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Gospel centred sermons, based on the lectionary often in advance.

May 1, 2012

Focus Reading 1 John 4:7-21 Subscribe on iTunes

1 John's famous passage on love declares in verses 8 and 16 that "God is love."  This love of God has implications.

  • It has implications for the way we live our Christian lives - Verses 7 & 11 remind us that since God has loved us we must love others.
  • It has implications for who we are as Christians. Our sins are forgiven v.10
  • It has implications for our ability to love at all. It is only because God first loved us and gave Jesus for us that we can love God & or anyone else (v 9-10/19)

We know all this - we are aware of God's presence and love in our lives - because of the Spirit. (v. 13) 

This passage also ties together knowledge and love and the presence of God. I do not believe in head knowledge verses heart knowledge- if you know about Jesus, if you know about God's love - how can your heart not be moved? How can you not love God and your neighbours? How can you not turn to God, in worship, praise, repentance and confession, study and action? How could you not be passionate about God and your neighbours?

Questions for thought and discussion.

What does the statement "God is Love" mean for you and how you live your life? How should God's love affect the way with others? What do you think of the notion that there is no such thing as a difference between head and heart knowledge?