We Love, Because He First Loved Us

We Love, Because He First Loved Us

2004003

Topic # 0410

Introduction:

A. Someone has said, our nature is so constituted that we are never really happy until we love God.

1. We CAN love Him!

2. I believe we are never quite at ease until we place our love in Him.

a) how long did we spend our lives in uneasiness & insecurity before coming to Christ?

b) How many can testify from personal experience that there is a peace, a trust, a firm assurance that God is there & loves us?

c) Phil. 4:4-7 – Paul…peace that surpasses all comprehension…

B. In 1 Jhn. 4 – we find that love to God is set down as being a necessary mark of the new birth.

1. 4:7

2. 4:8 – love to God = a mark of our knowing God.

3. 4:11 – love to God = the root of love toward others.

a) love to brethren springs out of our love to God.

4. 4:16-18 – True love casts out fear. We are called to have boldness before God!

a) a soul that filled w/love of God has no anxieties about the future.

5. 4:19 – we love God b/c He first loved us.

C. it’s clear that we can see the need to love God. W/o it, we are destined to leave a life w/o a sense of purpose; and display a certain anxiety about the future.

I. How can we develop a love for God?

A. First, it’s important to look at how God has manifested Himself to develop the emotion of love w/in our hearts.

1. in works of creation, God manifests Himself as the loving creator.

2. He has placed us in a world framed for our enjoyment.

a) How can anyone look at it & not appreciate what God has done?

b) We have indications of God’s love all around us in the creation itself. See Rom. 1:20

B. By realizing the way He has created us.

1. created in His image.

2. we can see what He has done; demonstrate our gratitude; seek to grow closer to Him.

C. BY pondering our own rebellion against God & His standard.

1. just how serious is sin? Think of what it cost God!

2. 1 John 4:19 – how did He love us before we loved Him?

a) through the giving of Jesus – 1 Pet. 1:18-21; Rom. 5:8-10

3. consider His tremendous grace in forgiving us when we obey Him – Psa. 103:10-12

D. Acts 17:22-28 – by seeking Him; groping for Him.

II. Love to God is essential to the Christian life.

A. God is not satisfied unless He obtains our love.

1. We must give Him our heart.

2. as a Father loves His child – so he desires to love us!

a) do we have this kind of relationship w/the Father?

b) Deut. 10:12 – he has desired this from the beginning.

B. Rom. 1:18-21 – why was God displeased?

1. Look at this passage & see if you see God wants His creatures to glorify Him & be thankful!

2. God wants us to recognize our dependence upon Him.

3. He wants us to understand we are His creatures.

a) everything which we do, God has first made it possible for us to do it.

b) Everywhere God is first, and then man coming afterward enters into Him & finds God in the background and setting of his life.

C. Love is essential because obedience w/o it is a waste of time.

1. 1 John 2:3-6

a) we must serve w/unquestioned obedience!

b) It is my love for Him that motivates me to put off the sinful man; clean up a rebellious attitude.

2. Mt. 22:36-37 – what does God want of us?

a) if I don’t love Him; recognize my utter dependence upon Him; have a willingness to glorify Him & be thankful;

b) then it won’t matter if I’m baptized…

c) it wont’ matter how many commandments I obey!

3. You see – the love of God – our love for Him – is THE foundation of our faith!

D. Hos. 6:6 – Didn’t God command sacrifices? Certainly!

1. But action = only PART of the sacrifice!

2. people could go through a form of the sacrifice & still NOT be pleasing!

3. Pro. 21:27; Isa. 1:13; Jer. 6:20; Mal. 1:8-10

4. God is displeased if our heart is not in it!

E. And I think of today:

1. How many today God displeased w/b/c their heart is not in it – religiously; spiritually?

2. haphazard attendance; sleep during service; daydream; etc.

3. ill prepared for BC; lack of Bible study at home

4. half hearted commitment to changing life for the better.

5. How many of us have name that we’re alive spiritually – but dead? Rev. 3:1

6. How many of us lukewarm – Rev. 3:14-16?

7. Can’t fool God! Heb. 4:12-13

F. He wants our heart!

1. He does not want baptisms; the church; etc; until I have first given Him myself!

2. Only when we give ourselves to Him does worship & baptism mean anything!

3. this cannot be stressed enough – considering that we live in a society that stresses minimums w/religion.

III. It is because of our love for God that we love each other.

A. Have you ever wondered about one of the main thrusts of John’s first epistle?

1. it is: that Christians loving Christians is essential!

2. John living in a day when Christians were stressing idea that knowledge was more important than love.

B. Love is from God. God is INTO loving relationships!

1. closer people get to God – the more loving they become.

2. opposite true: farther people get from God – the less loving they become.

3. knowledge of God produces love! Creates relationships!

4. it is utter deceit to claim to know God & not love!

C. What kind of love must we have for one another?

1. sacrifical; unselfish love.

2. God expressed that kind of love – John 3:16

3. Jesus expressed it on the cross – Lk. 23:34

D. 4:11 – if God loves everyone of us that much – we ought to love one another!

E. 4:12 – this does 2 things:

1. it allows God to live continually in us.

2. it allows God’s love to become complete in us.

3. love enables us to become 100% of what God wants us to be.

a) we become what God wants us to be through relationships – not doctrine alone!

b) Can be 100% correct in doctrine; but not practicing love; still not what God wants us to be.

4. Doctrine – important because we pursue truth.

5. love critical because we ant God to live in us as we live in God.

F. 4:20 – it is impossible to love God & hate a Christian.

1. only liars claim they can do that.

2. you cannot love the unseen God & hate the seen brother.

G. 4:21 – Christian who loves God should love bro/sis in Christ.

H. Here’s the great thing:

1. loving relationships are the key to a successful congregation.

2. Opportunity for strong relationships are a key to powerful outreach.

3. when we let God show us how to love – we take the chains off of God.

4. powerful things can happen!

Conclusion:

A. 1 John 4:19

1. How much do you love God?

2. How clearly is this seen in your life?

B. How much do you love your brethren?

1. is this clearly demonstrated?

C. It all starts w/beginning a relationship w/God!

D. I N V I T A T I O N



We Love, Because He First Loved Us 2004003 Topic # 0410 Introduction: A. Someone has said, our nature is so constituted that we are never really happy until we love God. 1. We CAN love Him! 2. I believe we are never quite at ease until we place our love in Him. a) how long did we spend our lives in uneasiness & insecurity before coming to Christ? b) How many can testify from personal experience that there is a peace, a trust, a firm assurance that God is there & loves us? c) Phil. 4:4-7 – Paul…peace that surpasses all comprehension… B. In 1 Jhn. 4 – we find that love to God is set down as being a necessary mark of the new birth. 1. 4:7 2. 4:8 – love to God = a mark of our knowing God. 3. 4:11 – love to God = the root of love toward others. a) love to brethren springs out of our love to God. 4. 4:16-18 – True love casts out fear. We are called to have boldness before God! a) a soul that filled w/love of God has no anxieties about the future. 5. 4:19 – we love God b/c He first loved us. C. it’s clear that we can see the need to love God. W/o it, we are destined to leave a life w/o a sense of purpose; and display a certain anxiety about the future. I. How can we develop a love for God? A. First, it’s important to look at how God has manifested Himself to develop the emotion of love w/in our hearts. 1. in works of creation, God manifests Himself as the loving creator. 2. He has placed us in a world framed for our enjoyment. a) How can anyone look at it & not appreciate what God has done? b) We have indications of God’s love all around us in the creation itself. See Rom. 1:20 B. By realizing the way He has created us. 1. created in His image. 2. we can see what He has done; demonstrate our gratitude; seek to grow closer to Him. C. BY pondering our own rebellion against God & His standard. 1. just how serious is sin? Think of what it cost God! 2. 1 John 4:19 – how did He love us before we loved Him? a) through the giving of Jesus – 1 Pet. 1:18-21; Rom. 5:8-10 3. consider His tremendous grace in forgiving us when we obey Him – Psa. 103:10-12 D. Acts 17:22-28 – by seeking Him; groping for Him. II. Love to God is essential to the Christian life. A. God is not satisfied unless He obtains our love. 1. We must give Him our heart. 2. as a Father loves His child – so he desires to love us! a) do we have this kind of relationship w/the Father? b) Deut. 10:12 – he has desired this from the beginning. B. Rom. 1:18-21 – why was God displeased? 1. Look at this passage & see if you see God wants His creatures to glorify Him & be thankful! 2. God wants us to recognize our dependence upon Him. 3. He wants us to understand we are His creatures. a) everything which we do, God has first made it possible for us to do it. b) Everywhere God is first, and then man coming afterward enters into Him & finds God in the background and setting of his life. C. Love is essential because obedience w/o it is a waste of time. 1. 1 John 2:3-6 a) we must serve w/unquestioned obedience! b) It is my love for Him that motivates me to put off the sinful man; clean up a rebellious attitude. 2. Mt. 22:36-37 – what does God want of us? a) if I don’t love Him; recognize my utter dependence upon Him; have a willingness to glorify Him & be thankful; b) then it won’t matter if I’m baptized… c) it wont’ matter how many commandments I obey! 3. You see – the love of God – our love for Him – is THE foundation of our faith! D. Hos. 6:6 – Didn’t God command sacrifices? Certainly! 1. But action = only PART of the sacrifice! 2. people could go through a form of the sacrifice & still NOT be pleasing! 3. Pro. 21:27; Isa. 1:13; Jer. 6:20; Mal. 1:8-10 4. God is displeased if our heart is not in it! E. And I think of today: 1. How many today God displeased w/b/c their heart is not in it – religiously; spiritually? 2. haphazard attendance; sleep during service; daydream; etc. 3. ill prepared for BC; lack of Bible study at home 4. half hearted commitment to changing life for the better. 5. How many of us have name that we’re alive spiritually – but dead? Rev. 3:1 6. How many of us lukewarm – Rev. 3:14-16? 7. Can’t fool God! Heb. 4:12-13 F. He wants our heart! 1. He does not want baptisms; the church; etc; until I have first given Him myself! 2. Only when we give ourselves to Him does worship & baptism mean anything! 3. this cannot be stressed enough – considering that we live in a society that stresses minimums w/religion. III. It is because of our love for God that we love each other. A. Have you ever wondered about one of the main thrusts of John’s first epistle? 1. it is: that Christians loving Christians is essential! 2. John living in a day when Christians were stressing idea that knowledge was more important than love. B. Love is from God. God is INTO loving relationships! 1. closer people get to God – the more loving they become. 2. opposite true: farther people get from God – the less loving they become. 3. knowledge of God produces love! Creates relationships! 4. it is utter deceit to claim to know God & not love! C. What kind of love must we have for one another? 1. sacrifical; unselfish love. 2. God expressed that kind of love – John 3:16 3. Jesus expressed it on the cross – Lk. 23:34 D. 4:11 – if God loves everyone of us that much – we ought to love one another! E. 4:12 – this does 2 things: 1. it allows God to live continually in us. 2. it allows God’s love to become complete in us. 3. love enables us to become 100% of what God wants us to be. a) we become what God wants us to be through relationships – not doctrine alone! b) Can be 100% correct in doctrine; but not practicing love; still not what God wants us to be. 4. Doctrine – important because we pursue truth. 5. love critical because we ant God to live in us as we live in God. F. 4:20 – it is impossible to love God & hate a Christian. 1. only liars claim they can do that. 2. you cannot love the unseen God & hate the seen brother. G. 4:21 – Christian who loves God should love bro/sis in Christ. H. Here’s the great thing: 1. loving relationships are the key to a successful congregation. 2. Opportunity for strong relationships are a key to powerful outreach. 3. when we let God show us how to love – we take the chains off of God. 4. powerful things can happen! Conclusion: A. 1 John 4:19 1. How much do you love God? 2. How clearly is this seen in your life? B. How much do you love your brethren? 1. is this clearly demonstrated? C. It all starts w/beginning a relationship w/God! D. I N V I T A T I O N