Letters - God is Love

1 John 4:7–11 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Sermon Goal: To show that Love is evidence that we are God’s Children.

Good, morning. As a former pastor, I’ve been 2 a lot of graduations. I’ve been to 3 of my own and at least 2 a year for the last 10 years. Not counting Kindergarten and 8th Grade promotions (which don’t actually count).

Something I’ve noticed at these graduations.

The parents of the kid who graduates last in his class are no less proud than that of the parents of the valedictorian. In fact if it’s possible, the parents of the kid who graduated last might be more proud because this was not a forgone conclusion. And it comes down to love. On that day, the position in your class doesn’t add distract from their love for you. They love you and they are proud of you.

This is the love that God has for his children. When all is said and done and our lives here are complete, when we stand before God, the least among God’s children will stand equally with even the Apostle John because God’s love is rooted not in our deeds but his unfaltering love as shown at the cross.

Something else that I’ve noticed at graduations is that the graduation speeches seem to imply that everyone is friends and everyone loves each other. I’ve never seen bullying happening at a Graduation ceremony. I’ve seen enemies shake hands and say congrats. My thought is always, if every day of high school was like graduation, what a difference it would make.

But this is the love followers of Jesus ought to have for each other and many times we simply donet. We’re all going to end up in the same place regardless of our views on the end times or spiritual gifts. So why not endeavor to get along now.

And that, today, is what this sermon is about. If God’s love for his children is without condition, we ought to love one another also unconditionally..

If you would, please grab your Bible’s or turn on your Bible app and find . We are continuing in our study of this letter that was written from John, the last surviving disciple that walked with Jesus, to a church that’s been around for a while but is now under the care of the next generation. John is encouraging them to examime their lives to make sure that they are 1. actually christians and 2. that they are living in line with Jesus’ commands and teachings.

Last week we looked at how the children of God are given the Holy Spirit so that they can come together as the church to know what is true so they won’t be led astray by false teachers.

If last week we learned that the Holy Spirit teaches us what we are supposed to believe; today we’re going to look at how that same Holy Spirit teaches us what we are supposed to do: LOVE.

Now again, John wants his readers to be confident in their relationship with God. And while all that is required for us to be saved is to Admit that we are a sinner and repent, believe that Jesus came in the flesh and died on the cross for our sins and confess publically that Jesus is our Lord and savior....this great truth should have an effect on the way that we live our life. The idea that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” should have an effect.

Let’s look at :13.

1 John 4:7–13 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

1 John 4:13 ESV

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

1 John 4:7–5:1 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

The Holy Spirit serves as evidence of our salvation and....

Big Idea: The Fruit of the Spirit is Love.

Galatians 5:22 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Galatians 5:22–25 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Love is first on Paul’s list so it makes sense that John would spend so much of his time in his letter on love.

Let’s pick up John’s letter in vs. 7.

1 John 4:7–8 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Again, John reminds us that we are to love one another. Why? Because love is the natural overflow of the heart that is centered in the nature of God. I think it goes without saying that for the most part, children whose parents lavished loved upon them (love not money) grow up being more loving.

So many people are filled with anger and bitterness. We’ve felt abandoned and rejected. And we have allowed that to keep us from freely sharing love with one another.

We love because....

1. Love is personified in God. (vv. 7-8)

God is complete in Himself. This is the nature of the Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit in infinite perfection. Throughout eternity past even before creation. God has always existed in perfect community in Himself. He didn’t need to create anything or anyone at all. But when it comes to having perfect love, there is always room for others.

In a little over a month, Amanda is due to give birth to baby #3. And no we don’t know the gender. And yes I know that drives some of you crazy. And yes that makes it all the more fun to wait and see.

I’m worried about a lot of things with baby #3. But you know what I’m not worried about? I’m not worried about having enough love to give another baby. That I have an abundance of.

The same is true of God....

Did you know that the Old Testament alone speaks of God’s unfailing love for his people several hundred times. From Genesis to Malachi, God’s love is poured out on his people. Why do I bring that up when our passage is in the New Testament? Because the God of the OT is often portrayed as full of wrath and anger in contrast to the Love of Jesus.

But even when we look at God’s wrath in the Old Testament, wrath is more often than not for His glory and the benefit and love of His children.

God was not going to allow his children to be abused and beaten. Time and time again, he came to their rescue even when they didn’t deserve it.

It is not love to see someone drowning and pray from afar that they would be saved. God jumped in and saved them and expected us to do the same.

And every time a believer believes the Gospel, the Holy spirit is sent to live in them and create in them a loving heart for God and others.

Love is action. That God is Love is say that God is a God of action.

Let’s continue in chapter 4.

1 John 4:9–10 ESV

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

-10

If we say that the God of love is a God of action, we would have to be able to point to time when we saw God’s love on full display! I know just the place.

2. Love is displayed at the cross. (vv. 9-10)

Explanation: How is is that an act of utter brutality, torture, humiliation and death could possibly be seen as love?

Wouldn’t it have been more loving for God to say to us regarding our sin, don’t worry about it? It’s ok. I just forgive you. I love you.

Our

Actually that would violate God’s nature as just and perfect. God’s perfection requires that sin be satisfied.

Sin was committed by mankind and therefore only a perfect human could fix the mess that was made in the garden of eden. But last I checked, every single human being ever born is marred by the same sin nature. Mankind was totally and utterly without hope. Until Jesus came along, both fully God and fully human. Someone who could actually live a perfect life and by dying, when He didn’t deserve it would effectively pay the penalty for our sin.

What I think a lot of people fail to realize is that it’s not that sending Jesus to die in our place was a way for God to restore the relationship between Himself and His children, but that it was the only way.

But how did Jesus in the midst of great pain and suffering maintain a heart of love. tells us that the Spirit sustained Him on the cross. Even for Jesus, the fruit of the spirit is Love.

Illustration: When we are in a dating relationship, guys and girls can do some pretty outlandish things to show someone else they love them. We spend lots of money actually go out. But one of the most ridiculous things we do is buy flowers. Here is a token of my affection that will be dead in 3 days. Want it dead quicker, buy them a plant like a fern or an orchid.

God’s great act of love was sending his son to die on a cross to pay to be a substitute (propitiation) for the penalty that was due us. Actually made a way so that each of us wouldn’t have to spend eternity burning in hell. Yet some of us still get upset with God when we don’t get a close parking spot at the Costco.

Love is displayed at the cross because it is the most loving thing God could possibly do for his children. Secure their future.

What did we deserve? Death. What did we receive? Grace and Mercy. That’s why the cross is a display of love.

God didn’t have to do that. But He did it willingly and planned it .

But it seemed ridiculous then. It seems ridiculous now. That God would die on the cross for His children seems ridiculous in any time. But that’s why it’s true. No one would make this up.

Application: So that’s where God’s action becomes our action. We follow Jesus’ example and love one another and remember that there is room in the family of God for others..

If love is proven for us and the world at the cross, how unloving would it be for us to remain silent about this great love.

Let’s move on to vs. 11-13.

1 John 4:11–13 ESV

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

Love is not as much a command in this passage as it is further evidence of your relationship with God. It’s not isolated incidents but a life long journey....

3. Love is practiced by God’s Children. (vv. 11-13)

Anyone else find it a little unnerving that a doctor’s office is called a practice? Like I don’t want them practicing on me.

But hopefully the older a doctor gets, the more experience he or she becomes. Doctoring becomes easier and almost second nature. It becomes a joy to go to conferences to hone their craft. The best doctors are not the smartest ones (Valedictorians of their classes) but the ones that actually love their patients.

The church should be a practice for people who want to love better. Love God with their whole hearts. Love one another through serving and caring for the needs of others in the church. And Love the world by sharing our faith and inviting others into the loving family of God. That’s what is going to change the world.

Now love is the prerogative of the Holy Spirit.

But up until this point, I’m not sure that we have defined love. We've said that God is love. We've seen that the cross is the ultimate display of love. And we know that we are supposed to love others.

Many of us have this picture of love that is all about feelings. This has gotten us in a lot of trouble. In our context, love is about action.

Stop telling people you love them if it’s not backed up by action. Our love should be on display!

Love God: Make worship a priority on Sundays. Worship God throughout the week through personal prayer and Bible study. Find good Christian music to play in your car on your commute an turn off the news. That will just make you unloving.

Serve others: Lay down your own life for the people of God. Be there for people. Join a life group. Some of us are terrified of sitting in a group of other Christians and being vulnerable. I’m gong to tell you, this falls on men more than others. But the church needs strong men who are willing to be open and honest about their struggles. The most spiritual growth that I’ve ever experienced has been in the company of other men who own the struggle of the Christian life. Men....we need you.

Change the world: We have got to tell the world about Jesus. Our neighbors, friends, coworkers, schoolmates, and even our family are perishing a part from the love God has for them. it is on the whole church. It is the loving thing to do.

And remember that we do all of this through the power of the Holy Spirit because the Fruit of the Spirit is Love.

Reflection: Does the Spirit of God cause you to be more loving?

Because it should.

\

Now the Holy Spirit will also continually remind us God’s love for us. as displayed at the cross.