Love and Hate: Where Are You?, Part 3

Today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll defines what it means to love God and others are compassion for another proves our love for God somebody else. No one love God because I there is need to see your brother in need closure hard against the love of God, about little children don't love with murder Tom love indeed powerless.

How can we make any difference when the offenses are beyond our control today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll provides biblical instruction on how to love others.

During this unsettling season. Chaos and confusion.

It starts with a clear definition. First John chapter 3 we read. This is how we know what love is Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers Chuck titled today's message. Love and hate where you are determines what you do. Kane is an evil man. And when you combine that evil spirit that evil nature with the mixture of envy. Add to it. Resentment, it will equal murder murder. John could have used an illustration and uses this violent scene out of Genesis 4, first John chapter 3 he asks in the middle of verse 12 and for what reason did he slay him because his deeds were evil and his brothers are righteous. What a statement. How dare he act out righteously, making me look like the fool. Do not be surprised.

Brethren, if the world hates you, genius. Turn of the subject. We've been focusing on chain who resented his brother because of his righteousness and all of the sudden John comes to the cosmos. This world system that lies in the lap of the evil one says this letter come to the world system the world owned by Satan, operating under the sovereign permission of the living God and filling the hearts of maximum number of people with evil.

This is in the conspiracy. I'm starting this is biblical theology. The world will hate you Christian why because you do righteously in the world doesn't just as Kane hated Abel for doing what he did. That was righteous, it just showed him up as being unrighteous pain if you will, is the prototype of this world and the world we read each sidebar you and I are living in the day when it is more obvious than ever, certainly ever in my lifetime. The world despises the Christian you are a smart person you have greater hope. If you have flaws and failures around the office but you show up as a Christian who loves Christ and desires to serve him in a righteous way. Your mark person who you think you are. Jesus said to his own before he left the earth, you need to know that the world that hated me is going to hate you know there's all this going great question the way of verse 14 refers to the believer and it's in an emphatic place in the text of Scripture we we believers we Christians know that we have passed out of death like existence in the life he's referring to conversion. Now that we have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is our master, we have shifted from an existence in the dungeon to an existence out in the free air in the beauty of his presence. We have moved from death of the life, but he says here the way it's known is because we love the brothers Hugh does not love abides in death. I love it.

John doesn't let you get away with just theory. How do they know where the Christian bar love that's the identifying mark of the believer, but this they will all know that you are my disciples, as you have love for one another.

Remember we looked love one another love one another what you are determines what you see your seeing a brother in need and what you see determines what you do do something about it. Which puts feet to your love puts meaning to your philosophy of living. It proves that you live in the light, but there's a next verse that draws a contrast verse 15 everyone who hates his brother, meaning is a lifestyle.

Remember a comment about that earlier their habitual life of hate. The habitual life of resentment.

He was a hater as a lifestyle is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Meeting those who embrace murder. That's the way they live their lives at the way they planted in their lives as their hearts have been changed into the determines what this they see determines they do we know love by this I watch closely. We know love by this that he lay down his life for us. The H represents Christ. Obviously, so the first thing I would say under these genuine examples. The first is the Christian is Christ and the other is is the believer Christ self sacrificial death proves his love for us.

Why on earth would he go to that cross and die. Why on earth would a good man die for sinful people like us. Love love love… Why does he love us because… Because… That's Christ. But look at the hook. Now he's got it coming to a climax and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. Whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against the house love of God. So the second statement we would make is our compassion for another proves our love for God somebody else know I love God because I am there in his need or need. I moved over and touched by what you observe something, please when you observe the change from the parent of the singular, and it dawned on me this week. I'd never seen it before. Verse 16 closes. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren or the cisterns you know we got both here then and its plural.

It means men and women, boys and girls, teenagers one another. This is plural, but whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother is that is that classic you know why because when we focus, we focus on an individual loving everybody can be excused. An excuse for loving nobody that's how we get out of it. That's how we handle our guilt world. I love love love I and you would you could ask.

Name one name one that you proved to. That's that's a whole another story. And that's John's point. You see your brother in need and you close your heart against him, how was the love of God, about little children were back to basics were back in the kindergarten sandlot don't love with murder Tom love indeed improve find all you could preach on this. Let's see if worked out teaser of the truth, you can communicate this information and it isn't about verbs and it is about prepositions and a dozen about infinitives and it isn't about imperatives and it isn't about present tenses and it isn't about syntax and it isn't just about theology, it's about acts of love acts of love that the father witnesses through the power of the spirit as we hear used instruments and others live because this is about us years ago when I was sitting in seminary classroom. The day was getting along in the sun was starting to said day of classes on never forget this fine godly seminary professor who made the statement. Men we really can't learn what the pages of the Bible are saying until we see ourselves between the line. Those stories are our stories on the prodigal stumbling along, wondering up the father's arms will be open or the door will be slammed shut.

I'm the one left on the side of the road, beaten up, leaving a Samaritan to come in for an oil to bring healing my six I am the one in need. I am the center. I broken the one to whom John is writing new is it you is all over this section. Me, I'm all over. So where are you in this love a battle where you can only answer for me has a full-time job and you got answer for you. Some of you have to admit, I am seizing with hate. I am brimming with recent if I could possibly find a way, that guy would be will hold me talk to you straight, tell your story through. I want to give your project that you're not gonna like okay I like the project is if you don't like it, you won't forget it. So hopefully a handful of you will do it being a realist. I know that all of you won't because it would be too hard. But here's the project this week ask God to help you focus on one person not to, not the people in your office note no other but in your team know what one person, one one of your children.

Maybe one of your parents. Maybe one neighbor one maybe one child, perhaps your spouse one person second. Ask God to open your eyes to some need you see in that individual. You won't see it if you don't break down the plural to the singular, so that one person. Lord, give me eyes to see a need and that person's life is help me see it open myself to you. I ask you and your gonna focus on that person Sunday evening. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, right through the week all week one person what is the need so that you truly see the person, not as they want you to think. But as you know is by observing third do something about it that's unexpected now. I'm tempted to give you seven ideas but I'm I can do that you're all creative enough to finish the script.

We all know at least one person we certainly know at least one person with need the hard part is doing something about it doing doing something about that's unexpected. This is what happened to Frederick Buechner. He tells of it in his book secrets in the dark. I remember an especially dark time of my life.

One of my children was sick and in my anxiety for her. I was in my own way. As sick as she then one day the phone rang and it was a man named Lou, whom I didn't know very well them, though he has become a great friend sense a minister from Charlotte, North Carolina which is about 800 miles or so from Rupert, Vermont where I live. I assumed he was calling from home and asked how things were going down there only to hear him say that no he wasn't in Charlotte. He was at and in about 20 minutes away from my house and Rupert. You knew something about what was going on in my family and in me and he said he thought maybe it would be some help to have an extra friend around for a day or two. The reason he didn't tell me in advance that he was coming was that he knew of a teller, for heaven's sake not to do anything so crazy never the unexpected but for heaven sake. He did something crazy or still, which was to calm those 800 miles without telling me he was coming, so that, for all he knew. I might not even have been there but I was there for a day or two. He was there with me. He was there for me. I don't think anything we found to say to each other, amounted to very much there was nothing particularly religious about it.

I don't remember even spending much time talking about my troubles with we took a couple of walks had some meals together and smoked our pipes.

I drove around to see some of the countryside and was about it, but I've never forgotten how he came all that distance just for that, and I'm sure he never has forgotten about it either.

I also believe that although as far as I can remember, we never so much as mentioned the name, but Christ was as much of the air we breathe those few days is the fragrance of our pipes was in the air or the dappled light of the woods. We walked through. I believe that for a little time we both of us touch the him of Christ's garment and I know that for a little time both of us were healed. Somebody calling on the phone just 20 minutes down the road. Did you say good night. You must be crazy. And that's that's it. Of course were called to be crazy exactly like that were called by the good God to be hands and feet hard the heart of Christ to each other what you are determines what you see what you see what determines what you do do something, do something unexpected for somebody who can't possibly earn it are repaying you do something that proves you who you say you are this week our heads together sitting in this audience today are some canes I don't know who you are and it wouldn't matter if I did I would still say the same thing to you. You haven't gone so far down that you can't get back up. It's called grace.

What God does for you that you don't deserve. You might have made an absolutely unholy mess of your life. Your shame level is at the breaking point.

Doesn't matter. This isn't about Shane. It's about recovery. You may know somebody that shame their lives everything within you is going to scream these guided calming police cleats. If you've never met the Lord of perfect moment to trust him just just turn to him. He's right there. He fills this place.

His arms are open. He loves you. He lay down his life. Now to the Ables I would say you got one week in a marvelous opportunity to prove your love to really a follower of Jesus do it.

Help us all our father. We use it, some with such sophistication and pride. Others broken bruise, humiliated some on a journey to find their way in others found it got messed up since then. Thank you that none of that turns you none of our lives affects your your love for us.

There is no shadow caused by our turning. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us a week to do that for someone else. In return, enable us to think outside the box for start with me, help me to practice what I just preached the loving father we ask for this lovely name are sacrificial's monies. Cain and Abel provide the stark contrast between love and hate your listening to Chuck Swindoll and Insight for living. To learn more about Chuck Swindoll or this ministry. Be sure to visit us online@insightworld.org recognizes this followers of Jesus Christ not by our Christian T-shirts or bumper stickers, but by our love for one another love is our identification badge it shows is that we belong to Christ and his love lives in us and Insight for living ministries. We are praying for love, to transform our world, but not just any love has that power.

Chuck delivered two messages on how to love like Christ in the studies of Romans 12 Chuck equips us with the biblical tools to make a difference right where we live, the miniseries is titled loving one another and you're invited to purchase both of these CDs or MP3s from Insight for living by going to Insight.org/offer or if your listening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888. In addition, you can make a huge difference for someone you may never meet by becoming a monthly companion a monthly companion is someone who believes in our mission to deliver God's love through this daily program by giving a donation every month. One of the grateful recipients left a message that read you are a beacon of Christ in this dark world keep keeping on.

Pastor Chuck, I've been following you since the age of 16, Christ regenerated me in a small village in Belize and another who said Pastor Chuck, I was saved under your ministry at a been a worship leader. Since that time what to become a monthly companion call listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 can also sign up online@insight.org/monthly companion or to give a one time donation go to insight.org it's almost impossible to escape the pervasive news these days is everywhere and most of us are craving a break from the TV and a reprise from the images of rage disease, civil unrest in this volatile season Insight for living ministries is continued to serve as a safe harbor where good news is celebrating many tell us that the Bible teaching from Chuck Swindoll provides a refreshing getaway chaos and confusion of our times with these daily visits with Chuck are made possible in part by monthly companions inviting you to join this influential team monthly supporters sign up today by calling us your listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 in this hospital first world craving just one gentle God's goodness, we respond are simple act of generosity will be friends and that is sweet for someone decided return become a regular monthly calling listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go online insight.org month and I'm Dave Speicher tomorrow. Chuck Swindoll continues our study in first John with a discussion about you and your conscience right here on Insight for living. The preceding message love and hate word art and the sound recording copyright in 2009 by Charles R.

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