Second Sunday after Trinity (2026)

1 John 3:13-18

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have in our Epistle lesson today, a wonderful encouragement to love one another, but also a warning that those who do not love abide not life, but in death. This message at first seems quite pleasant and enjoyable for who does not enjoy love? So this passage sounds like sweet Gospel, but that is why it is important for us to discern the difference between the Law and the Gospel for we find in this a warning for those who do not love.

The Greatest Commandments

The first is to love the Lord.

We are to love him with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength. There is to be nothing that is held back in our love from God and Creator. When this has been put to the test in Scripture it is surprising to see, be it Abraham who tested with Isaac, or Hosea who is told to go redeem his unfaithful wife from her slavery.

The second points to your neighbor.

You are to love them as yourself. Which is to say that you treat them as though they were your own flesh. To consider how you would have someone treat you, and then treat them in the same fashion. It is always guided by Love for the benefit of those who are around us. But these are commandments, and that means

These are the law.

God’s Law is Love, it is not his suggestion, nor what we should, but all 10 of the commandments are built upon the fact that God himself is love and he demands that you who are His creation also engage in Love for him, and love for your neighbor. It is what is demanded and expected of us.

What Does Love Look Like?

This is not worldly love.

The world thinks that it understand love, and that love is shown between family, friends, and charities that benefit the neighbor. That as long as on the outside we engage in these actions to those close to us and extend it out to a few, we are a decent person, that’s worldly love, and that is not the love that God expects.

It is found on the Cross.

When we see Jesus there upon Calvary, hanging suspended between heaven and earth. Why is he there? Who did He go to save? Well Jesus tells us that He did not come to save the righteous, but sinners and to call them to repentance. Why would Jesus need to call the world to repentance even those who demonstrate worldly love? Because that worldly love is not the love which God demands. The worldly love actually reveals that we are not of God, but are His enemies. Consider the Cross again, and the Love Jesus shows there.

It seeks the good of others.

Not just of those who like Him, who do nice things for Him, it isn’t done to make Him feel good, and Jesus isn’t there because He expects us to do a favor for Him in return, or because He is bound together as a family. That would be worldy love. No, Jesus went to the cross for you, not while you were good or righteous but while you were yet still a sinner. One who didn’t know Him, who can never repay him, and Jesus suffered for many who will never once thank him. Love doesn’t count the cost, but is motivated by your neighbor’s need. However, love

It does not rejoice in sins or failings.

It cannot celebrate when someone is embracing wickedness, or death. For how is it love to celebrate the destruction of our neighbor’s body or soul? For them to forsake all that God has given? Correction is given not out of hate, but because we earnestly desire their redemption. We also do not celebrate in their loss or their misery, but rather come along side them knowing that this world is filled with hardship, and is cursed by sin that steals from us many joys. This is the love that Christ has shown us and

This Love Is Shared

We love because God first loved us.

For all we had was worldly love that was limited in scope and definition and only reached out to those whom we were indebted, or because it made us feel good, or perhaps helped us reduce our taxes. By our sins, we had become the enemies of God, and yet God opened His heart to us, and promised to send a savior, and He did not withhold his only begotten Son, who would redeem us by His blood. This is not love demanded, like in the Law, but this is God’s love given freely to you and so this is Gospel. It didn’t stop there,

The Spirit gave this love to you.

He poured this love into our hearts, by His Word to strength us against the assaults of satan, against the temptations that dwell in our flesh, to shake us from the slumber of self-serving sin, and wake up that we might not perish in our sins, but rather have the gift of eternal life. As we started to fill up, to our surprise the love that God had for us didn’t stop, but kept enriching our hearts and our lives, and

This love then overflows.

Where does it go? To our neighbors, throughout the History of the Church when this message of Gospel and love is proclaimed, and acted upon, oh the church is a thing of beauty. The disciples after Pentecost, each caring for their neighbor, setting up hospitals for the sick and the dying, Christians hearing about their neighbors being in need, and Christians who rescued abandoned children from doorsteps in ancient rome, who cook meals for the sick, who send notes to brothers and sisters in christ they have not seen. When this love overflows it enriches the whole church. For we are called to love one another, this Law, but it is the 3rd use, that shows us what do with what God has given us. This is not all the text has to say,

Hearts Without Love

We are given a warning, and judgment.

Whoever does not love abides in death, and whoever hates his brother is a murder and they do not have eternal life. While you cannot fill your own heart with the love of God, you can cast it aside, and you can cultivate the that worldly love which does not save, but only brings us down unto hell itself. What does that loveless attitude look like?

Do you forgive but never forget?

Do you carry hate for your neighbors in your heart? Are you quick to judge and condemn? Are you impatient with your neighbor, and can’t believe how stupid they are? You may sing all the hymns, you may study Holy Scripture, speak of Christ, and on the outside look like a good person, but God sees the heart, and if His Love is not found there, then everything else is just for a show and means nothing.

How can you hate those whom Christ loves?

For if hate dwells in your heart, and that means Christ is not present, and if Christ is not there, there is no grace, no salvation, no forgiveness, and you are still in your sins. This is why God warns whoever does not love abides in death, for you still belong to the world. So repent, cast aside the world and all its deceitful charms, and everything you hold on to for comfort. Rather see

Christ’s Love for You

Look at the Cross.

He did not think of Himself, but He thought of you, and for your sake, He took flesh, that He might share in our death and open the way to heaven, and what greater love is there than that a man lays down his life for his friend. Do not reject the one who called you His dear friend, rather see His heart and it is full of love for you.

We all begin with loveless hearts.

Every one of us is born a sinner and carry it within us. The world would have us think this is good or natural, or convince that a little bit of hate will actually help us get ahead in the world and is needed, just a like adding a bit of cyanide to your coffee, or sprinkling shards of glass on your food will be good for you. No, let’s not return to a way that leads to death, for

God has washed your heart.

With the waters of Holy Baptism, and bestowed upon you the gift of His Spirit that the love of Christ there upon calvary may bring you to life, and that you may not be given over to death. So if lovelessness is found in your heart today, go to Christ and ask for forgiveness, Jesus’ love is perfect, and Jesus went to the cross, because he wants to cover all of your sins. The proof of that is shown in what He was willing to suffer for your sake.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, make no mistake that the Law is Love, and that God demands we love not only him, but our neighbors with our whole being, and this reveals that we are the loveless, but God does not leave us in this dreadful state, but out of Love for you, sent His Son, and Jesus loves you perfectly not as the world loves, but shows God love to us. He chastised us, but it wasn’t to show that He was better, but that we might recognize what is killing us, and showed us what true love looks like. By laying down His life for us, that we might be saved. That love has been poured into our hearts, that we might love our neighbors, calling them to repent, but also forgiving them as Christ forgiven us. In Jesus name. Amen.