November 30, 2008
1 John: Loving Others and Pleasing God
Steve Lane

A. Introduction/Review
A repeated theme: "does what is right" or "practices righteousness"
Laying down His life; having a holy, eternally focused mission.
The great test: loving the brethren and living to please God.
B. Testing the Spirits

1 John 4: 1 - 3
1 Timothy 4: 1 - 2
Demonic spirits are many times behind false doctrine and false teachers.
The most basic thing we must have right: who is Jesus?

1 John 4: 4 - 6
1 John 2: 20,27
Aware and alert, but not afraid.
What do you listen to?

C. Review

Those who practice love give proof of the new life.
A love and concern for the brethren over and above self is the expected standard.
Look at the pattern of your life, not just individual failures.
What stops the overflow of God's love to those around us? Sin.
"Sin is primarily human self-centeredness and a resulting self-centered life that makes it impossible to love Jesus, and to love others."
"He wants to kill the love of human praise in me." -John Miller
He wants us to leave a trail of disciples and those impacted by the true love.
God's love as an example to us. Love comes from God.
The word John uses for love all through 1 John is agapao.
There are three other words for love.
Not a love drawn out by the excellence of its object.
How was Hudson Taylor able to risk his life? Agapao.
John uses God's love as an example: a practical love toward others, and a desire to help them seek the Giver.
Contrast agapao with phileo.
Phileo: brotherly love; love of friends; a personal fondness. Result of qualities that appeal.
Our love (phileo) for another must always have pleasing God first in mind.
Examples: Jesus and the rich, young man; Jesus and Peter.
Agapao: love that does not do what the loved person desires, but what they need.
Willingness to do what is best, even at great cost.
Romans 5: 5 The power to love (agapao) comes from God.

1 John 4: 13 - 21
"A claim to love God is a delusiom if it is not accompanied by unselfish love for the brethren."

Personal impact