Overcome by Love

Sermon Series on First John for Easter • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Transcript

1 John 5:1–8 ESV

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

Introduction

A blessed Mother’s Day to all moms out there today. While we may not all be mothers, we all have a mother. Of course, we should give thanks to God every day for our moms, not just on this special day. We are reminded that while Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins, He could have come as a glorious king in the clouds. But He does not. He comes to earth in the womb of a humble maiden, thus sanctifying all wombs. And through His incarnation, born of a woman, born under the law, He redeems those under the law, you and me, that we might receive His adoption of our own lives into God’s life.

Being a mother is very special. I’d like to read you a portion of what my daughter, Laura, wrote yesterday about being a mom:

I used to fear that when I became a mom for the first time I would “loose myself”. I remember sitting around with like-minded others that weren’t in the season of babies yet and we would discuss and make pacts with each other that when the day came, we would still fight for the things that made us who we were. We would refuse to dissolve into a singular role and chase after our dreams no matter what it took to get there.

No babies would stop us!

I tried for a while. The whole “not changing” thing. I fervently went after my ambitions and wrote in many baby shower cards “don’t loose who you are amidst all the change!” (Sorry, sweet friends.)

Well, here I am. Mask off.

Changed.

Fully consumed and unapologetic about the metamorphosis that has occurred. Im swimming in the deep end of the motherhood ocean, but hear this; I’m not lost.

Oh, no. It’s here I have found myself.

If I go to the grave with no one knowing my name, but my children knew they were loved and had a place in this big, beautiful world, then I’ve done it. If they love Jesus and treat others with kindness and dignity, I’m as rich as I ever need to be.

I’m still in there. I’m still me. Just a refined version. It’s been a beautiful wrestle that I have finally waved my white flag to.

Dear younger me, you have permission to love being a mom. It is not the lesser call. It is the richest, most adventure-filled journey you will ever take. And it’s ok to love it and allow it a lead role in your identity.

After all, changing their world, changes the world.

“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” -Mother Theresa

Love is Sacrificial

I speak about motherhood today not simply because it is mother’s day, but because it gives us a good earthly example of what the love of God in Christ Jesus is all about.

Once again John brings up the topic of love. We addressed this several weeks ago, showing that the love the world understands is not the love of God. For the love of God is all about Sacrifice.

It all begins with Him. God loves the sinful, rebellious world, and sends His only begotten Son to save us. This is pure grace— for we certainly did not deserve this second chance at life after being born as sinners, we certainly did not do anything to merit it, we simply receive this wonderful gift of life that comes from heaven above.

His love and grace bring us alive. We receive it in faith, and it saves us. But not only that, His love enters us and flows through us. John puts it thus, “We love because He first loved us.”

His love is filled with sacrifice. He spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all. That is the love we received. Not just to save us, but to pass on. And the love that we have is sacrificial as well.

Sacrificial means dying to ourselves and putting our neighbor first. Think of a mother dropping everything she needs to be doing to come to the aid of her child.

Everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

Love is Action

Love is not, primarily, an emotion. It is action. Action on God’s part to save us; and now, in our life of sanctification, action in our lives that actually show the love of God to Him.

And this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

The commandments show us God’s path of life for us. They show us His will for our lives. In this sense they are given to us as a guide in life. Jesus tells us that “love” is the fulfillment of all of the commandments. And so, as we who have been born anew of the water and the word in faith in Jesus Christ seek to live out our lives, we show that love.

If we truly love God, we seek to live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit loving God above all things, honoring His name, and worshiping Him at every opportunity. And, what John tells us here, if we truly love our neighbors as ourselves, we will do everything we can to bless them, lift them up, protect them, honor them, and pray for them. God’s love, won on the Cross, the love washed over you in Baptism, now becomes the pathway through this life.

All this because Jesus came by Water and blood.

To you. In water He washes and saves you. Gives you faith. Binds you to Himself. In blood he enters you. Totally forgives you each and every time you receive it. And the Spirit testifies to this. Your salvation is won, washed over you, and given to you .

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