Love one another
1 John 3:11-24
Introduction-
Good Morning,
As we begin the service this morning, listen to the lyrics to the song “Do it again” from Elevation worship.
Walking around these walls,
I thought by now they’d fall
But you have never failed me yet.
Waiting for change to come
Knowing the battle’s won
For you have never failed me yet.
I know the night won’t last
Your word will come to pass
My heart will sing your praise again
Jesus, you’re still enough
Keep me within your live
My heart will sing your praise again.
At a rally we had here last week, I said that in my playlist are songs that are ministering to my soul! Some of the song words coming right out of God’s word.
I believe coming with His anointing to touch people’s lives!
I desire with all my heart to see God do something fresh and new.
I am not sure how He will do it but I want him to do it - begin in my heart Lord and then let it spread like wildfire.
I see people that are mad on both sides of every issue right now- They are ready to fight!
I see hurt and I see pain and I see a bridge of hope burning and both sides throwing gasoline on it.
God come to the heart of the people and allow them to be sensitive to the hearts of others-
I am thankful that we are having conversations that would bring people back to the table where decisions that could change our lives will happen.
One more song lyric that has a scripture built right in. (Elevation Worship)
Unstoppable God
Let your glory go on and on
Impossible things
In Your name, they shall be done
Nothing shall be impossible
Your kingdom reigns unstoppable
We'll shout Your praise forevermore
Jesus our God unstoppable
Nothing shall be impossible
Prayer-
Father, we are not gathered together this morning because of the Corona Virus, but we can corporately worship and we can corporately come together and we desire to see you do something fresh and new. We can have your heart that will not only change our hearts but will make an impact in this world that desperately needs you. As we go to your word, let us desire for it to speak to us in whatever manner your Spirit leads. We are before you with broken hearts, may you also be allowed to break our hardened hearts so that you might be able to come and apply healing to each of us. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Would you turn to 1 John 3:11-24 Read from Bible
I believe the writer to be John. He wrote the gospel of John, 2 John 3 John. I would believe that he wrote 1 John.
He wrote this letter to the church.
He is writing to believers on how they should be acting to each other and to others outside of the faith.
He begins his message with… this is the message that you have heard from the beginning- What message? The message to love one another like Christ.
Don’t allow evil to be in your heart so bad and unchecked that you kill your brother just like Cain did with his brother Abel.
Evil in Cain’s heart because Abel sacrifice was accepted by God and Cain’s was not.
Cain knew he offered God a blemished offering and Abel did not, but Cain was still filled with anger that killed his brother.
Don’t be surprised that the world hates you- because if you are not careful, you can have that kind of hatred even for family who should be easier to love.
The word is specific that if that kind of hatred is in your heart that you have moved away from the love of God.
The present call to love is for you, me, us, we, our community, and one another.
John writes that to love one another is an obligation one could do and should do.
It is an act of loving the same way that Christ modeled on the cross.
Not one of us would say that Jesus did not go to the cross for those that hated, offended, meant ill against him, had private motives, disagreed with him, twisted his words, or plain just could not get along with him.
There was room at the cross for all of them.
Cain lost his way as soon as he allowed evil in his heart and his self righteousness to compromise what he knew was right.
His allegiance was wrong so wrong acts followed.
We say that we would not murder anyone- maybe we maim them or physically get into their airspace but not murder.
(16) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brother. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has not pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
If you are taking notes
We are to be loving our brothers and sisters in Christ
There is a clear message of warning to the church that we must be loving to each other.
We will not agree on all things at all times.
How can you expect the church to be in unity on every issue when we cannot even agree on every issue in our own homes?
How can we have disagreements with solutions unless we acknowledge that we are different people with different personalities trying to find our way to serve God as a body of Christ?
There are absolutes in God’s Word! I do not dispute that.
No one is asking that the truths of God be violated, but we must come to the table in love if we are to see people’s hearts changed by God over issues that are keeping us divided.
(13) “Do not be surprised, my brothers if the world hates you.”
Surprise in the Greek to mean “wonder, marvel, be astonished-
The world as defined by John in 1 John chapter 2 as “Hostile to God”
We know the world is hostile to the church but should the church be hostile to itself and not want to minister within its own walls?
Help a brother or sister who has fallen.
Reach out to a wounded church family member to make sure they are not left on the battlefield.
There should not be wounded soldiers left to die on their own.
If a Samaritan who hated a Jew could reach out, bandage and pay for care for a Jew, how much more should believers help one another get to the finish line of life.
That is a complete sermon on its own that just because you are taught something culturally does not mean that it lines up with God’s word.
They were taught to hate each other- they stayed away from each other and they would not drink with each other-
That is why the Samaritan women was so surprised that Jesus would ask for a drink and not have his own cup.
They would not have wanted to drink from the same cup.
The apostles were Jew of all Jews and were sent to get food in the abiding town because Jesus wanted time to talk with this girl alone and he gave the apostles a teaching lesson when they returned and could not understand why he was talking to “that Samaritan women”.
John introduces us to a new dualism here-
Life - death
Light- darkness
Righteousness-sin
Evil-good
We know that we have passed from death to life because of what Christ has done-
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”
He first loved us- so we cannot get all high and mighty of how we came to Christ because Christ came to us first- we just responded to His love.
Because He loved us, we should love others-
Does not mean we agree with everything others say or do.
Does not mean you allow your values torn down or changed if they line up with God’s Word.
The end result should always be reconciliation to God not judgment.
Pastor Tony Evans, a pastor who I believe is bridging the gap between cultures and racism makes this statement- when you put color of skin in front of Christianity you change the meaning of Christianity. There is no black Christianity, white Christianity, Red Christianity- yellow Christianity-there is only Christianity!
Illustration-
The story is told of a boy who was leaving home for college. His father had included him in the morning prayer at the breakfast table, asking God to protect him and grant him success in the career he was undertaking. Rising from the table, the young man expected to receive some final bit of advice and instruction from his father. But he was surprised when, after a moment’s silence, the old man merely placed his hand on his shoulder, looked at him kindly and said, “My boy, remember who's son you are.”
Remember who son/daughter you are
Being someone’s child means you carry that name with you wherever you go.
Whatever you do, whatever you say reflects positively or negatively on who name you carry.
We are to be loving to the lost
“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
Fits for fellow believers and for the lost-
(21-25) Read from Bible-
We have an opportunity right now to minister to a hurting and pain filled world.
We cannot deny injustice and stay quiet- we have to be more than “not racist”, we have to be “anti racist”
To just be not racist is to feel sorry but not have a part in changing the problem.
To be anti racist means that you are aware and striving to find a solution for the problem.
If it is found in you, you will ask God to remove it and make it right.
If none of us are safe, then we are all unsafe
Proverbs 31:8-9
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Net version-
“Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.”
The scripture here says that if our hearts do not condemn us, then be part of the solution moving forward!
If our hearts are right with God, then we are told that we will have right relationship with God.
Book of Luke 10
On one occasion, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus… teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
He answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and… “love your neighbor as yourself.”
All…heart. Soul, strength, mind love God… and love your neighbor!
To justify himself, he asked Jesus- “Who’s your neighbor?
Really! Who is your neighbor?
If you can see them
If you live around them
If you have contact with them
If you go to school or work with them. They are your neighbor.
Jesus gave them an example of the Good Samaritan helping where others would not bother!
Jesus looked him right in the eyes and said go and do likewise!
Closing,
(19-20) as a closing
As a Sanctified believer in Christ, we know that the Spirit of the living God dwells within us to empower us to be a witness to those we come in contact with- if our hearts are clear, keep doing what we are doing. If the Lord is speaking to you this morning, then do what the Spirit of the living God is telling you.
We are to be loving of each other in the body of Christ-
We are to love those that need to experience the love of Christ who are crying out and hurting for someone to tell them there is hope in Jesus! No matter where they are at, they are not too far from the outstretched hand of Jesus to save them and restore that relationship with them-
This world needs Jesus! The pain, and hurt and uncertainty of this life has got to be healed by Jesus. Someone has to extend an olive branch and show the love of Christ. Someone has to bridge the gap and be willing to love like Jesus!
Is that someone you?
Prayer-
