Message
1 John 3:1-24
“Lavish Love Lavishly Shared”
Here is a question for all of us, whether we are older or younger.
Who sometimes feels, or felt, that their parents don't understand them?
… or that their parents weren’t listening and were distracted?
… or that their parents were taking you for granted or had forgotten you?
… or that their parents have acted in hurtful ways?
Don’t put up your hands … but answer in your head.
Now, despite the fact that all parents have short-comings, it is also true that most parents are doing their best. So, even though your parents let you down, who knows that their parents love them?
Keep the thought in your head.
There is something about a parent-child relationship that is usually special.
In many cases it is a special bond that is very difficult to break -- even when hurt and disappointment have been a part of that relationship.
Let’s turn to 1 John 3:1-24
As we read this section we discover that the themes and topics spoken about earlier will be spoken about again. So we won’t focus on those issues again.
Our focus is going to be on the powerful parent-child relationship described here, and the significance of that relationship.
Read
Did you see the relationship I was talking about?
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
God is the ultimate parent … the ultimate Dad. His love is beyond anything that we have ever experienced on this earth. What is God’s love like?
God’s love, so unlike our love, is unconditional. Unconditional love is a love which has no-strings attached. A love which is given in all circumstance - even when we don't desire it or deserve it. Sometimes people love us because we do something for them, or only if we act in a certain way, they have conditions on their love. God’s love is never like that.
God's love, so unlike our love, is not based on external appearances. It’s a love which will to take us as we are.
God's accepts the fact that we are sinners who need forgiveness.
God accepts the fact that we have a certain character and attitudes.
God realises that we are individuals who need to express ourselves.
God allows us to be who He created us to be.
God’s love is not based on external circumstances.
Even when we know we have let God down – and we feel disappointed in ourselves – God’s love continues hold firm. God does not put us in a box … or only look at our past … or write us off. God’s love is forgiving.
That is the sort of love God has extended to us. An unconditional, forgiving, accepting love. That is the love God has for us. And it is a love which is shown to us even when we don’t want it.
Picture it like this
You’re floating down a river. You’re just enjoying all that is happening around you. Everyone is just doing what they want. Everyone is just getting on with life. You’re just messing around, at times forgetting your responsibilities. It so nice and you feel mostly content.
Now this river flows under a bridge. On that bridge God is standing. And for some reason He is reaching over the side of the bridge and He is pulling people out of the river.
Some of them are professional businessmen; some of them are blue collar workers.
Some are old; some are young.
Some have obviously enjoyed all the pleasures that life has to offer; some are more conservative.
Some have obviously been on the wrong side of the law; some are moral citizens.
There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why God is pulling people out. But all of these people are saying, "I don't want to be taken out. I want to be with the rest of them. I want to enjoy life".
And now the Lord is lifting you.
“Why are you doing this?”
“I want to be with everyone else.”
“Let me do my own thing.”
Despite your protests God hangs onto you and sets you on the bridge – as you keep on complaining He directs you to look over the other side of the bridge. 500m down the river is a huge waterfall. You couldn't see it from river level. Only after you are given the Lord’s perspective of the situation do you realise what the Lord has done.
God’s unconditional, forgiving, accepting love has caused God to take responsibility to save you because God knows we are in no position to save ourselves.
Our parents will let us down – they can't help it because they are sinners like you and me. But God will not let us down – He holds onto us even when we are failing. You are such a treasure to God that God will not forget about you even when you want to forget about God.
That is the lavish love of God. What does this lavish love give us?
The love of God gives us spiritual hope and security for the future, even at that moment when Jesus returns.
“We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him … he appeared so that he might take away our sins” (1 John 3:2,5).
The love of God opens our eyes to the power of temptation.
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).
The love of God gives us a daily reminder that our sin is dealt with and forgiven.
“No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them” (1 John 3:9).
The love of God reminds us that we are in a special relationship with each other.
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other” (1 John 3:14).
The love of God gives us the encouragement to keep moving forward, even from those moments when we feel we have let God, others and ourselves down.
“If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20)
That is what the lavish love of God gives us.
And it also gives us a responsibility.
1 John 3:16
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 brothers and sisters.
When we read these words our mind most likely will connect to the events of the cross.
We think about the events which lead up to the crucifixion … especially the beatings, and injustice, and mocking and cursing … we think about these things and say, “Jesus has given an example of what it means to lay down my life”.
Or we might focus on the cross itself … the horrendous agony which Jesus went through and yet still being able to pray, “Father forgive them” … that is laying down one’s life.
Is this what we need to do to show that the love of Jesus is real in our lives? To be beaten … without responding in anger.
To be martyrs … and make a death sacrifice.
Possibly. But more than likely … no. Let’s read again.
1 John 3:16-18
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 brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
That is John’s specific example of laying down one’s life. Nothing about death. No mention of the ultimate sacrifice. Just a willingness to share from the abundance God has given us.
Lay down your life.
Jesus is not primarily calling us to give up our lives, He is calling us to give-up part of ourselves. A very literal translation of vs.17 reads “If anyone sees a brother or sister in need and shuts their compassion how can the love of God remain in them?”
Do you want to be a person who lays down your life for others because Jesus laid down His life for you?
Then start thinking, “What can I do to make sure I don’t shut my compassion?”
Biblical compassion is compassion which acts.
Crowds have been following Jesus.
In Matthew 14:14 “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed those who were ill.”
In Matthew 15:32 Jesus says, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat” … then Jesus organises to have the crowd of 4000 fed.
In the parable of the unmerciful servant the king cancelled the huge debt because, “The servant’s master took pity – had compassion – on him, cancelled the debt and let him go” (Matthew 18:27).
Biblical compassion is love with feet. As John says, “Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in the truth.”
When I was much younger and still living at home my Mum would back cakes. I would “help”. My help would involve waiting for all the ingredients to be mixed and put into the baking tray – then I would help lick out the mixing bowl.
But the problem was Mum wouldn’t leave very much in the bowl because – well because I thought she was being stingy.
When I was older and still living at home Mum wanted a cake made. She had to go to work so she asked me to bake the cake. Now I get to choose how much cake mix is left in the bowl. It was quite a lavish amount, maybe a quarter of the batter … actually it was more like half.
Which I ate all by myself – and really enjoyed.
The cake was cooked, and cut ready to serve.
When it was time to serve the cake the flaw in the plan revealed itself. If you eat half of the cake mix by yourself then you don’t actually make enough cake for everyone to have a piece.
We have been shown the lavish love of the Father.
Yes we can take that lavish love and just look after ourselves. We will say the right things and pray for people and use many words. But we hold that love close. That is not showing lavish love.
That is not how Jesus wanted it to be.
We take what we have and we share with others. We give to them what God has given to us.
Lavish love, lavishly shared.
That’s what John is talking about when he says “lay down your live”.
You don’t have to change the whole world. You just need to be a person who does something.
Practically sharing the love of Jesus.
Refusing to “shut your compassion”.
Responding when the Lord puts it onto your heart to act.
Jesus laid down His life for you … it wasn’t just words.
Lavish love … laying down one’s life … can’t just be words. That is the significance of the parent-child relationship between God and us. Let’s go and lavish the people around us with this love.
Prayer
