HERE IS THE CROWNING THEME OF THE WORD OF GOD - GOD IS LOVE, AND HE IMPLANTS THAT LOVE

• Jesus declared this love to be the very center of the Great Commandment- Matt 22:37
• Paul called it the greatest gift - the better way  I Cor 13 not Eros or Phileo, but Agape
• John shows this love to be the source of our life, and key to our close fellowship and joy

John uses this word over 50 times in the Gospel, 30 times in 1st John, distinct

THE PERSON OF LOVE - I JOHN 4:8 - "GOD IS LOVE"

God is love, and the giver of love, and there is no love apart from His wonderful influence

GOD IS LOVE - 4:8 - ALL FALSE VIEWS OF GOD MISS THIS, OR MISS THE DISTINCTIVE MEANING OF LOVE

• This love is perfect - transcends our greatest idea of friendship, human attachment
• Even God's wrath, as well as his chastening, is motivated by His great love for all mankind
• This is the first verse memorized by a child, the last one understood by the greatest theologian

GOD HAS MADE HIS LOVE KNOWN TO US THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST - 4:9,10

• No place does the Bible try to prove the existence of God - but everywhere - His great love
• V10- all man-made religions grow from man to God- but here it is God that is the prime mover
• To make this understandable, God's own personality came to earth in His Son - Jesus

GOD WANTS US AND EXPECTS US TO NOT ONLY RECEIVE HIS LOVE, BUT DISPLAY IT TO OTHERS - V.11-15

• If we have accepted God and His love, we ought to love too  v.11, solve a lot of problems
• This love is a gift, not worked up; if you don't have it, you don't have God's gift - v.13
• If you want this love, confess Christ - v.15, and surrender to the indwelling Spirit of God

This love is very intimate, and personal; encompasses your whole being, thrills all

THE POWER OF LOVE - I JOHN 4:17-19

This love has the ability to bring sweet, peaceful fellowship to warring, troubled people

THERE IS A POWER IN THIS LOVE TO BRING PEACE WITH GOD, CASTING OUT FEAR 

• This love leads us to have boldness in the day of judgement - 17b Know by faith His love
• The terrors and fear of tomorrow are taken away - v.18 We know who holds the future!
• The greatest motive in our lives should be His constraining love - v.19 -

AND THERE IS POWER IN THIS LOVE TO BRING PEACE AMONG MEN, IF WE LET IT WORK - 4:20 - 5:1

• No man can love God and hate his brother - v.20 the logic here is divine - much missed though
• God ties in the motive appeal with a commandment - (2nd) to serve God you must have love
• Then God gives us the new birth, so that we have the power to love - 5:1  Use this power

IT IS THE POWER OF LOVE THAT CAN BRING VICTORY OVER THE WORLD TODAY - 5:2-6

• Obedience to God's love leads us to keep His commandments - and they are not grievous - 3
• The world and its lust (Eros) would overcome the Christian, but through faith- victory - 4
• Like an echo in a song - who overcomes - the one with faith v.5 the power to be victorious

In every kind of adventure, love is the greatest motive force in the human heart

THE PRIZE OF LOVE - 5:9-21

When one has run the race well, he receives the prize - the great prize of love is assurance

THE WITNESS OF LOVE, 5:9-21, LEADS TO ASSURANCE THAT SETS OUR HEART TO REST

• Men who lack assurance doubt the reality of the love - but God's love has witnesses - v.9
• God swears the witness of His love into the heart of every born-again one - v.10 - believe it or not
• In the plain truth - v.12 hath Son - hath life - doubt or jealousy are not from love, but lust

THE RIGHTS OF LOVE - V.13-17 TRUE LOVE BRINGS WITH IT SUPERIOR RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, JOYS

• THE RIGHT TO LIFE - V.13 -  Eternal life - claim it, know that you have it, have no doubt at all
• THE RIGHT TO CONFIDENCE - V.14 -The access to God with your fellowship, confidence in Him
• THE RIGHT TO PETITIONS - V.15 -  The assurance that God hears us and we have our petitions

THE ASSURANCE OF LOVE - V.18-21 TRUE LOVE BUILDS ASSURANCE SO THAT WE KNOW

• We know we have the new birth - v.18 - the wicked one cannot touch us - no seduction
• We know that we are of God - v.19 - the whole world is in darkness, but we have God
• We know that God is true - v.20 - He has given us understanding and we are in Him

The REAL joy of love is not only to possess it, but to be possessed by it -

ARE YOU THE POSSESSOR OF AND POSSESSED BY GOD'S LOVE?  IT IS YOURS BY FAITH

• If you want to receive God's love - come and accept Jesus Christ as your saviour
• If you have Christ, let God's love work in your life - showing this love to others
• Will you work for His love - soulwinning, service for His glory?