Loved to Love
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning rivertree. It is a joy to be with you this morning. It is really fun to be at the cove campus today becasue it’s been a while since i’ve been here.
As you’ve already heard some of our staff had a covid exposer. None of them have it at this point but they are under quartine....and ross was one of the people who had been exposed.
So I got the phone call yesterday I’d be preaching. I am thrilled to have this oppuruntiyt. Ross had much of the sermon done by this point so he sent me his notes.
Todays sermon is a combantion of Ross’ thoughts on the passage and my own.
Whether you are at the cove campus, downtown campus or watching online I’d want to let you know we are so glad you have joined us today
I also want you to know today you are dearley loved.
I would say the sermon in a phrase today is simply” loved to love”’
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 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. 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. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 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. 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. 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. We love because he first loved us. 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. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Last week, God is love. We saw how the Father sent his Son to die for us. And how the the atonement is the pre-eminent manifestation of love. The greatness of God’s love is seen in the nature of the gift - how precious it is and for what purpose it came. - to give us life. That God met our deepest need by sending his very best. - This is love.
This idea challenged John’s audience and all those in the ancient world because outside of Christianity, it was thought appropriate to only love those worthy of being loved.
and this is probaly something we have in common with the orgianl audience. In a lot of ways we are in an enivorment where we tend to only love those who we deem worthy of our love.
This isn’t always intentionl. We may not intentinonal withould love from others but i’ve done it.
There are people I would probably say are easy to love. or better put easier to love. They like what I like
They vote like I vote
They are fun to be around
and man it’s just so easy to love
but then there are people I may encouter at times that are more difficult to love. They are just different and this passage begins to challenge our perspective on how we love, who we love and why we love.
John is telling us that God sent his Son to us, not because we are special or worthy but out of a choosing connected to God’s character.
Deuteronomy 7:7. “7 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.”
that’s good news right! God didn’t look down and choose you because of something in you. No he choose you and put his love on you because of who he is.
The bible teaches
He loved YOU before the foundation of the world. He chose YOU before you even sinned. “Salvation is not man’s quest for God, but God’s gracious quest for man.”
Luther got it right: “God does not love because of our works; He loves because of His love.
Your love for Jesus did not originate with you. It is a response to Bethlehem and Calvary. The only reason you have the capacity to love is because you have been a recipient of God’s love and have been born again
Last week, we realize that we are loved because of who God is and the sending of his Son assures us that we are loved.
This week, the same passage lays an obligation on us to love one another. This is what John has been arguing for throughout his letter, no one can experience the immeasurable and unmerited love of God and go back to being selfish.
The first thing John offers us is God’s love is experienced through us.
God’s love is seen in and through our love.
1 John 4:12. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
It seems a little out of place first. LIke this passage might cause us to wonder what does Gods invisiblity have to do with love?
but when we read the whole passage it makes sense right?
John is saying that others’ seeing you loving others is evidence to other people that God is real and that God lives in you.
When a person sees God’s love lived out in your life toward him and others, then he begins to see God.
The invisible God becomes visible to him through you.
This is increadible and I would suggest one of the greatest joys of the Christian life. People don’t just read about Gods love, or hear about Gods love, They get to SEE GOD through how we love.
This fires me up. This inspires me. This reminds me to take my eyes off myself to Fix them on Jesus and see people the way he sees them so they can ultimetly see him.
Paul Miller wrote an increadible book called “LOVE WALKED AMON US”
He makes the observation in the book that “Love begins with looking”
and says that throughout the gospel accoutns 40 times the gospels mention Jesus looking at people
This is an amazing reality. The very fact that God would come in human flesh and make his home among his people. And as he walked and lived among people he didn’t just blow by them
He wasn’t concered with how fithly society considered them
He wasn’t concered about there political allegence
He wasn’t concered about how rightouse they appeared or how sinful they appeared
NO juses was concered with them
In other words Jesus slowed down enough to see
and when we don’t slow down to see people we miss out on an oppurtuty to display God to people
and the results of us not slowing down can be pretty damaging to our faith.
I’ll Illustrate it for you this way. It’s no suprise to those of you who’ve been at rivertree for a season I have a cornea disease that effects the way I see things. For those who are new I won’t tell the whole story but about 2 years ago I was diagnosed with keratacouns and to say the least I don’t have the best vision
In fact when they eye doctor who discoved it realized what was going on he said “tell me you aren’t driving anywhere”
that’s always encouraging.
But this disease casue me to slow down when I am walking at times. Espically when steps are the same color. I can’t really tell the difference and if I am going to fast I just fall down.
It always hurts and it’s always slightly embarassing. But man if I slow down I can see where I am going and most of the time it’s better for everyone invloled
What I love about Jesus when I read the gospels is Jesus was never in a hurry but somehow always on time.
As John is describing Gods love he had so many places and expierences to draw from in his own expierence with Jesus.
One of those is
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
Jesus looks at this man. He sees this man
but the disciplese begin to have a “who sinned” conversation
They automatically judge this man for his blindness.
In the first century thought it was either the man or his parents sin who caused his blindess
Here they are with God in flesh and the only thing they ask of Jesus is will you help us put a catagory on this guy?
Our culuture doesn’t really like to talk about sin the way the dsicples did but we haven’t lost our ability to be judgemental
We look beyond people and thier action and we analzye them to one another.
We ask quesitons like did they have a rough Childhood or is that just how they are
A lot of times our insight to people puts them in a boxy and we conclude they have issues and they need help
The reason John and the dsicples analyze this guy is because it makes a safe and tidy world with everything in it’s place
the shocking thing is they are asking the quesitnos about the blind man with him right infront of them
They may have forget just because he had lost his ability to see didn’t mean he lost his ability to hear
but while the disciples are trying to catagorize this guy
JESUS MOVES TOWARDS HIM
He makes mud and touches his eyes
Jesus lowers himself in order to care while the disples conitnue to judge
Miller puts it this way
“The disciples see a blind man, Jesus sees a man who happens to be blind.”
There is a major difference
The disciples see an item up for debate
Jesus sees a human being like himself. A fellow image bearer
They see sin the effect of mans work
Jesus sees need and the potitiel of Gods work
The didsicples see a completed tradgey and wonder who the villan was
But Jesus sees a story half-told with the best yet to come
Friends it’s one thing to notice someone who is blind
It’s anythoner thing to SEE them
to see them means we might have to stop and talk with them and let’s be honest that’s when things get scary
He might ask for money, Or iterrupt our schedule and we might think his blindness could impact us in some negitive way
and it’s not unreasoable to be a little fearful or timid in that moment. Because when we enter into someones pain long enough to see it some of it touches us.
at the very least it takes our time
Yet this is what Jesus and John invite us to do
What John is doing here in this passage is inviting us to SLOW DOWN AND SEE
Another passage to support
Romans 12:9-10
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
See yourself in someone else.
Your insecurities. Your hopes.
Those things you think about you and those things that you need. Believe that those next to you do too.
Be devoted in brotherly love.
But there are difficult people here. I can’t forget what he did. What she did. I am asking you to remember what He did, Jesus, more than remember what she did or he did. If there was ever a difficult person it was you. And God in his love sent Jesus to us.
As we talk about setting boundaries. As we talk about toxic and unhealthy people. Don’t let that be an excuse not to love. You may very well need to step back from a relationship but at the same time would you let your heart stay open to say “father forgive them”.
Love one another with brotherly affection bc you have a new and perfect Father who is so rich and abounding in love.
Everybody is wounded.
Everybody is struggling.
What you are called to do is love.
God creates affection over time
and this is possible only through the Spirit.
1 John 4:13. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.
The Spirit helps.
The Spirit is more than a power source that allows us to ability to love. The Spirit is the very presence of God in us. We then have more than a new ability, we have the person of God loving us and loving others through us. This is why “God is love” now in you can’t help but commit and obligate our lives to open and loving towards others. Because God is love and because the Spirit of God lives in us, the outworking of that is you and I would grow up into loving one another deeply and sacrificially for this the logical or appropriate conclusion. This is where all this goes.
Love is not optional.
Living this connected life by the Spirit, one in which we acknowledge Jesus and share his love - gives us confidence that we are really are his. That when judgment comes we are not in jeopardy. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.
Michael Reeves - says the Spirit is not some divine milkman leaving us the “gift of life” on our doorstep only to move on after. But the Spirit is comes to be with us, remain in us. He doesn’t move on but stays to make this very life grow. The Spirit comes to help us see in more brilliant and vivid ways the glory of Jesus.
To the degree you know God is to the degree your life is set free in the direction of love.
John has also helped us see what love looks like so that we can recognize its outworking.
1 John 4:10 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We are to go to one another within the same expression fo self sacrifice.
And at the same time, John is given us elements of this love -
Love comes with a cost. If there is no cost there is likely no love.
Let me say it another way. Love is never convenient
It’s hard to love when we are in a hurry.
Because we always have stuff to do. I feel like at times I am just going from appointment to appointment. Whether they are my kids or mine or my dogs or someone elses
The idea to actaully see people in my path is hard at times
I got stuff to do.
Yet as my friend and pastor Ross puts it
Love always slows down, it descends, it takes time, it moves some self importance to other interested and need meeting in others.
In his notes he went on to say this
We can often think that the busier we are the more important we are. We believe that our crowded schedules signal to others and to ourself that we are doing great things and that we must be great people.
Eugene Peterson makes the point that sometimes we are busy and in hurry because we are lazy. That because we aren’t doing the good work of setting goals, establishing values - other people do it for us, so at the last minute we find ourselves frantically, at the last minute, trying to satisfy half a dozen different demands - none of which essential to our calling and vocation.
The best way people will see Christ is by means of your love for them and others.
John says your love is evidence that God dwells in you.
A great Christian characteristic is not that we fear, but that we love.
Love for God and others frees people from fear. “There is no fear in love,” John writes, “but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (4:18).
And when I no longer fear I am free to love.
I no longer worry about where I stand with God.
I am no longer fearful about falling behind, or you getting ahead.
I am no longer worried about if there will be enough for me, will I be noticed, am I unimportant.
I no longer get lost in figuring myself out, my purpose, my significance. I am not worried about being alone. I am not fearful of tomorrow.
My life has been so secured by the atoning work of Jesus, and my future so established as child of the king and a heir to the eternity - that now, everyday, becomes an adventure into freedom.
But I am not using this new life of freedom from worry, fear, and judgment to go back to self absorption - but I move forward looking for ways to love others.
1 Corinthians 9:19 - Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
Galatians 5:13 - You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
Friends the WORLD IS LOVED and yet the greatest tradgey it doesn’t know it
To tell and show people that they are loved.
We are removing any separation between our inner love for God and its normal outward expression. Our confession that Jesus loves you, and our commitment to serve and care.
Illus. Delta story
Richmond
layover in atlanta
Already exploredd the moving sidewalks and all each terminal had to offer
One thing I wasn’t sure about was the Delta sky club. I kept walking by it and watching people go in and was like man I wonder what’s on the other side of that door?
and because I love adventure and a new expierence I decided I would go through the door.
In some ways it felt like I was stepping throguh the wadrobe from C.S. Lewis choronicles in narnia.
I walked down a flight of stairs and noticed a Delta gate agent scanning peoples tickets to get it
from what I could see the place seemed amazing.
I approched the counter and scanned my ticket. She informed me that I wasn’t and asked if I could look around
She basdically said if I just stood at the counter that was fine
THE PLACE looked amazing.
I asked how do I get in
She said it cost 575 dollars. At that moment I knew I couldn’t get it.
I told her thank you and on my way out I said LOVE YA
just because she was awesome. We aere different then me. She didn’t even let me into the exlusive sky club but it didn’t change the way I felt about her because she is someone deeply loved by God and therefore loved by me
as I was walking away she stopped me and asked me to come back
She said this. YOu have the spirit of God in you don’t you.
I said well yes ma’am I do. She said come on in
it was amazing I got free rice krisper treats. Amazing coffee and faster wifi all for free.
you never know what might happen when you love like Jesus
on my way out to catch my flight I thanked her
and then she said are you a pastor? and I was like alirght this is getting crazy I said yes.
She said God keeps sending her people to help he know he hasn’t forgotten about her.
That he loves her
she wen ton to share with me that this year has been really tough. that Covid really put her in a bad place adn shes wanted to quite but God told her not to
and he keeps senidng people with his spirit to remind her HE SEES HER
MAN that was better then the free rice kripey treat. She asked me to pray for her and I told her yes!
and friends I don’t tell y0ou that to make much of me. I tell you this story make much of Gods love!
This is what we get to do. This is who we are
we ARE LOVED so we can LOVE
Spurgeon captures something of what it is like for God’s amazing love to sink in for us as believers.
What is it we have been talking about?
It is God’s love to us.
Get the thought into your head a minute: “God loves me”—not merely bears with me, thinks of me, feeds me, but loves me. Oh, it is a very sweet thing to feel that we have the love of a dear wife, or a kind husband; and there is much sweetness in the love of a fond child, or a tender mother; but to think that God loves me, this is infinitely better!
Who is it that loves you? God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Almighty, All in all, does He love me? Even He? If all men, and all angels, and all the living creatures that are before the throne loved me, it were nothing to this—the Infinite loves me!
And who is it that He loves? Me. The text saith, “us.” “We love Him because He first loved us.” But this is the personal point—He loves me, an insignificant nobody, full of sin—who deserved to be in hell; who loves Him so little in return—God loves ME.19
The Jesus story book bible- Kids. Awesome. Great. Amazing and our favorite part was
God loves us with a never stopping, never failing, never giving up always and forever love