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Sermons from 1 John |
LOVE ONE ANOTHER (Pt. 4) |
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Other sermons from 1 John
Sharing The Word Of Life (1:1-3) Other sermons in this study is being added as they are prepared & preached. |
As you look at 1 John 4 you get the impression that John is very serious about our “loving one another.” It is very clear that one of his objectives is that every believer takes serious the command to “love one another.” I know of one fellow in Chicago that wishes that everybody would take serious the command to love one another. It was game 6 of the NLCS. The Chicago Cubs are leading the Florida Marlins in the series 3 games to 2, the score is 3 to 0, and with only 5 outs to go, the Wrigley Field crowd of 39,577 is on the their feet, the first World Series for the Cubs in 58 years in their grasp. And then everything began to unravel, starting with a fan reaching for a foul ball that would no doubt have been caught for an out if not for the fan’s eagerness to catch the ball himself. As things continued to unravel, fans began to boo, chanting “Get him out,” shouting profanities and pelting the fan with debris. Beers were hurled in his direction and he was finally escorted out by security with a jacket over his face and hastily placed him in a taxi. Thanks to the play being replayed over and over again on TV and every sports page on the internet posting the fans picture, all of Chicago and the U.S. know him by face. You can be sure that he wishes that the city of Chicago and Cub fans around the country would take seriously John’s command in 1 John 1:7, “Beloved, let us love one another. As we have seen in our last three studies of 1 John, the emphasis is one loving one another. Beginning in verse 7 of chapter four and continuing through the rest of the chapter, and even in the first 3 verses of chapter 5, John amplifies and enlarges on what he has already addressed in his letter; that we are to love one another. In verses 17-19 he seems to press home to our hearts the seriousness of this command. In case we would take lightly what he is saying, he reminds us that loving one another or the lack of loving one another, will be of future importance and one that we will either be glad or wished that we had taken seriously. First, notice with me: 1. A GREAT MOMENT IN THE CHRISTIAN'S LIFE In verse 17 John refers to the, "Day of judgment.” This day is a very special day in the life of the believer. It is also a very serious day. What does this day describe? First, it reminds us of: A. The Day Of Our Lord’s Return For Us John has earlier referred to the day when the Lord will return for His people. We noticed in 1 John 2:28, "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." The word "appear” means "to make apparent, manifest." We have never had the privilege of looking upon His face, but one day He will return personally for the believer and we shall see Him face to face. This is day for which we look. It is a day for which we long. As believers we are to watch for His coming. We are to wait for His coming. Paul spoke of this glorious day in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." This will indeed be a special day for the believer. But, John also reminds us that it will be a serious day for we see that it is also: B. The Day Of Our Lord’s Review Of Us We read in Revelation 22:12, "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Paul reminded us in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." The words "Judgment Seat" speaks of the Greek or Roman "Bema," which was a raised rostrum or tribunal from which athletes were awarded their prize for victory. At the Lord's return we will not meet Him face to face, but will stand before Him to be judged. Our life, works, and motives will be reviewed. I believe you would agree with me that this day will be a great moment in the life of every believer. Furthermore, we see: 2. A GREAT MOTIVE FOR THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE Bobby's class was having an English lesson and the teacher called on Bobby to recite a sentence with a direct object. Bobby stood, thought, and then said, "Teacher, everybody things you are beautiful." "Why thank you, Bobby," the teacher said. "But what is the direct object?" He replied, "A good report card next month." We have a motive in all we do. Someone has said that a person always has two reasons for what they do – a good one and the real one … In light of the day of Judgment, John gives us a good motive and the real one for life. First, he describes: A. Two Possible Conditions In 1 John 2:28, John spoke of meeting the Lord ashamed or with confidence. Once again John reminds us of two possible conditions in which we can stand before the Lord. First, he tells us that we can meet the Lord with a confident heart. He describes of a condition of meeting the Lord assured. In verse 17 he speaks of having "boldness in the day of judgment." The word "boldness" is the same as “confidence” in 1 John 2:28. It speaks of being spoken. It is descriptive of being able to look someone straight in the eye. The idea is of being able to stand before the Lord and able to look Him right in the eye. There is no cause to make one blush or look away. The second possible condition in which one can meet the Lord is with a condemning heart. Instead of standing before the Lord with assurance, one stands before the Lord afraid. In verse 18 John speaks of "fear." The word means to be "alarmed, terrorized." The idea is of one shrinking back. Instead of being able to boldly stand before the Lord, they shrink back, embarrassed and afraid. John speaks of fear having "torment." The word speaks of ""punishment." There is a fear of punishment. In chapter 2:28 John spoke of meeting the Lord “ashamed,” that is standing before Him "disgraced, filled with shame." In 1877, Evangelist A.G. Upham was leading a series of meetings in a Church where C.C. Luther was pastor. One night he preached on the subject of “Stars for Your Crown.” In the message he told the true story of a young man, who a month after being saved, was fatally injured in an accident. Just before he died, one of his friends asked him if he was afraid to die. He replied, “Friend, no I am not afraid to die for Jesus has saved me. But, I have not been able to lead even one such as I was, to Christ in the time that I have known Him. No, I am not afraid to die; but oh! If I go – must I go and empty-handed?” C.C. Luther was moved by the story and sitting there in the service he jotted down the lines that became the great hymn “Must I Go, And Empty-Handed?”
If we meet the Lord empty handed we will stand before Him with a condemning heart. Yet, if we have served Him, obeyed Him, and honored Him with our life, we will be able to stand before Him with a confident heart. John not only describes the two possible conditions in which we could meet the Lord, but also: B. Two Particular Causes John has been talking about loving one another. This is still his subject and the two possible conditions in which we can stand before the Lord are determined by two particular causes – have we loved one another or have we not loved one another. John tells us that a confident heart is the result of a life of love. He says in verse 17, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment." If love has been made perfect in our life we will be able to stand before the Lord with boldness. The word "perfect" means "to complete, accomplish, bring to its intended fruition." This love that has been experienced (4:7), is to be expanded (4:12), and expressed (4:16) in our life. It is not a love of words but of works. It is not what is said, but what is shown. It is not what we declare, but what we do. It is a fleshing out of the love God has put in us, love in shoe leather, a ministry of love expressed in service. This is the fruition of the love we have experienced and the kind of love seen in our life that will enable us to stand with boldness before the Lord. John says in verse 18, "There is not fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." If love reaches it intended fruition in our life, it will keep us from standing before Him in fear. It is the result of a life of love. On the other hand, a condemning heart is the result of a lack of love. John says, "He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (Vs.18b). Fear is the result of not being made perfect in love. We have seen that the lack of the presence of love in our life reveals we are not saved. Now John tells us that the lack of the perfecting of love in our life reveals we are not serving. This places upon us the importance of growing in our love for others and the showing of our love for others. How are we doing in this area of loving one another? Are we letting the Holy Spirit mature us (Vs.13)? What are we doing to show love to others (3:16-18)? A third truth that we see is: 3. A GREAT MODEL OF THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE John has repeatedly made God’s love as seen in Christ Jesus the model and example of our love for others. Once again, he set’s forth the love of God in Christ Jesus as our great model. We see: A. A Love That Imitated We read in verse 17, "because as He is, so are we in this world." The ultimate goal of the work of the Holy Spirit in our life is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. Paul declared in Romans 8:29, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." The word "conformed" speaks of being "jointly formed, fashioned like unto." Paul is describing how the all things in our life (Cp. Rom.8:28) work to make us more like the Lord Jesus. A mother was preparing breakfast for her two sons, Kevin and Ryan. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. The mother saw an opportunity to teach them a spiritual lesson. She said to them, “If Jesus was sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have the first pancake.” Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, “Ryan, you be Jesus!” Someone has written: Christ has no hands but our hands To do His work today; He has no feet but our feet To lead men in His way; He has no tongue but our tongues To tell men how He died; He has no help but our help To bring them to His side. We are the only Bible The careless world will read, We are the sinner's gospel, We are the scoffer's creed; We are the Lord's last message, Given in deed and word; What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred? What if our hands are busy With other work than His? What if our feet are walking Where sin's allurement is? What if our tongues are speaking Of things His lips would spurn? How can we hope to help Him And others to Him turn? As He is, so are we to be. Also, we see: B. A Love That Is Inspired We read in verse 19, "We love Him, because He first loved us." The verse literally says, "We love, because He first loved us." His love for us inspires us to love others as He has loved us. Many years ago a shabbily dressed boy trudged several miles through the snowy streets of Chicago, determined to attend a Bible class that was conducted by D.L. Moody. When he arrived, he was asked, "Why did you come to a Sunday school so far away? Why didn't you go to one of the churches near your home?" He answered simply, "Because you love a fellow over here." Does the world see the love of Christ in us? |