WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.779 For the last few weeks, we've been looking at God's Word to understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus in the 21st century. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:15.220 To live for Jesus, 2018, here in Kenosha, southeastern Wisconsin. 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:18.859 And we began by looking at Luke 9, the words of Jesus himself. 00:00:18.859 --> 00:00:25.060 He said, if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 00:00:25.059 --> 00:00:32.079 And those two words, follow me, that came from the lips of Jesus himself almost 2,000 years ago. 00:00:32.259 --> 00:00:37.420 When those two words are received by repentance and faith, it changes everything. 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:46.759 One goes from being sinfully self-centered to graciously God-centered in all that they do and think. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.719 And so those two words, follow me, are game changers because they come from the lips of Jesus. 00:00:53.719 --> 00:00:56.500 And so here's what this means for us. 00:00:56.699 --> 00:01:07.459 To follow Jesus today is to live intentionally for Jesus in every area of our life. 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:14.000 So those two words were as true then as they are now. 00:01:14.140 --> 00:01:15.420 Jesus is alive. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:18.120 And he calls all of us to follow him. 00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:20.319 Then we looked at 2 Timothy 3. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:22.699 We looked at God's word, this book. 00:01:22.939 --> 00:01:25.699 It is vital for us to live for Christ. 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:27.959 It is God's word. 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:29.459 So they are powerful. 00:01:29.699 --> 00:01:31.359 It's profitable and purposeful. 00:01:31.699 --> 00:01:35.259 And so we as followers of Jesus, we don't stand over the book. 00:01:35.419 --> 00:01:36.679 We come under the book. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:40.179 This book is life to us. 00:01:40.679 --> 00:01:44.799 And then last week, we looked at how essential prayer is to following Jesus. 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:46.060 We pray big. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:47.060 We pray bold. 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:49.939 And we pray believing because we've got an awesome God. 00:01:51.379 --> 00:02:00.120 And so now we turn this morning to God's word once again to look to God's word and teach us about loving one another. 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:07.500 And what we're going to see is Jesus commands us to love one another. 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:08.860 It's not optional. 00:02:09.259 --> 00:02:12.379 It is essential to following after him. 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:19.620 So in order to just kind of raise this a little bit, I thought we could take a straw poll by show of hands. 00:02:19.620 --> 00:02:25.599 How many Christians in this room find it difficult to love another Christian? 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:26.420 Raise your hand. 00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:30.280 Now I'm particularly interested in Christian husbands and wives. 00:02:30.939 --> 00:02:32.840 And if there's this going on right now. 00:02:35.920 --> 00:02:38.540 But now just for another step of honesty. 00:02:38.539 --> 00:02:47.819 How many of you Christians in this room have come to the realization that you too can be difficult to love? 00:02:47.979 --> 00:02:49.419 How many realize that? 00:02:49.699 --> 00:02:51.060 Yes, me too. 00:02:51.799 --> 00:02:53.719 So here's what that means for all of us. 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:57.959 We need help loving one another. 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:01.599 And we need that help from God. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:06.759 We have hard times loving other Christians. 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:10.560 And other Christians have a hard time loving us. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:13.139 We need help. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:16.120 And thanks be to God. 00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:18.639 He speaks right to it. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:22.680 If you'd open up your Bibles to 1 John chapter 4. 00:03:23.859 --> 00:03:25.659 1 John is towards the end of your Bible. 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:26.919 Back of your Bible if you don't know. 00:03:27.259 --> 00:03:31.479 If you're new to the Bible, just find Revelation which is at the backside and do what I do. 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:33.939 You start moving left until you find 1 John. 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:35.639 So Revelation. 00:03:36.259 --> 00:03:37.879 I just skipped over a few books. 00:03:38.019 --> 00:03:39.199 And now I'm in 1 John. 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:40.680 Now hear God's word. 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:43.419 This is God speaking to us about loving one another. 00:03:43.579 --> 00:03:47.379 1 John 4 chapter 4 verses 7 through 12. 00:03:49.939 --> 00:03:50.419 Beloved. 00:03:53.419 --> 00:03:55.579 Let us love one another. 00:03:57.900 --> 00:03:59.159 For love is from God. 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:01.819 And whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 00:04:01.939 --> 00:04:06.340 And anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:11.219 In this, the love of God was made manifest among us. 00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:15.960 That God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him. 00:04:17.159 --> 00:04:18.040 In this is love. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:19.639 Not that we have loved God. 00:04:19.740 --> 00:04:24.500 But that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. 00:04:24.500 --> 00:04:25.759 Verse 11. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:26.259 Beloved. 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:30.079 If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:31.060 And verse 12. 00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:32.560 No one has ever seen God. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:36.060 If we love one another, God abides in us. 00:04:36.500 --> 00:04:40.459 And his love is perfected in us. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:48.180 Let me just tell you up front what I believe God is telling us here. 00:04:48.180 --> 00:04:54.340 His word is saying God's love for us compels us to love one another. 00:04:54.819 --> 00:04:57.180 It's a simple cause and effect relationship. 00:04:57.740 --> 00:05:01.780 God's love for us compels us to love one another. 00:05:02.460 --> 00:05:04.300 How are we going to love one another? 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:08.360 It starts with understanding God's great love for us. 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:18.060 So there is a kind of a progression of thought that the apostle John has here. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:20.400 1 John 4, 7 through 12. 00:05:20.540 --> 00:05:25.199 And we're just going to follow through his progression of thought about loving one another. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:29.000 It starts with the love requirement in verse 7. 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:32.400 And then we're going to move to the love assessment. 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:35.400 The love test in verses 7 and 8. 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:40.299 And then we're going to see love demonstrated in verses 9 and 10. 00:05:40.419 --> 00:05:43.699 And then we're going to see the love cause and effect, verse 11. 00:05:44.159 --> 00:05:47.799 And then we're going to land this plane as John lands this plane in verse 12. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:49.699 The love result. 00:05:51.179 --> 00:05:52.919 This is about loving one another. 00:05:54.039 --> 00:05:59.019 God's love for us compels us to love one another. 00:05:59.139 --> 00:06:00.979 So let's look at verse 7. 00:06:00.980 --> 00:06:05.580 The first few words, we read the love requirement. 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:13.620 Beloved, this is the apostle John speaking with the authority of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:15.980 Let us love one another. 00:06:18.180 --> 00:06:20.080 It is an exhortation. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.720 He is calling us to love. 00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:25.920 It's not optional. 00:06:26.280 --> 00:06:27.040 It's essential. 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:38.540 Now, as I have been pastoring for years now, one of the things that I have noticed is an interesting mindset among some Christians. 00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:43.360 Typically, these are Christians who have been burned by other Christians. 00:06:44.400 --> 00:06:48.160 And so what happens is they have this kind of me and Jesus mentality. 00:06:48.900 --> 00:06:49.700 All's I need is Jesus. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:51.340 I don't need everybody. 00:06:51.520 --> 00:06:52.800 I don't need all the other Christians. 00:06:52.800 --> 00:07:00.800 I just need Jesus and I just need me and maybe some select few other Christians that I can trust who aren't going to be risky, who aren't going to hurt me. 00:07:00.939 --> 00:07:07.379 And I'm just going to hold up and I'm going to follow Jesus, he and me, me and Jesus, all the days of the rest of my life. 00:07:09.900 --> 00:07:10.720 Here's the deal. 00:07:12.100 --> 00:07:19.580 Being in meaningful relationship with other Christians gets messy. 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:49.560 It's not easy. 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:55.699 Being in a show of hands in the room, how many of us in this room have been hurt by another Christian, I think all of our hands would go up. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:04.579 And so when Jesus says, I'm going to read in a second, love one another. 00:08:06.819 --> 00:08:08.360 He's not giving us a pass. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.720 Let us love one another. 00:08:14.180 --> 00:08:15.399 Even when things get tough. 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:17.980 Even when you get hurt. 00:08:19.560 --> 00:08:20.959 Even when you're wrong. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:32.559 Our Lord Jesus gives us no passes to say, okay, I can selectively love the easy people and I'll just kind of pass by the tough folks. 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:36.879 We are to love one another. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:41.439 This here is a command to love. 00:08:43.139 --> 00:08:46.820 And I just want to make sure you understand where this command is coming from. 00:08:46.820 --> 00:08:50.800 So it's the apostle John here in 4-7. 00:08:51.020 --> 00:08:53.180 Beloved, let us love one another. 00:08:53.260 --> 00:08:56.120 And if you look down at verse 11, you read something similar. 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:59.800 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 00:09:00.140 --> 00:09:07.080 And then in verse 21, in this commandment we have from Jesus, whoever loves God must also love his brother. 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:14.840 And if you scroll back into 1 John, you come through 1 John 3 and 1 John 2 where John is also talking about the love of God. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.920 And he makes a really interesting reference. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:22.759 He says something like, just as you've heard from the beginning, love one another. 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:25.759 And so it starts raising the question, what was he talking about? 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:28.100 What beginning? 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:34.720 Now keep your finger in 1 John 4 and now flip back to John 13. 00:09:35.939 --> 00:09:46.039 Now the man that wrote 1 John was also an eyewitness to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. 00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:54.399 He was with Jesus on the night that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper at Passover. 00:09:55.659 --> 00:09:59.759 And he was part of the whole deal of finding the empty tomb. 00:10:01.980 --> 00:10:07.799 Well, he has an account in John 13, verses 34 and 35. 00:10:08.059 --> 00:10:11.240 This is right after the Passover. 00:10:11.439 --> 00:10:14.279 Jesus has just instituted the Lord's Supper. 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:19.720 He's been alluding to the fact that the Lord's Supper, this Passover now, is all about him. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.139 And so they're on their way out to Gethsemane. 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:27.000 And Jesus pulls his disciples over and he says this. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:30.919 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. 00:10:33.379 --> 00:10:40.620 Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 00:10:40.620 --> 00:10:46.679 By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you love, if you have love for one another. 00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:52.720 Now when Jesus said to his disciples, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:54.340 This is before he's crucified. 00:10:54.500 --> 00:10:55.659 He's just hours out. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:01.779 They don't fully realize the degree by which Jesus is about to show his love for them. 00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:04.620 By laying down his life for them. 00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:06.539 But it is right there. 00:11:08.059 --> 00:11:15.379 When they would look back on these words, they would be like, oh, he loved us by laying his life down for us. 00:11:17.319 --> 00:11:23.600 So the person that ultimately requires us to love one another is Jesus himself. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:31.519 And as 21st century followers of Jesus, we see this as not an optional command, but an essential command. 00:11:31.980 --> 00:11:32.940 This is a requirement. 00:11:34.060 --> 00:11:35.399 And so what is love? 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:37.980 What kind of love are we talking about? 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:43.259 Well, essentially, Christians are to love one another in the sense of commitment. 00:11:44.180 --> 00:11:45.200 Love is a commitment. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.340 And it's a certain kind of commitment. 00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:55.220 In light of John 13, it is a sacrificial commitment to one another. 00:11:56.180 --> 00:12:00.460 It's a sacrificial commitment to one another for each other's greatest good. 00:12:03.580 --> 00:12:10.340 So Christian love is a distinctly Christ-like love for one another. 00:12:12.200 --> 00:12:19.120 And if there's any questions about who we are to love, we are to love one another, says John in 1 John 4, 7. 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:26.280 And of course, he's referring to other Christians, those who've been bought by the blood of Jesus. 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:29.480 So here's what this means for us. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:37.560 In our church, we don't have the option to selectively love some and not other Christians. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:42.460 Jesus calls us to all love one another. 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:54.759 And so, regardless of neighborhood, regardless of education, ethnicity, grammar, tax bracket, 00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:59.139 Jesus calls one Christian to love another Christian. 00:12:59.560 --> 00:13:03.460 And that is a sacrificial commitment for one another's good. 00:13:03.460 --> 00:13:07.360 I hope you're feeling the weight. 00:13:09.280 --> 00:13:13.980 This kind of love is a distinctly Christian love. 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:16.580 Christ-like love. 00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:19.900 And what we're about to see is this is a supernatural love. 00:13:20.400 --> 00:13:22.280 So we've looked at the love requirement. 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:25.259 Now let's look at the love assessment. 00:13:25.620 --> 00:13:26.620 The love test. 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:35.659 1 John 7, we read, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:38.620 And whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 00:13:39.060 --> 00:13:43.539 Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. 00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:44.980 Now just a little bit background. 00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:47.320 I know we've just kind of jumped into 1 John. 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:49.320 So let me just give you a sense of 1 John. 00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:54.300 1 John was written by the Apostle John to a bunch of first century Christians. 00:13:54.980 --> 00:14:02.060 And he wrote them in order to assure them that they belong to God, that they were children of God. 00:14:02.900 --> 00:14:05.680 And the way that he does that is very interesting. 00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:11.379 John lays out three tests that he weaves through the book of 1 John. 00:14:11.520 --> 00:14:12.740 There's the truth test. 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:14.660 What do you believe about Jesus? 00:14:14.659 --> 00:14:19.279 Do you believe he's God in the flesh who died in the place of sinners? 00:14:20.059 --> 00:14:22.419 And then there's the obedience test. 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:25.379 Are you obeying the commands of this Jesus? 00:14:25.980 --> 00:14:28.159 And then there's the love test. 00:14:28.699 --> 00:14:33.399 Are you obeying the chief command to love one another? 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:39.139 And so all these commands, all these tests are woven throughout 1 John. 00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:48.659 And when it comes to the love test, there are three places in 1 John where the love test shows up. 00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:49.879 Can I just point you there? 00:14:50.779 --> 00:14:56.100 Look first at 1 John chapter 2 verses 9 and 10. 00:14:57.480 --> 00:14:59.600 John's talking about love and he says, 00:14:59.740 --> 00:15:05.159 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:12.939 Whoever loves his brother, verse 10, abides in the light and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:15.480 And so here's the love test shown up in 1 John 2. 00:15:15.819 --> 00:15:18.419 If you hate your brother, you're not in the light. 00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:19.159 You're in the darkness. 00:15:19.299 --> 00:15:19.980 You're not a believer. 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:24.399 But if you're loving your brother, you are in the light. 00:15:24.539 --> 00:15:28.419 You have been brought into salvation by God's grace. 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:35.079 Now if you look at 1 John 3 verse 14, we read, 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:40.419 We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. 00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:43.199 Whoever does not love abides in death. 00:15:43.319 --> 00:15:44.839 Again, here's another love test. 00:15:45.219 --> 00:15:50.179 But instead of talking about light and darkness, he is talking about life and death. 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:55.559 And so whoever loves his brother, he's passed out of death into life. 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:56.899 He's been born of God. 00:15:56.899 --> 00:15:58.779 He's been given eternal life. 00:15:58.899 --> 00:16:00.759 God has made him alive in Jesus. 00:16:00.959 --> 00:16:05.759 But if he doesn't love his brother, he still abides in death. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.659 He's dead to God. 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:08.679 Dead in his sin. 00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:13.100 And so you see how this love test is operating in 1 John? 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:18.720 And so we show up in our passage, 1 John chapter 4 verses 7 and 8. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:20.079 And again we read, 00:16:20.259 --> 00:16:24.500 For love is from God and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:28.840 If you're loving, you've been made alive by God and you know him. 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.399 But then he says in verse 8, 00:16:31.500 --> 00:16:34.580 Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. 00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:42.399 And so what this test does, it reveals whether you've been born again or not. 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:45.779 It reveals whether you're a follower of Jesus or not. 00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:51.259 Are you loving those who've been bought by the blood of Jesus? 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:54.319 If you are, you've been born of God. 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:57.980 If you're not, chances are you're not a follower of Jesus. 00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:06.059 Maybe you're wondering, well, what does this kind of love look like? 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:10.299 How do I know if I'm loving another Christian or not? 00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:16.579 Well, if you page over to 1 John 3, 16, we have a classic example. 00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:20.900 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:23.200 and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 00:17:23.360 --> 00:17:25.259 That sounds, in principle, really good. 00:17:25.620 --> 00:17:27.180 Look how John applies it. 00:17:27.180 --> 00:17:28.440 Verse 17, 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:32.519 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:35.340 yet closes his heart against him, doesn't love him, 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:37.840 how does God's love abide in him? 00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:42.500 Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and truth. 00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:44.600 See how that shows up? 00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:47.340 One of the ways Christians love one another is 00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:49.259 if one Christian who has the world's good 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:53.580 sees another Christian who is struggling and they need help, 00:17:53.580 --> 00:17:55.340 that one who's got the world's good 00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:57.559 should love that other Christian by helping them out. 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:01.099 That's one way. 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:03.720 Other ways in which Christians love one another 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:05.519 is bearing with one another. 00:18:06.399 --> 00:18:09.480 You've got a brother or a sister who's going through a hard time, 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:13.559 and it's going to be inconvenient and uncomfortable for you to go 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:15.779 because this person is crying a lot, 00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:17.339 and they talk a lot, 00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:19.440 and it's going to be a huge commitment of time. 00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:21.539 You could just avoid it. 00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:26.339 But love compels us to go 00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:30.680 and to bear with that brother or sister experiencing hardship. 00:18:33.139 --> 00:18:35.960 When a brother sins against me, 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:39.460 love compels me to forgive them. 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:42.539 When I sin against a brother, 00:18:43.099 --> 00:18:45.500 love compels me to go to my brother and say, 00:18:45.579 --> 00:18:46.639 I've sinned against you. 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:47.599 Will you forgive me? 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:53.599 It's love brings about peace and unity in the church. 00:18:57.159 --> 00:18:58.699 In Ephesians chapter 4, 00:18:58.819 --> 00:19:03.859 we see love exercised in speaking the truth in love to one another. 00:19:04.659 --> 00:19:06.980 And that's just not a truth grenade 00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:08.899 that you throw in and you duck from. 00:19:11.399 --> 00:19:12.919 It's listening carefully 00:19:12.919 --> 00:19:14.859 and then speaking words of encouragement 00:19:14.859 --> 00:19:17.319 and comfort and correction if need be. 00:19:19.479 --> 00:19:20.679 How are you holding up? 00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:24.079 How do you stack up? 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:28.000 Let God's word have its intended effect. 00:19:29.399 --> 00:19:32.139 How are you loving the brothers and sisters in Christ? 00:19:33.699 --> 00:19:34.939 Are you loving them? 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:37.299 Or are you not? 00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:41.180 If for some reason you don't think you are, 00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:42.200 do you know what you need the most? 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:45.039 You need to experience 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.700 the love of God in Christ Jesus. 00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:50.899 You need to become a Christian. 00:19:51.819 --> 00:19:52.879 That's what that reveals. 00:19:57.819 --> 00:19:59.980 This kind of love that we're talking about here, 00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:02.740 it's a supernatural love. 00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:06.120 We're born of God 00:20:06.120 --> 00:20:08.579 to love one another. 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:14.779 So, for us here living in the 21st century, 00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:18.180 to intentionally live for Jesus 00:20:18.180 --> 00:20:19.900 means intentionally loving 00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:22.799 those who also belong to Christ, 00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:25.400 who God has placed in our midst. 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:28.940 God's love for us 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:30.400 compels us 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:32.220 to love one another 00:20:32.220 --> 00:20:35.180 in a Christ-like fashion. 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:39.980 That's the love test. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:42.160 Now, let's look at 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:45.259 the ultimate demonstration 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:46.980 of love 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:48.360 from God 00:20:48.360 --> 00:20:50.860 that humans have ever seen. 00:20:50.859 --> 00:20:54.879 We've seen the requirement. 00:20:56.139 --> 00:20:58.000 We've had our hearts exposed. 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:00.519 Now, John, like a good pastor, 00:21:00.679 --> 00:21:01.500 points us to 00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:03.119 what God has done. 00:21:05.019 --> 00:21:06.819 We read this in verses 9 and 10. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:09.459 In this, the love of God 00:21:09.459 --> 00:21:10.919 was made manifest among us 00:21:10.919 --> 00:21:12.199 that God sent His only Son 00:21:12.199 --> 00:21:12.740 into the world 00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:14.459 so that we might live through Him. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:15.839 And this is love, 00:21:15.899 --> 00:21:16.939 not that we have loved God, 00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:18.579 but that He has loved us 00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:19.379 and sent His Son 00:21:19.380 --> 00:21:20.360 to be the propitiation 00:21:20.360 --> 00:21:21.220 for our sins. 00:21:22.260 --> 00:21:23.560 John just said, 00:21:23.880 --> 00:21:24.920 gave us the love test, 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:26.640 and he closes verse 8 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:27.320 with three words, 00:21:27.520 --> 00:21:28.260 God is love. 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:29.580 And in verses 9 and 10, 00:21:29.660 --> 00:21:29.920 he says, 00:21:30.040 --> 00:21:31.680 this is how that love 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:33.240 has been made known, 00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:35.160 how it's been revealed. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:38.000 And I want to draw your attention 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:39.720 to the word this 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:40.860 in verse 9. 00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:43.760 We read, 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.200 in this, 00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.619 this specific, 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:50.079 concrete event, 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:51.900 God, 00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:52.819 the love of God 00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:54.680 was made manifest among us. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:55.980 What is it? 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.480 That God sent His only Son 00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:00.160 into the world. 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:04.539 And this is the love of God. 00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:06.740 God's costly, 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:08.879 sacrificial commitment 00:22:08.879 --> 00:22:10.460 for our greatest good 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.900 was made manifest 00:22:11.900 --> 00:22:13.279 in His sending 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:15.960 of His only Son, 00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:17.299 His unique 00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:18.360 and exclusive 00:22:18.360 --> 00:22:19.539 Son 00:22:19.539 --> 00:22:21.160 into the world. 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:22.579 The very people 00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:23.400 who were rebelling 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:24.200 against Him, 00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:25.680 God demonstrates 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.360 His love 00:22:26.360 --> 00:22:27.140 by sending 00:22:27.140 --> 00:22:28.100 His one and only 00:22:28.100 --> 00:22:29.059 Son to them. 00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:33.860 And this demonstration 00:22:33.860 --> 00:22:36.100 is purposed. 00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:38.899 in this, 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:39.599 the love of God 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:40.319 was made manifest 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:40.819 among us 00:22:40.819 --> 00:22:41.519 that God sent 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.039 His only Son 00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:42.579 into the world. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:43.259 Why? 00:22:43.399 --> 00:22:44.039 For what reason? 00:22:44.139 --> 00:22:44.859 For what purpose? 00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:47.059 So that we might 00:22:47.059 --> 00:22:48.199 live through Him. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:50.759 God lovingly sent 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.240 His Son 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:52.099 so that we 00:22:52.099 --> 00:22:53.319 who were in darkness 00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:54.379 and in death 00:22:54.379 --> 00:22:55.719 could live 00:22:55.719 --> 00:22:56.519 for God. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.419 That we could be 00:23:00.419 --> 00:23:01.019 born of God. 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:03.139 That we could know God. 00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:04.699 That in the words 00:23:04.699 --> 00:23:05.679 of John 10.10, 00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:07.359 that Jesus came, 00:23:08.419 --> 00:23:09.439 that we might 00:23:09.439 --> 00:23:11.579 live abundantly. 00:23:12.339 --> 00:23:13.219 And that is talking 00:23:13.219 --> 00:23:14.359 about eternal life. 00:23:15.699 --> 00:23:16.559 An eternal life 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.500 that doesn't start 00:23:17.500 --> 00:23:18.480 when you die. 00:23:18.899 --> 00:23:19.959 An eternal life 00:23:19.959 --> 00:23:21.039 that starts 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.839 the moment 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:22.759 you believe 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:23.439 in Jesus. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:24.559 At the moment 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:25.559 that God 00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:26.939 awakens you 00:23:26.939 --> 00:23:28.240 to who Jesus is 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:29.099 and what He's done 00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:30.279 and you put your faith 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:30.539 in it. 00:23:30.819 --> 00:23:31.619 He moves you 00:23:31.619 --> 00:23:32.639 from a sinful, 00:23:33.159 --> 00:23:34.119 self-centered way 00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:34.579 of being 00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:36.240 and He radically, 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:37.579 graciously 00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:38.599 moves you 00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:40.539 into a God-centered 00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:41.539 way of living 00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:42.599 and it changes 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:43.419 the way you love. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:44.720 Now over here, 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:46.000 if you're self-centered, 00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.000 you're loving 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:47.799 other people 00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:50.399 usually selfishly. 00:23:51.399 --> 00:23:52.500 But when God 00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:53.000 moves you 00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:53.919 by His grace 00:23:53.919 --> 00:23:55.059 through what Jesus 00:23:55.059 --> 00:23:55.759 has done 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:57.259 and He gives you life, 00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:58.919 you are God-centered 00:23:58.919 --> 00:23:59.799 in all that you do 00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:01.379 and now I am loving 00:24:01.379 --> 00:24:02.799 people not for myself 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.399 but I'm laying down 00:24:04.399 --> 00:24:05.039 myself 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.379 to love them 00:24:06.379 --> 00:24:07.480 to Jesus. 00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:09.460 Does that make sense? 00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:13.539 This, 00:24:14.339 --> 00:24:15.379 this is the love 00:24:15.379 --> 00:24:15.839 of God 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:18.339 that He sent 00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:18.879 His Son 00:24:18.879 --> 00:24:21.879 that we may live 00:24:21.879 --> 00:24:26.119 a radical change. 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:27.899 there's another 00:24:27.899 --> 00:24:29.339 this in verse 10. 00:24:30.339 --> 00:24:31.019 And this 00:24:31.019 --> 00:24:32.379 is love. 00:24:32.659 --> 00:24:33.500 Not that we 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.439 have loved God 00:24:34.439 --> 00:24:35.479 but that He 00:24:35.479 --> 00:24:36.899 loved us 00:24:36.899 --> 00:24:37.819 and sent 00:24:37.819 --> 00:24:38.799 His Son. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:41.779 John is helping 00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:42.599 us to understand 00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:45.019 what kind of love 00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:46.159 this God loves with. 00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:47.559 And he says, 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:49.500 don't make the mistake 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.979 of trying to define love 00:24:50.979 --> 00:24:52.019 by looking at 00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:52.839 your own love 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:53.279 for God. 00:24:53.459 --> 00:24:54.399 That's not the 00:24:54.399 --> 00:24:55.000 gold standard 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:55.539 of love. 00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:58.099 the gold standard 00:24:58.099 --> 00:24:58.799 of love 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.739 is God's love 00:25:00.739 --> 00:25:02.459 for us. 00:25:03.899 --> 00:25:04.759 And again, 00:25:04.919 --> 00:25:06.099 it's in the sending 00:25:06.099 --> 00:25:07.139 of His Son. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.039 Did you notice that 00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.599 in verse 10? 00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:10.179 That He loved us 00:25:10.179 --> 00:25:11.179 and sent His Son 00:25:11.179 --> 00:25:13.359 and then we're, 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:14.719 then we're 00:25:14.719 --> 00:25:16.559 confronted with 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:17.359 a very big 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:18.500 theological word. 00:25:22.419 --> 00:25:23.239 Sent His Son 00:25:23.239 --> 00:25:24.539 to be the propitiation 00:25:24.539 --> 00:25:25.539 for our sins. 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:28.619 What does that mean? 00:25:31.219 --> 00:25:32.199 Verse 9, 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.639 God's love is demonstrated 00:25:33.639 --> 00:25:34.139 in the sending 00:25:34.139 --> 00:25:34.759 of the Son 00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:35.919 for the purpose 00:25:35.919 --> 00:25:37.219 of giving us life. 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:38.819 Verse 10, 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:40.179 God's love is demonstrated 00:25:40.179 --> 00:25:40.799 in the sending 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:41.759 of His Son 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:44.099 through the means 00:25:44.099 --> 00:25:46.379 of Jesus' death 00:25:46.379 --> 00:25:47.119 on the cross. 00:25:47.659 --> 00:25:48.439 Let me help you 00:25:48.439 --> 00:25:48.779 understand. 00:25:48.779 --> 00:25:49.779 propitiation. 00:25:49.779 --> 00:25:52.019 The word propitiation 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:54.899 is a big word 00:25:54.899 --> 00:25:56.039 that's capturing 00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:58.339 a very important idea, 00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:00.079 a very important truth. 00:26:01.299 --> 00:26:02.579 A propitiation 00:26:02.579 --> 00:26:05.079 is a sacrifice 00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:07.720 that satisfies 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:09.660 God's wrath 00:26:09.660 --> 00:26:11.379 for sin. 00:26:11.380 --> 00:26:13.880 And what John 00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:14.780 is talking about 00:26:14.780 --> 00:26:16.500 is what takes place, 00:26:16.600 --> 00:26:17.120 took place 00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:18.000 on that first 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:18.740 Good Friday. 00:26:19.740 --> 00:26:21.220 Jesus on the cross 00:26:21.220 --> 00:26:24.160 and God's wrath 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:26.420 being poured out 00:26:26.420 --> 00:26:27.380 on Him 00:26:27.380 --> 00:26:29.980 for the sin 00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:31.240 of all of those 00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:32.460 who would one day believe. 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:37.779 Jesus bore 00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:39.860 our wrath 00:26:39.860 --> 00:26:41.960 so that 00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:43.940 we could 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:44.880 live 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:46.680 for God. 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:50.360 Christ's loving 00:26:50.360 --> 00:26:51.700 cross work 00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:53.079 removed 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:54.700 God's wrath 00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.640 that was hanging 00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:57.079 over our heads 00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:58.680 for our sins 00:26:58.680 --> 00:27:01.319 and it enables us 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:02.740 to live 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:04.659 for Him 00:27:04.659 --> 00:27:05.460 now. 00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:08.559 It's because 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.319 of Jesus' 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.159 wrath 00:27:10.159 --> 00:27:11.639 satisfying death 00:27:11.639 --> 00:27:12.619 that we 00:27:12.619 --> 00:27:13.700 who are in Christ 00:27:13.700 --> 00:27:14.740 are now able 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.419 to live 00:27:15.419 --> 00:27:16.319 for God. 00:27:17.259 --> 00:27:17.519 So, 00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:19.279 here's Captain Obvious. 00:27:20.879 --> 00:27:22.500 Do you notice 00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:24.599 where John 00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:26.099 points us 00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:28.119 to show 00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:28.879 us 00:27:28.879 --> 00:27:30.419 the greatest 00:27:30.420 --> 00:27:31.320 example 00:27:31.320 --> 00:27:32.440 of God's 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:33.019 love 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:33.980 known to man? 00:27:34.300 --> 00:27:34.779 Where does 00:27:34.779 --> 00:27:35.460 He point us? 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:38.160 He points us 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:38.700 to God 00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.900 sending His Son 00:27:39.900 --> 00:27:40.880 to die 00:27:40.880 --> 00:27:41.460 on the cross 00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:42.060 for sinners 00:27:42.060 --> 00:27:42.940 so that 00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:43.580 we can live 00:27:43.580 --> 00:27:43.980 for God. 00:27:44.060 --> 00:27:44.320 You know, 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.519 there's another way 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:46.420 to describe that? 00:27:47.700 --> 00:27:48.740 The gospel. 00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:52.019 The good news 00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:54.400 that God 00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:55.240 sent His 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:56.080 one and only 00:27:56.080 --> 00:27:56.500 Son 00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:57.420 to die 00:27:57.420 --> 00:27:58.100 for sinners 00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:58.800 so that 00:27:58.800 --> 00:27:59.440 we can sin. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:00.259 and here's 00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:00.820 the point. 00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:02.720 John's just 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:03.420 not showing 00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:04.299 us this 00:28:04.299 --> 00:28:04.900 so that we 00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:05.240 can have 00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.620 a working 00:28:05.620 --> 00:28:06.140 definition 00:28:06.140 --> 00:28:07.000 of propitiation. 00:28:08.840 --> 00:28:09.100 God, 00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:09.799 John is 00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:11.059 showing us 00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:11.940 this demonstration 00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:12.740 of love 00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:14.640 to motivate 00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:15.080 us. 00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:17.640 To motivate 00:28:17.640 --> 00:28:17.940 us. 00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:18.380 Look at 00:28:18.380 --> 00:28:19.080 verse 11. 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:22.259 Beloved, 00:28:22.360 --> 00:28:22.820 if God 00:28:22.820 --> 00:28:23.700 so loved 00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:24.220 us 00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:25.480 that He 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.180 would send 00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.079 His Son 00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:28.240 to die 00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.120 in the place 00:28:29.120 --> 00:28:29.640 of sinners 00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:30.220 so that 00:28:30.220 --> 00:28:30.559 they could 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:30.860 live, 00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:31.759 if God 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:32.680 loves us 00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:34.039 that much, 00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:35.180 we also 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:35.799 ought to 00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:36.480 love one 00:28:36.480 --> 00:28:36.819 another. 00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:38.440 This is 00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:39.200 the love 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:40.120 cause and 00:28:40.120 --> 00:28:40.500 effect. 00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.079 You could 00:28:41.079 --> 00:28:41.860 also call it 00:28:41.860 --> 00:28:42.720 the gospel 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.620 cause and 00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:43.980 effect. 00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:45.240 It is a 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:46.240 chain reaction 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:47.200 of God's 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:48.059 love that 00:28:48.059 --> 00:28:49.100 He initiates 00:28:49.100 --> 00:28:49.940 in us 00:28:49.940 --> 00:28:50.660 and that 00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:51.799 we can't 00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:52.680 help but 00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:53.320 love one 00:28:53.320 --> 00:28:54.180 another because 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:54.620 we've been 00:28:54.620 --> 00:28:55.120 radically 00:28:55.120 --> 00:28:55.779 changed. 00:28:58.120 --> 00:28:58.880 Cause 00:28:58.880 --> 00:28:59.980 and 00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:00.580 effect. 00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:03.580 Do we 00:29:03.580 --> 00:29:03.900 have any 00:29:03.900 --> 00:29:04.480 Fixer Upper 00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:05.080 fans in the 00:29:05.080 --> 00:29:05.299 house? 00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.580 Chip and 00:29:07.580 --> 00:29:08.720 Joanna? 00:29:09.460 --> 00:29:09.920 Gaines? 00:29:11.100 --> 00:29:11.539 Magnolia? 00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:12.600 Whatever? 00:29:14.600 --> 00:29:15.820 They flip 00:29:15.820 --> 00:29:16.160 houses. 00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:18.580 And what 00:29:18.580 --> 00:29:19.299 they do is 00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:19.680 at the 00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:20.080 beginning of 00:29:20.080 --> 00:29:20.660 the show 00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.900 there are 00:29:21.900 --> 00:29:22.400 these before 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:23.160 pictures of 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:23.940 these dumps 00:29:23.940 --> 00:29:26.680 and they 00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:27.519 get involved 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:29.019 and they 00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:29.519 turn a 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:29.900 dump 00:29:29.900 --> 00:29:31.700 into this 00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:32.580 glorious 00:29:32.580 --> 00:29:34.299 piece of 00:29:34.299 --> 00:29:34.920 real estate. 00:29:36.340 --> 00:29:37.039 There's 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:38.120 this cause 00:29:38.120 --> 00:29:39.900 Magnolia 00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:40.799 real estate 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:41.620 properties, 00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:42.279 Chip and 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:42.980 Joanna Gaines, 00:29:43.140 --> 00:29:44.240 that comes 00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:45.019 in and 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.680 completely 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:47.000 flips this 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:47.500 house. 00:29:48.100 --> 00:29:48.580 And the 00:29:48.580 --> 00:29:49.200 effect, 00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:50.299 is a 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:51.100 whole new 00:29:51.100 --> 00:29:51.700 building. 00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:54.299 Here's the 00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:54.640 cause and 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:55.120 effect of 00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:55.600 the gospel. 00:29:56.560 --> 00:29:57.180 God 00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:58.799 comes in 00:29:58.799 --> 00:29:59.759 with his 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.240 love, 00:30:00.660 --> 00:30:01.279 demonstrated 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:02.340 in Christ, 00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:03.420 that takes 00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.000 away our 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:04.799 sin and 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:05.320 gives us 00:30:05.320 --> 00:30:05.940 new life 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:06.620 and he 00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.420 radically 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:08.299 reorients 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:08.680 us. 00:30:09.160 --> 00:30:09.980 He radically 00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:10.500 changes. 00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:12.440 He loves 00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:13.860 us so 00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:14.519 much. 00:30:14.519 --> 00:30:15.519 love. 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:15.539 It is a 00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:16.180 gospel 00:30:16.180 --> 00:30:17.099 causation 00:30:17.099 --> 00:30:18.200 of love 00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:19.259 and that 00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:20.139 cause 00:30:20.139 --> 00:30:21.500 impacts us 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:22.259 to such a 00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:22.839 good degree 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:24.519 we must 00:30:24.519 --> 00:30:25.240 love other 00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:25.639 people. 00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:28.059 We've been 00:30:28.059 --> 00:30:28.660 radically 00:30:28.660 --> 00:30:29.359 changed. 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:31.900 God's love 00:30:31.900 --> 00:30:32.940 for us 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:34.579 compels us 00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:36.000 to love 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:36.639 other 00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.299 Christians 00:30:37.299 --> 00:30:38.319 cause 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:39.460 God's love 00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:40.139 effect. 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:41.040 we love 00:30:41.040 --> 00:30:41.500 others. 00:30:41.820 --> 00:30:42.100 Think about 00:30:42.100 --> 00:30:42.340 it this 00:30:42.340 --> 00:30:42.660 way. 00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:44.500 God's love 00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:45.100 is a 00:30:45.100 --> 00:30:45.480 vertical 00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:46.500 love that 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.420 impacts us 00:30:47.420 --> 00:30:48.240 internally 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.640 and the 00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:50.220 result, 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:50.940 the effect 00:30:50.940 --> 00:30:52.140 is our 00:30:52.140 --> 00:30:52.900 love goes 00:30:52.900 --> 00:30:54.140 horizontal and 00:30:54.140 --> 00:30:54.520 has an 00:30:54.520 --> 00:30:54.860 external 00:30:54.860 --> 00:30:55.320 effect. 00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:58.700 here's what 00:30:58.700 --> 00:30:59.379 John is 00:30:59.379 --> 00:30:59.839 helping us 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:00.079 see. 00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:01.480 He's 00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:01.839 showing us 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:02.139 how to 00:31:02.139 --> 00:31:02.439 love. 00:31:04.059 --> 00:31:04.359 Okay, 00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:04.939 so raise 00:31:04.939 --> 00:31:05.220 your hand 00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:05.480 if you 00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:06.019 know a 00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:06.279 Christian 00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:06.919 that is 00:31:06.919 --> 00:31:07.500 difficult to 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:07.939 love. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:08.259 Oh, 00:31:08.319 --> 00:31:08.759 we're all 00:31:08.759 --> 00:31:09.079 there. 00:31:10.159 --> 00:31:10.659 How do 00:31:10.659 --> 00:31:11.039 you love 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:11.359 them? 00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:12.980 John's 00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:13.439 showing us 00:31:13.439 --> 00:31:13.639 how. 00:31:14.879 --> 00:31:15.460 You don't 00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:15.839 turn to 00:31:15.839 --> 00:31:16.259 yourself 00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:16.700 first. 00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:18.220 You don't 00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:19.079 start doing 00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:19.639 all sorts 00:31:19.639 --> 00:31:20.700 of observations 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:21.919 and lists 00:31:21.919 --> 00:31:22.299 of how 00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:22.679 difficult 00:31:22.679 --> 00:31:23.240 this person 00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:23.599 is to 00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:23.859 love. 00:31:24.339 --> 00:31:25.000 The place 00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:25.480 that you 00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:26.140 start in 00:31:26.140 --> 00:31:26.519 order to 00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:26.740 love 00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:27.240 somebody 00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:28.519 is with 00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:29.059 God's 00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:29.519 love for 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:29.819 you. 00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:32.660 When you 00:31:32.660 --> 00:31:34.519 realize how 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:35.940 much God 00:31:35.940 --> 00:31:36.619 has loved 00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.119 you, 00:31:38.259 --> 00:31:39.299 it compels 00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:39.579 you to 00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:39.940 love other 00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:40.339 people, 00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:42.240 even when 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:42.480 it gets 00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:42.839 messy. 00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:44.859 Let me 00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:45.160 read you 00:31:45.160 --> 00:31:45.680 something from 00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:46.140 this book. 00:31:46.220 --> 00:31:46.759 It's a 00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.539 gospel primer 00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.079 by Milton 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:48.440 Vincent. 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:50.160 He says 00:31:50.160 --> 00:31:50.500 it this 00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:50.779 way, 00:31:51.859 --> 00:31:52.839 when my 00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.339 mind is 00:31:53.339 --> 00:31:53.779 fixed on 00:31:53.779 --> 00:31:54.299 the gospel, 00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:55.119 I have 00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:55.659 ample 00:31:55.659 --> 00:31:56.480 stimulation 00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:57.059 to show 00:31:57.059 --> 00:31:57.460 God's 00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:57.819 love to 00:31:57.819 --> 00:31:58.059 other 00:31:58.059 --> 00:31:58.440 people. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:31:59.440 For I 00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:00.399 am always 00:32:00.399 --> 00:32:01.299 willing to 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:02.099 show love 00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:02.799 to others 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:03.680 when I 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:04.619 am freshly 00:32:04.619 --> 00:32:06.460 mindful of 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.079 the love 00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:07.759 that God 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:08.460 has shown 00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:08.919 me. 00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:10.359 You want 00:32:10.359 --> 00:32:10.519 to know 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:10.740 how to 00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:11.039 love other 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:11.379 people? 00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:14.559 Dwell on 00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:15.039 God's love 00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:15.440 for you. 00:32:17.180 --> 00:32:17.960 That love 00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:18.579 demonstrated 00:32:18.579 --> 00:32:19.379 most clearly 00:32:19.380 --> 00:32:20.020 in Jesus 00:32:20.020 --> 00:32:20.580 Christ. 00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:22.600 So let 00:32:22.600 --> 00:32:23.600 me press 00:32:23.600 --> 00:32:24.000 this a 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:24.120 little 00:32:24.120 --> 00:32:24.540 further. 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:26.040 When you 00:32:26.040 --> 00:32:26.560 think about 00:32:26.560 --> 00:32:27.620 God's love 00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:28.020 for you 00:32:28.020 --> 00:32:28.940 that initiated 00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:29.920 towards you, 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:31.380 1 John 4 00:32:31.380 --> 00:32:32.080 19 says 00:32:32.080 --> 00:32:32.500 we love 00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:32.900 because he 00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:33.400 first loved 00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:33.760 us. 00:32:34.380 --> 00:32:35.020 The chain 00:32:35.020 --> 00:32:35.520 reaction 00:32:35.520 --> 00:32:36.160 started with 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:36.660 God loving 00:32:36.660 --> 00:32:37.020 us. 00:32:39.020 --> 00:32:39.540 God's 00:32:39.540 --> 00:32:40.600 love for 00:32:40.600 --> 00:32:41.360 us that 00:32:41.360 --> 00:32:42.040 initiated 00:32:42.040 --> 00:32:43.160 towards us 00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:44.520 compels us 00:32:44.520 --> 00:32:45.740 to initiate 00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:46.540 with others. 00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:47.980 I'm not 00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:48.119 going to 00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:48.339 wait for 00:32:48.339 --> 00:32:48.559 them to 00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:48.819 call me. 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.119 I'm not 00:32:50.119 --> 00:32:50.299 going to 00:32:50.299 --> 00:32:50.579 wait for 00:32:50.579 --> 00:32:50.920 them to 00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:51.740 flag me 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:52.000 down. 00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:53.619 If I'm 00:32:53.619 --> 00:32:53.859 seeing 00:32:53.859 --> 00:32:54.440 something I'm 00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:54.980 moving there. 00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:56.839 Which brings 00:32:56.839 --> 00:32:57.240 us to the 00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:57.500 next. 00:32:58.539 --> 00:32:59.339 God's love 00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:00.039 for us 00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:01.339 showed up 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:01.819 in the 00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:02.599 sending of 00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:03.099 his son. 00:33:03.639 --> 00:33:04.000 God 00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.839 crossed 00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:05.619 all sorts 00:33:05.619 --> 00:33:06.180 of boundaries 00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:07.200 in order 00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:08.139 to love 00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:08.500 you. 00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.960 Jesus came 00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:12.460 from heaven 00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.480 to earth. 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.139 He left 00:33:15.139 --> 00:33:15.759 his glory 00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:16.399 to come 00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:16.900 here. 00:33:17.900 --> 00:33:18.320 He was 00:33:18.320 --> 00:33:19.060 dwelling 00:33:19.060 --> 00:33:20.000 in his 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:20.860 spectacular 00:33:20.860 --> 00:33:22.019 glory and 00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:22.280 then he 00:33:22.280 --> 00:33:22.820 took on 00:33:22.820 --> 00:33:23.220 a seven 00:33:23.220 --> 00:33:23.759 pound baby 00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:24.180 frame. 00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:26.840 Crossed 00:33:26.840 --> 00:33:27.280 all sorts 00:33:27.280 --> 00:33:27.759 of boundaries 00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:28.820 and that 00:33:28.820 --> 00:33:29.680 sending, 00:33:29.880 --> 00:33:30.640 that crossing 00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:31.460 of boundaries 00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.940 compels us 00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:33.840 as Christians 00:33:33.840 --> 00:33:35.019 to love 00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.900 over 00:33:35.900 --> 00:33:36.800 boundaries 00:33:36.800 --> 00:33:37.640 with other 00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:38.200 Christians. 00:33:41.160 --> 00:33:42.460 To love 00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:43.880 over racial 00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:44.580 boundaries. 00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:44.759 boundaries. 00:33:45.460 --> 00:33:46.039 To love 00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:46.559 over 00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:47.379 financial 00:33:47.379 --> 00:33:48.159 boundaries, 00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:49.039 neighborhood 00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:49.720 boundaries, 00:33:50.139 --> 00:33:50.679 cultural 00:33:50.679 --> 00:33:51.339 boundaries, 00:33:51.699 --> 00:33:52.379 any kind 00:33:52.379 --> 00:33:53.019 of differences. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:54.399 God's love 00:33:54.399 --> 00:33:55.179 for me 00:33:55.179 --> 00:33:56.119 compels me 00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:56.699 to move 00:33:56.699 --> 00:33:57.240 through the 00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:57.720 barriers. 00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:57.860 others. 00:34:03.860 --> 00:34:04.700 God's love 00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:05.360 initiates, 00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:05.799 so I 00:34:05.799 --> 00:34:06.140 initiate. 00:34:06.360 --> 00:34:06.940 God's love 00:34:06.940 --> 00:34:08.000 moves towards 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:08.340 others, 00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:08.780 so I 00:34:08.780 --> 00:34:09.280 move towards 00:34:09.280 --> 00:34:09.619 others. 00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:11.079 God's love 00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:11.920 sought my 00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:12.820 greatest good 00:34:12.820 --> 00:34:13.420 to give me 00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.019 life in 00:34:14.019 --> 00:34:14.440 Christ, 00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:15.579 so now I 00:34:15.579 --> 00:34:16.159 am going to 00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:16.840 love other 00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:18.420 people for 00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:19.119 their greatest 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:19.960 good that 00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:20.380 they would 00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:21.059 live in 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.480 Christ. 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:21.579 Christ. 00:34:26.579 --> 00:34:27.519 And of 00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:27.960 course that 00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:28.380 comes at 00:34:28.380 --> 00:34:28.860 cost. 00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:29.980 God's love 00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:31.219 for us 00:34:31.219 --> 00:34:32.199 to live 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:33.480 for Christ 00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:34.800 came at 00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:35.440 cost. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:36.740 He laid 00:34:36.740 --> 00:34:37.440 down his 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.159 own life 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:39.039 in order for 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:39.360 that to 00:34:39.360 --> 00:34:39.639 happen. 00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:42.380 So we 00:34:42.380 --> 00:34:42.860 lay down 00:34:42.860 --> 00:34:43.539 our lives 00:34:43.539 --> 00:34:45.460 to love 00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:45.960 other brothers 00:34:45.960 --> 00:34:46.559 and sisters 00:34:46.559 --> 00:34:48.079 for their 00:34:48.079 --> 00:34:48.400 greatest 00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:48.719 good. 00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:51.000 could you 00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:51.819 imagine what 00:34:51.819 --> 00:34:52.419 happens in 00:34:52.419 --> 00:34:52.879 a church 00:34:52.879 --> 00:34:53.379 when a 00:34:53.379 --> 00:34:53.939 church starts 00:34:53.939 --> 00:34:54.500 loving one 00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:54.959 another like 00:34:54.959 --> 00:34:55.259 this? 00:34:57.359 --> 00:34:58.119 What's going 00:34:58.119 --> 00:34:58.679 on there? 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.419 God's love? 00:35:04.859 --> 00:35:05.559 God's love 00:35:05.559 --> 00:35:06.159 taking root? 00:35:06.659 --> 00:35:07.099 God's love 00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:07.739 making a 00:35:07.739 --> 00:35:08.179 difference? 00:35:08.959 --> 00:35:09.579 God's love 00:35:09.579 --> 00:35:10.279 compelling us 00:35:10.279 --> 00:35:10.779 to love one 00:35:10.779 --> 00:35:11.039 another? 00:35:11.719 --> 00:35:12.539 I hope you 00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:13.399 see that there 00:35:13.399 --> 00:35:14.259 is no room 00:35:14.259 --> 00:35:14.699 here for 00:35:14.699 --> 00:35:15.599 self-reliance. 00:35:16.559 --> 00:35:17.059 There's no 00:35:17.059 --> 00:35:18.419 room here for 00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:19.139 trusting in 00:35:19.139 --> 00:35:20.099 myself and 00:35:20.099 --> 00:35:20.519 loving of 00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:21.059 other people. 00:35:21.680 --> 00:35:22.539 We look to 00:35:22.539 --> 00:35:23.900 our God and 00:35:23.900 --> 00:35:24.619 we experience 00:35:24.619 --> 00:35:26.159 his love in 00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:26.760 order to love 00:35:26.760 --> 00:35:27.180 others. 00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:27.740 And that brings 00:35:27.740 --> 00:35:28.180 us to the 00:35:28.180 --> 00:35:28.820 loving result. 00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:30.119 We've seen the 00:35:30.119 --> 00:35:30.880 cause and effect. 00:35:31.220 --> 00:35:31.960 Now let's look 00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:32.400 at the loving 00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:33.039 result in 00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:33.860 verse 12. 00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.099 No one has 00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:36.559 ever seen 00:35:36.559 --> 00:35:36.880 God. 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:37.940 If we love 00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:38.380 one another, 00:35:38.500 --> 00:35:39.200 God abides in 00:35:39.200 --> 00:35:39.780 us and his 00:35:39.780 --> 00:35:40.680 love is perfected 00:35:40.680 --> 00:35:41.039 in us. 00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:43.180 No one has 00:35:43.180 --> 00:35:43.639 ever seen 00:35:43.639 --> 00:35:43.800 God. 00:35:43.840 --> 00:35:44.119 He's talking 00:35:44.119 --> 00:35:44.460 about God 00:35:44.460 --> 00:35:44.920 the Father. 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:45.940 God the 00:35:45.940 --> 00:35:46.599 Father dwells 00:35:46.599 --> 00:35:47.440 in inapproachable 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:47.740 light. 00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:48.300 Nobody has 00:35:48.300 --> 00:35:48.760 ever seen 00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:48.900 him. 00:35:49.200 --> 00:35:49.700 But then he 00:35:49.700 --> 00:35:50.139 says something 00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:50.780 very interesting. 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:52.159 If we love 00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:52.679 one another, 00:35:53.800 --> 00:35:54.500 God abides 00:35:54.500 --> 00:35:54.920 in us. 00:35:56.240 --> 00:35:57.480 It evidences 00:35:57.480 --> 00:35:59.240 God's presence 00:35:59.240 --> 00:36:00.059 in us. 00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:01.519 When God is 00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:02.159 dwelling in a 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:03.840 people, he is 00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:04.800 going to compel 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:05.519 his people to 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.200 love one another. 00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:08.119 It's evidence 00:36:08.119 --> 00:36:09.579 of the unseen 00:36:09.579 --> 00:36:10.900 God dwelling in 00:36:10.900 --> 00:36:11.360 his people. 00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:12.360 love one another. 00:36:12.360 --> 00:36:14.180 And then look 00:36:14.180 --> 00:36:15.039 at the result. 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:17.860 And his love 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:18.620 is perfected 00:36:18.620 --> 00:36:19.000 in us. 00:36:19.240 --> 00:36:19.960 Don't miss 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:21.260 the language. 00:36:22.200 --> 00:36:23.300 And his 00:36:23.300 --> 00:36:25.440 love is 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:26.660 perfected 00:36:26.660 --> 00:36:27.519 in 00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:28.700 us. 00:36:29.980 --> 00:36:31.079 When we love 00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:31.599 each other with 00:36:31.599 --> 00:36:32.200 a Christ-like 00:36:32.200 --> 00:36:33.380 love, not only 00:36:33.380 --> 00:36:34.380 does it evidence 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:35.280 that God is 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:36.380 present in 00:36:36.380 --> 00:36:37.059 our midst, 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:39.120 his love is 00:36:39.120 --> 00:36:40.340 being perfected 00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:41.140 in us. 00:36:41.980 --> 00:36:42.460 And that word 00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:43.360 perfected, think 00:36:43.360 --> 00:36:43.840 about it as 00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:45.019 fulfilled or 00:36:45.019 --> 00:36:45.720 complete. 00:36:46.680 --> 00:36:47.340 It's the 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:48.120 completing of a 00:36:48.120 --> 00:36:48.500 circuit. 00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:49.840 Here's another 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:50.340 way to think 00:36:50.340 --> 00:36:50.820 about it. 00:36:51.500 --> 00:36:52.420 God's love 00:36:52.420 --> 00:36:53.579 for us is 00:36:53.579 --> 00:36:54.400 incomplete 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.700 until we 00:36:55.700 --> 00:36:56.760 love others. 00:36:58.840 --> 00:36:59.740 It's a 00:36:59.740 --> 00:37:01.320 potent love. 00:37:02.660 --> 00:37:03.800 It's intended 00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:05.300 to come 00:37:05.300 --> 00:37:06.820 vertically 00:37:06.820 --> 00:37:08.280 and then go 00:37:08.280 --> 00:37:08.920 horizontally. 00:37:10.340 --> 00:37:12.620 you want to 00:37:12.620 --> 00:37:13.059 know a really 00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:13.660 cool thought? 00:37:15.660 --> 00:37:18.120 God loves 00:37:18.120 --> 00:37:19.240 us 00:37:19.240 --> 00:37:20.640 through 00:37:20.640 --> 00:37:22.280 one another. 00:37:23.720 --> 00:37:24.960 His love 00:37:24.960 --> 00:37:26.840 is perfected 00:37:26.840 --> 00:37:27.240 in us. 00:37:28.920 --> 00:37:29.400 So, 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:31.640 could you 00:37:31.640 --> 00:37:32.320 imagine 00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:33.600 this? 00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:35.739 God 00:37:35.739 --> 00:37:36.500 intends 00:37:36.500 --> 00:37:37.339 in our 00:37:37.339 --> 00:37:37.839 church 00:37:37.839 --> 00:37:39.219 to use 00:37:39.219 --> 00:37:39.699 the brothers 00:37:39.699 --> 00:37:40.400 and sisters 00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:41.239 in this 00:37:41.239 --> 00:37:41.799 church 00:37:41.799 --> 00:37:43.119 to 00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:44.779 communicate 00:37:44.779 --> 00:37:46.420 his love 00:37:46.420 --> 00:37:47.000 for 00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:48.599 each other. 00:37:49.319 --> 00:37:49.860 God 00:37:49.860 --> 00:37:50.579 intends to 00:37:50.579 --> 00:37:51.319 use us 00:37:51.319 --> 00:37:51.920 that way. 00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:53.480 He wants 00:37:53.480 --> 00:37:54.000 to use 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:54.759 me 00:37:54.759 --> 00:37:55.799 and others 00:37:55.799 --> 00:37:56.440 in your 00:37:56.440 --> 00:37:56.819 life 00:37:56.819 --> 00:37:57.519 to communicate 00:37:57.519 --> 00:37:58.079 his love 00:37:58.079 --> 00:37:58.759 for you 00:37:58.759 --> 00:37:59.900 in Christ. 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:02.099 But it 00:38:02.099 --> 00:38:02.599 also means 00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:03.000 this. 00:38:04.860 --> 00:38:05.679 He wants 00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:06.099 to use 00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:06.440 you. 00:38:08.279 --> 00:38:09.139 He wants 00:38:09.139 --> 00:38:09.679 to use 00:38:09.679 --> 00:38:10.299 you 00:38:10.299 --> 00:38:11.739 to 00:38:11.739 --> 00:38:12.539 communicate 00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:13.699 his love 00:38:13.699 --> 00:38:15.420 to other 00:38:15.420 --> 00:38:16.039 brothers and 00:38:16.039 --> 00:38:16.579 sisters in 00:38:16.579 --> 00:38:17.139 the church. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:20.880 His love 00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:21.299 is 00:38:21.299 --> 00:38:22.960 perfected 00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:23.400 in us. 00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:27.579 and it's 00:38:27.579 --> 00:38:27.960 a powerful 00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:28.420 witness. 00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:30.280 Back to 00:38:30.280 --> 00:38:30.880 John 13 00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:31.320 35. 00:38:33.800 --> 00:38:34.559 Our love 00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:34.920 for one 00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:35.260 another, 00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.660 it displays 00:38:37.660 --> 00:38:38.420 Jesus in a 00:38:38.420 --> 00:38:38.940 unique way. 00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:41.099 It gets 00:38:41.099 --> 00:38:41.800 around this, 00:38:41.860 --> 00:38:42.340 hey, you 00:38:42.340 --> 00:38:42.559 know what, 00:38:42.579 --> 00:38:42.920 I'll take 00:38:42.920 --> 00:38:43.500 Jesus, but 00:38:43.500 --> 00:38:43.780 you can 00:38:43.780 --> 00:38:44.320 just keep 00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:44.599 all the 00:38:44.599 --> 00:38:44.800 other 00:38:44.800 --> 00:38:45.160 Christians. 00:38:47.660 --> 00:38:48.139 No, 00:38:49.000 --> 00:38:49.500 our love 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:49.820 for one 00:38:49.820 --> 00:38:50.500 another is 00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:51.480 a strong 00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:52.300 apologetic 00:38:52.300 --> 00:38:52.920 against that. 00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:56.160 let's wrap 00:38:56.160 --> 00:38:56.579 this thing 00:38:56.579 --> 00:38:56.840 up. 00:38:58.559 --> 00:38:59.380 We started 00:38:59.380 --> 00:39:00.240 by asking 00:39:00.240 --> 00:39:00.840 the question, 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:02.079 hey, do 00:39:02.079 --> 00:39:02.639 you as a 00:39:02.639 --> 00:39:03.119 Christian have 00:39:03.119 --> 00:39:04.059 difficulty loving 00:39:04.059 --> 00:39:04.800 other Christians? 00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:05.220 You're like, 00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:06.019 yes, we do. 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:06.940 And then I 00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:07.760 asked, okay, 00:39:08.139 --> 00:39:08.760 are there 00:39:08.760 --> 00:39:09.579 Christians that 00:39:09.579 --> 00:39:10.160 probably have 00:39:10.160 --> 00:39:10.880 difficulty loving 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:11.220 you? 00:39:11.340 --> 00:39:11.720 And you're like, 00:39:11.720 --> 00:39:12.000 yes. 00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:15.099 And then we're 00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:15.840 like, do we all 00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:16.360 need help? 00:39:16.720 --> 00:39:17.500 Yes, we all 00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:18.079 need help loving 00:39:18.079 --> 00:39:18.579 one another. 00:39:18.579 --> 00:39:20.579 Lord, and 00:39:20.579 --> 00:39:20.920 here's the 00:39:20.920 --> 00:39:21.360 good news. 00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:24.019 God's love 00:39:24.019 --> 00:39:24.539 for us in 00:39:24.539 --> 00:39:26.619 Christ is 00:39:26.619 --> 00:39:27.199 the help. 00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.519 It's the 00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:31.480 love with 00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:31.920 which we 00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:32.319 love one 00:39:32.319 --> 00:39:32.619 another. 00:39:33.819 --> 00:39:34.940 It's God's 00:39:34.940 --> 00:39:36.039 love for 00:39:36.039 --> 00:39:37.119 us, compelling 00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:39.340 us to love 00:39:39.340 --> 00:39:39.799 one another. 00:39:40.739 --> 00:39:42.860 So maybe the 00:39:42.860 --> 00:39:44.659 response is you 00:39:44.659 --> 00:39:45.619 realize you 00:39:45.619 --> 00:39:46.559 don't love God's 00:39:46.559 --> 00:39:47.400 people and it 00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:47.940 just shows that 00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:48.280 you're not a 00:39:48.280 --> 00:39:48.480 Christian. 00:39:48.700 --> 00:39:49.119 You just need 00:39:49.119 --> 00:39:49.539 to become a 00:39:49.539 --> 00:39:49.820 Christian. 00:39:50.780 --> 00:39:51.260 Put your faith 00:39:51.260 --> 00:39:51.700 in Jesus. 00:39:52.099 --> 00:39:52.539 Turn from your 00:39:52.539 --> 00:39:52.780 sin. 00:39:54.099 --> 00:39:54.820 Or maybe this 00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:55.639 means confession. 00:39:55.800 --> 00:39:56.420 You realize you 00:39:56.420 --> 00:39:56.940 are a Christian 00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:57.460 but you've been 00:39:57.460 --> 00:39:58.659 avoiding other 00:39:58.659 --> 00:39:59.240 Christians because 00:39:59.240 --> 00:40:00.039 they're a mess and 00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:00.420 you don't want to 00:40:00.420 --> 00:40:00.960 deal with them. 00:40:01.720 --> 00:40:02.360 It's not loving. 00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:05.380 Maybe it means 00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:06.440 seeking someone's 00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:06.820 forgiveness. 00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:08.119 Maybe it means 00:40:08.119 --> 00:40:09.340 giving someone 00:40:09.340 --> 00:40:09.900 forgiveness. 00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:11.240 Maybe it means 00:40:11.240 --> 00:40:12.240 visiting someone 00:40:12.240 --> 00:40:12.820 who's going through 00:40:12.820 --> 00:40:13.960 hard times and 00:40:13.960 --> 00:40:14.559 dealing with the 00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:15.260 inconvenience and 00:40:15.260 --> 00:40:16.039 discomfort of that. 00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:17.320 Maybe it means 00:40:17.320 --> 00:40:21.960 simply loving 00:40:21.960 --> 00:40:22.680 people with your 00:40:22.680 --> 00:40:23.180 ears. 00:40:25.180 --> 00:40:25.840 Listening to 00:40:25.840 --> 00:40:26.180 people. 00:40:27.580 --> 00:40:28.340 Hearing them 00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:28.940 out. 00:40:30.539 --> 00:40:31.580 Understanding one 00:40:31.580 --> 00:40:31.880 another. 00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:34.240 And that 00:40:34.240 --> 00:40:35.240 positions you to 00:40:35.240 --> 00:40:36.620 speak a timely 00:40:36.620 --> 00:40:38.120 word from God 00:40:38.120 --> 00:40:39.660 out of love for 00:40:39.660 --> 00:40:40.420 your brother or 00:40:40.420 --> 00:40:40.680 sister. 00:40:40.679 --> 00:40:45.259 there's some of 00:40:45.259 --> 00:40:45.899 you in here that 00:40:45.899 --> 00:40:46.399 may be in the 00:40:46.399 --> 00:40:47.139 category of you 00:40:47.139 --> 00:40:47.960 know what there's 00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:48.879 someone I know I'm 00:40:48.879 --> 00:40:50.059 supposed to love but 00:40:50.059 --> 00:40:51.199 I don't want to 00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:51.819 love them. 00:40:53.899 --> 00:40:54.739 Here's what I would 00:40:54.739 --> 00:40:55.500 encourage you to do. 00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:57.759 Go to your God. 00:40:59.819 --> 00:41:01.279 Ask him to remind 00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:02.460 you to show you of 00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:03.860 his great love for 00:41:03.860 --> 00:41:04.200 you. 00:41:06.519 --> 00:41:07.480 And ask him to 00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:08.460 tenderize your heart 00:41:08.460 --> 00:41:09.220 towards your brother 00:41:09.220 --> 00:41:10.019 or sister that you 00:41:10.019 --> 00:41:10.440 don't want to have 00:41:10.440 --> 00:41:11.080 anything to do with. 00:41:14.519 --> 00:41:16.080 A 21st century of 00:41:16.080 --> 00:41:16.960 Jesus Christ 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:19.220 lives 00:41:19.220 --> 00:41:22.180 out every area of 00:41:22.180 --> 00:41:23.060 their life for 00:41:23.060 --> 00:41:23.500 Christ. 00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:26.260 And that includes 00:41:26.260 --> 00:41:27.960 loving other 00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:28.400 Christians. 00:41:28.400 --> 00:41:28.599 Christians. 00:41:29.320 --> 00:41:30.900 It's not optional. 00:41:32.500 --> 00:41:33.760 It's part of 00:41:33.760 --> 00:41:34.579 living for Jesus. 00:41:35.680 --> 00:41:36.420 Let's pray. 00:41:38.200 --> 00:41:39.280 God in heaven we do 00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:40.180 thank you so much for 00:41:40.180 --> 00:41:41.579 your word and we 00:41:41.579 --> 00:41:42.539 recognize that your 00:41:42.539 --> 00:41:43.660 word calls us to 00:41:43.660 --> 00:41:44.539 things that we in 00:41:44.539 --> 00:41:46.019 of ourselves sometimes 00:41:46.019 --> 00:41:47.059 don't want to do or 00:41:47.059 --> 00:41:47.900 don't feel like we can 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:48.119 do. 00:41:49.240 --> 00:41:50.800 So God I do pray that 00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:51.619 you would by your 00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:53.300 spirit impress upon us 00:41:53.300 --> 00:41:54.619 your great love for us 00:41:54.619 --> 00:41:57.260 and that would move us 00:41:57.260 --> 00:41:58.260 towards others. 00:41:58.400 --> 00:41:59.720 so that we can love 00:41:59.720 --> 00:42:00.440 them in a way that 00:42:00.440 --> 00:42:02.059 honors you and for 00:42:02.059 --> 00:42:02.500 their good. 00:42:02.579 --> 00:42:03.539 In Jesus name we pray. 00:42:04.139 --> 00:42:04.440 Amen. 00:42:04.440 --> 00:42:04.579 Amen. 00:42:04.579 --> 00:42:04.639 Amen. 00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:04.660 Amen. 00:42:04.660 --> 00:42:04.680 Amen. 00:42:04.680 --> 00:42:04.720 Amen. 00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:04.760 Amen. 00:42:04.760 --> 00:42:04.780 Amen. 00:42:04.780 --> 00:42:04.800 Amen. 00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:04.860 Amen. 00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:06.579 Amen. 00:42:06.579 --> 00:42:06.639 Amen. 00:42:06.639 --> 00:42:06.720 Amen. 00:42:06.720 --> 00:42:06.760 Amen. 00:42:06.760 --> 00:42:06.800 Amen. 00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:06.860 Amen. 00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:06.900 Amen. 00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:06.940 Amen.