“The Christian, Surrounded by Love”
by Pastor Edwin Lehmann on June 9, 2023 in 1 John 4:16-21
Sermon for the First Sunday after Trinity June 11, 2023
Text: 1 John 4:16-21 Historic Series 23:2390
Theme: “The Christian, Surrounded by Love.”
I thought it was a very sad account. It concerned a study by doctors and psychologists that I read many years ago. In the study they discovered that thousands of babies die each year not from abortions, not from illness, not from accidents, not from anything of a physical nature. They simply die from lack of love. The group’s findings were confirmed when they found numerous cases which showed that babies in an orphanage, who seemed to be wasting away, were restored to better health when they were given “proxy mothers.” Those proxy mothers did little more than hold, caress, and love them. They gave them something that is necessary for health and a sound personality – a feeling of being loved and wanted. It seemed to revive those children.
But it’s not only babies who suffer from a lack of love. How many people worldwide think that nobody cares for them? How many are literally starving for love? It’s a sad reality of our world. But it is not so for the Christian, unless he has allowed himself to become weak in faith and separated from God.
Like a sun bursting through dark clouds and shining bright light upon a dismal world comes the main sentence of our text. It is simple, yet so deep and sublime. We should ponder it often for our comfort and peace. John writes, “God is love. Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this way His love has been brought to its goal among us so that we may have confidence.”
Starving for love? Not the Christian. He’s got the highest and best love of all – God’s love. It surrounds him and fills him with confidence. A Christian is never without it. And there is more. This divine love from above fills God’s children of faith below with love so that they return His love to Him and give it to each other. Love from above, love from below, the Christian is surrounded by love through his faith in Christ Jesus.
I. …love from above – God’s love.
“God is love.” It’s a short sentence but a very big thought. It is so much stronger than if John had said, “God is loving,” or even “God is infinitely loving.” God’s love is more than an action, quality, or a characteristic of God. Love is God. It is His very nature and essence. God is love.
Try to think of this divine essence that makes up God as a furnace or a volcano of love, standing in the middle of the world. That volcano of love burns and bursts outwardly, consuming the entire earth and sky. It covers everything within its glowing fervor. It reaches from the heights of Mount Everest to the depths of the ocean floor. It expands throughout the whole universe for it is of God who fills all things in every way (Ep.1:23).
This is really an incomprehensible part of God’s nature that we could not see had God not revealed its truth to us in His Word and brought us to faith in it. Sin-blinded and unbelieving people never see God this way. Oh, they may quote this that God is love, but they never understand what it means. That is clearly seen in every human scheme of religion that man comes up with.
For example, how often in people’s thinking isn’t God looked upon as a stern, harsh, and severe task-master. He demands and exacts obedience. He punishes and stirs fear and hatred in people’s hearts. When man pictures God from a human perspective, isn’t that how He is often seen? Even Martin Luther said that is how he was taught as a child to see God. So he was afraid of Him.
But the Bible never says, “God is anger,” or “God is fear,” or “God is punishment.” No! The Scriptures happily declare God is love.
Wasn’t it the richest love that God, who does not need any of us, should give each of us life and being? Wasn’t it love that saw to it, as the psalmist says, “that we are wondrously made”? He fashioned our first parents after His own image and likeness. He gave them dominion over all things created. And when they lost all of that in their rebellion and sin against Him, He sought to restore it again to everyone through the Savior – who is the highest heights of His love towards us that surrounds all.
Just a few verses before this, John wrote: “This is how God showed His love among us. He sent His only-begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin.” Greater love than this the world has never seen. Yet it is richly poured out upon us for our salvation.
It’s there from above because God is love. You are surrounded by it. Such comfort! Even when you don’t like what you see God is doing, or when you fret about what you think God is not doing, especially in our topsy-turvey world of today, it helps to take a deep breath, to stand back, to read these words and realize that God’s dominant emotion towards us because of Jesus, His very essence is love. He is working all things together for those who look to Him, who are called according to His purposes. Everything He does and everything He chooses not to do is driven by His passionate love for His people in Christ. Even the thought of Judgment Day holds no fear for all who know Christ as their Savior.
Dear friend in Christ, through God’s promise stand boldly in His love. Believe what He says that He forgives you all and will lead you by the arm to the judgment seat above where He will make you an heir of heaven for Jesus’ sake. Even now God’s love walks arm in arm with you. Walking in Christ you can be bold and fearless. How can you be afraid when God, who is love, walks arm in arm with you all the way? That’s the confidence of which John writes here – surrounded by love from above.
Let Satan, hell, or your own deceitful conscience shout endless accusations against you. Let them tell you that your sins are too great or too many to be forgiven. Their voices matter not when you understand the depth of this simple phrase: “God is love,” and trust that love forgives us for Jesus’ sake. You are never starved for love from above but are surrounded by it through the God who is love.
II. Love from below – love of the brethren.
That ought to have a profound effect upon your life now. It will lead you to love God in return as the furnace of His love kindles the fire of ours. It will also lead you to love your brethren in faith who are here below, on earth. John writes, “We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar…whoever loves God, also loves his brother.”
Love, true god-like love radiates outward. It radiates outwardly from God above to us below and through us below to our brothers and sisters in the faith. It can’t do anything else. If it doesn’t radiate from God to us and through us to others in faith, than each of us has due reason to be concerned about our so-called love towards God.
Test it out once as to whether you really love God who first loved you. Do you hate anyone of the brethren in faith? Can you help a poor beggar like Lazarus when God presents you with the opportunity? Can you love your enemy as you love yourself? But where love for a brother in faith is absent, where hate fills the heart and controls the actions, love for God simply cannot be present. John explains it this way, “If you can’t love the brother whom you see, how can you love God whom you cannot see?”
It can’t be any other way. To love the Father, you must love His children. You may not always like what a family member does, but family members still love and care for each other. To love the Father means loving His children. It means love for the brethren here below who return that love to you.
What a comfort and challenge it is to everyone who calls himself “Christian.” What can you do to show your love to those around you here? What can you do to show your love to God above who is love? What can you do? That’s where our sermon series this beginning part of summer will come in. That’s what the Ten Commandments help us see what we can do towards God and towards others. As we consider them over the next few weeks, we can rejoice that in faith we are not like little children who feel unloved, for The Christian Is Surrounded by Love – love from above, from God who is love and we are surrounded by love from below – the love of the brethren in faith. God grant us these blessed assurances, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
The First Sunday after Trinity June 11, 2023
Welcome in our Savior’s name as He directs our hearts by the Spirit into a deeper appreciation of God’s love in our lives. His love motivates our love towards Him and towards others.
With this Sunday we enter the non-festival half of the Church Year. It extends from the first Sunday after Holy Trinity Sunday until the First Sunday in Advent. Whereas the festival half of the year focusses on the life of Christ and God’s plan of salvation, the non-festival half turns our attention to the practical life of the Church and the Christian life in response to God’s saving love. The lessons instruct the redeemed in their lives, by which they glorify the Savior. Today’s lessons center on the believer’s love towards God and the family of God.
It is an appropriate theme to introduce a summer sermon series on the Ten Commandments, which will begin next Sunday. Jesus’ own summary of the Commandments is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind…and love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt.22:37f). The Ten Commandments instruct the redeemed in the ways this is carried out in life.
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“The Christian Surrounded by Love
The Preparation
Opening Thoughts on the Service
The Entrance Hymn: “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” #624
Order of Worship: Service: Setting One without Communion: pages 154-160
Prayer of the Day
The Ministry of the Word
(The Lessons for the Day are taken from the Historic Pericope Series of the Christian Church.)
The Responses following each lesson are on page 160
Deuteronomy 6:1-13 Mindful of their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and of God’s constant care for them on their journey through the wilderness, Moses instructs Israel to love the Lord with all their hearts and to keep His commands, words, and promises every before them as they enter the Promised Land.
Psalm of the Day: Psalm 119A “Teach Me, O LORD”
1 John 4:16-21 God is love and His love reaches perfection in Christ Jesus, the Savior. His saving love drives out all fear from our hearts and gives us boldness and confidence to stand in the last days. It motivates us every day to love Him and to reveal that love for Him in loving his brother in Christ.
Hymn Response: “Son of God, Eternal Savior” #729
The Gospel Acclamation for the God’s Word page 161
Luke 16:19-31 In the story of the rich man and poor Lazarus, Jesus illustrates that those who believe and love God are eternally saved and pass into the heavenly existence at the time of their death in the world. But those who turn from Him in unbelief and reveal that unbelief in the lack of love towards God and man are condemned and lost forever.
The Sermon Hymn: “Lord, Thee, I Love with All My Heart” #817
The Sermon: “The Christian, Surrounded by Love” 1 John 4:16-21
Our Response to the Word
The Confession of Faith: The Apostles’ Creed page 163
Prayer of the Church page 164
The Offering
The Lord Blesses Us
The Closing Prayer and Blessing page 171
Closing Hymn: Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing” #927
Silent Prayer
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The Organist: Jane Rips
The Preacher: Pastor Edwin Lehmann
Points to Ponder: “Man was created in such a manner that he must love something. It is impossible for the human heart to be altogether loveless. If a man does not love God, he loves the world; if he loves not the Creator, he loves the creature; if he loves not the invisible, he loves the visible; if he loves not the heavenly, he loves the earthly; if not the holy and pure, then the unholy and impure…. A heart which becomes emptied of the love of Gd and its neighbor does not become a vacuum. As a vessel filled with wine becomes full of mere air after its contents have been spilled, so the human heart, emptied of its holy love, is filled with the love for the vain and the transitory.” — CFW Walther
The First Sunday after Trinity” – Historic Series
Old Testament Lesson: Deuteronomy 6:1-13 – …With All Your Heart.
1Moses spoke as follows: Now this is the body of commands, and these are the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, so you may carry them out in the land to which you are crossing over to receive as a possession, 2 so that you may fear the Lord your God by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I am commanding to you, as well as to your children and grandchildren, all the days of your life, and so that your days may be long.
3 Listen, O Israel, and be conscientious about doing those things, so it may go well for you and so you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God. The Lord is one! 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 These words that I am commanding you today are to be on your heart. 7 Teach them diligently to your children, and speak about them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as a sign on your wrists, and they will serve as symbols on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.
10 When the Lord your God brings you to the land about which he swore to your fathers….Then, when you eat and are full, 12 watch yourself, so that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, where you were slaves. 13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him, and swear by his name.
Epistle Lesson: 1 John 4:16-21 – God Is Love. Love God & Your Neighbor
16 We also have come to know and trust the love that God has for us. God is love. Whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 17 In this way his love has been brought to its goal among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are just like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love, but complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who continues to be afraid has not been brought to the goal in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For how can anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, love God, whom he has not seen? 21 This then is the command we have from him: The one who loves God should also love his brother.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 16:19-31 – The Rich Man and Poor Lazarus
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A beggar named Lazarus had been laid at his gate. Lazarus was covered with sores and 21 longed to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Besides this, the dogs also came and licked his sores. 22 Eventually the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus at his side. 24 He called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in misery in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in misery. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been set in place between us and you, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s home, 28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “Abraham replied to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) © 2019
Calendar & Announcements for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
A member congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
4717 S Farm Rd 135 (Golden Avenue), Springfield, MO 65810
Church phone: 417.887.0886 www.zionluthchurch.com
Pastor’s cell phone: 417.693.3244 email: revelehmann@gmail.com
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June 15 |
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June 18 |
| 9:00 am
Divine Worship Service online -Facebook 10:15 am Fellowship & Bible Study
First Sunday after Trinity (Pentecost 2) |
4 pm Confirmation Class
6 pm Elder, Trustees, & Church Council Meetings |
11 am Midweek Bible Class
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9:00 am
Divine Worship Service with Holy Communion online – Facebook 10:15 am Fellowship & Bible Study
Second Sunday after Trinity (Pentecost 3) |
A Brief Bible Study on God’s Word for Today
What does God demand of all people in His Law? Only one thing: Love. God commands us to love Him above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Looking into the mirror of that Law we see what we really are: ugly and selfish sinners. Yet in His love, God suffered the punishment of our selfishness. Out of thanks, we now seek to show that same love toward Him and our neighbor.
The Old Testament Lesson: Deuteronomy 6:1-13 (the answers are found on the back side)
- According to verse 5, what is the summary of all of God’s law?
- What were the Israelites to do with God’s laws?
Those We Remember In Our Prayers: Greg Miller; William & Laurie Moon; Pauline Jaeger; Kirsten Jaster (Laurie Moon’s sister); Greg Pierson (the Long’s son-in-law); Libya, Jodi Milam’s granddaughter; Lucille Huston; Barbara Long; Lois Wiese; Barbara Breidel; Elisha & Isaac Covey, Isaac has come home with special care; John Covey, broken arm.
Summer Series Next Sunday we begin a 10 week summer sermon series on the Ten Commandments. Each Sunday we will review a commandment and Martin Luther’s Catechism explanation of it. Today’s lesson is an appropriate introduction to the summary of the commandments as God’s Word and Jesus Himself gave it in the Bible. We would encourage each member and friend to read through the sections of each commandment from the Catechism the week before that commandment is the sermon text for the day. What a good review of your precious confirmation instruction that would be! If you don’t have a catechism, see Pastor for one. God bless our study of His Word this summer and in every season.
Family Camp-out If you and your family wish to join some of the members of our other WELS/ELS congregations in Missouri at Heit’s Point, near Lincoln, MO, for the summer campout, Sunday afternoon, June 25, through Tuesday afternoon, June 27, please see Pastor Lehmann soon. You will not be “camping” in a tent, but in a lodge with motel-like accommodations. The days will be filled with Bible study and lots of recreational/outdoors time.
Upcoming Services and Events
June 25-27 – ELS/WELS Family Campout 2023 at Heit’s Point near Lincoln, MO
The Week in Review
Last Sunday Worship: 37; Communed: 32; Bible Class 24; Midweek Bible Class: 7; Offerings: $3,096; L.M.S.G: $257.
Next Sunday’s Lessons:
The Second Sunday after Trinity: Proverbs 9:1-10; 1 John 3:13-18; Luke 14:16-24 (Historic Pericope Series)
Answer to Today’s Old Testament Lesson Brief Study:
- To love God with all their heart, soul and strength. God’s law is summarized in one word: love. Love is the opposite of selfishness. Love is both an attitude and action. Love thinks first and foremost about what God wants and not what we want. Love does everything for God and others.
- They were to obey them (v. 3). They were to listen to them, take them to heart and teach them to their children (vv 6,7). They were to go with them wherever they went. They were to carry them with them and write them everywhere so that they would never forget—so that they would never stop thinking about them.
This week I am praying for……
