The Application

Intro

For the last three weeks we’ve been in a short series exploring basics of the Christian faith from First John. We’re concluding that series tonight with these words from 1 John Chapter 3.

In week one of this series we learned how the measure of God’s love for us in Jesus is the foundation of our lives. Jesus laid down his life for our sins so that we could have confidence we are safe with God and loved by God forever.

In the second week we heard about the security we have with The Father, the SOn, and the Spirit. Our security doesn’t rest on anything we do or create for ourselves, our security is found in God himself, who shares everything he has with us. We don’t need to go through life with a scarcity mindset, holding ourselves back from others. Because God has given himself to us, we can give ourselves away to others.

Last week, we were challenged to bring our sin and darkness into God’s light so that we can be with him. God loves us enough to tell us what’s wrong with us. We can only cultivate a healthy, honest church community here if we are willing to be honest about our sin. Jesus is faithful to forgive us of our sins; he has already died for them.

Tonight’s message is straightforward and to the point, because I think our text is straightforward and to the point. We have reached the application of John’s letter. What does all of this have to do with me? Look at verse 18:

1 John 3:18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

A lot of people can talk about Jesus. They can quote Scripture backwards and forwards. They are well versed in theology. They sound good on a stage. But none of that matters, John said, if you can’t love with actions and truth. You can’t just talk about it you’ve got to be about it.

You know, there’s nothing more damaging to the reputation of Christ than a church that’s all talk and no action. I’ve shared this illustration with some of you recently, but I think its so moving that its worth sharing again.

Hayley Williams is a musician, she’s the lead singer for a group called Paramore, which I’ve been listening to since college. She has a great voice. She recently put out a new solo album, and a couple weeks ago, she was invited on to the Jimmy Fallon show to perform a song off that album. The song is titled “True Believer” and I want to read some words from two of the verses for you:

The churches overflow each Sunday greedy Sunday morning Gift shop in the lobby Act like God ain't watching Kill the soul, turn a profit

They put up chainlink fences underneath the biggest bridges They pose in Christmas cards with guns as big as all their children They say that Jesus is the way but then they gave him a white face So they don't have to pray to someone they deem lesser than them

What is she getting at in those words? Christian hypocrisy. People who are all talk and no action. Or, worse, people who are all talk, but whose actions are the complete opposite of their words.

I only use her words as an example to illustrate the problem. I’m not concerned about the American church at large tonight. I’m concerned about this church, and who Jesus is calling us to be. Will we be a church that loves in more than words, but also with our lives?

Let’s pray as we consider this text together.

God’s love in Jesus Christ will transform how we love others. That’s the emphasis of this text. Let’s break this down.

Transforming Love of Jesus

Look at verse 11 and 16. The engine for transformation is found in these two verses, and they’re really a summary of everything we’ve said the last three weeks.

First, John reminds us of a message which he said we have heard from the beginning. What is he talking about? So remember, John wrote his gospel to this community first, and then some time later, these three short letters, first, second, and third john, were written and sent to that same group of people.

This phrase “we should love one another” is pointing back to a teaching from Jesus that John had already written down for this church in John’s gospel.

So from the beginning, that is when they first received the gospel, they heard this message: Love one another. Jesus taught this in John 13 verses 34-35:

John 13:34–35 ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.””

Slow down and pay attention to what Jesus said. He didn’t just say, “Go love people.” That’s silly. Anyone can say that. What did he say?

Love one another as I have loved you.

There it is. The Scriptures are not a self-help manual but a guide to the transforming love of Jesus. Jesus’ teaching is not simply, go love people. That’s boring.

Nor does he say, “Go love people so that you can earn my love.” No! That’s not transformation that’s manipulation.

Jesus said, Love one another as I have already loved you. And in case we forgot how much Jesus loves us, John reminded us in verse 16:

1 John 3:16 “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.”

Listen to me. We don’t do anything to try to earn something from God. That’s not who he is. He doesn’t take bribes. You get me? Everything he gives to us is a gift. His love, his presence, his security, his forgiveness, they’re all gifts we receive when we give ourselves to Jesus who laid down his life for us.

It is Christ’s intention that these gifts would transform us so that we become more like him. They’re gifts with purpose; when we receive Christ, we can’t just stay where we are, because now, with his help he’s going to change us so that we love as he loves.

You know, when Christianity exploded on the scene in the first few centuries, do you know how it transformed the society around it? Love. Christians were attractive because of their love, and they were shamed because of their love.

In the fourth century, there was a Roman emperor by the name of Julian who hated Christians. Hated them. In one of his letters to a priest in one of the Roman temples, Julian laid out his complaints. Do you know what his problem with Christians were? That they cared for the sick and the poor, and not only those who were Christians, but anyone who was sick or poor in the city received their aid. Julian said, everyone can see that the Christians love our people better than we love our people. And Julian hated this so much because this Christian love was causing people to turn away from Roman religion and become Christians instead. Their sacrificial love drew people to Jesus.

Friends, if we are going to be shamed in the eyes of the world, let it not be because we’re hypocrites hoarding treasures but because we are fools who give too much of ourselves away.

Our Transformed love for others.

Let us love one another. John breaks this down for us at two levels. First, he says, in a general way, the way you treat people is going to change.

Consider verses 12-15. John illustrates his point by appealing to the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Some of you know this story. Cain and Abel were Adam and Eve’s sons. They grow up, and one day, they both offer sacrifices to God. God accepts Abel’s sacrifice, but rejects Cain’s. We’re not told why. We don’t really know. Probably because its besides the point.

The story of Cain and Abel shows us how quickly sin destroys God’s good creation. Adam and Eve fall into sin in Genesis 3, and by Genesis 4, you have Cain going into such a fit of rage and jealousy against Abel that he takes him out into a field and kills him. So, if anyone says, sin is not that dangerous, look at how quickly it destroyed humanity’s first family. Get real.

Cain, then, is the first villain we meet in Scripture after Satan. He’s the textbook picture of hatred, jealousy, murder. John said if any of us hold hatred in our hearts in any way toward our brothers and sisters, then we’re like Cain.

You think wait a minute. I’ve never killed anyone. I’ve never thought about killing anyone. How could I be like Cain?

Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22 that anyone who hates a brother or sister will be judged like a murderer. Those are the stakes.

Here’s what this is not saying. This teaching does not mean that you should be everyone’s best friend. We can’t all be like Corey. It’s not saying that you should let your guard down around people who have wounded you and would likely do so again.

John is saying that the follower of Jesus can’t go through life with a vengeful heart. You can’t wish destruction and harm on other people. You can’t be the kind of person who bears a grudge forever. You can’t find joy in violence.

Instead, if you’re loved by Jesus, then you’re going to be becoming the kind of person he described in the beatitudes: meek, dependent, merciful, compassionate, peaceful.

You’ll find that your life can be more and more characterized by the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In other words, in a general way, you attitude toward other people is going to become more like Christ. His love transforms you to love as he loves. That’s the general application.

The Specific Application

John brings this teaching down and he makes it as plain as possible in verse 17. Jesus’ love doesn’t just transform us in a general way; God’s people ought to be marked by a special love for the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed.

The clearest evidence that the love of Jesus is at work in someone is if they take care of people who are in need. If your needs are being met, and you know the person in the seat in front of you is struggling to feed their kids, and you do nothing? How can you say God’s love is in you?

If a church exists in a neighborhood where people are struggling to keep the lights on and they do nothing to help? How can the love of God be in that church?

Love is not expressed as a feeling but as an action. Jesus didn’t just stay in heaven and yell down, “I love you,” while doing nothing to fix our situation. He took action.

Nothing dishonors Jesus more than a Christian, or a group of Christians, who will say “I love you” but will never left a finger to take care of people in need.

A gift shop in the lobby might impress the world. A large megaplex building or a big beautiful cathedral might draw a crowd. But a group of Christians who will not prioritize the needs of the oppressed and the suffering are still living in death and darkness.

We live in a world where people love to talk about justice but very few people really want anything to change.

Years ago, when President Biden was campaigning to become president, he gave a speech to a room of very wealthy donors. In that speech, after naming the problem of income inequality, he promised his wallstreet donors that “nothing would fundamentally change” for them if he was elected president. He said, “I need you very badly, If I win this nomination, I won’t let you down.”

This is the politician’s promise: I can fix everything, but I will make sure you’re comfortable. You don’t need to change a thing.

Jesus is not a politician.

Jesus is our Savior. He’s the King of the Universe.

Jesus doesn’t ask us for a vote, he asks us to follow him. And if we follow him, he says, then we’re going to have to be willing to get very uncomfortable because everything is going to change, starting with us.

The way we spend our time has to change. The way we relate to people has to change. The way we use our money has to change. The way we use our talents and skills has to change. The way we use our energy has to change.

Everything has to change because Jesus gave us everything when he laid down his life in love for us. Jesus does not say to us now, “Follow me, and I will make you a comfortable, well-adjusted, and successful person.” He says, “Follow me, and I’m going to change everything for you.”

Churches, typically, have a hard time bringing people together across different income levels. And the reason for that is because, if you’re going to bring different income levels together, you have to be willing to talk about money. We don’t like that. We’re insecure about money. We don’t want to admit that we don’t have enough, and we don’t want to admit that we have too much.

So, we’d rather be around people in the same income level, then we can just not talk about it.

You see how that’s foolish, and so contrary to the purposes of Jesus?

3 things:

Proximity Ask for help. Share out of your abundance

Malcolm foley told us yesterday, that this calling, it’s simple, but its not easy. Focusing our efforts, asking for help, sharing, that’s not complicated, but it is difficult. We can only do it with Christ’s help.