Have you ever faced a test, presentation, What kinds of thoughts … · 2019-07-29 · 2. Perfected Love Banishes Fear •“and the one who fears is not perfected in love” •Contrast

•Haveyoueverfacedatest,presentation,project,etc.,thatyoufeltunpreparedfor?•Whatkindsofthoughtsgothroughyourheadinthesituation?

•Haveyoueverexperiencedtheopposite?•Whatmadethedifference?

1John3:1-3

•Inlove,GodcallsusHischildren•WhenGod’sSonappears,wewillbelikeHim•“everyonewhohasthishopefixedonHimpurifieshimself,justasHeispure”•3:4–5:3– whatbeingachildofGodlookslikeandhowtopurifyourselvesasHeispure•Practicingrighteousness/loving (3:10)

1John4:12

•“…ifweloveoneanother,Godabidesinus,andHisloveisperfectedinus.”•Godabidesinus– 4:13-16•Hisloveisperfectedinus– 4:17-21

1John4:17-18

•PerfectedLove?1. PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence(17)2. PerfectedLoveBanishesFear(18)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•“Bythis,loveisperfectedwithus”•Ourabidinginlove (4:16b;cf.4:12b)•Obeying->loving(2:5;3:24a)•“IfyoukeepMycommandments,youwillabideinMylove”(John15:10a)•“ThisisMycommandment,thatyouloveoneanother,…”(John15:12-17)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•“Bythis,loveisperfected withus”•Perfect– mature;reachingitsintendedgoal•God’sgoalislovingintimatefellowshipwithandamongstHischildren(1:3,7)•Godinitiated&demonstratedlove (4:7-10)•Inresponse,weoughttolove,too(4:11)•Aswelove,God’slovereachesit’sgoal

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•“sothatwemayhaveconfidence inthedayofjudgment”•Confidence – boldness (inspeaking)•2:28– abiding->boldnessatHiscoming•3:21-22– obedience->confidenceinprayer•5:14– confidenceinprayer

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•“sothatwemayhaveconfidenceinthedayofjudgment”•Noteternaldestiny(John5:24;1John3:14)•“ForwewillallstandbeforethejudgmentseatofGod.…Sotheneachoneofuswillgiveanaccount ofhimselftoGod.”(Rom.14:10b,12;cf.Matt.25:14-30)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•Whatwillwebejudgedfor?•“Theconclusion,whenallhasbeenheard,is:fearGodandkeepHiscommandments,becausethisappliestoeveryperson.ForGodwillbringeveryacttojudgment,everythingwhichishidden,whetheritisgoodorevil.”(Eccl.12:13-14)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•Whatwillwebejudgedfor?•Ourwords(Matt.12:36-37)•Ourdeedsinthebody(2Cor.5:9-10)•Ourmercy(James2:13;cf.Matt.25:31-46)

•Bottomline:OurstewardshipofallGodhasgiventous(Matt.25:14-30)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•Bywhatstandard?•“Sospeakandsoactasthosewhoaretobejudgedbythelawofliberty.”(James2:12)•theperfectlaw/theword(James1:22,25)•“If,however,youarefulfilling theroyallawaccordingtotheScripture,‘Youshallloveyourneighborasyourself,’youaredoingwell.”(James2:8)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•“becauseasHeis,soalsoareweinthisworld”•Thereasonforconfidence:beinglikeHim•AsweobeyHim,loveisperfectedwithus(welovemorelikeHeloves),andwebecomemorelikeHeis•HeistheStandard,soourbeingasHeisgivesusconfidencethatwemeasureup

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•“becauseasHeis,soalsoareweinthisworld”•Thereasonforconfidence:beinglikeHim•WhatisHelike?•HeisLight (1:5-7)•Heisrighteous(2:29;cf.2:1)•Heispure(3:3)•Heislove(4:8;cf.3:16)

1.PerfectedLoveBringsConfidence

•Wewillbejudgedaccordingtolove•Themorewepracticelovenow,themorewemeetthestandard•Themorewemeetthestandard,themoreconfidencewecanhavewhenwearejudged(cf.Matt.25:19-23)

2.PerfectedLoveBanishesFear

•“Thereisnofearinlove”•Fearingeneral?(e.g.– spidersorsnakes)•God’sloveforusvs.ourbeingafraid ofHim?•Emphasisisonhowweoughttolove(4:11)

•FearoftheLord?•Itiscommanded(Luke12:4-7;1Pet.2:7)•ItistiedtolovingGod(Deut.10:12;13:3-4)

2.PerfectedLoveBanishesFear

•“Thereisnofearinlove”•Fearofjudgment•“…abideinHim,sothatwhenHeappears,wemayhaveconfidence andnotshrinkawayfromHiminshame atHiscoming.”(2:28)

2.PerfectedLoveBanishesFear

•“Thereisnofearinlove”•Ifweareloving/keepingHiscommandments,wehavenoreasontofearHissuddenappearingorthejudgmenttofollow(Luke12:35-48;cf.Mark13:33-37)

2.PerfectedLoveBanishesFear

•“butperfectlovecastsoutfear,becausefearinvolvespunishment”•Perfectlove ->ourlovingasGodintends(11)•Fear ->thejudgment•Fearbringswithitit’sowntorment,asweanticipatetheexpectedoutcome

2.PerfectedLoveBanishesFear

•“andtheonewhofearsisnotperfectedinlove”•Contrastwithconfidenceatjudgment (17)•OurfearofjudgmentshowswearenotfullylovingasGodintends•Noneutral:eitherloving orhating (3:14-15)

•GodgivesHislove,andHecallsustoloveHimandourbrothers,inordertoperfect us

SoWhat?

•Godwants:1. Hislovebroughttocompletion infellowship2. Hischildrenbroughttocompletion inlove•E.g.- Eph.4–5;1Cor.13:4-7;Gal.5:6,13-15

•Thinkthroughyourrelationships;howdoyoumeasureup?