1 John 3:11-24

Introduction

1 John 3:11–24 ESV

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 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. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 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? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 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. 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.

WHAT?: Love Each Other (v.11)

Command = Love Each Other

This is a command given to us by Jesus (; , ; ; , , )

; , ; ; , ,

However this is not a message invented by Jesus...

Robert James Utley, The Beloved Disciple’s Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John, vol. Volume 4, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International, 1999), 222.

This is a command from the beginning.

This is a command from the beginning.

John tends to begin his writings by going to the very beginning.

Pass out handout of “Number times beginning is used”

John 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1 John 1:1 NKJV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

Here John goes to the book called the beginning (Genesis) to tell the first story of not loving each other ()

because he goes to the book called the beginning (Genesis) to tell the first story of not loving each other (Gen 4)

When Cain murdered Abel

It is a message from the beginning.

Some pastors mess this up...

Which is interesting to me because that means that chopping of the head is the first murder but also will be the last murder which is against Christians in Revelation.

We know this is a message from the beginning which we heard because he goes to the book called the beginning (Genesis) to tell the first story of not loving each other (Gen 4)

So Cain is a picture of the world, and Abel Christians...

The Story of Cain and Abel is the first recorded instance of a man who did not love his brother.

To the Jews Cain is considered as evil as people today would say Hitler or Stalin is.

John 1:1 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Jews would stereotype Cain with wickedness (Jubilees, 1 Enoch)

Murder of a brother was considered one of the most hideous crimes possible in antiquity

1 John 1:1 NKJV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

Which teaches me how intense the Phairsees were because..

Pharisees sometimes associated the Sadducees with Cain because of their denial of the next life.

Which is no surprise because

teaches us that because Cain murdered his brother that he was from Satan.

Probably because one Satan’s first works was to bring death to Adam

WHY: Love Each Other ( v.12-15)

Here: John gives us an example on why we should love each other:

The Example is the story of Cain who murdered his brother Abel

Just like how Cain hated his brother Able and killed him

Just like the Devil tried to kill Adam

Actually the word for murder here means to butcher or to cut the throat.

in Homer in the Odyssey:, of cattle:“the suitor train who slay (σφάζουσι) His flocks and slow-paced beeves with crooked horns.”

Originally, to slay by cutting the throat; so in Homer, of cattle:

“the suitor train who slay (σφάζουσι)

In Homer in the Iliad: “Backward they turned the necks of the fat beeves, And cut their throats (ἔσφαξαν), and flayed the carcasses.”

His flocks and slow-paced beeves with crooked horns.”

“Odyssey,” i., 92.

To slaughter victims for sacrifice:

“Backward they turned the necks of the fat beeves,

And cut their throats (ἔσφαξαν), and flayed the carcasses.”

Which is interesting to me because that means that chopping of the head is the first murder but also will be the last murder which is against Christians in Revelation.

So Cain is a picture of the world, and Abel Christians...

To the Jews Cain is considered as evil as people today would say Hitler or Stalin is.

Murder of a brother was considered one of the most hideous crimes possible in antiquity

The Story of Cain and Abel is the first recorded instance of a man who did not love his brother.

Which teaches me how intense the Phairsees were because..

Pharisees sometimes associated the Sadducees with Cain because of their denial of the next life.

teaches us that because Cain murdered his brother because his work was bad and his brothers were good that Cain was from Satan.

Probably because one Satan’s first works was to bring death to Adam

Teaching us that Satan must be jealous of mankind since he tried to murder Adam

He is probably jealous of us because we are made in the image of God (Gen1)

And we know that Satan is jealous of God and wants to kill him ()

Teaching us that comparing ourselves to others is one of the worst things we can do because it leads to jealousy.. which leads to hatred and hatred in God’s eyes is murder

because “Hatred takes a life but love gives a life”

Now look at verse 13 do not be surprised when the world hates you.

Yeah if you love each other the world will hate you because they will be jealous of us because they are not like us.

Its a little funny because Christians do act surprised when the world hates us

Christian do act surprised when the world is not like us.

Example: abortion, politics, drugs

Instead of fighting we should love.

.... which is why we need to just love others. Rich or poor, mean or nice,

HOW: Love Each Other (v.16-18)

RESULT FROM: Loving Each Other: (v.19-24)