Sermon Outline

1. Russell Martin Stendal
2. John’s Command to Love
   1. Beloved (1Jn 2:7a)
   2. Love is an old command (1Jn 2:7, 4:7-8, 2Cor 13:11, Gen 24:27, Jn 17:24)
      1. Rooted in character of God
      2. Rooted in Creation Order
      3. Rooted in the Law (Dt 6:5, Lev 19:18)
   3. Love is a new command (1Jn 2:8)
      1. Rooted in Christ’s Example (Jn 13:34, 15:10-12)
      2. Love is Christ’s Character
      3. Love is the Christian’s Character
      4. Love is the eschatological reality
   4. Failure to love is to hate (1Jn 2:9, 11)
      1. Hate is animosity but also exclusion, rejection, insulting (Lk 6:22)
      2. Hate is anger (Mt 5:21-22, 43-45)
      3. Hate is easy to justify (Isa 5:20)
      4. Hate blinds, confuses, incarcerates (1Jn 5:9, 11)
   5. Love Frees (1Jn 2:10)
3. Love Defined Practically
   1. Helps us not hinder the progress of others to the Cross (1Jn 2:10b, 1Cor 13:1-8a)
   2. Forgives (1Jn 2:12)
   3. Knows and relates to others because we are known and secure (1Jn 2:13-14)
   4. Overcomes evil one (1Jn 2:13-14, Jn 10:10)
      1. Why? b/c our Strength is in Christ
      2. Word Centered
   5. Love is freeing, helping in the walk of faith not hindering, forgiving, relating and evil overcoming.