You've Got Love

YOU GOT LOVE

(1John 2:28-3:4)

Almost every household here in America is equipped with a fast computer to enjoy this technology that is sweeping the whole world—the internet. Anyone who subscribes to America OnLine or AOL, is familiar with the phrase: “You Got Mail.” They even made a movie out of this popular phrase. If you have AOL as your email provider, everytime you have a new message and as you log in, AOL alerts you: You Got Mail!

If America OnLine is your ISP: Internet Service Provider, Jesus Christ is my ISP: Immutable Salvation Provider. So if AOL alerts you that You Got Mail; Jesus Christ alerts you—You Got Love! My friends, with Jesus Christ you got love that is unconditional. Love that is so great. Love that is beyond measure. Love that cannot be counted. Love that cannot be bought. Love that cannot be bribed. Love that is unfailing. Love that is forever.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be

called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1John 3:1)

The last 2 verses of Chap 2 relate to the first three verses of chap 3.

True faith always results in good deeds— for true believers whose faith are in Christ, consistently do what is right. Persevering in their relationship with Christ and continuing in the faith keeps them truly ready for Christ’s return—confident and unashamed. Why? Because it will be embarrassing to the owner when He comes back and found us living our lives not in accordance to His will—

• telling other people about Jesus Christ

• studying His word

• coming to church to worship and fellowship with other believers

• exercising the gifts He has given you

• helping others to grow in the faith by teaching them

• praying with fellow christians and praying for them

It is one thing to claim that Christ is in us; it is quite another to live a life that shows Christ is in us. In other words preaching is one thing, practicing what we preach is another. John is telling us that the way we recognize true believers is by their lives and not by their lips.

John emphasizes that people do not become children of God by doing right; instead, doing right is a sign that people have already become God’s children. For everyone who does what is right has been born of God. So if Christians are born of God, therefore we are His children. And great is His love for His children.

See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children.

My friend you are God’s precious child if you are in Christ. You are His son. You are His daughter. I am His child. We, who are in Christ are children of the Living God, the Maker of the universe, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Almighty God, All-Powerful God. We are not hoping to become His children. We are not expecting to become His children. WE ARE HIS CHILDREN. But how does one become a child of God?

All of us are created being of God. You, me, were all created by God. All human beings born of natural birth are God’s creation. HOWEVER, the bible says that not all are children of God!

“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12, 13)

• In verse 12 who are given the right to become children of God?

- those who received Him

- those who believed in His name

Who should you receive and to believe in order to be given the right to become a child of God?

- Jesus Christ. If you read from verse 1 to verse 18, you will find out that this passage of the scriptures clearly speaks about Jesus Christ.

Who gives the right to a person to be a child of God? God. It is God who grants this right. It is a gift of God.

What does the word “right” here means? (exousia in Greek)

- authority or permission to become children of God

- freedom of action that every child can enjoy

- anytime you can reason with your parent

- anytime you can open the refrigerator and see what’s inside. A visitor cannot do that.

- anytime you can eat.