Signs of Life: Loving, Uprooting Sin, and Giving

Today, we reflected on what it truly means to have a life changed by God, drawing from 1 John 3:11-18. The heart of the Christian life is not a checklist of religious duties or moral achievements, but a transformation that begins with encountering the love of Jesus Christ. When we experience His sacrificial love—love that laid down its life for us while we were still indifferent, messy, and undeserving—it compels us to extend that same love to others, especially within the family of God.

This love is not a fleeting feeling or a matter of convenience. It is a covenantal, committed, and loyal love that mirrors the eternal love within the Trinity itself. From the very beginning, God’s nature has been relational and loving, and as His children, we are called to reflect that love in our relationships with one another. We do not graduate from this foundational truth; rather, we integrate it into every aspect of our lives.

Loving God’s family means seeing each other not as mere acquaintances or fellow congregants, but as brothers and sisters for whom Christ died. It means moving beyond surface-level interactions and stepping into the messiness of real community, offering compassion, patience, and practical help. This is not always easy—our hearts are prone to comparison, envy, and resentment, which, if left unchecked, can kill love and breed division. John reminds us, echoing Jesus’ own words, that hatred and bitterness are as deadly as murder in God’s eyes. We must be vigilant to uproot these seeds of sin in our own hearts, not just in the actions of others.

The evidence of a changed life is not perfection, but progress—a growing willingness to lay down our lives for others, just as Christ did for us. This can look like serving in kids’ ministry, supporting those in need, or simply reaching out to someone who is struggling. Even small acts, like bringing sticky notes to help a child engage with Scripture, can have eternal impact. The world is desperate for authentic love and light, and God has entrusted us with the privilege and responsibility of being that light.

As we look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, His life and love flow through us, enabling us to love in deed and in truth. May we embrace this calling, not as an obligation, but as the natural outflow of a heart transformed by grace.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Love God’s family with committed, loyal love True spiritual life is marked by a deep, covenantal love for fellow believers—not just tolerating or coexisting, but actively seeking their good. This love is rooted in God’s own nature and is the first and most essential sign of genuine faith. We are called to see each other as brothers and sisters, to integrate love into every part of our lives, and to resist the temptation to treat church as an optional add-on. [44:22]
• 2. Aggressively uproot what kills love Bitterness, envy, and resentment are not minor flaws; they are the roots of spiritual death and division. Like Cain, we can allow small seeds of comparison or anger to grow into destructive forces if we do not confront them early. The mature believer is quick to examine their own heart, confess sin, and pursue reconciliation, knowing that unchecked sin is a predator, not a pet. [56:14]
• 3. Give your life away in practical ways The love of Christ is not just spoken, but demonstrated. We are called to lay down our lives for others, not only in grand gestures but in daily, tangible acts of service and generosity. Whether it’s serving the next generation, supporting those in crisis, or simply being present for someone in need, these acts are the evidence of Christ’s life in us. [64:32]
• 4. Progress, not perfection, marks spiritual growth John reminds us that we “ought” to love as Christ loved—not because we have arrived, but because we are on a journey of transformation. Sanctification is a lifelong process, and the key is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, allowing His love to shape us from the inside out. Even when we fall short, we return to the cross, receive grace, and continue forward. [65:10]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [35:52] - Adia’s Testimony: Living the Mission
• [36:39] - Opening Prayer and 1 John 3
• [38:34] - Real Discipleship: Serving Locally and Globally
• [40:32] - The Big Idea: Changed Lives Change
• [41:44] - Signs of Life: Spiritual Vital Signs
• [44:22] - Loving God’s Family: The First Mark
• [47:56] - What Kind of Love? Covenant vs. Feeling
• [49:45] - Loving the Bride: Church as Family
• [54:07] - Kill What Kills Love: The Example of Cain
• [56:14] - The Root of Hatred and Its Dangers
• [59:32] - Uprooting Sin: Looking in the Mirror
• [64:32] - Give Your Life Away: Love in Action
• [67:21] - Zacchaeus: A Life Changed, A Life Given
• [73:25] - The Battle for the Next Generation
• [76:24] - Small Acts, Eternal Impact
• [78:28] - Signs of Life: A Call to Respond
• [79:08] - Closing Prayer and Response

Bible Reading

1 John 3:11-18 (ESV) — 11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Observation Questions

1. According to 1 John 3:14-15, what is the evidence that someone has “passed out of death into life”? What does John say about hatred in the heart?
2. In verse 16, how does John define love, and what example does he use to illustrate it?
3. What practical example does John give in verse 17 for what it looks like to love “in deed and in truth”?
4. The sermon described love in the church as “covenantal, committed, and loyal”—not just a feeling. What are some ways the sermon said this kind of love should show up in our relationships with other believers? [[49:45]]

Interpretation Questions

1. John says that hatred in the heart is equivalent to murder in God’s eyes (v.15). Why do you think God takes bitterness and resentment so seriously, even if it never leads to outward action?
2. The sermon emphasized that loving God’s family is not an “optional add-on” but a vital sign of spiritual life. Why is it so easy to treat church relationships as optional or secondary? [[50:58]]
3. The story of Cain and Abel is used as a warning about letting comparison and envy grow in our hearts. What are some modern ways that comparison or jealousy can “kill love” in a church community? [[56:14]]
4. John says, “We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (v.16), but the sermon clarified this is about progress, not perfection. What does it look like to be “in process” with loving others, and how can we avoid discouragement when we fall short? [[01:05:10]]

Application Questions

1. The sermon challenged us to see other church members as “brothers and sisters for whom Christ died,” not just acquaintances. Is there someone in your church family you tend to overlook or avoid? What is one step you could take this week to move toward them in love? [[49:45]]
2. Bitterness, envy, and resentment were described as “roots of spiritual death.” Is there a specific relationship or situation where you’ve let these feelings grow? What would it look like to “aggressively uproot” them this week? [[56:14]]
3. The sermon gave examples of practical love—serving in kids’ ministry, supporting those in crisis, or even bringing sticky notes to help a child engage with Scripture. What is one small, tangible act of service you could do for someone in your church this month? [[01:16:24]]
4. The message said, “Progress, not perfection, marks spiritual growth.” When you think about loving others, do you tend to focus on your failures or on the ways God is growing you? How can you remind yourself to celebrate progress? [[01:05:10]]
5. The sermon warned against treating church as a “negotiable” or “add-on.” Are there ways you have kept church relationships at arm’s length? What would it look like to integrate love for God’s family into your daily or weekly routine? [[50:58]]
6. The story of Zacchaeus showed that a changed heart leads to generosity and action. Is there an area of your life where you sense God calling you to “give your life away” more freely? What’s holding you back, and what’s one step you could take? [[01:07:21]]
7. The sermon described how even small acts—like bringing sticky notes—can have eternal impact. Can you think of a time when someone’s small act of love made a big difference in your life? How might you do the same for someone else? [[01:16:24]]