God's Love and our lives

Introduction

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Continuing our series Tensions of Thanksgiving today.

Thanksgiving is a great time to bring friends and family together. We all know that every family has tension in it. Sometimes when we get together for thanksgiving we find ourselves feeling that more than at other times.

There are a number of things we give thanks to God for that when we seek to trust or live out, we find tension.

Last week wee heard about God’s power. His Omnipotence is the $10 word for that it means all powerful. The tension comes out as we live our lives and make decisions to live by faith. Do we believe God will be able to handle it if we are obedient to Him? Or, is it a matter of pride that don’t believe God will be able to handle it the way I want Him to?

We should decide to trust God and His Word living in His power to see His power in and through our lives.

Today I want to talk to you about a different trait of God that we give thanks for often. His love.

C.S. Lewis said “Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.”

His love is unending and unchanging. It is a love that is hard for us to fathom.

Another pastor said it this way “God’s love is like an ocean. You can see its beginning, but not its end.”

When you give thanks for God’s love do you find yourself reflecting upon the type of love it is? Today I’m not going to talk to you about the different greek words for love I’d like to give you some descriptors of God’s love that I hope will help you have less tension in your life as you seek to live for Him.

Turn with me to 1 John, thats in the back of the Bible and your looking for chapter 4. verse 16 I’d like for us to answer 2 questions today: Does God love me when I’m not obeying? and What does my life look like when I’m living based off God’s love?

While you get there I’d like to give you some background on this letter:

It was written by the Apostle John, the same writer of the gospel of John, and Revelation.

He wrote it around 80-90 AD, 50-60 years after the resurrection and wrote to Christian that were lliving in Roman Asia at the time. He was writing to them to combat false doctrine that lead to false behaviors. I think that’s important for us to see. In the 1st century church the false beliefs about God lead to people living lives that were not in line with who God is. It’s important for you to understand that what you believe determine how you behave.

Make sure you believe what God says so your behavior can match your faith.

Been able to find that? If you don’t have a Bible or Bible app, we have it on the screen here. Follow along with me as we read these verses and hear some descriptors of God’s love.

1 John 4:16–21 KJV 1900

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:16-21

Exegete:

Let’s start in the middle of that first verse. God is love. That’s direct. Theres not study really involved to determine what that means right? God is love. Agape love to be exact which is unconditional love.

I wrote down 15 different times we find God described so plainly in scripture.

Love, light, my help, my refuge, Spirit, not human, Consuming fire, Jealous, merciful, Gracious, compassionate, sun and shield, the God who saves, Able, and Peace.

Why is this important? Because I believe we can say each of these are interchangeable and each of these are an expression of love.

God’s love isn’t all doe eyed Disney princess and prince charming, heart fluttering butterflies flapping, and birds chirping. Because of His love, God is there when no one else is.

The bible says we love Him beucase He first loved us. As John vcontinued writinng He reincorfes the idea that our love, our actionns, our boldness to live for Him comes from His love, not ours.

Illustrate:

A very simple illustration for us to understand this is this: When a person says they love you and proves that with action, how do you feell toward that person?

They have earned influence in your life. Becuase you understand who they are and what they have done.

Thinnk of what God has done for you. Not jut in being the cause of your existence but also the reason you don’t have to work for your salvation.

He sent Jesus to die for you. All of the good things you have in your life, are from Him. The difficulties and trials you have gotten through, He was there with you. His peace, His comfort, His people, were there for you and will be there for you.

When someone does all of these things for us we instinnctively feel a draw to them. Whenn it comes to God, what we find throughout scripture is a response of bold worship.

Apply:

That bold worhip happened in prisons, in the temple in front of the religious elite, it happened in the face of death. It seems that the natural response of humankind to the love of God is to worship.

I can be honest, this cocnerns me. Why does that concern you pastor?

Great question. Becuase of the natural reaction to the love of God being worship and fearrless faith in action in scripture I’m concerned that Christians today aren’t interacting with God’s love. I’m afraid that we are settling for some cheap subsitute of consumerism Christinnaity that tells us to attend a service, llisten to k-love, and throw some money in the plate or box in our case and we are good.

Biblical Christianity is so far from that it’s not even funny.

Biblical Christianity doesn’t ask “What does this church offer for me?” Biblical Christinaity asks “What can I offer these people to poinnt them to God and strenghten their faith.”

Biblical Christianity doesn’t say “The world is going to hell might as well sit baack and pray.” Biblical Cchristinaity say “The world may be going to hell…just like God said…but I’m going to go out and show someone some love.”

Biblical Christinaity flies in the face of the the consumerism culture of America and ddoesn’t say “What can I get from this?” Biblical Christians ask “What can I do for Him?”

The love of God isn’t meant to just make us meek, quite, and passive. The love of God should lead us to be bold, confident, and loving in our approach to reaching the lost for Christ.

This is becuase the first way to decribe God’s love in this passage is

I. A Fearless love

Christians didn’t start following Jesus and become scared. They became confident and bold in their lives and witness.

Are you confident and bold with your faith and your witness? Do you pursue God’s love or are you comfortable in your consumerism Christinaity that makes it all about you?

The early church was bold enough to sacrifice their time, talents, treasures, and lives for the sake of the Gospel becuase of God’s love for them.

What are you willing to boldly sacrifice for Christ?

John continued writing

1 John 5:1–4 KJV 1900

1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

Exegete:

Now that can also be said this way

1 John 5:1–4 CSB

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him. 2 This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey his commands. 3 For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, 4 because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.

Now remember these chapter break ups are not inspired, they were added much later. This is a letter from John to Christians and after writing about the fearless love that God has for us and that we should display for got he gets very practical with what that looks like.

That’s important for us today. We have to read the Bible and study it not just to better understand what it says but what it means to us.

John does that for his readers here and tells them what it means to know and show the love of God.

He says if you believe in Jesus you love the father and love Jesus too. Tha’t important for any of the Jews of the day.

Then he says “This is how we know that we love God’s children” Other believers: We love God and obey His commands.

What does it look like to love God? To keep his commands.

This a reiteration of exactly what he heard from the mouth of Jesus

John 14:15 KJV 1900

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:15

We can’t say we love God and hate our bother. We can’t say we love God and don’t lay up treasures in Heaven. We can’t say we love God and not be a cheerful giveer. We can’t say we love God and not serve others.

I’m thankful for those with a servants heart here. TThose that serve at our outreach events and those that serve during our services. What an amazing example thee nurrsery workers are. They give up their Sunday experience so that you can enjoy it here moms and dads. What amazing servants that volunteer to do stuff like that on special Sundays like our Christmas service this year.

I’ve never met someone that said “I wish I had never followed God” I’ve met people that have said “I wish I had never listened to that pastor. I wish I had never went to that church.” I’ve heard plenty tell me “I wish I was following God sooner in my life.”

I wish I was giving, I wish I was serving, I wish I was loving, I wish I wish I wish.

Before you become a person that says I wish, you need to decide to be a person that says I can.

I can do all thing through Christ. I can give and do without things of this world, I can serve and do without the time being invested into other things, I can love on others when they need it, I can stop looking at myself and look at others.

John is telling those he is writing to and us that for us to say we ove God means our lived look like this...

Illustrate:

How many of you are fans of terrible sports teams? Clevland Browns? Oakland A’s?

What about a terrible sports team that has had a good season or turnaround?

That was my story with UT. Terrible seasons and this year things are great. What happens when a team does that? Fans come out of the word work right?

We call them what type of fan?

bandwagon.

Why is that a negative thing? Becuase they only show their love for the team when things are good. They only watch the games, share the wins, or put on the merch when th teamnis winning.

If the Browns ever win the superbowl there should be outreaged fans for anyone celebrating that, who wasn’t a fan during the 0-16 year.

Apply:

Have you ever thought of yourself as a bandwagon Christian? Does your love for God only get seen when things are going great for you? Is it onyl when God has done what you want Him to that you love Him. Or do you love Him regardless of what’s going on?

And we cna all say yes but do we have the love that John is talking about. The love that James speak of when he say to not just hear the word but to do something with it.

Do we conitnue to faithfully take action in our lives becuase of the love of God during both good time and bad or are we bandwagon Christian that only speak of Christ, give to the things of God, serve the cause of Christ, and exalt the name of Jesus when everything is easy and there is no sacrifice required?

John said you are victors. You are conquerors. That means there will be battles. There will be battles where your faith in tested. Does your God love you enough for you to stand strong andd remain faitfhul during the battle or do you live in the tension between how much he loves you and how you want Him to ddo things for you?

You see, not only is God’s love for us a fearless love

II. An Actionable love

It’s a love that is meant to be acted with, acted on, and seen through the actions of our lives.

People should be able to open you calendar, your checkbook, and phone all your friends and see and hear how you are living out the Sacrificial and faithful love of Christ.

That is the trademark of a follower of Jesus.

Because of his faithfulness in loving us we can live a life of action in his love.

John closes out this section by writing

1 John 5:5–13 KJV 1900

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1 John 5:5-13

Exegete:

John begins a motivational speech at this point. Who conquers the world? Those who believe in Jesus.

Jesus came by the Spirit, blood, and water. Born of the Spirit, born of the virgin, baptized by water.

If we believe the testimony of those who saw Jesus first hand we can believe God’s testimony because the things that Jesus did were evidence of His deity.

Here is the testimony of Jesus, here John lays out the whole reason Jesus came to this earth. It wasn’t for us to sit in comfy chairs in nice buildings. It was for us to be reconciled to God because of Jesus fulfilling the law and the wrath of God as the perfect sinless sacrifice.

Very clearly John lays out that those who have the Son, meaning they believe in Jesus as the Son of God that paid for their sins, has eternal life. Those that do not believe, do not have eternal life.

John wrote this epistle and the things of this passage so that his readers and you can know that if you trust in Jesus as your Savior, you are saved. There should be no doubt in your mind. There should be no questions about whether or not you are going to Heaven. You either believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins or you don’t.

This is why you only get saved once. We see here what is known as the doctrine of eternal security. Jesus spoke about it in John 3:16, John reiterates it here.

Illustrate:

Pastor Erik Raymond wrote a “Declaration of Dependence” for The Gospel Coalition. It reads: “As a believer I realize that I am depending on Christ for: his perfect obedience to the Father…for I did not obey his sinless perfection…for I am sinful his wrath satisfying death…for I am unable to satisfy eternal wrath his perfect righteousness before the judgment bar…for I have deficient righteousness his ability to keep me saved…for I cannot keep myself from wandering away his sovereign ability to rule this world…for I struggle with organizing my days his unfading love….for I trip on myself daily his ultimate motivation for life and ministry…for I have nothing in myself that trumps this his priceless blood that will never depreciate…for I have no means to pay It is good therefore to declare dependence upon the Savior; knowing that there is a day coming when those who are gathered together in his kingdom will unite in numbers that will dwarf the fireworks crowds, to declare dependence upon King Jesus, the Lamb who was slain.” (Article source: https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/erikraymond/2006/07/02/declaration-of-dependence/)

When our circumstances are not trying, we can be tempted to rely on ourselves alone, but we must always depend on God. Because He can always be depended on.

Apply:

2 Peter 1:19 KJV 1900

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

2 Peter 1:19

The more sure word of prophecy is the multiple eyewitness accounts of the miracles of Jesus. The scriptures that we have passed down through the ages, all speak to the truths of scripture.

To many say that Christianity is a blind faith. However it is not blind to trust in the eyewitness accounts of those who were there, it is not blind to trust in the historical accurace of the Old and New Testamnt. It is not blind to trust in the testimonies of believers throughout the ages that have told of how God worked in their lives or in their cultures in a way that only He can.

The last descriptor I want to give you of God’s love this morning is this

III. A Confident love

A love that we can have confidence in becuase of the testimony that has been given over the ages. A dependable love based upon His Word and His actions.

We can live out His love with confidence that He loves us and has called us to love others.

Are you living in that confident love this morning?

That tension that exists between our thankfulness for God’s love and our living in light of it deals with how faithful we believe He is. How much action we take on His love and how confident we are in His love.

Does your life reflect an obedient following of God because of His love or do you question His faithfulness?

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