No Fear…I Am a  Child of God, Part 2
A sermon for Christ’s Church at Monticello April 15, 2007
Gregg A. Nydegger

1 John 4:13-21 (NIV)
13    We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14    And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
15    If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.
16    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.
17    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.
18    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.
19    We love because he first loved us.
20    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.
21    And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.


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.


1 John 2:28 (NIV)
28    And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.


1 John 2:1 (NIV)
1    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.


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.


Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)
1    Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2    because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.


Romans 8:15-17 (NIV)
14    because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15    For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16    The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
17    Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


1 John 1:9 (NIV)
9    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.


We love because he first loved us.


Ephesians 1:4 (NIV)
4    For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)
14    For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
15    And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.



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.



Mark 12:29-31 (NIV)
29    "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30    Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
31    The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no commandment greater than these."


Philippians 4:13 (NIV)
13    I can do everything through him who gives me strength.