Resource Detail

2026 1 John Lesson 5

LET’S LOVE WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH

1 John 3:11-24

Key Verse: 3:18

1. What message had the believers heard from the beginning (11)? Why does John use Cain as a negative example when teaching believers about love (12)? As children of God, how should God’s love be reflected in our relationships with others?
2. Why does the world hate God’s people (13)? Why is loving one another such an important sign of spiritual life (14-15)? What is the ultimate definition of love (16a)?
3. How does Christ’s example challenge us to love our brothers and sisters (16b)? Why does John connect God’s love with practical care for those in need (17)? What does it mean to love “with actions and in truth” rather than merely “with words or speech” (18)?
4. What does John teach about the relationship between our assurance of salvation, confidence before God, and prayer (19–22)? How are faith in Jesus, love for one another, and abiding in God connected in the life of a believer (23–24)?
5. What practical step can you take this week to live in a way that pleases God? How can our church community better demonstrate love through actions and truth?

2026 1 John Message June 14, 2026

JESUS CHRIST LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US

1 John 3:11-24

Key Verse 3:16

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

What do you think love is? Some of you may remember the famous “Love Is…” cartoons. “Love is… all you need.” “Love is… distracting!” “Love is… when you’re lost for words.” “Love is… something you need on life’s journey.” Kim Casali, the creator of this cartoon, was born in New Zealand in 1942. As a young woman, she fell in love with Roberto Casali, a young man from Italy. While they were dating, Kim would draw little sketches to express her feelings and write a short sentence about love. Then she would give them to Roberto as a gift. Those drawings eventually became the world-famous Love Is... cartoons. Kim and Roberto got married and enjoyed a happy marriage. But their lives changed when Roberto was diagnosed with cancer. As Kim cared for her husband through his illness, her understanding of love deepened. Her early cartoons often focused on the excitement and romance of being in love. But her later cartoons increasingly reflected a love that cares for a spouse, a love that remains faithful through suffering, and a love that sacrifices for another person. One cartoon said, “Love is… caring for one another more each day.” Eventually, Roberto passed away at the age of 31. Through her cartoons, Kim Casali influenced millions of people with her understanding of love. Yet this morning, we are here to learn God’s definition of love. Verse 16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Look at verse 11: “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” Here, the command is clear: “We should love one another.” This is not a new command. It is the message they had heard “from the beginning.” Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. The heart of all God’s commandments is love. Jesus also gave His disciples a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). From the very beginning of their Christian lives, John taught new believers this command: “We should love one another.” It was one of the first lessons they learned after receiving Christ.

The same is true for us today. One of the first teachings for those who accept Jesus as their Savior is, “Love one another.” We have heard this command many times. The challenge is not that we do not know the command; the challenge is whether we are actually obeying it. God wants us not only to hear this command but also to put it into practice in our daily lives.

To help us understand what love is, John points us to Cain. Do you remember who Cain was? Cain was the son of Adam and Eve, and Abel was his younger brother. One day, both Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord. Cain was a farmer, so he brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering. Abel was a shepherd, so he brought the fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. However, the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.

Why did God accept Abel’s offering but reject Cain’s? God looked at the hearts of the two brothers. God is always concerned not only with what we offer, but also with the heart behind it. Psalm 51:17 says: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” God saw that Abel came with a humble and repentant heart. He carefully brought “the fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock”—the very best he had. His offering reflected his faith, gratitude, and reverence for God. Cain, on the other hand, appears to have come with a proud and unrepentant heart. He brought “some of the fruits of the soil.” Unlike Abel, there is no mention of the first fruits or the best portion. His offering suggests a lack of wholehearted devotion and honor toward God. For this reason, God rejected Cain and his offering.

Cain’s proud heart is revealed by the way he responded when God confronted him. When God did not accept Cain and his offering, Cain became very angry. His face was downcast. God pointed out his sin and urged him to repent. If Cain had even a little humility in his heart, he would have listened to God’s warning. He would have admitted his sin, repented, and sought God’s mercy. But Cain did not respect God. Rather than turning to God, he turned against his brother. He said to Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” Then, when they were in the field, Cain attacked his younger brother and killed him. Why did Cain kill his own brother? John gives us the answer. Cain murdered Abel because his own actions were evil while his brother’s actions were righteous. Abel’s righteous life exposed Cain’s sinful heart. Cain became filled with anger, jealousy, and hatred. Sin had already gained control of his heart, and eventually it led him to commit a terrible act of violence. Just as Cain hated Abel because Abel’s life was righteous, the world hates God’s people because their lives reveal the sins of the world.

The Apostle John gives a clear warning to believers: “Do not be like Cain.” How can we claim to love our brothers and sisters if we harbor hatred in our hearts? Jesus taught that murder begins in the heart. Anger toward a brother or sister can lead to murder. Hatred is a form of murder in the heart. Insulting others attacks a person’s dignity. A few days ago, I was driving when a car suddenly cut in front of me. I had to hit the brakes to avoid an accident. I was startled and became angry. But I tried to understand that the driver might have had a reason. But a short time later, another driver cut me off even more dangerously. This time I became much angrier. For a brief moment, a sinful thought crossed my mind: “What if I just hit that car?” Of course, I did not act on that thought. But it reminded me how dangerous anger can be. When we hold on to anger, Satan can use it to lead us into sin. A moment of rage can lead to violence, injury, or even death.

Our love for one another is evidence that we know Christ and possess eternal life. Look at verse 14. How do we know that we have passed from death to life? John’s answer is simple: “because we love one another.” Conversely, a lack of love is evidence that a person remains in death. “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer,” and “no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” (15) This is a very serious statement. We are gathered here today to worship God. But simply being present in church does not necessarily mean that a person knows God and possesses eternal life. Eternal life does not come from attending church services. It comes through genuine repentance and personal faith in Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. So how can we know whether a person has truly received salvation and eternal life? It is not simply because they say, “I have accepted Jesus as my Savior.” Anyone can say those words. But if there has been no genuine work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, those words may be empty. When the Holy Spirit works in a person’s life, real change takes place. A person who once hated others begins to forgive and love them. A person who was consumed with jealousy repents and learns to encourage others. A selfish person who cared only about himself begins to care about the needs of others, pray for them, and serve them. The Holy Spirit changes our hearts. He gives us a new desire to love our brothers and sisters as God loves. That is why love is such an important test. We are not saved by loving others, but genuine love for brothers and sisters is evidence that we have been saved. It is a sign that the Holy Spirit is at work and that we have indeed passed from death to life.

So, what is love? Many people today think of love primarily as a feeling. When their heart beats faster because of someone, they call it love. When they feel happy being with someone or constantly want to see that person, they call it love. Others define love as attraction, affection, or a feeling of happiness. But God’s definition of love is different from these emotional experiences. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (16). John points to Jesus Christ laying down His life for us as the definition of love. According to this definition, love is sacrifice. Love is giving yourself for others. Love is a commitment to seek another person’s well-being, even when it costs you something. Love is not merely what we feel; it is what we do. Jesus Himself said that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. There is no greater expression of love than willingly giving up something precious for the sake of another person. God’s love always involves sacrifice. It costs something. If there is no sacrifice, it is difficult to call it love from God’s point of view.

In 2018, during the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, teacher Scott Beigel quickly opened his classroom door and helped students get inside. He could have closed and locked the door to protect himself, but instead he kept it open so more students could get to safety. While helping them, he was shot and killed. Many of those students survived because of what he did. One student later said, “I am alive today because of him.” Scott Beigel gave his life so others could live. His sacrifice reminds us of Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us. This is a powerful story of the sacrificial love that God defines as true love.

That is why John goes on to say, “And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” The phrase “ought to” is a strong expression. It is not merely a suggestion or a recommendation. It expresses an obligation. Just as Jesus gave His life for us, we also ought to be willing to give our lives for our brothers and sisters. What a challenging command! Who among us can honestly say that this is easy to obey? Yet as God’s children, we are called to love our brothers and sisters as Jesus loved us. Since Christ laid down His life for us, we are to follow His example.

The Apostle John gives us a very practical example. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” It is easy to say, “I love you.” But it is not easy to use our resources to help brothers and sisters who are in need. If we see a brother or sister in need and refuse to help, can we really say that we love each other? John says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (18). Many people are generous with words but stingy with actions. They speak about love, but when an opportunity arises to serve, sacrifice, or help someone in need, they remain indifferent. “In truth” means that our acts of love must be sincere. True Christian love comes from a genuine heart that has been transformed by the love of Christ. Love is more than words. Love is more than feelings. Love is demonstrated through sincere actions that seek the good of others.

Some people may boldly say, “I would die for my brothers and sisters.” But God’s command is about the way we live every day. It is easier to say, “I would give my life for someone,” than to make small sacrifices for that person today. We may be willing to imagine a dramatic act of sacrifice, but we struggle to give up our time to visit a friend who is sick or going through a difficult time. We may speak about loving others, yet we find it difficult to open our wallets to help someone who is in need. We may admire Christ’s sacrificial love, yet hesitate when that love requires us to give up our comfort, convenience, or personal plans. Laying down our lives begins with the daily choice to put the needs of others before our own. Every moment we sacrifice our time, resources, comfort, or convenience for the good of another person, we are practicing the kind of love that Christ showed us.

A few days ago, Joshua and Ana moved to a new home. Many brothers and a sister came to help them. They arrived early in the morning, packed boxes, loaded furniture onto the truck, and helped move everything into the new house. I was deeply moved by their willingness to serve. They did not come expecting anything in return. The only reward they received was a simple bowl of jajangmyeon for lunch! Who would spend half a day working hard and sacrificing their time just for a bowl of noodles? They were not there for the food. They were there because they loved Joshua and Ana. In fact, some of them finished helping with that move and then went on to help another brother move. They spent most of the day serving others. That is what love looks like in everyday life. Love gives its time. Love sacrifices its comfort. Love willingly serves others without expecting anything in return.

Last Sunday night, our beloved M. Joseph Han was taken to urgent care because he was having difficulty breathing. He remained in the hospital until Tuesday afternoon. During that time, M. Sarah Han stayed by his side. Because they were not assigned a regular hospital room, she had to spend two nights sitting and sleeping on a small couch. She could not eat properly, shower, or even brush her teeth. Yet she remained there, caring for her husband and watching over him. That is love. Several brothers and sisters visited M. Joseph and brought him food. He enjoyed the food, and we were grateful for the opportunity to encourage him, pray for him, and spend time with him. That is love.

Whenever I see M. Abraham Lim, I am deeply moved by his love for his wife, M. Ruth. For more than three years, he has faithfully cared for his wife, who has been struggling with depression. Every day, he prepares meals for her and looks after her needs. Three years is a long time. It is not easy to care for someone day after day, month after month, and year after year without giving up. Yet he continues to serve her with faithfulness and love. Sometimes M. Abraham prays fervently with a loud voice and tears during early morning prayer. I could sense his heartfelt prayers for his wife and for our brothers and sisters. He carries them in his heart before God. That is love.

Many brothers and sisters of our church serve God faithfully in different ways. Preparing lunch for more than one hundred people is not an easy task. It requires time, planning, effort, and sacrifice. Yet many of us willingly serve in this way week after week. Some even prepare dinner for the Columbia worship service. They serve quietly and faithfully, often behind the scenes. Because of their dedication, we are able to enjoy a delicious meal and sweet fellowship after worship service. What motivates them to do this? It is love. Without love, this kind of service would be impossible to sustain. Love motivates people to sacrifice for the benefit of others. Every meal prepared, every dish washed, every table set up, and every cleanup is a reminder that God’s love is being put into practice among us.

Verse 23 summarizes how God’s children are to live. “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.” We are to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are called to put our trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord and to continue living by faith in Him. And we are to love one another as He commanded us. Faith in Christ and love for others always go together.

Throughout this passage, we are reminded that true love is more than words and feelings. True love is demonstrated through sacrifice, service, and practical care for others. Let’s pray that we will not love merely with words or speech, but with actions and in truth. As we place our faith in Jesus Christ and follow His example, may His love be revealed in our lives as we care for, serve, and sacrifice for one another. Amen.