Called 4 Jesus

by TA York

The Lavish Love of the Father (1 John 3:1-3)

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

The “great love” John describes is not an abstract concept; it is Jesus Christ, sent directly from the Father. Salvation isn’t something Jesus merely tried to offer—He accomplished it. It is a finished work, and our role is simply to receive it.

This love isn’t a family heirloom passed down through DNA, nor do we obtain it via “spiritual osmosis” from our parents or by simply sitting in a church pew. Many attend church without ever truly accepting Jesus as Lord. Being a “child of God” is a personal identity, distinct from being a “child of the world.”

I’ll be the first to admit I am not a perfect husband or father. I still struggle because pieces of the world remain in me. However, God’s love doesn’t mean He overlooks sin. On the contrary, a Holy God cannot coexist with sin. To bridge that gap, God became man in Jesus Christ. He set aside His heavenly crown to experience the human plight—hunger, betrayal, and pain—so He could truly understand us. This is Agape love: a pure heart that faced every temptation yet remained without sin.

The Tie That Binds

In my own home, between my wife, my three children, and my son-in-law, we have six different sets of life experiences. I am often misunderstood because my perspective is shaped by my specific past, including my pains. Just as it’s hard for me to explain my experiences to someone who hasn’t lived them, God knew that to truly have compassion for us, He had to live among us.

I grew up with parents who were legalistic—not necessarily in a religious sense, but in their rigid demand that things be done “their way.” There was little room for grace or mercy. I was determined to raise my children differently, yet I still fall short. I am constantly returning to the Cross for forgiveness because I am still learning to be Christ-like.

Empathy Born of Suffering

The world may not value my suffering, but God uses it. As children of God, we gain a unique sense of empathy. I’ve found that my past pain allows me to “feel” for others in similar situations.

The Power of Words:

I once shared a verse with a young woman who grew up under constant shame. When I told her that both Jesus and I loved her with Agape love, I watched her entire countenance change. She found peace.

The Power of Touch:

I remember hugging a homeless man who began to cry because it had been years since someone had hugged him. Because of my own past experiences with homelessness, I didn’t smell the dirt; I only saw a person to be loved.

The Power of Jesus:

Luke 5:12-13
12 “While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

Every child of God MUST experience Jesus personally. We cannot rely on someone else’s faith; we must each come to the realization that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. That there is absolutely no other way to the Father, except through Jesus.

Walking with Godly Friends (v. 2, Luke 5:18)

In verse 2, John addresses us as “dear friends.” Friendship is vital to the Christian walk. In Proverbs, we see that healthy relationships require four pillars: Trust, Truth, Transformation, and Tenderness. If one is missing, the bond weakens.

Luke 5:18 “ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.”

We see this in Luke 5:18, where men carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus. This is the model for the Church. Godly friends act as “iron sharpening iron.” They carry you when you are “lame” or wounded by life, bringing you to Jesus through prayer and non-judgmental support.

Hebrews 3:13
“ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

Note: Not everyone is meant for your journey. Some people may be distractions from your specific assignment. Letting them go doesn’t mean they are “bad,” it just means you are prioritizing your walk with Christ.

Practicing Righteousness (v. 4-10)

1 John 3:4-10
4 “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”

John is clear: living in Christ is the key, but it is the hardest part of the faith because we are bombarded by the world’s values. We see it everywhere—from the cost of Bibles versus secular books to the content on our screens. The world focuses on the “here and now,” but God gives us Toshiyah (wisdom and resourcefulness) to look ahead.

God used this wisdom to help my wife and me. Though we didn’t initially qualify for a home, He taught me how to manage our finances and pay off massive bills for roofing and plumbing. I am learning to live in Christ, but it isn’t easy.

“Practicing” is the key. Just as an athlete or a soldier practices their craft, we must practice “right standing” with God. We may not be sinless, but through practice, we should “sin less.”

The Vine and the Seed

John 15:1-4
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

In John 15, Jesus calls Himself the Vine. To bear fruit, we must be pruned, which is often painful. But that pain produces endurance. 1 John 3:9 tells us that God’s “seed” remains in us. However, a seed only grows if it is watered and cultivated.

We must help each other grow and be quick to cast out any “seeds” of unforgiveness or hatred. John likely outlived the other apostles just to emphasize this one final point: Learn to love. It is a long, difficult process to love other sinners just as we have been loved, but it is our highest calling.

God bless!