In the sermon 'Rooted and Grounded in Love' by Mike Davenport, the focus is on the passage from 1 John 4:17-21, which discusses the perfection of God's love in believers, enabling them to have boldness on the day of judgment. The sermon emphasizes the importance of God's abiding presence through the Holy Spirit, which perfects love within us and drives out fear. Davenport draws connections to Ephesians 3, where believers are described as 'rooted and grounded in love,' highlighting that this divine love is vast and beyond human comprehension. The sermon differentiates between the fear of God experienced by believers, which leads to reverence and boldness, and the slavish fear experienced by unbelievers. It also underscores the inseparable link between loving God and loving one's brother, asserting that a true understanding of God's love compels us to love others as a demonstration of our faith and obedience to God's commandments.

Please remain standing and open your Bibles to our sermon text this morning, which will be read from 1 John chapter 4 verse 17 down to 21. Please give your full attention to the word of the Lord. Love has been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

We love him because he first loved us. If someone says, I love God and hates his brother he is a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen how can he love God whom he has not seen and this commandment we have from him That he who loves God must love his brother also. Father in heaven, thank you so much that we can come before your throne with boldness. Father, that we have assurance in Christ. Father, I ask that as we open our hearts to hear the preaching of your word, that we would be attentive, that you would speak boldly through Mr.

Davenport today as he speaks. Father, please bless us in this time and teach our hearts, convict us of our sin, encourage us in holiness, and make us more like your son. These things we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. So we come today to 1st John chapter 4 17 through 21 And before we jump into our text, I want us to consider the broader context.

I think it will help us to better understand what John has for us in our text this morning. So verses 13 through 21 can be taken as a whole. These verses seem to flow out of a proposition that John presents to us back in verse 12, that our love, as it is expressed to others finds as its source first of all the presence of God with us but second of all the perfection of His love in us. It says, if we love one another, first, God abides in us, and second, His love has been perfected in us. So having made that proposition, John goes on in verses 13 through 16, which is part of what we looked at last week.

He goes on to describe what God's abiding in us looks like. He first describes the witness of this abiding. It's the Holy Spirit whom the Father has given to us. He then describes the work of that Spirit as he abides with us. So first In verse 13, it is the Spirit that gives rise to our confidence that God abides in us and we in Him.

Verse 14, it is the Spirit that enables us to see and to testify that God the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Then in verse 15, it is this very same Spirit that gives rise to our confession in word and in life that Jesus is God come in the flesh. And then in verse 16, it is the Spirit that causes us to know experientially and believe with all our heart the love that God has for us. He then closes this first proposition by tying together once again love and the abiding presence of God saying God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him. But then secondly, John turns to the reality of the perfection of God's love in us in verses 17 through 21, which is our text for today.

If you love your brother, going back to verse 12, if you love your brother, It is because God abides in you and because you have tasted of His great love for you. And so the message has been entitled, Rooted and grounded in love. Rooted and grounded in love. And we will look at the text under the following headings. First of all, the perfecting work of God's love in us.

The perfecting work of God's love in us. Secondly, the peace of God's love upon us, the peace of God's love upon us. Then thirdly, the procession of love from God to us, the Procession of love from God to us the procession of love from God to us and then lastly The practice of our love toward others the practice of our love toward others So first of all if you'll look with me at verse 17, at the perfecting work of God's love in us. Love has been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. So the idea of love being perfected in us was first expressed back in chapter 2 and verse 5.

But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. So even there, it talks about the abiding tied together with the perfecting love of God in us. But we also saw it earlier in this chapter, in chapter 4 and verse 12. If we love one another, God abides in us and his love has been perfected in us.

And now we see it again in this opening verse of our text today. Love has been perfected among us in this. Now note the verb tense, the verb tense that's used here in chapter 4 in both verse 12 and in verse 17. I believe our New King James version has translated correctly by putting these verbs in the past tense, has been perfected. This perfecting work is a finished work.

It has been completed. It is sure. John's focus thus far in chapter 4 has been on the love of God manifested in the saving work of Jesus Christ. John does not begin talking specifically about our love until he gets to verses 20 and 21. He has been seeking to focus our attention on the facts that God is love, that He has manifested that love, and that this love defines all loves.

If we have this love, then we have it in its perfect state There is nothing lacking in the Father's love for us There is nothing lacking in the Son's love for us and There is nothing lacking in the Son's love for us, and there is nothing lacking in the Spirit's love for us. The only thing lacking is our full grasping of the true perfection of this love in our hearts and the assurance of it in our daily experience. That's the only lacking. It's nothing lacking in the love of God. This was the reality that led the apostle Paul to pray for these same saints in Ephesus in his epistle to them.

And so in Ephesians chapter 3 verses 14 through 19, these very familiar words, Paul says, for this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man." So here's this Spirit abiding in us, and he's praying that they may be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man. To what end? That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Note that Paul here praised the very same thing of which John wrote here in our text, the strengthening through the Spirit, the abiding of Christ in our hearts, and the comprehending of the perfect love of Jesus Christ. Now Paul here describes these saints as rooted and grounded in love.

Now the idea of rooted is to render firm, to fix or establish, to cause a person or thing to be firmly grounded. That's what it means to be rooted. And Paul says, I want you to be rooted, fixed, established in love. But then the idea of grounded is to make stable. It is also translated foundation and settle in other portions of Scripture.

So Paul's prayer is that these believers would grow in their knowledge and comprehension of the very love in which God has caused them to be fixed in, established in, and made stable in. Well, John too wants these dear saints in Ephesus to comprehend the width, the length, and depth, and height of this love, a love which passes knowledge. And it is only through the work of the Spirit strengthening us with might that we are able to comprehend and to know this love that goes beyond common knowledge. And what is the result of a growing comprehension of the vastness of this love? Well, Paul tells us it's being filled with all the fullness of God.

This is that perfecting work of love. It brings with it all of the fullness of God. But John continues here in our text. He says that God's love has been perfected among us in this, that is, to this end, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. The boldness that he speaks of is not a boldness that is to be just experienced on the day of judgment.

It is a boldness to be had here and now, that we may have boldness in regards to or as we anticipate that great day of judgment. This is made clear by the next phrase in the verse, because as he is, so are we in this world. Not, not, He does not say, as Christ was, so are we in this world. Neither does He say, as Christ is, so we will be in the future world. No, he ties Christ in his present, exalted, glorified state to us in our current state here in this world.

All that Christ is is ours. All that He did, He did for us. We are seated in the heavenly kingdom of Christ. Our life is hidden with Him. John tells us in his gospel in chapter 1 verse 16 and of his fullness We have all received and grace for grace Do not forget what we studied in chapter 3 that likeness reflects relationship.

We are either like Cain or we are like Christ. And so Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones comments on this verse as follows, the astounding and amazing statement which the apostle makes is that we in this world, here in this world of time, are the same as He is there, out of time, and in heaven, and in the eternal world. As He is in His very nature, in eternity, in heaven, in glory, so are we in this world. Before we go to heaven, even here on earth we are like him you see our confidence rests in the finished work of Christ and his love for us This love results in new life as we saw back earlier in chapter 4.

It results in new life which in turn gives birth to love in our lives. So the connection between the love in a Christian and the love in that that love that is in our Savior is inseparable. The love that is in us and the love that is in our Savior, it's inseparable. Our confidence does not find its final rest in our love, but goes past our love to the foot of Mount Calvary. Our soul cries out, I love him because he first loved me.

I now love others because he first loved me. Love lives within because he died. And in this the Christian finds his hope and his confidence. That is how we can have boldness because we're resting in that perfect love. Oh brothers and sisters, are you enraptured?

Are you captivated by the love of Christ, your beloved, as was the Shulamite with her beloved in the Song of Solomon. Do you remember how captivated she was with her beloved's love? Do you remember? Your love is better than wine. It is intoxicating.

It's better than wine. I sat down in his shade with great delight. He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love. That defined it. He's supplying all of my needs, and His banner over me, it reads love.

My beloved is mine and I am his. Yes, He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved and this is my friend. I am my beloved's and his desire is toward me. I became in his eyes as one who found peace." Consider also how the hymn writers have described this perfect love.

Here is love, vast as the ocean, loving kindness as the flood, when the Prince of Life, our ransom, shed for us his precious blood. On the Mount of Crucifixion, fountains, fountains opened deep and wide. Through the floodgates of God's mercy flowed a vast and gracious tide. Grace and love like mighty rivers poured incessant from above. Rivers poured incessant from above.

Let me all thy love accepting, love thee ever all my days. Let me seek thy kingdom only and my life be to thy praise. Of thy fullness thou art pouring thy great love and power on me. Without measure, full and boundless, what's the effect drawing out my heart to Thee? How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure that he should give his only Son to make a wretch his treasure.

Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down Fixing us thy humble dwelling all thy faithful mercies crown Jesus thou art all compassion pure unbounded love thou art. Visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart. Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free, rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me. Underneath me, all around me is the current of Thy love, leading onward, leading homeward to my glorious rest above. Oh, the deep!

Above, O the deep, O the deep, deep love of Jesus, Tis a heaven of heavens to me and It lifts me up to glory for it lifts me up to thee And so my prayer for you dearly beloved is that you, being rooted and grounded in this love, might be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. But then verse 18 verse 18 we see the peace of God's love upon us. The peace of God's love upon us. One of the characteristics of true love is that it is devoid of fear. It is devoid of fear.

That is to say there is nothing within the actions that would engender fear in the recipient of those actions. So if I am loving someone they should in no wise have any fear whatsoever if it's the case then I'm truly not loving When the package of love True love when that package is delivered peace and comfort are found in the packing. In fact, John goes on to tell us that even more than not engendering fear, true love actually drives fear out. If there is fear there, it drives it away. The love Christ has for us in no way comes to us in a manner that drives us to fear.

As John tells us here, Christ's love actually drives out any fear that we have. His love is intended to remove all sense of torment, whether real or whether self-imposed. As we saw in the previous verse, his love has been perfected in us so that in the place where fear and torment were once appropriate, they aren't appropriate in terms of the day of judgment if we're outside of him and have not tasted of that love But where that love has come and fear and torment were once appropriate Now there is a boldness and assurance that can withstand the scrutiny of the all-seeing eye of God even on that last day, so that even if our hearts would condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. He knows all things. He has given us a love that will give us confidence in Him.

Now, I must pause here and provide a very important clarification before moving on. We must be clear in regards to the type of fear that perfect love casts out. John helps us by saying that the fear he is referring to involves torment. All men should fear God. All men should fear God.

But the fear that a Christian has for God is far different than the fear that an unbeliever has of God. The only fear of God that an unbeliever knows is a slavish fear, a slavish fear that causes him to draw back. But the love that a Christian has brings a different fear. The fear that a Christian has is a freeing, Filial fear that causes the Christian to not draw back but to actually draw near. With reverence, yes, but with boldness.

These truths are in no place more clearly stated than they are in Romans chapter 8. I love Romans chapter 8. Paul begins that chapter with a statement that should give even the weakest of Christians boldness in the contemplation of Judgment Day. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. There's none.

No condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Why? Because his love has been perfected in us. Then picking up the reading in chapter 8 verse 14, we see clearly the peace that comes with the love of Christ. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." There again he's tying the knowledge of this love with the abiding presence of the Spirit.

"'For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear. When the Spirit first comes to a man, he brings a bondage of fear, trembling fear, a slavish fear, a realization that judgment day, if it comes today, I will stand guilty before God. But he's telling us here in Romans 8, he's talking to those who have been born again who were in Christ Jesus and he says, for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs.

Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. So we've been given a spirit of adoption, and once you are in Christ, the Spirit no longer brings this kind of spirit of fear. Rather, he tells us of God's perfect love. He gives us grace and boldness to cry out, Abba, Father.

And because of that perfect love, we have a boldness as we contemplate the day of judgment. John then says, but he who fears has not been made perfect in love. Having stated that perfect love casts out fear, he here makes it known that those whose typical experience with God is one of tormenting fear, then they know nothing of this perfect love. If your typical experience with God is one of tormenting fear, then John says, you know nothing of this perfecting love. Rather than a healthy fear that would cause them to invest their talents for the glory of God that they may have boldness in light of judgment day they have a fear devoid of love that leaves them to bury their talents in the ground because they view God as did that wicked and unprofitable servant.

Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground look There you have what is yours? You see the fear that that man had the other men had a fear They had a fear They didn't just put the money aside in the house and go about their business. No, they sought to make the most of that investment because they had a healthy, freeing, filial fear of that master. And they knew he was coming back and they would give an account and they wanted to please him and they invested.

But this man, he was afraid of God. He saw this master as one who was hard and he went and hid that in the ground. He knew nothing of the love of that master. Now this raises a serious question. Perhaps some of you have already thought of it.

Does any sign of fear indicate an unconverted state? Does the presence of fear and the lack of assurance in my life mean that I am not a Christian? Remaining in a seemingly perpetual or lengthy state such as this should raise serious doubts in our minds. Try to understand what I'm clearly saying. Remaining in a seemingly perpetual or lengthy state such as this should raise serious doubts in our minds.

But there are times when we, like Christian and pilgrims Progress, find ourselves in Doubting Castle, or we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death, it is still possible for Christians to experience seasons of fear and doubt. We must remember what John has told us repeatedly, that the love of God has been perfected in us. His love comes to us without any elements of fear, and in its perfection drives out all fear. If we yet have fear, we can be confident that it is at least an evidence of a lack of spiritual maturity. It demonstrates our failure to recognize God's perfect work of love in us.

That in turn leads to a point where our love is lacking. And if our love is lacking, it is due to the fact that we have lost sight of the love of Christ for us. Joel Beeke writes the following in his commentary on 1st John he says fear prevails only when God's love is not understood and trusted. Let me repeat that. Fear prevails only when God's love is not understood and trusted.

He doesn't say fear doesn't exist at all. No, there are fears that arise, but he even says, Joel Beeke even realizes that fear can be there but it doesn't prevail. And when it does prevail in our hearts it's because we are not understanding and trusting This perfect love. And we see this in children. What do children do when they are overcome with fear?

Where do they go? We know. You children know. They fly to mom and dad. They find mom and dad as fast as they can.

Their head spins like an owl when they're in the store and all of a sudden mom and dad aren't there. Why? Because fear has overcome them and they are looking for a place to take that fear. And they look to mom and dad not because particularly they love mom and dad they look to mom and dad because they know mom and dad loves them Mom and Dad love me and they seek to take care of that fear by going to those whom they love. They are convinced of this love and in the shadow of that parent and in those strong arms of love that child's fears begin to dissipate.

Do you remember that wonderful text that we studied in Isaiah? God's response to Judah when they had concluded that he had forgotten them, that He had forsaken them, fear had overtaken them because they were judging God by their circumstances. And what did God tell Judah, Isaiah 49, 15, and 16? Can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands. Thy walls are continually before me." It's not about our love for God, but about His love for us. I don't know about you, but I cannot imagine reaching a level in regards to my own love in my own heart that would remove all fear from my heart and give me confidence and boldness to face God on the last day. I cannot imagine my love rising to that where I would have that confidence and boldness. My only hope and confidence, the only thing which gives rise to any boldness that I can cling to is what Christ has accomplished in my stead.

As the hymn writer so eloquently wrote, Oh love, that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee. I give thee back the life I owe, that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be. Oh light that followest all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee. My heart restores its borrowed ray, that in thy sunshine's blaze its day may brighter, fairer be. O joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee.

I trace the rainbow through the rain and feel the promise is not vain, that mourn shall tearless be. O cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee. I lay in dust life's glory dead, and from the ground their blossoms red life that shall endless be. Oh love that will not let me go. Third we see the procession of love from God to us.

Love proceeds from Him and comes to us. Verse 19, we love Him because He first loved us. John has declared in verse 16 of this chapter that God is love. Love finds its definition, its source, and its perfection in God. If God did not love, there would be no love.

Just as the moon reflects the light that it receives from the sun, So we as children of God simply reflect the love that we receive from God. Apart from the sun, the moon has no light. Apart from God, we are loveless. Some Bible manuscripts leave out the pronoun, him. They read, we love because he first loved us.

Now both of these ideas are true. We love God because he first loved us, and we love because he first loved us. But I think that the context supports the use of the pronoun hymn. First of all, this phrase reiterates what John told us back in verse 10, in this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. And another item that supports its use is what John says in the next verse in verse 20, if someone says I love God and hates his brother he is a liar.

So the argument that flows out of this presupposes one who is here declaring that he does love God. So we love him because he first loved us. What comfort can be found in these few words? God loved us first. He loved us first.

His love is not a response to our love. If it were, what can we expect when our love grows cold? If His love were a response to our love, what would happen if we fell out of His favor? If we could no longer make ourselves lovely in His sight, where would His love be if we loved first? No, He first loved us.

He loved us when we were his enemies, when there was nothing lovely in us. He loved us not for what he could get from us. He loved us for what he could give to us. But not only is there comfort found in the fact that God loved us when we were unlovely. There is also comfort to be found in the fact that our love for God flows out of this vast reservoir of His love for us.

It is comforting knowing that though the spring of love in my heart seems to ebb and to flow, It will never run dry because it is being fed from the endless supply of love found in Christ. Once again drawing from the hymns quoted earlier, of thy fullness thou art pouring thy great love and power on me, without measure full and boundless, drawing out my heart to thee. O love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee. I give thee back the life I owe that in thine ocean depths, in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be. If he has set his love upon you, remember that it is an everlasting love he says in Jeremiah I have loved you with an everlasting love therefore with cords cords of loving kindness that will not be broken, I have brought you to me." It's an everlasting love.

God cannot stop loving you because He never started. That's right. He cannot stop loving you because His love for you never had a starting point. It's an everlasting love. That is why this perfect love of God will cast out fear.

It's a love that will not let me go. What have I to fear? With such comforting promises, there is no longer a place for fear. I ask you to hold your place here and turn to Romans chapter 8. Turn to Romans 8.

We spoke a little bit of Romans 8 earlier about there is therefore now no condemnation in Christ about the giving of the Spirit, who does not bring a sense of fear again, but now that we are Christ, he brings a sense of welcomeness, of adoption. But look with me at what he says in Romans 8 beginning in verse 31. And these are promises for you, my dear brother and sister. Don't read through these hastily. This is a love letter.

The Bible is a love letter written to you. God wants you to know and experience this. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercessions for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword. As it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet, yet in all these things, if you want to add more to them in those things too, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, are you?

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created things shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The peace of the love that God gives for us, this perfecting love, And it proceeds from the Father and it comes to us. And then, fourthly and finally, the practice of our love toward others. The practice of our love toward others. Verses 20 and 21 back in 1 John 4.

If someone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God must love his brother also." Now, as we have seen, ultimately, the peace that is our portion in this world, The boldness that we can experience in light of Judgment Day rests solely on our comprehension of Christ's love manifested toward us and resting in that comprehension and that love. But John does not end his discussion with that. The perfection of God's love toward us gives birth to and then propels us, in us, the practice of love toward others.

It gives birth to and propels in us this practice of love toward others. The man who says that he loves God, which as John has taught us is to say that he has experienced the love of God and yet hates his brother is a liar, is a liar. I marvel at John's argument here. God has commanded us to love our brother. He's commanded us to love our brother.

We profess a love for God and yet show a lack of love to God by disobeying His commandment to love our brother. See, we want to say God loved us. I love God. And John's argument says, okay, you love God, God gave a commandment. And he doesn't focus on the commandment of loving God.

Much like Christ did with the rich young ruler who said, yeah, I've done this and this and this and this. I've kept the law for my youth up." He said, fine, go sell what you have and give it to the poor and come follow me. And so John says, okay, you say you love God, let's put that to the side for a moment because God commanded you to love your brother. And if you love God, you'll obey God so that if you love God you'll love your brother. So in that refusal to love our brother our disobedience to the command of God, proves that we do not love God either.

John throughout this Epistle seeks to give assurance to those who know God, but at the same time and in the same manner unmasking those whose lives do not match their profession. And John's not afraid to use the word liar. Here in this verse he is declaring that man a liar who says he loves God and yet he fails to love his brother. This is no small matter to live a life that is a lie. But Consider the other things that John likens this to, because John uses the word liar quite often.

And as we go through this list, see if you can note a correlation between these sins. See if you can find a common thread. Okay? 1 John 1, 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So that is to say that we are without sin makes us a liar. Chapter 2 verse 4, he who says, I know him and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. So to say that we know God and yet break God's commandments makes us a liar. Third, chapter 2 verse 22, who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? So to deny that Jesus is God's anointed Savior of the world makes us a liar, for we are denying truth.

Fourthly, chapter 5 and verse 10, he who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar because he does not believe the testimony that God has given of his Son. So to not receive the testimony of God, to testify to the opposite of what God has declared, which John says makes him a liar, and we know that God is truth, it makes us a liar, to testify the opposite of what God has said. So John groups the sin of saying we love God and yet hating our brother in the same category as these other sins. So what's the common thread?

Well, these things are lies at their very core because they all deny the very nature of God. They deny the very nature of God. They rob Him of His glory and they distort His revelation of Himself. Okay? Refusing to acknowledge that we have sinned and do sin.

This is to deny that God is holy. To declare that there's no separation between us and Him, refusing to keep the commands of God while claiming to know Him. That is to deny that God is Lord, is declaring that he has no authority over our lives, that we can know him and yet disobey him. Refusing to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, this is to deny that Jesus is God's means of bringing salvation, declaring that there is some other way to God, refusing to receive the testimony of God. This is to deny the veracity or truthfulness of God, declaring that His Word is not true.

And here in our text, claiming to have tasted of the fullness of God's love and yet refusing to love our brother. This is to deny that God is love. Declaring that we can be recipients of a love that cost Christ everything and yet shut up our heart to our brothers. That's to deny the very nature of God. It's a lie.

It's a lie. That's not our God. So John ends this chapter by reminding his readers that God commands them, commands them to love their brother. This is how God views love, and this is what separates the children of God from the children of the devil. Consider these things.

The world looks at love as a sentiment to be cultivated. They look at love as a sentiment to be cultivated. They look at love as a sentiment to be cultivated. The Christian sees love as a command to obey, not a sentiment to be cultivated, a command to obey. The world's view of love, it looks within.

It tries to find love within. The Christian's view of love looks without. I love because God loved me. It's not that I loved him first, it's his love for me. The world's love is restrictive.

The Christian's love is responsive. It responds. It doesn't restrict. That's why John earlier in chapter 3 says do you see your brother in need and you shut up your heart you restrict that love? True love Christ's love is responsive.

There's a need. I'm coming to save a people. I'm coming to redeem Because they are enemies. I'm coming to reconcile The world's love finds its source in feelings. How do I feel?

Do I feel like I really love that person? Are my needs being met? The Christian's love finds its source in faith. It finds its source in faith, comprehending, knowing that love which passes knowledge. The world has The world has its share in what love can be found in Cain, but the Christian has his share in the love found in Christ.

So how do we increase our love? How do we fulfill the command John gives us to love our brother? How do we live and love in such a way that our hearts do not condemn us. How do we live in love in such a way that we increase that boldness found in Him and not diminish it as we consider the day of judgment? Well, I close with this quote from Dr.

Martin Lloyd-Jones, and then we'll look at a few applications. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, not to be concerned about loving the brethren, not to be concerned as to whether I am dwelling in love or not is to misunderstand the whole purpose of my salvation and therefore it is to flout God's love. If this is not the greatest concern of my life, then I am a mere beginner in the Christian life. At the beginning, of course, we have a very great concern about forgiveness.

We are very concerned about certain particular sins which may have been evident in our lives before our conversion. But we must not Stop at that. The hallmark of the saints is their great increasing concern about the element of love in their lives. They no longer think in terms of action, but in terms of their likeness to God. That is their first ambition, as He is.

So must I be in this world of time. Herein is love made perfect with us. They look back to God in eternity and they see God planning out the great way and scheme of salvation What John would have us See he continues is that if we want to think of that day of judgment without fear, if we want to be able to face it with boldness now, And if we want to stand with boldness and not be ashamed at that great morning, we must give added diligence to loving the brethren. For if I dwell in love, then I know before I face him on his judgment throne that I may look at him with boldness at the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. If I know that I have his nature in me here and now, I shall be able to face him with boldness when I stand before him." So close with some applications.

First, my brother and my sister, is the love of Christ at the core of your daily experience? Is the love of Christ, and I mean by that the love of Christ for you. Is it at the core of your daily experience? I'm not asking you if you know it, if you're convinced of it. I'm asking is it at the core of your experience?

Are you enraptured with Christ's love for you? Are you full of wonder that he would love an undeserving sinner like you? One brother mentioned in his prayer before the service talking about the fountain of love found in Jesus Christ. And so I ask you, is it true of you what Jeremiah charges Israel with in Jeremiah chapter 2 verses 12 and 13, be astonished, O heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate, says the Lord.

Why? For my people have committed two evils? They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters And secondly, they have hewn themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. That's why I ask, is the love of Christ for you at the core of your experience? There is only one reservoir from which the fountain of living waters flow, Jesus Christ.

All other sources of supposed happiness, of supposed peace, of supposed joy in life are but broken cisterns that can hold no water. You will be forced to dig again and again. And you run dry and you go here and you dig and you dig again. And you have to go here and dig again and again and again. Because every cistern you dig is a broken cistern that can hold no water.

There's one reservoir of true love and life, and that's Jesus Christ. What do you hold in your hand this morning? Is it a shovel or is it a bucket? Do you have in your hand a shovel as you dig and you dig and you dig to find love, to find life? Or do you have a bucket and are you running to fill it at the fountain of life, Jesus Christ?

Secondly, are you struggling with fears? Are you struggling with fears? With lack of assurance? Look to your shepherd. Look to your shepherd.

Look to Him. Children, you know Psalm 23, right? You're very familiar with Psalm 23. Maybe many of you have memorized it. It speaks of God being our what?

Our shepherd. Do you know who wrote Psalm 23? Who was Psalm 23 written by? A shepherd. It was written by David.

Thus David knew the faithful care of a shepherd. He knew the need of the sheep to be dependent on their shepherd. When they're not, they go their own way, as we see in Isaiah 53 and the last verse of Psalm 119. I was a wandering sheep. But David knew that he could rest in Christ his shepherd.

And I'm going to read Psalm 23. And as I read Psalm 23, I want you to look at, it's like a diamond, right? The diamond has so many facets to it. The Word of God has so many things and you see it one way and then somebody preaches or says something and wow, it's another facet, another wonderful truth. Here's what I want you to do.

I want you to focus on the writer David's focus on God. What God's going to do. He's just a sheep. What's that sheep going to do? He can do nothing.

But hear what the shepherd does. If you have fears, if you have doubts, go here to Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in Greek pastures.

He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely, goodness and truth, God's goodness, God's truth shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Do you have fears?

Do you have lack of assurance? Look to your shepherd. Look to your shepherd. And then third and finally, I want to speak to those who do not know Christ. Are you a stranger to this perfect love found only in Christ?

Is your soul thirsty from the lack of life-giving waters Because your life is full of digging cisterns that can hold no water. Then lay down your shovel, my friend. Stop the senseless digging. Your cisterns will never hold water. They will never supply your need.

Hear the words of God Almighty as he pleads with sinners like you. Oh everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. And you who have no money, come buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me and eat what is good and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to me, here in your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the sure mercies of David. Seek the Lord while he may be found Call upon him while he is near let the wicked forsake his way in the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return to the Lord and God will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. You my friend can know this love of Christ, This love that was manifested in Him coming to be the propitiation, the satisfaction of divine justice because of your sins. Flee to Christ and find in that fountain of living waters a stream, a reservoir that will never run dry.

Let's look to Him in prayer. Oh gracious God, we thank You for Your many mercies to us. Oh Father, we are so undeserving. And oh Father, we know our love still fails. It falls so short of that love that's been perfected in us.

Oh, may that love, may we grasp it better today. Oh, Father, may the prayer of the Apostle be true of us that we might be able to comprehend with all the saints the height, the length, the depth, the breadth of this great love, and that, by that comprehending and that knowledge of your Spirit, by the work of Him in our hearts, May we know all the fullness that is in Christ, and may we be satisfied. In Christ's name we pray, amen.