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Title: Two Foundations (Part Two)
I know it’s been three weeks since we were last in I John and I want to bring us back up to speed concerning the content and flow of John’s letter. Starting in chapter three, the focus of John’s letter begins a slight shift. Up until this point, the crux of John’s message has focus around our relationship with God through Christ and our confession of him.
Now, the commandment to love one another is also being accompanied by the idea that we must also love each other. In fact, the main point of our last sermon in I John was just that: to love Christ is to love your brother.
Three weeks ago we looked at the first of two foundations: That Christ commanded us to love one another. Today we will finish John’s thought by looking at the second foundation: Even though we are commanded to love our brother, our brother will often hate us in return. That is the sobering focus of today’s message. Read with me.
I. Profound Simplicity
(Read v. 12)
Why did Cain murder Abel? (Take answers)
Theologically speaking, why did Cain murder Abel? (Take answers)
There was a jealousy because Abel’s works were righteous, and Cain’s were not. Now we know definitively from Scripture that there is but one way in which our works are counted as righteous, and that way is if our works are not our own, but rather God’s works through us.
What does this have to do with us today? John would say “Everything!”
There is a profound correlation between why Cain hated Abel and why we are constantly at odds with the world.
Saved:
1. We love God.
2. We strive to serve God.
3. When blessed by God, we have the ability to do righteous works that please Him.
Compare that to the world, the Lost, the unregenerate:
1. They hate God. (Whether they realize it or not.)
2. They strive to serve themselves.
3. No matter what they do, they cannot please God.
Not to be glib, but that’s enough to make someone want to kill you. And John says as much in verse 13:
II. “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.”
I can’t think of a more pastoral message to give you, than to tell you the simple truth that Yahweh, The Prophets, the teachers of the law, Christ himself, Paul, Peter, Luke, and now John, all have one message in common: This isn’t easy. And of the main reasons is because if you love God, if you truly know and love God, the world will not be okay with that.
Many churches will make no mention of this even though its all over scripture. Why not? (Take answers)
1. It’s not marketable
2. It’s a downer
3. Everyone likes to be liked
4. It requires further work
I don’t tell you this to discourage you, I tell you this to equip you. As a pastor I can easily alter this statement and say, “Brothers, Sisters, DO marvel if the world does not hate you!”
Three thoughts:
1. If your walk is easy, maybe you doing all your walking in the church, and ignoring the world that you are called to evangelize to.
2. If your theology doesn’t offend anyone, is it biblical?
3. If you are loved and beloved at all, how can you say that your life is like Christ’s?
3. You are either Cain, or you are Abel
(Read 14-15)
John then returns to the analogy of Adam’s first two sons, one of the world, the other of God. John says that “whoever hates his brother is a murderer.” What is he saying? Well, it’s quite simple, if you don’t love your brother, you are Cain. You are the murderer.
And the opposite is quite true. If you love your brother you are Abel, you are God’s chosen. And…let’s not leave this out…it is very likely that you will suffer death at the hands of Cain.
Here’s the beauty of John’s writing. Here, in this unassuming passage, is the crux of the Gospel message. Never is the name Jesus Christ mentioned, never is the word salvation written, but the gospel message is right in front of us.
1. There are two brothers, with the same father.
(All humans were created by God.)
2. Both brothers make an offering to God.
(They know God exists, they believe in him, and they try to please Him.)
3. But their motivations are different.
(The world seeks God to glorify themselves, the saved seek God to glorify God.)
4. In the end one offering is accepted, the other rejected.
(Not everyone is saved.)
5. Jealousy takes hold.
(When God has found one’s work displeasing, the lost will turn their anger not toward God, but toward His Chosen People…Israel, The Church, you.)
6. The righteous are slain.
(You may not literally die at the hands of a lost person, but make no mistake, you will die because of sin, that is inevitable.)
Your death will glorify God. But will it glorify God’s Judgement, or His Mercy. If you don’t know 100% the answer to that question, do not leave this building without first talking to me.