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1 John 3:11-24 Have Confidence in the Love of God

1. Introduction I have no doubt that John got the love of Jesus. There are things about John's life and his writings that preach loud and clear that he was so confident of the love of God through Jesus. Truly, he called himself the one whom Jesus loved and I believe it is because he got it. So impacted by God's love, so forever changed, so confident in the love of the Father that it changed everything about him, especially the way he loved others. As we'll see, you cannot have known the fathers great love and have hatred in your heart for another. Just like you can't serve God and money, you can't be living in the great love of God and at the same time in hatred. 2. That is one reason why I believe John is so straight forward in his writings. He knew the love of God, and was calling the bluff of many in the church who claimed Christ but didn't live it. There are again two types of people in this world. The regenerate, chosen, saved, redeemed, made alive, loved of God Children of God and the unrepentant, those who abide in death Children of the devil. Before you put yourself in one category or the other, I plead with you to evaluate these scriptures with me today and humbly search your heart as you ask God to search your heart. What does your life look like? Are you living out of a confident love that God has shown you? Are you mirroring the one true God with your life? Or are you living your life in anger and resentment, displaying hate and murder and evil? 3. We should love one another 1. We have heard it from the beginning love one another. Love for others is not an optional duty of someone who claims to be a Christian. It is proof of conversion v.14. Because you cannot abide in death (by not loving) and have eternal life in Christ, vs 15 could not be more clear. John is reminding his church of this, because our sin natures do not like to submit to Christ. Some in here are overcome with hatred in many forms and degrees, just like Cain. So my plea today to you is John's plea of Do not be like Cain! 4. vv 12-15 1. Cain's heart was evil. His response to God rejecting his sacrifice and his murder of Abel only revealed his sinful heart. It was already there. 2. Turn with me and read Genesis 4:3-10 there are a couple of things that I want you all to see about the account that John is recalling. 3. Read Genesis 4:3-10 1. God extended grace to Cain, and he rejected it. God gave Cain the opportunity to repent of his sin and turn to Him in obedience. Cain rejected it. 2. God gave Cain a grave warning and one of the impacting statements to me concerning how we deal with our flesh. 1. ...sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. Some of you in this room today have been telling God to shut up about the sin of hatred in your heart, you have seen God's love displayed in this church and even in your own life, but still you choose, like Cain, hatred and murder. Do not continue to choose death today! Grace is offered to you, eternal life can be yours, today, you can pass from death to life, from hatred and murder to eternal satisfaction and joy in the confidence of a loving God!

2. DO NOT choose as Cain did. Choose life. 4. Don't be surprised if people hate you. This is what the sin of Cain boiled down to, he knew that Abel was accepted because his heart was for God. In fact, if EVERYONE just loves you and has no problem with you, or your message... beware. John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 5. They hated Jesus. They still hate Jesus. The gospel is offensive. Giving glory and praise to the one True God is offensive to people who oppose the truth. 6. Our love for others cannot depend on their love for us, if that were the case, we would not love as God has called us to love. 7. v. 14 Again, the love of God at work in you, pouring out to others (particularly in the church) is necessary proof of having passed from death to life. Again, John could not be more clear Whoever does not love abides (continue in, stays in, remains in, rests in, dwell) death. 8. v. 15 God see the heart. The heart of man is wicked, the scriptures testify to that, YOU know that... I mean, I know my heart and it is only the Grace of God that I am who I am. v. 15 tells us again, it's a heart issue. God says the he's not interested in the merely external, He's digging deeper here to the real issue. And the real issue here is that believers DO NOT hate their brothers. Period. The warning is strong because eternity is at stake. Repent and turn to Jesus today concerning your hatred. 9. v. 16 starts a shift in this text. John started with the simple message, love one another and then explained what it looks like to NOT love and how that indicates that you are a child of the devil. Now, how can we know love? How can we can love others? Why we can be confident in that love? We could list the many ways that God has been gracious and good to you, what about this provision last week, or how he protected you from that car accident, or through this illness he brought others close to him... The list could go on and on. You and I have so much reason to be thankful for and confident in the Love of God! BUT, the scriptures do not go into those reasons here. 10. Simply put, because Jesus laid His life down for you! That is really, all you and I should ever need to settle the question of does God love me? or How can I be sure, He seems so far away. v 16 a. READ AGAIN! 11. YOU CAN BE CONFIDENT OF THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST FOR YOU! While we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans 5:8 and 2 Cor. 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 12. This love is free, meaning, you cannot pay for it. You cannot earn it, BUT it was and is costly. It cost Jesus everything and it will cost you everything. But the everything that you give up pales in comparison to the Love of God in Christ that can be yours. Some of you in here today know that and can testify to that truth and you should in your daily life or community group or with your accountability partner or just to a complete stranger. 13. Our response is simple. Love, like we've been loved. That's why we should lay our life down for our fellow believers, that's why when we see a fellow Christian in need, our heart should go out to them, closes his heart against him (Literally a strong feeling in the bowels gut wrenching) we should pray with them and for them, we should hurt and weep with them, AND sometimes, we should give to them, if we are able and God would allow us to. Notice here that John doesn't just come out and say, you should pay this or that. Because

our response is much deeper than that. The Christian life is a life of community and sacrifice and love. You can't do that just by coming to church once a week, that won't cut it. In fact, your response to others needs, particularly those in the church is a clear indicator of God's love either in you or not in you. So invest your life in the people here in this local fellowship. 5. vv. 18-24 Children of God 1. Little children I love that we are given this analogy, that we are to be like little children. Several weeks ago, God impacted me with something at the dinner table. Rachel, June, and I were sitting do to eat something with cheese and beans in it. June LOVES cheese and beans. Well, we all hold hands and pray and thank God for his provision in our lives. So, here we are, all bowing our heads, all holding hands and I look up and June has her face in the bowl, trying to eat with just her mouth, no inhibition, not thinking about what others think, nothing. God spoke to me right there that I do not desire him like June desired her favorite food, so I prayed that God would make us have a desire for him in such a way that we would dive face first into who he is, finding our ultimate joy and satisfaction and deepest pleasure in him and the love he has poured out on us. 2. This love does not come out in word only. We do not only say I love you God during songs when we gather, but with action, in truth, daily, with our families, with those in need, with our co-workers, fellow students, etc Love in deed and in truth. 3. v. 19 - By this by the outward expression of inward heart change. Our hearts can be assured of His love, because it is implanted within us! FOR v. 20 whenever our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and he searches the heart! That should terrify you, if you are trying to hide something, or are living in continual rebellion. God knows. He sees. BUT it should bring great comfort and confidence because of the love of God at work in you. v. 21 because our heart can't condemn us, if we are truly saved. Confidence before God does not come from hoping that your good outweighs your bad. If that is God's love, then the cheap love that I can muster is just as good as his. Confidence, security, strength before God come from a proper understanding of God's love and that he will provide for needs v. 22 because God loves lavishing on us good things. He loves fulfilling the desires of His people who yearn for him. If God is the object of your affection, then your heart will be for him and your desires will be in line with his will. 4. What commandment are we to keep from v. 22? v. 23 Believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another 5. v. 24 closes this chapter up, and it is again, clear. 6. If you have the Spirit of God within you, then God himself, abides in you. Our deposit from God, the greatest confidence that I have experienced. A confidence because God is not far off. He is here, he is in me and you and everyone who has repentant faith in Christ. 6. Conclusion 1. If you're here and don't have confidence. Why? Where does your confidence lie? Don't reject the Holy Spirit's conviction just to hold onto a status or an experience years ago. If you have no confidence, if you have hatred for others, maybe even someone else in this room, repent and be reconciled to them and to God.

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