The Power of His Great Love

The Power of His Great Love # 15

1 John 4: 17-21

There are three words we never tire of hearing: I love you. No doubt we all have spoken those words many times in our lives, and I am sure we have been sincere, hopefully most of the time. I do fear there are times when words are empty though.

There can be no doubt though concerning the love God has for us. His great love was displayed for the world to see as Christ hung on the cross of Calvary.

In the past two weeks, We have discussed How we are Defined and have been delivered by the Love of God and How we can live a life pleasing to God because the same love that saved us lives in us.

Our text this morning deals with how love affects our lives and the way it is expressed toward others.

The Power of God’s love is amazing. Have you ever stopped and considered some of the magnificent ways you have been blessed by the power of His love?

This list is not original nor is it exhaustive.

• Through Christ, I am dead to sin (Rom 6:11).

• Through Christ, I am spiritually alive (Rom 6:11; 1 Cor 15:22).

• Through Christ, I am forgiven (Col 2:13; 1 John 2:12).

• Through Christ, I am declared righteous (1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21).

• Through Christ, I am a child of God (Rom 8:16; Phil 2:15).

• Through Christ, I am God’s possession (Titus 2:14).

• Through Christ, I am blessed with all spiritual blessings (Eph 1:3).

• Through Christ, I am a citizen of heaven (Phil 3:20).

• Through Christ, I am free from the law (Rom 8:2).

• Through Christ, I am crucified with Him (Gal 2:20).

• Through Christ, I am an heir of God (Rom 8:17).

• Through Christ, I am free from the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:24).

• Through Christ, I am declared blameless and innocent (Phil 2:15).

• Through Christ, I am a light in the world (Matt 5:14–15; Phil 2:15).

• Through Christ, I am victorious over Satan (Luke 10:19).

• Through Christ, I am cleansed from sin (1 John 1:7).

• Through Christ, I am set free from the power of sin (Col 2:11–15).

• Through Christ, I am secure in Him (1 Pet 1:3–5).

• Through Christ, I am at peace with God (Rom 5:1; Phil 4:6–9).

• Through Christ, I am loved by God (1 John 4:10).

(Thomas and Wood, Gospel Coach, 71–72)

God’s love is so powerful that it took wicked blasphemous sinners like You and I, and made us children of God. And those who possess God’s great love will revel its power in the way they live their lives.

With that being said I want to consider the power of His great love.

The First thing we see about this power of is that....

I. It Gives Confidence to Face Our Journey

(17-18)

The argument John has built up to from verse 7 to this point is powerful.

It runs something like this:

A child of God loves others (vv. 7, 11–12),

A Child of God possesses the Spirit (v. 13),

a Child of God confesses the Son (v. 15),

and Children of God have a mutually abiding in God and His love (vv. 15–16)

Having these brings God’s love to its full and intended goal,

to its perfect purpose in our lives.

There are Two wonderful purposes of that goal:

1. They are confidence for when I stand before God on judgment day (v. 17)

2. the complete absence of fear when I do. (v. 18).

How is this possible?

The answer is simple, on that day when you and I stand before God He will see us as He sees His dear Son.

The love of God will have done its perfect work as it is applied to that day when we stand before God.

Experiencing and possessing the love of God has a positive impact on our lives. It gives us confidence to face each day without fear of what is to come.

Notice that in gives you:

A. Confidence For the Future

(17a) – 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

We experience the love of God the moment we are saved, but as we grow in Him our love matures; it is made perfect.

Love has an intended goal.

The word “perfected” carries the idea of completion, being brought to maturity.

Abiding in the love of God gives us “confidence,” boldness, for the judgment day.

Judgment day is something every person should consider with healthy seriousness.

It is real, and it is coming.

No one spoke more often or more vividly of judgment than Jesus.

The word “hell” is used 12 times in the New Testament;

all but one occurrence comes from the mouth of Jesus (cf. Jas 3:6).

John says we can not only be ready, but we can be confident.

That doesn’t reveal arrogance or pride, but rather faith and assurance.

God’s love was proven as Christ bore our sin.

We are now made acceptable to God in Christ and no longer fear standing before Him in judgment.

my perspective of the future changed when my relationship with Christ changed.

Why?

(17b) – because as he is, so are we in this world.

In Christ we realize that just as Christ is perfect, so are we in the eyes of God

We have been pardoned in Christ, forgiven of our sin, our debt being paid in full.

As God views us, He sees us as He sees His Son.

We have not yet made it to heaven, but we are viewed as righteous as Christ our Lord is righteous.

There is an aspect of John’s teaching we must not miss.

As Christ was in the world, so are we expected to be in the world.

That doesn’t imply we will achieve the perfection He enjoyed or possess the ability to love as He loved, but we are to strive for that.

Our lives are to be a representation of Christ in every way, including our love for one another!

We are here to maintain a consistent witness for Christ our Lord.

So we have confidence for the future, and with that comes...

B. Confidence without Fear

(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.

Along with having great confidence for the future, we can enjoy that confidence without fear.

Verse 17 states this truth positively, and verse 18 states it negatively.

When God’s love has reached its intended goal and accomplished its perfect work, fear before God is driven out and the dread of punishment is vanquished.

This is one of the joys and blessings of knowing God as Father.

This holy and righteous Judge is also our Abba, Father.

Now In contrast, those who do live in fear of future punishment give evidence that something is wrong,

they evidence that God’s perfecting work of love has not done its work in their lives.

(Akin, Daniel L. Bible Commentary Exalting Jesus in 123 John)

Consider with me the

1. The Principle for this confidence

(18a) – There is no fear in love.

God’s love conquerors all fear.

While living in sin, apart from God, our lives were dominated by fear.

We were unsure of our future, concerned with our health, and even worried about ensuring financial stability.

Genuine love allows us to rest from our fears.

The love of God has removed such fear from my life.

I do not claim to never worry, but I have no reason to.

God has secured my eternal future.

I have no way of knowing what life will bring, but I am secure in Christ.

If He decides to call for me in death, I will simply enter His eternal presence.

2. The Power for such confidence

(18b) – but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.

The love of God is a powerful force.

It rises above fear and enables us to cast such fear aside. We no longer live in fear of the future.

Our lives should not be dictated by situations and circumstances, but by the love of God.

Many live their lives driven by emotion and circumstance.

God’s love provides the courage to open up and love and He loves, regardless of circumstance.

John declares that fear brings torment.

One cannot enjoy peace and rest while living in fear.

Fear creates anxiety, doubt, panic, and worry.

God’s love allows us to rest solely in Him, loving others as He loves, and leaving the situations and conclusions in God’s hands.

God’s Mature love brings abundant peace and courage.

If you are in Christ, you are secure in Him.

There is no reason for fear

3. The Prognosis for those without the confidence

(18c) – He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

This brings conviction, but it bears truth.

Where fear exists, love is lacking.

This is not referring to having a fear of God in the aspect of His holiness

This fear that John is referring to is a fear of His justice and wrath

Many today are religious, but not confident of their salvation.

Those who belong to Christ do not fear His coming or standing before Him in judgment.

When we are settled in the love of God as He would have us, we are fully trusting in Him, and we will not be fearful of what life brings.

Next we see that...

II. It Gives Character For Our Journey

(19-21) – John concludes his thoughts in this chapter with a description of loves character.

Consider:

A. The Source For Our Character

(19) – We love him, because he first loved us.

It would be impossible for us to love God had He not loved us first.

His great love was displayed and proven ion the cross

He made the way for our salvation and offers eternal life.

Had He not loved us, and gave Himself for us, we could never have loved Him.

I am glad He loved me when I was unlovable. I am glad he still loves me when I am unlovable

I rejoice that such great love was extended to me. a wicked vile sinner

I am thankful for the day the Holy Spirit revealed such love.

After coming to the realization that God loved me, I was then able to love Him.

He came looking for me while I was yet in my sin. I have nothing to boast of apart from His great love!

B. The Slander To Our Character

(20a) – If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:

Once again we have “If any man say,” Ref. 1:6,8,10; 2:4,6,9.

This is very simple and needs no explanation.

Here the person says one thing but does another that contradicts his words.

With his lips he says, “I love God,” but in his heart (and actions) he “hates his brother.”

John’s verdict is quick, clear, and to the point:

“He is a liar.”

We cannot love God and hate our brother.

There will be times we are angry and maybe even bitter toward others, but we cannot hate others and love God.

If genuine hatred exists, the love of God does not.

C. The Similarity of Our Character

(20b) – for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

John’s logic is flawless.

It is what we call a “lesser to greater” analogy.

The gist is this: if you do not have the ability to love the brother you can see, it is impossible for you to love the God you have not seen.

If you do not manage to love His creatures, then you cannot love the Creator.

If you do not have the capacity to love His children, then you cannot love their Father.

John Stott is right when he states,

“It is obviously easier to love and serve a visible man than an invisible God, and if we fail in the easier task, it is absurd to claim success in the harder” (The Letters of John, 173).

God calls us to walk in the truth.

That involves loving God and loving others.

Again we find it is impossible to love God whom we have not seen and hate our brother whom we have seen.

If we possess love for God, love for our brother will be evident as well.

D. The Submission of Our Character

(21) – And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Our love for one another is not optional.

It isn’t something we can choose to do or refrain from

We are expected to submit to the will of God and love one another.

What Jesus gave us was a command.

It was not a suggestion or recommendation.

It was not just a good idea we might consider.

If we truly love God, then we must truly love our brother as well.

The Godward and human-directed aspects of love cannot be divided.

They cannot be separated.

They really are the bookends of all the commands.

They are the “heads and tails” of the same coin of love.

Our ability to actually love God is wedded to the reality of our love for fellow human beings.

And such a love is not sporadic or periodic.

It is not occasional.

It is continual.

It reflects and demonstrates for all to see the love of God for sinners that was put on public display on a bloody Roman cross when “the Father … sent His Son as the world’s Savior” (1 John 4:14).

As D. Edmond Hiebert has wisely observed, “Since God’s love is no longer visible in the presence of the incarnate Christ here on earth, God is manifesting His love as it is now displayed in His people” (“An Exposition of 1 John 4:7–21,” 83).

Matthew 22:37–39 KJV 1900

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Conclusion:

None can doubt the love God has for us. Christ loved us enough to bear our sin and die in our place.

The world needs to see and experience the love of God lived out through His people.

God’s Love is Powerful enough to get us through our day to day lives and it is powerful enough to give us confidence to bow before him at the day of Judgement

It is also powerful enough to give a lying thief a character that would have put mother teresa to shame.

With every head bowed and every eye closed, I would like to ask you Four simple questions this morning,

1.Have you opened your heart to God’s love?

Meaning have you allowed God to come into your heart and take your heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh.

2.Have you allowed God’s love to change you?

You can be truly born again and still not have confidence for your journey. You most come to the point that you realize that you are a child of God and His love for you has given you the power to face the judgement day, knowing your name is in the Lambs book of Life

3.Are you ready for the return of Christ the Lord?

Without His love, you have every reason to fear the Lord’s return.

If you have never trusted Christ for your salvation then you do not have the love of God in your life therefore you do not love God and if you say you do you are a liar.

If you have never been born again you can be today. Why not come this morning and take God at His word and call on Him and be saved.