Sermon Outline: 1 John 3:1

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1 John 3:1
P.S. I Love You (God Practically Showing Us)
Pastor Jason Stewart
I.      Introduction:
Every inch of Scripture is motivated by the fact that God is trying to tell us, “P.S. I Love You”, and “I have a wonderful plan for your life.”

See Need a New Plan in Life? illustration to further illustrate the heart behind this message.

II.     Revelation: P.S. I Love You (A Personal Savior)
a. “Behold” God’s Love for us
  God showed His love for us practically by sending us a Personal Savior (2:28-29). The word that John uses to get us to stop and reflect upon our relationship with God, is “behold.” In the Greek this word means, “to see, pay attention to, understand, and experience” something. John calls his readers to stop and spend time reflecting upon their relationship with God, and just how very special they are to Him.
   This word is used in other parts of the Bible to describe:
  1. WITNESSING SOMETHING: Acts 13:31 & 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 use this word to describe Jesus being “seen” by many witnesses after being raised from the dead. We can bear witness of God’s love
  2. UNDERSTANDING: James 2:24 uses this word to describe our ability to “reason” or “understand” the difference between a living faith that bears fruit and a dead faith going nowhere. We can understand God’s love.
  3. VISITING SOMEONE: Hebrews 13:23 uses this word to describe a person “visiting” or “seeing” someone who comes to visit. God’s love visits us.
  4. EXPERIENCING SOMETHING: John 3:36 uses this word to describe those who will and those who will not experience eternal life. We can experience God’s love in our lives.
  5. LEARNING SOMETHING: John 7:52 uses this word to describe a person seeking out knowledge of something. In other words, we can grow in our knowledge of God’s word.
   In this verse we see that John exhorts us to “behold”, or stop and spend time reflecting upon the fact that we are loved by God (3:1a), and have been given the special privilege of being called His children (3:1b). To behold how much God loves us means to “see, pay attention to, understand, and experience” the love that He has for us. As God’s Children we are to behold the great privilege that comes with this title. We become God’s children through faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:26). Because we believe in Christ we are called to live like Christ (3:27)

III.   Application: P.S. I Love You (A Personal Savior)
a. How do we become God’s Children?
  1. We are born of God (1 John 2:29. Cf. John 3:1-5)
  2. By Receiving Jesus (John 1:12)
  3. Faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:26)
b. What are the Benefits of being God’s Children?
  1. We are loved by God (1 John 3:1)
  2. We are given the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16)
  3. The Holy Spirit Affirms to us that we are God’s children (8:16)
  4. Through pouring out God’s love into our hearts (Romans 5:4), and flipping an internal switch within our hearts and minds that brings us out of spiritual darkness, and into His miraculous light (1 Peter 2:9).The Bible tells us “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Gal. 6:6). This word “Abba” in the Hebrew can be equivalent to a little girl or boy saying, “Daddy! Daddy!” It is a term of ultimate affection and trust that the child uses to call upon their father. In essence God flips a spiritual switch within us that we never knew was there, and we can’t explain it, but we just know that everything is different now.
  5. We are given Every Spiritual Blessing in heaven in Christ (Eph. 1:3)
  6. We receive an inheritance in heaven (1 Peter 1:1-5)
  7. We are Royal in heaven (1 Peter 2:9)
  8. We become kings for God (Revelation 1:6), although Jesus is always the King of all kings.
  9. We are called to be separate from the world (2 Cor. 6:18-19). Paul writes, “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”
   A Saving faith in Jesus will be seen in the way a person is baptized into Jesus, or in other words takes on His death to self, and life for others. We will live like Jesus mentally, morally, and missionally.

IV.  Conclusion:
   Every time God answers your prayers, blesses you with His peace, joy, comfort, purpose, and hope, He signs it with “P.S. I am Practically Showing you My Love!”

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