Title: God's Unique Love (1 John 4:7-11)
Contents
God's unique love (1 John 4:7-11)
In the work of the church, abilities, skills, and talents are important, but the focus of the people is more important. Therefore, the work of the church and the love of God are inevitably related. Our church, of course, must have the power of the Word, the power of prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit. But in doing God's work, the power of love takes precedence. Words and words without love are weapons. Prayer without love is prayer only for oneself.
The pride of our church should be 'the love of Jesus' from now on. The pride of our members and their families must also be the love of Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 3:12) A loving face, a loving heart, a loving atmosphere, and loving words create a revolution. If you think of the church with the most love in Korea, I hope that ‘our church’ can come to mind. So, the foundation of our church's ministry, the faith of the working members, and the love of Jesus that you will experience and be moved by in all organizations and worship services. So what kind of love revolution should happen to us?
I. Revolutionize with the love of God (verse 7)
If you don't understand the church, you can attend church, but you can't do well in church life. The church is a place that God has established in an orderly way. He built it as clearly as building bricks from the foundation to the head.
Therefore, only when you know the church can you know the will of God through the church, and the church life can be dynamic and moving.
For example, if you need to understand one church, the church was established like this. Jesus loved the church and gave his life for it (Ephesians 5:25).
Love is not rooted in the world. No matter how much you go out into the world to find love, there is no place in this world where you can give love. Because knowing love is in line with knowing God. So, the last expression of what the countless characters in the Bible felt, realized, and confessed while knowing God is the word love. The more you know God, the more you will feel His love (Galatians 2:20). Love does not belong to man, but to God. Therefore, we, too, must first belong to God. Before serving, before ministering, before devoting myself, how can I overflow with the love I need in me? It is to know and realize God's love. Pray to God. “Let me know the love that belongs to God” Knowing the love that belongs to God is the revolution of love.
II. Revolution by showing love (verse 9)
God's love is expressed love. Herein lies the fact that God is living.
The presence of God is the most important attribute of God. God transcends time and space and is present at the same time. The manifestation of that God is the incarnate Jesus who came directly out of love. There are two secrets to the appearance of God. It is a value and purpose. It is said that God sent His only begotten Son into the world.
It is the sending of his only begotten Son to show how valuable and noble God's love is.
(John 3:16, Romans 8:32) God's love was the highest value. And God's love became a love of purpose.
To save people, God showed love. God's love is not blind love, but a confirmation of love for the perfect purpose of knowing human circumstances and meeting their needs. (Romans 5:8)
In the church, the love to be displayed for each other is worthy love and purposeful love. When we show love to each and every person, we must love so that that person can feel it. And just as God loved to save people, so should our love for the same purpose. Love is not only done in the heart, it is expressed. I have to make people feel my love. When love is shown, a revolution occurs.
Ⅲ. Revolution by loving one another (v. 11).
God's love is different from human love. God's love is unlimited love, but human love is limited love (Romans 8:32). God's love was inherited by Jesus and continued until the day of His Second Coming. God's love is not the end of Jesus' love, but it is a love that continues to be inherited.
Therefore, when God's love stops with me, that love is wrong. When God's love has come to me, it is the responsibility of love that comes to me so that I can connect that love to others. That is why another love called 'love each other' was given to me. Love of Jesus and love for one another is our obedience. And the expression that it is ‘appropriate to love each other’ means that it is ‘natural’ to love each other.
Our church should be a church that loves one another. We should give and give love to each other so that everyone is not dissatisfied with love and does not feel lacking.
Saints! Remember the question asked at the beginning of the sermon? Have you found the answer now? When we said that our church would become a working church, you must have known what the conditions were to be able to confidently say that I would be willing to work. It is 'love'. it is the love of jesus And the church's work is what I should do, what is the answer? All of them are ‘love’. Love has the power to cover sins (1 Peter 4:8), love to unite, and love to give one's life. Without the love of Jesus, nothing can be done. Especially, all things of God can only be done with love. So the greatest revolution is the revolution of love (Ephesians 2:4).
In order to become a working church and saints, ①Let's make a revolution with God's love. ② Let's make a revolution by showing love. ③ Let's make a revolution by loving each other. The qualifications and foundation of faith we must have for ministry are the love of Jesus and the love of one another. We ask that our church, the members of our church, overflowing with love. Let's have the love of Jesus. Let's love each other with the love of Jesus.