1 John 3:11-24 (ESV)

11 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. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Intro: Who in your life is hard to love?

SELFISH & POLLUTED
Why is true love so difficult?

GRACE INSTEAD OF JUSTICE
Instead of blotting us out, what has the Lord chosen to do?

OTHER-WORLDLY LOVE
What can change us into people that love others (even enemies!) more than our own advantage or comfort?

YOU CAN PRAY WITH US …
1 - Worship the LORD God Almighty for His wisdom, power and love. Praise Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit that He is willing to work against evil rather than just blotting us all out in His justice and wrath.

2 - How have you lived with some vague idea of “loving Humanity” but you’ve failed to love a particular man or woman? Confess to Jesus how your lovelessness is wrong, and ask Him to save you from your guilt and deadness.

3 - Give thanks to Jesus for laying down His life in our place – for cleansing us from our sin and for healing us by His power. Thank Him for the gift of His Spirit to live in us, to empower us, to love truly, and not merely with words.

4 - Who do you know that struggles with coldness of heart? Pray for them, asking Jesus to work in their heart to transform them and to equip you to love them well. Ask the Spirit to empower you to serve more than you talk.

5 - Ask the Holy Spirit to bear His fruit of love in your heart. Pray that by His indwelling presence in you – because of trusting Jesus – that He would give you a sense of His power enabling you to love as Jesus does.