IF GOD SO LOVED US, . . .
1 John 4:7-11
This morning’s message is another of those messages that’s so simple everyone can understand it.
There’s nothing profound, complicated, or hard to understand about it!
Yet every person in this room will spend the rest of his or her life, trying to figure out how to live by these principles.
HOW CAN WE ENJOY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD?
GOD’S HOLINESS 1:5-3:10
God is holy. 1:5
To enjoy fellowship with God, whose essential nature is holy, we must be holy!
GOD’S LOVE 3:11-5:10
God is love. 4:8
To enjoy fellowship with God, whose essential nature IS love, we must love one another.
SUMMARY 3:11
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE WORLD AND GOD’S CHILDREN 3:12-4:6
Hatred by the world 3:12-13
It shouldn’t surprise us that the world doesn’t love God’s children.
They oppose God; they will oppose God’s children!
Love among brothers 3:14-24
One of the clearest evidences that we walk with God is love for God’s children. 14
Christ loved us and demonstrated it by his death. 16
We ought to love one another and demonstrate it by our actions. 16-18
Response to the truth 4:1-6 (Parenthetical comment on truth)
Another contrast between the world and God’s children is our response to truth.
Although God’s message is superior to the world’s (4), those who belong to the world will never receive it (5-6).
Only God’s children accept God’s truth.
[ After dealing with the contrast between the world and God’s children, John addresses people who ARE God’s children. ]
EXHORTATION TO LOVE 4:7-11
It grabs my attention that the very reality that was intended to make God’s children stand out as different, catch people’s attention, and draw them to Christ, has become such a commonplace statement that everyone assumes it should be seen in us!
When we are less than exemplary in modeling it, EVERYONE sees the incongruity!
God’s children are identified as “hypocrites” when we fail to model it consistently.
It’s a given for Christianity!
God’s children are expected to be marked by our love for one another!
Everyone else gets it!
Since God has loved us, we ought to love one another. [ In summary, . . .]
People characterized by a lifestyle of loving God’s children
are from God 7a.
People characterized by a lifestyle of not loving God’s children
are not His children 8.
EXHORTATION 4:7a
People who have been loved are exhorted to love one another.
“Dear friends” = “Beloved” = people who are loved
CAUSE 4:7b-8 Why should we?
Why is love such an important indicator that we are in fellowship with God?
Love comes from God. 7b
Everyone who is characterized by a lifestyle of loving God’s children,
is already born of God = new creatures
It’s an evidence of the present reality in us.
We don’t love in order to obtain it.
We love because we have already been born of God.
and knows God. 7c
This describes is an ongoing relationship–We know Him!
We know the One who is the Source of love!
How does this love differ from a kind, loving person–or even loving our spouse?
How is this different from saying: “Everyone who loves somebody?”
Becoming God’s children produces love for His family.
It’s not something we do to become members of the family!
Love is the primary motivator of Christian living.
NOT fear!
When love drives us, it results in love for one another, NOT legalism!
People characterized by a lifestyle of not loving God’s children.
Don’t know Him. –have NEVER known Him!
They haven’t experienced God’s love!
Because God IS love! 8
That’s His essence–He’s characterized by it.
If we’re His children, we’ll act like our Father.
Love flows from God.
Like electricity running through electrical wires, love comes from God,
then flows through us to other people.
EXAMPLE 4:9-10
What’s the best example of what our love for one another ought to look like?
How has God demonstrated His love in a visible way to us? 9
God’s love initiated the sending of Jesus.
He sent Him for two reasons:
1. God sent His only Son, to give US life.
2. God sent His only Son, to be the sacrifice for our sins.
–to remove the offense
–and to renew the broken relationship
That’s sacrificial, committed love.
That’s what genuine love looks like.
What is the essence of genuine love? 10
It’s NOT that WE love HIM!
Why not? Isn’t that real?
Yes. But our love for Him is just a response to His love for us!
It IS HIS love for US! –in spite of our sin.
How is that love different than OUR love for God?
We don’t deserve it–never did!
He gave us everything.
We never had it to give up.
We haven’t given up anything.
He accepted what we deserved.
IMPLICATION 4:11
What are the implications of God’s display of love for us?
If God loved us that much, we should love one another.
Since we have experienced His love, since we are in touch with the source of love,
we are motivated to pass on what we have received.
God’s love for us motivates US to love.
It compels US to love one another.
If He has done this much for us, how can we do less?
WHAT WERE THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR JOHN’S READERS?
What did it look like at the end of the first century?
What do you suppose John is asking them to change?
WHAT DIFFERENCE SHOULD THIS MAKE IN OUR LIVES THIS WEEK?
What WILL it look like today?
What is John (GOD!) asking US to change?
People who aren’t enjoying life–
Maybe you don’t really know Him.
Evidence: Is your life characterized by loving His children?
Maybe the problem is related to our walk with God.
When we’re walking with Him, we’ll be loving His children.
If we’re angry with His children (hating them),
we can’t be walking contentedly with Him at the same time.
The lack is resolved by abiding in Him–NOT by trying harder to love.
Love is a fruit of the Spirit–HE produces it!
This is the key to “the hard part”
of applying the message we talked about at the start of this morning’s message.
It doesn’t come by trying harder!
God produces it in us, as we abide in Him!
When we’re drawing from Him what sustains our life, =>
that leads to love for one another =>
that leads to enjoying fellowship with Him.