“Love: The Freedom to Give”

I John 3:11-18

1. We have been restored by God that we might love others (vs. 11).
A. The curse of sin leads humanity into twisted self–absorption (vss. 12-15).

Genesis 4

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. - John 8:44(ESV)

Matthew 5:21-24

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” - John 15:18–19(ESV)

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” - John 3:19–21(ESV)

2. Jesus laid His life down to rescue us and create a new people that loves like God loves (vss. 16-18).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:11, 14-15(ESV)

James 2:14-26

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. - Romans 13:8-10(ESV)

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2(ESV)