This past weekend, I had the privilege of preaching at my home church here in Charlotte: Dulin’s Grove Advent Christian Church. I always enjoy getting back to one of my most enjoyable parts of being a pastor and sharing a message from the Word of God. I preached from 1 John 4:7-12 about the love of God, tying it into Valentine’s Day and reminding all the men about getting special cards and other items to give to the special women in their lives.

1 John 4:7-12 talks about our need to love each other in brotherly Christian love because God loves us. This is the charge of verse 7, and it’s tied to the fact that God is the author of our love and by knowing him, we can love. Verse 8 shows the truth that God is not only the creator of true love but also that he is love! It’s important to realize the powerful truth of God’s grace and love toward us and let it shape our view of him.

When we come into a relationship with God and are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we are face to face with this love. That experience of being in the presence of God’s amazing grace and love changes us and sanctifies us, allowing us to grow more Christ-like. Verses 9-10 share the supreme example of God’s love: Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, because he loved us first. He became the substitute/propitiation for our sin.

The final note of this passage (verses 11-12) is the truth that, since God loves us so much, we ought to love one another. This happens when we receive a spiritual heart transplant through Christ. So I challenge you to focus during this week of Valentine’s on LOVE:

L – Let God’s love change you!

O – Open your heart to God’s loving you.

V – Validate his love by loving.

E – Encourage one another by praising God for his love.