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Title: The Outworking of Love, Part One
As we looked at in the last two sermons covering chapter 3 of 1st John, the author has shifted the focus slightly from our relationship with Christ, to our love for Christ being poured out into our relationship with others.
Today we will look at the ultimate act of love, and then our call as the Church to emulate that love. Honestly, I’m a bit worried that this sermon is too short. I really struggled with how to handle the next three messages. At first it was one long sermon with three monster points, and then it was two, and finally three. I just want to confess to you, that my defaul position is to take it slowly, work through, ask questions and really know the material, rather than rush through and miss something valid. You guys are going to be here a while, right? Lord willing, me too. Let’s get started.
I. The Ultimate Action of Love
“By this we know love..”
How do we know that God loves us? Well, this can either be a very simple or a very complex question, depending on how we define three words:
1. We
“We” is not anyone who reads this book. “We” is not anyone who claims to know God, or professes Jesus Christ as their savior. “We” is also not someone who looks like a Christian, who goes to church, who tithes ten percent.
“We” is the Church. And by “the Church” I don’t mean the people who choose to gather in a building on Sunday Morning: What do I mean by “The Church?”
We is the Elect. The Saints. The truly saved.
2. God
“God” is not the God of our theology. I hope he is, but we must leave room to say, some of my theology may be incorrect. “God” is not anecdotal. He is not the God I have constructed based on a few Scriptures here and there, a few of my own preferences, and the teaching I’ve received on God up until this point.
God is the God of Scripture. The Whole of Scripture. He is Infallible, Holy, Perfect, Just, Sovereign, Omnipotent, and Omniscient.
3. Love
“Love” is not a feeling. “Love” is not an emotion. “Love” is not a state of being, bliss, attraction, fondness, or craving.
Love is, by definition, a verb. It is action.
So, let’s return to our original question: How do we know that God loves us? Well, with correct definition: We (the saved) know that God (the God of scripture) loves (sacrifices) us, because “He laid down his life for us.”
If Christ died for you sin, effectively, then his sacrifice covers your iniquity, you are saved by his action of love. How do we know that God loves us? You can’t be saved without the Cross, you can’t have the Cross without God’s decision to sacrifice Christ, You can’t have that decision for you personally if God had not ordained your salvation. If you are saved, God loves you.
Chuck Smith puts it this way (and I’m paraphrasing) If we ask God, “Do you love me” God points to the cross and says, “What do you make of that?”