“How to Say… I Love You?”
I John 4:7-10

Introduction

• Saying “I love you” is a form of communication.
• There are many ways to say “I love you” without uttering a word.
• The deaf people have a universal sign that says “I love you.”
• The word “love” is found 310 times in the KJV Bible

I. What Does “Love” mean?

A) Flaming affection

• When you look up the word “love” in the dictionary the very first definition is …an ardent (flaming) affection.
• Flaming I believe is to be meant as a “burning” affection. An affection that causes you to burn with desire when you are with that person or thing.
• Yes “thing.” Some men have an ardent/burning desire for their cars. Women have an ardent/burning desire for clothing or shoes.

B) God’s definition

• We have the world’s definition “ardent/burning affection”
• If you want to know about something, anything,at all, you must go to the creator. God created love…I  John 4:7…Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
• There is no one on this earth that understands the true meaning of love more than a Christian. WHY? “…every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” If a person does not show love, give love, or minster with love, they are not of God …8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
• If you do not know God, then you do not belong to Him because God is love.
• In our world today we see very much hate, pride, selfishness, torment, war, fighting, stealing, cheating, etc. This is not “love.”
• God clearly helps us to see “LOVE.”
• SACRIFICE – 9) In this was manifested (here is how god made it plain for us to understand) the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
• The sacrifice of God’s Son (Jesus Christ) on the cross was proof that God loves us, and an example of how much He loved us.
• God tells us that those who are truly born again will show and give the characteristic habit of love.
• Lip service or hand service (ASL) is not enough to show someone that you love them.
• Many married couples or dating couples say I love you flippantly. Deaf love to flash the universal “I love you” sign not realizing or taking into consideration what it really means to tell someone “I love you.”

C) By nature, we do not love God

• Now look at verse 10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation (act of gaining good will for us) for our sins.
• Our sins create death for us in God’s eyes. We are dead to God in our sinful state. But with Jesus Christ as Lord of our life, we are (quickened, made alive)”
• Because He still loves us…His creation.
• By nature we do not love God. We are born as children that have our father’s (Adamic) nature.

D) Love is the Spirit of God

• Now look at I John 4:11…Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 12) No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
• The Spirit of God is to “Love one another.”
• Love is not talking bad about others.
• Love is not being mean or ugly to others.
• A bad attitude is not love.
• Anger is not love.
• Envy is not love.
• One “KEY” note for us to recognize in this passage of scripture is … “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”
• In other words, we can know for a fact that we are walking in His light and God lives in our heart when we show to others “real love.”

II. Showing Love

A) Through our actions

• God showed us His love by making a sacrifice. The ultimate sacrifice. John 3:16…For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• 17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
• Love was show first of all by “His action” of sacrifice made to bring us salvation or protection from Hell.

B) Love comes from God

• 1 John 4:7…Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
• What does John mean “and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
• “born of God” is talking about our “second birth.”
• Our FIRST BIRTH – when we are “born of a woman” our mother. This is also called our natural birth.
• Our SECOND BIRTH – when we are “born of God.” This is our spiritual birth.
• How are we born spiritually? John answers that in I John 5:1…Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:
• Jesus said the same thing In John 3:6… That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
• The “PROOF” that you are “born again” is three things… look back to I John 5:2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
• YOU ARE NOT BORN AGAIN if…you do not love God’s children, you do not love God, and do not keep God’s commandments.
• WHY? 3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (a burden to us).
• 4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5) Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
• Love is proven by our actions! You love God by believing in Jesus Christ. Believing takes action. Proof of that action is more action which requires a following of His commandments.

III. How Do I Say “I Love You?”

A) Through action

• If you love your wife, your husband, your kids, your work, your country, or yourself…it requires action on YOUR part.
• Paul shows us love in action in II Corinthians 12:14… Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you:
• What is Paul’s heart here? He went to the Corinthians 3 times here. He left and come back, left and come back.
• That is action. That is love. If you don’t come back, there was no love there to begin with.
• The Corinthian church was very corrupt. They had love there, but the wrong kind of love. Their love was to please the flesh.
• Paul kept going back because of his love “for God’s people,” love “for God,” love “for Jesus Christ”
• Paul said ”… for I seek not yours, but you:” Meaning that he did not seek their money each time he came to visit, he sought out the people, their hearts.
• Love is a matter of the heart!
• Love in action again now in verse 15) And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
• Paul says here that he would gladly be willing to take a second job and work to support myself (gladly spend), and then Paul says that he is willing to “be spent” meaning that he will give of himself to support the people and the work of Christ.
• Paul’s actions were completely sacrificial.
• Do you know that Paul was accused of stealing the money from the church at Corinth that they were giving to the church at Jerusalem?
• Many pastors are accused of stealing money from God’s work.
• Let me ask you this? What kind of a price tag do you put on your spirituality?
• What kind of a price tag do you put on your salvation?
• Pastors and preachers of the Word of God are to bring spirituality to the people through the Word of God being taught and preached.
• Pastors are also to look out for the souls of the people.  
• This is an act of caring.
• HOW do I say “I love You?” Through our actions!
• Do you love God? Prove it by your actions.