The Interweaving of Love

1 John 4:7-11 (NKJV) 7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

I. The Origin of Love

A. Love is of God

B. God is love

II. The Composition of Love

A. Expression

B. Sacrifice

III. The Residual of Love

Residual (N) - c: an internal aftereffect of experience or activity that influences later behavior

Residual (Adj) - leaving a residue that remains effective for some time

A. We love God because He loved us first

1 John 4:19 (NKJV)

We love Him because He first loved us.

B. We love others because His love

1 John 4:12 (NKJV)

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

1 John 4:16 (NKJV)

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

1 John 4:20-21 (NKJV)

20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.