariot
a. Judas was one of the Apostles!
i. You can’t get much closer to Jesus that that!
ii. Jesus said of Judas:
…Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?
—John 6:70
iii. John said of Judas:
This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
—John 12:6
b. How did Judas miss the boat so badly and become synonymous for treachery?
i. He never accepted Jesus as the Savior of the World.
ii. More importantly, he never accepted Jesus as his Savior.
iii. If Jesus was not his savior, there was no way for Judas to abide in Jesus or Jesus to abide in Judas.
3. Simon the Samarian
13 Simon Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
19 saying, Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.
22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
—Acts 8:13, 19, 22
a. Unlike Judas, I believe Simon was truly saved.
b. But he was a new convert and had previously been a BMIT (Big Man In Town).
c. I believe he was forgiven – he was given the instruction and space to do so.
d. Simon learned to abide in the Savior of the World.
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
III. We Have Known And Believed 16
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
A. We Have Known The Love Of God
1. John wrote God is love twice in this chapter.
a. Those three words in that order do not appear ANYWHERE else in the Bible.
b. John uses the word love an astonishing 25 times in 1John (5 chapters.
c. He uses the word love 20 times in the Gospel of John (21 chapters.
2. We do not have time to develop this, but let me just point out two things.
a. John says,
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.
—Text 16a
b. John is known as the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved
i. When Jesus gave oversight of his mother to John
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, Woman, behold your son!
—John 19:26
ii. When John and Peter raced to the Empty Tomb
Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.
—John 20:2
iii. When the Apostles went fishing after Jesus resurrection
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord! Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it, and plunged into the sea.
—John 21:7
iv. At breakfast after that fishing trip
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays You?
—John 21:20
3. John was in the enviable position of saying
a. God has known and loved me
b. I have known and loved God
B. Abide In The Love Of God 16b
1. If you confess the Son, the Father abides in you… 15b
2. He who abides in love 16b
a. abides in God
b. and God in him.
C. Application To The Church
IV. Conclusion
