Love one another

INTRO

1.Welcome, turn to 1 John 3 this morning in your Bible

2. To prepare our minds for the text this morning the question I have for you is

What simple things in life, when neglected, can bring consequences, pain, or hurt?

We know that we are not supposed to lose our car keys, but when we do it is painful.

3. John is going to share something with us today that may sound simple, but we need to be humble enough to take a real inventory of our heart so we are not creating unneeded consequences, pain, or hurt to ourselves or others.

4. In order to do that, let’s pray.

SCRIPTURE

Let’s read this together this morning…

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

1.John likes to use this term “from the beginning” because it is very versatile. He means the beginning of time, but also the beginning of Jesus’ teachings. We know Him from the beginning.

2. But let’s turn to this story that happened in the beginning to help us understand what John is trying to show us today. Turn to Genesis 4 in your Bible.

3.Background: God made everything good, Adam and Eve sinned, messed up, kicked out of the Garden, have two kids named Cain and Able.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

1.Let’s point out some interesting facts of this story to help us understand what John is saying to us in His letter.

Cain and Able: What’s Love got to do with it?

1.Able practiced righteousness, Cain practiced Unrighteousness.

A.Both brought an offering to the Lord, but only one was accepted. Why? Because God had a standard, a law, that in order for them to worship Him and know God, they had to follow. We can assume what God wants or we can get into His Word and see what he wants. When we do it our own way rather than His way sin and selfishness is exposed.

2. God gave Cain a way out of hatred, but cain chose to walk in darkness rather than light.

a. Verse 6 the Lord goes to Cain and reaches out to him in mercy to change his ways. He even tells his that sin is crouching, like a lion in the weeds, ready to attack him. We have an option every day to walk in love or walk in hatred. We have an option every day as believers to walk in the Spirit or in the flesh. God is calling us out of the darkness of our hearts into the light of His presence.

3.Cain showed no remorse for his actions-a lesson learned from Satan.

a. John tells us in verse 12 that cain was of the evil one because he murdered his brother. Satan’s job description is to steal, kill and destroy. And he has no remorse over it. He doesn’t lose sleep because he is doing it. There is no eternal life in him and therfore, cain is like satan because he murdered his brother and didn’t even blink an eye.

4.God shows mercy to those who murder, even today.

a. God was faithful and just to give Cain the consequences for his actions. And even though Cain was like a child who didn’t like his consequences and cries for what’s being done to him instead of being sorry for what he did, God still shows grace to Cain by giving him a mark that will protect him.

Now, let’s turn back to 1 John 3 to see how this all ties together for John and for us today.

I’m going to read starting at verse 12 again…

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

1.We know that we have passed out of death into life because; we go to church. Because we serve in ministry. Because we can quote scripture? Because we love the brothers. So I don’t need to love my sister, perfect. NO Brother is a standard word for all who are in Christ for John.

2.But what does it mean to love? I just need to be friendly? Just need to shake hands during fellowship time? It is christlikeness love of laying down your life, serving, caring, praying, speaking truth, just like Jesus loved.

3.Why is this important? Because everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. So if you have no love, you have no eternal life.

4. But I don’t hate my brother, I just get annoyed with them.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Jesus is getting pretty personal here, right? This isn’t about just your actions, but also your heart.

1.Is the Holy Spirit speaking to yet about a person that you have been murdering? Maybe you want to murder me right now because you don’t want this message?

WHAT TO DO WHEN WE WANT TO MURDER SOMEONE

1.Abide in Christ and practice righteousness

a.John will get into this later in chapter 5 but I’ll say it now, if we don’t love, we don’t know God. We are not receiving His love so that is why we are unable to love the person that seems like they got it all together. Confess your sin of murder, repent of it (change of mind) and practice righteousness and watch your heart change.

2.Don’t spiritualize yourself out of repentance and reconciliation

1.What do I mean by that? Let’s read what Jesus says after the whole murdering your brother thing.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

So, it is good to abide, and practice righteousness but if you said something hurtful, out of anger, or jelousy, and it was murder, you should apologize. DOn’t keep raising your hands in worship if you’ve been murdering people left and right. God sees you. Be reconciled with that person if that is applicable and then come and raise your hands in worship. God cares so deeply about relationships!

3.Let eternity shape your conflict.

a.John says that anyone who is a murderer does not have eternal life abiding in them. Picture the matter in your head and then see if that is worth bringing up in eternity. This is not me saying be passive, but what if your conflict was done before the throne room? Would your tone be different? Would your manurisms be different? Would you be embarrassed by how many rights you are holding onto in front of the saints that are worshipping before the throne?

CONCLUSION

This is a simple thing, love, but when neglected it can create consequenses, pain and hurt. What if the body of Christ actually loved one another? We woudn’t be so concerned that ehe world hates us because we wouldn’t have som much family drama. We could actually go into all the world and amke disciples instead of always going on social media to pick a fight.

We need the Holy Spirit to do this. Let’s pray for Him to empower us to do it.