Once again, and until we get it: Love one another.

Born of God

(1 John 4:7-8, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, December 18, 2016)

[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.

One More Time (Until the next time...)

Twelve times the writers of the New Testament instruct us all to “love one another.” Apparently this is pretty important. And it is not just the number of times that should impress us, but the significance of some of those verses. We are told by Jesus to love one another “just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34 and 15:12) Paul, Peter, and John write of brotherly love within the church as a premiere God-given blessing. Not surprising in a way. After all, love sent Jesus.

Love is not a peripheral Christian duty. Love is at the center of our entire faith because of cradle and cross. As Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This is what we believe, and this is how we must love. John has already stated that very explicitly, that our belief in name of God's Son Jesus Christ must be connected with loving one another. (1 John 3:23) See also 1 Corinthians 13 and Luke 15.

Love is from God

Therefore we are not surprised by this command. What is particularly helpful in our determination to love one another based on today's verses is our meditation on what follows.

1. Love is from God. Contemplating the source of a gift can be a help in properly valuing what you have received.

2. Whoever loves has been born of God. A life of love is a sign of spiritual life. Without spiritual birth no one can even enter the kingdom of heaven.

3. Whoever loves knows God. A life of love is a sign that someone knows God intimately. Everyone has an awareness of God (Romans 1), but not everyone is yet on friendly terms with Him. They may know Him as Creator and Judge, but will they know Him as a loving Father and an Eternal Provider? That's why the love sign referred to here is to one another in God's family.

4. God is love. Perhaps the most powerful argument for anyone who has any admiration for the Holy One of Israel: The God of the Jews IS LOVE. This is His essence. We need to follow Him.

Those who are born of God and know God, love one another in the body of Christ.

What is true love? Where does it come from, and how can we grow in loving one another? How have we become so confused about even the definition of love in our day? The Scriptures are clear that God is the source of love. We need to be born of God to be people of love. One obvious first point: If we want to grow in love, we must come to Him for His continuing aid.

Lot's of questions. Let's start here: True biblical love does not always feel pleasant. It is relational. God our Father has initiated a loving relationship with us through the work of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. God is most decidedly the superior in the relationship. He is the Supreme Authority over all. We are to love others, willingly suffering for their good. Though it may be unpleasant, we discipline little ones because we love. As we learn in Hebrews 12:3-11:

[3] Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. [4] In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. [5] And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

nor be weary when reproved by him.

[6] For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and chastises every son whom he receives.”

[7] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. But it is hard to have loving wisdom in discipline. Luke 15.

God has no problem with disciplinary love. We have difficulty knowing how to imitate Him appropriately here and may accuse ourselves of being too harsh or not strict enough. Some practical thoughts as to how an adult should discipline a child based on Titus 2:2, “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”

1. Are you being sober-minded, dignified, and self-controlled? (Watch out for substance abuse, be well-rested, and not overwhelmed with life's other relationships that impact your behavior.)

2. Are you sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness? (Consider your own relationship with God. Is the Lord doing something with you through this incident with your child.)

One final question:

3. Are you following the true Voice of God in the Scriptures as the Supreme Authority over all?

The Father loved us through cradle and cross. Jesus loved us by coming, living, and taking the just punishment that we deserved. The Spirit loves us by His patient work in our lives, which we should receive as evidence of His love, and not of hate. The command to love is much deeper that a command to sentimentality. It is a directive to take the love relationship that God has with us, central to everything in Christianity, and to apply that in all of our relationships with each other in our families and throughout the church. Wow! May the Lord be our powerful aid. We are being called to love one another. May the God who is love fill us with the love of Christ.

Old Testament Reading—Haggai 2:20-23 – The Chosen Signet Ring

Gospel Reading—Matthew 5:17-20 – [17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. [19] Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [20] For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.