Sermon Outline, Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

INTRODUCTION
John’s entire message depends on Jesus being the Son of God, the child “begotten” from the eternal Father. Those who believe, love; and those who love and believe overcome the world (v. 5).

THE TEXT
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments . . . .” (1 John 5:1-12).

FATHER AND SON(S)
The first verses of chapter 5 conclude John’s treatment of love. He has already said that love for the brothers is a sign of being born of God (4:7), and here he adds that faith that Jesus is the Messiah and as Son of God is another sign of being born of God (5:1, 5). Faith and love are inseparable here. The link is evident in verse 1, which literally reads, “Whoever loves the one who begets loves the one begotten.” A child who loves his parents will also love his siblings.

In the context, John is pointing in two directions. First, Jesus is the “begotten” of the Father, and if we don’t love and confess Jesus we don’t love the Father either. Second, since other believers are also “born of God,” we can love the Father only if we love His many children, the “brothers” of the Son (cf. Hebrews 2:11). This is a central implication of the doctrine of the Trinity: We love the Father by loving His Son; because the Father has an eternal Son, He also has other children; therefore, we love the Father by loving His sons.

DOING COMMANDMENTS
In earlier chapters, John has said that being born of God expresses itself in love for the brothers. Our love for one another is the sign of our love for God: Whoever hates his brother cannot love God. Here, John reverses that statement. Our love for the Father, not our love for the brothers, is the sign of being born of God (v. 1). Of course, both are true, and exist in a circular relationship. When we’re born of God, we love the brothers and we love God; we love the brothers as an expression of our love for God, and love God in loving our brothers.

John describes this love as a matter of doing God’s commandments. For John, love and obedience are not opposites, but intimately connected. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). John adds, as Jesus Himself did, that His commandments are not burdens (v. 5; cf. Matthew 11:30; 23:4). Jesus is our Master, but He is a kind Master, who does not weigh us down.

VICTORY
The result of our faith and love, our love-in-faith and faith-in-love, is victory over the world (vv. 4-5). The world is organized around Cainite hatred, but we can be confident that our love will triumph. The world denies that Jesus is begotten of God, but we can be confident that eventually every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord.