1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:05,240 How is everybody doing? All right, All right. 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,720 Welcome to Summertime Wednesday Nights Christ Community Church. 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,960 Let's open with prayer. Father, We do thank you for your 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,640 great grace toward us. We thank you for Jesus Christ 5 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,240 our Lord. We thank you for the privilege 6 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:26,200 of prayer. We ask now that you would direct 7 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,520 us in our time that we might honor you, and all that we do. 8 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,240 We pray to this in Jesus name. Amen. 9 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:44,320 Tonight we will be in First John. 10 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:52,560 For some of you it would be the first time that you've heard me 11 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:58,950 teach from First John. For others of you and you will 12 00:00:58,950 --> 00:01:02,550 remember that we have been going through First John for a while. 13 00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:09,150 But the last time I spoke on 1st John was Wednesday night, March 14 00:01:09,310 --> 00:01:14,710 4th, 2020. So Needless to say, we going to 15 00:01:15,910 --> 00:01:20,190 have to do some catching up to see what it is that we have 16 00:01:20,190 --> 00:01:24,270 been, what it is that we have learned and then have an 17 00:01:24,270 --> 00:01:31,410 opportunity to move forward. And in moving forward then we 18 00:01:31,410 --> 00:01:36,890 will have an opportunity to catch up and move on as we have 19 00:01:36,890 --> 00:01:41,370 those times together. So when we think of first John, 20 00:01:42,210 --> 00:01:47,370 we think of the author, the name has been given because it 21 00:01:47,370 --> 00:01:54,850 relates to the apostle John. There's no argument about who 22 00:01:55,050 --> 00:02:00,110 the author is. The setting writing would have 23 00:02:00,110 --> 00:02:04,710 been somewhere around a D90 to 95. 24 00:02:06,750 --> 00:02:11,910 At the time of the writing, John was in Ephesus and although he 25 00:02:11,910 --> 00:02:16,990 was the youngest of the apostles when chosen, now he is a man 26 00:02:16,990 --> 00:02:22,950 that is well aged and out of that wisdom he writes as he is 27 00:02:23,750 --> 00:02:31,370 inspired by the Holy Spirit in Asia Minor, what is today 28 00:02:31,450 --> 00:02:34,530 Turkey. In that area. 29 00:02:34,530 --> 00:02:39,730 It was a hotbed of false religions, cults, philosophies, 30 00:02:39,730 --> 00:02:47,130 worshippers of emperors, and there was no shortage of objects 31 00:02:47,250 --> 00:02:54,850 of worship, with inclusivism being the watchword for the day. 32 00:02:55,770 --> 00:02:59,290 Whatever religion you came up with, you had to have it to 33 00:02:59,290 --> 00:03:02,730 where everybody could get a piece of it, no matter what it 34 00:03:02,730 --> 00:03:06,410 is that they believe. And then here it is. 35 00:03:06,570 --> 00:03:12,450 John comes along and he writes first John, and he's writing it 36 00:03:12,450 --> 00:03:19,210 from the idea of exclusive. It was as if John was saying to 37 00:03:19,210 --> 00:03:24,330 them, all roads may lead to Rome, but there's only one way 38 00:03:24,330 --> 00:03:29,740 to have it, and that heaven is exclusively through Jesus Christ 39 00:03:29,740 --> 00:03:33,580 our Lord. And so he comes and he presents 40 00:03:33,580 --> 00:03:38,300 his writings and he is setting up that he might help the people 41 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:42,620 of that area understand the truth. 42 00:03:44,420 --> 00:03:48,660 And when you are set out for your intentions to be to talk 43 00:03:48,660 --> 00:03:54,500 about the truth, the opposite of truth would be a lie. 44 00:03:55,300 --> 00:04:02,340 OK, so John sits his whole writings to always give 2 45 00:04:02,340 --> 00:04:06,340 examples. And I like what John MacArthur 46 00:04:06,340 --> 00:04:10,140 says about that. He says he in his writings. 47 00:04:10,140 --> 00:04:19,899 In both John and this epistle, he puts out a series of 48 00:04:19,899 --> 00:04:26,630 comparisons of two. Never with a third entry. 49 00:04:27,790 --> 00:04:31,070 For instance, when he talks about light and darkness, he 50 00:04:31,070 --> 00:04:33,190 doesn't add in there a shade of Gray. 51 00:04:34,030 --> 00:04:37,910 He wants you to understand that the contrast is between light 52 00:04:38,150 --> 00:04:41,950 and darkness. He talks about love and hate. 53 00:04:43,070 --> 00:04:46,950 He talks about in the world or out of the world. 54 00:04:48,310 --> 00:04:51,870 He talks about the fact that there is death and there is 55 00:04:51,870 --> 00:04:55,280 life. He wants us to understand that 56 00:04:55,280 --> 00:05:00,080 there are comparisons, but the comparisons are best known when 57 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:06,440 you just deal with the two. So as we look at this writing 58 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,160 tonight, we want to be able to keep that in mind. 59 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,120 Whether he's talking about light or darkness, whether he's 60 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,640 talking about truth or lies, whether he's talking about the 61 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,320 love of the Father or the love of the world, you will always 62 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:27,270 see John bring it down the two. And then in doing so, he's 63 00:05:27,270 --> 00:05:32,510 trying to help us. Not to be confused, but there 64 00:05:32,510 --> 00:05:36,470 are times that we simply confuse ourselves. 65 00:05:38,310 --> 00:05:42,270 Other day, Don and I was at home and there was a knock on the 66 00:05:42,270 --> 00:05:48,030 door and we, I, I make it to the door. 67 00:05:48,110 --> 00:05:55,650 And there was 2 Jehovah Witnesses and they was telling 68 00:05:55,650 --> 00:06:01,450 me that you have to bring comfort to folks. 69 00:06:03,690 --> 00:06:07,730 Those people are confused. People need to be made 70 00:06:07,770 --> 00:06:10,930 uncomfortable. And matter of fact, when I 71 00:06:10,930 --> 00:06:16,570 describe to them what you are to share with those who are outside 72 00:06:16,570 --> 00:06:20,610 of Christ, they said, oh you, you would scare people if you 73 00:06:20,610 --> 00:06:24,480 tell them. My idea is I would love to scare 74 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,080 them out of that pit that they're in or hit it to. 75 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,640 John wants us to understand that there is truth and there is 76 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:38,600 error, and he wants us to understand that when we head in 77 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:44,240 that direction of truth, that there is no alternative. 78 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:50,460 We must follow the truth. So as we look at what we've 79 00:06:50,460 --> 00:06:52,380 covered, we've started back with John. 80 00:06:52,780 --> 00:06:58,180 First John chapter one, verse one, what was from the 81 00:06:58,180 --> 00:07:01,660 beginning. John wants to take them all the 82 00:07:01,660 --> 00:07:06,860 way back to the beginning of the gospel and say to them that we 83 00:07:06,900 --> 00:07:11,820 are still teaching the same thing that Christ taught when he 84 00:07:11,900 --> 00:07:16,660 was here on earth. And you can go back to Matthew 85 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:22,580 chapter 4 verses 7, chapter 4 verses 12 to 17. 86 00:07:23,340 --> 00:07:25,300 It says. Now when Jesus heard that John 87 00:07:25,300 --> 00:07:29,380 had been taken into custody, he departed into Galilee and 88 00:07:29,380 --> 00:07:35,500 leaving Nazareth he came and lived in Caprinium, which is by 89 00:07:35,500 --> 00:07:39,340 the sea in the region of Lebanon and Nepali. 90 00:07:40,460 --> 00:07:47,660 In order that what was spoken in Isaiah the prophet would be 91 00:07:48,380 --> 00:07:52,100 fulfilled, Jesus is ready to start his ministry. 92 00:07:52,100 --> 00:07:55,980 And how does he started? He started by fulfilling the 93 00:07:55,980 --> 00:07:58,820 scripture. Look at verse 15 in Matthew 94 00:07:58,820 --> 00:08:02,140 chapter 4. It says in the land of Lebazon 95 00:08:02,140 --> 00:08:07,340 and the land of Naphtholi, by the way of the sea beyond the 96 00:08:07,340 --> 00:08:13,300 Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who were 97 00:08:13,300 --> 00:08:18,570 sitting in darkness was saw a great light, and those who were 98 00:08:18,570 --> 00:08:24,090 sitting in the land and shadow of death upon them a light 99 00:08:24,770 --> 00:08:28,810 dawned. From that time Jesus began to 100 00:08:28,810 --> 00:08:36,450 preach and say repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. 101 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,400 So when John makes this statement, what was from the 102 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,920 beginning, He says that has been true from that time in Jesus's 103 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,120 ministry. And here we are some 60, some 104 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,600 years later and he says we're still preaching the same thing. 105 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:56,280 We want people to repent and to come to a point of understanding 106 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,440 that Jesus is the only way to heaven. 107 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:05,240 The false teachers of that day taught that the knowledge of 108 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:11,360 God's provision for you must be reached to some higher level of 109 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:16,640 spiritual awakening, which then would put you in some elite 110 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,920 class. Then and only then could you 111 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:27,000 know what God had for you. But John would come along and he 112 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,240 would start to write. And when he says, I write to you 113 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,360 little children, he's not talking about an elite class. 114 00:09:35,220 --> 00:09:37,540 He's talking about people like you and me. 115 00:09:38,660 --> 00:09:41,940 I write unto you, little children, that you might 116 00:09:41,940 --> 00:09:47,620 understand the way to God. And he was directly in contrast 117 00:09:48,420 --> 00:09:52,300 to what the false teachers were saying. 118 00:09:53,460 --> 00:10:01,620 And in these first four verses, John has shown us what is the 119 00:10:01,620 --> 00:10:04,900 truth compared to the false teachers. 120 00:10:04,900 --> 00:10:10,420 He goes on to say what we have heard, what we have seen with 121 00:10:10,420 --> 00:10:16,060 our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands 122 00:10:16,380 --> 00:10:22,020 concerning the word of life. And the life was manifested, and 123 00:10:22,020 --> 00:10:27,500 we have seen and testified and proclaimed to you that eternal 124 00:10:27,500 --> 00:10:34,930 life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us what 125 00:10:34,930 --> 00:10:42,290 we have seen and heard, we proclaim to you so that you may 126 00:10:42,290 --> 00:10:46,370 have fellowship with us. And indeed our fellowship is 127 00:10:46,370 --> 00:10:50,650 with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 128 00:10:51,690 --> 00:10:55,370 These things we write to you so our joy may be complete. 129 00:10:56,210 --> 00:10:58,530 This Word fellowship, it's a partnership. 130 00:10:58,530 --> 00:11:01,530 It's a sharing in common, he says. 131 00:11:01,650 --> 00:11:05,930 I want you to know that our fellowship is with the Father 132 00:11:06,210 --> 00:11:10,930 and with his Son, Jesus Christ, and we want you to share in that 133 00:11:10,930 --> 00:11:16,730 fellowship with us believers. That's what you and I have been 134 00:11:16,730 --> 00:11:22,890 left on this earth for. So we can share with others how 135 00:11:22,890 --> 00:11:26,890 we have a fellowship with the Father and how we want them to 136 00:11:26,890 --> 00:11:31,350 share that fellowship with us. But then as he moves on through 137 00:11:31,350 --> 00:11:35,350 this letter, he would talk about this fellowship and how it is 138 00:11:35,350 --> 00:11:40,110 that it is to be announced and how it is to be sent out so 139 00:11:40,110 --> 00:11:43,910 others might hear it. In verse five, he said, this is 140 00:11:43,910 --> 00:11:46,590 the message that we have heard from him and announced to you 141 00:11:47,790 --> 00:11:53,750 that God is light. Wow, what's the opposite of 142 00:11:53,750 --> 00:11:58,190 light? Darkness, he says. 143 00:11:58,590 --> 00:12:06,740 God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. 144 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:14,300 None. God is light, and in God there 145 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:20,500 is no darkness at all. He's setting up something here 146 00:12:20,500 --> 00:12:23,820 for us. He wants us to understand if our 147 00:12:23,820 --> 00:12:29,820 life is tracking in darkness. God is not in us. 148 00:12:31,060 --> 00:12:33,580 That's what he is bringing out here. 149 00:12:34,500 --> 00:12:41,980 Matthew chapter 5, verse 14 says you are light of the world, a 150 00:12:41,980 --> 00:12:46,140 city sit up on the hill that cannot be hidden. 151 00:12:46,900 --> 00:12:50,340 Jesus is making this statement to his disciples that would 152 00:12:50,340 --> 00:12:57,980 apply to you and to me today. We are light of the world. 153 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:03,080 We are a city that is set on the hill that cannot be hidden. 154 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,240 He wants us to understand that Paul would pick up on this in 155 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:09,920 Philippian chapter 2, verses 14 and 15. 156 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,720 He says do all things without complaining and and arguments, 157 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,440 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and 158 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,640 innocent children of God above reproach, in the midst of a 159 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:28,970 crooked and perverse generation among whom you appear as lights 160 00:13:29,010 --> 00:13:32,130 in the world. Wow. 161 00:13:32,810 --> 00:13:37,370 Paul saw the world of his time as crooked and perversed. 162 00:13:38,530 --> 00:13:40,050 I wonder how he would see it today. 163 00:13:41,610 --> 00:13:46,730 But notice what hasn't changed, you and I, or to appear to them 164 00:13:46,730 --> 00:13:50,450 as lights in the world. And he wants us to understand 165 00:13:50,450 --> 00:13:55,740 that John said. I want to declare to you that 166 00:13:55,740 --> 00:14:03,180 God is light first John chapter one verse 7 says, But we walk in 167 00:14:03,180 --> 00:14:07,980 the light as he himself is in the light and we have fellowship 168 00:14:07,980 --> 00:14:11,180 with one another. And the blood of Jesus Christ 169 00:14:11,180 --> 00:14:17,420 his Son cleanses us from all sin, doesn't clean us from some 170 00:14:17,420 --> 00:14:23,100 sin, cleans us from all sin. First John chapter 2, verse 8. 171 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,800 He says On the other hand, I have written to you a new 172 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:33,000 commandment to you which is true in him and in you, because the 173 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,920 darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 174 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,960 That's how he refers to the true light is already here. 175 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:43,480 We're here to take this message out. 176 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:49,920 Look at the next verse first John 29 he says the one who says 177 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:56,050 that he is in the light and yet hate his brother is in the 178 00:14:56,050 --> 00:15:00,890 darkness until now. Translation the one who says he 179 00:15:00,890 --> 00:15:03,210 is a Christian but hate his brother. 180 00:15:03,410 --> 00:15:07,170 He says he is in the darkness to now he says he's no Christian at 181 00:15:07,170 --> 00:15:08,210 all. Why? 182 00:15:08,490 --> 00:15:13,250 Because the very thing that God is bringing to us is love. 183 00:15:13,490 --> 00:15:17,290 And if we don't have that love for one another then there is no 184 00:15:17,290 --> 00:15:20,250 God in us. That's what he is pointing out 185 00:15:20,250 --> 00:15:30,270 to us. The one who loves his brother 186 00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:36,630 remains in the light, and there is nothing in him that would 187 00:15:36,630 --> 00:15:41,350 cause him to stumble. The Christian is going to love 188 00:15:41,350 --> 00:15:44,910 his brother, and by doing that he remains in the light and 189 00:15:44,910 --> 00:15:47,030 there's nothing there for him to stumble over. 190 00:15:50,070 --> 00:15:56,060 We have the light in us and therefore there is and no 191 00:15:56,060 --> 00:16:00,460 stumbling for us back to first John six. 192 00:16:01,060 --> 00:16:04,180 I'm sorry, first John one verse 6. 193 00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:07,940 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in 194 00:16:07,940 --> 00:16:12,940 darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 195 00:16:14,100 --> 00:16:17,620 But if we walk in the light, as he himself is in the light, we 196 00:16:17,620 --> 00:16:20,500 have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus 197 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:23,580 Christ cleanses us from all the sin. 198 00:16:24,170 --> 00:16:28,130 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the 199 00:16:28,130 --> 00:16:32,170 truth of God is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is 200 00:16:32,170 --> 00:16:35,330 faithful and righteous to forgive us of our sins and to 201 00:16:35,330 --> 00:16:37,690 cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 202 00:16:38,370 --> 00:16:42,090 If we say that we have not sin, we make him out to be a lie, and 203 00:16:42,090 --> 00:16:47,730 his word is not in us. Wow, just full of good 204 00:16:47,730 --> 00:16:52,580 information for us. If we say that we have 205 00:16:52,580 --> 00:16:55,620 fellowship with him and walking darkness, we lie and do not 206 00:16:55,620 --> 00:17:01,060 practice the truth. But by walking in the light it 207 00:17:01,060 --> 00:17:04,940 helps us to understand that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses 208 00:17:04,940 --> 00:17:10,740 us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin. 209 00:17:10,740 --> 00:17:12,780 Now when he says we he's actually talking about 210 00:17:12,780 --> 00:17:15,540 Christians. If you claim to be a Christian 211 00:17:15,540 --> 00:17:19,260 and you say that you have no sin, he says that you May God 212 00:17:19,260 --> 00:17:23,079 ought to be a lie. But since we Christians have 213 00:17:23,079 --> 00:17:26,040 sinned, he says in verse 9, if we confess our sins, He's 214 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,240 faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from 215 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,080 all unrighteousness. If we say we have never sinned, 216 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,880 we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in ours. 217 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,160 John lays this out for us that we might clearly understand what 218 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:44,760 it is that he's trying to take us to. 219 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,400 Let's look at first John chapter 2. 220 00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:55,420 My little children, I write these things to you so that you 221 00:17:55,420 --> 00:17:58,740 may not sin. And if in this one sin we have 222 00:17:58,740 --> 00:18:01,380 an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and 223 00:18:01,380 --> 00:18:05,860 He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours 224 00:18:05,860 --> 00:18:07,820 only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 225 00:18:09,980 --> 00:18:15,700 When we think of Scripture, don't think of an epistle as a 226 00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:17,540 book written. It was not. 227 00:18:17,580 --> 00:18:21,400 It was a letter that is written. So he didn't finish with chapter 228 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,200 one and say, okay, let me start chapter 2. 229 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:25,600 He's simply continuing his letter. 230 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:31,040 But he he points out to us that the whole thing is that we would 231 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,720 not sin. He says, But if anyone sins, do 232 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,680 we have an advocate? We have one who speaks on our 233 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:44,760 behalf and he says he is Jesus Christ the righteous, and he 234 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:50,330 himself is the perpetuation satisfaction for our sins and 235 00:18:50,330 --> 00:18:53,610 not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 236 00:18:54,170 --> 00:18:57,250 And I know we we talked about earlier that John writes in 237 00:18:57,250 --> 00:18:59,490 comparisons and he always just gives two. 238 00:18:59,490 --> 00:19:04,090 He never gives a third one. Some commentators, when they get 239 00:19:04,090 --> 00:19:07,450 to this verse, they want to throw a third group in. 240 00:19:08,290 --> 00:19:12,290 So well, maybe he's including just the believing Jews. 241 00:19:12,690 --> 00:19:17,570 Why would he do that? His comparison is between the 242 00:19:17,570 --> 00:19:22,440 world and us. He says he's the satisfaction 243 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,680 for our sins and he says it goes further than that. 244 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,880 He's not just the satisfaction for our sins, but he's the 245 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,120 satisfaction for the sins of the world. 246 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:42,840 Jesus Christ came and died for the sins of the whole world. 247 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:45,960 Then why isn't everybody going to heaven? 248 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:53,540 Because of sin? And John tells us that light 249 00:19:53,540 --> 00:19:57,100 came into the world. But because men love their 250 00:19:57,100 --> 00:20:00,940 darkness, they love their sin. They stayed in the dark. 251 00:20:01,580 --> 00:20:05,660 And that's why people today are still in darkness. 252 00:20:06,860 --> 00:20:09,540 The Geo witnesses that came by my house, they think they're 253 00:20:09,540 --> 00:20:11,860 carrying a light, they are in darkness. 254 00:20:12,300 --> 00:20:14,700 They are out there trying to bring comfort to a Sinner. 255 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:18,630 Sinner has no comfort. He needs to get into a 256 00:20:18,670 --> 00:20:24,030 discomfort situation to where he knows he is on his way to hell 257 00:20:24,310 --> 00:20:27,910 for eternity. But God has provided an an 258 00:20:27,910 --> 00:20:32,030 alternative. That's the message that we 259 00:20:32,030 --> 00:20:34,870 carry. Matter of fact, she told me. 260 00:20:34,870 --> 00:20:38,590 She says you try to scare people. 261 00:20:38,950 --> 00:20:41,070 No, I don't. I try to share with people the 262 00:20:41,070 --> 00:20:44,190 truth. And so these are the things that 263 00:20:44,190 --> 00:20:49,140 we John says that he's the perpetuation for the sins of the 264 00:20:49,140 --> 00:20:51,340 whole world. Now guess who I'm going to 265 00:20:51,340 --> 00:20:54,620 believe the scripture or commentator. 266 00:20:55,820 --> 00:20:59,060 I'm going to believe in the scripture If when he says it's 267 00:20:59,060 --> 00:21:00,780 the whole world, it's the whole world. 268 00:21:01,900 --> 00:21:05,660 And then chapter 2, verse three, he says by this we know that we 269 00:21:05,660 --> 00:21:08,860 have come to know him if we keep his commandments. 270 00:21:09,940 --> 00:21:14,520 Everybody want to talk about I I know God, I love God. 271 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,240 But when you start talking about people keeping God's 272 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:22,720 commandments, they want no part of that, he says, and this we 273 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:26,240 know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commandments. 274 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,680 The one who says I have come to know him and does not keep his 275 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,880 commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. 276 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:39,400 But whoever keeps his word in him, the love of God has been 277 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:43,610 perfected. John said You can say all you 278 00:21:43,610 --> 00:21:49,330 want to I'm a Christian. But if you do not keep God's 279 00:21:49,330 --> 00:21:54,010 commandments, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. 280 00:21:55,170 --> 00:21:57,010 Now read it. Read it for yourself. 281 00:21:57,050 --> 00:22:00,170 I I'm that's not my word. Those are John's word inspired 282 00:22:00,170 --> 00:22:02,610 by the the Holy Spirit. Why? 283 00:22:02,610 --> 00:22:06,530 Because he doesn't want us going the wrong direction. 284 00:22:06,610 --> 00:22:11,850 Think and we are on our way to heaven, he goes on to say in 285 00:22:11,850 --> 00:22:16,290 verse 6. The one who says I abide in him, 286 00:22:16,290 --> 00:22:19,010 ought himself to walk in the same manner as he was. 287 00:22:20,370 --> 00:22:23,410 When you see that word walk is talking about conduct yourself, 288 00:22:24,090 --> 00:22:26,810 We ought to conduct ourselves in the same manner that Christ 289 00:22:26,810 --> 00:22:30,530 conducted himself. That's how you tell whether you 290 00:22:30,530 --> 00:22:35,970 are walking in the light or not. Then chapter 2, verse 15. 291 00:22:35,970 --> 00:22:39,650 He said do not love the world or the things that are in the 292 00:22:39,650 --> 00:22:41,730 world. If anyone loved the world, the 293 00:22:41,730 --> 00:22:43,690 love of the Father is not in him. 294 00:22:44,010 --> 00:22:48,650 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust 295 00:22:48,890 --> 00:22:53,530 of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from God 296 00:22:54,010 --> 00:22:59,370 but from the world. The world is passing away and 297 00:22:59,370 --> 00:23:04,890 also it's lost. But the one who does the will of 298 00:23:05,090 --> 00:23:13,050 God will live forever. The one who does what God says, 299 00:23:13,450 --> 00:23:18,650 that person will live forever. That's the message that John is 300 00:23:18,650 --> 00:23:21,170 bringing. He wants us to understand that 301 00:23:21,170 --> 00:23:24,010 there's a way to live and there's a way not to live. 302 00:23:25,650 --> 00:23:27,850 He goes through, and he described this to us. 303 00:23:28,930 --> 00:23:31,930 Look at verse 18, the same chapter, children. 304 00:23:31,930 --> 00:23:34,450 It is the last hour. And just as you've heard that 305 00:23:34,450 --> 00:23:37,980 the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have 306 00:23:37,980 --> 00:23:41,740 appeared. From this we know that it is the 307 00:23:41,740 --> 00:23:48,940 last hour they went out from us, but they were not really of us. 308 00:23:49,380 --> 00:23:54,100 If they had been of us, they would have remained with us, but 309 00:23:54,100 --> 00:23:58,820 they went out so that it would be shown that they are all not 310 00:23:58,820 --> 00:24:03,140 of us. But you have an anointing from 311 00:24:03,140 --> 00:24:11,090 the Holy One and you all know he said they went out from us, but 312 00:24:11,090 --> 00:24:13,050 they never was up. Now this isn't talking about 313 00:24:13,050 --> 00:24:15,970 people who leave Christ Community Church and go to 314 00:24:15,970 --> 00:24:17,930 another church. It's not talking about that at 315 00:24:17,930 --> 00:24:21,210 all. But if you left Christ Community 316 00:24:21,210 --> 00:24:24,410 Church and you went join the Jehovah Witnesses, then yes, he 317 00:24:24,410 --> 00:24:25,770 would. That's that's when he would be 318 00:24:25,770 --> 00:24:29,290 talking about these people was in the church. 319 00:24:29,290 --> 00:24:32,450 They sung out of the same hymn books that all of them sung. 320 00:24:32,610 --> 00:24:35,850 They heard the same message, but they got to this point and said, 321 00:24:35,850 --> 00:24:40,610 guys, we have risen above you and we have some knowledge that 322 00:24:40,610 --> 00:24:42,730 you don't have. So we going to leave? 323 00:24:44,170 --> 00:24:45,210 John said don't worry about them. 324 00:24:46,410 --> 00:24:49,650 They went out because they never was a part of us. 325 00:24:50,250 --> 00:24:54,530 If they had been of us, they would have stayed with us. 326 00:24:55,970 --> 00:24:59,170 Every Christian that has ever come to Christ stays with 327 00:24:59,290 --> 00:25:02,730 Christ. Those who come in and leave, 328 00:25:03,860 --> 00:25:06,260 they left because they never were Christians in the 1st 329 00:25:06,260 --> 00:25:08,940 place. By the way, the guy who started 330 00:25:08,940 --> 00:25:11,540 Joe Witnesses came out of the evangelical church. 331 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:14,700 Why? He was not of us in the 1st 332 00:25:14,700 --> 00:25:17,540 place. The guy who started the Mormons 333 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:20,380 came out of the local evangelical Church of his day. 334 00:25:21,060 --> 00:25:24,820 Why? Because he never was a Christian 335 00:25:24,820 --> 00:25:27,460 in the 1st place. That's what John is pointing out 336 00:25:27,460 --> 00:25:30,460 to us and that's what he wants us to understand. 337 00:25:31,700 --> 00:25:36,140 Verse 28 He says, look, the children abide in him so that 338 00:25:36,140 --> 00:25:40,500 when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink back 339 00:25:40,580 --> 00:25:43,860 from him. In the same way at his coming. 340 00:25:44,860 --> 00:25:48,980 If you know that he is righteous, you know that 341 00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:55,460 everyone who practice righteousness is born of him, he 342 00:25:55,460 --> 00:26:00,620 said. You know God is righteous, so 343 00:26:00,620 --> 00:26:05,780 everyone who practice righteousness is born of God. 344 00:26:07,060 --> 00:26:08,900 That's how you tell who the Christians are and who are not. 345 00:26:10,060 --> 00:26:12,420 By the way, John in his letter doesn't tell you how to get 346 00:26:12,420 --> 00:26:18,260 saved, but he tell you who to save people are, and the first 347 00:26:18,260 --> 00:26:21,740 person that we have to look at is ourselves. 348 00:26:22,460 --> 00:26:27,940 Do I measure up to what John has laid out here for us? 349 00:26:28,180 --> 00:26:32,470 And I love that word. Practice, he said. 350 00:26:32,470 --> 00:26:36,750 The one who practice righteousness is born of God. 351 00:26:38,030 --> 00:26:42,750 See, the difference between practice and perfection is what 352 00:26:42,750 --> 00:26:47,270 we call humanity. You and I practice 353 00:26:47,350 --> 00:26:50,910 righteousness. We are not perfected in it yet. 354 00:26:51,950 --> 00:26:55,110 We are still learning how to do because there are times that sin 355 00:26:55,110 --> 00:26:58,110 would come up. But what does How does practice 356 00:26:58,110 --> 00:26:59,830 show itself? I am. 357 00:27:00,190 --> 00:27:03,110 I'm doing more that is righteous than I'm doing more that is 358 00:27:03,110 --> 00:27:05,550 sinful. So that's what he's talking 359 00:27:05,550 --> 00:27:07,670 about. He wants us to understand that 360 00:27:08,550 --> 00:27:12,710 that the person who practice righteousness is born of him. 361 00:27:14,230 --> 00:27:18,390 Then we get to chapter 3 and he says see how great a love the 362 00:27:18,390 --> 00:27:21,910 Father has bestowed upon us, That we would be called the 363 00:27:21,950 --> 00:27:24,990 children of God. Think of that. 364 00:27:26,270 --> 00:27:32,010 God, the creator of the universe, the creator of 365 00:27:32,210 --> 00:27:37,330 everything there is, the giver of every good and perfect gift 366 00:27:37,770 --> 00:27:43,650 allows you and me to be called his child, He says. 367 00:27:44,530 --> 00:27:48,370 Look how great a love the Father has restored upon us that he 368 00:27:48,730 --> 00:27:53,010 that we would be called the children of God and search we 369 00:27:53,010 --> 00:27:57,290 are. For this reason the world does 370 00:27:57,290 --> 00:28:02,370 not know us because it did not know Him. 371 00:28:03,450 --> 00:28:07,930 Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it is not yet 372 00:28:07,930 --> 00:28:12,650 appeared to what we should be. But we know that when He appears 373 00:28:12,650 --> 00:28:17,450 we will be like him, because we will see Him just as He is. 374 00:28:18,130 --> 00:28:26,090 And everyone who has this hope fixed himself, excuse me, have 375 00:28:26,090 --> 00:28:31,130 this hope fixed on him. Purifies himself just as he is 376 00:28:31,130 --> 00:28:33,490 peer. That's how you know he's talking 377 00:28:33,490 --> 00:28:35,570 to Christians. You'd never tell a Sinner to 378 00:28:35,570 --> 00:28:39,970 purify himself. But how do you and I purify 379 00:28:39,970 --> 00:28:42,130 ourselves? Let's go back to that thing 380 00:28:42,130 --> 00:28:46,650 about practicing righteousness. I should be practicing more 381 00:28:46,650 --> 00:28:50,290 righteousness in a day today than I was last year. 382 00:28:50,290 --> 00:28:54,330 This time, if I am, not, there's a problem in my life. 383 00:28:54,970 --> 00:28:57,700 So that's what he's talking about, he says. 384 00:28:57,700 --> 00:29:00,580 Anyone who has this hope fixed up on him. 385 00:29:00,900 --> 00:29:04,420 What is the hope? An assured expectation. 386 00:29:05,180 --> 00:29:08,980 Something God has promised to us, but we have not received it 387 00:29:08,980 --> 00:29:13,020 yet. I have the assured expectation 388 00:29:13,020 --> 00:29:16,020 that I will spend eternity in heaven with him. 389 00:29:16,980 --> 00:29:22,350 I haven't received that yet, but as I live here on this earth, I 390 00:29:22,350 --> 00:29:26,430 want to line myself up more with that heavenly walk than with an 391 00:29:26,430 --> 00:29:29,710 earthly walk. And that's what he is, He's 392 00:29:30,030 --> 00:29:35,230 bringing us to understand. In verse four, he says everyone 393 00:29:35,230 --> 00:29:38,710 who practice sin also practice lawlessness. 394 00:29:39,390 --> 00:29:45,310 Notice the word practice again. If you see in your life or in my 395 00:29:45,310 --> 00:29:48,110 life more sin than righteousness, there's a 396 00:29:48,110 --> 00:29:52,980 problem, he says, and sin is lawlessness. 397 00:29:53,940 --> 00:29:58,940 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in 398 00:29:58,940 --> 00:30:06,340 him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins. 399 00:30:06,660 --> 00:30:11,980 Now sin has an S on it sins. You could take that word. 400 00:30:11,980 --> 00:30:14,220 Practice again. It's not talking about 401 00:30:14,220 --> 00:30:18,010 perfection. But no one who abides in him 402 00:30:18,010 --> 00:30:25,530 will practice sin, and in him there is no sin, No one whose 403 00:30:25,530 --> 00:30:33,370 sin has seen him or know him. No one who practice sin has seen 404 00:30:33,370 --> 00:30:37,450 God or knows God. Again, I told you, John doesn't 405 00:30:37,450 --> 00:30:39,450 tell you how to get saved here. He just tell you who the saved 406 00:30:39,450 --> 00:30:42,130 folks are. He gives you an area where we 407 00:30:42,130 --> 00:30:46,730 can line ourselves up to look at the word of God and ask and ask 408 00:30:46,730 --> 00:30:48,850 ourselves the question, how am I doing? 409 00:30:50,450 --> 00:30:52,850 Let the children make sure that no one deceives you. 410 00:30:53,130 --> 00:30:55,170 Now why would he put that in right here? 411 00:30:56,250 --> 00:30:58,250 Because, see, there was those out there that were saying, 412 00:30:58,370 --> 00:31:01,610 well, you know, it really doesn't matter how you live down 413 00:31:01,610 --> 00:31:04,210 here. Because see, the flesh is one 414 00:31:04,210 --> 00:31:05,610 thing, but the Spirit is another. 415 00:31:05,730 --> 00:31:07,650 It really doesn't matter. John says. 416 00:31:07,650 --> 00:31:12,270 It does matter if you practice sin. 417 00:31:12,510 --> 00:31:15,390 You do not know him and you have not seen him. 418 00:31:16,950 --> 00:31:24,630 Let no one fool you. The one who practice 419 00:31:25,230 --> 00:31:31,310 righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. 420 00:31:31,830 --> 00:31:36,110 The one who practice sin is of the devil and the devil has 421 00:31:36,110 --> 00:31:40,840 sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this 422 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:44,480 purpose to destroy the works of the devil. 423 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:50,960 The one who is born of God. Excuse me, the one who is born 424 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:56,560 of God will. I'm sorry, no one who is born of 425 00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:02,200 God practice sin because his seed abides in him and he cannot 426 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:08,280 sin because he is born of God. The one who has been born of God 427 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:13,280 will not practice in because the seed of God is in us. 428 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:18,360 God gives us His Holy Spirit to live within us, and the Holy 429 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,200 Spirit is there to guide us through this life and to tell us 430 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:24,480 there's a temptation coming your way. 431 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:28,920 Look away or step away. You don't have to follow that 432 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,240 temptation. That's what the Holy Spirit does 433 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:34,360 in our lives. So he wants us to understand 434 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:40,520 that verse 10 is my favorite verse in First John. 435 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,120 He says by this, the children of God and the children of the 436 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:52,720 devil are obvious. Obvious what? 437 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:54,000 What? What does that mean? 438 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,400 If I told you that Tim was sitting down over here, you guys 439 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:01,120 would say, hey, that's obvious. We all see that. 440 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:05,700 That's what it's talking about. You don't have to wonder if a 441 00:33:05,700 --> 00:33:08,700 person is a child of God or not, he said. 442 00:33:08,700 --> 00:33:11,740 The children of God and the children of the devil are 443 00:33:11,740 --> 00:33:15,180 obvious. Let me give you another clue. 444 00:33:17,300 --> 00:33:21,260 There's only two fathers when it comes to the human race. 445 00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:25,780 Either God is your father or the devil is your father. 446 00:33:26,420 --> 00:33:31,740 There's not a third alternative. Talking to Guy on the bus one 447 00:33:31,740 --> 00:33:39,050 day brought this idea up of there's only two, he says, I 448 00:33:39,050 --> 00:33:42,850 have a third one. You have a third one, he said, 449 00:33:42,850 --> 00:33:47,730 Yeah, I said, well, what is that third one consist of? 450 00:33:48,730 --> 00:33:52,450 He says I'm still searching to see who I would be. 451 00:33:52,970 --> 00:33:55,370 I said that means you're under the child of the devil. 452 00:33:56,290 --> 00:34:00,730 Yeah, there's not a third one. And don't let anybody fool you 453 00:34:00,730 --> 00:34:06,440 that there is the children of God and the children of the 454 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:12,040 devil, and they are obvious. Remember the conversation Jesus 455 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:17,360 had with the Pharisees and John chapter 8 three times in in in 456 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,800 In that chapter he said you were of your father. 457 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:24,040 Only the third time did he identify who the father was. 458 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:26,880 He said you were of your father, the devil. 459 00:34:28,639 --> 00:34:33,090 What did he base that on? He said to them you claim to be 460 00:34:33,130 --> 00:34:36,370 Abraham's children. He said Abraham would have never 461 00:34:36,370 --> 00:34:40,889 tried to kill me, but you tried to kill me so he could look at 462 00:34:40,969 --> 00:34:47,090 their lives, what they were doing, and say to them you are 463 00:34:47,170 --> 00:34:50,770 of your father, the devil, because you were doing what the 464 00:34:50,770 --> 00:34:54,530 devil tried to do from the first day Jesus showed up on there 465 00:34:55,530 --> 00:34:59,810 that was to destroy him. Jesus could share this with them 466 00:35:00,470 --> 00:35:03,350 that they might understand who he is. 467 00:35:04,750 --> 00:35:11,270 Then we get to 1st John 4. Beloved, do not believe every 468 00:35:11,270 --> 00:35:15,950 spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God 469 00:35:16,670 --> 00:35:19,910 because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 470 00:35:20,630 --> 00:35:22,990 By this you will know the Spirit of God. 471 00:35:23,550 --> 00:35:27,790 Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the 472 00:35:27,790 --> 00:35:33,260 flesh is from God. Now let's talk about that Jesus 473 00:35:33,260 --> 00:35:35,580 Christ has come in the flesh. What does that mean? 474 00:35:36,140 --> 00:35:42,140 That means that they believe that Jesus Christ came in the 475 00:35:42,140 --> 00:35:48,820 exact form, as the Bible says that he is Jehovah Witnesses 476 00:35:48,820 --> 00:35:55,660 says that Jesus is a God, but he is not the God. 477 00:35:56,520 --> 00:35:59,600 He's not the Son of God. He is a God. 478 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:05,280 And therefore God created him first and then let him create 479 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:09,520 everything else. But the Bible says about Jesus 480 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:13,000 Christ, everything was created by him. 481 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,640 Now, if he was created, then that would take away everything. 482 00:36:18,710 --> 00:36:22,270 He could not have been created 1st and then create everything 483 00:36:22,270 --> 00:36:25,470 because you would have him over here being created. 484 00:36:25,590 --> 00:36:29,950 And he didn't do that. He was God in the flesh from the 485 00:36:30,110 --> 00:36:33,430 very beginning, and He created everything. 486 00:36:33,430 --> 00:36:37,230 The Scripture is clear on that. But see, they come along and 487 00:36:37,230 --> 00:36:38,670 they want to tell you, no, that's not Him. 488 00:36:38,710 --> 00:36:41,030 So there's we believe in Jesus Christ. 489 00:36:41,830 --> 00:36:45,390 Do they believe in Him as the Scripture has described him? 490 00:36:45,950 --> 00:36:48,830 No, they do not. And by the way, there's not 491 00:36:48,830 --> 00:36:55,190 another religion out there that does not another one that would 492 00:36:55,190 --> 00:36:58,470 believe the way that the Bible would describe him. 493 00:36:59,230 --> 00:37:06,310 So he wants us to know this, that we are to test the spirits. 494 00:37:07,310 --> 00:37:13,550 So what does that mean? That means when you hear a 495 00:37:13,550 --> 00:37:20,700 message, whether it's from here or anywhere else, test that 496 00:37:20,700 --> 00:37:27,300 message by the scripture to see if it is the truth of the 497 00:37:27,300 --> 00:37:32,900 scripture. If it is, then that person is 498 00:37:32,900 --> 00:37:37,540 following Christ. If it is not then they are not 499 00:37:38,260 --> 00:37:43,340 following Christ. He goes on to say verse three 500 00:37:43,340 --> 00:37:48,490 and every spirit that does not confess that that Jesus is from 501 00:37:48,490 --> 00:37:50,530 God. This is the spirit of 502 00:37:50,610 --> 00:37:53,570 Antichrist. Then he goes on to say you've 503 00:37:53,570 --> 00:37:56,650 heard that Antichrist is coming, but I want to tell you that many 504 00:37:56,650 --> 00:37:58,250 Antichrist is already in the world. 505 00:37:59,010 --> 00:38:03,210 Anti just simply means against. There are many people out there 506 00:38:03,290 --> 00:38:07,850 poking themselves in a religious garb but appointing to another 507 00:38:07,850 --> 00:38:10,130 Christ instead of the Christ of the scriptures. 508 00:38:11,050 --> 00:38:14,410 And he wants us to understand this. 509 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:19,000 By the way, sometime in your spare time, read first John 510 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:22,400 chapter 4 and you're going to pick up on some things. 511 00:38:23,160 --> 00:38:29,200 The word you, us, we shows up over and over again. 512 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:33,400 And then the word they and them again. 513 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,880 He's making a comparison. We would be the believers. 514 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,160 They and them would be the outsiders. 515 00:38:40,240 --> 00:38:42,280 He never throws a third person in here. 516 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:45,560 He wants you to see clearly there's a comparison of two. 517 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:51,800 We do this, the world doesn't listen to us. 518 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:54,880 Why? Because they are the world. 519 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:58,400 But the believer will listen to us. 520 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:02,920 Why? Because we are in this together, 521 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:08,560 and that's what he is pointing out to us, that we can know 522 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:12,320 this. Because as he brings this to us, 523 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:19,000 he wants us to understand, to know the difference between the 524 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,800 spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 525 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:27,080 We must do that. We must be sharp enough to do 526 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,640 that. And by the way, when the Jehovah 527 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:33,960 Witnesses and woman come by your house, stop pretending you're 528 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:39,360 not home. Get your Bible. 529 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:43,130 Meet them at the door. By the way, the other day I told 530 00:39:43,130 --> 00:39:45,090 you when she stopped by my house, I didn't know she was 531 00:39:45,090 --> 00:39:47,490 coming. So I'm at the door without my 532 00:39:47,490 --> 00:39:50,650 weapon. As soon as my wife hears you 533 00:39:50,650 --> 00:39:53,810 over witnesses, she go get my Bible and stick it right here in 534 00:39:53,810 --> 00:39:57,570 my back. So she wanted me to be equipped. 535 00:39:58,290 --> 00:40:00,090 So she comes up, she brings the Bible. 536 00:40:00,090 --> 00:40:01,850 She just lays my back. I just read back and get it. 537 00:40:01,850 --> 00:40:03,610 And now I can preach them from the description. 538 00:40:04,650 --> 00:40:07,730 Do not pretend you're you're not home. 539 00:40:08,810 --> 00:40:11,520 Don't do that. That's a mission field that God 540 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:16,680 is bringing to your door. Answer that door and speak to 541 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:23,400 them and share with them. Chapter 4, verse 19. 542 00:40:24,880 --> 00:40:26,760 We love because he first loved us. 543 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:31,840 If anyone says I love God and yet hate his brother, he is a 544 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,470 liar. But the one who does not love 545 00:40:35,470 --> 00:40:40,030 his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not 546 00:40:40,030 --> 00:40:43,350 seen. And this commandment we have 547 00:40:43,350 --> 00:40:52,150 from him that the one who loves God must also love his brother. 548 00:40:53,910 --> 00:40:57,270 And by the way, that's not talking about my identical twin 549 00:40:57,270 --> 00:41:00,190 brother, Okay. That's talking about all of you 550 00:41:00,430 --> 00:41:02,550 is my brothers and sisters in Christ. 551 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:07,800 Now, fortunately for me, my identical twin brother is a 552 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:10,840 Christian, is a pastor Okay. So. 553 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:12,960 But that's what he's telling me. He's not talking about family 554 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:14,960 here. He's talking about the family of 555 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,440 God. And notice what he says about 556 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:20,880 us. He says we must love each other. 557 00:41:21,960 --> 00:41:25,480 That's that's not an option. He wants to bring that to us 558 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:29,600 that we can understand that. First, John Chapter 5. 559 00:41:30,610 --> 00:41:33,010 We're just about to get to where we wanted to be for the night. 560 00:41:35,330 --> 00:41:40,370 Everyone who believes in Jesus. Excuse me, everyone that 561 00:41:40,370 --> 00:41:47,930 believed that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. 562 00:41:50,090 --> 00:41:53,970 In that phrase, I want you to notice 2 verbs. 563 00:41:55,450 --> 00:42:04,520 Everyone who believes that's a verse and that verse is 564 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:08,360 continuing. It's not a one time shot. 565 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:18,800 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. 566 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:27,040 Now that's another verb born. That verse is in the perfect 567 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:33,740 tense, meaning it happened at a time back Yonder and it is still 568 00:42:33,740 --> 00:42:35,460 true today. It's not continually happened. 569 00:42:35,460 --> 00:42:37,540 The first one is continually happened. 570 00:42:37,540 --> 00:42:40,140 What does that mean? That means I continue to believe 571 00:42:40,140 --> 00:42:42,140 in Jesus every day. Okay. 572 00:42:42,660 --> 00:42:46,500 But where this salvation happened, salvation happened 573 00:42:46,500 --> 00:42:54,580 when I was born of God. A1 time act in my life and your 574 00:42:54,580 --> 00:42:59,360 life whenever that was. But because that one time act 575 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:03,240 has happened in our lives then every day we continually to 576 00:43:03,240 --> 00:43:07,640 believe it doesn't matter for somebody brings something new on 577 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:10,560 the scene or not. That doesn't change the fact 578 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:14,400 that what we believe. When I was working at Edison, 579 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:18,640 somebody brought in. So Tom, I want you to take a 580 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:23,080 look at this new religion that has come up, he said. 581 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:26,040 Have you ever heard of it? It was called Christ Adelphians. 582 00:43:26,540 --> 00:43:29,020 I had never heard of it before, but the last time I was at the 583 00:43:29,020 --> 00:43:31,380 LA Counter Fair they had a booth out there. 584 00:43:32,460 --> 00:43:34,980 So he said what do you know about Mr. Nothing? 585 00:43:34,980 --> 00:43:38,820 He said, well, let me bring you something tomorrow and then you 586 00:43:38,820 --> 00:43:41,300 read it and tomorrow is our Bible study and you can tell me 587 00:43:41,340 --> 00:43:42,580 what do you think of it in Bible study? 588 00:43:42,580 --> 00:43:47,260 So you did. The way you become a Christian 589 00:43:47,260 --> 00:43:54,060 in that group is over accumulation of time and 590 00:43:54,140 --> 00:43:58,320 knowledge. You keep learning and then you 591 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:02,840 will reach a point to where God would say, OK, you can you're 592 00:44:02,840 --> 00:44:07,160 not a believer. So we got the Bible study. 593 00:44:08,040 --> 00:44:09,640 He said, Tom, do you have a chance to read that yet? 594 00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:10,960 He said what do you think about it? 595 00:44:10,960 --> 00:44:14,240 I said it's a cult. He said yesterday you didn't 596 00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:16,400 know anything about him, but today you call him a cult. 597 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:19,320 Why is that? Because you brought me what they 598 00:44:19,320 --> 00:44:24,280 believed, and when I read what they believe is contrary to 599 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:27,820 Scripture, I don't need to know anything else about them. 600 00:44:28,940 --> 00:44:36,740 They are a cult and therefore they are not to be followed, he 601 00:44:36,740 --> 00:44:38,100 said. But they give good Bible 602 00:44:38,100 --> 00:44:40,060 studies. I said no. 603 00:44:40,060 --> 00:44:43,740 They may give good talks, but they don't give a good Bible 604 00:44:43,740 --> 00:44:46,660 study. It would be impossible for a 605 00:44:46,660 --> 00:44:52,740 cult to do that. And everyone who loves the 606 00:44:52,740 --> 00:44:56,710 Father loves the child that is born of him. 607 00:44:57,430 --> 00:45:03,750 Verse two, Chapter 5. By this we know that we love the 608 00:45:03,750 --> 00:45:09,590 children of God. When we love God and follow His 609 00:45:09,590 --> 00:45:12,030 commandments, there's that word again. 610 00:45:13,190 --> 00:45:18,710 You're not just to love God, you're to love Him and follow 611 00:45:18,750 --> 00:45:22,160 His commandments. If you have a problem following 612 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,680 His commandments, then there's a problem with loving God. 613 00:45:25,720 --> 00:45:28,440 He brings this to us that we might understand that. 614 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:32,720 And then he says by this we know that we love the children of 615 00:45:32,720 --> 00:45:36,040 God. So that's why we love each 616 00:45:36,240 --> 00:45:38,560 other. By the way, our team that's down 617 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:43,560 in Argentina, I can tell you already that they have met some 618 00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:47,660 believers down there, end up on meeting the believers. 619 00:45:47,660 --> 00:45:50,180 It's almost as if they've known them already. 620 00:45:50,180 --> 00:45:53,540 Why? Because we share in common this 621 00:45:53,540 --> 00:45:57,700 thing called fellowship, this relationship that we have in 622 00:45:57,700 --> 00:46:00,180 God. And wherever you are around the 623 00:46:00,180 --> 00:46:05,580 world, you may not even be able to speak their language, but you 624 00:46:05,580 --> 00:46:08,260 know that you're believers and you have that fellowship 625 00:46:09,540 --> 00:46:15,780 together, he says. For this is love of God, that we 626 00:46:15,780 --> 00:46:18,700 keep His commandments. He keeps bringing us back to 627 00:46:18,700 --> 00:46:22,540 that point. This is the love of God that we 628 00:46:22,580 --> 00:46:25,260 keep His commandments. By the way, there's nothing 629 00:46:25,260 --> 00:46:29,740 emotional about that. You just have to do what the 630 00:46:29,740 --> 00:46:34,700 scripture tells us to do, and he brings it out, and he lays this 631 00:46:34,700 --> 00:46:38,700 out for us. Then he says, and his 632 00:46:38,820 --> 00:46:46,990 commandments are not burdensome. What would be a burden if you 633 00:46:46,990 --> 00:46:50,390 gave me 200 pounds on my back and told me I had to walk with 634 00:46:50,390 --> 00:46:51,270 it? That would be a bird. 635 00:46:52,390 --> 00:46:57,590 He's saying that his commandments are not burdensome. 636 00:46:59,670 --> 00:47:06,310 For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world, and this is 637 00:47:06,310 --> 00:47:10,670 the victory that overcomes the world. 638 00:47:11,910 --> 00:47:14,750 One of John's favorite word, this victory thing. 639 00:47:15,490 --> 00:47:17,930 Think it's used 23 times in the New Testament? 640 00:47:18,530 --> 00:47:19,890 John uses it. Eighteen. 641 00:47:19,890 --> 00:47:23,370 Of those 23. He just comes back to the fact 642 00:47:23,370 --> 00:47:29,690 that you and I, we are victors and we have overcome the world. 643 00:47:30,490 --> 00:47:32,130 Then he says something that's interesting. 644 00:47:33,610 --> 00:47:35,490 He says we have overcome the world. 645 00:47:37,290 --> 00:47:42,090 By our faith, we have overcome the world. 646 00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:46,240 By our faith, Now there's two types of faith. 647 00:47:46,240 --> 00:47:51,800 It could be my faith in Christ and I'm overcoming the world by 648 00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:53,400 that. But I don't think that's what 649 00:47:55,240 --> 00:48:05,240 he's talking about. Look at Jude Three, he said. 650 00:48:05,240 --> 00:48:07,840 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you 651 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:13,180 about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to 652 00:48:13,180 --> 00:48:20,980 you, appealing that you would contend earnestly for the faith 653 00:48:21,820 --> 00:48:27,860 that was once and for all handed down to the Saints. 654 00:48:28,220 --> 00:48:31,780 He's talking about the faith that Christ produced in us. 655 00:48:32,620 --> 00:48:36,620 That's what he's saying. We have overcome the world by 656 00:48:36,620 --> 00:48:40,180 the faith that Christ has implanted in us. 657 00:48:41,060 --> 00:48:45,460 And when we see that, we understand that Acts Chapter 6, 658 00:48:45,460 --> 00:48:53,220 verse seven says the word of God kept spreading and the number of 659 00:48:53,220 --> 00:48:57,940 the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem. 660 00:48:58,420 --> 00:49:06,180 And many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. 661 00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:08,920 That's what you're talking about, many of the priests. 662 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:10,720 Now what does that mean? I mean, that's a little phrase. 663 00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:13,480 It's just thrown in here. Think about the priest. 664 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:17,600 How did the priest make his living from the temple and from 665 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:19,480 the sacrifice that everybody brought in? 666 00:49:20,120 --> 00:49:23,240 He says, Now many of the priests believe, What does that mean? 667 00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:27,440 No more food from the temple. They now had to get a job and 668 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:28,920 start to work and do the whole thing. 669 00:49:28,960 --> 00:49:34,720 But he says many of the priests believed in the faith. 670 00:49:34,960 --> 00:49:39,830 And I love how they now he He explains it here, becoming 671 00:49:39,830 --> 00:49:43,950 obedient to the faith. See, there's one thing to say. 672 00:49:43,950 --> 00:49:45,990 I have faith. There's another thing to be 673 00:49:45,990 --> 00:49:49,630 obedient to the faith. And that's what he is bringing 674 00:49:49,630 --> 00:49:51,990 to us here that he wants us to understand. 675 00:49:54,470 --> 00:49:58,950 Verse five, Chapter 5. The one who says I've overcome 676 00:49:58,950 --> 00:50:06,750 the world. Who is the one who overcomes the 677 00:50:06,750 --> 00:50:12,910 world but the one who believed that Jesus is the Son of God? 678 00:50:13,590 --> 00:50:16,110 Again, when you hear that phrase, the one who believes 679 00:50:16,110 --> 00:50:20,190 that Jesus is the Son of God is talking about believing in Jesus 680 00:50:20,190 --> 00:50:23,590 Christ as the Bible has described him. 681 00:50:24,510 --> 00:50:30,110 He wants us to understand that that's how it is that we come to 682 00:50:30,110 --> 00:50:33,670 know him. Verse 6. 683 00:50:35,680 --> 00:50:41,960 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ 684 00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:49,440 not by water only, but with the water and with the blood. 685 00:50:50,160 --> 00:50:57,320 It is the Spirit who testifies because the Spirit is true. 686 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:07,310 What is John telling us here? He says Jesus Christ has been 687 00:51:07,310 --> 00:51:16,070 identified by the Father in three ways, By the water, by the 688 00:51:16,070 --> 00:51:22,430 blood, and by the Spirit. And when we see this, then we 689 00:51:22,430 --> 00:51:25,910 get to understand what it is that he's talking about. 690 00:51:26,230 --> 00:51:32,720 So look at Mark's Gospel, chapter one, he said John the 691 00:51:32,720 --> 00:51:39,840 Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching A baptism 692 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:42,640 of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 693 00:51:43,320 --> 00:51:47,840 And all the country of Judah was coming out to him and all the 694 00:51:47,840 --> 00:51:53,000 people of Jerusalem, and they were being baptized by him in 695 00:51:53,000 --> 00:51:56,160 the Jordan River. Confessing their sins. 696 00:51:57,480 --> 00:52:01,990 John was closed and Campbell hair and wore a leather belt 697 00:52:02,150 --> 00:52:10,070 around his waist, and his diet was locust and wild honey, and 698 00:52:10,070 --> 00:52:15,150 he was preaching, saying, after me comes one who is mightier 699 00:52:15,150 --> 00:52:22,870 than I, and I am not fit to bend down and tie his latches of his 700 00:52:22,870 --> 00:52:28,070 sandals. I baptize you with water, but 701 00:52:28,070 --> 00:52:32,280 there's one who's coming who would baptize you with the Holy 702 00:52:32,280 --> 00:52:35,920 Spirit. Matthew, chapter 3, starting at 703 00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:40,240 verse 13. Then Jesus arrived in Galilee at 704 00:52:40,240 --> 00:52:44,720 the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. 705 00:52:44,840 --> 00:52:50,240 But John tried to prevent him, saying, I have the need to be 706 00:52:50,240 --> 00:52:54,800 baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me. 707 00:52:55,280 --> 00:53:00,480 But Jesus answered and said unto him, Allow it at this time. 708 00:53:01,280 --> 00:53:08,240 For in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all 709 00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:13,280 righteousness. Then he allowed him, And after 710 00:53:13,280 --> 00:53:16,720 he was baptized, Jesus came up immediately out of the ward, and 711 00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:21,880 behold, the heavens open. And he saw the Spirit of God 712 00:53:21,880 --> 00:53:24,880 descending upon him like a dove sitting up on him. 713 00:53:25,700 --> 00:53:30,660 And behold, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son 714 00:53:32,020 --> 00:53:35,540 in whom I am pleased. This is the baptism. 715 00:53:36,420 --> 00:53:39,580 He has now been baptized, and have been presented to the 716 00:53:39,580 --> 00:53:44,340 world, not for his sins, but for those that would be put on him 717 00:53:44,340 --> 00:53:48,900 by us. And he is baptized and he is now 718 00:53:49,260 --> 00:53:55,660 announced to those around. This is my beloved Son in whom I 719 00:53:55,700 --> 00:54:01,580 am well pleased. This was the Spirit of God. 720 00:54:01,940 --> 00:54:07,460 The voice of God announcing Jesus Christ is God, and God is 721 00:54:07,460 --> 00:54:11,500 well pleased in him. Then when we moved to the blood, 722 00:54:12,260 --> 00:54:20,500 Matthew chapter 27 starting at verse 45 he said Now from the 723 00:54:20,500 --> 00:54:24,980 6th hour darkness fell up on all the land until the 9th hour. 724 00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:29,920 And about the 9th hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice 725 00:54:29,920 --> 00:54:35,120 saying Eli, Eli they may support the name. 726 00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:39,920 This is my God why have you forsaken me? 727 00:54:41,240 --> 00:54:45,840 And some of those who were standing there when they heard 728 00:54:45,840 --> 00:54:48,200 it. They said this man is calling 729 00:54:48,200 --> 00:54:54,300 out for Elijah and immediately one ran and was taking a sponge 730 00:54:54,300 --> 00:54:58,100 and filled it with sour wine and put it on the reef and gave him 731 00:54:58,100 --> 00:55:02,940 the drink. But the rest of them said, let's 732 00:55:02,940 --> 00:55:05,100 see if Elijah will come and save him. 733 00:55:06,220 --> 00:55:12,780 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and he gave up the 734 00:55:12,780 --> 00:55:18,420 spirit and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from 735 00:55:18,460 --> 00:55:22,260 top to bottom. Why is top to bottom significant 736 00:55:22,260 --> 00:55:24,750 here? Show the man didn't do it. 737 00:55:25,710 --> 00:55:30,830 There's no need to keep the holy of holies hidden from mankind 738 00:55:30,950 --> 00:55:34,550 because Christ has now paid the full penalty for our sins. 739 00:55:34,550 --> 00:55:36,790 No more need for for the holy of holy. 740 00:55:37,550 --> 00:55:40,470 So the rip from top to bottom says the rock split. 741 00:55:41,510 --> 00:55:46,550 All of this is an action taken by God to announce to those 742 00:55:46,670 --> 00:55:53,870 present This is my beloved Son, and I am pleased in him. 743 00:55:55,070 --> 00:56:00,430 And when John sees this, he is letting us know that this is the 744 00:56:00,430 --> 00:56:07,870 way that God has testified of his Son while he was here on 745 00:56:07,910 --> 00:56:11,550 earth. For there are three First, John 746 00:56:11,550 --> 00:56:14,230 57. For there are three that 747 00:56:14,230 --> 00:56:21,880 testifies the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the 748 00:56:21,880 --> 00:56:28,680 three are in agreement. There was nothing at the baptism 749 00:56:28,760 --> 00:56:33,080 that contradicted anything at the crucifixion, and the Spirit 750 00:56:33,080 --> 00:56:36,280 making the announcement did not change any of that, he said. 751 00:56:36,280 --> 00:56:41,280 They are in agreement. That's why we see the Scripture 752 00:56:41,960 --> 00:56:47,000 written over these 1500 years still all pointing in the same 753 00:56:47,000 --> 00:56:50,780 direction. And when we see that, we give 754 00:56:50,780 --> 00:56:57,260 glory to God, because this is what God has brought to us, that 755 00:56:57,260 --> 00:57:03,300 we might clearly understand the things that he has shared with 756 00:57:03,300 --> 00:57:06,220 us. And when we take the scriptures 757 00:57:06,220 --> 00:57:10,540 and we read it, we find out it's not enough just to read it, we 758 00:57:10,540 --> 00:57:14,420 must live it. And that's what we have been 759 00:57:14,420 --> 00:57:19,980 called to do. Every day that God gives us on 760 00:57:20,020 --> 00:57:23,860 the face of this earth is a day that we can get the word out 761 00:57:23,860 --> 00:57:28,140 about the Christ. Let's be faithful in doing that, 762 00:57:30,180 --> 00:57:37,820 that we would fulfill the things that God has left us here to do. 763 00:57:38,940 --> 00:57:41,300 You know, there are many commands in the Bible. 764 00:57:42,260 --> 00:57:45,380 Be fruitful and feel the earth is one of those. 765 00:57:46,320 --> 00:57:48,640 Okay, love thy neighbor as thyself. 766 00:57:49,520 --> 00:57:51,960 You can go down the list. Just keep going on the things 767 00:57:51,960 --> 00:57:57,840 that the Bible tells us to do. We only do those things because 768 00:57:57,840 --> 00:58:02,200 he has left us here for one purpose and that's to get the 769 00:58:02,200 --> 00:58:06,880 word out about him. Because see, if I'm not loving 770 00:58:06,880 --> 00:58:11,980 you, then how the world going to believe that there is love in 771 00:58:11,980 --> 00:58:15,660 the church or love from God. That's why he tells us to love 772 00:58:15,660 --> 00:58:18,740 with one another. I love the verse that says bear 773 00:58:18,740 --> 00:58:22,380 with one another. See that's that's an 774 00:58:22,380 --> 00:58:24,900 acknowledgement that we're not all there yet. 775 00:58:26,300 --> 00:58:29,300 But he says bear with one another. 776 00:58:31,300 --> 00:58:34,620 I teach Charlie all the time, Charlie, you have to bear with 777 00:58:34,620 --> 00:58:39,980 me further. They come up most of the time in 778 00:58:39,980 --> 00:58:43,710 our families for for their believers. 779 00:58:44,150 --> 00:58:49,910 Okay, believe it or not, as as dressed up as I look on Sunday 780 00:58:49,910 --> 00:58:52,950 morning, Donna has to bear with me sometimes. 781 00:58:54,190 --> 00:58:57,150 That's what we're called to do with each other. 782 00:58:57,830 --> 00:59:00,830 Why? So when people see us together 783 00:59:00,830 --> 00:59:03,910 and we stop to share the gospel with them, they're not actually 784 00:59:03,950 --> 00:59:05,630 questionable. Why are you acting different now 785 00:59:05,630 --> 00:59:08,110 than you're acting later on? Okay. 786 00:59:08,520 --> 00:59:11,320 That's what this thing is, and that's what we call to do. 787 00:59:13,160 --> 00:59:17,040 And we need to keep in mind that we have one purpose on this 788 00:59:17,040 --> 00:59:19,200 earth. Now, there are many other things 789 00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:26,040 that we may do while we're here, but one purpose that we may get 790 00:59:26,040 --> 00:59:32,240 the word out about the Christ. When we do that, then we have 791 00:59:32,240 --> 00:59:38,340 fulfilled what God has called us to do and left us here. 792 00:59:38,340 --> 00:59:45,260 For let's pray, Father, we thank you for your great grace toward 793 00:59:45,260 --> 00:59:48,260 us. We thank you for Jesus Christ 794 00:59:48,260 --> 00:59:52,100 our Lord. We thank you for your word and 795 00:59:52,100 --> 00:59:57,300 how plain you have made it. Father, help us to be obedient 796 00:59:57,500 --> 01:00:02,420 to your word that others might see, and acts of the hope that 797 01:00:02,420 --> 01:00:06,160 is within us. We thank you for our time 798 01:00:06,320 --> 01:00:08,960 together. Tonight we pray for our 799 01:00:08,960 --> 01:00:12,880 Argentina team as they have one more day on the field and then 800 01:00:12,880 --> 01:00:16,080 the journey back home. We commit them to you and the 801 01:00:16,080 --> 01:00:20,560 word of your grace. We thank you for our time in 802 01:00:20,560 --> 01:00:23,160 Jesus name. Amen.