I John 3:11-12 (Part 2)

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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.

THE STUDY:

Yesterday we look at verse 11 were John is saying “this is the message” meaning there is no other message that someone can refer to. The only message John is pointing to is the message from God which is “that we should love one another.” This message is one that “you have heard from the beginning” not one that has been tweaked, added too, or slightly refined over time. God’s message has been the same from creation and will always be.

This morning we know that “THIS” is referring to the message which is “love one another.” We have heard this message preached many time before by great pastors. We might even have become desensitized to the message.

The word “love” in the Greek is (agapao) which means to show or prove one’s love. This love was part of the faith “from the beginning,” which John’s audience had “heard” from the time of their earliest experience as Christians. The call to love is a present reality experienced in community—you (plural), we, and one another. The living out of mutual love among these Christians did not depend on feelings. It was an obligation that one could and should do. To love was to act in the same loving ways Christ modeled.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we can walk away with this morning is, 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!

CONCLUSION:

          I recall one situation in my marriage when my wife and I were having a “discussion.” (Married couples will be able to translate the word discussion.) My wife looked at me and said, “I don’t like you right now” and walked away. Just a foot note, we have been married for almost 17 years and there has been many of days were one doesn’t like the other, but we LOVE one another. We may not like what each other is saying or doing at the moment but our love for one another is there.

          I am reminded of a lady who came to me and told me she was divorcing her husband. She could not stand him anymore. I encouraged her to get even with him for all the things he has done to her. She was on board with that! I told her that over the next few months she was to act like everything was ok, cooked for him, praised him, and loved all over him. I saw her at church a few months later and I asked her if she was ready to drop the bomb and tell him she was leaving him? She said, “NO WAY!” I love this man!

          What happened to her desire to divorce him? She started to see him through the eyes of Jesus which chooses to love. Thank you Jesus for choosing to Love us on that cross.

           

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 (121). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:11-12 (Part 1)

View Video Blog, Right Click Link: I John 3:11-12 (Part 1)

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.

THE STUDY:

When we look at this verse we may read it in a simple form. But when we look at it in the Greek it takes on a whole different flavor. John uses the Greek word “houtos” that is translated in the ESV as THIS. This Greek word is not just a simple formed word but one that pacts a punch. This is what the scholars call a demonstrative word — A demonstrative pronoun singles out an object or person, and often acts as an adjective, modifying a noun. For example, in the sentence “That dog is vicious,” the demonstrative pronoun “that” modifies the noun “dog.” What dog? THAT Dog!

John is saying “this is the message” meaning there is no other message that someone can refer to. The only message John is pointing to is the message from God which is “that we should love one another.” This message is one that “you have heard from the beginning” not a message that has been tweaked, added too, or slightly refined over time. God’s message has been the same from creation and will always be.

Why would John point this out to those who were “so called” believers? Because of the false teachings that those of the faith were being swayed by.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we might be tempted too walk away with is the idea that “No one is trying to sway us away from Christ” or better yet, “There are a multitude of different ways to God!” Satan would love for us to buy into these ideas. We are living in a day and time that is not far removed from those kind of days which John and the rest of the Apostles lived in.

• I write to you this morning, for the same reason John wrote to his flock, so that you may understand THE TRUTH! Not some tweaked, added too, or slightly refined over time message of the Gospel. Christ is the only way to the Father! How do we know this? We have heard it preached, we sing songs about it, and we have seen it lived out in the saints of old. We have known it from the beginning!

CONCLUSION:

          Today’s world is filled with a better way, a more sophisticated way, a more modern way, a more enlightened way, and even a more powerful way other than that of Christ. Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life …” Church, there is no other way! So as we walk out of our houses today and into this sinful world let us remember the message that was from the beginning, LOVE!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod