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Introduction
When many people read the account of the Garden of Eden – they probably think: why was it so bad for Adam and Eve to eat the fruit? And what really happened anyway? They got kicked out of their apartment and moved. They probably didn’t like weeding in the garden anyway. The real effect of their disobedience to God didn’t surface until some time later – not in them, but in their children. (just a side note – sometimes our failures to obey God will show up in our children’s lack of obedience to Him so pay attention to the life you show to your kids, it’s the life they may just emulate when they are grown). You’d think that we’d see a story of two kids fighting over a toy, one hitting the other and Adam and Eve worried about how they’ll grow up. Instead we see the full effects of sin – all at once – envy, jealously, anger, hatred, broken relationships, violence, and murder. It’s a grim picture of hate, but a prime story for us to talk about love. Genesis 4:1-9 Cain & Abel • Both wanted to be accepted by God • One chose to follow God’s prescribed way of approaching him (Abel) • The other chose to do it another way – showing disregard for God’s command • When Cain was rejected, he turned his anger on God’s approved – his brother • It was the first murder and a picture of what happens when hate rules the soul • We all know the story – but John wants to take it out of ancient history and apply it to our lives today. Verse 11 of chapter 3 marks a dividing point in the book of 1st John. Up until now the apostle dealt with who was in the family of God and who was in the family of the devil. Now we move on to deal with the quality of the life of the person in God’s family – what they should be like, how they should act, how they should get along together. 11 – 15 • Love is a tangible sign that we are in God’s family • Hate is a sign that we have a long way to go. • When are we like Cain? When we see think God is more pleased with someone else than with us so we react in anger towards that person. God says: you focus on your relationship with Me and following My will for you – and don’t worry about the other fellow. Hate Matt 5:21-22 21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Be careful about your anger – remember what James said: James 1:20 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. There is a place for anger – anger at sin, anger that God’s enemy is active. But not anger at a brother – and especially at a brother who has been blessed by the Lord. John draws a parallel to Cain and Abel for another reason – when the world sees us, because it does not belong to God, hate erupts as it witnesses us being accepted by God because we came to God as He commanded – by believing in Jesus. And so we suffer – hate, just like the murder of Abel. But even this can be turned around, even as Jesus laid down His life for those who hated Him, we too should make it our aim to respond to hate with love, to death with life. Lessons to learn: 11-15 If you hate you are denying life and not bringing about life to those who are in death. If you love, even those who hate you, you show that the death of Jesus was real and can be real even to them. Hate exhibited to you can often be a sign of a struggling soul, one that needs God all the more. 16 – 20 The Qualities of Love • Focused on giving instead of getting • Focused on fulfilling needs in others (needs not wants) • Relationships through action, not just words • Puts obedience to the Father above personal position or outward pressure • Returning love for hate 16-20 The love of God is more than the words we say. It is the life we lead and the response to the plight of others. The kindness you show is a tangible reminder of what God has done in you when we fail (we will) and our hearts (and the enemy) seek to tell us that we aren’t really Christians after all. 21 – 24 Theology 101 21-24 This is the entire Bible summed up in a few short words. Want to please God? Want to do His will? Want to know what He wants for humanity? The answer to all questions is found here. God’s command is: believe Jesus, love your brothers. This is what God is like – this isn’t just an abstract ideal He wants us to follow, this is His character. Remember verse 2 – “we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as he is” – this is our destiny too. A note about verse 23 – it says “love as He commands us” – it doesn’t mean that we are supposed to do anything and everything for everyone at all times – it means we take on God’s character of love and then listen to the Spirit to tell us when to act. There’s a process found in this section: • Everyone wants to please God – deep down • When we try to put God in our box we don’t succeed, which leads to frustration and looking at others and how they relate to God – their successes in turn lead to: • Envy & jealousy lead to hate, hate leads to death, death leads away from eternal life in God • You will be hated • Instead of reacting – respond with giving your life for others • This kind of action results in a feeling of confidence before God that overcomes the weaknesses we possess, • This in turn leads us to take on the character of God so that when we ask for things we are more confident that what we ask for will please God and will be what God wants for us • In the end, His Spirit gives us the assurance that we have indeed pleased Him – not the actions themselves, but the Spirit Conclusion • Our nature determines our response to life. Be careful what nature you let rule because it speaks to who you are. • Sincere love responds with action • In the end we must rely on God and His word, not our feelings for our position in Him • A relationship with God and living the Christian life is both profoundly simple and incredibly difficult – love God, love others. |
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