1 John – A Perfected Love
From the Series: Certainty – Absolute Truths That Bring Joyful Assurance
BY MAX FERNANDEZ
Often on Mother’s Day, there is much talk of “a mother’s love.” Sometimes we hear or make the statement that “there is nothing like a mother’s love.” John is going to present a truth that will confront our idea of a mother’s love being the highest virtue. In I John 4:12, this is a perfected love. Indeed, only one love can be our eternal source of absolute certainty! All other ideas or concepts must be vetted by this one love. We do not know anything of a mother’s love unless we first know the highest and greatest love—that is the love of God.
We do not know anything of a mother’s love unless we first know the highest and greatest love—that is the love of God.
The Emergence of This Perfected Love (1 John 4:7)
THE IMPASSIONED COMMAND – Beloved, let us love one another
Believers who have been changed by the love of God should increasingly model not just the activity, but also the language which communicates this kind of love. John is not grasping for power by canceling certain language or by slandering, but rather he is manifesting a Christlike love in his language.
THE IMPLICIT CAUSE FOR THE COMMAND – for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
To be born of God certainly means that one has believed on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but we often overlook that to be born of God is to be in an ongoing relationship with God. Anyone who actively knows God will actively be growing in love, not because they have experienced that love ONLY, but because they ARE experiencing that love continuously.
THE IMPLICIT CAUSE STATED NEGATIVELY – He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love – 1 John 4:8
This person has NEVER known God. Why? Because if they would have entered into relationship with God, they would have entered into relationship with Love. The security we have when we are loved is as strong and enduring as the Lover. God is the Lover because God is Love.
Kids’ Pause: Perfect love comes from God because that is who God is.
The Source, the emergence of this love is God himself. There is no other place to obtain this love. It is not any idea of motherhood, fatherhood, teenhood, or adulthood. It is not a love that is possible apart from this God.
The Extent of this Perfected Love (1 John 4:9-10)
REAL EVIDENCE of the Extent of God’s Love (1 John 4:9)
God’s love has been materially, physically manifested in that he sent his only Son (unique) into the world (John 1:14, 18). The implication of John’s argument is that apart from the incarnation, we really don’t have reason to know God/know love or what it looks like perfectly.
REAl EFFICACY of the Extent of God’s Love (1 John 4:10)
Verse 10 is further elaboration on the sending of God’s Son. John makes clear that this is not about our love for God, but rather how God made his love clear. Jesus was sent as the ATONEMENT for our sins. The love of God is seen as the cause for the Atonement (Romans 3:25).
Kids’ Pause: The life and death of Jesus prove that God is love.
The Evidence of this Perfected Love (1 John 4:11-12)
THIS LOVE DEMANDS ACTION (1 John 4:11)
If we have been loved, then we must love. Verse 11 is the moral consequence upon believers because of this great work of God.
If we have been loved, then we must love.
ACTION PROVES RELATIONSHIP (1 John 4:12)
The way people see God manifested is when we love as we have been loved. If we love, we manifest that God abides in us.
Kids’ Pause: People who have received God’s love in Jesus, love others like God has loved them.
God loves us because of who he is, has proven his love in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and has equipped us to love others as we have been loved as proof that we really know Him.
Read the full transcript of the sermon here.
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