CBC WKND 25 Session 3

LOVE OVERCOMES

INTRODUCTION

Session 1: Jesus Shattered the Darkness - 1 John 1

Session 2: Living in the Light - 1 John 2

Session 3: Love Overcomes - 1 John 3

Story of Couri and I proposal

Now lets dive into 1 John 2:28 through 1 John 3 and lets see the love of God that overcomes.

1 John 2:28–3:3 ESV

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

***PRAY***

SEE WHAT KIND OF LOVE THE FATHER HAS GIVEN - A LOVE THAT OVERCOMES

John uses the word "see" here—it means to behold with wonder and amazement. The Father's love isn't just affection; it's lavish, overwhelming, transformative love that literally changes your identity.

This connects to what John said earlier in 1 John 2:8: "The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining."

This love is so powerful that it pulls you out of darkness and makes you children of light.

Students, this love overcomes the darkness of shame, rejection, and worthlessness that social media, grades, relationships, and peer pressure try to place on you.

When you don't make the team, when you fail that test, when friends exclude you, when you feel like you don't measure up—the enemy whispers that you're not enough, that you're too broken, that you don't belong.

But God's love shouts louder: "You are My child!"

1 John 3:1 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Being Children of God means we true love and the light of life.

As Jesus declared in John 8:12: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

When you truly grasp this love, it becomes the light that guides every decision, every relationship, every step you take.

The LOVE OF THE FATHER OVERCOMES EVERYTHING!!!

John makes it clear though that for us to produce overcoming love ourselves it takes practices.

LOVE OVERCOMES THROUGH PRACTICE

1 John 3:4–10 ESV

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

I want us to look at 3 deep theological terms. These terms teach us…

HOW LOVE OVERCOMES INSTANTLY

HOW LOVE OVERCOMES DAILY

HOW LOVE OVERCOMES ETERNALLY

JUSTIFICATION - LOVE OVERCOMES INSTANTLY

Justification is a term used in the Bible that means to be declared righteous before God. It doesn’t mean we suddenly become perfect or that we never sin again — it means that, because of Jesus, God now sees us as if we had never sinned at all.

In simple terms:

Justification is God’s act of declaring guilty sinners “not guilty” because of what Jesus did on the cross.

Key Truths About Justification

We are justified by grace through faith — not by works. We don’t earn justification; it’s a gift of God’s grace received by faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8–9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God, not a result of works.”

Romans 3:24 – “...and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus’ righteousness is credited to us. When Jesus died and rose again, He took our sin and gave us His righteousness — like a divine exchange.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This means when God looks at a believer, He doesn’t see your sin — He sees Jesus’ perfection covering you.

It’s a one-time act, not a process. Justification happens once — the moment you place your faith in Jesus. It’s not something you grow into or earn over time.

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

It brings peace and relationship with God. Because of justification, the separation between us and God caused by sin is gone. We’re no longer enemies of God — we’re His children.

Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Justification means God looks at you and says, “You are forgiven, you are righteous, and you belong to Me.” Not because of what you’ve done — but because of what Jesus has done for you.

SANCTIFICATION - LOVE OVERCOMES DAILY

Sanctification means “to be made holy” — to be set apart by God and for God. If justification is being declared righteous, then sanctification is the lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus.

In other words:

Justification changes your position before God — sanctification changes your life with God.

Key Truths About Sanctification

Sanctification begins at salvation. The moment you surrender your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit moves into your heart and begins changing you from the inside out.

1 Corinthians 6:11 – “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

God sets you apart as His child — that’s the start of sanctification.

It’s a process, not a one-time event. Sanctification is daily, ongoing transformation. It’s not about being perfect but about progress — becoming more like Jesus little by little.

Every day, God is shaping you through His Word, His Spirit, and your circumstances to reflect His character.

The Holy Spirit does the work — but we cooperate. Sanctification is a partnership. The Spirit empowers us, but we have to choose obedience.

Galatians 5:16 – “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Philippians 2:12–13 – “Work out your own salvation… for it is God who works in you.”

We can’t sanctify ourselves, but we can surrender and respond to what God is doing in us.

It’s evidence of true salvation. A person who has truly been justified will show it by a changed life.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”

Sanctification doesn’t save you — but it proves that you are saved.

The goal of sanctification is Christlikeness. God’s plan isn’t just to make you a better version of yourself — it’s to make you more like His Son.

Romans 8:29 – “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”

Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit changing your heart, renewing your mind, and shaping your life to look like Jesus until the day you see Him face to face.

Students, in your life you will either practice sin or you will practice righteousness. You will practice living in the light of Christ. You will practice love that overcomes.

There is a massive difference between practicing sin and struggling with sin. We all will struggle with sin and fall to sin. But with Jesus we can overcome sin both eternally and daily because of His strength and power.

Justification is God declaring you righteous once and for all. Sanctification is God making you righteous day by day.

GLORIFICATION - LOVE OVERCOMES ETERNALLY

Philippians 1:6 – “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Glorification is the final stage of salvation when believers are made completely perfect and free from sin, pain, and death forever. It happens when we enter eternity and receive our resurrected, glorified bodies — fully reflecting the image of Jesus. The work God begins is in justification, continued through sanctification and is finally complete in glorification, where we will live in His presence forever.

Love overcomes through practice…

LOVE THAT OVERCOMES COMPELS US TO LOVE OTHERS

1 John 3:11–18 ESV

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

John shows us how transformed love overflows:

1 John 3:16–18 ESV

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

This is where love becomes light that pushes back darkness in your world. Jesus didn't just feel love for us—He demonstrated it through sacrifice.

Because Love is not a feeling or emotion, love is not love. LOVE IS AN ACTION! Jesus displayed this for us!

Now, filled with that same love, you become agents of light who overcome darkness through practical, sacrificial love for others.

As Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Students, your school is full of hatred, division, bullying, and indifference—but when you love sacrificially, it's like turning on lights in a dark hallway. When you sit with the lonely kid at lunch, when you defend someone being gossiped about, when you choose forgiveness over revenge, when you share your resources instead of hoarding them—you're walking in the light and overcoming darkness. Every act of genuine love in your school, your family, your friend group literally pushes back the darkness of this world.

Love that overcomes compels us to love others and that Christ-like love for others overcomes the darkness of the world.

LOVE WILL ALWAYS OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN AND DEATH

1 John 3:19–22 ESV

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

“Whenever our heart condemns us” - This the guilt and shame we bring on our selves from sin. This is when we elevate our sin over the sufficiency of the blood of Jesus.

Students there is a very real and very dangerous spirit of anxiety and depression that is running ramped in our world today.

And it is affecting the church more and more as each day passes. This spirit of anxiety and depression brings forth this identity crisis.

*Talk through anxiety and depression*

The love of God is not overcome by your sin. I have already said this twice this weekend but I will say it again and again and again. THERE IS NO SIN… THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF SIN THAT IS GREATER THAN JESUS.

What Jesus has done through the cross and through His empty tomb is LOVE and that LOVE HAS OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN AND DEATH AND EVERY ENEMY OF GOD.

No one will overcome God. No one be victorious against Him!

NOTHING, NO ONE IS GREATER THAN JESUS!

JESUS IS KING!

JESUS IS THE POWER WE HAVE THAT AGAINST SIN AND DEATH

We have this power, this love that overcomes when we abide in Him and follow his commandments. And here is what John says His ultimate commandment is.

1 John 3:23–24 ESV

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Love overcomes when we believe in the Son of God Jesus Christ! That His command and it all starts right there.

But even when we do often times as we forget that power we have in Jesus.

CONCLUSION

Story about trying to take my own life.

1 John 3:1 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 3:4 ESV

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:6 ESV

6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

1 John 3:23–24 ESV

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.