1A] God’s People are Filled Up
with Truth! We learned
Truth is important, and God is truth!
Now onto part 2 - notice from the text…
2A] God’s People ENCOURAGE others
with LOVE. (vv.4-5)
Notice from the text: “I rejoice greatly to
find some of your children walking in
the truth just as we were commanded by the Father…” Stop there - Question - Do you know one of
the exciting things about seeing you all each week? Every Sunday I am so blessed as I think about
each of you and how you are growing and how I watch you worship Jesus, (the
real reason we are here). I get so
pumped up about what God is doing in you, through the truth. That what John is saying here - When
I hear about you and your children, Your Church and its people - I am fired up! And like John, I love to hear what God is
doing in and through you; to see you praying with others and to watch victory
in the truth come out of your lives! Keep pressing on in your walk with Christ!
Then he
continues: “And
now I ask you, dear lady - not as though I were writing you a new commandment,
but the one we have had from the beginning - that we LOVE on another…”
Love! The Love from God that we have for
each other - it is what encourages and blesses us as well as others. I tweeted this week, “Love has always been the single
outstanding Characteristic of Jesus and his followers.” (John 13:35 - “This is how they will know that you are my
disciples, if you LOVE one another.”) So let me ask you - Do you know what
Christian Love is? Is it feelings? Is it
emotions? Well it can be, but I think it
is bigger than that…look here, don’t miss this…Christian Love is the act of the will that causes us to
treat people the way God has treated you. Whoa - DOESN’T that blow your mind - Mind blown!
Now, for a moment, think about
God’s love. If it were emotionally based we wouldn’t have a chance. We would
have all been destroyed long ago. He
would have been like Zeus, or Buddha - unknowable, distant and withdrawn. If it were based on feelings, we would have
never known him in our sinful state. But God’s love came to us and drew us to
himself and freely gave of himself at Calvary.
Again - Mind blown. Now John
reminds them - this isn’t a new command, but one you should know. This isn’t based on looks, or feelings, or
even emotion, but this is an act of your will.
LISTEN - We
may not feel like we should love a person, but we must. We can’t will our affections - (feelings and
emotions) but we can will our attitudes and actions. HOW NATE? Here is this example - if you want
to be rude - try being kind. Or, if you
want to persecute them, yell at them, argue with them, or poke fun at them -
pray for them and do good to them. This
is what Paul says in Romans 12.
Marks of the True Christian
9 Let love be genuine.
Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with
brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful
in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient
in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints
and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do
not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the
lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give
thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as
it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge
yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is
mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is
hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so
doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
Did you see
how we are to respond in Love? Have
genuine love (v.9); Have love that is outdoing one another (v.10); Bless those
who persecute you (v.14); Live at peace with all men (v. 18); and Love doesn’t
act on emotion, but does just the opposite.
See it, “If your enemy is hungry/thirsty give him something to eat or
drink” WHO DOES THAT - People of the
Truth, God’s people!
Now, think
about it - won’t that just blow someone away.
You may not be emotionally attached, but I can say without a doubt, you
will feel better and they will be floored.
Illustration: Let me finish with this story? I
love the discipleship process. Seeing
someone who has just come to Jesus and seeing the lights come on. Several years ago I had the privilege to work
one on one with a young man. We spent
many months growing him in the faith. I bought many lunches, and ordered many
pizzas as we worked through issues in his life.
Now our family was moving away. I
thought I could trust him to watch a few things of mine, important things. I know you can see what is coming, so I’ll
just say it - it didn’t end well. On a
return visit to my old stomping grounds and after months of silence, who do you
think showed up? Yes there was a lot of
hurt there, but what are you suppose to do?
We are commanded to Love one another.
So I did what Romans 12 said - I grabbed 3 slices of pizza and a root
beer and headed in. Did it fix the
issue? NO. Did he admit the wrong? NO.
Was anything resolved about the hurt that was dealt? NO! So, what was the result? OK, as a Christian - one of God’s people - I
have to love one another - and I have to tell you, to get down and dirty and
involved in the process makes me feel better.
Also, to those teenage eyes that were watching me - I showed them what
love is supposed to do, even when it hurts.
And finally, I have left the door open for a time when we can address
the issue.
God’s people - They are people that show other people LOVE!
