6-6-21 “What is God’s Love?”

by

What is God’s Love?

1 John 3:16 -4:21

i. Quick review from my last sermon (5 mins.):

1. God’s great love! (3:1-3:3)

A. God is love (4:16)

1. He considers us his children with Lavished love! (3:1)

2. We are HIS inheritance (Ephesians 1:18)

C. We are maturing in Christ and are destined to be like him (3:2)

1. Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)

2. Dealing again with sin (3:4-3:15)

A. Jesus is sinless and has taken our sin away (3:5)

B. “Continue in sin” means it is a lifestyle you fully endorse

C. Jesus destroyed the Devil’s work (3:8)

I. What love is – Agape Love (3:16-24)

A. Jesus’ example (3:16)

B. Meeting others’ needs (3:17)

C. Seen in action; NOT words only (3:18)

1. Similarly in James, “Faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26)

2. Faith expressing itself in love is what counts (Galatians 5:6)

II. Belonging to the Truth (4:1-6)

A. Maintaining an un-condemning heart

1. at rest in His presence (3:19)

2. understanding God’s grace is greater than our sin (3:20)

3. Is your heart feeling condemned over sin of commission OR omission?

B. Possessing proper belief and discernment

1. What is it to believe in Jesus’ NAME? (3:23)

a. power and prayer

b. character and confidence

2. We must rely on the Spirit of God

a. Proof that Christ lives in us (3:24, 4:13)

b. Witness the TRUTH about Christ (4:2)

c. To discern falseness and ‘antichristlikeness’ (4:1-3)

d. To live as an overcomer (4:4)

III. GOD IS LOVE! Theos Estin Agape! T-E-A! (4:7-21)

A. Familiar agape cross references:

1. Love is patient… (1 Corinthians 13)

2. No greater love has anyone than this… (John 15:13)

B. Does “Love one another” sound familiar? (4:7)

1. Why isn’t the news saying this?!?

C. Agape comes from God (4:7)

D. Only being born of God produces agape love (4:7)

1. Phileo (brotherly love) and Eros (romantic love) may abound among humans

2. But Agape is GOD’s LOVE, spiritual and supernatural

E. We now have God through agape (4:8)

F. Jesus is the supreme example: (4:9) – how did he live agape?

G. Great memory verses! (4:10, 4:18, 4:19) – Amen and Amen!