The message begins by framing the Christmas season as a time to “unwrap” the gifts God gives His people. The pastor explains that in past Christmas series he focused on peace and joy, and now he is starting a new series on God’s love, emphasizing that love is not merely a sentimental topic but the foundation from which the other gifts flow. He introduces the sermon as an opening lesson—an introduction meant to establish what God’s love is, how it was revealed, and what it should produce in a Christian’s life.

John’s purpose in writing 1 John 4 is explained as a response to spiritual confusion and false teaching. The pastor highlights that John warns believers not to accept every spiritual claim automatically, but to “try the spirits” because many false prophets are in the world. This is presented as especially relevant in the present day, where many teachings and doctrines can subtly pull a believer away from truth—not always by dragging them far at once, but by shifting them “just enough” to distort their service to God. The pastor emphasizes that one of the main tests John gives is this: true teaching affirms that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Any spirit or message that denies Christ’s incarnation is not of God and belongs to the spirit of antichrist. He calls this denial a critical error because it attacks the very foundation of salvation and the believer’s understanding of God’s love.

From there, the pastor draws encouragement from the truth that believers are not helpless against error. He points to the statement, “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world,” teaching that Christians have overcome false teaching because God’s Spirit dwells within them. He explains that the Holy Spirit indwells believers and provides power and discernment—strength enough to accomplish what God calls them to do. He connects this to the idea that long exposure to the world can shape a person’s mindset into believing limitations: that there are things they “can’t” do spiritually. But the pastor insists that if God calls someone, God equips them, and the believer must not let the world’s influence redefine their identity or weaken their confidence in God’s purpose.

John then contrasts the voices of the world with the voice of God. False teachers speak from the world’s perspective, and the world gladly listens to them; but those who know God hear and follow truth. This introduces the pastor’s point about discernment: the Holy Spirit helps believers distinguish between the “spirit of truth” and the “spirit of error.” He adds that truth is often uncomfortable—people naturally avoid things that reveal reality—yet truth is what leads believers toward what is right and spiritually healthy.

With that foundation, the sermon shifts to John’s central command: believers must love one another because love is of God. The pastor stresses that John is speaking to Christians—God’s family—calling them to live out love inside the church and toward one another. He acknowledges that relationships can be difficult and that “people are problems,” including the reality that at times we may be the problem. Still, he insists there are no exceptions: Christians are commanded to love. He then clarifies what kind of love John is describing. Biblical love is not merely emotional affection or exaggerated admiration; it is not infatuation. Infatuation can be intense and exciting, but it is temporary and shallow. Love, by contrast, carries responsibility, promise, and truth. Love often requires God’s help because loving people the right way can be difficult on a purely human level.

The pastor then defines love by pointing to its ultimate revelation: God manifested His love by sending His only begotten Son into the world. He explains that the phrase “only begotten” emphasizes the uniqueness of Christ—there is no gift like Him, no equal substitute, no comparable offering. The pastor illustrates that a gift loses some of its specialness when it becomes common or duplicated, but Christ is not a repeated or ordinary gift. God gave what was singular and priceless. He reinforces this with a personal reflection: as a child, he asked his mother if she would ever give away her only son to people who did not even love her, and her emotional reaction helped him grasp how heavy the truth is. The point is not merely the cost of sacrifice, but the unimaginable depth of a Father giving what is most precious.

From there, the sermon emphasizes the purpose of Christ’s coming: Jesus was sent not only as a gift, but as the propitiation for sin—the atoning payment and covering for humanity’s debt. The pastor stresses that no amount of morality, service, knowledge, or good works could ever pay the cost of sin. Humans cannot overcome that debt. Therefore, God sent the highest price to pay the highest debt. The pastor frames this as the clearest demonstration of divine love: God gives what means the most to Him to address what destroys and condemns people.

However, the pastor insists that God’s love is not only meant to rescue people from hell. He states that salvation is more than “escaping” judgment; Jesus came so that believers “might live through him.” The love of God is intended to create a living relationship, not a cold religious routine. The Christian life is not meant to be reduced to showing up at church, reading occasionally, and offering shallow prayer while calling that “enough.” God gave His best so believers could live through Christ—experiencing real spiritual life that continues even through hardship. The pastor clarifies that “abundant life” does not mean an easy life; there will still be pain, tears, trials, and tribulations. Yet even in those hardships, God’s love remains present and sustaining.

The pastor then explains what believers are meant to do with the love they have received: give it to others. If God so loved His people, Christians ought to love one another. This love includes care, support, and protection. The pastor describes love as sometimes setting boundaries for others, like a parent warning a child not to touch something harmful. Real love does not ignore danger under the excuse of “letting someone live their own life.” Love intervenes when someone is heading toward harm. He connects this to John’s context: even John’s warning against false prophets is an act of love because it protects believers from deception.

As believers practice love, they mature in it. The pastor notes that John describes love being “perfected,” meaning brought to maturity, and that love evidences God dwelling in believers through His Spirit. This maturing love helps Christians love beyond superficial behavior and into deeper, steadier care. He illustrates that growth often happens in community—people learn to love through real interactions with different personalities, challenges, and conflicts, and that process produces spiritual maturity.

Finally, the pastor highlights a major fruit of mature love: boldness that drives out fear. John teaches that perfect love casts out fear because fear brings torment. The pastor applies this by emphasizing the need for Christians to be bold in helping others spiritually—especially in pointing people toward eternal life in Christ. He explains that believers should not be obnoxious, harsh, or cruel in sharing the gospel, but they must be willing to speak with courage and kindness when people are hurting. He gives an example of engaging someone who believes differently with patience and love, maintaining kindness while still desiring to lead them to Christ. The pastor concludes that because God loved first, believers respond in two directions: they love others and they love God back. Loving God back is not framed as religious obligation but as heartfelt obedience—keeping God’s commandments as an expression of love rather than a burdensome ritual. The introduction ends with a prayer that the church would not treat God’s love as a warm, temporary feeling, but as a life-shaping truth that produces real love toward others and real devotion toward God throughout the Christmas season.