VIDEO
what does spiritual maturity look like?
This sermon was given on 10/05/25 at Pax Christian Church.
SPEAKER
Brian Lucas is one of the Co-Lead Pastors at Pax Christian Church.
SERMON SERIES
This sermon series is “The Letters of John: 1 John, 2 John, 3 John”
NOTES
Find the full notes below on this page, or in the YouVersion Bible App.
NOTES:
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presenceIf our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before Godand receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
In his commentary on Galatians 6:10, Jerome tells a famous story of “blessed John the evangelist” in extreme old age at Ephesus. He used to be carried into the congregation in the arms of his disciples and was unable to say anything except,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offeringbut on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
This is about a contrast between LOVE/LIFE and HATE/DEATH.
Know Christ. Follow Him. Live in the light. For God. For others. Etc. LOVE GOD AND EACH OTHER And receive LIFE
But if you don’t… if you hate, murder, kill, refuse Christ, deny the faith, reject God’s salvation. All of these are equivalent things that keep us in darkness and death.
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘ Raca ,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debaucheryidolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factionsand envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
MAIN POINT: LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
3 THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
THIS IS HOW WE KNOW WE BELONG TO THE TRUTH:
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presenceIf our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgmentabout sin, because people do not believe in meabout righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longerand about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before Godand receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
“If you love me, keep my commands.And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you foreverthe Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
LOVE ONE ANOTHER. That is the command.
REFLECT : How is God speaking to you through his word today?
