Do We Love...?
1 John 4:7-12
As believers we have been called to a life of love. We are not only to love Christ but to love like Christ. With that thought in mind let us ask ourselves “Do we love?” Do we love Christ more than we love the world? Do we love our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we love the lost and dying world? Do we love as God would have us love?
I. Do we love the world and the things of the world more than we love Christ?
A. 1 John 2:15-17 (ISV) “Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle – is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.”
B. Love - to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
C. That which we most love—we worship as our God. As a result love for the world precludes and even "pushes out" our love for God.
D. What scripture means by “the world” is given in John’s epistle and includes earthly possessions, positions and pleasures.
E. As they sat around looking at Simon’s fishing equipment and watercraft, Christ said to Simon Peter in Matthew 21:15 “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?"
F. Someone has said “The "world" is whatever cools our affection for Christ!
G. In 2 Timothy 4:10 Paul speaks of Demas. He deserted Paul because he “loved this present world”.
H. “The Christian in the world is like a boat in the water. The boat is in the water but the water is not supposed to be in the boat. Likewise, the Christian is in the world but the world is not supposed to be in the Christian.” - copied
I. There are two reasons why we are lured by the world today - influence of living in a materialistic society and desensitization through the entertainment industry.
II. Do we love our brothers and sisters in Christ?
A. 1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
B. In verse 11gives us a definition of what He means by drawing the comparison to Christ’s love. God’s example of self-giving, sacrificial love – the giving of his own Son – serves as the model for believers to follow in loving one another.
C. 1 John 4:20 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”
D. In an engine-room it is impossible to look into the great boiler and see how much water it contains. But running up beside it is a tiny glass tube, which serves as a gauge. As the water stands in the little tube, so it stands in the great boiler. When the tube is half full, the boiler is half full; when the tube is empty, the boiler is empty. Do you ask, "How do I know I love God? I believe I love Him, but I want to know." Look at the gauge. Your love for your brother is the measure of your love for God.—S. S. Chronicle.
E. John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
F. Alan Tilson of Palm Bay Christian Church has said, “While we are often nice to our guests and we enjoy being with those who are close to us economically or socially, too often we find ourselves at odds with someone in the church who we disagree with.”
G. It is easy to love those who agree with us, like the things we like, think the way we think. But do we love those Christian brothers or sisters that we may not agree with or who may have offended or hurt us?
H. To dwell above with saints we love,
That will be grace and glory.
To live below with saints we know;
Well, that's another story! - copied
I. Ephesians 4:31-32 “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
J. Aristides once described the early Christians in this way to Emperor Hadrian: "They love one another. They never fail to help widows, they save orphans from those who would hurt them. If they have something they give freely to the man who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home, and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don't consider themselves brothers in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God."
We ne to ask ourselves would a casual observer be able to make the same radical remarks about us today? - copied
III. Do we love your enemies and pray for those who persecute us?
A. We live in a world that is decidedly hostile toward Christians. They are hostile toward Christians because they are hostile towards God.
B. Ephesians 2:15 tells us that there is a state of hostility that exists between the world and God. But God has taken the steps necessary to break down the wall of separation and to shower His love on the world.
C. You and I have been given the commission to demonstrate that love in action to the world.
D. There is an old Jewish saying that “If a Jew sees that a Gentile has fallen into the sea, let him by no means lift him out. Of course it is written, ‘Do not rise up against your neighbor’s life.’, but this man is not your neighbor.”
E. Responding to this attitude Christ said in Matthew 5:43- 46 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
F. A proper love for God produces a love for the lost.
G. A little four-year-old African girl had been sold as a slave. She had never known what love was. Even her name, Keodi, meant "Nobody loves me!" When she grew to be about ten years old, her body became covered with ugly sores. The natives turned her out and would have nothing to do with her. But some kind missionaries took Keodi in and cleaned her up, cared for her sores, and put clothes on her. At first she could not believe any one loved her. She went about saying, "I am only Keodi; nobody loves me." The missionaries told her that Jesus loved her, and tried to teach her what love meant. Then she looked down at her dress, clean body and bandaged sores, and said, "Is this love?" They told her that it was. Yes love is shown by kindness and giving. God showed His great love to us by giving His dear and only Son to die for us. Jesus showed His love for us by giving His life for us. He did not only say He loved us, but He showed His love by suffering in our place. Should we not then give Him our whole lives? Demonstrating our love for Him and others (Gospel Chimes.) But how many Keodis are in our lives. People who feel “Nobody loves Me” People who we need to give the message that Jesus loves them and we do too.
