Christian (2) – Drawn not Coerced (1 John 4:7-11)

Last week we started this series Christian and we said that actually the term Christian only appeared in the New Testament three times.  And it was even a derogatory term used by others to describe the people who followed Jesus.  The followers were Jesus certainly didn’t call themselves Christians; instead, they called themselves something far more terrifying for us to say – Disciples.  You can pretty much do anything you want in the name of “Christian,” and that’s why you find Christians on all sides of political, legal, cultural issues.  Because the term Christian was not defined in the New Testament.

The word “Disciple” however, carries a much more defined meaning.  If you are a follower of Christ, you are called to be a disciple.  What does it mean to be a disciple?  We said last week through John 13 that Jesus said the one characteristic that defines you as His follower is if you love one another.  It is so clearly defined!  But the question is, do you do that?  Do I do that?  As we continue this series I hope the message today will encourage you to do just that.  Because you were once drawn in this community of believers by love, why not do the same for others?

Moving Forward

Jesus would say we give up our leverage in culture when we focus on anything but love. If we loved like he calls us to love, people wouldn’t feel condemned by Christians or coerced to join the faith. In fact, they would feel drawn to the church.

What does love look like in the marketplace? In our families? In our marriages? In our friendships? If we don’t love well, it doesn’t really matter what else we do. So try it. Focus on it. Meditate on it. This week, practice loving the people around you. Remember: we owe it to God to love others.

Discussion Questions

1. Think about the stories of tragedy and suffering we see in the media each day. Is it difficult to believe that love can make a difference in the face of great hardship? Why or why not?

2. Read 1 John 4:8. What does “God is love” mean? Talk about the connection between loving others and knowing God. How does it challenge you about what it means to be a Christian?

3. Have you ever tried to demonstrate love to someone with whom you disagreed? How did you manage the tension between loving and defending your opinion? What happened?

4. Last week we challenged you to love someone in your sphere of influence who is difficult to love. What did you do? How did the person respond?