1 John 3:15-18

1:05Let me go ahead and read those verses. 1 John chapter 3. I'm going to begin in verse 11, just to pick up, cover what we did last time. For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain, who was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brothers were righteous. Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

1:43And picking up where we'll start this morning: everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

2:20Well, last time we looked at the proof of a resurrected life, love of the brethren. John divides people into two camps: those in the realm of death and those in the realm of life. Death manifests itself as hostility against Christ and against his people. Life manifests itself as love for Christ and love for his people. So we look at the proof of the resurrected life. If you really can point to evidences in your life that you really do love the people of God.

3:00That's evidence that you have been raised from the dead. That's what John is pointing out. That is the proof of a resurrected life. Today, I want to continue this thought. What is the proof of the proof? If the proof of a resurrected life is love to the brethren, how do you know you love the brethren? What are true indications that you really do love the brethren? So, this morning, we're continuing in John's vein of thought here, and he turns to the proof of the proof. The proof of the resurrection life, love for the brethren. Now, what is the proof of love? What is the proof of love? Well, that's what we want to talk about this morning. And first, in verse 15, we'll look at the link between hate, murder, and death. And then, in verse 16, we'll look at the link between love, sacrifice, and life, and then we'll come to the actual proof of the proof, the proof of love. So, that's where we're going this morning. So, first, look at the link between death, hate, and murder. Look back at verse 15.

4:14Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. So, everyone who Who hates? Hate really boils down to wanting to get rid of a person in your life. Hate is an aversion, right? It is a repelling force. Hate, and we use that word a lot in today's society, but it basically boils down to wanting to get rid of something you detest. The idea of detesting, loathing, despising. An illustration of this when I was growing up is I did not like raw onions. Couldn't stand raw onions. It would have been fine if every dish that ever used onions would just be banished from the face of the earth. In fact, throw all the onions out with it. I would have been fine. Now, I've grown up since then. My taste buds have matured a little bit. I love onions. Maybe not raw, but still getting there.

5:22But basically, if you hate onions, you don't want anything to do with onions, and you don't want anything to do with a dish that has something to do with onions in it. Well, think about hate along these terms, about really that deals with people. Hate basically boils down to wanting to get rid of a person in your life. That's what hate's about. It's wishing a person away or wishing a group of people away. Getting rid of those people in your life.

5:55Getting rid of those who you just don't want. Hate is a wishing. That a person be gone from you. And what hate does is it refuses to recognize a person's right or a person's dignity as a human being. So hate is that repelling force that seeks to get rid of it. It manifests itself in hostility. And it will even go to the extreme of murder. Murder. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. A murderer. Literally, man-killer. Everyone who hates his brother is a mankiller. Is there people that you wish to just get rid of in your life?

6:48Think deeply. Look at your soul. What about members of your own family? I mean, what is the condition of your life? I mean, do you have people? Can you scan the people in your life and think to yourself, I wish that person was just gone. Be careful. That's evidence of spiritual death. Such thinking has not been touched or does not understand the grace of our Lord or has been resurrected. Yeah, if you're still hating people, if you're still despising, People, you are a mankiller. That's the word. In fact, remember, Jesus taught on the whole nature of murder back in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 5.

7:47John would have been there. You have heard, verse 21, that the ancients were told, You shall not commit murder, and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. But I say to you, that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court. And whoever says to his brother, you good for nothing, shall be guilty before the Supreme Court. And whoever says, you fool, shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. This is Christ talking. And he says, Look, if you say to somebody, you good for nothing, that's an expression of despise. You know, you're good for nothing. Wow. Think about that hostility. You're good for nothing. That's not love, right?

8:32You fool. Jesus, that is even a stronger term of detesting somebody. Listen, physical murder is only on the extreme side of hostility. But if you wish people away, if you want people out of your life, if you despise people to the degree of getting rid of them, guess what? You are a mankiller. You have the same nature as the original man-killer. And as Jesus clearly taught, and as John clearly echoes, the one who hates is of the same nature as the one who murders.

9:22You remember Jesus is teaching on the original murderer. You remember in John 8:44, the Pharisees are saying, We are, Abraham is our father. And then they go on to say, No, God is our father. And Jesus said, You know what? You are of your father, the devil. John 8:44, you are of your father, the devil. You are of the same nature as the devil. You are not as the same nature of Abraham or of God. You are of the nature of the devil. And he says this, and you want to do the desires of your father. He wanted to kill Jesus. He was a murderer from the beginning. He was a man-killer from the beginning. And he does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. And it was through his lies, through his deception, that he murdered Adam and Eve.

10:26Now, his murder wasn't as overt as possible. Cain's murder of Abel, but it was definitely murder in the most premeditated manner. It was brutal, it was ruthless, it sought to cut man off from the life-giving supply of his God. And in severing that spiritual union, he killed the man. Physical death followed. He is the original mankiller. I mean, what kind of a person is this? What kind of an individual just wants to rid people, get rid of people? What is that?

11:11That's evil. It's evil. And if you can't stand people, you are a mankiller. John's very specific here. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know, no murderer has eternal life. The devil hates God. The devil wanted Adam gone. Cain wanted Abel gone. The world wants Christians gone. All these people share the same nature as the devil. That's why he's saying, don't be surprised if the world hates you. They're spiritual. Father is the devil, the original murderer.

12:05And John says, Look, it's obvious that such people do not have spiritual life. Like what he says, and y'all know this, right? And y'all know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. That's not what life does. If you have life abiding in you, you don't wish people out of existence or wish people away. Hate is the equivalent in verse 14: not loving. You're not loving, if you're not loving, guess what? You're moving on a trajectory of repelling people. Loving is drawing to somebody.

12:57Hate seeks to diminish, deprive, take away, destroy. Hate closes the heart to somebody. And it's a sign of spiritual death. That's what the dead do. That's not what the living do. Well, hatred originates in the devil. Hatred against Christ's likeness originates in the devil. The prime example of hate. Is Cain murderous in his nature and intent? And so that is the evidence: spiritual death. The link between death, hate, and murder. They're linked. I want to switch gears. Look at verse 16, where we can look at the link between life, love, and sacrifice. Life, love, and sacrifice. Look back at verse 16. We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us.

14:01We know this. We know love by this. It's interesting, he doesn't give a definition of love like Paul. Love is patient, kindness, goodness. He doesn't go through that. He's not giving us a definition, but he's saying something else. He's saying, we know, we recognize, we dial in, we know what love is by this, by this, that he laid down his life for us. You see, contrasted with the repelling force of hate is the drawing force of love. Love draws near to a person.

14:37And it basically draws near because it wants to enhance a person's well-being. That's what love does. It draws near, and it seeks another person's good, and it manifests itself in giving, even to the point of extreme sacrifice. That's the nature of God. And the good news is that God has drawn near to us. Listen, salvation began on God's side of the fence. It wasn't that one day we woke up and all of a sudden decided, you know what, I want to just start pursuing God. No, it was we were in a state of death. Death is one that is hostile to God, hostile to the things of God.

15:21It is God who draws near to us. It is God who seeks us out. And he draws near to us in order to enhance our well-being. That is his action with everyone. He draws near, he reveals who he is, he reveals his standards, he reveals who he is. It's an expression of love. It's an expression of drawing near so that you will be in union with your life, with the life-giving supply and no longer severed. He draws near to resurrect.

16:02He draws near because he loves. And the good news is, he draws near for our good, and he knows you. He knows me. He created us. And he knows us. And he has drawn near, and he keeps drawing near because he gives. Love is linked with sacrifice. Love sacrifices. And it's Jesus Himself who taught us this more than anyone else. John 15:13, greater love has no one than this, than one lay down his life for his friends.

16:46John 10, 11, I am the good shepherd. And the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. You know, the greatest possession that anyone has is their life. That's what's so tragic when a person's life is taken from them. That's the most precious thing. And that's what's so noble when somebody chooses to give their life or a portion of their life to somebody else for their benefit. That's what is truly noble in God's eyes. Jesus laid down his life, and the word there is soul, his being. Jesus laid down his being for us. He laid down his life at the cross to save us from the penalty of eternal death.

17:43And I think about this: listen, it was you and I who deserved to be made a public spectacle of what not to do. We're the ones who wrecked his creation. We're the ones who transgressed. We're the ones that need to be held up forever as a standard of what not to do. Put us on the cross. Humiliate me. I'm the one who deserves that kind of shame. Who would step in and take that? Yes, that was due me.

18:32But Jesus took my place historically, becoming that spectacle, that lamb sacrificed on my behalf to be held up, to satisfy the wrath of God, and to forever vindicate God's righteousness against sin. He stepped in. By the way, my service will never be what his has been for me. So, no matter what he asks, it will never be what he has given for me. I am the one who transgressed his laws, and he stepped in. That's giving, laying down his life for us, but it doesn't stop there.

19:19Jesus's love stands in stark contrast to Cain's hate. You got Cain, and you've got Christ. Two very different examples. Ours. If you've been born of God, Christ is the example. But even now, he didn't just give himself up at the cross, he gave himself, he lays down his life now to be our king, to be our advocate, to be our shepherd. I mean, that's a project that costs him his life. He lays up his soul, he gave himself over for our benefit. I mean, who wants to be my king? You ever think about that? I mean, who wants to take me on as a project? Who wants to pay attention? Who wants to provide? Who wants to shepherd me? Who wants to shepherd you? Who wants to be your king? That's a chore, right? Who wants to do that? Who would do that? Let alone step in and take my penalty.

20:23Who does that? God does that. Love does that. Love moves a person to sacrifice. Listen, what would you rather be? King or have the perfect king over you? It's a lot more work, right? Trying to be king. And we're absolutely incompetent at it, aren't we? But God has given us one who is the perfect king, who knows us inside and out, who will pay attention, who will engage his mind. Will shepherd us. How can you not embrace such a king?

21:08That's love. That's love. Lover of your soul. Turn to him. O foolish world that thinks we can be our own king, masters of our own fate. He stands ready, stands in readiness to give. He is the life giver. He is the life re-giver. He is the ongoing life provider. He is God. That's what love does. Love stands in readiness to serve. That's what it does. It stands in readiness to serve others and it sacrifices when the need presents itself. That's what love does.

22:03It's kind of like a military, right? Military, a good military, stands in readiness to serve. And when the call to sacrifice comes, they step in, do whatever it takes to meet the need, right? That's what love does. Stands in readiness. Stands in readiness to serve. And it sacrifices. To meet that need when it presents itself. This is what life is. Two very different ways, right? Life, life eternal, that eternal life, which God has given us now, the quality is already given, but life is given to us now. And it has an eternal quality of it. The kind of life that goes on forever is the kind that gives, the kind that continually gives, the kind that intrinsically gives. It takes what God has given and it gives.

23:07Why do we charge for labor, right? Many of you work on an hourly wage, right? You're paid because you're paid because you're giving up an hour of your life, right? You're giving up a portion of your life. And so, since your life is a fleeting existence, we bill by the hour. We charge, we pay people for their time because it's a fleeting, it's a fleeting commodity. And so, time is precious because it represents a portion of our life. And so, when you give up a portion of your life for the benefit of somebody else, that is what is noble. That is what your heavenly father delights in. That is what his nature is about.

23:55In fact, a mankiller takes life, right? God gave Adam life. The devil took it away. God gives life. Remember Jesus' teaching on why the Father loves him? This is a striking statement. Why does the Father love Jesus? In John 14, 17, I mean, sorry, John 10, 17, Jesus tells us explicitly, for this reason, the Father loves me because I lay down my life. Why does the Father love him? You might say, well, just because I'm, he loves me. This is Jesus. He loves me because I lay down my life for others.

24:40I lay down my life so I may take it up again. No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down on my own initiative. What are you going to do with the life that God has given you? Christ, our example, laid his life down out of his own volition. The Father had given him authority over his own life, and in some measure, he gives us an authority over what we do and how we'll spend our days.

25:07Are you going to lay it down for the benefit of those he loves? Why did the Father love Jesus? Because Jesus was of the same nature of his Father who gives. This is why he loves me, because I give, I lay down my life. This is exactly the nature of the heavenly father who gives. He gives, he keeps giving. He delights to give. He loves to see people giving. And those who truly love are of the same nature as he is. Two spiritual DNA is going out there: the DNA of the devil, the DNA of God.

25:59Love that leads to sacrifice is of the nature of God. Look back at verse 16. We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. The obligation to love is inborn. We ought, we are owing. The word is we are owing to the brethren. That's those in Christ. We're talking about those of the faith. We are owing. Yes, we are to love everyone, but there is a specific kind of love that for the household of God that he's talking about here, laying down his life for us, so that we ought to, we are owing to lay down our lives, our souls, our beings for the brethren. So the obligation is inborn. Those who believe in the Christ of Scripture have an inborn desire to love others. It's there because it comes from God.

27:12That's what love does. It senses, it feels indebted to love those we can, right? You know, family sacrifices are common, right? We expect that growing up. Sometimes families have to stick together just to make it, right? Right? I remember my dad sacrificed, he wanted all of his kids to be educated at the college level, and he sacrificed to make that happen. And I remember growing up, as he was watching him sacrifice to put his children through school, there was this expectation to make sure that if for some reason he couldn't provide for my younger siblings, that the older siblings were required to step up or expected to step up and meet that need. It was an obligation.

28:12It wasn't anything that he extracted from us, but there was a sense of obligation. Families have to stay together and they have to support one another. There is, we all understand this, family sacrifices, right? Well, that's what sacrificial love does. Sacrificial love characterizes the true church. An obligation. I am my brother's keeper. I am very much interested in the well-being of my brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, I stand ready, engaged, to paying attention, and when the need arises to sacrifice.

28:58That's what sacrificial love that characterizes the church. Our example is Jesus. Our example is not Cain. He just wanted people out of his life. Our example is Jesus. He gave, he gives, he forever will give. So love is the evidence of spiritual life. It is. A love that sacrifices. Not some of these warm, fuzzy feelings that we redefine love. Listen, John has to lay it out here because one way around this text is to just start redefining love in your own language. You know, make love what you think it ought to mean. And John's very clear about what love is. Love involves sacrifice.

29:46In fact, Romans 13:8, Paul says this: owe nothing to anyone except to love one another. And this is exactly the obligation we have. So. We are. If love for the brethren is the proof that we have been resurrected with Jesus, and that's exactly what John is saying. Love for the brethren is the proof that we have been resurrected. What is the proof that we love the brethren? So, what is the proof of the proof? If love for the brethren is the resurrected is proof of the resurrected life, then what is proof that we love? Well, that's where he goes next: proof of the proof, proof that we love. We'll look at verses 17 and 18, and I'll just read them, and then we'll walk through the definition of proof of love. Verse 17: But whoever has the world's goods and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and in truth. So, I want to summarize the proof of love in a six-part statement, a six-part statement that comes right out of these verses. First of all, I want you to notice that the proof of love involves worldly goods, it involves worldly goods. Notice that John applies this principle to an everyday situation, a situation that you and I are going to face. Face over and over and over again. But whoever has the world's goods and should be seeing his brother in need and is closing his heart to him or closes his heart, how does the love of God abide in him? Well, it doesn't.

31:51It doesn't. But notice what John is doing here. He's just talked about the heroic sacrifices of Christ. And he's not calling us to those same heroic sacrifices, is he? He changes. He's not calling us to go lay down our life in the same manner as atoning for the world's sin. No, that's not going to be called for. Very rarely will there be a call to lay down your life, although that's certainly within the spectrum. But he's talking about everyday situations. He's talking not about that heroic sacrifice of life for life, but the lesser sacrifices of everyday life. That's what he's talking about. Whoever has the world's goods, everyday sacrifices. The world's goods, it comes from the word bios. You guys take biology, right? He who has the bios of life. What is that?

32:58The means of life. There are certain things you need to sustain life, right? Here, the means of life, the goods of life, that which is necessary for living. But whoever has the world's goods, who has these means of everyday living and sees his brother in need. So it involves worldly goods. The proof of love involves worldly goods, given from an open heart. Notice the one that doesn't have love, the one who is possessing the worldly goods and is seeing his brother in need and closes his heart against him. How does the love God in him? It's not there. Love, the proof of love comes from an open heart. And in this context, what an open heart refers to is a sincere heart, a generous heart, not a closed, stingy heart, right?

34:12Love does not close the heart. And in this scenario, the brother is in a real need of worldly goods. This doesn't pretend. And the person with the means of life who is born of God cannot. Close his heart to him if the love of God is in him. It's basically what he's saying. They're stingy versus generous. You know, we can even get mad sometimes at those who are in need, can't we? Even our brothers and sisters in Christ. You need what? Sometimes it's help. Sometimes it's practical. Sometimes you're in that trouble again. You're struggling with what again?

35:06You are, you need what? And sometimes we can even get mad at people who are in need. Right? Be careful of a heart that closes. Evidence of spiritual death. So the proof of love involves worldly goods given from an open heart to meet real needs, to meet real needs. Look, the person in John's scenario is really in need. This isn't just a pretend need, nor is it a luxury. Need. And just as Jesus's love accomplished something for our well-being, so our love for each other will manifest itself in practical deeds. That accomplishes something for the well-being of others, spiritual and physical. Listen, God has the means of life, right? And He delights to give that, to sustain life, to give life. And we are no.

36:20There's not a better instance where we are more like Christ, more like God, when we take the means of life that He has given us and we are seeing real needs and we are sacrificing to meet them. There is that is giving, that is what God does, and so it meets real needs. So, the proof of love involves worldly goods given from an open heart to meet real needs in tangible ways. Look back at verse 18. Notice how John contrasts the idea of word and tongue with deed and truth, right?

36:59Let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. In other words, word, not just talk. Let's not just be about, I love you, I love you. Let's not just be in talk, but it should be in deed, not just telling ourselves we love people. Sometimes we like to fool ourselves and tell, say, well, we love the church, we love everybody. And sometimes that's just a cop-out. Love nobody, right? No. Must not just be in talk, but in deed. Sometimes an encouraging word and expressions of love can be deeds. But what he's talking about here is mere talk. Notice he also contrasts tongue with truth. Do not love in word indeed.

37:59Do not love in word, but in deed. Do not love in tongue, but in truth. In other words, don't just love in pretense, but in sincerity, truth, reality. And so, what John has in mind here are measurable deeds, tangible ways, measurable, something you can see, get your mind around. Some people say there are certain things you cannot see. You cannot see God, cannot see love. I mean, how do you see love? Well, you see love in action, right?

38:38You see it by what it does. And that's what he's saying. Measurable deeds. The proof of love involves worldly goods given from an open heart to meet real needs in tangible ways. That makes sense. That makes sense. I throw that in there because sometimes we fail to recognize that love is, love acts rationally and it acts sincerely. And the one being loved understands that they are being loved. At least after they process it all in time, if not immediately, they understand. A deed is a testimony. A deed testifies to a hidden reality.

39:36And love, it acts for the benefit of another person. It understands, and the person can understand. Love leaves no room to doubt its presence when properly understood. Suppose somebody came up to me and said, Tom, I really love you. And just to prove that, I'm going to step out there into the steep hollow road and I'm going to wait till a truck runs me over, just to prove how much I love you. So he goes out there, runs over, gets run over. Wow, what is that? Oh, sincere, maybe, but it absolutely makes no sense, right? Now, suppose I'm out, I'm crossing the street, I don't see a truck coming, and somebody comes and pushes me out. The way and gets run over in the process. Now, that I can get my mind around. That person loved me in a tangible way that met a real need that makes complete sense. I was going to die if that person didn't step out for my benefit. And that's exactly what Christ did for us, right? He didn't just go and die as a as some sort of incomprehensible act that makes no sense. No, he went to die, he went to step into that place. We deserved the shame, we deserve the eternal shame, and he stepped into it, took the wrath.

41:23That's his love, that's what God does. So, the proof of love, and when we love each other, we give expressions of love that manifest from an open heart, a sincere heart, that manifests in meeting real needs in tangible ways so that the people understand that they're being loved. That makes sense, rational sense. Why? Why? So that God's love is gloriously displayed. The proof of love involves worldly goods given from an open heart to meet real needs in tangible ways that make sense so that God's love is gloriously displayed.

42:12Just as Christ's love for us gave us a window and gives us a window into God's heart, so when we love each other, we open up a window that displays the character of our God. That's what his children do. That's the family name, standing ready to give, to sacrifice for the well-being of his people. That's the family name. That's what we do. We love to put God's love on display. And as we put his love on display, guess what? We are reminded of his love for us. So when you love each other, rejoice, because it will call to mind God's love for you.

43:19Look back at verse 18. I want to make sure you don't miss John's practical instruction here. Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue. But indeed and in truth, putting God's love on display. They will know we are Christians by our tangible expressions of love for one another. But this is what John is saying. Little children, this is the emphasis he comes to. Therefore, after saying all this, let us not love in word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. In other words, let's get on with it. Don't just be telling yourself that you love people. Don't be just telling yourself all the, but really let the proof of love come out.

44:08Let it come out. Let it complete the effort. Take it to the limit. Don't cease in your expression. Sometimes we get expressions of love, we get great ideas to reach out, and they get about halfway, and then we just, oh, it's too late to finish. John is saying, get on with it. Write that card, right? Send that gift. Make that expression. Help this person in time, whatever. Complete the effort. Complete the effort. We need to be sure that our love for Christ's people materializes in tangible deeds, not just for our own benefit, not just for their benefit, but so that the world will know that we are Christians. And so that the world who are still incarcerated under death will understand the difference between death and life and come to life through the resurrection of Christ.

45:13That's a big deal to give. We're the theater on which the glory of God is revealed. And it's us, it's not, it's us in here giving to one another. Well, I wanted you to see the proof of a resurrected life. I wanted you to see the proof of the proof of a resurrected life so that you will know who's alive and who's dead. More importantly, that you may know the spiritual condition of your own soul. But John gives us in a context to encourage the whole church. He wants to assure the church, and where he goes next is all about assurance. But before we go there, I'd like for us to close on this thought. What does your routine say about you? Specifically, think about your relation to the church. Specifically, not just church, capital C, but individual church members. What does your routine say about you? About your love. Your routine says your values show up in your routine. What priorities have you placed over the family of God? And if you can look at your routine and say, you know what, I see an honest love here for the people of God, know for sure that that comes from a resurrected life.

46:53What does the allocation of your worldly resources say about you? Follow the money trail, right? What priority does that speak? What, if you boiled it all down, what value, what does that express about your resurrected status? Does your routine, does the way you allocate your resources, do they point to tangible deeds? Deeds of hospitality, deeds of encouragement, deeds of expressions of love, deeds, whatever, acts of service, all to lift up, build up, strengthen Christ's people. Does your routine and your stewarding of your resources speak of an individual that is drawing near to the body of Christ for the purpose of building them up, strengthening up in body and in spirit? And it may be as simple as acts of service. There may be writing cards, it may be rides, it may be. Praying, praying, maybe giving supplies, it may be kind words, it may be a whole lot of things. But what are the evidences?

48:13If you can look at your routine, look, you don't even have to look much beyond this last week. And if you see evidences, tangible evidences, if you see evidences, the proof of love involving worldly goods given from an open heart to meet real needs in tangible ways that make sense, guess what? You have been raised from the dead because that doesn't come from the world. And John wants you to be assured of your resurrected status because he's going to go into confidence. Where does confidence before the Lord come from? It comes from knowing your resurrected state. And John says, by this, we know, we know that we have passed from death into life. We know that we know because of the evidence, because of the proof, and the proof of the proof.

49:14If you don't know Christ today, this exhortation isn't to go out and love people, it's to come to Christ. You're not going to have love for people until you're transferred from death to life. And you can do that by calling upon his name today. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you, recognizing your mercy, your grace, recognizing that you love us on a degree that is absolutely inconceivable to our minds. No amount of human expression can exhaust the depth of your love for us.

50:04Father, you are the eternal life giver. You gave life, you resurrect life, because you delight in life. You give life, you give life abundantly, because you are generous with the means of life in your possession. And so, Father, we want to be like you, and we want to be a small reflection of your nature and your character. Father, for once we were in darkness, for once we were incarcerated, for once we were walking to our own way, being king over our own lives. And Father, I just pray now that those here who do not know you today would hear your voice calling them to come out of the grave. Help them to repent of their sins and put their faith in you.

50:57And help us as a church to truly live. Love as you love us. In Christ's name, amen.