God Is Love
1 John 4:7-21
- What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?
- What personality trait or strength did you get from your father? Your mother?
#People = John, the Apostle, God, Jesus Christ, False Prophets
#Time =
#Place = The world (in a general sense as it refers to earthly, ungodly influences), God's dwelling (also in a spiritual sense)
#Obedient faith =
#Sin =
#Key Idea =
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one
another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and
knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know
God, because God is love. 9 In this the love
of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the
world, so that we might live through him. 10 In
this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved,
if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No
one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his
love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in
him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we
have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior
of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus
is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we
have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is
love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By
this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for
the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There
is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do
with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We
love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says,
“I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not
love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not
seen. 21 And this commandment we have from
him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- What is the source of human love? How can God's love be expressed through humans? In our motives? Our actions? Why is it a lie to say you love God but do not show love to your brother (v. 19)?
- What do you learn from verses 8-15 about the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? About their relationship to us?
- How does the message that God's love drives out fear (v. 18) relate to the teaching that God is light (1:5)?
Loving others as God loves us is not merely a command but a manifestation of the truth that God abides in us and we in him.
Introduction: We explore today how the act of loving others is the expression of God's own presence in our lives.
1. Understanding Divine Love Through Loving Others (1 John 4:7-8)
A. God's nature as love sets a model for us to emulate.
B. Obeying God's command to love affirms his living presence within us.
2. Love as Evidence of Fellowship with God (1 John 4:12-13)
A. The unseen God is made visible through our acts of love.
B. The indwelling of his Spirit is confirmed by our love for one another.
3. Perfect Love Drives Out Fear (1 John 4:18)
A. Living in God's love liberates us from fear, including the fear of judgment.
B. This freedom enables us to love others without restraint or hesitation.
As we live out the command to love, we visibly manifest God’s presence, fulfilling his divine plan and reflecting his nature. Let us strive to embody this love in all our relationships.
- Is the love discussed here an action or a feeling? What does this tell you about love?
- In your life, when has "love" held too much fear? When has God's love cast out fear?
- If you want to do a better job of loving others, how should you go about it? What is the only way to improve (see vv. 15-16)?
- How do you want to love sacrificially this week? At home? At work? A difficult relationship? In how you plan your time? Your budget?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- What transformative move needs to be made?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Love
At one point during a game, the coach said to one of his young players, "Do you understand
what cooperation is and what teamwork is all about?"
The little boy nodded in the affirmative.
"Do you understand that what really matters is not whether we win or lose, but that we play together as a team?"
The little boy nodded yes.
"Good," the coach continued. "And, when a strike is called, or you're thrown out at first, you don't argue, curse, attack the umpire with a bat, or throw dirt in the opposing team members' faces. Do you understand all that?"
Again the little boy nodded, "Well, sure, coach. That's what you taught us."
"Good," said the coach. "Now, please go over there and explain all that to your mother."
As Christians, we get to go into the world and explain, and live the love of God.
"The heart that loves is always young." – Greek proverb
Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who
receives them, and they bless you, the giver. -Barbara De Angelis
We Love Because God Loves Us
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
God created us to be like him - to love. The only reason we're able to love is because God loves us: "Love comes from God ... because God is love" (1 John 4:7-8 NIV).
We were created in God's image to do two things on earth:
*Learn to love God
*Learn to love other people; life is all about love.
But love all started with God. He loved us first and that gives us the ability to love others (1 John 4:19).
We need to reach a day when we finally, fully understand how God loves us completely and unconditionally. We'll be more patient. We'll be more forgiving. We'll be more merciful. We'll give others grace.
But you cannot give to others what you have not received yourself, and so my hope is that, as you learn how much God loves you, you'll also let him heal your heart so that his love can flow freely through you. It's impossible to love others until you really feel loved yourself.
Love Is a Choice
Today we've bought into this myth that love is uncontrollable, that it's something that just happens to us; it's not something we control. In fact, even the language we use implies the uncontrollability of love. We say, "I fell in love," as if love is some kind of a ditch. It's like I'm walking along one day and bam! - I fell in love. I couldn't help myself.
But I have to tell you the truth - that's not love. Love doesn't just happen to you. Love is a choice and it represents a commitment.
And this same principle is true about your relationships: you can choose to love others, but God won't force you to love anyone.
Love is an Action
Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. 1 John 3:18 (NLT)
Because love is an action; love is a behavior.
Over and over again, in the Bible, God commands us to love each other. And you can't command an emotion.
If love were just an emotion, then God couldn't command it. But love is something you do. It can produce emotion, but love is an action.
The Bible Says Love Is a Skill
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 (NLT)
Love is a skill that can be learned. In other words, it's something you can get good at and that means you get better at love by practicing love.
Love Is a Habit
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them." Luke 6:32 (NIV)
Love must become your lifestyle, the habit of your life. But it starts with a decision. Are you ready?
My prayer for you is "that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love ..." (Philippians 1:9 NCV).
The World’s Greatest Hero
“Who saves one life saves the world entire,” according to some readings of the Talmud. Tyra Winters is a 17-year-old cheerleader in Rockwall, Texas, who was riding a float in the homecoming parade last month. As the float glided down the street, Tyra noticed a young mother, Nicole Hornback, screaming for help. Two-year-old Clark Hornback was choking on a piece of candy and Nicole didn’t know what to do. Tyra leapt off the float, snatched up Clark, turned him upside down and gave him three hard whacks on the back. The candy burst out of his mouth and the boy was saved. “My mom told me that’s the best way for the smallest kids,” Tyra nonchalantly commented.
Kenneth O’Brien is a Tech Sergeant in the U. S. Air Force and was one of 12 named 2019 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. He was the only one surprised that he received the honor. He had served on the President’s security team, he saved another diver during the rescue of the Thai soccer players, and he pulled people from a burning car. On the flight from Guam to Dallas to receive the award, a one-year-old began to choke. O’Brien stepped in, cleared the airway and administered CPR to save the baby. Then he returned to his seat for the rest of the flight. His judgment: “I’m thankful that the child is OK and that I was able to help when the family needed support.”
“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us” (1 John 4:14-16 NIV).
We rightly honor those who step forward and intervene to save lives. Police and firemen, EMTs, doctors, nurses and even coincidental bystanders gain our gratitude and devoted respect for their critical actions. Yet consider this: what if we knew somebody who deliberately, knowingly sacrificed his own life so that many, many others might be saved? Think of the passengers of Flight 93 who assaulted the cockpit to thwart the designs of the terrorists. They are properly honored and memorialized for their selflessness and heroism.
Yet the greatest hero of all time and of all places is undeniably Jesus of Nazareth. The sinless Son of God knowingly gave up His position in the heavenly realms to become one of us—and then accepted an agonizing death in order to make it possible for all humans to be saved. If one saved life amounts to saving the world, what does a saved world equal? If we rightly honor and praise ordinary people who intervene to rescue the defenseless, what honor should come to the Author of all creation who gave Himself to restore His rebellious creatures? Beyond any question or argument, Jesus Christ is the greatest hero of all time, responsible for the rescue and salvation of uncounted millions who were doomed without Him—including me. The only fitting honor I can give to Him is to live for Him and His agenda. He’s my hero. Yours, too?
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