Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: The 4 Relationships

1 John 4:7-21 (ESV) 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 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. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 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. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Sermon OutlineGod’s love comes to imperfect people who then relate to others out of what they have received from God.

1. Imperfect People

2. v18 “fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love”

3. v20 “he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

4. Perfect God

5. v7 “love is from God”

6. v10 “not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
7. v18 “perfect love casts out fear” (v13 “he has given us of his Spirit)

8. v19 “We love because he first loved us.”

9. Perfecting Relationships

10. v16 “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.”

11. v21 “this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
12. v17 “…love perfected with us… as he is so also are we in this world.”

Prayer of ConfessionOur loving Father, we admit we have fallen short in loving others. We have not loved you as we ought. Our love is imperfect. Our faith is weak. Forgive every sin, whether in thought, word or deed. Fill us with your love and cast out the fear within us. Abide with us and help us to become more like you. Amen.

Questions for Reflection

1. What kinds of interactions with others help you become a better person? What kinds of interactions have a negative impact on you?
2. How are consequences different from punishment?
3. In what ways do you punish others? What fears do you have that others will punish you?
4. Why are boundaries and consequences necessary for healthy relationships?
5. How does Jesus make God and His love visible? Why is this important?
6. How does the punishment Jesus endured on the cross bring God’s perfect love to us? How do we receive this love? How can this love become a reality you experience more deeply?
7. What does it look like to love others with the love that God has poured into you? How do you do it?
8. Is there someone you are having difficulty loving right now? How can you turn to God for help with that situation?