It was near the time of tabernacles, a feast observed annually by the jews. Find top church sermons, illustrations, and powerpoints for preaching on 1 john 4. First, he shows that gods nature is love so that when we are born again by him we share that nature. The source of love first presbyterian church, jackson. Every spirit that acknowledges that jesus christ has come in the flesh is from god, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge jesus. Do you remember that john used the same words in his prologue to his gospel in john 1. After this comes the proclamation that this jesus is the son of god sent from the father to finish the fathers work in the world see 4.
The key personalities are the apostles peter and paul. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. There is no scholarly consensus as to the authorship of the johannine works. Although 1 john does not exhibit some of the general. We know that john really identified with jesus love for him, even to the point of referring to. I read that he uses the word agape love over 30 times from. Love, the sum of righteousness, is the test of our being born of god. John raises a subject, deals with it but then returns to it later and develops the subject further. He will go on to show how love for one another is evidence of gods abiding in us and our abiding in him 4. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that were free of worry on judgment dayour standing in the world is identical with christs. John is sometimes referred to as the expert on love.
Because of this, he has brought light to all people. If we are going to be like him, these verses are important to us because they tell us much about him and our responsibilities. This emphasis by john, while striking, is not without love. Every spirit that acknowledges that jesus christ has come in the flesh is from god, 3 but every. Let me just remind you once again how john structures this letter for he has a very unusual style. Then he restates the commandment in light of gods great love 4. The book of 1 st john is a general epistle apostolic letter. This is the epilogue of the book, from the th verse of this chapter to the end. John recognized that love comes from god, and he encouraged the believers to love one another 1 john 4. There, it was gods son who revealed the invisible god to us. Commentary critical and explanatory on the whole bible. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. And now were telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this. He didnt want to travel in judea because the jews there were looking for a chance to kill him.
In this is love, not that we loved god but that he loved us and sent his son to be the expiation for our sins. Its the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous messiah. But if we love one another, god dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in usperfect love. Everyone who loves is born of god and experiences a relationship with god. Bruce milne was pastor of first baptist church in vancouver, canada, for many years. The son of god entered the scene to abolish the devils ways. Now i dont know about you, but sometimes, i find it hard to get on with some people in church.
This love the apostles write about comes from god and is not normally a part of mans nature. Then see that true love begins with god, is received from god and changes us. He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him. Everyone who loves has been born of god and knows god. It is the first and largest in a series of 3 epistles that bear the apostle johns name. Let me call your attention to what john writes in v. And john moves on to declare this in verses 9 and 10. Whoever does not love does not know god, because god is love. The first letter of john reveals love as one of its primary themes. The epistles of john show jesus as the way, the truth and the life. Dec 09, 20 in the sermon today, we shall discuss 1 john 4. Devotions with scripture from 1 john today daily devotional.
He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged jesus feet, and then wiped them with her hair. John 7 msg later jesus was going about his bible gateway. As we read our passage today, follow along with me in your bibles and everywhere it says love, i will read agape love. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from god. Love carries the second half of this letter, in fact.
The one who does not love does not know god, for god is love. Andy is a professor of bible and theology at the college of biblical studies in houston. My dear, dear friends, if god loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. Since the letter identifies no specific church, location, or individual to whom it was sent, its classification is as a general epistle. So jesus left the judean countryside and went back to galilee. And we learn that jesus closest disciples are baptising the new followers.
Johns first epistle teaches that while it is important to recognize the lines between truth and error, it must always be done in a spirit. Here in our passage today john exclusively uses agape love. Of note is the reference to this test being an old. Book of first john overview insight for living ministries. Glorifying god by bearing fruit in union with christ. John s final words, his parting words, an afterword to us in which he sums up some of the great emphases of. Jun 25, 2019 the book of 1 john contains some of the bibles most beautiful descriptions of god and his unfailing love. Every spirit that acknowledges that jesus christ has come in the flesh is from god, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge jesus is. No other book of the bible talks about love as often as first john. Jun 02, 2008 with a couple in love, the expression and feelings of love are nearly a given, at least in the early stages. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in jesus christthe son of god, who came as an actual fleshandblood personcomes from god and belongs to god.
Lazarus and his sisters invited jesus to dinner at their home. The repeated expression of i write unto you indicates the book to be an epistle or letter however unique and special compare chap. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from god, and whoever loves has been born of god and knows god. He goes right here to 1 john 4, verses 7 through12 especially, but you see it all the way to verse 16, and he says, look, we ought to love one another because god. As does the epistle of james this epistle does not contain a perceptible logical structure of thoughts. The bible in contemporary language paperback october 4, 2016. We know that john really identified with jesus love for him, even to the point of referring to himself as the apostle whom jesus loved in his. Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. Its purpose was to warn about the increasing threat of false teachings and to reassure christians of their faith and love in jesus christ. Today he travels the globe, preaching, teaching and encouraging pastoral leaders. Bowen if there is a more slippery word in the english language, i dont know.
He goes right here to 1 john 4, verses 7 through12 especially, but you see it all the way to verse 16, and he says, look, we ought to love one another because god is love, and he has shown love in the giving of his son. About one in every 50 words is a form of lovethat makes for about 52 mentions of love in just five short chapters. John the evangelist is counted as the author of the book of john, which is split into three iterations. This is the man ive been talking about, the one who comes after me but is really ahead of me. The person who refuses to love doesnt know the first thing about god, because god is loveso you cant know him if you dont love. In this the love of god was made manifest among us, that god sent his only son into the world, so that we might live through him.
Sermons on 1 john first presbyterian church, jackson. In the first three verses of chapter 4, we discover that jesus is gaining more and more disciples, more disciples than john the baptist cf john 3. The apostle urges his readerslisteners to love and lays out a very careful argument. John 7 the message msg 7 12 later jesus was going about his business in galilee. This is what he is doing in this section for he has already dealt with the subject of love in 2. Roughly 40 times in 1 john, john speaks of love and admonishes christians to act like brothers and sisters and love one another 3. This summary of the book of 1 john provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 john. Twice in these three verses, john declares that god is love. John begins with the profound announcement that jesus is the in the beginning creative word of god who had become embodied incarnated as a human being to be the light of life for the world. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in god and god lives in us. But thats also why the world doesnt recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what hes. As i look around, i see folks that i know have been to camp, not just this year, but some of you back in the old days when twin lakes was a. It is written by the discipleapostle john around 8595 a. He is the author of know the truth and the bible speaks today volume the message of john.
This is simply the general proposition, god is invisible, and has no reference to spiritual. He also implores us to love one another and to know god, and then he identifies god as the source of love. They had posted the score that jesus was ahead, turning him and john into rivals in the eyes of the people. Approaches to the structure of 1 john anyone attempting to work on the structure of 1 john would do well to stop for a moment and reflect on just how different this letter is, especially in comparison with contemporary examples of letters and with 2 and 3 john both of which exhibit almost all the characteristics of first century a. My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from god. The first epistle of john, often referred to as first john and written 1 john or i john, is the first of the johannine epistles of the new testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. John s legacy by the time 1 john was written, there were second and thirdgeneration christians. If you have your bibles id invite you to turn with me to 1 john chapter 5. If you have your bible, turn with me to the epistle of john, 1 john chapter 2. Room, but one which proved their identity to all men as jesus. This truth is revealed to us in the word, but it was also revealed on the cross, where christ died for us. These verses furnish christians with critical marching orders and guidance while providing crucial insight into our creators natureall centered around the word love. I think this will give a great start in understanding what john is trying to teach us.