1 John 3:11-20
- defining Love11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
I. Cain - what love is not
- killed his brother
- v15 anyone who hates his brother is a murderer
- sin wants me to quit
-- wants to destroy me
II. Christ - what love is
- we know love because Christ laid down his life for us
--not for his own sake
- for us?
-- yes. accomplishes the atonement ("the great exchange" 1 John 2:2)
--- God loved us while we were still sinners (no potential to be great)
-- gives us power/love of God (2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 5:5)
* - Cain did not love, so he killed; Christ loved, so he was killed
- example of love - will I lay down my life for others?
-- love isn't something that is seen in movies
-- to die for someone, I must love them and the must be important to me
III. Life application
- lay down my life everyday
- solar power
-- like a solar paneled light
---need to be in presence of Son/sun
---constant/repeated exposure
---always charged in Son/sun; can't be charged anywhere else
---can't be exposed to a little and run forever
2 things to do:
1. love with compassion and action (17-18)
2. die to my need to defend myself
- if someone insults me
-- accept it
-- response with kindness and love
- to refute claims is self-love because I am focused only on myself
- to do this, I need to be Solar powered all week
-- the love of Christ who already died for me
- God never intended for us to run without him
--that's the thought pattern of sin
TRUTH: WE NEED HIM
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