WEBVTT 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:36.399 I get asked in one way or another, the most frequent. 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:39.439 I get asked this in a variety of different ways, 00:00:40.420 --> 00:00:46.859 pretty regularly. Now, here's what it is essentially. 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:49.079 It's asked in different ways, but here's what 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:51.780 it is essentially, is how do I know that I have 00:00:51.780 --> 00:00:54.840 been truly saved by the Lord? That's the question 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:57.299 I get asked. How do I truly know that I have 00:00:57.299 --> 00:00:59.820 been saved by the Lord? How do I know that I 00:00:59.820 --> 00:01:03.119 have received salvation instead of just learning 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:06.280 a lot about a religion and just figured out how 00:01:06.280 --> 00:01:09.640 to blend in? It's an important question, right? 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:11.900 It's an important question to ask ourselves. 00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:17.239 Sina and I were in a store the other day and 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:21.840 I saw a pair of Jinko jeans. Now for those of 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:25.409 you that don't know, Jinko is a brand of jeans 00:01:25.409 --> 00:01:30.209 that are really baggy, really baggy. If you're 00:01:30.209 --> 00:01:32.269 a teenager and you're thinking about getting 00:01:32.269 --> 00:01:36.769 a pair of Jinko jeans, I'm going to try to discourage 00:01:36.769 --> 00:01:39.530 you from doing that, because it's one of those 00:01:39.530 --> 00:01:42.250 things that you will regret when you're my age, 00:01:42.370 --> 00:01:46.730 all right? So, now, Jinko jeans, most of them 00:01:46.730 --> 00:01:48.890 are really baggy. They cover your shoes, they 00:01:48.890 --> 00:01:51.269 drag on the ground, it's ridiculous. Back in 00:01:51.269 --> 00:01:57.849 the late 1900s, Early 2000s They were they were 00:01:57.849 --> 00:02:00.790 very popular. I haven't I haven't really seen 00:02:00.790 --> 00:02:04.950 them since that time But it did remind me of 00:02:04.950 --> 00:02:09.169 a time that I used to wear them. I Was starting 00:02:09.169 --> 00:02:12.289 my freshman year of high school and during the 00:02:12.289 --> 00:02:14.689 summer one of my good friends decided that he 00:02:14.689 --> 00:02:18.210 wanted to get into skateboarding So he shows 00:02:18.210 --> 00:02:21.680 up to school wearing these pants and of course 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:25.539 I have to have these pants also. Then there was 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:28.520 the skateboard shop that was across the street 00:02:28.520 --> 00:02:31.159 from our high school and we would go there during 00:02:31.159 --> 00:02:34.039 lunch to look at different boards. Now if you 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:36.740 looked at me back then you would think that I 00:02:36.740 --> 00:02:39.599 knew what I was doing and you knew you would 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:42.000 think that oh I belong in a skateboard shop. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:45.180 I got really invested into learning about them. 00:02:45.340 --> 00:02:48.340 At the time I could tell you which decks were 00:02:48.340 --> 00:02:51.520 best for sliding down rails, which trucks were 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:54.139 best, which bearings went best with which wheels. 00:02:54.740 --> 00:02:57.860 I looked the part. I could talk about it. But 00:02:57.860 --> 00:03:01.340 to this day, I have still never, ever ridden 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:06.479 a skateboard. And you won't see me try it now, 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:08.939 either, because I'm worried I'll break a hip. 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:15.039 But thankfully, that season in my life didn't 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:17.919 last long, and I went back. to normal -sized 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:24.139 pants. Now, I think that there are a lot of cultural 00:03:24.139 --> 00:03:28.379 Christians who look the part. They know how to 00:03:28.379 --> 00:03:31.840 talk about it, but they are just modeling what 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:35.659 they see happening around them, right? And there's 00:03:35.659 --> 00:03:37.659 been no heart change, there's no evidence of 00:03:37.659 --> 00:03:40.860 a life transformed by the Lord, but they can 00:03:40.860 --> 00:03:43.120 have a conversation, right, and they can look 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:46.000 the part. So in our passage this morning, John 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:48.300 is going to give us some evidence of what it 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:51.460 looks like to be a follower of Jesus. And so 00:03:51.460 --> 00:03:53.849 if you are wrestling with that question. If you 00:03:53.849 --> 00:03:57.050 are struggling with am I truly saved? Am I truly 00:03:57.050 --> 00:04:00.389 a follower of Jesus? My hope this morning is 00:04:00.389 --> 00:04:03.650 that this text will bring some clarity to your 00:04:03.650 --> 00:04:05.710 question. All right. And so first, John, chapter 00:04:05.710 --> 00:04:07.229 three, we're going to start in verse 11. If you're 00:04:07.229 --> 00:04:09.110 willing and able, we're going to ask you to stand 00:04:09.110 --> 00:04:11.689 as we honor the Lord's word. No pressure on that. 00:04:11.930 --> 00:04:13.710 But we're going to read a few verses this morning 00:04:13.710 --> 00:04:16.189 and then we'll dive into it. So starting in verse 00:04:16.189 --> 00:04:18.589 11, it says, for this is the message that you 00:04:18.589 --> 00:04:20.629 have heard from the beginning, that we should 00:04:20.629 --> 00:04:23.319 love one another. We should not be like Cain 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:25.399 who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:28.959 And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:31.899 were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:33.879 be surprised, brothers, that the world hates 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:37.680 you. You know that we have passed out of death 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:40.680 into life because we love the brothers. Whoever 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:45.259 does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates 00:04:45.259 --> 00:04:47.639 his brother is a murderer. And you know that 00:04:47.639 --> 00:04:50.199 no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 00:04:50.259 --> 00:04:52.639 Let's pray. Father. Thank you for your word this 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:56.800 morning. Thank you for just the growth that I 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.839 have seen in our people in regards to loving 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:02.939 our brothers. I pray, Father, that as we look 00:05:02.939 --> 00:05:04.720 at this text, you'll open our hearts to hear 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:07.040 from you. I pray that we will be sensitive to 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:09.540 your spirit. And Father, I do. I pray for life 00:05:09.540 --> 00:05:11.180 change to happen in this place. We ask all these 00:05:11.180 --> 00:05:16.079 things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So if you 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:17.620 remember, if you were here, if you remember at 00:05:17.620 --> 00:05:20.350 the beginning of this letter, First John John 00:05:20.350 --> 00:05:24.470 starts off by reminding his the readers of the 00:05:24.470 --> 00:05:28.790 beginning of their faith journey He reminds them 00:05:28.790 --> 00:05:31.389 that that his message that he's telling them 00:05:31.389 --> 00:05:35.009 can be trusted because he walked with Jesus He 00:05:35.009 --> 00:05:38.350 saw Him crucified. He saw the miracles that were 00:05:38.350 --> 00:05:42.750 done. Now here He is in chapter 3 and He is reiterating 00:05:42.750 --> 00:05:46.189 the fact that the message is still the same. 00:05:46.449 --> 00:05:49.790 It is consistent. We haven't changed with the 00:05:49.790 --> 00:05:51.730 pressure that culture has put on us. From what 00:05:51.730 --> 00:05:54.170 we've been speaking of since the beginning until 00:05:54.170 --> 00:05:57.189 now, this is the message. And the message is 00:05:57.189 --> 00:06:00.250 that we as believers should love one another. 00:06:00.509 --> 00:06:05.069 That's the message. It's all about love. This 00:06:05.069 --> 00:06:08.170 echoes Jesus's words in John chapter 13 where 00:06:08.170 --> 00:06:11.230 he says, love one another as I have loved you. 00:06:11.970 --> 00:06:15.449 And so from the start of the gospel, love has 00:06:15.449 --> 00:06:18.790 been the heartbeat of the Christian life. But 00:06:18.790 --> 00:06:22.550 then here John contrasts that with Cain who belonged 00:06:22.550 --> 00:06:26.269 to the evil one and murdered his brother out 00:06:26.269 --> 00:06:30.259 of envy. He says that in verse 12. But I think 00:06:30.259 --> 00:06:33.660 that we need to be very careful here and really 00:06:33.660 --> 00:06:37.939 understand what hatred is. Because you might 00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:40.980 not commit the act of murder, you might not actually 00:06:40.980 --> 00:06:44.459 go physically kill somebody, and therefore you 00:06:44.459 --> 00:06:47.060 might think, oh, I don't have hate in me, according 00:06:47.060 --> 00:06:50.060 to this. Again, we need to remember what Jesus 00:06:50.060 --> 00:06:52.360 says. He mentions in the Sermon on the Mount 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:56.970 that anyone who is angry, at His brother is liable 00:06:56.970 --> 00:07:00.069 to judgment in the same way that anybody who 00:07:00.069 --> 00:07:03.970 murders is liable to judgment. So Jesus just 00:07:03.970 --> 00:07:06.829 goes beyond the action and He's getting to the 00:07:06.829 --> 00:07:11.029 heart. This is one of the dangers of legalism. 00:07:11.930 --> 00:07:15.910 Someone who is legalistic will use actions as 00:07:15.910 --> 00:07:19.329 a means to defend whether or not they are in 00:07:19.329 --> 00:07:22.459 a good position with the Lord. So they will say 00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:25.100 things like, like I go to church whenever I can. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:29.980 I attend a Bible study every week. I tithe money 00:07:29.980 --> 00:07:32.480 to the church. I don't cheat on my spouse. I 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:34.339 make sure that my kids know that they are loved 00:07:34.339 --> 00:07:37.500 by me. I don't drink. I don't gamble. I don't 00:07:37.500 --> 00:07:39.560 watch R -rated movies unless they're about Jesus, 00:07:39.740 --> 00:07:41.800 right? Like these are the things that they say. 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:45.839 And whenever you have a list of things you do 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:50.519 or don't do to justify your righteousness, You 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:54.399 are walking in legalism so when we get to a text 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:58.500 like this that says that we should not be like 00:07:58.500 --> 00:08:02.959 the murderer a Legalist will say well. I haven't 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:07.519 killed anybody so I must not have hate When in 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:11.199 reality their hearts have not been transformed 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:16.120 And they are full of anger and bitterness hatred 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:24.930 Even unspoken is spiritual murder. It kills relationships 00:08:24.930 --> 00:08:29.189 and it reveals a heart that's far from God. So 00:08:29.189 --> 00:08:31.089 that is a good question that we should be asking 00:08:31.089 --> 00:08:35.070 ourselves when it comes to our salvation. Do 00:08:35.070 --> 00:08:39.169 I have a list of things that I use to justify 00:08:39.169 --> 00:08:43.210 my righteousness? When I think about my righteousness, 00:08:43.269 --> 00:08:46.269 do I have a list of things that I do or don't 00:08:46.269 --> 00:08:49.720 do? Am I holding on to hate? towards one another 00:08:49.720 --> 00:08:53.240 towards another believer in my heart because 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:56.220 I think when we examine our hearts when we really 00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:59.259 stop and and are distracted and we examine our 00:08:59.259 --> 00:09:02.240 hearts we know if we have truly been transformed 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:07.879 that the Holy Spirit reveals that to you if you 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.059 are seeking him then then on top of that we have 00:09:11.059 --> 00:09:13.899 the Word of God that will either confirm or correct 00:09:13.899 --> 00:09:17.120 what we believe to be true I'll give you a perfect 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:20.860 example what I think is an example for my life. 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:23.860 Several years ago, we had a friend, a really 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:27.039 close friend of ours, that completely betrayed 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:30.340 us. He made some accusations against my son, 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:33.799 where we thought, in the moment, we're like, 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:36.820 yeah, I could see that happening. I could see 00:09:36.820 --> 00:09:42.649 him doing that. But I wanted to confirm. before 00:09:42.649 --> 00:09:44.590 I brought any sort of punishment. So I talked 00:09:44.590 --> 00:09:47.389 to a few other people that were there because 00:09:47.389 --> 00:09:50.330 I wasn't there. This guy making these accusations, 00:09:50.409 --> 00:09:53.149 he wasn't there and so I wanted to confirm what 00:09:53.149 --> 00:09:55.070 happened with a few other people that I knew 00:09:55.070 --> 00:09:58.289 were there. Because he was taking the word of 00:09:58.289 --> 00:10:01.889 his kid and it turns out that what was being 00:10:01.889 --> 00:10:06.289 said of my son wasn't true. And so I call him 00:10:06.289 --> 00:10:07.970 up and I say hey I've talked to several people 00:10:07.970 --> 00:10:10.710 who were there and and I can't get anybody to 00:10:10.710 --> 00:10:14.190 Confirm what you said to be true in fact the 00:10:14.190 --> 00:10:16.950 the opposite seemed to be true It wasn't my kid 00:10:16.950 --> 00:10:19.889 that would did wrong it was his now listen. I'm 00:10:19.889 --> 00:10:22.990 not at all saying That that that my baby could 00:10:22.990 --> 00:10:25.870 never do anything wrong I'm not saying that my 00:10:25.870 --> 00:10:29.210 kid is innocent at all times But in this particular 00:10:29.210 --> 00:10:32.850 case the accusation was strong and the information 00:10:32.850 --> 00:10:37.480 was incorrect And so I thought, because we were 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:39.820 friends, we could talk about it and find a solution. 00:10:40.899 --> 00:10:46.139 I was wrong on that one. He got mad. He got defensive. 00:10:46.299 --> 00:10:50.379 He went on to try and destroy my reputation in 00:10:50.379 --> 00:10:54.460 our church, in the community. Hurtful things 00:10:54.460 --> 00:10:57.379 were said about me and my wife and our children. 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:02.610 He owned several businesses in town. And he was 00:11:02.610 --> 00:11:07.009 viewed as kind of a big deal. Now, I'm going 00:11:07.009 --> 00:11:09.889 to be honest. It never crossed my mind to kill 00:11:09.889 --> 00:11:13.750 him. But I for sure thought about his death. 00:11:16.070 --> 00:11:20.769 I had hoped that his businesses would fail. I 00:11:20.769 --> 00:11:24.350 prayed that he would be exposed for some sort 00:11:24.350 --> 00:11:27.649 of crime. That was where my heart was every time 00:11:27.649 --> 00:11:30.210 I thought that he would be in an event that I 00:11:30.210 --> 00:11:33.210 was going to I would become tense you know that 00:11:33.210 --> 00:11:36.230 feeling I'd become tense and then I begin to 00:11:36.230 --> 00:11:37.830 start thinking of all these different excuses 00:11:37.830 --> 00:11:40.289 as To why I couldn't go because I didn't want 00:11:40.289 --> 00:11:42.970 to be around him now now throughout all of that 00:11:42.970 --> 00:11:47.509 I never doubted my salvation But I also knew 00:11:47.509 --> 00:11:50.720 that if that attitude continued If that attitude 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.720 continued, it would reveal that the Holy Spirit 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:57.679 wasn't really in me. I had to lay that before 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:02.940 the Lord daily. And what I have learned is that 00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:07.259 when I do that, when I lay those things before 00:12:07.259 --> 00:12:10.399 the Lord daily, it gets me to a place of love 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:13.559 a lot quicker than if I were to just ignore it 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:15.419 or push it down or sweep it under the rug or 00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:21.450 whatever. I wanted to get to a place where I 00:12:21.450 --> 00:12:25.830 wished him success. I learned that true forgiveness 00:12:25.830 --> 00:12:29.809 is willing the good of the person who offended 00:12:29.809 --> 00:12:34.690 you. And so now I can genuinely say, I hope his 00:12:34.690 --> 00:12:38.169 marriage thrives. I hope his businesses succeed. 00:12:38.470 --> 00:12:41.789 I hope his kids walk in the ways of the Lord. 00:12:42.350 --> 00:12:45.049 And what I believe that John is trying to convey 00:12:45.049 --> 00:12:49.620 to us, Is that being angry at someone is not 00:12:49.620 --> 00:12:53.740 a cause for judgment, but staying in that place 00:12:53.740 --> 00:12:57.679 should make you question whether or not the Spirit 00:12:57.679 --> 00:13:01.620 of the Lord is truly inside of you. Paul says 00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:05.779 that love keeps no record of wrongs. So if you 00:13:05.779 --> 00:13:09.460 have a list of things or you have a list of people 00:13:09.460 --> 00:13:13.259 that have wronged you, you might begin to ask 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:16.769 God to reveal Himself to you. Hatred doesn't 00:13:16.769 --> 00:13:21.509 always look dramatic. It's the grudge you justify. 00:13:22.730 --> 00:13:25.470 The gossip that you share. The cold shoulder 00:13:25.470 --> 00:13:28.769 that you give. John says, anyone who hates a 00:13:28.769 --> 00:13:33.330 brother or sister is a murderer. I mean, that's 00:13:33.330 --> 00:13:37.629 strong. That's strong. That shows you how seriously 00:13:37.629 --> 00:13:41.950 God takes love. But when there's no love, there's 00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:45.620 no eternal life. So this week... Maybe right 00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:49.779 now, this week, name one person that you struggle 00:13:49.779 --> 00:13:52.899 to love. Think of that one person you struggle 00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:55.759 to love, and I want you to pray for them daily. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:58.600 Not for them to change, not for them to get hit 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:01.820 by a bus, but I want you to pray for your heart 00:14:01.820 --> 00:14:06.019 to soften. Pray that God would change you. Love 00:14:06.019 --> 00:14:10.559 starts with a choice, not a feeling. Then John 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:13.159 gives us the ultimate example in verse 16. He 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.179 says this is how we know what love is that Jesus 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:20.440 Christ laid down his life for us. Love isn't 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:25.019 sentiment. It's sacrifice. Jesus didn't just 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:28.659 say he loves us. He proved it on the cross. Giving 00:14:28.659 --> 00:14:32.519 everything of himself so that we could live. 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:35.980 This is the standard. This is the standard. And 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:38.519 John says we ought to lay down our lives for 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:42.419 our brothers and sisters. That doesn't always 00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:47.299 mean dying. It means living sacrificially. It's 00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:51.019 giving up your time, your comfort, your preferences 00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:53.960 for someone else. It's the parent that stays 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:56.940 up late with a sick child. It's the friend who 00:14:56.940 --> 00:14:59.559 listens without interrupting. It's the neighbor 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:03.279 shoveling the elderly person's driveway. Love 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:07.259 should cost you something. And again, it doesn't 00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:09.700 cost us because we are trying to earn something. 00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:14.580 It costs us because we have been transformed 00:15:14.580 --> 00:15:18.559 from within. Verse 17 says that if we have material 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:22.840 possessions, but we close our hearts to a brother 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:25.960 in need, then how can the love of God live in 00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:31.080 us? In other words, if you are stingy, and you 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:37.100 know who you are, then you are not living in 00:15:37.100 --> 00:15:39.779 a way that honors Him. I heard a story this week 00:15:39.779 --> 00:15:42.179 and I thought, It was appropriate for this. Maybe 00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:45.100 you've heard it too. There was this man who was 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:48.399 on a business trip and he had a layover. So while 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:51.340 he was waiting on his next flight, he went and 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.539 he grabbed a cup of coffee, grabbed a bag of 00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:57.860 cookies to snack on. And after he gets what he 00:15:57.860 --> 00:16:00.460 wanted, he looks around and all the tables are 00:16:00.460 --> 00:16:03.500 full, except for this one table has one guy sitting 00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:06.720 and there's one empty seat. And so he walks over 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:08.919 there and he asked the gentleman if he can sit 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:12.179 down. for a little bit, the man agrees. And so 00:16:12.179 --> 00:16:15.639 he gets to the table, he puts his bag down, he 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:19.519 puts his coffee on the table, he takes his coat 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:22.139 off, sits down and starts scrolling through his 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:24.600 phone. And then he grabs the cookies and he starts 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.460 eating the cookies. And as he's scrolling through 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:30.379 his phone, he realizes the guy across the table 00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:33.659 from him reaches over and grabs his cookies and 00:16:33.659 --> 00:16:37.840 starts to eat them. Well, that's weird, he thought. 00:16:38.830 --> 00:16:41.710 He could have asked me. But then he's like, well, 00:16:41.710 --> 00:16:43.250 he looks like he's from a foreign country. Maybe 00:16:43.250 --> 00:16:45.230 that's how they do it there. Maybe it's not weird 00:16:45.230 --> 00:16:49.669 for him. So he grabs another cookie. And then 00:16:49.669 --> 00:16:52.250 he puts the bag right next to him, the guy. These 00:16:52.250 --> 00:16:53.850 are my cookies. And he puts it right next to 00:16:53.850 --> 00:16:57.230 him on the table. And he goes about continuing 00:16:57.230 --> 00:16:59.950 to scroll on his phone. A few minutes later, 00:16:59.970 --> 00:17:05.049 the man had the audacity to reach over the table, 00:17:05.890 --> 00:17:07.710 grab the bag of cookies, and take another one 00:17:07.710 --> 00:17:13.779 out. Now this man is now beyond offended. He 00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:16.539 decides, I better leave. I better leave before 00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:18.400 I say something that's gonna make the situation 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.539 worse. So he stands up and he puts his coat on 00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:24.279 and he reaches down to grab his bag that was 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:26.859 on the ground and he realizes that his cookies 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:34.859 were actually on his bag the whole time. So the 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:37.710 man across from him wasn't... Stealing his cookies. 00:17:37.710 --> 00:17:43.250 He was actually sharing his cookies If anybody 00:17:43.250 --> 00:17:44.970 should have been offended by the situation it 00:17:44.970 --> 00:17:47.150 was the guy that let him sit at the table to 00:17:47.150 --> 00:17:51.089 begin with Now here's the truth. The truth is 00:17:51.089 --> 00:17:55.849 every single month we each get ten secular cookies 00:17:55.849 --> 00:18:00.190 And how we are called to live as followers of 00:18:00.190 --> 00:18:03.250 Jesus is to take one of those secular cookies 00:18:03.250 --> 00:18:06.470 and give it back to the Lord in some way And 00:18:06.470 --> 00:18:10.029 when that happens that that secular cookie becomes 00:18:10.029 --> 00:18:14.410 sacred And you're not left with nine secular 00:18:14.410 --> 00:18:17.049 cookies You're actually left with nine sacred 00:18:17.049 --> 00:18:19.269 cookies because you've honored the Lord with 00:18:19.269 --> 00:18:23.730 what you have And the problem is so many of us 00:18:23.730 --> 00:18:27.109 think that we need the ten cookies if not eleven 00:18:27.109 --> 00:18:29.750 cookies in order to make it through the month 00:18:29.750 --> 00:18:34.250 To live sacrificially It is to live with your 00:18:34.250 --> 00:18:37.400 hands open and understanding that everything 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:39.880 that comes into your life comes from the Lord. 00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:44.740 But when you close your hand, when you close 00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:47.420 your hand and say, this is mine, I'm going to 00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:49.700 control it, I'm going to control my money, I'm 00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:51.839 going to control my time, I'm going to control 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:55.339 my desires. When we close our hands and we try 00:18:55.339 --> 00:18:58.599 to hold on to what we have, we not only limit 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:03.119 what can go out, but we also keep anything extra 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:07.000 from coming in. And the Lord tells us to test 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:11.779 Him in this. Let Him show you what trusting in 00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:15.819 Him looks like when we live sacrificially. So 00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:19.900 if you were to examine your life, in what ways 00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:24.579 do you live sacrificially? I want you to look 00:19:24.579 --> 00:19:27.400 for one practical example this week in which 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:33.019 you can lay down your life. Share a meal. Give 00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:37.190 financially. offer help without being asked let 00:19:37.190 --> 00:19:40.130 your actions speak louder than your words put 00:19:40.130 --> 00:19:44.150 your phone down and spend some time with those 00:19:44.150 --> 00:19:49.069 you love ask God in your prayers to reveal to 00:19:49.069 --> 00:19:52.630 you in which ways you could give sacrificially 00:19:52.630 --> 00:19:55.369 because what I've learned that when I pray that 00:19:55.369 --> 00:19:57.509 prayer God give me ways that I can live more 00:19:57.509 --> 00:20:00.430 sacrificially God always reveals to me in which 00:20:00.589 --> 00:20:03.549 different ways in which I can serve my family 00:20:03.549 --> 00:20:06.690 better serve our church better in ways I can 00:20:06.690 --> 00:20:09.509 love others around me better have the courage 00:20:09.509 --> 00:20:12.609 to pray that prayer this week then John concludes 00:20:12.609 --> 00:20:15.230 let us not love with words or speech but with 00:20:15.230 --> 00:20:19.630 actions and in truth in verse 18 real love is 00:20:19.630 --> 00:20:24.069 tangible and honest and here's the blessing when 00:20:24.069 --> 00:20:27.089 we love this way we know that we belong to the 00:20:27.089 --> 00:20:31.140 truth and it sets our hearts at rest in His presence. 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:38.720 Guilt and fear and doubt fade when our lives 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.460 back up our faith. Even when we feel condemned, 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:44.359 verse 20, God is greater than our hearts. He 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:48.359 knows everything. His grace covers our imperfections 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:51.119 as we walk in obedience. Now I want to spend 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:53.400 just a few minutes on verse 20 there. It reads, 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:57.069 whenever our hearts condemn us, God is greater 00:20:57.069 --> 00:21:00.990 than our hearts. So why would our hearts condemn 00:21:00.990 --> 00:21:05.190 us? I believe it's because sometimes we fall 00:21:05.190 --> 00:21:09.049 into that legalistic mindset of I'm just not 00:21:09.049 --> 00:21:12.650 doing enough. I'm not doing enough. I'm still 00:21:12.650 --> 00:21:15.490 struggling. I was doing well with the Lord and 00:21:15.490 --> 00:21:19.069 I took two steps back. And so our hearts begin 00:21:19.069 --> 00:21:23.569 to condemn us. I need to do more. But 2nd Timothy 00:21:23.569 --> 00:21:27.150 chapter 2 says, but God's firm foundation stands 00:21:27.150 --> 00:21:32.450 bearing the seal. The Lord knows those who are 00:21:32.450 --> 00:21:37.349 His. So when those doubts begin to creep in, 00:21:38.890 --> 00:21:43.450 we can be assured that our salvation is not dependent 00:21:43.450 --> 00:21:48.069 on us, but it's dependent on Him. I want you 00:21:48.069 --> 00:21:51.549 to think about what that means. When we say, 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:56.140 that I have to do something to earn our salvation, 00:21:56.839 --> 00:22:00.539 what we are saying is that what he has done for 00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:02.380 us isn't good enough. That's what we're saying. 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:07.380 Think about that. Think about the last hours 00:22:07.380 --> 00:22:12.960 of Jesus before he was crucified. Pleading with 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:17.180 his father that there be another way. Sweating 00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:22.140 drops of blood because the stress that he was 00:22:22.140 --> 00:22:24.880 feeling as it was leading up to this situation. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:30.519 Being mocked by society for his faithfulness 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:36.700 to his father. Taking 39 whips across his body 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:40.859 that turned his back into hamburger meat. His 00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:44.640 closest friends desert him or deny even knowing 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:50.039 him. He then has to carry a cross up to a hill 00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:53.519 to his execution point where he then has nails 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:56.980 Driven through his hands and feet and then being 00:22:56.980 --> 00:23:00.099 stood up on that cross so the whole town could 00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:04.180 watch him die Do you really think that God looks 00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:07.420 down on that and thinks that's not really good 00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:10.819 enough? I'm gonna need I'm gonna need a little 00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:18.660 bit more So many of us live our lives Believing 00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:23.420 that we have to help God in some way That we 00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:30.240 have to do something That is not the gospel The 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:33.759 gospel is that we get to rest in the fact that 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:37.200 this gift has been given to us that and we didn't 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.759 deserve it And when we truly understand that 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:45.420 gift That is Jesus. That is His sacrifice. That 00:23:45.420 --> 00:23:48.740 gift that is our salvation. It should completely 00:23:48.740 --> 00:23:52.819 change how we operate in this world. And that's 00:23:52.819 --> 00:23:56.079 how John closes out this chapter. That we as 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:59.859 believers, that we believe in the name of the 00:23:59.859 --> 00:24:04.640 Son, and we love one another. Not as he suggested, 00:24:05.940 --> 00:24:08.940 but as he commanded us. that we are to love one 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:11.279 another. And whoever keeps his commandments, 00:24:11.900 --> 00:24:17.839 John says, abides in God. So in the past, when 00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:21.019 people ask me how can they be assured of their 00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:24.319 salvation, I would tend to go over the fruit 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:27.140 of the Spirit that's found in Galatians 5. I 00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:30.059 would tend to go over that list. Is there evidence 00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:36.819 in your life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness? 00:24:37.450 --> 00:24:41.490 goodness, gentleness, and self -control. If there 00:24:41.490 --> 00:24:42.930 isn't, then you might begin to question those 00:24:42.930 --> 00:24:48.529 things, right? But as I've grown, and as I've 00:24:48.529 --> 00:24:50.910 matured, I've realized that if we focus on the 00:24:50.910 --> 00:24:55.289 fruit, then we can tend to put the focus back 00:24:55.289 --> 00:25:01.049 on us. The fruit is the byproduct of what is 00:25:01.049 --> 00:25:04.829 actually going on in our hearts. We can be assured 00:25:04.829 --> 00:25:10.089 of our salvation by how we love others. Now I 00:25:10.089 --> 00:25:12.609 don't want you to, I don't want to make anybody 00:25:12.609 --> 00:25:14.950 believe that that means that you can't get mad 00:25:14.950 --> 00:25:18.390 at others. It doesn't mean you have to be passive 00:25:18.390 --> 00:25:20.690 when somebody wrongs you or if there's some sort 00:25:20.690 --> 00:25:23.829 of injustice. Jesus says the world will know 00:25:23.829 --> 00:25:27.569 that you are my disciples by how you love others, 00:25:27.569 --> 00:25:33.809 which means the way we respond when we feel offended. 00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:40.519 The way we respond when we get angry, when there's 00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:45.160 injustice, it should look different than how 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:50.599 a non -believer responds. The unbelieving world 00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:55.039 does not know how to handle conflict. They hold 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:59.160 on to bitterness and gossip. The unbelieving 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:02.380 world seeks out revenge. The unbelieving world 00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:05.960 hates. It gives the cold shoulder. It holds a 00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:12.559 grudge. There's this girl in our church who asked 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:17.559 an anonymous question in one of those Quad Cities 00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:24.259 Facebook groups. Dangerous, number one. But she 00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:28.099 did it. And the question was basically, if you 00:26:28.099 --> 00:26:33.799 don't go to church in the area, why not? If you 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:38.019 don't go to church in the area, why not? Now, 00:26:38.019 --> 00:26:42.279 I haven't seen it, but she told me the majority 00:26:42.279 --> 00:26:45.039 of people who responded to that question, and 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.559 there was a lot of them, the majority of people 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:54.000 who don't go to church don't go because of how 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:58.400 people treat each other in the church. That's 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:01.980 why they don't go. Is that not how the enemy 00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:07.140 works? to do the complete opposite of what God 00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:12.680 has called us to be recognized for? He said, 00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:15.720 people will know you are mine by how you treat 00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:18.640 one another. And the enemy says, I'm going to 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:22.700 keep people away because of how you treat each 00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:25.859 other. You see the opposite of what's happening 00:27:25.859 --> 00:27:31.160 here. And so as believers, we are called to be 00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:37.480 different. Would you say your behavior as a Christian 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:41.859 and how you treat others is drawing people to 00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:45.640 Christ or keeping them away from experiencing 00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:49.619 Him? To be different means we do everything we 00:27:49.619 --> 00:27:54.859 can to not let a root of bitterness grow in us. 00:27:55.900 --> 00:28:00.680 And sometimes for me that means I am praying 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:07.240 to the Lord hourly. to help me forgive. Because 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:12.279 once a day isn't enough. It means we have to 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:16.000 take our thoughts captive, not let them escape 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:20.619 or cause more damage. It is unbelievably difficult 00:28:20.619 --> 00:28:23.819 at times to love like Christ because it goes 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:27.440 against our flesh. I mean, we saw that with Jesus 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:30.359 in the garden. Father, let this cup pass for 00:28:30.359 --> 00:28:34.640 me. His flesh didn't want it. But then he says, 00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:39.240 but not my will, but yours be done. Jesus modeled 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:46.519 it for us. God, I want to be angry. I'm justified 00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:48.619 in my feelings because of how I was treated. 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:55.579 I deserve to be vindicated. But the challenge 00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:59.259 is when you feel those things that you pray, 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:04.170 not my will, but yours. I'm going to love them 00:29:04.170 --> 00:29:07.089 anyway. I'm going to forgive them even though 00:29:07.089 --> 00:29:10.369 they don't deserve it because the truth is I 00:29:10.369 --> 00:29:12.690 don't deserve the forgiveness the Lord has given 00:29:12.690 --> 00:29:22.809 me. How are you loving? How are you showing the 00:29:22.809 --> 00:29:29.849 love of Christ to those around you? If somebody 00:29:29.849 --> 00:29:34.079 were to look at your life, And look at how you 00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:36.700 treat others. Would they say, oh, I want to be 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:39.980 a part of that? How do they do that? How do they 00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:43.700 forgive that scenario? How do they forgive that 00:29:43.700 --> 00:29:46.440 action? How do they continue to have a relationship 00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:48.599 with that individual because of what they said 00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:53.819 or did? Our lives should reflect the love that 00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:58.619 God has for us. So you want to know where you 00:29:58.619 --> 00:30:01.880 are in your salvation? The question you have 00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:11.220 to ask is, how do I love? How do I love? So what 00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:13.799 a great way to end our service this morning as 00:30:13.799 --> 00:30:17.880 we take communion. We're gonna invite the elders 00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:22.799 and deacons to come forward. Because we're going 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:27.740 to remember the love that was shown to us on 00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:39.950 the cross. that while we were still sinners, 00:30:41.950 --> 00:30:44.150 Christ died for us. I need you to hear that verse. 00:30:45.369 --> 00:30:48.529 While we were still sinners, Christ died for 00:30:48.529 --> 00:30:52.849 us. Not when we were perfect, then he died for 00:30:52.849 --> 00:30:55.369 us. Not when we got our act together, then he 00:30:55.369 --> 00:31:00.710 died for us. While we were still sinners in the 00:31:00.710 --> 00:31:04.410 middle of our mess, he laid down his life for 00:31:04.410 --> 00:31:11.279 us. And because of that, that should reflect 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:18.039 to the relationships around us. So when our flesh 00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:19.799 says I want to hold a grudge, when our flesh 00:31:19.799 --> 00:31:21.980 says I want to give a dirty look, when our flesh 00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:24.559 says I want to gossip about them or bash them, 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:28.519 we ask the Holy Spirit of God to change our hearts 00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:37.779 and help us love the way He loves. And so these 00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:41.039 gentlemen are going to pass out our communion 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:44.480 this morning. If you're new and you've proclaimed 00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:47.220 faith in Jesus, he is your savior, we invite 00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:50.140 you to the table. We invite you to participate 00:31:50.140 --> 00:31:52.599 with us. As these trays get passed in front of 00:31:52.599 --> 00:31:55.220 you, there's two cups stacked on each other. 00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:57.240 Grab them both and then just kind of hold onto 00:31:57.240 --> 00:32:00.480 them and we'll take them here in a second. If 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:02.619 you're gluten -free, we have that option as well. 00:32:03.940 --> 00:32:08.650 But as you hold the... symbolic body and blood 00:32:08.650 --> 00:32:13.970 of Christ. Will you ask yourself, will you pray 00:32:13.970 --> 00:32:19.069 to him? God, am I reflecting your sacrifice well? 00:32:23.630 --> 00:32:31.099 Am I reflecting your love well? Thank you for 00:32:31.099 --> 00:32:34.319 listening today to 563 Church, a production of 00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:36.980 Cornerstone Church, Eldridge, Iowa. For more 00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:38.740 information about our church or just getting 00:32:38.740 --> 00:32:42.099 right with God, please visit us at 563church 00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:45.180 .com. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram. 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:46.579 Have a great week.