1 John 3:11
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another;
If there is one singular thought that the Apostle John, the Elder, the Revelator wanted to impart to his readers, it was that they were loved by God and needed to love one another in that same way. The single most important take away from this lesson is that …. Beloved, God loves you! He loves you more than mere words can convey. Carry that theme throughout the remainder of the lesson. Please.
1 John 3:12
12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.
The opposite of love is… hate. Cain hated Abel. He despised him. Why? Ultimately, it was because of his own failings. The problem, though, is that he blamed his brother for his failings. He chose to blame rather than to repent. Then he made an even worse choice. He chose to kill, to murder his brother. His brother! Imagine for a moment how the first family processed the death, the first physical death of a loved one. Ponder the pain that accompanied that first permanent loss. That family stayed broken. Cain was exiled.
1 John 3:13-15
13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him
Unlike Cain, we are not bound to our emotions, we are freed by love. We are freed by love… to love. John writes that we may find ourselves surprised in how the world around us reacts to the stress in the world which surrounds all of us. He also intimates that we may find ourselves at peace while those who do not know Christ John assures us that our feelings should not surprise us; we have transitioned. We’ have passed from the dread that comes with knowing the certainty of death to the hope of the endless potential of the eternal life that awaits us. In Christ, we simply don’t know how to hate any longer.
1 John 3:16a
16a We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us;...
Beloved, the good news is that our peace does not originate in our feelings, but in our knowledge of the great, great love that God has extended to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us. God has provided everything we need for life and godliness through Christ. The free gift of God.: Grace.
1 John 3:16b-18
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. 17 But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his [a]heart [b]against him, how does the love of God remain in him? 18 Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
Beloved, the evidence of a changed heart, one that has the confidence of God’s love from within is a heart that, in faith, will give. In that light, John’s question becomes rhetorical in nature. How can one who has been born into Christ not reflect the love of Christ in regard to the poor or to those in need? Especially those who are in the household of faith? The answer? They can’t. It is not the nature of the new creature in Christ. Beloved, do not fear. God has not given you a spirit of fear. Rather, step out in faith. Accept the challenge to …. Love.
1 John 3:19=22
19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will set our heart at ease before Him, 20 that if our heart condemns us, that God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence [c]before God; 22 and whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Herein lies the fountain from which our confidence flows. We love. We love God. We know He loves us. Because we have been changed, we love others. We have no fear of vulnerability or exposure in giving out of our store, knowing that He who loves us will always provide. God is always good! If we fall short and our hearts, thereby condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. God’s great grace is sufficient to cover all of our shortcomings. Our confidence is found in Him. If we find that our hearts do not condemn us, then let us glory in the power of His love to comfort us. With that confidence, let us come boldly before His throne of Grace, as we are continually encouraged to do by His Holy Word. Be encouraged beloved. There is no greater love than God has imparted to us in all of creation or time. In essence, there never has been, nor will there ever be anything greater than God’s love to those in whom He has revealed His Son.
1 John 3:23-24
23 This is His commandment, that we [d]believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He [e]commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments remains in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He remains in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
Matthew 11:29-30
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find [a]rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
Please know Beloved, that it is not God’s intent to burden you with impossible commands, too weighty and too numerous to keep. That was never His purpose. His desire is that the yoke of the law be removed from your neck, that the weight of your guilt be exchanged for the gift of His Son’s sacrifice at the cross. All that is required of you is to believe. Believe that God loves you and that He wants the very best for you. Once you have believed, trust. Trust that He that began a good work in you is able to see it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Then trusting, act. Act upon the faith you have received to lighten the burdens and break the yokes that burden your fellow travelers whether they are fellow believers or just neighbors that God has placed in your path. Then… keep trusting. Trust that God, who knows all things, knows all that you have need of and that He will supply all of your needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. In fact, know. Have confidence in the fact He is continually working out His good pleasure in you by the Holy Spirit, Who He left here for you as a companion to teach you concerning all things related to life and godliness. Rejoice in this new and wonderful gift that we call eternal life.
Selah…
wb
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