FOLLOWING THE LOVE OF JESUS

Introduction

[For Sure: 1 John]

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.” - 1 John 5:1

Today we’re going to see how Jesus is our ultimate example of love and we’re commanded by God to follow his loving example. This is not the first time John has brought this subject up, but this time from a different angle.

Read 1 John 3:11-24

[Prayer - Hampton Roads Fellowship/Miguel Davilla]

Love like Jesus

[Double Back by Flame]

What is this song about?

What are some examples of love you heard in the song?

So, God is telling us through the Spirit that we should love each other like Jesus loved us.

Read 1 John 3:11

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” - John 15:12

The message of 1 John is those who have been truly saved and gripped by the cross of Jesus will love each other. Genuine love should be what the church is known for. “And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.” - 1 John 5:1

#1 What love doesn’t look like

[Negative Ads]

Read 1 John 3:12-15

What is the story of Cain and Abel?

How did Cain fail to love his brother?

Murder is simply hatred, jealously and bitterness turned up all the way. Murder is like a dog with rabies let out of the cage of your heart.

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.” - Matthew 5:22-23

How does Jesus interpret one of the Ten Commandments “Do not murder?”

Read 1 John 3:17, 18

What does love not look like here?

1) No compassion 2) Empty talk

#2 What love looks like

[Alleine/Love of Churches]

Read 1 John 3:16-18

What does real love look like?

A. Laying down our lives for each other - 1 John 3:16b

Notice this is not optional for Christians. We are lovingly commanded by God to sacrifice our everyday lives for one another, because this is what Jesus did for us.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35

What does it look like to lay down your life for someone else?

1) Time (More than a couple hours) 2) Spiritual Gifts (Always for others)3) Material Possession (House, Car, and Money) - 1 John 3:17

Can you honestly say your laying your life down for other Christians right now?

B. Having a real concern for each other - 1 John 3:17

What would it look like to put this verse in the positive?

Are you concerned about one another?

C. Doing something - 1 John 3:18

Is your love and faith more talk, than walk?

What if we were to ask everyone else about your love?

Why don’t we love like Jesus

Now, we’re going to ask two questions why don’t we love like Jesus and how can we love like Jesus.

I think what is obvious as we walked through how we are actually to love one another is that we don’t love like this. We fall way short! But why is that?

Read 1 John 3:15

What does John say is the reason we don’t love like Jesus?

Real love for people flows out of a heart that loves Jesus. So, a lack of love is the symptom of a heart problem. We don’t love because our hearts our broken!

Heart in the Bible is the real you. It is who you are deep down in the inside. It is the place where you love, hope, trust, and worship. The word heart is used 5x in 1 John 3:17-21.

What do you think your are some of greatest problems in our community?

The Bible says biggest is your messed up, sick and twisted heart.

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” - Jeremiah 17:9

“This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.” - Ecclesiastes 9:3

[Katrina/No Cops/Unrestrained Evil]

What we like to do when we hear stuff like this is blame shift:

1) Our brains (Bi-polar/depressed/alcoholic/personality)

2) Our circumstances (Poverty/Politics/Life is hard)3) Our relationships (My parents/girlfriend/wife/husband/boss/pastor)4) Our religion (God knows my heart)

“Everybody ugly we all fell short.We all put nails in Him we all fell for it.We all strung Him up everybody hands bloody.We all took the money laughed and looked at Him funny.Everybody guilty everybody filthy.Everybody ugly everybody killed Him.Everybody lying everybody cheating.Everybody cursing everybody thieving.Everybody sneaking everybody creeping.” - Young Noah

When was the last time you prayed for someone else? When was the last time you sacrificed? How are giving of yourself to serve people in this community? Do you really want people to come to Jesus? Who are you sharing the gospel with? What would happen if God gave you all the lusts of your heart? Do you like to hear this? Why is that? We all fall way short!

How can we love like Jesus

If this is our hopeless reality because of sin, how can we love like Jesus?

[Emergency Room/Dr.]

How can our evil hearts be changed?

Read 1 John 3:16, 23

What did God for us to change us from the inside out?

Who is Jesus in 1 John?

Jesus is completely God. He was there before the world began. God created all things through him. He made us and our hearts to worship and obey him, but we loved other things more and hated one another. So, Jesus became a man to save us from our destruction. His heart was always full of love for God and love for people. He loved us so much he laid down his life so we could be free from hating one another.

It is by trusting him that our hearts are changed. It is by knowing that God loved us when we hated him and gave his son to forgive our sin that our hearts are melted with his love.

Application: Not a call to love each other more or God more, but believe and from that trust love will overflow to each other!