Reassured (3)

We need to talk about love! We’re going to focus on 1 John 3:16-18 today.

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. I John 3:16-18 (ESV)

when it comes to love…

… get it. v. 16

Remember that Cain hated and then killed his brother, Abel. Here John is contrasting this example of hatred, Cain, with the supreme example of love, Christ.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us…
I John 3:16a (ESV)

Jesus didn’t hate and take a life. He loved and gave a life – His very own. Our young adult pastor, Andy Sikora, says, “Both hatred and love result in someone losing their life. If we are full of hatred we take someone else's life or we treat them as if they don’t deserve to live. If we love we willingly lay down our own life.” Jesus did. He laid down His life.

Do you know this love?

Because of our rebellion and sin against God, we deserved the wrath of God. But Jesus came into this world and took the wrath we should have taken.

Imagine a nail piercing your hands and feet. Really imagine it. Put a fingernail into your wrist. Close your eyes. Dig in. I magine a nail being pounded there. Now, move to the other side. Do it again. Dig in deep. That’s just a very small, very trivial way of envisioning what Jesus endured. Think about His feet, back, head, side bleeding.

Now say, “That should have been me, Jesus, not You.” Go ahead say it. Now, hear Him say, “I did it because of love. I love you.”

Read this again:

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us…
I John 3:16a (ESV)

Remember this Sunday School song? Sing it to yourself:

Jesus loves me this I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong.
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

Why these little exercises? I am praying we get this.

You are loved. In writing about the love of God, in The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer says:

Love wills the good of all and never wills harm or evil to any. Fear is the painful emotion that arises at the thought that we may be harmed or made to suffer. This fear persists while we are subject to the will of someone who does not desire our well-being. The moment we come under the protection of one of good will, fear is cast out. God is love and God is sovereign. His love disposes Him to desire our everlasting welfare and His sovereignty enables Him to secure it. Nothing can hurt [the godly]. pp. 98-99