Love, The Old and New Commandment

Intro

Text - 1 John 2.7-8

1 John 2:7–8 (NKJV)

7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

Title - Love: The Old and New Commandment

Background

some of us have been revived in spirit and excited to serve the Lord this year

The “old” commandment

John was referring to the words of Jesus to His disciples before He was crucified

John 13:34–35 NKJV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 14:15 NKJV

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:21 NKJV

21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

the commandment to love is the commandment to sums up all the commandments of God

“abide” - Jesus’ key word

John 15:9–10 NKJV

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

abide means remain

Christ’s love is like a “place”, a condition, which the believers can stay in - by obeying His commandments

Abiding - makes the Christian life fruitful

John 15:8 NKJV

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The “new” commandment

John new commandment is not different from the “old” - it is the command to love

1 John 2:6 NKJV

6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

John’s key word is “walk”

walking means you are not staying in Christ, but you are also demonstrating His love to the public

walking means putting it into practice beyond your “place”

walking is directly related to the light

1 John 2:6–8 NKJV

6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

in their time, people sleep at night and walk in the day

walking means having fellowship

1 John 1:6–7 NKJV

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 2:9–11 NKJV

9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Ephesians 5:2 NKJV

2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

walking means living the truth

2 John 4–6 NKJV

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received a commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

3 John 4–5 NKJV

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,

walking in truth to become fellow workers for the truth

3 John 6–8 NKJV

6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

The Church in history

She “left” her first love

Failure to remain results in failure to walk

Revelation 2:1–7 NKJV

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

The star messengers were sent to remind the church to return to Christ.

Conclusion

The new year will not bring new commandments from the Lord.

The commandments of God for this year are the “old” commandments.

but we are expected to “abide” in them, and to “walk “ in them.