God is Love – 1 John 4:12-16

Intro:  Today we are going to look again at John’s exhortation about love.  As Burt Backarack said in 1969.  “What the world needs now, is Love sweet love.”  We know that is what all need right now.

(Slide 1)We know that we live in Him and He in us because He has given us of His Spirit.

1.  John states that the assurance of God is living in us.  This assurance is manifested

     By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  He is the third person of the Godhead.  He is

     The comforter that Jesus talked about.  Do you remember how in early message I

     Spoke about John had the clearest understanding of the all the apostles of the makeup

     And ministry of the Holy Spirit.?

2.  (Slide 2)  As the Holy Spirit works in us we begin to develop His thoughts, attitudes,

     Deeds and speech.    We begin to exhibit His fruit and gifts.  We walk with, love joy,

     Peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, patience and self control.  Use Moody’s

     Illustration of getting air out of the class.  Brother’s ands Sisters in Christ we need

     More filling of the Holy Spirit than air.

(Slide 3)  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1.  In and through God’s Holy Spirit we see Him working through us.  Some of the

     Changes are subtle and longer in process others are dramatic and shorter in duration.

2.  This helps us to testify that God has sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world. John

      May have been thinking about his own transformation from an ambitious, fiery, quick

      Temper and zealous man to the apostle of love.  He may have been thinking how

      Peter was transformed from a boastful, fearful impetuous man to the fearless, humble

      And patient man of the book of acts.  He may of though of Simon the Zealot to went

      On to preach and die not for an impossible dream but for a Kingdom with no end.

3.   Jesus is our saviour, healer, baptizer and soon coming king.  Jesus as our Saviour

      Came as Luke said in Luke 19:10, to seek and save the lost.

a.  In John 3:17, John states that Jesus came not to condemn but the world through Him

     Might be saved.

b.  In Acts 5:31, Peter stated that Jesus is the Saviour and Prince to give repentance and

     Forgiveness of sin to Israel.

c.  Paul writes in 1 Tim 1:5 that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners which

     Paul called himself the chief.

d.  The writer of Hebrews tells us through Christ salvation we are made complete and

     Jesus right now is making intercession for us.

4.  (Slide 4)  The greatest witness of Christ’s Saviour hood  are those that allow the

     Holy Spirit to transform their lives into the image of Jesus Christ.  We are walking

     Billboards for Jesus.  What does your billboard say? 

(Slide 15)  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in Him and he in God.

1.  This is that heart confession that John saw as essential.  This meant you believe that

     Jesus is God.  Remember John believed that Jesus was God.  That was validated by

     Jesus’ transfiguration when John heard the Father’s voice telling him, Peter and James

     That this was His Son in whom He was well pleased.  He was there at Jesus’ water

     Baptism when the dove landed on Jesus’ shoulder.  He was there when the voice in

     The temple again stated that Jesus was God’s Son and was well pleasing to Father.

2.  This statement was also to refute the Gnostic theories of outlooks about Jesus.  Jesus

     Is not just a prophet, moral teacher, great religious leader, social reformer or example.

     He is the Son of God.  The perfect union of the divine and human.  He is God with a

     Face 100% God and 100% man.  Jesus is God, John taught.

3.  John saw this abiding together with God as essential proof of God’s work.  (Slide

     16)  Only God dwelling in us can bring this full revelation of God.  Talk about the

     time I was studying with the different United Church ministers.

4.  John taught in John 15 the principle of the vine and branches.  The vine is Christ and

    We are the branches.  We can do nothing spiritually with out Him.

(Slide 17)  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever

Lives in love lives in God and God in Him.

1.  John says we must know and rely on the love God has for us.  This is the motivation

    Behind mercy and grace.  This is spiritual revelation.  The writers of the Bible grasped

    This truth and wrote about it. 

a.  Moses in Deut 7:8 stated that God’s love redeemed Israel from slavery.

b.  Jeremiah says in Jer 31:3, that the love of God is everlasting and long suffering. 

c.  Jesus called this love universal and rescuing in John 3:16

d.  Paul in Rom 5:8, says that love of God  possesses action and was demonstrated

     Through Christ.  He further states in Eph 2:4-5, that the love of God is rich in mercy

     And makes us alive.

e.  John says it has been lavished on us and grace us the privilege to be called the Sons

     Of God.

2.  John closes our passage this morning with the statement, “God is love.”  This is who

     God is.  Everything flows out from this virtue.  Paul states in 1 Cor 13:13, it is the

     Greatest virtue.  It is the axis of everything God does.  It is the hub of God’s

     Character. Every action, decision, thought or attitude He does begins with love. 

3.  Even His wrath is motivated by love.  Love does not allow self destruction to

     Continue. 

4.  John closes with, “Whoever lives in His love, lives in God and God in Him.” 

     This is the abiding Jesus talked about.  Those in abide or live in love will be

a.  Impartial.  Deut 10:19

b.  Unselfish.  Matt 22:39

c.  Will show their proof of discipleship through love.  Jn 13:35

d.  See that Christ’s example and standard is what we must follow.  Jn 15:12

e.  Our love must be sincere.  Rom 12:9

f.  Abounding and abundant.  1 Thess 3:12

g.  Fervent and deep from the heart.  1 Pet 1:22

5.  John was asked once why he spoke so much about love.  He responded, “If Christ

     Said we are to do it.  That is enough.”