Sermon Tone Analysis

As we begin this new year, we like to emphasize one significant thought from God’s word – – this year, we intend to emphasize the love that God has for us and how it causes us to love.

We like to kick off the year with a particular emphasis on the passage that teaches that motto – .

I) John begins with the negative

He has already written much about the love of God – – explaining how the love of God is different than love from the worldly minded

He then declares that our love is based on the love He first showed us –

But, then John switches to consider the hypocrite who declares his love for God, yet does not have that same love for his brother – v.20

II) Love for God with words and actions

If anyone says is a common phrase from John to identify inconsistency in words and actions (or feelings) – 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9 – it leads to the truism that actions speak louder than words –

There is a contrast of the lesser and the greater – v.20b – it is an easier thing to love our brothers whom we can see (experience with the flesh), than it is to love God whom we cannot see (except by faith), if one cannot accomplish the easier task, they have no hope of the more difficult; John also inverts the clauses putting emphasis on love for his brother first, but not seeing God first in the contrasting clause

Love is a task, it does not happen by chance, but by choice; it is easier to hate than to love

Hate means “to detest” (regard with less value), it is sometime translated by not love, or love less, which only gives a portion of the full meaning – – hatred is not sinful itself – – we must hate our own family to become a disciple of Jesus

Brother(s) is likely speaking of those with whom we share a relationship with God – – not that we should take this as license to hate those of the world – – but there is an unbreakable connection to the value we give to God’s children based on the value God has placed on us

Concl: If we find an excuse to detest (regard as less valuable) any brother, we admit that we are liars when we claim to love God.