1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,900 He is glorious. 2 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:13,780 Behold the one who has come to life. 3 00:00:13,780 --> 00:00:15,740 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 4 00:00:15,740 --> 00:00:17,780 To get connected or to give online, 5 00:00:17,780 --> 00:00:23,680 you can go to connect.hcv.church or give.hcv.church. 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:25,660 If at any time during this message 7 00:00:25,660 --> 00:00:28,300 you feel called to make a change in your life, 8 00:00:28,300 --> 00:00:33,060 text changeme to 970-00. 9 00:00:33,060 --> 00:00:35,240 Thank you and enjoy the message. 10 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,600 How's everybody doing today? 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:39,400 Good, good to hear if you're joining us from home. 12 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,440 Thanks for welcoming us into your space. 13 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,500 So I just want to echo what was shared there 14 00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:47,880 on the announcements about this past Friday night's 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,640 Night to Shine. 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,420 Many people were asking and didn't quite know what it was. 17 00:00:52,420 --> 00:00:56,180 So what we have for you is a quick one minute 18 00:00:56,180 --> 00:01:00,360 and 30 second video synopsis that kind of gives you a taste 19 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:02,260 of what went down here on Friday night. 20 00:01:02,260 --> 00:01:03,900 Would you like to see it? 21 00:01:03,900 --> 00:01:26,860 All right, let's check it out. 22 00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:43,860 So 23 00:01:56,860 --> 00:01:58,860 JIM :) 24 00:02:26,860 --> 00:02:55,900 So 25 00:02:55,900 --> 00:03:00,020 there was a debate over who had the best suit that night, you know. 26 00:03:00,020 --> 00:03:03,900 I personally thought the tie-dye suit was better, but my friend argued with me that 27 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:06,040 his was better, so you know. 28 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:11,740 But anyway, hey, just to give you a quick idea, we had over 125 special guests. 29 00:03:11,740 --> 00:03:13,500 We had over 200 volunteers. 30 00:03:13,500 --> 00:03:17,300 Heck, we had over 25 on the wait list volunteers. 31 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:22,840 So the point is, it was an incredible night of just sharing God's love. 32 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:23,840 There were tears. 33 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:24,840 There was laughter. 34 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:25,840 There was dancing. 35 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:26,840 There was cooking. 36 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,860 There were shoe shines, haircuts, makeup. 37 00:03:28,860 --> 00:03:30,820 You name it, it all happened here. 38 00:03:30,820 --> 00:03:36,860 And the point was, it all revolved around God's love for everyone. 39 00:03:36,860 --> 00:03:41,140 So can you just give yourselves a big hand? 40 00:03:41,140 --> 00:03:47,540 I mean, just me personally, it was one of the best events that I've ever experienced 41 00:03:47,540 --> 00:03:48,740 in my life. 42 00:03:48,740 --> 00:03:49,740 It was that good. 43 00:03:49,740 --> 00:03:52,480 I've already said to Tracy, we have plenty of room. 44 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,540 We're going to double it next year. 45 00:03:54,540 --> 00:03:58,100 We're going to have 200 special guests and 400 volunteers. 46 00:03:58,100 --> 00:03:59,100 Is that okay with you guys? 47 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:02,980 I knew it would be all right. 48 00:04:02,980 --> 00:04:08,740 So at the end of the night, all of our participants, special guests that were there, the gentlemen 49 00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:11,020 received a crown. 50 00:04:11,020 --> 00:04:13,100 The ladies received a tiara. 51 00:04:13,100 --> 00:04:17,100 And it just recognized that they were the kings and the queens of the prom. 52 00:04:17,100 --> 00:04:18,940 It wasn't just one couple. 53 00:04:18,940 --> 00:04:21,260 It was everyone. 54 00:04:21,260 --> 00:04:27,460 And it was really special just to see everyone come together and recognize how God loved 55 00:04:27,460 --> 00:04:28,460 them. 56 00:04:28,460 --> 00:04:29,460 So I was praying for all of you yesterday. 57 00:04:29,460 --> 00:04:31,300 I was preparing to share with you this morning. 58 00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:35,600 And I felt like God wanted me to share with you that that's how he sees you. 59 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,860 He sees you as kings and queens. 60 00:04:39,860 --> 00:04:45,180 That if you're in a relationship with Jesus, I want you to receive and walk in that identity. 61 00:04:45,180 --> 00:04:46,740 Not just today. 62 00:04:46,740 --> 00:04:49,700 Not just this week, but for the rest of your lives. 63 00:04:49,700 --> 00:04:52,700 Because we're currently in a series called Love Letters. 64 00:04:52,700 --> 00:04:57,460 We're discussing John's letters to the church, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. 65 00:04:57,460 --> 00:05:03,420 And last week we kicked off our series discussing the everlasting love of Jesus. 66 00:05:03,420 --> 00:05:07,100 And today I want to focus specifically on 1 John chapter 3. 67 00:05:07,100 --> 00:05:13,420 And it begins this way with a short, simple verse that I want to read over all of you 68 00:05:13,420 --> 00:05:14,420 today. 69 00:05:14,420 --> 00:05:27,180 And that is what we are! 70 00:05:27,180 --> 00:05:30,420 What an amazing gift that is. 71 00:05:30,420 --> 00:05:31,540 It's a title. 72 00:05:31,540 --> 00:05:32,740 It's an identity. 73 00:05:32,740 --> 00:05:33,740 It's a belonging. 74 00:05:33,740 --> 00:05:41,500 And see, our minds can't even grasp the depth of love that that gift is when he says to 75 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:45,140 us that we are sons and daughters. 76 00:05:45,140 --> 00:05:50,500 See, all of humanity was separated from God by sin and by death and by destruction, but 77 00:05:50,500 --> 00:05:56,300 God made a way for us to be reconciled to him through the death and resurrection of 78 00:05:56,300 --> 00:05:58,540 his son Jesus. 79 00:05:58,540 --> 00:06:02,280 Because of his shed blood, he has given us new life. 80 00:06:02,280 --> 00:06:07,980 And all of humanity, you and I included, if we think back to before our relationship with 81 00:06:07,980 --> 00:06:14,980 God, many of us would consider ourselves simply dead men and a woman just walking this face 82 00:06:14,980 --> 00:06:17,740 of the earth with no point or purpose. 83 00:06:17,740 --> 00:06:24,540 But now it is possible for us, think about this, to sit at the family table with Jesus, 84 00:06:24,540 --> 00:06:28,780 to consider him our brother, our provider, our savior. 85 00:06:28,780 --> 00:06:34,380 And not only are we invited guests, not only we are special guests, but it's more than 86 00:06:34,380 --> 00:06:35,380 that. 87 00:06:35,380 --> 00:06:38,660 We are at his table as family. 88 00:06:38,660 --> 00:06:41,660 He calls us sons and daughters. 89 00:06:41,660 --> 00:06:46,420 Now for some, let's be honest, that might sound like an exaggeration, an overstatement, 90 00:06:46,420 --> 00:06:48,500 nothing more. 91 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:49,920 And you just simply dismiss it. 92 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:51,340 You reject it. 93 00:06:51,340 --> 00:06:54,100 For others, you doubt it. 94 00:06:54,100 --> 00:06:58,020 This isn't really good news because you look in the past and you're overwhelmed with your 95 00:06:58,020 --> 00:07:05,020 choices and your mistakes and your bad attitudes and you can't move forward believing and receiving 96 00:07:05,020 --> 00:07:06,500 that gift. 97 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:09,620 But here's the reality, none of us deserve it. 98 00:07:09,620 --> 00:07:15,320 None of us are ever worthy of such a blessing and yet because of God's grace and love, we 99 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:20,940 are given this priceless opportunity to be adopted back into the family of God. 100 00:07:20,940 --> 00:07:23,160 Now hear me, we can never earn this. 101 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,400 We can never do enough to receive the title. 102 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:31,500 There isn't enough good works in you to make up for our sinfulness. 103 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:36,940 But Jesus in the shedding of his blood hanging on the cross washes our sins away to make 104 00:07:36,940 --> 00:07:37,940 us right. 105 00:07:37,940 --> 00:07:40,180 Oh, but there's a catch. 106 00:07:40,180 --> 00:07:42,620 And some skeptics would say, yep, I knew it. 107 00:07:42,620 --> 00:07:44,280 There's always a catch. 108 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,220 And the catch is this. 109 00:07:46,220 --> 00:07:47,220 It's our choice. 110 00:07:47,220 --> 00:07:48,220 That's it. 111 00:07:48,220 --> 00:07:49,220 It's up to us. 112 00:07:49,220 --> 00:07:50,660 It's up to you and me. 113 00:07:50,660 --> 00:07:56,380 It's a choice whether we decide to receive that gift and to walk freely in it or just 114 00:07:56,380 --> 00:07:59,560 push it away and reject the offer. 115 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:05,740 Now throughout John chapter, first John chapter three, John uses family language extensively. 116 00:08:05,740 --> 00:08:12,180 Children, born, father, even the word brother at the end, six times we see children, four 117 00:08:12,180 --> 00:08:15,260 times we see born or seed. 118 00:08:15,260 --> 00:08:17,980 God is called the father in verse one. 119 00:08:17,980 --> 00:08:25,940 Fathers of Jesus are called brothers in verse 10, 12 total references to family in 12 verses. 120 00:08:25,940 --> 00:08:28,260 And here's the truth I want you to see today. 121 00:08:28,260 --> 00:08:35,860 If you want to experience assurance of eternal life, you must understand and receive adoption 122 00:08:35,860 --> 00:08:37,660 into the family of God. 123 00:08:37,660 --> 00:08:42,700 To be a follower of Jesus means you have been born again as a child of God, which leads 124 00:08:42,700 --> 00:08:45,620 us to our first thought, our first truth this morning. 125 00:08:45,620 --> 00:08:49,380 See God is our perfect father. 126 00:08:49,380 --> 00:08:50,920 God is our perfect father. 127 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:56,260 Listen to first John three, one, see how very much our father loves us for he calls us his 128 00:08:56,260 --> 00:08:58,780 children and that is what we are. 129 00:08:58,780 --> 00:09:04,060 But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because 130 00:09:04,060 --> 00:09:06,260 they don't know him. 131 00:09:06,260 --> 00:09:10,660 And see this is really good news no matter how old, how young you are. 132 00:09:10,660 --> 00:09:12,460 You could be a student here. 133 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:18,340 You could be an adult that does not have a father or did not grow up with a father or 134 00:09:18,340 --> 00:09:21,020 maybe you had a dad that wasn't really loving. 135 00:09:21,020 --> 00:09:26,680 It's good news to those that are old and young that we have a perfect father. 136 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:32,020 And listen, even if you grew up with a great dad, it's still good news because God is a 137 00:09:32,020 --> 00:09:34,140 lot better than him. 138 00:09:34,140 --> 00:09:39,300 He's infinitely better than even the best dad on this earth. 139 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:43,280 God is perfectly loving, perfectly kind, perfectly wise. 140 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,060 God always knows what is best for us. 141 00:09:46,060 --> 00:09:48,240 He's perfectly powerful. 142 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:52,180 He's never unable to act on our behalf. 143 00:09:52,180 --> 00:09:54,080 He's perfectly knowledgeable. 144 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:58,340 He knows everything about our lives, where we've been, where we're going, what we're 145 00:09:58,340 --> 00:09:59,340 going to say. 146 00:09:59,340 --> 00:10:03,340 There's nothing hidden from him past, present or future. 147 00:10:03,340 --> 00:10:06,340 He is perfectly good. 148 00:10:06,340 --> 00:10:11,340 So if you are in a relationship with Jesus, this perfect, all powerful, all knowing, all 149 00:10:11,340 --> 00:10:15,440 loving God of the universe is your dad. 150 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,900 He's your father in heaven. 151 00:10:17,900 --> 00:10:21,300 See how very much our father loves us. 152 00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:27,020 Now some translations say lavished on us that we should be called his children. 153 00:10:27,020 --> 00:10:28,260 And I love that phrase. 154 00:10:28,260 --> 00:10:30,460 See how very much our father loves us. 155 00:10:30,460 --> 00:10:31,460 Think about it. 156 00:10:31,460 --> 00:10:37,140 See how, in other words, experience how much the father loves you. 157 00:10:37,140 --> 00:10:42,020 Other translations say what manner of love or such a great love. 158 00:10:42,020 --> 00:10:50,300 Now in the original language of the New Testament, this word used here only occurs seven times. 159 00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:57,020 And every time it means or implies astonishment and amazement. 160 00:10:57,020 --> 00:11:01,220 So originally the adjective meant of what country. 161 00:11:01,220 --> 00:11:02,980 So think about what John is saying here. 162 00:11:02,980 --> 00:11:09,540 He says the father's love is so unearthly, so foreign to anything else that we know or 163 00:11:09,540 --> 00:11:11,060 experience in this world. 164 00:11:11,060 --> 00:11:16,500 It's otherworldly that our God has otherworldly love for you. 165 00:11:16,500 --> 00:11:19,660 And don't just let that apply to other people. 166 00:11:19,660 --> 00:11:24,860 See I believe right here where you're sitting in these chairs this morning, God is your 167 00:11:24,860 --> 00:11:26,740 heavenly father. 168 00:11:26,740 --> 00:11:31,500 And I want you to recognize that and that you belong to his family. 169 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:35,540 And that you don't leave it, but you're a part of it and you accepted him. 170 00:11:35,540 --> 00:11:40,520 Look at your neighbor and say you're a child of God. 171 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,900 Now look at your other neighbor that one you ignored that doesn't smell very good and say 172 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:51,600 hey you're a child of God. 173 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:59,720 See salvation friends is not just God as judge sitting on a bench and declaring your sins 174 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:00,720 are forgiven. 175 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:01,720 And that's the end of the story. 176 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:06,380 So many people they think of God as a judge and then they go to him to be forgiven. 177 00:12:06,380 --> 00:12:09,200 But once you're forgiven he does do that. 178 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:14,220 He stands from behind the bench, he removes his robes, he comes and meets us where we 179 00:12:14,220 --> 00:12:15,220 are. 180 00:12:15,220 --> 00:12:21,180 He takes away our shame and our guilt and he says come home with me son or daughter. 181 00:12:21,180 --> 00:12:22,800 That's what he says to you. 182 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,360 And God does this for you and for me. 183 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,260 It's otherworldly. 184 00:12:27,260 --> 00:12:29,060 It's so foreign. 185 00:12:29,060 --> 00:12:31,900 Many people question how is it even possible? 186 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:34,820 Well that leads us to our next thought and our next truth. 187 00:12:34,820 --> 00:12:39,180 See Jesus is our perfect brother. 188 00:12:39,180 --> 00:12:44,340 Now for some of you, you think that that's a little inappropriate. 189 00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:48,900 You say well Chris that's almost a slap in the face our perfect brother. 190 00:12:48,900 --> 00:12:56,340 Because so many people they think as Jesus' savior, as Lord, as King but not as our brother. 191 00:12:56,340 --> 00:12:58,580 But listen to what the Bible teaches us. 192 00:12:58,580 --> 00:13:00,860 Hebrews 2 verses 11 to 13. 193 00:13:00,860 --> 00:13:05,600 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same father. 194 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:10,700 That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 195 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:14,620 For he has said to God I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. 196 00:13:14,620 --> 00:13:18,220 I will praise you among your assembled people. 197 00:13:18,220 --> 00:13:21,020 He also said I will put my trust in him. 198 00:13:21,020 --> 00:13:24,540 That is I and the children God has given me. 199 00:13:24,540 --> 00:13:29,780 I mean listen how Jesus refers to his disciples after he rose from the grave. 200 00:13:29,780 --> 00:13:31,380 Matthew 28 10. 201 00:13:31,380 --> 00:13:34,060 Jesus said to them don't be afraid. 202 00:13:34,060 --> 00:13:38,460 Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee and they will see me there. 203 00:13:38,460 --> 00:13:40,100 John 20 verse 17. 204 00:13:40,100 --> 00:13:45,060 Don't cling to me Jesus said for I haven't yet ascended to the father but go find my 205 00:13:45,060 --> 00:13:51,740 brothers and tell them I am sending to my father and to your father to my God and your 206 00:13:51,740 --> 00:13:52,740 God. 207 00:13:52,740 --> 00:14:00,260 In Mark 335 he looked at those around him and said look these are my mother and brothers. 208 00:14:00,260 --> 00:14:05,380 One who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother. 209 00:14:05,380 --> 00:14:10,820 See the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the unique son of God. 210 00:14:10,820 --> 00:14:17,660 He is God in flesh but he is also our perfect brother who made it possible for us to be 211 00:14:17,660 --> 00:14:19,020 adopted into what? 212 00:14:19,020 --> 00:14:20,660 Into God's family. 213 00:14:20,660 --> 00:14:23,420 And this is what 1 John chapter 3 is all about. 214 00:14:23,420 --> 00:14:29,420 If you look at all the descriptions of Jesus listen to how he is described here in 1 John 215 00:14:29,420 --> 00:14:32,820 3 verse 3 5 7 and 8. 216 00:14:32,820 --> 00:14:39,460 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure just as he is pure. 217 00:14:39,460 --> 00:14:44,300 See Jesus is pure and you know that Jesus came to take away our sins and there is no 218 00:14:44,300 --> 00:14:46,580 sin in him dear children. 219 00:14:46,580 --> 00:14:50,620 Don't let anyone deceive you about this when people do what is right it shows that they 220 00:14:50,620 --> 00:14:54,060 are righteous even as Christ is righteous. 221 00:14:54,060 --> 00:14:56,900 So think about it he is perfect he is righteous he is pure. 222 00:14:56,900 --> 00:14:58,900 He is totally without sin. 223 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:01,780 Sin is nowhere to be found in Jesus' nature. 224 00:15:01,780 --> 00:15:03,900 He is totally unlike us. 225 00:15:03,900 --> 00:15:10,320 He is our perfect brother who came according to verse 5 to take away the sins. 226 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:16,660 But listen to verse 8 the reason the son of God appeared was but when people keep on sinning 227 00:15:16,660 --> 00:15:20,860 it shows that they belong to the devil who has been sinning since the beginning. 228 00:15:20,860 --> 00:15:24,460 But the son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 229 00:15:24,460 --> 00:15:29,540 Now think about that the whole point is that the devil's work is sin. 230 00:15:29,540 --> 00:15:32,420 It says the devil has been sinning since the beginning. 231 00:15:32,420 --> 00:15:39,140 So since Genesis 3 the devil has been tempting men and women every single one of us right 232 00:15:39,140 --> 00:15:46,060 to turn away from God's direction from God's best for our very own life. 233 00:15:46,060 --> 00:15:49,060 Tempting us to go in our own direction which leads to what? 234 00:15:49,060 --> 00:15:51,380 It leads to death. 235 00:15:51,380 --> 00:15:52,740 Remember we talked about it last week. 236 00:15:52,740 --> 00:15:54,020 It's not about perfection. 237 00:15:54,020 --> 00:15:55,020 It's about direction. 238 00:15:55,020 --> 00:15:57,980 It's about the direction we are heading. 239 00:15:57,980 --> 00:16:04,100 And it's the devil's work that ultimately leads us away from following Jesus but Jesus 240 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:06,980 came to destroy that work forever. 241 00:16:06,980 --> 00:16:07,980 And how did he do that? 242 00:16:07,980 --> 00:16:12,620 Well it's found in 1 John 2 1 through 2 which we discussed last week when we learned a new 243 00:16:12,620 --> 00:16:13,620 word. 244 00:16:13,620 --> 00:16:15,260 Anyone remember that new word? 245 00:16:15,260 --> 00:16:16,260 Propitiation. 246 00:16:16,260 --> 00:16:19,100 Remember we all learned it. 247 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:20,100 We all said it. 248 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:22,660 I said hey don't spit on your neighbor. 249 00:16:22,660 --> 00:16:27,700 Because Christ the righteous is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for 250 00:16:27,700 --> 00:16:29,220 sins of the whole world. 251 00:16:29,220 --> 00:16:31,220 Which means that Jesus came. 252 00:16:31,220 --> 00:16:33,620 He lived without sin the perfect life. 253 00:16:33,620 --> 00:16:41,100 He died to pay the price for sin as a propitiation which means a sacrifice for you and me. 254 00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:46,460 Then three days later he rose from the dead with victory over sin and the devil. 255 00:16:46,460 --> 00:16:49,740 And I don't know about you but that's a good big brother to have. 256 00:16:49,740 --> 00:16:55,260 You know one who has conquered death and he's destroyed the works of the devil. 257 00:16:55,260 --> 00:17:00,780 And the Bible teaches that all who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus are welcomed 258 00:17:00,780 --> 00:17:03,940 into the family of God as children of God. 259 00:17:03,940 --> 00:17:10,020 And listen I've been praying all morning asking God God just adopt people into your family 260 00:17:10,020 --> 00:17:11,460 today. 261 00:17:11,460 --> 00:17:12,500 And I know it. 262 00:17:12,500 --> 00:17:15,700 Some of you are here this morning and you just don't know God. 263 00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:20,180 You may have been checking out Jesus checking out Christianity trying to find the right 264 00:17:20,180 --> 00:17:21,540 church. 265 00:17:21,540 --> 00:17:25,620 And you're just not in that personal relationship with him. 266 00:17:25,620 --> 00:17:28,100 You've not turned from your sin or yourself. 267 00:17:28,100 --> 00:17:31,640 You haven't trusted Jesus as Lord. 268 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:37,160 And I invite you allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you today and be adopted by God. 269 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:41,840 In fact I'm telling you it can happen this morning right where you're sitting. 270 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:48,040 You can become a child of God that will just change your life for all eternity which leads 271 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,820 us to our next thought you see. 272 00:17:50,820 --> 00:17:52,660 So what does it mean for children of God. 273 00:17:52,660 --> 00:17:56,100 Well children of God are imperfect people. 274 00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:58,220 See God is our perfect father. 275 00:17:58,220 --> 00:18:00,320 Jesus is our perfect brother. 276 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:04,460 But even after we're adopted into God's family through faith in Jesus. 277 00:18:04,460 --> 00:18:06,820 Look we're imperfect. 278 00:18:06,820 --> 00:18:11,500 And this can be read throughout John's love letters to the church because so many people 279 00:18:11,500 --> 00:18:16,700 they think love letters it's all it's all about love and perfection and oohs and ahhs 280 00:18:16,700 --> 00:18:22,980 and sweet nothings getting whispered in your ear but John's a realist. 281 00:18:22,980 --> 00:18:26,900 And he calls you out he calls me out he calls all of us out he says hey you're going to 282 00:18:26,900 --> 00:18:31,540 struggle with sin because we're imperfect creations. 283 00:18:31,540 --> 00:18:34,740 First John 3 4 6 8 and 10. 284 00:18:34,740 --> 00:18:40,980 Everyone who sins is breaking God's law for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 285 00:18:40,980 --> 00:18:45,820 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin but anyone who keeps on sinning does not 286 00:18:45,820 --> 00:18:48,640 know him or understand who he is. 287 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,840 But when people keep on sinning it shows they belong to the devil has been sinning since 288 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,220 the beginning. 289 00:18:54,220 --> 00:18:59,860 So now we can tell who are the children of God and who are children of the devil. 290 00:18:59,860 --> 00:19:04,100 Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to 291 00:19:04,100 --> 00:19:05,100 God. 292 00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:08,300 I mean we are imperfect children. 293 00:19:08,300 --> 00:19:14,340 I mean even as children of God we sin which first John 3 and 4 defines as lawlessness 294 00:19:14,340 --> 00:19:19,780 means that we break God's law we choose not to follow what is written in the Bible we 295 00:19:19,780 --> 00:19:24,860 choose not to follow God's ways and we want to follow our own ways. 296 00:19:24,860 --> 00:19:27,820 And see it all comes from the attitude of our hearts. 297 00:19:27,820 --> 00:19:31,380 It says I don't want to know what God's best is. 298 00:19:31,380 --> 00:19:33,340 I want to do what I want to do. 299 00:19:33,340 --> 00:19:37,580 I don't want to know what God says I don't want to learn what the Bible teaches because 300 00:19:37,580 --> 00:19:39,500 I'm just going to disobey it. 301 00:19:39,500 --> 00:19:44,460 And these are horrible things for a son or a daughter to say to the father. 302 00:19:44,460 --> 00:19:52,520 I mean he's a father whose ways are just perfect loving good and best and that's the difference 303 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,560 between our earthly fathers and our heavenly father. 304 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:58,640 You know I love my kids. 305 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:03,180 I have six children and I know that if you're a parent all across this room you love your 306 00:20:03,180 --> 00:20:04,180 kids. 307 00:20:04,180 --> 00:20:09,380 We don't want anything bad for our kids we want to do whatever we need to do to provide 308 00:20:09,380 --> 00:20:10,420 for them. 309 00:20:10,420 --> 00:20:14,940 We try to teach them and show them God's best and how we live and how we speak. 310 00:20:14,940 --> 00:20:20,500 We don't want to hurt them yet sometimes let's be honest we don't do what's best for them. 311 00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:21,860 True or false? 312 00:20:21,860 --> 00:20:23,780 We make mistakes. 313 00:20:23,780 --> 00:20:29,420 You know we maybe we're stressed out and we're just full of anxiety and we explode in anger 314 00:20:29,420 --> 00:20:32,400 at our children raising our voices. 315 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,940 Maybe we give them counsel that's not very good because let's be honest we're not perfect. 316 00:20:36,940 --> 00:20:40,420 I mean Jess and I often look at each other and say can you believe God put us in charge 317 00:20:40,420 --> 00:20:42,780 of six kids? 318 00:20:42,780 --> 00:20:45,460 I mean we had no clue what we're doing. 319 00:20:45,460 --> 00:20:50,660 We simply rely on God through the power of the Holy Spirit to do the best we can do. 320 00:20:50,660 --> 00:20:52,940 But here's the beauty. 321 00:20:52,940 --> 00:20:56,100 God never asks what do I do because he's perfect. 322 00:20:56,100 --> 00:21:01,040 He never doesn't know what to do because he'll always provide. 323 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,860 He never ever is going to give you bad counsel ever. 324 00:21:04,860 --> 00:21:07,100 He's our perfect father. 325 00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:10,100 He always knows what is best for us. 326 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:16,100 Always speaks to us and gives us direction but yet we choose not to talk to him. 327 00:21:16,100 --> 00:21:17,480 We choose not to listen. 328 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,820 We choose not to trust. 329 00:21:19,820 --> 00:21:24,660 I mean we're prone to rebel against what is written in the book and what is that? 330 00:21:24,660 --> 00:21:26,940 That's the essence of sin. 331 00:21:26,940 --> 00:21:32,340 And to make it even more sobering since we're not following God our father then who are 332 00:21:32,340 --> 00:21:34,980 we following when we sin? 333 00:21:34,980 --> 00:21:40,860 Well 1 John 3 says, but when people keep on sinning it shows they belong to the devil. 334 00:21:40,860 --> 00:21:48,660 See whenever we sin we are like the devil acting in outright rebellion against God. 335 00:21:48,660 --> 00:21:54,180 Whenever we sin even the smallest of sin in our lives we're following the devil who hates 336 00:21:54,180 --> 00:21:57,780 us and wants to lead us to death. 337 00:21:57,780 --> 00:22:02,660 He's come to destroy us instead of a perfect father who loves us and wants to give us abundant 338 00:22:02,660 --> 00:22:03,740 life. 339 00:22:03,740 --> 00:22:08,400 And some of you sitting there think, well Chris that's a little harsh. 340 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,660 You may sound harsh but remember what Jesus said to Peter. 341 00:22:12,660 --> 00:22:17,700 You know Peter, Jesus looked right at Peter and said get behind me Satan. 342 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:21,260 Well your words are not from God. 343 00:22:21,260 --> 00:22:24,540 So if Jesus can look at Peter and say get behind me Satan I know he can look at me and 344 00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:26,860 say the same thing. 345 00:22:26,860 --> 00:22:31,480 Paul who wrote more than half the New Testament writes this in Romans 17. 346 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:33,820 And I know that nothing good lives in me. 347 00:22:33,820 --> 00:22:35,740 That is in my sinful nature. 348 00:22:35,740 --> 00:22:37,780 I want to do what is right but I can't. 349 00:22:37,780 --> 00:22:39,660 I want to do what is good but I don't. 350 00:22:39,660 --> 00:22:42,840 I don't want to do what is wrong but I do it anyway. 351 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,420 But if I do what I don't want to do I'm not really the one doing wrong. 352 00:22:46,420 --> 00:22:48,900 It is sin living in me that does it. 353 00:22:48,900 --> 00:22:54,020 So when we sin what does the imperfect child of God do? 354 00:22:54,020 --> 00:22:59,100 The imperfect child of God does what we've seen and discussed already in 1 John 1 9. 355 00:22:59,100 --> 00:23:05,780 We confess our sins knowing that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse 356 00:23:05,780 --> 00:23:08,740 us from all unrighteousness. 357 00:23:08,740 --> 00:23:13,880 Why because Jesus is our perfect brother who sacrificed himself to cover our sins. 358 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:15,780 So we confess our sin. 359 00:23:15,780 --> 00:23:18,460 We turn from it and we receive his grace and mercy. 360 00:23:18,460 --> 00:23:23,260 We come back to him as our father and we say God forgive me. 361 00:23:23,260 --> 00:23:24,940 I don't want to do this anymore. 362 00:23:24,940 --> 00:23:26,060 I don't want to think this way. 363 00:23:26,060 --> 00:23:27,940 I don't want to be tempted. 364 00:23:27,940 --> 00:23:30,420 I don't want to have these desires. 365 00:23:30,420 --> 00:23:32,740 I mean that is a relationship with Jesus. 366 00:23:32,740 --> 00:23:38,020 Daily learning to trust God more than we trust ourselves. 367 00:23:38,020 --> 00:23:42,940 See when we sin against him when we go to him and receive his forgiveness guess what 368 00:23:42,940 --> 00:23:49,540 we will grow in our experience of the good life of the abundant life that our perfect 369 00:23:49,540 --> 00:23:53,300 father desires and has designed for us. 370 00:23:53,300 --> 00:23:55,780 That's a relationship with Jesus. 371 00:23:55,780 --> 00:24:01,000 Imperfect children with a perfect father growing in his grace to know and trust and love him 372 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:05,660 more and more and more which leads us to our fourth truth. 373 00:24:05,660 --> 00:24:10,660 You see children of God live to display the family likeness. 374 00:24:10,660 --> 00:24:12,900 So let's put it all together. 375 00:24:12,900 --> 00:24:13,900 God is our father. 376 00:24:13,900 --> 00:24:15,460 He's perfect. 377 00:24:15,460 --> 00:24:17,100 Jesus is our brother. 378 00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:18,100 He's perfect. 379 00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:22,380 We are imperfect children but Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil. 380 00:24:22,380 --> 00:24:29,000 Sin does not have the power over us anymore and we are free to experience life as children 381 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:30,000 of God. 382 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,140 So we grow more and more into the likeness of our father. 383 00:24:33,140 --> 00:24:35,460 I mean we see this in our families. 384 00:24:35,460 --> 00:24:40,580 If you're a parent don't you see yourself in your kids. 385 00:24:40,580 --> 00:24:42,880 You're darn right you do. 386 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:46,140 The good but more importantly the bad. 387 00:24:46,140 --> 00:24:48,060 You see it come out. 388 00:24:48,060 --> 00:24:52,060 I mean you see your parents in yourself sometimes. 389 00:24:52,060 --> 00:24:55,800 I mean I know Jess says to me when I'm in an argument with her hey you're acting like 390 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:57,420 your dad. 391 00:24:57,420 --> 00:25:02,420 She says it and I'll say back you're acting like your mom. 392 00:25:02,420 --> 00:25:07,460 I go right back. 393 00:25:07,460 --> 00:25:10,460 Anybody want to join me in the marriage class? 394 00:25:10,460 --> 00:25:15,140 What's this Friday? 395 00:25:15,140 --> 00:25:16,920 Good and bad. 396 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:23,260 But the good thing is when God is your heavenly father the more you become like him the better 397 00:25:23,260 --> 00:25:24,580 it always is. 398 00:25:24,580 --> 00:25:28,500 I mean Ephesians 5.1 look imitate God. 399 00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:33,180 Therefore in everything you do because you are his dear children. 400 00:25:33,180 --> 00:25:40,100 I mean that's a relationship with Jesus growing to imitate the father as children. 401 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:43,980 Actually being conformed to the image of our brother. 402 00:25:43,980 --> 00:25:51,620 If we put this together we read this in Romans 8.28 and we know that God causes everything 403 00:25:51,620 --> 00:25:55,940 to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose 404 00:25:55,940 --> 00:25:57,820 for them. 405 00:25:57,820 --> 00:26:03,660 Even through the toughest things in this life God is working it all together for good. 406 00:26:03,660 --> 00:26:07,540 And many of you sitting here you remember I said first you know that verse you quoted 407 00:26:07,540 --> 00:26:10,620 often you're going through a difficult time God's going to work it out for good. 408 00:26:10,620 --> 00:26:11,860 God's going to work it out for good. 409 00:26:11,860 --> 00:26:15,180 But then you don't even know verse 29 which is the most important thing. 410 00:26:15,180 --> 00:26:18,700 What's the purpose that he's putting it all together for? 411 00:26:18,700 --> 00:26:20,460 Listen to verse 29. 412 00:26:20,460 --> 00:26:26,300 For God knew his people in advance and he chose them to become like his son. 413 00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:31,140 So that his son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 414 00:26:31,140 --> 00:26:36,540 The whole point is that our purpose is to be conformed into the image of Jesus. 415 00:26:36,540 --> 00:26:40,100 All things are working toward that end in that direction. 416 00:26:40,100 --> 00:26:44,300 That we might become more and more and more like Jesus. 417 00:26:44,300 --> 00:26:48,220 And that is why John writes this in 1 John 3.2-3. 418 00:26:48,220 --> 00:26:53,260 Dear friends we are already God's children but he has not yet shown us what we will be 419 00:26:53,260 --> 00:26:55,460 like when Christ appears. 420 00:26:55,460 --> 00:27:01,420 But we do know that we will be like him for we will see him as he really is and all who 421 00:27:01,420 --> 00:27:06,980 have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure just as he is pure. 422 00:27:06,980 --> 00:27:12,940 See it's after John says this that he talks about how we don't keep on sinning. 423 00:27:12,940 --> 00:27:17,500 If we do keep on sinning it's a sure sign we don't know Jesus. 424 00:27:17,500 --> 00:27:19,980 That we are not children of God. 425 00:27:19,980 --> 00:27:22,180 Listen to verse 9 of 1 John. 426 00:27:22,180 --> 00:27:26,420 Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning because 427 00:27:26,420 --> 00:27:28,320 God's life is in them. 428 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,820 So they can't keep on sinning because they are children of God. 429 00:27:31,820 --> 00:27:37,980 And again when John says keep on sinning he's not saying that the child of God never sins. 430 00:27:37,980 --> 00:27:39,340 He's not saying that. 431 00:27:39,340 --> 00:27:45,140 The word picture here is actively continually to sin. 432 00:27:45,140 --> 00:27:51,020 Sinning without confession without repentance without any desire to change. 433 00:27:51,020 --> 00:27:56,400 And the Bible is saying that for the follower of Jesus for the child of God persistent sin 434 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:01,740 against the Father without confession and repentance it's just inconceivable. 435 00:28:01,740 --> 00:28:05,420 Like you just don't want to do it for a child of God his spirit lives in you. 436 00:28:05,420 --> 00:28:09,920 You have new life in him you have abundant life and you're growing into his likeness. 437 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,300 You flee from sin. 438 00:28:12,300 --> 00:28:15,800 You don't continue to walk in it. 439 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:22,420 And that was so amazing about Friday two Fridays ago we had a freedom night and at the night 440 00:28:22,420 --> 00:28:26,380 to shine I was sharing with one of our partners and he just looked at me he goes man freedom 441 00:28:26,380 --> 00:28:27,380 night was incredible. 442 00:28:27,380 --> 00:28:32,100 And I was like really just share your story with me and I had been struggling with this 443 00:28:32,100 --> 00:28:35,440 sin specifically sinning for years. 444 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:40,220 And two weeks ago before freedom night you called me out you specifically referenced 445 00:28:40,220 --> 00:28:44,120 something and I knew God was speaking to me I knew it was a barrier between men and me 446 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:49,460 and him and I came to freedom night and I brought it all and I just threw it away. 447 00:28:49,460 --> 00:28:54,940 And I walked away from it because I didn't want to continue to walk in that. 448 00:28:54,940 --> 00:28:58,300 And that's what God desires for his children. 449 00:28:58,300 --> 00:29:02,940 When it comes to a point that we make a mistake that we fall into sin don't stay there don't 450 00:29:02,940 --> 00:29:07,800 live in it leave it hate it confess it and then fight against it. 451 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:13,300 And then the next time you're tempted you know use the name of Jesus with greater passion 452 00:29:13,300 --> 00:29:18,540 speak to it because he's destroyed the works of the devil because you want to be more like 453 00:29:18,540 --> 00:29:20,020 Jesus. 454 00:29:20,020 --> 00:29:22,540 That's what it means to be in a relationship with God. 455 00:29:22,540 --> 00:29:27,580 You want to follow Jesus and every time that you fall short you hate it. 456 00:29:27,580 --> 00:29:31,700 You don't want to fall short anymore you want to please the Father you want to follow his 457 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:38,580 ways you want to enjoy his life for you and as a result you can't wait until the day when 458 00:29:38,580 --> 00:29:41,860 you won't sin anymore which leads us to our final thought. 459 00:29:41,860 --> 00:29:45,520 Look children of God focus on the kingdom. 460 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:51,460 From the first verse we read in this passage we hear about Jesus's coming and not just 461 00:29:51,460 --> 00:29:53,140 his first coming. 462 00:29:53,140 --> 00:29:57,860 Remember his first coming he came to destroy the works of the devil but his second coming 463 00:29:57,860 --> 00:30:01,100 and it sounds like this in first John 3 2 through 3. 464 00:30:01,100 --> 00:30:05,700 Dear friends we are already God's children but he has not yet shown us what we would 465 00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:11,340 be like when Christ appears but we do know that we will be like him for we will see him 466 00:30:11,340 --> 00:30:16,820 as he really is and all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure just 467 00:30:16,820 --> 00:30:18,180 as he is pure. 468 00:30:18,180 --> 00:30:24,680 The words we will see him as he really is refers to the arrival of a king or a ruler 469 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:28,340 with splendor and majesty and here's the picture. 470 00:30:28,340 --> 00:30:36,020 Jesus came once over 2,000 years ago as a little eight pound five ounce baby in a manger 471 00:30:36,020 --> 00:30:42,580 to destroy the works of the devil but Jesus is coming back again right and this time and 472 00:30:42,580 --> 00:30:46,300 it could even be today he's not coming as a baby. 473 00:30:46,300 --> 00:30:53,100 He's coming as a king not in a manger and he'll be riding on a white horse with a tattoo 474 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:57,500 on his leg that says king of kings and lord of lords. 475 00:30:57,500 --> 00:31:03,140 He won't be coming to destroy the devil he already did that he'll be coming as the one 476 00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:08,820 to claim those that belong to him and it says in first John 3 2 that we're going to see 477 00:31:08,820 --> 00:31:11,300 him physically literally physically. 478 00:31:11,300 --> 00:31:15,620 So think about that there's going to be a day suddenly instantly that he's just going 479 00:31:15,620 --> 00:31:20,300 to be there we're going to see him and we're going to see him in all of his glory and if 480 00:31:20,300 --> 00:31:25,340 you're in a relationship with Jesus I want to encourage you look forward to that day 481 00:31:25,340 --> 00:31:30,940 more than you look forward to anything else and for some of you like whoa is it a tease 482 00:31:30,940 --> 00:31:35,080 tell me about that look forward to that day more than you look forward to anything else 483 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:41,300 including your graduation your vacation your wedding day your next promotion your next 484 00:31:41,300 --> 00:31:45,660 raise your next job the next thing that you want to purchase that's going to make you 485 00:31:45,660 --> 00:31:51,220 happy or even your retirement look forward to that day more than anything else in this 486 00:31:51,220 --> 00:31:56,780 world because you know why in this world we're going to have trouble there's trouble in this 487 00:31:56,780 --> 00:32:01,980 world no matter what we think is going to make us happy but on that day when we see 488 00:32:01,980 --> 00:32:07,440 him it's going to be unlike any other because we're going to be free from sin free from 489 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,440 sorrow no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things they've 490 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:19,480 what it's passed away it will be perfect we will be with God our father our perfect father 491 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:24,060 and our perfect brother along with all of our other brothers and sisters from every 492 00:32:24,060 --> 00:32:31,980 tribe tongue and nation as we're adopted into the family of God so as imperfect children 493 00:32:31,980 --> 00:32:38,100 let's live every day to grow into his likeness which leads us to our action steps if we grow 494 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:42,820 into his likeness the more and more we look like Jesus the more and more we'll be loving 495 00:32:42,820 --> 00:32:49,280 others and here's the picture I want you to see today love in the family reflects the 496 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:55,380 love of the father in other words when a father loves his children and those children experience 497 00:32:55,380 --> 00:33:00,340 and enjoy that love and live in that love then they will reflect that love toward one 498 00:33:00,340 --> 00:33:08,780 another which leads us to our first step understand God's love compels us to love others 1st John 499 00:33:08,780 --> 00:33:17,060 311 this is the message you have heard from the beginning we should love one another I 500 00:33:17,060 --> 00:33:23,180 mean I look around at our at our gatherings at 9 and 11 I look around on Friday night 501 00:33:23,180 --> 00:33:30,780 at night to shine and we're all very different people like all of us are just different we 502 00:33:30,780 --> 00:33:35,540 have different lives we have different backgrounds some of us are different nations you have 503 00:33:35,540 --> 00:33:40,060 different personalities different jobs you go to different schools you're at different 504 00:33:40,060 --> 00:33:45,540 ages and stages of life and let's be honest we all have different problems many of us 505 00:33:45,540 --> 00:33:49,980 have different political positions and some would say our political positions are our 506 00:33:49,980 --> 00:33:58,940 problems and that's true regardless we are different people but think about this one 507 00:33:58,940 --> 00:34:04,900 thing that brings us together every single Sunday is that we are children of God we are 508 00:34:04,900 --> 00:34:11,380 loved by God we are his sons and his daughters and that's why we never look at any of those 509 00:34:11,380 --> 00:34:16,700 other things as a means of bringing us together what brings us together is that we're children 510 00:34:16,700 --> 00:34:23,740 of God his love unites us so that we would be a people captivated by God's great love 511 00:34:23,740 --> 00:34:30,540 for us I mean think about it when Jesus was asked well Jesus what's the greatest commandment 512 00:34:30,540 --> 00:34:35,500 how did he respond well Mark 12 says you must love the Lord your God with all your heart 513 00:34:35,500 --> 00:34:42,100 soul mind and strength and the second is equally important love your neighbor as yourself no 514 00:34:42,100 --> 00:34:47,620 other commandment is greater than these he tells his disciples in John 13 so now I'm 515 00:34:47,620 --> 00:34:53,260 giving you a new commandment love each other just as I have loved you you should love each 516 00:34:53,260 --> 00:34:58,980 other your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples see 517 00:34:58,980 --> 00:35:04,460 this is how people will know you're a follower of Jesus it's not because you say you're a 518 00:35:04,460 --> 00:35:09,400 Christian it's not because you check the box that says oh well I'm a Christian it's not 519 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:14,540 because you grew up in a Christian home and it's not because you go to church they will 520 00:35:14,540 --> 00:35:19,020 know you're a child of God if you love one another that's how they know it and that's 521 00:35:19,020 --> 00:35:25,180 why John the same disciple who recorded Jesus saying those words he laid on his chest is 522 00:35:25,180 --> 00:35:29,420 now saying this in the letter to the church he says if you don't love one another like 523 00:35:29,420 --> 00:35:36,700 this there's a reason to question whether or not you're even a child of God because 524 00:35:36,700 --> 00:35:42,480 love in the family reflects the love of the Father which leads us to our next step and 525 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:49,620 it's a reality check for all of us we have to recognize hate is the opposite of love 526 00:35:49,620 --> 00:35:56,620 hate is the opposite of love and there's just a lot of confusion in our world today about 527 00:35:56,620 --> 00:36:02,780 what hate is and what love is because for many of you 75 percent of you sitting here 528 00:36:02,780 --> 00:36:08,620 say well Chris I don't hate but let's see how the Bible defines hate and how God defines 529 00:36:08,620 --> 00:36:14,580 it for us hate originates with the devil see John goes all the way back to Genesis chapter 530 00:36:14,580 --> 00:36:22,020 four when Cain murdered his brother Abel and the Bible says Cain was one of the evil ones 531 00:36:22,020 --> 00:36:26,720 and that's a reference to the devil who is the author of sin recorded in Genesis chapter 532 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:33,060 three first John 3 8 says that the devil has been sinning from the beginning and John says 533 00:36:33,060 --> 00:36:38,780 this to the devil in John 8 44 for you are the children of your father the devil and 534 00:36:38,780 --> 00:36:42,660 you love to do the evil things he does and he's challenging the religious Pharisees of 535 00:36:42,660 --> 00:36:47,540 his days with these words he was a murderer from the beginning he has always hated the 536 00:36:47,540 --> 00:36:52,220 truth because there is no truth in him when he lies he is consistent with his character 537 00:36:52,220 --> 00:36:57,860 for he is a liar and the father of lies the devil is the origin of hate which the Bible 538 00:36:57,860 --> 00:37:05,420 basically defines as selfishly seeking another's harm why did Cain murder his brother or according 539 00:37:05,420 --> 00:37:10,440 to first John 3 12 it says we must not be like Cain who belonged to the evil one and 540 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:15,540 killed his brother and why did he kill him because Cain had been doing what was evil 541 00:37:15,540 --> 00:37:20,940 what God did not want for him and his brother had been doing what was righteous he was following 542 00:37:20,940 --> 00:37:28,700 God's laws so the ultimate example of hatred is the desire to harm someone else is Cain 543 00:37:28,700 --> 00:37:34,660 taking the life of another a person's life is the most precious possession so to take 544 00:37:34,660 --> 00:37:39,420 it away from another is the greatest sin you can commit against anyone but remember what 545 00:37:39,420 --> 00:37:44,900 Jesus taught back in Matthew 5 you have heard that our ancestors were told you must not 546 00:37:44,900 --> 00:37:50,780 murder if you commit murder you are subject to judgment but I say these are Jesus's words 547 00:37:50,780 --> 00:37:56,160 if you are even angry with someone you are subject to judgment if you call someone an 548 00:37:56,160 --> 00:38:02,460 idiot you are in danger of being brought before the court and if you curse someone you are 549 00:38:02,460 --> 00:38:08,240 in danger of the fires of hell I don't know about you but I was reading that this week 550 00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:15,100 and that is stepping on your toes see hatred is not just an outward action like murder 551 00:38:15,100 --> 00:38:20,660 it is an inward attitude of anger towards another person and the Bible challenges every 552 00:38:20,660 --> 00:38:28,220 one of us to examine our hearts and ask is there any evidence of anger towards others 553 00:38:28,220 --> 00:38:35,220 in our hearts and for many of us it doesn't matter if it is at home at work in our community 554 00:38:35,220 --> 00:38:42,500 at our church it is I mean we gossip we call people names we make fun of people heck when 555 00:38:42,500 --> 00:38:46,620 we think about certain groups of people we have this hatred come over us friends that 556 00:38:46,620 --> 00:38:52,140 is the opposite of love and that is a sin the Bible says no that is a sin you need to 557 00:38:52,140 --> 00:38:59,660 repent of it now don't miss the everyday effect of hatred 1 John 3 17 John writes this 558 00:38:59,660 --> 00:39:05,380 listen if someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need 559 00:39:05,380 --> 00:39:11,140 but shows no compassion how can God's love be in that person I mean the everyday effect 560 00:39:11,140 --> 00:39:19,420 of hatred is indifference that leads to inaction busyness consumed with yourself I mean you 561 00:39:19,420 --> 00:39:25,300 put it all together we may not murder someone we may not even have anger towards another 562 00:39:25,300 --> 00:39:30,660 person but if we see another person in need and we are able to meet that need yet we choose 563 00:39:30,660 --> 00:39:38,020 to ignore them and to close our hearts towards them that is not God's love and in a sense 564 00:39:38,020 --> 00:39:43,940 it is hate because we are not allowing ourselves to be used it is not necessarily seeking another 565 00:39:43,940 --> 00:39:49,460 person's harm but it is being content to allow that person to continue to suffer and the 566 00:39:49,460 --> 00:39:54,780 Bible says that is not from God this is evidence of spiritual death it is evidence of a lack 567 00:39:54,780 --> 00:40:01,020 of God's love in your heart and that is why John says back up at verse 13 do not be surprised 568 00:40:01,020 --> 00:40:06,420 that the world hates you remember the way John uses the word world right it is anything 569 00:40:06,420 --> 00:40:11,620 that is against God anything that is against the Bible and he says if we love our brothers 570 00:40:11,620 --> 00:40:15,840 and sisters who are believers it proves that we have passed from death to life but a person 571 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:23,060 who has no love is still dead see the church you and I it is not this building the church 572 00:40:23,060 --> 00:40:27,180 is called to be different from the world we are called to be set apart not set apart in 573 00:40:27,180 --> 00:40:33,180 that we do not spend time with them and talk to them engage them but set apart means we 574 00:40:33,180 --> 00:40:40,740 look different we are not the same did you know that Sunday morning church is the most 575 00:40:40,740 --> 00:40:46,860 racially divided place in the world Sunday morning church in the United States of America 576 00:40:46,860 --> 00:40:54,860 is the most racially divided place in the world that should not be I mean it should 577 00:40:54,860 --> 00:41:00,420 not be so and if anything we as a community of faith we cannot be indifferent to it we 578 00:41:00,420 --> 00:41:06,980 have to work to change it because we are going to worship with every tribe tongue and nation 579 00:41:06,980 --> 00:41:15,020 when we are in eternity and we need to work to change that here ok and it is not just 580 00:41:15,020 --> 00:41:21,020 issues of race but it is any area of your life see we do not naturally have hearts that 581 00:41:21,020 --> 00:41:26,020 are inclined to love selflessly you know like what we are reading about we are quick to 582 00:41:26,020 --> 00:41:32,460 judge we are quick to hate we are quick to anger we are quick to just ignore people because 583 00:41:32,460 --> 00:41:37,780 we are busy we are quick to turn away how about this we are quick to think of ourselves 584 00:41:37,780 --> 00:41:43,100 first have you ever thought you know you drive you see someone in need maybe it is a homeless 585 00:41:43,100 --> 00:41:47,860 person they want a dollar or whatever and you think hmm how is this going to affect 586 00:41:47,860 --> 00:41:54,420 me it is my last dollar it is all about me it is not about them it is part of having 587 00:41:54,420 --> 00:41:59,700 a sinful heart in this world we get focused on ourselves and God says that is not a child 588 00:41:59,700 --> 00:42:06,460 of God change which leads us to our next step practice compassion that leads to action the 589 00:42:06,460 --> 00:42:13,060 bible is clear that love originates from God we know what real love is because Jesus gave 590 00:42:13,060 --> 00:42:17,500 up his life for us so we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters 591 00:42:17,500 --> 00:42:22,140 the greatest harm you can do is to take the person's most precious possession in their 592 00:42:22,140 --> 00:42:27,700 life so what is the greatest good you can do for someone else give your life for them 593 00:42:27,700 --> 00:42:31,180 lay down your life for them you are like Chris are you saying I need to die for them no it 594 00:42:31,180 --> 00:42:36,460 means you get your selfishness out of the way it means you put others first because 595 00:42:36,460 --> 00:42:44,180 that is what Jesus did human religion is built around what we can do for God but the whole 596 00:42:44,180 --> 00:42:48,460 point of the gospel the whole point of the good news is what God has done for us out 597 00:42:48,460 --> 00:42:54,020 of love for us I mean you can know what love is because Jesus laid down his life for who 598 00:42:54,020 --> 00:42:59,660 you and me and I invite you to receive that love today this is the supreme example of 599 00:42:59,660 --> 00:43:04,140 love and how does that play out in our everyday lives well instead of indifference and hate 600 00:43:04,140 --> 00:43:10,180 that leads to inaction it is everyday love that is full of compassion and leads us to 601 00:43:10,180 --> 00:43:16,360 action 1 John 3 18 through 19 deal children let us not merely say that we love each other 602 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:22,740 let us show the truth by our actions our actions will show that we belong to the truth so we 603 00:43:22,740 --> 00:43:27,780 will be confident when we stand before God followers of Jesus should have compassion 604 00:43:27,780 --> 00:43:34,340 in our hearts when we see others in need which leads to action on behalf of those in need 605 00:43:34,340 --> 00:43:40,020 and when we do this what is that evidence of Jesus we are an example of Jesus God our 606 00:43:40,020 --> 00:43:46,300 father has given us his children new hearts hearts that are now inclined to love like 607 00:43:46,300 --> 00:43:51,900 his son like our perfect brother and that means when our hearts are prone to hatred 608 00:43:51,900 --> 00:43:59,580 or anger or indifference God gives us a supernatural power as his children to love instead to feel 609 00:43:59,580 --> 00:44:05,620 compassion like he feels to lay down our lives for others in need and friends I just want 610 00:44:05,620 --> 00:44:11,340 to encourage you I see this all throughout our community of faith I mean this past Friday 611 00:44:11,340 --> 00:44:17,060 is I was walking from room karaoke room to shoes being shined to makeup being done to 612 00:44:17,060 --> 00:44:21,740 food being served to I mean this place looked like a dance hall did you see that image like 613 00:44:21,740 --> 00:44:24,860 we are going to have people are going to want to do proms in here and we are going to say 614 00:44:24,860 --> 00:44:31,540 no ok it is night to shine in sorry too much work man too many chairs to move but the point 615 00:44:31,540 --> 00:44:37,380 is that was all done out of love you know you serve sacrificially this week we will 616 00:44:37,380 --> 00:44:43,160 we will we will spend over 600 community service hours this week serving at the cold weather 617 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:47,860 shelter serving the homeless you know we will play games with them and pray for them and 618 00:44:47,860 --> 00:44:54,980 worship with them and just love all over them why because of compassion and love this Wednesday 619 00:44:54,980 --> 00:44:59,940 if you have never given out a flower on Valentine's Day we will give away 400 flowers in the square 620 00:44:59,940 --> 00:45:04,780 in downtown Hagerstown if you have never done it come do it with us and this is why because 621 00:45:04,780 --> 00:45:09,900 when you give someone a flower and you see that smile on their face it makes it all worth 622 00:45:09,900 --> 00:45:15,700 it and I will tell you what something that has just changed my life this past year every 623 00:45:15,700 --> 00:45:19,660 other Wednesday we are going to Hagerstown health care on the dual highway and we are 624 00:45:19,660 --> 00:45:26,140 spending an hour and a half with the forgotten with people that are in a nursing home and 625 00:45:26,140 --> 00:45:30,780 I am not talking about older people I am talking about the forgotten of our society that the 626 00:45:30,780 --> 00:45:35,940 state sends and puts away hoping that they will die and stop wasting money I mean these 627 00:45:35,940 --> 00:45:39,700 people don't have friends they don't have family but we are going in there every other 628 00:45:39,700 --> 00:45:44,660 Wednesday there are several of you that serve with us and our staff and we just love on 629 00:45:44,660 --> 00:45:49,660 them and we worship with them and we share with them the Jesus with them and we pray 630 00:45:49,660 --> 00:45:53,660 for them and they are a part of our community of faith and there is so much a part of our 631 00:45:53,660 --> 00:45:59,620 community of faith that they have asked that we send people to them on Sundays to start 632 00:45:59,620 --> 00:46:04,020 our live stream with them at 11 o'clock so they can have church with us because they 633 00:46:04,020 --> 00:46:09,020 are a part of our church does that make sense so I want you all and I said this during our 634 00:46:09,020 --> 00:46:15,940 first gathering pray about pray about can I go to Hagerstown health care on Sunday mornings 635 00:46:15,940 --> 00:46:21,300 at 11 or 1030 or whatever start our live stream all you have to do is turn YouTube on start 636 00:46:21,300 --> 00:46:26,740 a live stream high five for Jesus all of them worship with them pray for them encourage 637 00:46:26,740 --> 00:46:33,900 them and then go back and share the good news with all of us you know is God calling you 638 00:46:33,900 --> 00:46:38,820 to do that because I tell you what that is the church there that is the church that is 639 00:46:38,820 --> 00:46:42,100 the segment of our church that is on the dual highway it may not be here in person but it 640 00:46:42,100 --> 00:46:48,580 is there and they want us to come and love on them and why because it is compassion loving 641 00:46:48,580 --> 00:46:53,460 action towards others it is not natural for us it is supernatural which leads us to our 642 00:46:53,460 --> 00:46:59,900 last truth be empowered by God's spirit as His children God enables us to love like He 643 00:46:59,900 --> 00:47:05,420 loves and this happens when He empowers us through His Holy Spirit look at 1 John 3 23 644 00:47:05,420 --> 00:47:11,100 to 24 and this is His commandment believe in the name of His son Jesus love one another 645 00:47:11,100 --> 00:47:16,060 just as He commanded us those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with Him 646 00:47:16,060 --> 00:47:21,900 and He with them and we know He lives in us because the spirit He gave us lives in us 647 00:47:21,900 --> 00:47:29,060 so John describes a two-fold commandment believe in Jesus that means we put our trust in Jesus 648 00:47:29,060 --> 00:47:34,340 as Lord and Savior then we what we love one another those two go together and then when 649 00:47:34,340 --> 00:47:41,460 you believe in Jesus as you love one another right He fills you with His supernatural Holy 650 00:47:41,460 --> 00:47:48,860 Spirit within us that overwhelms us with His love and then other lives are changed just 651 00:47:48,860 --> 00:47:53,700 think about it how does someone come into a relationship with Jesus if you're in a relationship 652 00:47:53,700 --> 00:48:00,340 with Jesus here this morning this is how it works the spirit was working in both you and 653 00:48:00,340 --> 00:48:06,060 the person that led you to Jesus it's a both and thing right there was a person that was 654 00:48:06,060 --> 00:48:11,100 an example of Jesus to you and you were drawn to them and in being drawn to them you then 655 00:48:11,100 --> 00:48:17,060 heard the truth and put your trust in Jesus and now both of you are changed every person 656 00:48:17,060 --> 00:48:21,860 in this gathering has that same story you have that story of whether trusting or not 657 00:48:21,860 --> 00:48:28,020 trusting right then one day when you experience God as your Savior you overwhelmed you to 658 00:48:28,020 --> 00:48:34,020 love now you are filled with the spirit and now you are called to go and do the same and 659 00:48:34,020 --> 00:48:39,260 I have prayed and believe that there is a supernatural work being done right now that 660 00:48:39,260 --> 00:48:45,860 our relationship with God is a supernatural life characterized by supernatural love it's 661 00:48:45,860 --> 00:48:51,940 a love that's not natural and it's a love whose origin is supernatural it's a love that 662 00:48:51,940 --> 00:48:59,500 can't produce on our own but only God can produce in us we can't be marked right by 663 00:48:59,500 --> 00:49:04,660 this world we can only be marked with the spirit that is living inside of us you know 664 00:49:04,660 --> 00:49:10,180 you can talk about aliens all you want the Holy Spirit is outer worldly it's not from 665 00:49:10,180 --> 00:49:36,020 this place and it's God's beckoning call for you to go and share that.