Living as God’s Beloved | Francis Chan

It's this that I wanted to talk about today. I actually changed my whole message this morning. Um and now I'm changing it again. But uh I and you know there's this verse uh this passage I think a lot of us are familiar with. First John 4:7 and 8.

Um this was a song I learned when I think I was in high school or college. It used to be like a popular song. Um does anyone know the song First John 4:78? Okay. just three or four old people. Lisa, why do you know you're you're too young?

Okay. You have an old soul or you were in a an oldfashioned church. But it we would sing this song, Beloved. Let us love one another. Let's love one another. Okay. But so, you know, sometimes when you hear like a song and it's a little goofy, you never really think about the words.

And this morning, I was just thinking about the words. And that that whole passage in First John 4, I just kept reading it over and over and over. Actually, Justin, you sent me an article in the and I just kept reading it going, "Wow, this is really good." just and and maybe just study that whole chapter of 1 John 4.

But he says, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love." Now, we live in a time when people say, "Well, if God is love, then he must not have wrath."

And that's not true because the Bible says that God has this wrath towards sin. I mean, so somehow it goes together. We can't figure out. It's just like, okay, well, if I'm a loving dad, then how can I punish my kids? or and I know this goes a lot more extreme with the wrath, but the truth is is that God's mercy, his grace, his justice, his wrath, his holiness, his love, somehow it all works together.

It's a very real part of him. But here he actually says he is love. And I may be wrong, but I I He doesn't say that about other attributes. He doesn't say that. It doesn't say God is wrath. It does say there's going to come a time, Revelation talks about this where he pours out the undiluted wrath.

Like he says the wine is it's pure fury. Even when he when when Moses was on that mountaintop and and he says, "God, I want to know you. I want to see you. And God says, "Well, you just hide here and I'm going to reveal myself to you."

And and God when he passes, he he reveals himself to to Moses. He says, "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness to generations." But it he also says but he will not leave the guilty unpunished.

So we have a God who says to be fair I have to punish the guilty. I have to but to be merciful I'm giving you a way of escape. My son will take that from you. So understand God is a merciful God. But he also says he's slow to anger.

But Revelation explains that there will be a time when he pours out his wrath. And for some of you, you go, "Well, I can't believe that." And I think, you know, it's interesting because some of us, we go, "That doesn't make sense to me that God would punish people."

And that part of the gospel has always been easy for me, easier. Not saying it's not harsh in my mind, but it made sense to me. It made sense to me that if God made me, first of all, he can do anything. Anything he chooses to do to me, he wants to do.

He can. He made me. It's like if I if I made this uh if I made this shoe, okay, I didn't. Nike did. But if I made this shoe and then I I don't like it and I throw it in a fire, that's my prerogative. I made it.

You guys wouldn't get mad at me like, "Hey, you can't do that. I made it." And God says, "Well, am I is it not lawful for me to do whatever I want with what is my own?" I'm not saying I like that. I'm just saying it makes sense.

It makes logical sense to me. The harder part to believe is if you're the creator and you can do that, then why would you have your own one and only son take the form of a man and be beaten? Why would you watch that? How could you watch that? these evil people spitting on you and then nailing you to a cross and mocking you.

See, that's where my logical mind goes, wait, that's impossible. It's not his wrath that's so hard to believe. It's logical. It's his love. Like that he made us. Like we talked about a couple weeks ago, he's our true father. Everyone who's living right now, even the demons are only alive because he allows them to live.

He alone is immortal. You have like one breath. You don't know what's going on with your kidneys, your liver, your heart, your gallbladder. I don't even know what a gallbladder is. We We don't know. We don't have control over these things. It's all in the hands of this God.

And he says, "I actually love you because that's who I am and I want relationship with you." And that's why he says, "Beloved." You put it back on there. Let us love one another because love is from God. And whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. Last time we were here, Rob was talking about the distinctives of our church, what we're committed to. And that second was we're committed to becoming loving families. That's it's so big. It's not like a oh an optional thing.

And this is what was driving me crazy about church. As most of you know, I led a big church in Southern California, thousands of people every weekend. But then I would read the scriptures and I go, "Man, it's great that all these people are coming to hear the word of God, but it is absolutely commanded that we love each other."

He says, "This is the new commandment that you love each other like I've loved you." And so I would look at this crowd. And sometimes we get excited about crowds, but God says, "I didn't ask for a crowd. I asked you to love each other like Christ loved the church because I am love."

This is so central. And what was blowing my mind was the most important commandment was being neglected in the churches. It's like, well, well, because why do you pick a church? Well, depends how good the speaker is. It depends how good the worship team is. It depends how good the child care is.

It depends on the service times and how quickly we get out. You know, it depends on all these different things, but no one picks a church because they go, "Oh, these people love each other so deeply. I want to be a part of that." And that was killing me. like wait this is what God asks for and so it's even easy for us even though you know this is why we meet in the homes usually is because we got to get to know each other this is a serious command this this is proof that we've been born of God and we know him proof is not that we just recite these doctrines proof is the way we care for one another that's why in that early church it says everyone started selling their stuff like they're like this doesn't it it's all God's.

So if you're in need and I have means then here let me give it to you. You know that's the way that early church was. And the Bible says it grew. It multiplied thousands and thousands and thousands of people. Why? Because they saw the love. They saw the unity.

And it's amazing to me how often we come even to church. We come selfishly even to gatherings. We come selfishly like what am I going to get out of this and his command is beloved? Let's love one another cuz love is of God. And so this idea that I know the love of God and then it like overflows like like picture me holding like a a wine glass, you know?

I don't know how many drink wine or how many are offended that I even said that. But uh and I take a sip. I'm like, "Woo, that's good. That's a 1947." No, I don't know much. But uh let's say I'm just like, "Oo, that's really good." And then you just keep pouring.

The guy keeps pouring. Um, yeah. Jason, for some reason, has wine and he's pouring it and it starts to drip over. I'm just like, don't someone get up here. You don't waste this. Don't waste this. I You got to taste it. It's so good. And it's just pouring to the ground.

That's the idea of God's love is once you like really know, you know, like like how like when she she tasted, she's like, you know, when I get baptized, she got baptized. Can I can I have my friend see it? you know, is there is there is there a way that we can stream it because I've tasted of this and I'm overflowing with this and I want other people to know it.

And that's the idea. He's saying, "Beloved, let's love one." I mean, that word beloved, I never really noticed that. I sang that song so many times, but I could spend this whole time just talking about that one word. I could write a whole book about it. Um, I actually just finished a book named Beloved.

So, uh, it's because I'm fascinated by this. I'm fascinated. John, who wrote this, he's the he wrote the book of John and five times in that book, he refers to himself as the disciple that Jesus loved. Every time I read that growing up, I just thought that's weird.

That's arrogant. What did Peter think when he read that? Seriously, I mean, he already told him in that one scene how he outran Peter to the tomb, which is something I would put in, you know, like, yeah, me and Peter were running and I outran him to the tomb.

But anyways, uh Jesus rose, you know, but five times he says, "I'm the disciple Jesus loved." And at the end of the book, he just says, "This is written by the disciple that Jesus loved. I'm the one that laid my head on his chest." And I thought, "That's so weird.

What if at my funeral, Zeke got up and he goes, I'm the child that my dad loved." You know, like that's weird. I mean, Ellie's there going, "I thought that was me." Mercyy's like, "I could have sworn it was me." You know it. But Z like, "No, no, no.

Like, this is what I'm known for. Everyone knows it. I'm the beloved disciple." And the truth is is I'm learning now. He wasn't being arrogant. beloved was his identity. This is my identity. I'm loved by God. That's all I want to be known for. I don't want to be known as a writer.

I don't want to be known for a speaker. I don't want to be known for being funny. I don't want, you know, whatever. just it's just I just want to be known as the most important truth of my life. I'm loved by God. How do you top that?

How do you beat that? The creator loves me. You know, we live in a world where everyone's searching for identity. changing their identity. They're wanting to be known for something. And John was just so secure in the love of Christ. That's all he could think about. I'm the beloved disciple.

So much of my life, I thought, I'm going to change the world. I'm going to make Christianity popular. I'm It's like those things really don't matter because it's a miracle anyways. You're not going to change the reputation of Christianity. You first have to know that you're loved. And that's why he says beloved.

He starts calling everyone else beloved. Why? Because he wants that to be our identity, too. He's not saying I'm the only beloved one. He's calling us the beloved. He goes, "Beloved, because we're so loved, let's love one another because love comes from God." And everyone that loves out of that overflow, it's because we were born of God and we know him.

But the person who doesn't have that love flowing through them, that person does not know God because God is love. That was the proof. We're not going to get through it all. Can you just hit verse 11 and 12? 11 and 12. earth. Um, beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another, no one's ever seen God.

But if we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us. We've talked about this passage before, but I'm getting the full context much better this week. The idea is that first of all, beloved, if God loved us like this, this should be the natural.

Okay, this is what should happen if you know the love of God is we should love one another. This should happen. And then verse 12, no one's ever seen God. But if we love each other, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. That word perfected means completed.

Like so this love that comes into us, it's not completed until it's flowing out of us into others. It's not perfected that somehow the God who abides in us because remember God created Adam first. He makes one human being. Why? Because this is the first priority. That human being has his relationship with him.

He made Adam to have relationship with him. But then he says it's not good for man to be alone. So he makes Eve because we're meant to have this. We're meant to have this fell. Just like father, son, and holy spirit have this eternal love relationship. He makes another just like Adam.

Exactly the same positionally in God's eyes. And he says, "I want you to have a perfect union. I want you to love each other just like I've loved you. This is what he does. And he says God abides in us and his love is perfected. This is perfected.

If Adam would love Eve like he loves himself. This is perfect. This is the way the love's supposed to work. You know how loved you are. Overflows. You love each other. It's a perfect world. Jump to verse just go to the next verse 13. This is so important.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he has given us of his spirit. Okay. How do we know that he's with us right now? And and how do we know that we're in him? He says, "Because I gave you the spirit."

In verse 14, we have seen seen and testify that the father has sent his son to be the savior of the world. Wait, did you get to see it? I mean, John got to see it. But he's saying we got to see it. And we testify that the father has sent his son to be.

That's what I just shared. How can I testify of something I didn't see with my physical eyes? Again, he says he would enlighten the eyes of our hearts. There's certain things that we can see and know only because the spirit opens our eyes. And that's why he says sent his son to verse verse 13.

We know that we abide in him and he in us because he's given us of his spirit. We wouldn't know without the Holy Spirit. That's why I can't teach this to you. I can't just tell you. I I can I can tell you, hey, God sent his son to die on the cross, ascended back into heaven.

He ascended back into heaven and sent his spirit down, and now you can abide in his love, and he can abide in you. You would hear that and go, "Okay, that's cute that you believe that. You do your thing. You're spiritual. I've got my own spirituality. Right? That's all of San Francisco.

I'm spiritual. I'm glad you found something that works for you. And you're like, "No, it's not just that. I didn't just make up a story like I believe cats are our guardians." You know, it's it's I know this is true. I believe it. And they just look at you like, "No, that's great.

That's great. That's cute." And you're like, "No, but how? Whoever confesses that Jesus is the son of God, God abides in him. He and God." So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love and whoever abides in love abides in God.

And God abides in him. It It's all because of verse 13. Because he has given us of his spirit. Supernatural. That's why you can study and try to come up with all the greatest arguments. I'm not saying you shouldn't. I'm just saying. A miracle happens. I don't know why a bunch of people heard the same message I heard as a kid, but I believed it.

And I've not turned away from it. I got a little messed up in my college years. But after that, I know who I am. And it just keeps getting better. And God's just been showing me that I am his beloved. He loves me. I know it. I know it.

And then finally, let's look at 17 and 18. By this love is perfected. There's that word again. Here's how love is perfected in us. So that we may have confidence for the day of judgment. Because as he is, so also are we in this world. Okay, this is a very important verse.

This is how love comes to completion. Why? So that we may have confidence for the day of judgment. Okay, there's going to come a day of judgment. Now, why am I confident of that day? Because I love you. It's my love for God that spills over into my love for you.

I know that when I come here, I know that when I read this last night, I know when I was studying this this morning, I thought of some of your faces and I thought, God, would you open the eyes of their heart? I want everyone to get this.

I want you to know the love of God. And the enemy wants to keep you from knowing this. And he says this is how you have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is so also are we in the world. Oh God this is what you felt for other people.

As God is as Jesus lived we start becoming like him. And then we're like oh I really am a believer cuz why else do I testify that Jesus is the son of God? That doesn't make any sense. Why am I so sure that he died on the cross for my sins?

Why is it that I'm concerned about your salvation? Because the spirit opened my eyes. The spirit is in me. Is he in you? This is our confidence. All right. Go ahead. The last two verses. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar.

For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him. Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Okay? This is why we meet in homes. This is why we take communion in the homes because we want you to look at people that you love and realize we're all a part of one body, the body of Christ that was broken for us.

And we all agree on that. And so we care for one another and we we see, are you in need? Let me let me take care of your needs before we just take of this. It's this love. This is what God wanted. I just love it because Jason's about to lead us in communion.

I love Jason. I know. I love Jason. Jason and Jim, we we love them. Noel, Asher. Asher is tough sometimes, but you know, uh but we love you guys. You know, I know that. And so, we're taking of this bread. We're taking of this cup and we're going, I have love for you.

And we celebrate this. And there's some way that when we do this, even those of you who've never seen God, see what you felt that night, how when you came into our congregation, it was obviously the Holy Spirit, but I think it was also our love for each other.

There's something that people experience and it's not just all head knowledge and logic and information and we are praying that over you. So as Jason comes up, let me just pray this over us. Father, I pray for everyone who's here today. Just like you opened Howal's eyes, the eyes of her heart to know you and love you and destroy a lifetime of lies that she has believed.

Would you do that for everyone here? God, you know how deceptive the enemy is. But we take captive all those lies today, right now in the resurrected name of Jesus. We as believers, we pray for anyone who's been darkened by the enemy and his lies. set them free today as we celebrate your body and your blood shed for us in Jesus name.

Amen.