1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,880 Good morning everyone. It's a beautiful day for 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,440 worship. I'm thankful to have everyone 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,920 who's here today, all of our regulars to the faithful, and 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,080 we're excited to see our visitors who are here today. 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,440 You're honored guest, and we hope that you'll come back 6 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,640 anytime that you have opportunity. 7 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:17,760 And we pray that God will be glorified today. 8 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,840 As I was thinking this morning about my part in this worship 9 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,720 service, I was thinking about how is God worshipped when we 10 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,720 study his word? And as I was thinking about 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,600 that, I thought about the people who have gone on before me, 12 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,320 whether it's a parent or a grandparent, especially those 13 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,320 who have now passed. I think about the greatest way 14 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,720 to honor someone who has passed is to continue to teach the 15 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,680 things that they taught you because that's that's what you 16 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,280 have and that's what is meaningful and valuable both to 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,080 them and to you. And this morning as we study, I 18 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,600 hope God is worshipped because we're going to be relaying the 19 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,680 things that Jesus taught and that he left on this earth. 20 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,520 And I hope that there is, I think there is. 21 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,239 And I hope he, he senses no greater honor from us, that we 22 00:01:04,239 --> 00:01:08,120 would want to change our minds to think the way he does, and 23 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:13,120 that we would amplify his truths above everything we might think 24 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:14,880 this morning. And so I pray that he is 25 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,120 worshipped and honored through our study. 26 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,080 And we're in first John and we're in chapter 5 today. 27 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:21,880 So if you want to turn your Bibles there, we're going to be 28 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,920 in first John 5 most of the time we're on Lesson 7. 29 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,400 So this is 7 of I believe 8. We'll be able to finish on the 30 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,120 next one through this letter to and 1st John. 31 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,280 And if you haven't been here for this, this letter is a letter of 32 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,160 encouragement and a letter of assurance. 33 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:45,760 And it's a kind of a, a bird's eye view of faith. 34 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:47,960 And it's a bird's eye view of our Christian walk. 35 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:49,960 And it gives us so much encouragement in this book. 36 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,520 And it's written to people who are already Christians. 37 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,800 And yeah, we've already talked about the reasons he wrote this 38 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,240 book. And, and, and all these reasons 39 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,840 are to solidify and ground the Christian and to give them 40 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:07,080 assurance and peace and confidence in what God has for 41 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,440 them. So if you have not read this 42 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,200 book, I recommend you go through and read the first four 43 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:13,880 chapters. And we're just going to get a 44 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:18,240 running start from chapter 4 where we left off before we read 45 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,520 there. No one has seen God at any time. 46 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,400 If we love one another, God abides in US and His love has 47 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,840 been perfected in US. And I'm starting here because I 48 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,280 want to clarify something that we talked about last week about 49 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:35,040 His love being perfected in US. Verse 13 says by this we know 50 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,000 that we abide in Him and He and us because He has given us of 51 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,920 His Spirit. Verse 17 goes on to say love has 52 00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:47,440 been perfected among us in this that we may have boldness in the 53 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,560 day of judgement. So as we were talking about 54 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,920 those verses, I spent some time talking about what it means to 55 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:56,000 have a love that is perfected in you and me. 56 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,680 And I think as I was thinking about how I said it, I might 57 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:04,600 have communicated more of a portrayal of love than really 58 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,880 what I was intending to. It is absolutely true that that 59 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,920 we portray God's love in a more complete sense when we become 60 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:15,880 perfected in love. But I think the maybe what's 61 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,520 even bigger and even more impactful in this passage here 62 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,280 is that whatever this is, it creates boldness in US and 63 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,800 confidence and judgement. And it's not just about showing 64 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,400 things to others. Maybe the bigger point here is 65 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,600 that living full of love gives ourselves confidence that we are 66 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:40,120 in Him, but it also teaches our heart what it means to love. 67 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,920 So yes, portraying it's important, but if we're going to 68 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:50,920 have confidence in judgement, having love that is perfected 69 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,400 teaches our hearts what it means to love. 70 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,520 Because how could you and I ever wrap our minds around God saving 71 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,680 us if we don't develop a love toward others? 72 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,160 They would even reflect that if that love is in our not in our 73 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,480 hearts, it's probably not going to seem like it's possible. 74 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:15,760 And so part of having love fully matured and perfected, it helps 75 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,480 our hearts comprehend the kind of love that would show grace. 76 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,200 We might think we're fine or I'm good enough, God will accept me. 77 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,160 But it's not until our heart becomes exposed to through an 78 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,880 experience of learning it through others and how we love 79 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,440 others that we will ever be able to comprehend how God can love 80 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:40,000 us that way. I hope that was clear, but I 81 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,720 wanted to emphasize it today. So it's not so much a garment we 82 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,480 wear as it is something injected into our veins that courses 83 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,000 through everything. So love is not a garment that we 84 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,800 put on and people see and it's nice. 85 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,120 It's it's something that is everything inside of us so that 86 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,960 when we view God, we see him through this lens. 87 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,200 So that when we look at ourselves, we see, we see 88 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,240 ourselves through the lens of God's love and that we will see 89 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,240 others through the lens of love like God does. 90 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,880 And absolutely it's true that we do demonstrate that to others 91 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,440 and that's vital. But I wanted to clarify that. 92 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,360 And I think this point is echoed in the Sermon on the Mount where 93 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,880 as Frank pointed out, the greatest F, the greatest effect 94 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,400 of praying for enemies is the change that makes inside of us. 95 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,760 And so the point being there, things really change for us when 96 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:35,600 we develop the love that God has for us, because as he is, so are 97 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:37,920 we in the world. There is No Fear in love, but 98 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,440 perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. 99 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,120 But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 100 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:49,720 There it is again that that you can't really have true peace 101 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,320 from your fears until you understand love completely. 102 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,600 And I, I, I'm not saying any of us completely do, but we're 103 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:56,760 becoming more perfected in it. Hopefully. 104 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,120 Verse 19. We love him because he first 105 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,760 loved us. If someone says I love God and 106 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,480 hates his brother, he's a liar for he does not love his brother 107 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,120 whom he has seen. How can he love God whom he has 108 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,600 not seen? So here's the running start and 109 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:14,920 this commandment we have from him that he who loves God must 110 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:19,160 love his brother also. OK first the first verse of 111 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:21,920 first John 5, the last chapter of this letter. 112 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,920 He says whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of 113 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:33,040 God and everyone who loves him, who begot who, who did the, the 114 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,760 creating, you might say, also loves him who is begotten of 115 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:38,520 him. So you're starting to probably 116 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,640 feel like this is repetitive, right? 117 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,920 That's circular reason. He's coming back through some of 118 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:47,120 the same topics. But the point here is that there 119 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:52,280 is a close connection between those who are God's people and 120 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:57,880 those for between God himself, the one who begot and God's 121 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,640 people. So if if you love God, then I 122 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,880 should love you. That's his point there. 123 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:11,440 How I feel when people are good to Charlie is a different 124 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,440 feeling that I can explain. And I felt it when, you know, if 125 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,040 there was someone from from school who came to church with 126 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,480 me or who was converted and, and the people at church showed them 127 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,280 love. It was such a great feeling to 128 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,480 know that there were people who loved me, who transferred that 129 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:29,080 love to them and showed them love. 130 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:35,760 I can only imagine how God feels because if we love God, he says 131 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:40,000 it should be natural that we love those who God has begotten, 132 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:42,400 who those who are begotten of God. 133 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,160 If we really love God, we can't help but love his people. 134 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,320 Verse 2 By this we know that we love the children of God. 135 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:59,120 So if you wonder if if I really want to love God and portray 136 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:04,000 that and if I want to be assured in my Christianity because by 137 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,080 knowing that I love the children of God, how do you do that? 138 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,680 And as you think how you might show love to the children of 139 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,720 God, maybe there's certain things that pop to your mind. 140 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,040 There certainly are things that pop into my mind as I think of 141 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,080 how I could show love to the children of God. 142 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:25,920 Is it a specific act, a deed, He says when we love God and keep 143 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:30,440 his commandments. So there's this unbreakable 144 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:35,559 triangle happening between us, God and others. 145 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,360 And I think we are very confident in understanding that 146 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,080 that love that we show towards God is in following his word. 147 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,560 We've established that throughout this letter that we 148 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:48,360 love God by following his word and keeping his commandments. 149 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,200 And we could see how others we need to show God that same love 150 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:57,280 in following his commandments. But the unbreakable third piece 151 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:01,640 to this is that we actually show love to others when we obey God, 152 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,800 when we follow God's commands. OK, so the question might be, 153 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:09,840 well, what commands? Well, before I get into that, 154 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,560 the first primary point is we cannot separate love for others 155 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:18,480 from God's commands. And some people want to make it 156 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,200 like, yeah, obeying a lot of the stuff in the Bible is kind of 157 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,880 kind of rules as legals. It's it's legalism if you focus 158 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,760 on the rules too much. But in God's Word, you can't 159 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:36,440 separate his commandments from love because the New Testament 160 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:40,000 is called the law of liberty. And if God gives us a law to 161 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,480 follow, it's going to be good for him and it's going to be 162 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:45,920 good for us, and it's going to be good for everyone around us. 163 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:50,120 So what kinds of of commandments is he talking about? 164 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:52,200 Well, let's start with the obvious. 165 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,360 Being generous and showing generosity or doing good deeds 166 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,440 for people is obviously a way that we can follow God's 167 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,720 commandments and show love to God's people. 168 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,720 I think we all get that. And you think about Acts 2 when 169 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,240 they had all things in common, they were sharing with one 170 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,160 another, selling their land, and doing things for one another. 171 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:12,360 It's beautiful. That's what God intends. 172 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:17,760 But does it stop there? What about things like how we 173 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,120 dress? I'm not talking about Sunday 174 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:21,800 morning. I'm not talking about how how 175 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:27,680 nice your clothes are. I'm talking about what we wear 176 00:10:27,680 --> 00:10:32,840 as it relates to a covering in Galatians 6 and other passages. 177 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,320 It talks about this idea of lasciviousness that might cause 178 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,200 someone else to lust or cause someone else to incite sexual 179 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:43,560 desire or show things that we should not be showing. 180 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,880 Now, how does that command relate to showing love for my 181 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,160 brethren? Well, some people might say that 182 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:56,720 is not my job to dress modestly so that that man or that woman 183 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:59,720 can control themselves. It's their job to control 184 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:01,120 themselves. They shouldn't be looking at it. 185 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,920 If it's if it tempts them or if it shows, makes them feel 186 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:05,320 feelings of lust, that's on them. 187 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,320 But the Bible talks about the way we dress and the way we 188 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,120 conduct ourselves. It is their job to control 189 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:17,280 themselves, but it is the other party's responsibility to help 190 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,960 them control themselves. Because if we're going to follow 191 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,560 God's commands in a way that will show love toward our 192 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:27,200 brethren, how can we possibly do that with our dress and if it 193 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,240 does not uphold the other person who might be tempted? 194 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:36,080 So our dress, I think you could absolutely say plays into how we 195 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,040 show love to God and others at the same time. 196 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,000 What about romantic relationships and specifically 197 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,040 before marriage? If I'm think that I'm in love 198 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:51,440 with someone before before I get married and or if someone thinks 199 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:57,920 they're in love, if we do things outside of the the bonds of 200 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:02,440 marriage that are sexual in nature, that creates a 201 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,280 relationship that is sinful before God. 202 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,600 And how could we ever say we love them if we were creating 203 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:14,840 sin in them and in us? So by obeying God's commands to 204 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,800 wait until marriage, we are showing them love. 205 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,640 And we are showing God's love by obeying God's command. 206 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,720 You think about homosexuality almost the same line of 207 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,840 reasoning. If you really care for someone, 208 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,600 you will not engage in a homosexual relationship because 209 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,280 you know what's going to doom their soul. 210 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,040 It is a way of showing love to them to follow God's commands, 211 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,160 even if it might not seem right to us. 212 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,080 There's a way that seems right to the man, but it's end 213 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:47,920 thereof, the ways of death. The Bible says relationships can 214 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:53,480 make and break our lives. To be willingly, to willingly 215 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,160 take someone else into sin in our relationships. 216 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:01,160 How could you ever show love to them by engaging in that way? 217 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,040 And as you think about marriage, how can I show love to someone 218 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:06,080 in marriage? Think you can think about any 219 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,280 possible scripture about marriage in the Bible. 220 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:12,640 Every scripture about marriage from God's commands is intended 221 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,560 to help us show love to that person. 222 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:18,040 So I think we can see the commands of love and marriage, 223 00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:21,640 but what about worship? So we're we're still talking 224 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:26,440 about how does me falling God's commands show love to my 225 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,680 brethren? How is that how I show love to 226 00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:31,400 them? What about worship in first 227 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,600 Corinthians chapter 14, he's describing several different 228 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,320 factors that go into their worship and he says all these 229 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:42,640 things are done for edification. So if you don't think that the 230 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,640 way we worship matters and I'm not saying anything specific. 231 00:13:45,680 --> 00:13:50,520 I'm saying if you're considering the way we worship, you read 232 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,360 scripture. He says this is reason is for 233 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:59,240 edification, whether it's the whether it's the clarity and how 234 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,560 many people speak or when they speak or how they speak. 235 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:03,320 You read about that all in First Corinthians. 236 00:14:04,680 --> 00:14:07,120 Anything about that is to build people up. 237 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,040 That's what edification means. So if we're not following God's 238 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,720 commands for how we're to worship, we're not building 239 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,120 people up the way God has intended us to be building them 240 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,120 up. What about singing? 241 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,800 Do you think God's commands are on singing have anything to do 242 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:23,240 with showing love to other people? 243 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,480 Reads Colossians 316. Let the word of Christ dwell in 244 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,120 you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one 245 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,600 another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with 246 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:36,880 grace in your hearts to the Lord. 247 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,480 So yes, the grace is in our hearts to God, but we're 248 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,160 teaching and admonishing each other. 249 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:47,920 So in our worship, in our singing, if we don't do that, we 250 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:51,840 are missing an opportunity to show love to our brethren by 251 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,360 teaching and admonishing them. What about communion? 252 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:57,920 Do you think communion is an opportunity for us to show love 253 00:14:57,920 --> 00:14:59,840 toward one another and following God's command? 254 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:04,240 Well, in first Corinthians 11, it says for an eating, each one 255 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:06,960 takes his own supper ahead of others and one is hungry and 256 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,280 another is drunk and and he goes on to say, and they shame those 257 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:13,000 who have nothing. So he's starting here by 258 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,480 correcting how they were doing communion saying here's how you 259 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:20,120 went wrong. Now, if we were to mess up 260 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:23,400 communion in some way, it might be in a different set of 261 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:27,840 consequences, but this is what the consequences that they had 262 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:32,080 when they messed up communion. So they messed it up in one way 263 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,040 and it created these consequences. 264 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,080 There's this inequality, there's these people who are receiving 265 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,440 shame because of it. So we don't commune the way God 266 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:44,400 wants us to commune. People are hindered. 267 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,880 That's not love. Instead, in First Corinthians 8, 268 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,560 he says the bread which we break, is it not the communion 269 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,200 of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one 270 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,920 bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread. 271 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,920 If you love people, you want them to feel unified and 272 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:10,000 together in this body. That's Christ's design. 273 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:12,640 You want them to feel like they're a part of this. 274 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,680 You want them to feel like they are valuable and matter and are 275 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,760 important to us and to God. And it says that the way we 276 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,600 commune conveys that unity to one another. 277 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:27,000 So I'd say the way we commune, the way we bought obey God's 278 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,320 commands matters is to how we show love toward God and people. 279 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,080 What about the hair in First Corinthians 11 says, but every 280 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,120 woman who prays or prophecies with her head uncovered 281 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,880 dishonors her head. That's a study for another time. 282 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,480 But as you see here, it says throughout that passage, her 283 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:48,960 head is man. And so there is a dishonouring 284 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,360 when there is a when there is, the hair is not handled the way 285 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:55,440 God says to handle it. And now you might ask, what is 286 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:56,720 what are we supposed to do with the hair? 287 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,040 That's a study for another time. I hope you'll read 1st 288 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,440 Corinthians 11. But however we handle the hair 289 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:08,640 shows respect or disrespect to someone else as the head. 290 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:13,200 So what we're seeing is everything Gods has commanded 291 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:14,520 us. I just thought of some random 292 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,040 stuff. Does this apply to me loving my 293 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,119 brother? And so far everything has a 294 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,920 connection to loving each other. What about church discipline? 295 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,720 What about when someone is in the wrong? 296 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,240 And there's a lot of wisdom to be had and a lot of nuance to 297 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,160 these situations. But can I show love to someone 298 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,120 by showing by by the church having discipline and the church 299 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:39,560 taking action? In First Corinthians 5, you read 300 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,720 of a situation where somebody was doing some bad stuff and 301 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:45,800 living in sin and everybody was just OK with it. 302 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,920 Paul came in to correct that, and he later comes back and 303 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,840 wants to assure them that the purpose of doing that is to 304 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,600 restore that person. The purpose of correcting and 305 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:01,880 disciplining from the church and giving some, hey, you've got to 306 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,160 get this, this can't happen anymore. 307 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,320 This is not good. The purpose of doing that kind 308 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:11,080 of discipline is to save their souls. 309 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,920 So, so far everything we could think of leads back to loving 310 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:21,000 each other and loving God. Jesus said it this way when he 311 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,720 was asked in Matthew 22, Teacher, which is the greatest 312 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,840 commandment in the law, He replied, love the Lord with God 313 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,200 with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your 314 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:30,800 mind. This is the first and greatest 315 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,720 commandment and the second is like it. 316 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:37,120 Love your neighbor as yourself, love God, love people, right? 317 00:18:37,360 --> 00:18:40,520 Verse 40, all the law and the prophets hang on these two 318 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,920 commandments. People try to pull the 319 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,200 scriptures apart and say this is love, this is laws. 320 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:55,240 God says I'm wise, I know what I'm doing, follow me and you 321 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,680 will love each other better. You will love me better. 322 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,600 May we never try to peace out God's law because just because 323 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:06,960 we don't see how it matters, just because it we don't see how 324 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:10,800 this teaching matters or this Scripture matters, doesn't mean 325 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:16,480 it doesn't hold a vital role in God's plan for us to show love 326 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:22,680 to him and to others. So by this we know that we love 327 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:24,240 the children of God when we love God. 328 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:28,440 Keep his commandments, He goes on to say, and his commandments 329 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,080 are not burdensome. Have you noticed something about 330 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,840 yourself that I've noticed about myself? 331 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:40,440 Small things can seem really hard sometimes, and big things 332 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:42,280 can sometimes not seem like that big of a deal. 333 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,400 We're weird that way. I am at least. 334 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:49,920 So I need to watch out for how I look at God in His commands 335 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,040 because my gauge is not very good. 336 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,480 There's a comedian some of you have heard of who does a skit 337 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:58,000 all about this, and his comments are about how people always use 338 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,400 the phrase that's the worst, as if the things that we're talking 339 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,120 about are really the worst. And the comment he uses is, you 340 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:09,000 know, when you when you're stuck by yourself waiting outside the 341 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,480 mall for your friends to get there in a first world country 342 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:17,400 with stuff inside that you can never, you never need anything. 343 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:21,480 We say things that are really ridiculous when you think about 344 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,040 it, like all that's the worst thing that can happen or it's so 345 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:25,440 bad. It's so frustrating. 346 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,120 And, and I have things in my life that do that to me all the 347 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:32,400 time where I develop a mentality in daily life. 348 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,640 There's some things become burdens that don't need to be 349 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:38,360 burdens. But what's really burdensome, 350 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,080 it's not God's. It's not God's commands. 351 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:44,360 What's burdensome is internal restraint. 352 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:48,440 Frank talked about this often. Serving God without restraint is 353 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,880 actually good for us because the burdens come when we try to hold 354 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:56,400 back and we feel that strain against ourselves to do what God 355 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,840 has commanded. So the internal factor about 356 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:04,200 pulling back is what can cause a strain, but also external 357 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,720 persecution. So if you are trying to do 358 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,160 better and somebody's pulling back against you, sure, that's 359 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:13,240 that's a burden, but that's not God's command. 360 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,760 These things show up when we follow God's commands often 361 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:19,320 times. But God's commands are not the 362 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:25,240 problem. Sin is what creates new burdens 363 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,920 for us and for others. It creates new burdens and ways 364 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:31,560 that we can never foresee happening. 365 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:36,240 God's way relieves burdens for us and for others. 366 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,680 And sometimes, or oftentimes you might even say it doesn't seem 367 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,280 that way. Oftentimes what looks good right 368 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,800 now and seems like it's going to be relief from a burden ends up 369 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:50,280 creating new problems later. But we can't see that right in 370 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:56,600 front of us and we have to at some point surrender in faith as 371 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:57,760 he's going to tell us in a minute. 372 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:02,520 Faith says God, I don't see how this is good right now, but I 373 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,720 trust you enough to obey you and I believe it's going to be best 374 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,600 for me and the people involved. I've been in situations where I 375 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:13,280 did not want to address somebody, but I knew God was God 376 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:17,080 was calling me through his word and through and, and through his 377 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,240 teachings to, to respond to that person and to and to reach out 378 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:23,880 to them in some way. And lo and behold, it fixed the 379 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,080 relationship in ways I thought I never would have and developed a 380 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:28,640 bond that I never thought could have happened. 381 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:34,800 When we follow God, even when we don't see it, that is faith and 382 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:36,560 that is going to relieve burdens. 383 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,560 And we by God's grace can adapt to anything. 384 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:45,080 Isn't that the context of what Paul says in Philippians? 385 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,560 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 386 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:52,560 Isn't that the actual context where when you want to do God's 387 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:58,320 will, you can do it and you can change your mind and your 388 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,760 attitude to do it in a way that will go be good for you and for 389 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,000 everyone? We can change. 390 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,040 Things that seem hard don't have to always seem hard. 391 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,120 You're going to have new challenges, but those things 392 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,640 will become easier as you progress. 393 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:17,080 Sometimes they come back up. But I can do all things through 394 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:22,720 Christ who strengthens me. And so as we would be called by 395 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:27,080 God to repent and to change our life in any number of ways that 396 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:31,720 you or I might need to change our life, may we be willing to 397 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,440 repent of a mindset that would think that God's ways are 398 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:40,560 burdens. God's ways are not burdens. 399 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:42,720 And I have to change my mind if I think that way. 400 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,960 Verse 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. 401 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,280 It's not a burden there overcomes the world, and this is 402 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,200 the victory that has overcome the world. 403 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:58,440 Our faith. Faith is the only thing in this 404 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:02,080 world that can drive the kind of things that it does. 405 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,120 You look at Job in the Old Testament, a man who suffered 406 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:08,240 beyond anything I can imagine, maybe more than anyone has 407 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,520 suffered outside of Jesus. I don't know, but he lost 408 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,880 everything. He lost his family, his health, 409 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:20,560 his wealth. He lost it all and yet his faith 410 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:24,480 held on. It overcame the world. 411 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:29,280 What else but faith could take people who are in their 70s and 412 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:34,760 80s, who has held them on their whole life, to sustain you and 413 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,920 strengthen you through everything you've been through 414 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,040 and to still have a smile on your face? 415 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,640 Faith only. Nothing is like it for the new 416 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:48,080 Christian that gives them the strength to pry away and that 417 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:51,760 God's strength would pry away them from the sin that they were 418 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,840 living in. Sins claws run deep in US. 419 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,360 What else besides faith could make that happen? 420 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:02,440 Faith is the victory that has overcome the world, as we often 421 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,840 see verse five. Who is he who overcomes the 422 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:11,240 world? As you think about that, who do 423 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:13,560 you think the person is who has overcome the world? 424 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,440 I don't know about you. There might be people you think 425 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,960 of that have done pretty well in their life. 426 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,240 Maybe you picture someone who is overcome by by their business 427 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,920 prowess or maybe their political prowess and they've risen to 428 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,840 great heights and great wealth. Maybe they have everything this 429 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,160 world could ever offer them, you might say. 430 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:37,680 And by some standards, maybe you think of athletes who, hey, it's 431 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:39,560 not all about the money, it's about victory, it's about 432 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,840 winning, it's about overcoming. And it's sports, man. 433 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:45,280 You can't, you can't beat Tom Brady for that. 434 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,160 Maybe you think about climbing Mount Everest if you're into the 435 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,680 outdoors like I am, that's I don't care about the money as 436 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,400 much. But if I were to to climb the 437 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:57,960 tallest mountains in the world, or if I was going to explore 438 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,120 some of the greatest things the world has to see, that's 439 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,160 overcoming the world in some sense. 440 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:10,400 But the hard reality is this isn't what it seems. 441 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,320 Maybe you think about scientists and great thinkers or great 442 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,440 business people. You think about Robert 443 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:20,160 Oppenheimer, the great scientist who who is making leaps and 444 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:24,840 bounds. But then his work led to the 445 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,240 atomic bombs, the nuclear weapons being used. 446 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,240 You think about men like Cornelius Vanderbilt, who built 447 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,000 the railroad system, who built this country from the ground up. 448 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:42,000 In many ways, his railroads became pretty obsolete not long 449 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:47,680 after he built them. Most things you talk to Tom 450 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:50,080 Brady, and he was said it in interviews when he won his first 451 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,560 Super Bowl. He said, this is kind of like 452 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:57,640 this is it that that was it. That was the peak you you hear 453 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,760 from people who climb Mount Everest and it's like, well, 454 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:03,040 well, now what peak now what mountain am I going to climb 455 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:04,760 now? Now I need to do this one and 456 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:08,520 this one and this one all in the same month or in the same year. 457 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:10,640 And there's always these heights to climb. 458 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,880 There's always a new peak. Well, yeah, you're a climber, 459 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:17,040 but can you, can you dive? There's always a new horizon. 460 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,560 There's always more wealth. And really, all these things 461 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:25,000 require sacrifice of something else that is so valuable. 462 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:27,640 These people will tell you they'll cry when they talk about 463 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,280 the sacrifice it took to get there. 464 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:36,640 So overcoming the world. My grandpa used to say if you 465 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,360 only do one thing, you better be good at it. 466 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:42,920 That's pretty humbling because a lot of times people get pretty 467 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,360 puffed up about how good they are at their job or something 468 00:27:45,360 --> 00:27:48,080 they do well, Yeah, that's, that's all you do. 469 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,520 Will Rogers said everyone is ignorant only on different 470 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:56,240 subjects. The point is, something is 471 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:58,960 always sacrificed, and you know that better than I do. 472 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,440 Something is always sacrificed when you think you're reaching 473 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:05,400 some greatness and the peak is not what it seems. 474 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,560 So who is he? Whoever comes the world, that's 475 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:09,960 the question that's still in front of us. 476 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,240 We've thought about maybe someone from every area of life. 477 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,320 Here's the Bibles. Well, we have all these 478 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,200 advancements and yet we as Americans are overweight, 479 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,400 disconnected, unhealthy, depressed, too busy, and we have 480 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:24,800 pandemics that still happen. So we're not overcoming the 481 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:26,840 world. Whoever it is, it's not us. 482 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:29,560 We are not overcoming the world, but who has? 483 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:36,360 Who has overcome the world? But he who believes that Jesus 484 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:45,720 is the Son of God, the phrase he who believes is not thinking. 485 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:49,280 Oh yeah, I know God exists. The word believe if you read 486 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,960 after any commentator, is the force to obey my belief, if it 487 00:28:53,960 --> 00:29:00,200 is real, propels me and pushes me and drives me to trust God. 488 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:04,680 Whatever trust means to rely upon God and to commit to God. 489 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:11,480 If I tell my wife I love her or I'm with her and I don't trust 490 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,680 in her and rely on her and commit to her, that means 491 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:17,240 nothing to her. Jesus says even the demons 492 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,400 believe in tremble. So a mental ascent. 493 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,400 Yeah. God, I I think you're real. 494 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,120 That's that's good. That is not what he's talking 495 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:26,040 about here. He is talking about he who 496 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,640 believes, who will trust and real trust says, God, I'll trust 497 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:30,840 you with whatever you want me to do. 498 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,360 I'll follow you wherever you want me to go. 499 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:40,000 That's trust, that's belief. Now he's going to start a little 500 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:46,040 conversation about about the testimony of God and the things 501 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:47,640 that are proof. And we have to remember the 502 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,240 context of what he's saying here. 503 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,880 So he's been defending in this letter. 504 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:57,360 He's been defending the faith and what Jesus did against 505 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:00,320 people who would detract people who'd say, oh, Jesus didn't 506 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:01,680 really come. He didn't really come in the 507 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:03,160 flesh. That's not real. 508 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:05,760 He's been defending about those things. 509 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:11,800 So that's the context for what he says Next, verse 6. 510 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:18,120 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not only by 511 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:26,120 water, but by water and blood. Now blood, you might say, has 512 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,480 one perspective. You think about Jesus's blood he 513 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,520 shed on the cross. Maybe there's some more in there 514 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,160 we'll talk about, but there are some different points to be made 515 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,280 about the water. And the most commonly held and, 516 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:40,680 and maybe the most obvious way that this is true is in the 517 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:43,600 waters of baptism. Jesus came by the waters of 518 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:48,720 baptism and it was, it was his moment where things were 519 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:50,600 changing and his ministry was beginning. 520 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,120 And as you think about people who would detract from this 521 00:30:54,120 --> 00:31:01,080 really happening, Jesus, when he was baptized, solidified and 522 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:07,280 spoke and and confirmed that I am here on earth to do this 523 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,240 work. I'm fully in, I'm fully 524 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:13,960 invested, I'm immersed in it, and I'm here to do the Father's 525 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:19,960 will on earth. And by being baptized, Jesus 526 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:25,360 came by water and he confirmed that he did what he said he did, 527 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:27,120 and the Holy Spirit says that he did. 528 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:31,680 He was invested fully here and fully human. 529 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,000 Now some people might make a point and, and I don't, I 530 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:41,360 wouldn't say I think this is not true, but maybe it's not as 531 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:42,880 commonly believed about this passage. 532 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,960 But some might say this waters is talking about the waters of 533 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:51,000 the womb, that Jesus came by the waters of the womb and by the 534 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,480 blood of death. And so that is the proof that he 535 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,360 was here and was real among us by his birth and by his death. 536 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:01,720 But I think the cool part is those things are both true and 537 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,880 water has both a physical truth. Jesus came and he was here by 538 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,960 the waters of birth and a spiritual component where he was 539 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:13,320 baptized and immersed and he was real in that sense and 540 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,520 committed. But just like it, the blood does 541 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,760 have then a physical and a spiritual component. 542 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,480 Jesus lived in flesh and blood. He had the blood in his veins. 543 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:27,840 He wasn't a hologram. He had the blood in his veins 544 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,040 that we have, but also the spiritual component. 545 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:36,800 He came and he sacrificed and he bled and it was a real thing 546 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:39,400 that he did. That's what the writers trying 547 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,080 to convince us of. Jesus came by water and blood. 548 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,760 This is true. This is real and it is the 549 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:48,480 Spirit who bears witness because the Spirit is truth. 550 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:55,160 The Spirit of God tells us that this is true, for there are 551 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:57,560 three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, 552 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,600 and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. 553 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,480 There's a discussion to be had about this passage if you are 554 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:04,000 curious about it, we can talk later. 555 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,960 This passage is all, all these things are true in this 556 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,800 statement, but there is a conversation to be had that 557 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,960 maybe you'll be interested in later, but we don't have time to 558 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:16,960 go into it now. Verse 8 And there are three that 559 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,120 bear witness. Some translations include the 560 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:22,560 phrase on earth, some do not for some of the same reasons. 561 00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:24,920 Verse 8. And there are three that bear 562 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,080 witness on earth. So if you look in the Bible 563 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,680 throughout the Word of God, two or three witnesses is required 564 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:33,360 to establish a testimony. So if you're going to say 565 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:36,000 something, it needs to be backed up in the Bible, oftentimes by 566 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,640 two or three at least. And we read about that in 567 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:43,040 Deuteronomy 1719, Matthew 8, Second Corinthians 13. 568 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,120 And the Bible holds to that standard. 569 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:48,280 There are three that bear witness on earth. 570 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,480 The Spirit. First of all, the spirit is the 571 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:54,600 primary witness and he's going to say in a minute, if you 572 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:56,560 believe people, how much you believe God. 573 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:01,760 The Spirit of God conveyed through miracles, through mighty 574 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:04,400 powerful works. The Bible says the things that 575 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,880 are are in there. So the Spirit is witness to 576 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:11,239 Jesus work. But also the Spirit of God 577 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:14,920 taught the truths of the Bible. The Spirit of God gave us the 578 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,920 Word. So the Spirit first of all bears 579 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:20,719 witness that Jesus is real and he did what he said he did. 580 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:25,760 Secondly, we have the water, and that's what we just talked 581 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:26,679 about. Jesus. 582 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:32,320 The water proved his divine and human mission and the blood. 583 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:35,239 Now, we've already talked about the blood, but this is 584 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,679 interesting when you consider it in light of the statement about 585 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:42,840 the witness, the one saying standing up and saying, hey, I 586 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,280 can witness to this. I can say that this is true. 587 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:48,440 The blood says this. How so? 588 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:52,239 Well, in Genesis chapter 4, we read about the situation where 589 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:53,920 Abel was murdered by his brother Cain. 590 00:34:54,639 --> 00:34:58,440 And the Bible says that Abel's blood cries out from the ground. 591 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,680 So Abel's blood testified of something. 592 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:04,720 It spoke of something. What did it say? 593 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:09,080 Abel's blood said, evil's been done, vengeance is required, 594 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,320 Something needs to be done because this is wrong. 595 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:16,480 His blood spoke in a sense, and it demanded justice happen. 596 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:21,800 But what about Hebrews 12? Hebrews 12 we studied not too 597 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:26,480 long ago says that the blood of Jesus speaks better things than 598 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:30,160 that of Abel. So if you remember, what did the 599 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:34,160 blood of Jesus say? The blood of Jesus, unlike 600 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:37,480 Abel's blood that spoke vengeance and justice, the blood 601 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:44,480 of Jesus spoke of a sacrifice. It spoke of peace, salvation and 602 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:48,360 redemption. So as we think about these 3, 603 00:35:48,360 --> 00:35:52,960 the bear witness, the blood is the witness that Jesus came, He 604 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:56,720 died and he sacrificed for redemption and for salvation. 605 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:00,840 Verse 9 we're almost done here if we receive the witness of 606 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:05,600 men, the witness of God is greater for this is the witness 607 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,640 of God, which we which he has testified of his son. 608 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:12,560 It's silly to think that we would take our witness and 609 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:16,280 people's claims above God. That's what he's saying believe 610 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:17,360 God. If you're going to if you're 611 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:19,640 going to believe people believe God. 612 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:24,640 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. 613 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:27,520 So this whole time we've been talking about the spirit that is 614 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:31,160 witnessed, the blood, the water. We've talked about in chapter 1, 615 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,240 the writer said that which was from the beginning, we've heard, 616 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:40,000 we've seen, our eyes have seen, we've looked upon him, our hands 617 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,080 have handled, we've touched him. The word of life, He said we are 618 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:48,480 witnesses of that, that life was manifest and we bear witness. 619 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:51,640 So, so far we have the disciples, their witness, who 620 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:53,160 are testifying that this is true. 621 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:54,920 They've seen it, they've heard it, they've touched it. 622 00:36:55,720 --> 00:36:58,760 And then you have the Spirit of God, you have the water, you 623 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:00,520 have the blood, all these witnesses. 624 00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:03,800 And he includes you and me in that list. 625 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:10,680 He says he who believes you're a witness too, You are one who 626 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:13,240 could stand up if there was a court case and say, I believe. 627 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:16,840 And I can tell you that this is true because of faith. 628 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:21,520 And we have this witness. We are another person standing 629 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:27,440 as witness to Jesus Christ. He who does not believe God has 630 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:33,280 made him a liar. Now again, that that belief is 631 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:37,400 the force to obey. So when we don't follow God, 632 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:41,360 whether it's through, I don't think you're right, God, or 633 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:47,560 maybe it's practical application to our life, we make God a liar. 634 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:53,440 God's work is front and center in creation. 635 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:56,000 As Romans clearly lays out for us. 636 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:00,800 There is no claim for ignorance, innocence, or disinterest in the 637 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:06,280 work of God. You either believe with force or 638 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:09,480 you call God a liar. I call God a liar. 639 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:15,040 There's no in between. That's the hard reality because 640 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:18,280 he has not believed the testimony that God has given of 641 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:22,240 His Son. So if God in all his great and 642 00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:26,560 masterful works stood up and made the claims and did the 643 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:30,920 things that he did, and we look at that and say him, OK, I 644 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:32,160 really don't think that applies to me. 645 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:36,440 You're not want to do that. We're rejecting the testimony of 646 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:42,600 God Himself. And this is His testimony that 647 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:46,600 God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 648 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:51,360 I can understand rejecting a testimony that is like eating 649 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:53,640 nails. But how about this testimony 650 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,160 that people reject that sometimes maybe I reject through 651 00:38:56,160 --> 00:39:00,640 my actions. God's given you eternal life. 652 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:04,360 Why in the world would I reject that? 653 00:39:06,240 --> 00:39:12,560 And this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life. 654 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:16,080 He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 655 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:21,440 If you're here today without the life, without the Son, you're 656 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:24,920 dead. There's no life in your body. 657 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:29,920 These things I've written to you who believe in the name of the 658 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:33,920 Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and 659 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:38,000 that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 660 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:41,920 He's trying to hold these people up and to hold them. 661 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:44,600 Look at the witnesses. How could you look at this stand 662 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,960 of witnesses if you're in a court case and look at all the 663 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:50,520 people who have come up and testified one after another and 664 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:54,000 say, Nope. The writer is hoping that you'll 665 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,480 see this long list of witnesses and say, OK, I'm in here. 666 00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:00,800 I'm in here for the long run. And we're going to finish next 667 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:03,640 week as to maybe some concluding thoughts as to what to do with 668 00:40:03,640 --> 00:40:08,600 that that belief and what to do with that appreciation. 669 00:40:09,880 --> 00:40:12,760 But as we close here today, I just want to read the words of 670 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:18,040 this song that to me are a response to this great message. 671 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:25,280 Is it for me, dear Savior? Thy glory and thy rest for me, 672 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:29,400 so weak and sinful, Oh, shall I be so blessed. 673 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:34,880 Oh Savior, my Redeemer, what can I but adore and magnify and 674 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:37,360 praise Thee, and love Thee evermore? 675 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:44,320 Is it for me Thy welcome, Thy gracious enter in for me. 676 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,200 Thy come You blessed for me, so full of sin. 677 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,080 Oh Savior, precious Savior, my heart's at Thy feet. 678 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:56,360 I bless Thee and I love thee, and thee I long to meet. 679 00:40:57,560 --> 00:41:01,680 I'll be with thee forever. Never grieve Thee more. 680 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:07,680 Dear Savior, I must praise Thee and love Thee evermore. 681 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:10,840 There's only one response to this call. 682 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:16,600 I can, I can Amen those things. I am not someone who I can see 683 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:20,360 deserving. That is it really for me and it 684 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:22,320 is for you. And maybe you're not taking 685 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,440 advantage of it right now, but that doesn't mean it's not for 686 00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:27,760 you. He says you who believe in the 687 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:29,880 name of the Son of God. So that's anybody who would 688 00:41:29,880 --> 00:41:34,080 believe, who would respond with force on that belief and come to 689 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:36,680 Him with everything you have and every faith that you would put 690 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:40,240 in Him. If you haven't done that, you 691 00:41:40,240 --> 00:41:43,240 can start by hearing the word of God as we've already done today, 692 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:47,080 believing on Him according to Mark 16 and 16, repenting 693 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,880 according to Acts 238, where I'm going to change my mind and 694 00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:53,000 whatever God calls me to change my mind in whatever He's asking 695 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:57,640 me to do, sure, I'll repent. And confessing that Jesus Christ 696 00:41:57,640 --> 00:42:00,000 is the Son of God according to Romans 10/9 and 10. 697 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:03,760 We can't get this salvation by our own goodness or by any other 698 00:42:04,240 --> 00:42:07,840 savior out there who might claim this only in Jesus. 699 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,040 And we're baptized for the remission of sins according to 700 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:15,800 Mark 16 and 16. Maybe you've done this, and 701 00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:17,440 maybe you need the prayers of the church. 702 00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:20,920 The good news is that it continues to be good news for 703 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:26,040 people who have fallen and have failed, like all of us have. 704 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:30,600 The Bible says that the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us 705 00:42:31,480 --> 00:42:36,000 and we can draw great strength from one another in our prayers. 706 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:40,800 And, and we have example in the Bible where someone said, hey, I 707 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:42,240 don't feel like I can pray for myself. 708 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:45,760 And they prayed together. And so we're happy to take care 709 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:46,920 of that. If you want to pray together 710 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:49,480 this morning, or if you need to start your walk, please come 711 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:51,560 forward while we stand and sing the song of invitation.