I John 3:15-16 (Part 2)

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Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

THE STUDY:

Last Sunday was the second Sunday of Advent which focused on LOVE! These 2 verses are dealing with love and hate. Yesterday we read how hatred is defined as being a “murderer.” Today we read how John defines what Love is “that he laid down his life for us.”

The death of Christ was not a colossal accident; it had a purpose. His was a life given, not taken from him. The NIV inserts the name Jesus Christ for the word ekeinos (that one). In 1 John eikeinos consistently refers to the incarnate life of Christ (2:6; 3:3, 5, 7; 4:17). He “laid down his life,” no earthly ruler had the power to take his life, not even the Roman governor Pilate.

John contends that the only adequate response to this love is to live a life of selfless sacrifice, that is, to live like Christ. Such living is not to earn merit with God, but to express gratitude toward God. This sacrifice and emptying of self extends as far as giving our lives.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

We walk away this morning reminded that Christ always had US on his mind. Everything He did was because of the love He has for God’s people. The surrendering of His wants, His ways, and His will for the will of the Father is the life we should desire to live on this earth.

CONCLUSION:

           George Atley, a young Englishman with the heart of a hero, was engaged in the Central African Mission. He was attacked by a party of natives. He had with him a Winchester repeating rifle with ten loaded chambers. The party was completely at his mercy. Calmly and quickly he summed up the situation. He concluded that if he killed them it would do the mission more harm than if he allowed them to take his life. So, as a lamb to the slaughter he was led; and when his body was found in the stream, his rifle was also found with its ten chambers still loaded.

          The next time the Holy Spirit moves you to do the Fathers will, remember it is all in the name of Love.  

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (125). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:15-16 (Part 1)

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Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

THE STUDY:

Yesterday John uses the dualism of Death and Life. In this passage we read the flip side of death: one who takes life reflects what is in him (not eternal life), one who gives their life is demonstrating what is inside of him (love).

The one who “hates his brother” not only still resides in death but spreads a death-dealing spirit toward others. Love leads to life, lack of love leads to death; both are contagious. Like Jesus, who linked “angry with his brother” (Matt 5:22) to murder and consequent judgment, John warns of the danger of lost love.

When love leaks out it is often replaced by hatred. When hatred seeps in, a person opens the door to the possibility of becoming a “murderer.” This word appears only one other time in the NT where it refers to “the devil” as “a murderer” (John 8:44). This verse speaks of the spiritual condition—eternal life—that could be forfeited by hatred toward our Christian “brother” and sister.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we can walk away this morning is the realization of the ways and effects of hatred. To the spirit, it is a cancer that will destroy the soul if left unattended. Just as Love is a choice, hatred is a choice as well. We can either choose hatred (no eternal life) or Love.

CONCLUSION:

           I am very thankful to the fact that God loved us so much he gave us Jesus. In St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is a life-size, marble statue of Christ struggling in anguish on the cross. The statue is titled: “This is how God loved the world!”

          My prayer for us today is to love like Christ loved. Let us take up our cross daily and follow His ways. Let that way be LOVE!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (123). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:13

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Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

THE STUDY:

We should not be surprised to the fact that the world hates those who believe in Jesus Christ. The Greek word for surprise is “Thaumazo” which means: marvel or be amazed. We get a sense that John was sharing with the reader do not be amazed to the hatred. As a matter of fact, we as believers should almost expect it. Expect what? Hatred! The Greek word is “Miseo” which means: hate, despise; disregard, be indifferent to.

The world has already been depicted in 1 John as hostile to God (1 John 2:15–17). John will describe it later as the domain of false prophets and antichrists (1 John 4:1–5), a place given to “the evil one” (5:19), and thus a sphere to be overcome^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

We walk away this morning knowing that, as a believer in Christ, the world will hate or disregard us. Let us not be surprised! The world is what needs the light and that light will resonate from those whose spirit/nature is that of Christ!

CONCLUSION:

           I am reminded of a young lady who started to come to the church I was pastoring. She was married but would attend without her husband. He was one of those guys who found it easier to hate than love. Their relationship was very turbulent but her love for Jesus was very strong.

          One day he was outside the church and I was introduced to him by a friend. I extended my hand to greet him and he looked at my hand, then looked at my face and walked away. I thought to myself, what did I do to him to cause such hatred. I have come to realize that it wasn’t me but the Spirit that dwells inside me.

          I am not surprised that the world hates us. It’s not me they hate but the one who dwells inside. When the spirit that dwells inside you doesn’t line up with the spirit of this world don’t be shocked by the hatred or resistance. Pray for them and move on!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (122). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:11-12 (Part 3)

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For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Disclaimer: [Today we are celebrating the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday)! With my wife by my side I will be experiencing things that no man should ever have to experience, SHOPPERS! (All of this is from my perspective)! So I think it is important for all who are heading out to read our devotionals before head.]

THE STUDY:

What we discussed in our last devotional was, as believers in the faith, we must remember Love is not based on emotion or worthiness but a commandment from God. It is something we choose to do!

John goes on to further help the readers understand what he is meaning by looking at the total opposite of Love: HATE! He points out a person that all would know and understand: CAIN! He is very forthright when he states “We should not be like Cain!” He goes on to explain the basis of this hatred “the evil one” and tells of the result of this evil, he “murdered his brother.”

Love had disappeared from Cain’s heart and evil was waiting in the wing to overtake. This is what we as Christians face each and every day.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we walk away with this morning is understanding that we choose who will rule us: good or evil, Christ or Satan. What dwells in the core of our hearts is what will be displayed. What was in Cain’s heart was what came forth. The same is true with us as believers. The Nature/Spirit that dwells inside of us is what we will produce. The battle will still rage inside (good vs evil) because we have not been removed from this fallen world. But one thing is for sure, if we allow our deeds to be that of the Holy Spirit we will not be like Cain!

CONCLUSION:

Cain has been a topic of discussion for many years when it comes to believers. I recall speaking to a crowd and one heckler kept shouting, “Where did Cain get his wife?” “When I could ignore him no longer, I replied, “When I get to heaven, I’ll ask him!” “Suppose he isn’t in heaven?” the guys yelled. I replied, “Then you can ask him!”

Let the Love of God rule our hearts today and not the desire to get a good deal or have things go our way. Be safe and remember let’s not be like CAIN!       

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:10-11 (Part 3)

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Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

THE STUDY:

          Looking at this verse, it is very similar to that of verse 9. Many of the scholars believe verse 11 is the expansion of verse 9 concerning “darkness.” What we read is John expounding on this darkness and how detrimental it can be. This darkness John is referring to is the result of “Hate.” We can only assume John has seen individuals claiming to be followers of Jesus but not demonstrating the very basics of a believer: LOVE! John expounds on the contrast of light and darkness in this epistle.

          Hatred is part of darkness! It associates itself with two things: choice and blindness! This verse reveals the fact that “whoever hates his brother” is someone who chooses to hate. It is not as if they woke up one morning and accidentally hated their brother. People choose to hate and the same can be said when it comes to love.

John states that in this darkness we don’t know where we are going due to being blind. We go blind due to the fact that we are no longer in the light. We have heard that we can go blind if we are in darkness for a long period of time. The reason for this is because the light- and color-reception rods and cones in the cells, compounding your eye, go unused for a long period of time, and eventually die, causing blindness. One example of this fact is found in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky were the fish in Echo River have eye-sockets, but no eyes.^[1] This is caused by the fact that they are in complete darkness.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we can walk away with this morning is the understanding that the longer one remains in darkness, eventually they will go blind unless they turn and walk toward the light.

• Looking at the opposite effects to darkness we can glean this fact; if we love, we are in the light, we can walk in the light, and we are able to see everything around us.

CONCLUSION:

           I remember during the earlier days of our marriage my wife and I use to have “discussions” (Translated- arguments)! I use to say to her, “You are making me mad.” She would calmly respond, “No I am not; you are choosing to get mad.” Looking back, I can admit that my wife was absolutely right. What she was saying and what John is sharing with the readers of this Epistle is, the fact, that we choose. We choose to walk in the light or in the darkness. What choice are you going to make today? My prayer is that you and I both choose the LIGHT!

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Robertson, A. (1997). Word Pictures in the New Testament (1 Jn 2:11). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.

I John 2:9

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Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

THE STUDY:

          In our house our children understand that certain words are not allowed to be spoken, not even in a humorous tone. One of those words is “HATE.” I have always felt that this word is what I call, a “bomb word!” You are feeling very vulnerable or hurt so you pull out the bomb, (I HATE you/this!).

          Let’s be upfront with each other, to be a follower of Jesus Christ the word HATE needs to be removed from our vocabulary. To say you “love Jesus” and in the same sentence say “but I hate him/her” is not being unified with Christ. No were in scripture have I read Jesus saying “I hate!” I believe God only refers to hate when it comes to SIN! You have heard the old saying, “Love the sinner, and hate the sin!”

          As we will see throughout the rest of this epistle, John is very blunt about the fact that our actions should line up with that which dwells inside. For John there is no twilight. There is either light or darkness, love or hatred. Where love is absent, hatred rules in darkness. But where love prevails, there is light.^[1]

          My last thought on this issue of hate is the fact that we all fall into two classes, those who are in fellowship with God, and therefore walk in light and love, and those who are not in fellowship with God, and therefore walk in darkness and hatred. This is a direct opposition; where love is not, there is hatred.  

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• I would think that after reading this passage, if there was anything in our hearts concerning hatred toward someone, the Spirit has checked us and we are going to make it right. This may be by asking that person to forgive us, forgiving that person personally, forgiving them in our heart, or just letting go of the hurts and pains that may have come from that situation. Whatever the case may be let us Love one another.

CONCLUSION:

          Today can be the day that hatred is removed and love prevails. Let us remember, God loves you and also the person who has done you wrong. Love is a two way street. Offered love requires a response. When God offers His love, we can accept it or reject it.^[2] The same is true for those who you offer love to. No matter what our response is, God LOVES US. No matter what their response is to us, let’s LOVE THEM!

           

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (263). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[2] Hobbs, H. H. (1990). My favorite illustrations (79). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.