Love in Deed

1 John 3:11-24
ESV pg. 1022

1.  Introduction: Bethel in transition

  1. Changes in staff always means some sort of change, but what?
  2. The elder board has been prayerfully asking this question for months!
  3. God is good, and God is in control, and God loves this church, so there is no need to be anxious!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7)

  1. Our current attendance trend is downward.
  2. From 719 in 2013 to 560 this year, we’ve decreased 22%
  3. The natural trend of a church following Christ should be up!
  4. Church should be a place where we find delight and life: Jesus said

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29 ESV)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV)

  1. We’re looking for the reason why the life of Christ is not overwhelmingly present and appealing in our congregation.

2.  Love vs. Murder (vv. 11-15)

  1. John is encouraging steadfast believers that they belong to Christ, even as others have been departing their church.
  2. The message of Christ doesn’t change: love God, love others.
  3. Cain was a murderer because Abel’s righteousness made his guilt more evident.
  4. To hate righteous people is to reveal the same kind of heart that led to the first murderer.

3.  The example of Christ (v. 16-18)

  1. Love is why Jesus sacrificed himself to death.
  2. When we truly understand and receive this, how can it not cause us to want to love in the same way?
  3. If Christ gave up his life for his enemies, if we can’t even give up our stuff for our brothers, how could we think his love lives in us?
  4. John’s charge: put your money where your mouth is. Live the love you claim to have.

4.  How to have confidence before God (v. 19-22)

  1. This passage is confusing in English because the Greek it was translated from is confusing.
  2. ESV’s way of translating leads us to read it in one of two ways.
  3. Positive: if you feel condemned, like you don’t belong to God, know that God is kinder (or wiser) than you, and he knows your heart, so don’t worry.
  4. Contrastive: if you feel condemned, like you don’t belong to God, you should worry, because God is even more righteous that you, and he knows your motives too!
  5. This translation gives two words meanings in 1 John that don’t show up elsewhere in the Bible (“reassure” and “heart”).
  6. I think the World English Bible is probably a better translation.

“And by this we know that we are of the truth and persuade our hearts before him, because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God; and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.” (1 John 3:19–22 WEB)

  1. Thus, we understand him to be saying (in continuation with vs. 18)
  2. Love in action and truth, to prove you belong to truth. When your heart (gut, natural inclination) would condemn you (that is, have you act in ways worthy of condemnation), you need to persuade/convince your will to do what is loving.
  3. Then, once you have willfully done what is loving, you won’t worry about approaching God, because you’ll know your actions prove that you belong to him!
  4. Regardless of which one is more true to John’s intent, both indicate that the surest way to know that you belong to God is simply to put actions to the “love” that you profess.
  5. The WEB translation simply reinforces the command to love with our actions more powerfully.

5.  When you act in love, there is no reason to doubt your salvation.

  1. Do you believe in Christ, and live like he commanded?
  2. Then the Spirit he gives is obviously at work in you.
  3. Thus you know you belong to Christ.
  4. CAUTION: actions do not save us, they merely serve as indicators of a transformed life.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV)

  1. We will have moments when our hearts (impulsive will/desires) would condemn us, and if we can force ourselves to love instead, we know that the Holy Spirit is at work in us.
  2. Having a strong will is NOT doing whatever you want.
  3. If you do whatever your flesh demands, you are weak!
  4. Someone with strength of will chooses to do what is loving even when the alternative is more appealing.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23 ESV)

6.  Want to know that you belong to Christ?

  1. Believe in Christ.
  2. Love each other.

7.  Why talk about this today?

  1. Because we as a church believe deeply, and well (this is obvious).
  2. While we love, our love is less obvious, and possibly weaker than we think.
  3. To love is to lay down your life for another: to love requires sacrifice.
  4. Quick test: what was your attitude about worship services this morning?
  5. Did you hope for engaging worship or something good to learn?
  6. Or did you hope for a chance to help or encourage someone else you would see here?
  7. If you had to evaluate the effectiveness of the sermon, would you do so based on what it did for you personally, for all the people worshipping here?
  8. The bigger (and thus the more anonymous) our church becomes, the more intentional we must be in order to cultivate love.
  9. Experts claim healthy churches cannot grow past 800 without having dominant and strong small groups where love can be practiced and enjoyed.
  10. This is why we’re looking to hire a “Community Pastor” here.
  11. The end goal is for that love to spill out.
  12. “Missional” living means we see ourselves as sent to bring the love and joy of Christ into the world.
  13. You can’t do this in your spare time or with your extra money.
  14. Will you give up your life for your brothers and sisters, for the lost who Christ loves?

8.  Join with us in making the reputation of Bethel church to be John 13:35! “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

For Next Week

Read:

The book of Acts! (Keep reading in preparation for this fall)

Consider:

How does the early church grow?

What challenges do they face?

What do you think your life would be like if Jesus had just ascended to heaven and Bethel was the first local church ever?