Fireproof 2 - He First Loved Us 10-12-08

“He First Loved Us”

Fireproof Sermon 2 – I John 4:7-21

Sunday, October 12, 2008 – AM Service – FBC Winona

The turning point of the movie Fireproof comes when Caleb and his dad take a walk

·         Caleb is frustrated – trying to do anything in his power to work his marriage out

·         Feels like he’s giving of himself and not having it returned – continually rejected

·         Caleb’s dad walks to a cross out in the field and says that someone else experienced this

·         Says “Caleb, you can’t give what you don’t have” - Talking about love

I John 4:7-21

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Besides needing to give love, all of us need to be loved - John was no exception

·         He was the youngest of Jesus’ 12 disciples

·         John watched Jesus, listened to him, ate with him, heard him pray and watched Him die.

·         John devoted his life to telling others about God’s love – “the disciple Jesus loved”

·         Over his life, he’s learned that relationships, love – these are the things that matter most

·         Love (or loved or loves) used 27 times in this passage

Five Reasons Christians Love

1- Because God is love

·         V7 – let us love one another, because love comes from God

·         V7 – everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God

·         V8 – whoever does not love does not know God

·         This kind of love does not come natural for us – we only know it as it is given to us

·         When we receive this kind of love from God – we are given the nature of God

·         Because God is love, He can do nothing without love

2 - Because God demonstrated love for us

·         V9 - 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him

·         Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

·         In receiving God’s son, we demonstrate that love by living for Him

·         Sent not only His best, but His one and only

·         Love is not something we just hold on to, it’s something we demonstrate with action

3-Because love is the heart of the Christian witness

·         V12 - 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

·         We cannot see God, but we see Him living in the lives of believers

·         Others are seeing God and how much control He has over your life

·         If people are seeing God through your life, what would they know about God?

4-Because love is the Christian’s assurance

·         V15 - If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

·         V16 - Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

·         Christians have 3 proofs of God’s love for them:

1)      The indwelling presence of God’s Spirit

2)      The eyewitness testimonies of the apostles and those who knew Jesus

3)      The Word of God – John 13:1, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.”

5-Because love is the Christian’s confidence in judgment

·         V17 - In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

·         Accepting God’s love permanently changes our standing or position

·         We don’t fear judgment because those who know God’s love will be standing WITH Him

·         We don’t have to worry about this love being reciprocated because God INITIATES love

Erma Bombeck once said, “If I had my life to live over again…”

·          “I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

·         “I would have talked less and listened more.

·         “I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

·         “I would have eaten the popcorn in the “good” living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

·         “I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

·          “I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

·         “I would have cried and laughed less while watching TV, and more while watching life.

·         “When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

·         “There would have been more “I love you’s.” More “I’m sorry’s.”