We believe many things about Christmas.

We believe that this year might be the one where we get something better than socks and undies.
We believe that this year we'll make it through the day without an awkward family fight.
We believe that what we eat will have no impact on our waistlines.
We believe in Santa Claus, elves and magical reindeer.

These beliefs matter because they aren't just empty ideas or vain hopes.
Beliefs have consequences.
And beliefs lead to actions.
So whether it's about presents, family, food or fairytales –
they will inform your decisions and change your priorities.
Your beliefs matter.

But reading 1 John this week, it struck me that there's one belief that matters more.
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 

Belief in the Son.

In him is life.
In him is forgiveness.
In him is truth.

They’re separate, but they’re meant to be together…

The writer of the book of 1 John thinks so too:


He gives one command. But it's two things.

The point is:
you cannot believe in the Son without loving one another sacrificially.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord then you must love others.
And loving others without believing in the name of Jesus, is in vain.
They must go together.

We know love because Jesus showed it to us... "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” [1 John 3:16]

But we cannot just love our "brothers and sisters" – whoever they are – we must love individuals.

“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?” [1 John 3:17]

There is an important distinction between these two verses. It moves from plural to singular.



In loving everybody, I don't want to love nobody.

I want to sacrificially love the world and individuals within it. I want to be part of a community that loves like Jesus loves; that loves even though it hurts, even though it costs something, even though they're awkward and broken and half-hearted.

For the sake of the gospel, the church needs to love one another.

There were people who were just 'on a mission' – to tick a box and say they’d seen it.
They just couldn’t wait to see ‘Sunflowers’ or ‘Starry Night’ – neither of which were in the exhibition. Their disappointment was my amusement.

It happens with sea shores and sunsets

or a baby's first steps.
We can lose the wonder.
I couldn't help but think of the gospel, to think of Jesus.
Crowds saw the amazing
and yet only a few were changed.

In his first letter, John declares the amazing:
"See (literally "Look, behold")
what great love the Father
has lavished on us
that we should be called
children of God."

Have you been changed?

Maybe you’ve heard it all before; maybe this is the first.
Maybe you’ve wrestled with it and never understood it.
Maybe you find it comforting; maybe you find it confronting.

Have you ever seen the wonder? (Check out the video)