January 29, 2016
Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:11-15; Matthew 5:21-24
11For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do 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. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Questions for Reflection:
John begins the second half of the book. In the second half, John’s focus shifts to how the church interacts with each other. This is illustrated from the very first verse in the passage above. What is the message we have heard from the beginning? This is the first of six times that Jesus’ command to love one another will be repeated in 1 John. As we continue to read through the book, keep an eye out for the other references.
John illustrates his point with a reference to Cain. (If you’re unfamiliar with Cain’s story, you can read it for yourself in Genesis 4:1-16.) What did Cain do that was so evil? Why did he murder his brother Abel? For an audience familiar with the Old Testament, the reference to Cain would quickly underscore what it means to hate your brother. As Gary Burge points out in his commentary, “In the [early] Christian church, the envy and revenge harbored by Cain were compared to the feelings of the opponents of Christians, whose sacrificial lives were pleasing to the Lord.”
Jesus had a way of taking what had previously been taught and raising the bar. In the sermon on the Mount, he tells the crowd listening that they aren’t just to abstain from adultery, but that they should not even look lustfully at a woman. In the passage from Matthew above, how did Jesus raise the bar with regards to how we handle our emotions and anger? John followed Jesus example in 1 John 3. He equates hatred for a brother as murder. John uses strong language to illustrate the priority we should make it to be reconciled.
The language and the message of the passages above underscore our need to make sure we are loving one another. The problem is that the church has developed a nasty reputation of bickering and fighting instead of loving. How can you begin to change that perception by your actions today? Are there relationships that you need to reconcile? What is keeping you from reaching out to that person? Spend time in prayer asking God to help you love others. If you’re struggling with your attitude toward a particular person, confess that to God and ask for His help.