Embracing Our Identity: Love as God's Call
Summary
Today was a beautiful and full day in the life of our church family. We celebrated the work of God through our missionaries, both those serving abroad and those preparing to go out this summer to Romania, Kenya, and Zambia. We had the privilege of commissioning these short-term teams, praying over them, and reminding them—and ourselves—that they are joining in the work God is already doing. We also dedicated a precious child, Margo, to the Lord, blessing her and her family as they prepare for a new chapter in Georgia, and reminding ourselves of the sacred trust of raising children in the knowledge and love of Christ.
Turning to 1 John 4:7-21, we reflected on the heart of Christian life and witness: “Beloved, let us love.” John’s words are not just a call to action, but a reminder of our identity. Before we are called to love, we are named as “beloved”—deeply loved by God, adopted as His children. This identity is foundational; it is only when we remember how much we have been loved that we are able to love others well, especially those who are difficult to love. The world’s strategies for dealing with opposition or false teaching often involve fear, outrage, or separation, but John offers a countercultural way: love rooted in the love we have received from God.
We explored how perfect love casts out fear, and how our motivation to love is not based on others’ worthiness, but on God’s prior love for us. Our love becomes the first taste many people will have of God’s love. The story of Coco, a youth who experienced grace instead of punishment, reminded us that love can change lives in ways that rules and fear cannot. The call is not to muster up love from our own strength, but to continually remember and be transformed by the love God has shown us in Christ. As we respond to this love—through baptism, communion, and daily life—we become living witnesses to the world of the God who loves without measure.
Key Takeaways
- Identity Precedes Action
Before we are called to love, we are named “beloved.” Our ability to love others flows from our rootedness in God’s love for us. When we truly grasp that we are adopted, cherished children of God, our actions naturally reflect that identity, shaping how we engage with the world and with one another. [46:22]
- Love as the Countercultural Strategy
In a world that often responds to opposition with outrage, fear, or separation, the way of Christ is radically different. John’s repeated emphasis is that love—not argument, not withdrawal, not aggression—is the strategy for engaging a world full of falsehood and brokenness. This love is not passive, but active and transformative, reflecting the very heart of God. [39:47]
- Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Fear often drives us to react harshly or defensively, but John reminds us that perfect love expels fear. When we are secure in God’s love, we are freed from the need to control, retaliate, or protect ourselves at all costs. This security enables us to love even when it is costly or difficult, trusting that the One who loves us is in control. [41:53]
- Our Love is a Reflection of God’s Love
The way we love others is often the first and clearest picture of God’s love that people will encounter. Our actions, attitudes, and responses become a living testimony—either drawing people toward the heart of God or pushing them away. The challenge is to let our love be so shaped by Christ’s love that others see Him in us, even (and especially) when it’s hard. [45:08]
- Remembering Fuels Loving
The key to loving others well is not a list of techniques, but a continual remembrance of how deeply we have been loved by God. When we meditate on the grace, patience, and mercy God has shown us, our hearts are softened and our capacity to love expands. This remembrance is both the foundation and the fuel for a life of genuine, Christlike love. [57:25]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Missionary Updates & Giving
[03:30] - Summer Mission Trips Overview
[06:10] - Commissioning Short-Term Missionaries
[11:00] - Child Dedication for Margo
[15:00] - Praying Over the Family
[16:30] - Introduction to 1 John Series
[18:40] - Modern Responses to False Teaching
[20:47] - The Countercultural Call to Love
[22:55] - Reading 1 John 4:7-21
[25:08] - “Beloved, Let Us Love” Explained
[28:22] - Our Identity as God’s Beloved
[32:53] - Love as the Strategy, Not Fear
[36:08] - Loving Others as We’ve Been Loved
[41:25] - The Story of Coco: Grace in Action
[45:25] - Responding to God’s Love: Communion & Baptism
[49:58] - Closing Prayer & Next Steps
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Beloved, Let Us Love"
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### Bible Reading
- 1 John 4:7-21
(Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God...)
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### Observation Questions
1. In 1 John 4:7-21, what does John say is the source of our ability to love others?
2. According to the passage, what is the relationship between being “beloved” and being called to love?
3. The sermon mentioned that “perfect love casts out fear.” What does John say about fear and love in this passage? [41:53]
4. What example did the pastor give about Coco at youth camp, and how did it illustrate the message of love over rules? [48:25]
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does John start his call to love by first reminding believers of their identity as “beloved”? How does this shape the way Christians are to respond to others? [46:22]
2. The sermon contrasts the world’s strategies (fear, outrage, separation) with John’s strategy of love. Why might love be a more effective response to opposition or false teaching? [39:47]
3. What does it mean that “our love is the first taste many people will have of God’s love”? How does this raise the stakes for how we treat others? [45:08]
4. The pastor said, “The key to loving others well is not a list of techniques, but a continual remembrance of how deeply we have been loved by God.” Why is remembering God’s love so important for living out Christian love? [57:25]
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### Application Questions
1. The sermon emphasized that “identity precedes action”—that we are called “beloved” before we are called to love. Do you find it easy or hard to believe that you are deeply loved by God? How does this belief (or struggle) affect the way you treat others? [46:22]
2. Think of a recent situation where you were tempted to respond with fear, outrage, or withdrawal. How might you have responded differently if you were rooted in God’s love instead? [39:47]
3. The story of Coco showed the power of grace over punishment. Is there someone in your life who needs grace from you right now, even if they’ve broken the “rules”? What would it look like to love them as God has loved you? [48:25]
4. The passage says, “Perfect love casts out fear.” Are there fears that keep you from loving others—fear of rejection, being taken advantage of, or not being enough? How can you bring those fears to God this week? [41:53]
5. The pastor said, “Our love becomes the first taste many people will have of God’s love.” Who in your life might be experiencing God’s love (or not) through you? What is one practical way you can show Christlike love to them this week? [45:08]
6. Communion and baptism were described as ways we remember and respond to God’s love. What are some daily or weekly practices you can adopt to help you remember how much God loves you? [57:25]
7. When you think about loving “difficult people,” what helps you remember how much God has loved you, even when you were difficult to love? How can you use that memory to fuel your love for others this week? [46:22]
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Devotional
Day 1: Beloved: Remembering Our Identity as Deeply Loved by God
Before we can love others well, we must first be rooted in the truth that we are God’s beloved—adopted sons and daughters, cherished and called by name. This identity is not a mere greeting or sentimental phrase, but a powerful reality that shapes how we see ourselves and how we live. When we remember that God calls us “beloved,” just as He called Jesus at His baptism, we are reminded that our worth and security come from His love, not our performance or the world’s approval. This foundational truth gives us confidence and peace, even when the world feels unstable or when we face difficult people and situations. [46:22]
Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV)
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to remember that you are God’s beloved child, and how might that change the way you approach today’s challenges?
Day 2: Let Us Love: Our Calling Flows from God’s Love for Us
The call to “let us love” is not just a command but an invitation to live out the love we have already received from God. When we truly grasp how much we have been loved—especially when we were difficult to love—it becomes natural to extend that same love to others, even those who are hard to love. Our motivation to love is not based on others’ worthiness or our own desire for acceptance, but on the fact that God first loved us. As we love, we become the tangible expression of God’s love in the world, offering others a first taste of His grace and kindness through our actions and words. [45:08]
1 John 4:7-12 (ESV)
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Reflection: Who is one person you find difficult to love, and how can you intentionally show them the love you have received from God this week?
Day 3: Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
God’s perfect love frees us from fear—fear of punishment, fear of rejection, fear of losing control. When we are rooted in His love, we do not need to respond to the world with anger, defensiveness, or anxiety. Instead, we can engage with confidence, knowing that the One who loves us is in control and that our security is found in Him. This freedom from fear allows us to love others boldly and sacrificially, even in the face of opposition or uncertainty, because we trust in the unchanging love of our Father. [41:53]
1 John 4:16-19 (ESV)
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.
Reflection: What fear is holding you back from loving others or stepping out in faith, and how can you invite God’s perfect love to cast out that fear today?
Day 4: Our Love Reflects God to the World
The way we love others is often the first and clearest glimpse people get of God’s love. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be “little Christs,” embodying His grace, forgiveness, and compassion in our relationships. When we love as He loved—even loving our enemies, blessing those who hurt us, and extending grace instead of judgment—we become living testimonies of the gospel. Our actions can open hearts to Christ, just as acts of love and mercy have drawn many to faith throughout history. [53:10]
Luke 6:27-28 (ESV)
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you had the opportunity to reflect God’s love—how did you respond, and how might you respond differently next time to better represent Christ?
Day 5: Remembering Christ’s Love Fuels Our Obedience
Continually remembering the depth of Christ’s love for us—especially through practices like communion and baptism—fuels our desire and ability to obey Him. When we reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made, giving His life so that we might be saved, our hearts are softened and our motivation to love and serve others grows. This remembrance is not just a ritual, but a powerful means of grace that keeps us anchored in the gospel and empowers us to live out our faith with gratitude and humility. [01:02:20]
Romans 5:8 (ESV)
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Reflection: As you remember Christ’s sacrifice for you, what is one step of obedience or act of love you sense God inviting you to take today?
Quotes
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