Let Us Love One Another

Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker

A farmer answered a knock on his door. When he opened the door it was a man who flashed a badge and said, “I’m with the DEA and I have a warrant to search your property for drugs.” The farmer replied, “Okay, but stay away from the open field near my house.” The officer said, “My badge will let me go anywhere I want to.” He then left to begin his search. About 15 minutes later the farmer heard the agent screaming, “Help, help, help.” The farmer went out of his house and saw a bull chasing the officer through an open field. The Farmer yelled, “Show him your badge! Show him your badge!”

Introduction

Have you ever wished that life came with instructions? When I was younger. It seemed like things came with instructions. If I bought something that had to be assembled, it had instructions. If I bought computer software, it had instructions, If I purchased a new watch it had instructions. Today nothing has instructions. Maybe people are smarter today, but I spend a lot of time trying to figure stuff out because there are no instructions. Today in our Scripture we have a verse that gives us some instructions that will help us to do what God says.

Throughout 2021 we are taking part in the Scripture Memory Challenge. In January our theme was Salvation and we memorized 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:9 and 1 Peter 1:23. Last Sunday we began a new theme for February - Love. Our first Scripture in this theme was

Deuteronomy 6:5 KJV 1900

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” He said the first and greatest commandment was to Love the Lord thy God with all thine, heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

Jesus always gives us more than we ask for. Then he says, “the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Our text today encompasses that truth.

The Apostle John addresses loving others in this letter Four different times in chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5. With his strongest and longest argument here in Chapter 4. In 1 John 4 :7 we discover 3 cogent reasons we are to love one another. Let’s look at them together.

Reason # 1 Love is of God

1 John 4:7 KJV 1900

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 4:8 KJV 1900

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:16 KJV 1900

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

1 Corinthians 13:1–8 KJV 1900

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Reason #2 - He that loveth is born of God

1 John 4:7 KJV 1900

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

John 13:35 KJV 1900

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 15:12 KJV 1900

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Reason #3 He that loveth, knoweth God

1 John 4:7 KJV 1900

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

1 John 4:8 KJV 1900

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 2:11 KJV 1900

11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1 John 5:13 KJV 1900

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Conclusion

If I just had the instructions...

You do. You have the word of God. It tells us what we need to know.

If you want to love others, first you must love God

1 John 4:19–21 KJV 1900

19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Do you know Christ as your Savior and Heaven as your home?

Trust in him today