Loving One Another

1 A WEALTHY BUSINESSMAN • WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE A FISHERMAN SITTING BESIDE HIS BOAT, • PLAYING WITH A SMALL CHILD. • "WHY AREN'T YOU OUT FISHING?" ASKED THE BUSINESSMAN. • "BECAUSE I CAUGHT ENOUGH FISH FOR ONE DAY," REPLIED THE FISHERMAN. • "WHY DON'T YOU CATCH SOME MORE?" • "WHAT WOULD I DO WITH THEM?" • "YOU COULD EARN MORE MONEY," SAID THE BUSINESSMAN. • "THEN WITH THE EXTRA MONEY, YOU COULD BUY A BIGGER BOAT, • GO INTO DEEPER WATERS, AND CATCH MORE FISH. • THEN YOU WOULD MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY NYLON NETS. • WITH THE NETS, YOU COULD CATCH EVEN MORE FISH AND MAKE MORE MONEY. • WITH THAT MONEY YOU COULD OWN TWO BOATS, MAYBE THREE BOATS. • EVENTUALLY YOU COULD HAVE A WHOLE FLEET OF BOATS AND BE RICH LIKE ME." • "THEN WHAT WOULD I DO?" ASKED THE FISHERMAN. • "THEN," SAID THE BUSINESSMAN, "YOU COULD REALLY ENJOY LIFE." • THE FISHERMAN LOOKED AT THE BUSINESSMAN QUIZZICALLY AND ASKED, • "WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM DOING NOW?“ • WHAT WE CHOOSE AS A PRIORITY IN OUR LIFE HAS MAJOR CONSEQUENCES • ARE WE FOCUSED ON THE MINOR THINGS IN LIFE? • OR ARE WE SPENDING OUR TIME AND ENERGY ON THE TRULY IMPORTANT THINGS? • THE QUESTION REALLY IS; ARE WE PLACING A PRIORITY ON THE THINGS • GOD CONSIDERS TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT? • IN LIFE WE GET TO CHOSE OUR PRIORITIES, WHAT WE FOCUS ON…. • AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED LINE UP OUR PRIORITIES WITH GOD’S PRIORITIES • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ONE OF GOD’S PRIORITIES • ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON IN THIS LIFE • TURN TO 1 JOHN 4:7 • JOHN HAD JUST INSTRUCTED HIS READERS • TO TEST THE SPIRIT BEHIND EVERY TEACHING • TO SEE IF IT WAS FROM GOD • HE TOLD THEM THEY COULD TEST THE TEACHING • BY LOOKING AT THE CONFESSION OF THOSE THAT TAUGHT IT • DID THEY CONFESS THAT JESUS WAS THE CHRIST • THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD • IF THEY DID NOT CONFESS THIS • THE TEACHING WAS NOT FROM GOD • HE TOLD THEM TO LOOK AT WHO LISTENED TO THE TEACHING • IF THE WORLD LISTENED THEN THE TEACHING WAS NOT FROM GOD • NOW JOHN IS GOING TO TELL THEM WHAT GOD’S TRUE TEACHING • IS FOCUSED ON, WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON 1 JOHN 4:7–8 BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR LOVE IS FROM GOD; AND EVERYONE WHO LOVES IS BORN OF GOD AND KNOWS GOD. THE ONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, FOR GOD IS LOVE. LOVING IS REQUESTED • THE WAY JOHN WORDS THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL • WHEN HE SAYS; BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, • HE IS SAYING, YOU WHO ARE LOVED, PLEASE LOVE ONE ANOTHER • HE HAS TOLD US JESUS CHRIST COMMANDED US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER 1 JOHN 3:23 THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT, THAT WE BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER, JUST AS HE COMMANDED US. • NOW JOHN HIMSELF REQUESTS, PLEADS WITH US, TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • ONE WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT • IN A PORTION OF SCRIPTURE IS TO LOOK AT • HOW OFTEN WORDS ARE REPEATED • IN THE 5 VERSES WE ARE LOOKING AT TODAY • LOVE OR BELOVED APPEARS 9 TIMES • LOVED OR BELOVED APPEARS NEARLY 50 TIMES • IN THE BOOK OF 1ST JOHN • THIS IS LOVE IS THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE • THE LOVE THAT LOVES IN DEEDS, ACTIONS, NOT JUST IN WORDS • CHRIST HAS COMMANDED US TO LOVE THIS WAY • JOHN IS PLEADING WITH US, EXHORTING US TO LOVE THIS WAY….. • ONE REASON THIS LOVE IS SUCH A PRIORITY FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE • IS BECAUSE OF WHERE THIS LOVE COMES FROM LOVE IS FROM GOD • JOHN IS GOING TO PROVIDE SOME REASONS WHY WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER • THE FIRST REASON HE GIVES IS BASED ON THE SOURCE OF LOVE • WHERE IT IS FROM, JOHN SAYS; • FOR LOVE IS FROM GOD; • THIS DEFINES THE SOURCE, WHERE LOVE IS FROM • THE VALUE OF SOMETHING • IS GREATLY AFFECTED BY ITS SOURCE, WHERE IT COMES FROM. • IF A PIANO IS FROM STEINWAY IT IS MORE VALUABLE THAN OTHER PIANOS • IF A VIOLIN ORIGINATED WITH STRADIVARIUS IT IS MORE VALUABLE • IF A DIAMOND FINDS ITS ORIGIN, IF IT COMES FROM CARTIER IT IS MORE VALUABLE. • IF SOMETHING COMES FROM GOD • IF ITS SOURCE IS FOUND IN GOD IT’S VALUE IS IMMENSE….. • LOVE IS FROM GOD. THE VALUE OF LOVE CANNOT BE OVERESTIMATED. • LOVE IN ITS PURE FORM, IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM • IN THE FORM THAT ITS SOURCE CREATED IT • LOVE THAT IS FROM GOD HAS THE GREATEST VALUE OF ANYTHING IN THE WORLD…. • THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD REASON WHY WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER • BUT JOHN HAS OTHER REASONS WHY LOVING ONE ANOTHER • SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE CHRISTIAN • LOVING ONE ANOTHER IS AN INDICATION OF OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • WHEN JOHN WRITE; AND EVERYONE WHO LOVES IS BORN OF GOD AND KNOWS GOD. • HE IS NOT SAYING THAT WE ARE BORN OF GOD • BECAUSE WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER HE IS SAYING • THAT LOVING ONE ANOTHER IS AN INDICATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN BORN OF GOD • I THINK BY BORN OF GOD JOHN MEANS WE HAVE • ENTERED INTO AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD JOHN 3:3 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, “TRULY, TRULY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” • WE LIKE TO USE THE WORD SAVED • WHEN HE SAYS KNOWS GOD • THE WORD KNOWS IS IN A FORM THAT MEANS • CURRENTLY IS EXPERIENCING A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF GOD • I THINK HE MEANS FELLOWSHIP WITH, WALKING WITH, ABIDING IN GOD • SO, LOVING ONE ANOTHER IS A SIGN OF BOTH BEING SAVED AND WALKING WITH GOD • BUT WHAT IF WE ARE NOT LOVING ONE ANOTHER? WHAT DOES AN ABSENCE LOVE INDICATE? • A LACK OF LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS AN INDICATION OF AN ABSENCE OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. • DID YOU NOTICE WHEN JOHN SAID; • THE ONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, FOR GOD IS LOVE. • HE DID NOT SAY • THE ONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE IS NOT BORN OF GOD • HE SAID HE DOES NOT KNOW GOD • PLENTY OF SAVED PEOPLE, PEOPLE GOING TO HEAVEN • ARE NOT GOING AROUND SACRIFICIALLY LOVING OTHER CHRISTIANS • I MEAN, IF LOVING ONE ANOTHER WAS AN INDICATION OF SALVATION • IF EVERYONE WHO WAS SAVED LOVED ONE ANOTHER • THEN JOHN WOULD NOT BE EXHORTING THESE BELIEVERS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, • THEY WOULD ALREADY BE DOING IT (PAUSE) • SINCE GOD IS LOVE, THOSE WHO ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM • WILL DO TRUE DEEDS OF SACRIFICIAL SERVICE FOR ONE ANOTHER • JOHN IS SAYING THOSE WHO HAVE LINED UP THEIR PRIORITIES WITH GOD’S PRIORITIES • DO THESE DEEDS OF SACRIFICIAL SERVICE BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE • JOHN HAS EXHORTED THEM TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • HE HAS GIVEN THEM A REASON TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • HE HAS TOLD THEM LOVING ONE ANOTHER • IS AN INDICATION OF SALVATION AND FELLOWSHIP • NOW HE WILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANS BY LOVE 1 JOHN 4:9 BY THIS THE LOVE OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED IN US, THAT GOD HAS SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON INTO THE WORLD SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM. LOVE IS REVEALED • THIS LOVE JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT • IS NOT YOUR EVERY DAY RUN OF THE MILL LOVE • IT IS THE LOVE OF GOD • SINCE LOVE IS FROM GOD AND GOD IS LOVE • THE ONLY WAY WE COULD KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS • IS IF GOD REVEALED LOVE TO US • TO MAKE IT KNOWN IT HAD TO COME INTO THE WORLD • BY THIS THE LOVE OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED IN US, • MANIFESTED HAS THE IDEA OF COMING INTO EXISTENCE • OF BECOMING REAL, GOD’S LOVE BECAME REAL • WHEN JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD • THIS IS HOW LOVE IS DISPLAYED • GOD SENDING CHRIST INTO THE WORLD WAS THE MECHANISM • THAT DISPLAYED GOD’S LOVE. • IT IS NOT THAT GOD HAD NOT ALWAYS LOVED THE WORLD • HE CERTAINLY LOVED THE WORLD BEFORE CHRIST CAME • THE POINT IS THAT WHEN • GOD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON INTO THE WORLD • IT REVEALED, SHOWED, DISPLAYED FOR US, HIS LOVE ROMANS 5:8 BUT GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US. • THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE JOHN IS CALLING US TO HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER • THIS LOVE IS SACRIFICIAL, THIS LOVE PUTS THE NEEDS OF OTHERS FIRST • IT IS UNCONDITIONAL, NOT BASED ON VALUE OF THE ONE LOVED • JOHN WANTS HIS READERS TO UNDERSTAND THIS LOVE IS LIFE • GOD SENT CHRIST SO THAT THE WORLD MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM • JOHN STATES THE REASON GOD SENT CHRIST WHEN HE SAYS • SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM. • THIS IS SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND • THAT THE KIND OF LOVE JOHN IS CALLING FOR US TO HAVE • IS A LOVE THAT PUTS THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AHEAD OF OUR OWN NEEDS • CHRIST DIED SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE • HE PUT OUR NEEDS AHEAD OF HIS OWN • THIS IS THE KIND OF LOVE THAT WAS REVEALED • WAS MADE KNOW WHEN GOD’S LOVE WAS MANIFESTED TO THE WORLD • GROWING UP I HAD NEVER HEARD OF PESTO • PESTO IS A SAUCE USED ON PASTA IN FANCY ITALIAN DISHES • IN THE HOUSE I GREW UP IN PASTA HAD RED SAUCE, MARINARA SAUCE • THAT WAS IT THAT WAS ALL YOU PUT ON PASTA • THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION I NEVER HEARD OF PESTO. • SOMETIME IN THE NINETIES THERE WAS A PESTO CRAZE • EVERYBODY WAS PUT IN PESTO SAUCE ON EVERYTHING • AND PESTO WAS REVEALED WAS MANIFESTED WAS MADE KNOWN TO ME. • I NEVER HEARD OF IT I’D NEVER SEEN IT • BUT THE MOMENT I BECAME AWARE OF IT, • THE MOMENT IT WAS MADE KNOWN TO ME I SAW PESTO EVERYWHERE • IN THE GROCERY STORE ON TV COMMERCIALS • IT WAS MENTIONED IN MOVIES, MOVIES I’VE SEEN BEFORE • BUT I’D NEVER EVEN HEARD THE WORD. • BECAUSE PESTO HAD NEVER BEEN REVEALED TO ME. • GOD’S LOVE EXISTED FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME • BEFORE TIME THROUGH ALL ETERNITY GOD’S LOVE EXISTED. • GOD’S SACRIFICIAL LOVE FOR MAN WAS NOT REVEALED • GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE WAS NOT MANIFESTED • GOD’S AGAPA LOVE WAS NOT DISPLAYED • IT WAS NOT KNOWN TO MEN UNTIL CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS • THAT WAS THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S LOVE IN THE WORLD. • THE KIND OF LOVE GOD HAS IS ONLY KNOWN, REVEALED MANIFESTED • THROUGH GOD SENDING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST TO DIE ON THE CROSS • TO PAY FOR OUR SINS SO THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM. • CHRIST’S LOVE FOR US IN AN EXAMPLE OF HOW • WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER 1 JOHN 4:10–11 IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. LOVE IS SPECIFIC • THE LOVE JOHN WANTS US TO HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER • IS NOT JUST ANY KINDA OF LOVE • IT IS NOT EMOTIONAL AFFECTION, A FEELING • IT IS NOT ATTRACTION, DESIRE • IT IS NOT A REACTION, A RESPONSE TO GETTING WHAT WE WANT • JOHN SAYS • IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, • SEE, BEFORE WE CAME TO CHRIST, WE MIGHT HAVE LOVED GOD • WHEN WE GOT WHAT WE WANTED, WHEN THINGS WENT OUR WAY • THE ONLY KIND OF LOVE WE CAN HAVE FOR GOD WITHOUT CHRIST IN OUR LIVES • IS SELFISH, MOTIVATED BY SELF INTEREST • ONLY THROUGH CHRIST CAN WE HAVE THE LOVE JOHN IS CALLING FOR 1 JOHN 4:19 WE LOVE, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. • JOHN WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND THIS LOVE HE CALLS US TO • IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN DO ON OUR OWN • SO HE TELLS US WHAT THIS LOVE IS LIKE LOVE AS EXAMPLE • GOD SENDING CHRIST TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER • BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. • THIS IS THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF LOVE • JOHN WANTS US TO HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER • IT IS UNCONDITIONAL, NOT BASED ON ANYTHING ABOUT US • IT IS SACRIFICIAL, IT COSTS US, TIME, MONEY, EFFORT, AND MORE • IT PUTS THE NEEDS OF OTHERS FIRST, CARING, SERVING, HELPING OTHERS • AND THIS LOVE IS AN OBLIGATION • NOW WHAT DO I MEAN BY AN OBLIGATION? • WELL, AN OBLIGATION IS AN ACTION WE ARE CALLED TO TAKE • IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING • SINCE GOD LOVED US BY SENDING CHRIST • WE OBLIGATED TO SACRIFICIALLY LOVE ONE ANOTHER • IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. • BUT, PASTOR RANDY, THAT DOES NOT SAY OBLIGATED IT SAYS OUGHT • YA, THAT’S TRUE IT SAYS OUGHT IN OUR TRANSLATION • BUT WHEN I LOOK UP THAT WORD IN GREEK • EVERY SINGLE DICTIONARY I LOOK IN SAYS OBLIGATED • OBLIGATED SEEMS A LITTLE STRONGER THAN OUGHT TO ME • BUT IF YOU WANT TO USE OUGHT THAT IS FINE • JOHN’S POINT STILL HOLDS UP • SINCE GOD SO LOVED US, WE SHOULD, WE OUGHT TO • WE ARE OBLIGATED, HOWEVER YOU WANNA WORD IT • TO UNCONDITIONALLY SACRIFICIALLY, SELFLESSLY LOVE ONE ANOTHER • TO JOHN THIS LOVE WE ARE TO HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER IS • A PRIORITY, THIS LOVE FILLS HIS GOSPEL AND THIS LETTER (PAUSE) • SO FAR IN THIS LETTER HE HAS INSTRUCTED US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • HE HAS EXHORTED US TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER • AND HE HAS GIVEN US AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS LOVE LOOKS LIKE • AND HE HAS EXPLAINED OUR OBLIGATION TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER THERE IS A STORY TOLD • ABOUT THE APOSTLE JOHN IN HIS OLD AGE. • IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE JOHN COULD NO LONGER WALK, • SO, WHEN THE CHURCH GATHERED FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER • JOHN WAS CARRIED IN AND SEATED FOR THE SUPPER • EACH TIME JOHN WOULD COME FOR THE LORD SUPPER • TO THIS LITTLE CHURCH IN EPHESUS • THEY WOULD ASK HIM TO GIVE A WORD FROM THE LORD. • EACH AND EVERY TIME JOHN WOULD SAY THE EXACT SAME THING, • WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER. • ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH • GOT FED UP WITH JOHN SAYING THE EXACT SAME THING • EVERY TIME HE WAS ASKED TO SPEAK. • AND THE FELLA SAID, YOU WALKED WITH THE LORD • YOU HEARD HIM TEACH • DON’T YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT WHAT HE SAID? • JOHN SAID IF YOU CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER THAT IS ENOUGH, • THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE LOVING ONE ANOTHER IS A PRIORITY TO JOHN • JOHN’S PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS BOOK IS TO REFUTE FALSE TEACHERS • IN THESE PASSAGES HE PROVIDES AN AMAZING WAY • TO KEEP SAFE FROM FALSE TEACHING • IF WE LINE UP OUR PRIORITIES WITH GOD’S PRIORITIES • IF WE FOCUS ON WHAT GOD CONSIDERS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING • WE WILL NOT BE PULLED OFF COURSE BY FALSE TEACHING • THE FALSE TEACHERS FOCUSED ON SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE • ON BEING SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD, FROM OTHER BELIEVERS • BUT JOHN TELLS HIS READERS TO MAKE SACRIFICIAL ACTS OF SERVICE • TO OTHER CHRISTIANS A PRIORITY, BECAUSE LOVE IS FROM GOD AND GOD IS LOVE • THIS GOD WHO LOVES US WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATION SHIP WITH US • BUT WE ALL SIN…. 80