Because we Love the brothers
Notes
Transcript
Because we Love the brothers
Because we Love the brothers
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 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. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 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? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
I remember getting a scary phone call, that changed my view on this life. It was early on a typical day in our household at that point in our life… We had been living in a small home, having just started off in ministry as a youth pastor and all my kids were very young. A close friend of mine, Jim, had suffered a severe heart attack. Jim was only a year older than me, and though he wasn’t the picture of health, he certainly wasn’t someone who I would’ve thought needed an emergency triple by-pass at 31 yrs old.
Thankfully his wife was a nurse at Buffalo General hospital. But she wasn’t just any nurse, she was a Cardiac Care Nurse and knew exactly what to do when Jim had his heart attack. Because of her job, her husband got the best attention anyone in that area of the country could get in his position.
I will never forget visiting him right after his surgery. He was the scariest human being I had ever seen alive, being completely gray in color and barely breathing. We prayed with him and cried with his family. Thankfully he made a full recovery and I was even able to take a Missions trip with him.
I will never forget how much I want to to help my brother in that moment, how scared I was to lose him, and how quickly I felt my own humanity. But what surprised me was to learn all about our circulatory system. We often do not think about our hearts pumping unless something is wrong. We often don’t think twice about our diet until we notice something is off or a doctor tells us we are in danger. And yet our circulatory system is working non stop, 24-7, 365.
Why am I telling you this story? Because I want to make the point that the text before us today deals with the Circulatory system of the church. LOVE.
I the arteries of Love get clogged, the church is in danger of cardiac arrest. In David Allen’s commentary on 1 John he makes the point that, “one of the key evidences of spiritual maturity in our lives is the depth of our love for one another”.
The apostle John is known as the apostle of Love. He was the one referred to as, “the one Jesus loved”, and in his letter he deals with the issue of Love more than any other apostle does.
For the Apostle John, loving one another was both a duty and a test. It was a duty in that we are commended to Love one another by Christ himself in John 13:34-35. And it is a test in that our practice of love for others demonstrates the reality of our Faith.
And since we are picking up from where we left off last year. let me provide a little context for this passage as he is building on an idea that we may have forgotten.
10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
John is teaching us what it means to be children of God. Two things… practice righteousness and love your brother. Where we left off we focused more on the practice of righteousness because of that text, and yet the idea of Love your brother is the ongoing theme of this book, and the set up for the text we have today.
So the context is love your brother is you are a child of God...
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
What does he mean when he says, this is the message you have heard from the beginning?
He is referring to the message that he first proclaimed to them, and what Jesus had taught them to teach others, and how they are to be known by others.
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John is reminding them that in order to be seen and known as children of God they must display certain behaviors. That is why he was talking about the practice of righteousness and the love for your brothers, which he further points to when he says, “that we should love one another.”
Our practice proclaims who and what we are. If we are children of God then we should behave like it… And how do we do that? by loving each other. And if not we are not believing the right things about who God is and who we are once we become his children. What am I saying?
Those who believe rightly, also behave rightly
Those who believe rightly, also behave rightly
it is most fundamental to understand that God’s children would treat each other in such a way that it displays his own love for them as a benevolent father who adopts us out of the worst circumstance and welcomes us into his family.
We can have all kinds of good theology about what that means, and use big words when we explain it, and have long bible studies that go in depth about the implications of being a child of God, but if we never behave like we are his children, then we need to ask is we really are his.
Now this by no means is meant to put a standard of perfection or legalism on us as his children. But we cannot divorce the christian life as evidence of our Christian belief. Again to quote David Allen from his commentary on 1 John, “being precedes doing, but all Christian doing must be based on being, that is, on who we are in Christ.”
It is inescapable for the believer to act like a believer, for a new creation to act like a new creation, like a child of God to act like a child of God. Before we get too far down that path path John goes on to give us a good example of what we should not be like as children of God.
12 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.
Why this example? of all the examples in scripture, why does John use this one?
Well the first the obvious, he is talking about brothers loving each other, and as we all know the story of Cain and Abel, it didn’t end with brotherly love. Now for those who may not be familiar with this story it is found in Gen. 4 and without recapping the whole story here, the quick version is this.
Adam and Eve, the first parents in scripture had 2 sons, Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd. When they each went to worship God with sacrifices, Cain gave God the fruit that was laying on the ground. His brother Abel gave God the first born of his flock. The story is simple, God was not pleased with Cain’s offering but was pleased with Abel’s offering. Cain grew angry and jealous and killed his brother.
Let mew point out a couple things here. They both had the same parents, they both brought sacrifices to God, and they both desires to worship God. Now the problem wasn’t just that Cain didn’t bring something according to specific rules for sacrifices given to God in worship. The problem was when Cain saw that God accepted his brothers sacrifices but rejected his own, and he became angry. Cain was demonstrating a spiritual relationship to Satan when he acted this way.
Look...
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
John was telling them that those who practice sinning, meaning the ongoing intentional lifestyle of continuing in sin, not just a rebellious season of a believer who falls into sin, but a habitual lifestyle of sin, those people are of the devil or have a spiritual relationship with Satan. So in verse 12 John says Cain “was of the evil one”. And that he murdered his brother. That word murder in the greek means to butcher or slaughter. It is the same word used for Jesus in revelation 5 when it talks about the Lamb who was “slain”.
And so we learn 3 things from verse 12 about Cain, let’s look at it again...
12 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.
First, where did Cain come from? The Evil one. He was not a child of God.
Second, what did Cain do? He murdered his brother. The ear mark of those who do not belong to God is the opposite of those who do belong to him… They hate their brothers. This doesn’t imply that unbelievers are unable to Love people, but that when it comes down to it, that are unable to restrain hate for their brothers, unlike Christian who are commanded to Love each other as Christ has loved them. That is why it is difficult when Christians do not follow this command.
Third thing we see from this verse, Why did Cain do it? “Because his own deeds were evil”. He failed the test of Love for his brother, because he had the wrong nature altogether.
So what is the application that John wants us to get from this?
13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
The world hates Christians just as Cain hated Abel. Abel righteousness was the fruit of his obedience to God, and that revealed Cain’s disobedience, and it showed what was really in him.
If it has been that way from the very beginning, then we shouldn’t be surprised now when we see it happen. And please notice the words Hates… it is used in the present tense. John is meaning to say, that they world will not hate you at some point, but that if you are a Christian, then the world, does right now, currently hate you, because that is their nature.
Again we are not saying that unregenerate people are incapable of being creative and beautiful and nice and loving… but when it comes down to it there is a different nature with us and the worlds nature is one where when push comes to shove they hate their brothers. they are spiritually dead and not alive.
But what about those who are no longer part of this world? What about those of us who are now in Christ?
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
John uses the most striking contrast to illustrate the complete change the Gospel brings. The difference between Death and Life, Love and Hate, Light and Darkness, Saved and unsaved.
And to “Pass” from death unto life is to experience the power of the gospel with a permanent change for a state of lostness to being saved. And please understands this looks different on the outside but inside dead is dead… Again to quote David Allen
“Spiritually dead, though respectable; dead, though honored by men; dead, though positioned in places of political power. Spiritually dead, though educated and cultured; dead, though decent and satisfied with an outward form of godliness; dead, because of rejecting God’s son as Savior.”
There are a lot of people who do not appear to be dead, but they are. And the truth is that there is a huge contrast in the difference. Scripture record that difference like this… People who are lost and those who are found, the blind and the seeing, the bound and the free, the sick and whole, those in darkness and those who walk in the light.
But the beauty of the Gospel isn’t found in the contrast only, but rather in the ongoing nature renewal of those who believe...
It says, “we know we have passed”, this is what happened in the past, and yet look at what it says.
“out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” This is speaking of a present reality that the past truth has grown in us. We know it is true, that what we believed is real, because of how we are living in the present. We know we are saved because we habitually practice love for our fellow believers.
So here is the test… When given the opportunity to love or hate your brother, those who do not love, continue to remain in a state of being unsaved, or in darkness. So whoever does not love, when given the opportunity to Love, when they are offended and angry, when they have been sinned against. Do they forgive? do they think the best of their brothers and sisters or do they imagine the worst case scenario and get all worked up until they decide they don’t like their brothers and that grows from an irritation to a hate.
Because whoever does not love abides in death. It is hard to fake that test for too long. We are all sinner that Christ saved and we all have lots of opportunity to offend and even sin against each other. The questions isn’t primarily, “Is this person a christian because they sinned against me?” The question is, “Are you? Can you love them when they do?” Or will you allow something to grow into hate?
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
So the person who hates is a potential murder according to John. And by his logic: hate is an attitude that is no different than murder, as illustrated by Cain. And no murderer will receive eternal life, because your nature has to be new on the inside to be saved, and murder and hate is the fruit of darkness. Murder can’t exist without hate first filling the heart. Hate starts with thoughts once something does or says something to instigate that.
So the question is not, “what did you do”, but “what did you want to do”?
Jesus taught that it was not the act that makes something sinful but rather the motive behind the act. That was one of the key teachings that Christ shared that made people really upset… IF I even look at a woman lustfully, I have committed adultery? If I get mad and hate my brother, I have already committed murder? I must pray for those who hate me, and love my enemies? Jesus always went right to the heart to show how bad we need a savior because humanity was in darkness.
I would even go as far to say that Christ would have more grace for those who acted wrong but had right motives as opposed to those who acted right with wrong motives. Why? Because if our heart is wrong, then none of our spiritual acts can ever please him. Christs death accomplish a victory to renew our heart and our minds, and our bodies, and our whole life. Christians don’t just act good, they are good from good motives that cause them to display Christ in front of the world. And there is no way we can reconcile hate with good motives.
But just to keep us from thinking this is only about loving our brothers in Christ. We must ask, are we allowed to hate this world and the people in it? Is that consistent with what Jesus taught us? and is that what this is telling us? To love our brothers only?
Well let’s see?
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Is it not clear that Jesus taught us that loving our brothers is the bare minimum? Further more, in the text in 1 john in verse 14 it uses very obvious language that should cause us to think...
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
WE is used 3 times in talking to believers, but what are we doing? We know We are made new… Why? Because We love the brothers… This is emphatic uses in the greek of the word WE, is for the contrast between how Christians love and how non-Christians in the world love.
But think about it… There is no contrast if Christians only love there little group the same way that non-Christians love their own. It is clear that our love goes First to our God who saved us, but then also to our brothers and sisters in Christ and even out to those who are set on hurting us as our enemies. So Christian love has a wider application than to just the Christian society. It should set us a part from the rest of society as a whole. And we are to do this because we were bought by Jesus who did this for us...
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
I love what Spurgeon said about this, “Ah, Lord Jesus! I never knew thy love till I understood the meaning of thy death.” The most astounding thing in all the world is the fact that Jesus was willing, out of love for us, to die in our place as our substitute. This is foundational to what we believe… Jesus’ death was substitutionary. But also that his death was voluntary.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
So Jesus died for us in our place for our Sin Because he volunteered… In fact this passage shows us 3 things about the death of Christ on the cross.
Jesus’ death on the cross was Voluntary, Vicarious, and Victorious
Jesus’ death on the cross was Voluntary, Vicarious, and Victorious
It was Voluntary, it was Vicarious, and it was Victorious.
It was Voluntary, we have covered this, but he laid it down for us. It was his prerogative to do so. One old pastor from yesteryear said it this way… “Jesus came to die for our sins when there was nothing lovely about us. It was like the sunshine upon the garbage dump.”
We didn’t make him do it, he volunteered to do it for us.
His death was Vicarious in that, like we already said he was our substitute. We deserved to die for our sins and yet he took our place on the cross. That is why it says, “he laid down his life FOR us”. His life counted for us and his death accomplished something in us… which is the final point on this verse...
His death was victorious in that we are now changed and made new. We did know love before, but now we do know love. And since we do we know that we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
But what could that possible look like?
17 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?
Now there is way to read this in modern language and think, well I am not all that wealthy so I can’t really do much here. I certainly don’t feel like I have the worlds goods. Maybe someone else who has more should do more.
The Greek word used for the phrase “world’s goods” is the word BIOS. It hold the meaning of “livelihood”, so as to convey they picture of an average ordinary person who has basics of livelihood at his disposal. Do you have a job, do you have a home, do have extra clothes and more than enough money to cover your needs?
John speaks of “Seeing” a brother in need. This implies more than a passing by look at someone on the street, but more of a need in someone you can clearly see and continually see.
Listen right now there are those in our very own church that have lost their jobs, some are in need of new living arraignments, and some are sick and need basic help in their homes that they cannot get to. Do you see need? Maybe a better questions is why do we not see need? Are we waiting for someone else to confirm the need and ask us to help or are we connected enough to see the need because we are in each others lives?
But this verse has more to think about. Like the phrase “close your heart against him”, what does this mean? Is John saying that if I don’t give something to my brother that I could give, then I am not a Christian?
NO, not exactly, although it could be… Here is what I mean. We must first be able to see the need and it must be obvious that we have enough of a livelihood to help meet that need. But there is an attitude here that if we display it is not a good sign.
The word Close here conveys a picture of slamming a door shut and locking it. It is a cold indifference to a person that is in genuine need. If you see this and your heart doesn’t move at all, there maybe a clogged artery in the body… Love needs to be flowing enough that we would not feel indifferent.
But perhaps we Love people but we just don’t like everyone? seems reasonable right? I mean not everyone can like everyone. we are all different and have different personalities and different likes and preferences, so we can love each other but we don’t have to like each other. And if I seem indifferent it is just that I don’t really like the persons personality, but I love them...
And while you can certainly say that liking is a matter of personal preference, loving is not. It is a matter of Obedience to Christ. If you Love you must forgive. If you love you must give. If you love you must go first and serve. If you love you will not squabble over if that seems to legalistic to say, you will know it is true and right, because your heart will remind you of Jesus. Listen, love overcomes obstacle and excuses. When a brother or sister loves, they see a need and look at what they can do and they do not allow their heart to close itself off to caring for that person.
Now that doesn’t mean that everyone must always do something to prove that they are genuine in their faith, but if you never do anything we presented with the chance to do something, then you have cause for grave concern.
See talk is cheap, but the christian life always costs something. It cost Jesus the most, but he warned us that it will cost us to follow him. and when it comes to being a part of a community of believers, it should certainly cost us something. Look at John’s final encouragement.
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
So the modern paraphrase would be this.
Talk is cheap, but True love costs. If we mean it we will put some skin in the game so to speak.
So our love should not be just words. remember what James said about this same topic?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Our words mean nothing when it comes to showing love to others.
So the point here is to not just say you love someone but to show them.
Again, not to geek out on the greek language here, but there is an interesting thought when we look at the original language here. That word translated “deed” comes from the greek noun “ergon”, which means to work or action. It is where we get the word Ergonomics from. Ergonomics is the study of how the workplace and the equipment used in the workplace can best be designed for efficiency, productivity, comfort and safety. It is also used to describe the qualities of the design that contribute to the efficiency and productivity. Ergonomics… Well so what?
Well our love for others should be ergonomically affective in a way that its distinct qualities should be Christlike in every way.
Our love should be productive; it should accomplish the meeting of needs in a tangible way.
Our love should be productive; it should accomplish the meeting of needs in a tangible way.
That is what John means when he says we should love in deed. We should have actions that really met the needs. Some times these are physical things, like giving money, or food, or serving someone by helping them around their homes… and sometimes, and perhaps more often it isn’t a physical thing but a way more powerful thing, like forgiving, and going out your way to exhort and encourage the brothers who are down and depressed. But nine the less this is as tangible to the burdened soul as clothes are to someone in need.
And finally our love should be in truth. Well what is truth? is your political ideas truth? is that what we are talking about? No we are talking about the Gospel, remember that John said, “this is the message you have heard from the beginning.”
Truth is a message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. and when applied here, it is to love one another as Christ has loved us and forgiven us, so we must also forgive one another and love one another. Regardless of the sinful activity that brought you hurt, as a Christian you are to love your brothers and sisters in Christ, and all those in this world according to Jesus.
one final thought. The story of William Booth, founder of Salvation Army. I is said that he once sent a telegraph to encourage his officers. It was a really complex message… it read as follows.
“OTHERS”
This was the heart beat of why they were doing what they were doing. In fact the salvation army was such that it is known for how they put others first in true Christian love. so much so that the following is a true story.
OnMay,29, 1914 the empress of Ireland sank with 130 Salvation Army officers on board. 109 of those officers were drowned, and not one body was picked up that had a life jacket on. A few survivors told how those officers acted. When they saw that there was not enough life jackets for all, they took off their own and strapped them on every person they could saying, “I can die better than you can”. From the deck of the sinking ship they heralded the battle-cry from their founder, “Others”!
today let us end with praying a prayer written by William Sloan Coffin:
“Dear heavenly father, we have taken advantage of your great and unqualified love. we have presumed upon your patience to do less than we might have done, to be timid where we should have shown courage, to be careful where we should have been reckless, not counting the cost. We pray now, O Father, to be used roughly. Stamp on our selfishness. Use us for your glory. In jesus name we pray.”