Abiding In Love - 1 John 4

1. Prayer
God,
you sent your Son into the world
that we might live through him.
May we abide in his risen life
so that we may bear the fruit
of love for one another
and know the fullness of joy.
Amen.

2. The Church Calendar
May 2

3. 1 John 4 & John 15
ABIDING in LOVE

4. Abide in me as I abide in you.
Just as the branch cannot bear fruit
by itself unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you unless you abide in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them
bear much fruit, because apart from me
you can do nothing.
JOHN 15:4-5

5. THE TRIANGLE
OUT

6. THE SEMI-CIRCLE

7. Beloved, let us love one another, because love
is from God; everyone who loves is born of God
and knows God. Whoever does not love does
not know God, for God is love. God's love was
revealed among us in this way: God sent his
only Son into the world so that we might live
through him.
In this is love, not that we loved God but that
he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning
sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved
us so much, we also ought to love one another.
1 JOHN 4:7-11

8. By this we know that we abide in him and
he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
And we have seen and do testify that the
Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the
world.
God abides in those who confess that Jesus
is the Son of God, and they abide in God.
So we have known and believe the love that
God has for us. God is love, and those who
abide in love abide in God, and God abides in
them.
1 JOHN 4:13-16

9. …God’s very nature is love.
Everything about (God)
proceeds from love…(God’s)
love is not given because
we deserve it in any way,
but because of what (God) is.

10. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts
out fear; for fear has to do with punishment,
and whoever fears has not reached perfection
in love. We love because he first loved us.
Those who say, "I love God," and hate their
brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who
do not love a brother or sister whom they have
seen, cannot love God whom they have not
seen.
The commandment we have from him is this:
those who love God must love their brothers
1 JOHN 4:18-21

11. Love incarnate must be
the badge that the Christian
community wears, the sign not
only of who they are
but of who their God is…
The rule of love is not an
optional extra. It is the
very essence of what we are
about. If this means we need
new reformations, so be it.

12. No doubt this (whole concept)
leaves us breathless, wondering
if we will ever attain to that simplicity
of faith and life. But did we expect
that having the true, living God come
to make (God’s) dwelling with us,
inviting us to make our dwelling with
(God) would be
a kind of easy-going, half-hearted
hobby-religion? God has taken us
utterly seriously. How can we not
do the same with (God)?

13. 1. God DOESN’T have a DARK SIDE
BECAUSE “GOD IS LOVE”…

14. 1. God DOESN’T have a DARK SIDE
BECAUSE “GOD IS LOVE”…

15. 1. God DOESN’T have a DARK SIDE
BECAUSE “GOD IS LOVE”…

16. 1. God DOESN’T have a DARK SIDE
2. God’s HOLINESS and JUSTICE
will ALWAYS be LOVING in nature
BECAUSE “GOD IS LOVE”…

17. 1. God DOESN’T have a DARK SIDE
2. God’s HOLINESS and JUSTICE
will ALWAYS be LOVING in nature
3. God’s LOVE does NOT inspire
FEAR of PUNISHMENT
BECAUSE “GOD IS LOVE”…

18. 1. We are LOVED to LOVE
BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE…

19. 1. We are LOVED to LOVE
BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE…

20. 1. We are LOVED to LOVE
2. Our LOVE should GROW and
PRODUCE the FRUIT of LOVE
BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE…

21. 1. We are LOVED to LOVE
2. Our LOVE should GROW and
PRODUCE the FRUIT of LOVE
BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE…

22. 1. We are LOVED to LOVE
2. Our LOVE should GROW and
PRODUCE the FRUIT of LOVE
3. Our LOVE should LEAD us,
NOT our FEAR
BECAUSE THIS IS TRUE…

24. - Vaccinated volunteers
- Masked adults; no kids in Sanctuary for worship
- Physical distancing for all
- BYOE communion
- Full confidence of our medical professionals

27. - If vaccinated: risk level = very low
- If masked: risk level = same/less as other public spaces
- If kids go to pre/school: risk level = same/less here

28. - If vaccinated: risk level = very low
- If masked: risk level = same/less as other public spaces
- If kids go to pre/school: risk level = same/less here
- For MOST of us: Zoom should no longer be our
default way of attending service starting 6.13.21

29. The commandment we have from him is this:
those who love God must love their brothers
and sisters also.
1 JOHN 4:21

30. Benediction
Lord Jesus,
guide us in the path of discipleship,
so that, as you have blessed us,
we may be a blessing for others,
bringing the promise
of the kingdom near
by our words and deeds.
Amen.