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About six years ago, just a few months after we had moved into the log home we built outside of Bells, Texas, I bought four pallets of Bermuda grass sod for our front yard. I rolled it all out and it looked pretty good. I watered it faithfully and did my best to nurture it. However, looking at my yard today, while it is very green, there is hardly any Bermuda grass growing there.

Our flower beds are a different story. Last week I spent several hours digging Bermuda grass out of the beds where our roses are planted across the back of our patio. As I was doing so, I remembered something an older guy told me back when I was living in Oklahoma. “If you want Bermuda grass to grow, you’ve got to disturb it a bit.” He went on to explain that if you dig around in it or till it, it will take off sending new shoots everywhere. So I took all that grass I dug out and planted it all around my front yard. We shall see.

That reminded me of a poem that I have shared before in my devotions, but it is worth sharing again. It was written by Sir Francis Drake in 1577 and entitled “Disturb Us, Lord.”  It speaks to living with the confidence of knowing Jesus is with us.

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the Waters of Life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery:
Where losing sight of land
We shall find the stars.
We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push us in the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.

Francis Drake, 1577

I hope all the followers of Jesus will be disturbed today.

I used to make my own Trail Mix. I found a mixture of things that I really liked and would make a batch regularly. I would take some along when I went fishing with my old buddy Jim and what we didn’t eat home with him. He was always appreciative when I shared it with him. Of course, I would make enough so that there was still some at the house. After all, I made it the way I liked it.

Cheryl liked it, too, with one exception. One of the ingredients I put in my mix was butterscotch chips. Cheryl does not like butterscotch. I remember the first time I opened the pantry to get the container of trail mix out, and when I looked inside there was nothing left but butterscotch chips. When I confronted her about it she said, “I only ate the good stuff, the stuff I like.” She saw no problem with that. After having that happen a few more times, I started making a separate batch for her minus the butterscotch chips.

A lot of people try to take that approach to the Bible. They are sometimes called “Cafeteria Christians.” They pick the things they like and ignore the rest. They might say “I like the part about heaven being a free gift, but I don’t think _______ is wrong.”

You can fill in the blank with any sin that Scripture condemns. What they are actually doing in placing themselves in the position of control, the position God should occupy in their lives.

This I nothing new. As he was preparing to leave Ephesus, Paul gave a farewell address to the Elders of the church there. Here is part of what he said.

Acts 20:26–27 (ESV)  Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Paul was not holding back. He was sharing God’s Word, identifying sin for what it is, but also sharing the answer to sin that Jesus provided for us. He spent time there trying to fill them in on what they had not heard. The whole counsel of God. He did this in the face of opposition and persecution.

Acts 20:19–20 (ESV) …serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house…

Paul shared “the whole counsel of God” (ESV) or “the whole will of God” (NIV), especially the Good News of Jesus. He shared the truth about God’s salvation. But Paul also shared the things that were hard for people to hear. He reminded them of that in the second chapter of the letter he sent to them. He said that we are dead in sin which deserves God’s wrath and condemnation (Ephesians 2:1). He pointed out that we are incapable of saving ourselves by what we do (Ephesians 2:8-9). But this was all in the context of pointing them to the one who lived a life without sin and offered that to pay our penalty, so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life.

When we hear the whole counsel of God, the Spirit is able to work in us and guide us to appreciate even more the one who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

1 John 4:18–21 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

A number of years ago I remember leading a song for Vacation Bible School several years in a row. It was based on 1 John 4:19. It had a simple melody and message, one that gets stuck in your head. I still find myself singing it in my head every time I read these verses. I tried to find a recording of it online to share with you, but it was not to be found. I did find that the lyrics were attributed to Ann F. Price and published in a song book entitled “Sing With Me.”  Here is the entire song (there was a clap where each X is):

We love (X X) because God first loved us.
We love (X X) because God first loved us.
We love (X X) We love (X X)
We love (X X) because God first loved us.

When I think about it, that is a great message to have stuck in your head. What a wonderful reminder of the people we have been called to be. Why should I love my neighbor? Because God first love me. Why should I let that person go in line in front of me, even though they were rude and have too many items to be in the express lane? Because God first love me. Why should I not lose my temper when people getting on the highway ignore the YIELD sign and cut me off? Because God first love me. Why should I be willing to speak about my faith to others, especially those who have never heard about Jesus and His love? Because God first love me.iHHi

When you have experienced God’s love, you love Him. And John reminds us that if we love God we must love others, our brothers and sisters. We need remember to look at every single person we meet as someone for whom Jesus died on the cross. When He conquered death and the grave by rising on the third day, He did that for the entire world. That includes each person you will encounter in your life today. Remembering that, will you treat them differently?

1 John 4:7–17 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

Throughout this letter John has been speaking of love, God’s love for us and how we should love others. In this fourth chapter, it becomes even more intense. The word is repeated over and over again. John is driving home the points that God is love, love comes from God, and we need to love one another.

It hearkens back again to John’s record of Jesus talking to Nicodemus and He spoke of God’s love leading Him to send Jesus to be the Savior of all people (John 3:16). And John is careful to point out that we are not saved by our love for God. We are saved from sin and death by God’s love for us:

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

 That sacrifice is our assurance. Our sin was paid for. We stand before God as redeemed and forgiven. All because of Gd’s love.

1 John 4:1–6 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

 The greater one who is in you is Christ. He has already won the victory. “The
one who is in the world is Satan.” He tried to take control of this world away from Adam and Eve, something he had no right to do. But the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus vanquished the devil. He knows his time is short and he is trying to wreak havoc in our lives. However, he cannot triumph over those who have Christ in them.

Luther wrote about this struggle this way:

Christ is stronger; He has overcome, is overcoming, and will overcome that strong man in us (Luke 11:21–22).” Still the devil does sometimes overcome us in the flesh, in order that even in this way we may experience the power of the Stronger against that strong man and say with Paul (2 Cor. 12:10): “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (Luther’s Works, vol. 26, p. 193, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis).

He also addressed this in what may be his most famous hymn. Sing or read the words below, and concentrate especially on the words of the third and fourth stanzas.

A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev’ry need That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.

With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One, Whom God himself elected.
Ask ye, “Who is this?” Jesus Christ it is.
Of sabaoth Lord, And there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.

Though devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill, They shall not overpower us.
This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none, He’s judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.

The Word they still shall let remain Nor any thanks have for it;
He’s by our side upon the plain With his good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life, Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone, Our vict’ry has been won;
The Kingdom our remaineth.

(The Lutheran Hymnal #262)

1 John 3:21–24 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

“Can it really be that simple? It sounds too easy!” That is a common objection from those who are outside the body of Christ, the wisdom of the world saying, “It sounds too good to be true.” I heard those sentiments many times over the years from “seekers.” They were searching for spiritual truth, and they would come and talk to me. They would ask the question similar to the one asked by the jailer in Philippi:

Acts 16:30 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

In that instance Paul and Silas replied:

Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

The message of Scripture is consistent. John uses different terminology by saying we must obey His commands. Some will understand this to mean “I have to do my part,” and start listing rules and regulations to follow in order to be saved. But that is the opposite of what John says here:

“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”

Faith in all Jesus did with His perfect life, willing death, and victorious resurrection gives of the confidence of forgiveness for our shortcomings and sin and guarantees life with God now and forever. We love each other because we know what He has already done for us.

1 John 3:11–20 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. 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. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

Love is a recurring theme in John’s writings. In the Gospel that bears his name, he calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was not trying to elevate himself above others, but was stating the reality in his life: he knew he was loved by Jesus, and he wants others to know that, too.

One of the consequences of following Jesus and knowing His love will be that the world will hate you. They don’t understand who Jesus is and what He has done for you, so they ridicule and criticize what they do not understand.

“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.”

Jesus set the standard. He showed us how to love, even though those He came to save hated and rejected Him. He just kept loving. A fallen woman at a well. A tax collector. A bunch of fishermen. A Roman centurion. A woman caught in adultery. Even those who would betray Him. In fact, in every encounter recorded for us in Scripture, we see Jesus acting out of love. Even when cleansing the Temple. His love wants only the best for us. He is the example of how to love.

So how do you lay down your life for others? That does not just mean dying for someone else. You lay down your life for others when you put their needs ahead of your own. When you share your material wealth with those in need. When your words and actions lead you to be the hands and feet and voice of Jesus to them.

Recently I was talking to a young lady and she was talking about her pastor and said, “I don’t see Jesus in him!” What a terrible, stinging indictment. That should not be. It caused me to do some soul-searching and ask myself how often that could have been said about me!  What about you? Could someone say that about you? Hopefully not.

The 4th-century theologian Jerome tells a story about the Apostle John. John was old and frail, unable to walk, so his disciples would carry him into the gathering of believers on the Lord’s Day. Every week these were his words to the congregation: “Little children, love one another.” This went on week after week, until at last, tired of hearing the same thing repeated, his disciples asked him, “Master, why do you always say this?”  “Because,” John replied, “it is the Lord’s command, and if this only is done, it is enough.”

“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

When we love others, we are letting them see Jesus.

1 John 2:28 – 3:10  And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  This is the certainty and conviction of those who follow Jesus. We are children of God, claimed by Him, His name on us through Baptism, Jesus calling us brothers and sisters. This is the action God’s love has taken in our lives. This is our hope.

But there are some parts of this passage that can be confusing and easily misunderstood.

No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. … No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

There are those who maintain that those who come to faith in Jesus stop sinning. Nothing could be further from the truth. Read what the Apostle Paul says about himself in Romans 7. While we are admonished and encouraged to stop sinning, and we try to live that way with God’s help, we continue to fall short of the people God would have us be.

So what is John writing about here? It is a matter of who is in control of you. John is contrasting the Children of God with the children of the Devil. Those controlled by Satan continue to sin and make no effort to stop because they see no reason to live otherwise. But those who live by faith no longer want to sin. We still do it because of our weakness, but we don’t want to be controlled by our sinful desires. We want to do what is right. We want to live according to God’s Will. We want to keep His laws. We want Jesus to be in control of our lives.

Why? Because we know what He has already done for us. He kept the Law perfectly in our place. He paid for all our sin with that perfect life. He brings us into His family as dearly loved children who will live with Him forever. We strive to do what is right to thank our loving God for what He has already done for us.

We try not to sin, but when we do, we have the assurance that God will forgive us for Jesus sake. Just go back to what John shared at the beginning of chapter 2.

1 John 2:1–2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.