Complacent or Committed? Acts 2:41-47

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meeting on July 31 to August 7, 2011. This lesson begins a short series asking the question: To what are we as Christians committed? My goal is to give an overview of the attitudes, passions, and even practices in which the early church engaged as a means of gauging where we are as an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church. I hope you get something from it! If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

Complacent or Committed?
Acts 2:41-47

Introduction

I have to confess, I am a college football fanatic.
Not a fan, but a fanatic
My wife will tell you, I can watch just about ANY college football game and get passionately involved
I’ll even cheer loudly for teams I barely know
I’m certainly not a complacent fan

On the other hand, I don’t know that I am committed to college football.
I’m certainly not as committed as the young people who play the game
They practice regularly, they sweat together, they plan together, they even bleed together every week just to get ready for one game
They are passionate and committed to the success of their team

Have you ever been part of a church that was like that?

Someone describe an experience in a passionate and committed body of believers

I don’t know about you, but I could be attracted to a gathering like that—a group of people on fire

A fire creates excitement and attracts people
Charles Finney said: If your church is on fire, people will come from miles around to watch it burn.

Today I want us to take a look at a passage in Acts and ask: What can we gain from this passage to become a committed community for Christ?

How can true community be generated in a world that puts a premium on privacy?

Who are these People?

Remember that this gathering started with 11 men—a conglomeration of fishermen, tax collectors, and other undesirables
In fact, these individuals weren’t even properly educated
On the day of Pentecost, few of those present had walked with Jesus for 3 years, the rest were relatively new believers
None of them were “ordained” or “licensed” to preach
They only had what we call the Old Testament, and even then they probably didn’t have a personal copy to read daily

They simply put into action what they saw Jesus do

What did these people have that we need?
They had passion and commitment

Acts 2:41-47—They were committed
1. To God’s Word
2. To Others
3. To Worship

Commitment requires effort/Complacency is easy

1. Committed to God’s Word

Note in verse 42 that the new believers in Christ were “continually devoting” themselves to something

What does it mean to be continually devoted to something?
To what did the early Christians continually devote themselves?

"Continually devoting" is the idea of "giving constant attention to," or "being steadfast.” These early Christians set the proper example for us to follow in "continually devoting themselves" to some important elements for Christian life. I doubt that many of us are quite as committed. We make a false dichotomy between secular and sacred so that “Christian life" is separate and distinct from the rest of life. Being a Christian becomes merely a part of what we are, but it is not our focus or commitment. We compartmentalize our lives and then our Christian life is just another “part” of it, just another routine to mark off of our daily “to do” list. When the body does not function correctly, then both the whole and the individual parts that make it up are unhealthy.

These first Christians devoted themselves first to the “apostle’s teaching”

What is meant by “the apostle’s teaching”?

What was it that the apostles taught?

These early believers had no New Testament to read, so the teaching of the apostles probably represented teaching from the Old Testament and from the life and teaching of Jesus
This teaching became the “Word of God” to the early believers
They staked their lives on God’s communication to them via Scripture

What was happening was thoroughly rooted in Scripture. It was biblical. The Lord guided them through the teaching and preaching of his Word. (Psalm 119:9, 11, 36-38, 89-90, 105)

Now that the apostles are gone, we have their witness in the New Testament

God endeavors to lead and to teach us through Scripture
The “apostle’s teaching” for us is the Bible itself (Heb. 2:1-4)

Of course, this commitment required time and effort

To learn what God is teaching, we must take time to read his Word and act on it (2 Timothy 2:14-15)
Remember, the first believers were active participants in what was being taught by the apostles. What they were being taught was impacting their hearts and lives. They acted on it

We should do the same today—being committed to God’s Word means more than simply reading it, it means doing what it says (Heb. 4:1-2, 6-7; Romans 16:25-27)

Commitment to God’s Word requires time with and a response to God
Complacency ignores Scripture and leads to ignorance

That brings us to our next point, part of doing God’s Word is to be committed to others

2. Committed to Others

The key word here is koinonia, which means sharing, participation, contribution, or (most commonly) fellowship

The idea here is not coffee and donuts, especially since they were several centuries away
The idea is one of sharing life together

This is not a mere sentimental feeling, it is not mere uniformity or “getting along”

As Jim Davis puts it: “Church attendance is often substituted for fellowship. To some fellowship is like a jar full of marbles. The marbles are in the same jar but there is little togetherness. The marbles have little effect on each other as they roll around in a jar. They just bump into one another. But real fellowship is more like a jar of grapes that bleed on one another. Fellowship should allow our faith to rub off on one another. The first believers had real spiritual needs that led them into fellowship with others. As they came into this fellowship of other believers with the same needs, they naturally bled on one another. “

Philippians 2:1-4; 12-16
Working out our salvation is a corporate act, the “you” here is plural
The goal is to live life together, the life of Christ
Fellowship of this type is encouraging, it is focused on the cross, on humility, and on service

Our technology today conspires against this type of interaction and fellowship

This fellowship manifests itself as an intense sense of responsibility for each other (Romans 12:13; in fact, the whole chapter is good on this issue)
The early church was known for its love (1 John 3:18-19)

Does our fellowship manifest itself in how we take care of each other? Yes, but what does it say about us?

The early Christians continually devoted themselves to “breaking bread” together—they even did it daily and in each others houses

What does it mean to “break bread” together?

How would you like eating meals regularly with others in G.A.P.?

“Breaking bread” may refer to the Lord’s Supper
Of course, it could simply mean sharing a meal too (cf. Luke 24:30-32)

The early church apparently spent a lot of time with each other
Daily they worshiped at the Temple and ate together in each others’ houses

Fellowship means living life together
It means being involved in each others lives—the good and the bad, the clean and the messy—all of it

Commitment requires us to be involved in each others’ lives
Complacency results in our neglect of one another

3. Committed to Worship

We’ve already mentioned that “breaking bread” may refer to the Lord’s Supper, which was a regular act of worship among the early Christians

Whenever they met, they had a meal and commemorated Christ’s death and resurrection
But as we have already noted before, worship is not simply what we do in a building, it is what we do with and for each other

The early Christians were devoted to “the prayers”
The term here may refer to the daily prayers of the Temple and the synagogue
At the very least, this reminds us that “living life together” means to pray regularly

We are called to pray regularly and not only when “the Spirit moves”

The heart of their worship was a focus on God—who he is and what he has accomplished (2 Cor. 5:18-21)

The early believers understood that God’s love made their love for each other possible (2 Cor. 5:13-15)

God’s love and devotion made new life a reality for those who place their faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-10)

Their experience of salvation led to worship in all of life—in how they responded to God and how they responded to each other

Their worship was both private and public

Commitment to worship requires us to focus on what is important to God
Complacency causes us to look out for our own interests

Application

This is a lot of stuff to understand. We need to remember, however, that this is not simply a list of things “to do” in order to become a healthy or committed group. We cannot simply add these three to our list and say we’re committed or healthy

We must develop the passion and attitudes that are depicted in this passage
And to do that will require self-examination and then action

Will we do it? How can we?

Here are some suggestions:

First, make up your mind that being a part of G.A.P. is not simply an opportunity to hang out with others and be a part of something. From today on, we will ask ourselves the hard questions about how to be the body of Christ and how to live by his Word and by his Spirit. This week you need to ask yourself the hard question—am I committed to helping this group of people become on fire with the passion of Christ?

Second, we need to devote ourselves to those things that are mentioned in our passage today: God’s Word, one another, and worship. Make a point this week to set aside time for each of these daily. I don’t care how much time you give (15 minutes, an hour, etc.), but make a conscious choice to spend time reading and doing God’s Word; getting involved in encouraging and supporting each other; and praying and worshipping together.

In the next three weeks, we will look more specifically at these things.

Are we committed or complacent?

One requires effort, the other is way too easy

Thanks for reading!

And Now For Something Completely Different: An Exercise in Finding our Way, Romans 12:1-8

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meeting on July 17, 2011. I just finished a year long series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters," and I had a long week of teaching 7 hours a day (5 days) in a PhD seminar as well. As a result, I decided to take a slightly different approach to a lesson for Sunday. Instead of working up a "teaching," I decided (with my wife's help) to do something a bit more like serendipity. As a result, the lesson is a bit more discussion oriented. I also decided to give it a "different" title. I hope you get something from it! If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

And Now For Something Completely Different
An Exercise in Finding Our Way
Romans 12:1-8

Introduction
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I simply need a change in approach
I just finished a week long PhD intensive on Pauline Theology
I taught two night sessions at a youth camp
Not to mention that we just finished a year long look at the letter of 1 John
I decided today we’d simply try a different approach

Today, we are going to have a conversation rather than a lesson
We are going to look at Paul and see what we can learn

But before we do that, two questions
1. What should a church look like?
2. What do you think a church should be?

Romans 12:1-2

Paul’s text here is the practical application of some of the theological materials he has mentioned in the earlier 11 chapters

In this section, Paul calls his readers to a life radically separated from that of the world, a life that is counter-culture

Questions:
a. How does Paul tell us we should worship God?
b. What does this look like?
c. Where do you see Christians “conforming” to the world instead of being transformed? Do you have any struggles there?
d. What earthly things do you place more value on than the gift that God has given you? What do you think causes this?
e. Do you ever feel the urge to pull away from the world around you or to not conform to its standards? Where do you experience this in your life?
f. What is God’s will for us as a church? For us as individuals? For G.A.P?

Transformation even affects motivation
A church of renewed minds should show a different kind of life

Romans 12:3

Paul reminds us here that all of us have received something from God to contribute to the work of God (note that Paul expects us all to do the work of ministry!). The danger is arrogance and pride

Questions

a. Where has pride had a negative effect on the church in your experience?
b. Where does pride show up in your life?
c. How does understanding God’s grace give us strength to resist pride?
d. Should we seek humility? How?
e. How has God humbled you? Will you humble yourself?

Transformation affects our perspective
A church of renewed minds should act with humility instead of arrogance

Romans 12:4-5

The Church has a call from God to worship him, but that worship is not centered only in the singing of songs or hearing of sermons. Part of that worship involves serving one another. Paul here reminds his readers that the function of the body of Christ (i.e., the Church) is to serve one another in the unique and different functions to which God has gifted us. The church should exhibit diversity in unity. Diversity in function, unity in faith. We are one body of many members.

Questions

a. Here Paul compares the Church to a body. What do you think of that comparison?
b. How have you seen this body life in your experience of church?
c. How does Scripture describe members of the early church? In what ways is your life comparable to that described in God’s Word?

Transformation affects our service
A church of renewed minds serves others without compulsion

Romans 12:6-8

Paul now moves to the specific kinds of gifts and functions that may be found in the church. This is not a complete list, but it includes the following:
Prophecy: a proclamation of what God says
Serving: serving others as a gift of faith
Teaching: communicating truth and doctrine with knowledge and clarity
Exhorting: those who encourage or who give a clear explanation of the goal or vision for the church
Contributing: More than just money, this seems to aim at sacrificial giving
Leading: those who provide guidance and administration
Acts of mercy: those who see the needs of others and are quick to respond

Questions
a. What is the importance of serving in the body of Christ? How does our serving mimic the life of Jesus?
b. Which of these gifts do you think God has given you?
c. How are you contributing to the body of Christ?
d. Are you committed to serving at TRBC? In GAP? Are we only coming for our own needs, or are we plugged in and contributing to the growth of the body?
e. What would the church look like if all its members were committed to exercising their gifts?

Wouldn’t you like to find out?

Transformation affects our ministry by enabling us to use the gifts God gave us
A church of renewed minds functions like a body with each part doing its part to make sure the whole is healthy

Thanks for reading!

Some Closing Advice: Things You Should Know, 1 John 5:18-21, Theology Matters Series

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meeting on July 10, 2011. About a year ago, we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson is the culmination of that study and looks at 1 John 5:18-21 and looks at the closing advice that John gives to his readers. John reminds his readers of three things that they know, three things that he has covered in different parts of this letter. He reminds them that they know their background, they know their place, and they know the truth. This advice is useful to us as well, so here are the notes. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

Some Closing Advice
Things You Should Know
1 John 5:18-21
Theology Matters Series

Introduction
Well, we finally made it to the end. Maybe we’ll actually get through all of these verses today. . . . Hey it could happen!

We started this series on July 11, 2010, and here we come to the last few sentences of 1 John

I like to think of this part of the letter as a sort of parting advice from John to his spiritual children

When I moved away from home for the first time, my parents offered me advice
Remember to put God first, remember where you came from, don’t forget you represent us all in how you live, etc.

John does something similar here

John gives the following advice to his readers
1. Know your background
2. Know your place
3. Know the truth

1 John 5:18-21

1. Know Your Background

1 John 5:18—The passage we completed last week spoke of the need to pray for brothers or sisters who fall into sin. In fact, the last verse reminds us that all unrighteousness is sin. Having raised the mysterious question of the sin unto death, John now turns to things Christians can know

The first point he addresses is our background

John acknowledges that Christians are born of God

He reminds his readers that those who are born of God do not continue in sin (cf. 1 John 3:9)
The person who has received the new birth through Christ will not live a lifestyle of sin

He is not saying that Christians cease from sinning (that was the argument of the false teachers—they claimed that they had no sin—1 John 1:8-9)
In fact, we just saw in 5:13-17 that John calls on us to pray for those brothers and sisters who sin
So, John admits that Christians will on occasion sin

The point John is making is that our background determines our actions

So, Who’s Your Father?

If we are born of God, sin cannot be our constant companion

Plummer states it like this: "A child of God may sin; but his normal condition is one of resistance to sin."

As a comparison, look at 1 John 3:7-9
In these verses John sets up a contrast between those who are of God and those who are of the devil
He does something similar in 5:18
a. In chapters 3 & 5, those who are born of God do not practice sin
b. In chapter 3, those who are born of God have God’s seed; in chapter 5 the one born of God is protected by someone who is “born of God”
c. What does John mean here? (More on that in a minute)
d. Finally, in chapter 3, John says that the children of the devil are obvious because they do not practice righteousness or love their Christian brothers and sisters; chapter 5 tells us that the one born of God cannot be “touched” by the evil one

This does not mean that Satan cannot attack or tempt Christians, it simply means that they no longer belong to Satan’s family

The one who is born of God through Jesus Christ has a new family background; he or she is now part of a righteous family, a family that does not practice sin

Who Protects Us?

Who is the one “born of God” who keeps or guards believers?

The reference here seems to be to Jesus
a. Christ is our foundation and our assurance
b. What Jesus has accomplished gives those born of God the protection they need to stand against Satan
c. Because Jesus is our means of salvation, and because we belong to God’s family; we now have the means to resist temptation and the devil (1 Cor. 10:13; James 4:7-10)

Knowing our background provides a sure foundation to resist sin
This assurance also reminds us of our place

2. Know Your Place

1 John 5:19—John now moves to a discussion of our place or position. If the first verse discusses the importance of lineage or background, then this verse addresses the importance of where we live

This verse offers a contrast between those who belong to God in Christ and those who belong to the world

Throughout this letter, John has contrasted God’s children with those who belong to the world
1 John 2:15-17; 3:1, 13; 4:4-5; 5:4-5
Simply stated, John uses the term “world” to describe those who are not “in Christ” or have not come to know God through Jesus Christ
The “world” is the opposite of the “children of God”

John sees no middle ground
Either you are of God
Or you are of the world

John seems to be saying here (as in other chapters) that humanity can be divided into two camps
Those who are of God
Those who are in the power of the evil one

John really doesn’t describe the first group
He simply states “We know that we are of God”
This word “know” occurs in my English translation 36 times in 1 John
The problem here is that there are two Greek words for “know” in this short book
The word used here may mean something like “to perceive, to know by learning, or to know about”
It is used three times in our passage today (15 times in 1 John, with 7 of those occurrences in chapter 5!)

John seems to say that we have come to learn that we are of God, and that is what his letter has tried to explain (cf. 1 John 5:13)

John claims we can be assured that we are located in the realm of God

He’s Got the Whole World . . .
The assurance of the believer is contrasted to the sad state of the non-believer

John states that the “whole world” lies in the realm of the “evil one”
In other words, those who do not know God through Christ are in the hands of the devil (2 Cor. 4:4)
There is no middle ground (Col. 1:13-14)

Interestingly enough, this is the second time John uses the phrase “whole world”
The first time is in 1 John 2:1-2 where John describes Jesus as the propitiation of the “whole world”
There, as here, this phrase refers to those who are opposed to God
Cf. Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25; Mark 14:9

Knowing your place means understanding your location, to whom you belong—there are only two sides!
We must make sure what side we are on

This is accomplished by knowing the truth

3. Know the Truth

1 John 5:20-21—John closes his discussion with a reminder to his readers that they have come to know the truth about Jesus and through him know the true God

John reminds his readers of the beginning of the letter
In chapter 1 he introduced the idea of the Incarnation as the theological foundation for joy and life
John here reminds them that they “know” (there’s that word again!) that the Son of God has come
The Incarnation is something they have learned and come to know by the witness of the apostles and the Holy Spirit
Jesus came for a purpose though

The reason for Jesus’ coming was so that he could give us understanding in order that we may “know” him who is true
The idea of “understanding” here is usually translated “mind” or “disposition”
It reminds me of John 1:4-5, 9-11—Jesus comes into the world to enlighten humans and to bring life in God to them
At the very least, John says that Jesus comes to give us the disposition or mind to know “him who is true”

Can you handle the Truth?
The phrase “know him who is true” (1 John 5:20)
Here John uses a different word for “know”
This word means to know experientially, to know personally—it does not refer to learning or knowledge about a topic—it is experiential
Jesus gives us the mind or understanding to have an experiential knowledge of “him who is true,” i.e., God himself
Jesus is the only means to relationship to God—that is the truth

Jesus has brought us to the knowledge of God because he is God’s Son
John is an exclusivist--there is no other way to read this letter

John closes this letter with two statements
Being in Jesus Christ is “the true God and eternal life”
And we should guard ourselves from idols

What does John mean by “This is the true God and eternal life”?
This sounds a bit like John 17:3
John tells us that Jesus gives understanding to know God, and that we can know we are in him because of Jesus
Now he reminds us that Jesus is the truest expression of who God is (Hebrews 1:1-3)
It is only through Jesus that we have life with God; eternal life

Why does he warn us to guard ourselves from idols?
Idolatry is placing anything before God; the false teachers had done this
They had a false god and denied the deity of Christ
What do we put in the place of God in our lives?

Knowing the truth means keeping our focus on Jesus
We must put God first, we must have no idols

Application

How can we follow John’s advice?

First, we must make sure we have a background with God
If we are not born of God through Jesus Christ, then all the other advice offered here is useless to us
We are still in the world and not in Christ
Today, check your background

Second, once you know you have a relationship with God through Christ, then you must make sure you live a life that reflects that. Are you living a lifestyle of sin? Is sin a habit for you, or is it something you genuinely resist? Our lives must reflect his life if we want to be known as his children. John has made this point over and over again. This week, get into an accountable relationship with others. Live holy.

Third, recognize that the world is caught up in the arms of the evil one. You cannot be friends with the world and be friends of God. There must be some separation, but we must live in the world. As Jesus told us, we must be in the world and not of it. That means we must be willing to testify to the world about what God has done for us. We must be witnesses. This week, seek an opportunity to share the truth of God’s salvation with someone

Finally, we must commit ourselves to pursuing the truth. That means we must remove any idols that take the place of God. What hinders you from keeping God first? Be brutally honest with yourself and then seek to remove those things. Seek first the kingdom of God, but remove idols as well

Thanks for reading!

Confident Prayer, 1 John 5:13-17, Theology Matters Series

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meeting on June 26-July 3, 2011. A while back we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson looks at 1 John 5:13-17 and discusses the idea that Christians should have boldness in their prayers because of the confidence they have in Christ. In fact, confident prayer starts with assurance, is built on a confident relationship, and results in life. We have to remember that the life God has given us in Christ is not for us alone, it is a gift to be shared with others. One means of doing that is through prayer for those who have fallen into sin. This lesson looks at that issue and even considers an answer to the question of the sin unto death. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

Confident Prayer
1 John 5:13-17
Theology Matters Series

Introduction
Let me start with a confession
I have never been what you might call a prayer warrior
In fact, my batting average at getting positive answers from God is not very high
Truth be told, I know I could do more in prayer

No doubt we all share a similar view
We are pretty sure that we don’t pray enough
Maybe when we do pray we aren’t real sure that we know what we are doing or that God will hear us

We lack confidence

Our passage today addresses that issue

In 1 John 5:13-17, John gives us three parts of confident prayer
1. It starts with assurance
2. It continues with a confident relationship
3. It results in restoration and life

Confident prayer is a desperate need for the body of Christ today

1. Confident Prayer Starts with Assurance

1 John 5:13—John ends his letter by letting his readers know his purpose.

In the Gospel of John 20:30-31, John says that he wrote so that people may believe in Jesus the Messiah/the Son of God (i.e., the Incarnation) and that by believing receive eternal life in his name.

In the letter, John’s purpose is to assure those who have put faith in the Incarnation. His purpose is to give them confidence in their salvation. Verse 13 states this purpose clearly.

John begins this section with a statement of assurance
He says that faith in the name of Jesus leads to confidence in salvation

He speaks of knowing our relationship to God
John uses some form of the word “know” in his short letter over 40 times
At least 8 of those uses are found in chapter 5

John seems to be saying that our confidence begins with our salvation and our salvation is something we can know

Throughout his book, John has given us indications of how we know we belong to God

In our passage from a couple of weeks ago (1 John 5:6-12), John tells us that we have an internal and an eternal witness by God’s Spirit in us, but we also have a historical and a supernatural witness to salvation in the testimonies of God’s people and God himself

We also saw that we can be confident of knowing God when we keep his commandments (1 John 2:3-5), when we love as God loves (1 John 3:14-16, 4:7-16), when we have the witness of the Spirit in our confession of Christ (1 John 4:13-16) and when we love God and love his children (1 John 4:19-5:3).

Assurance of salvation is based primarily on what Christ has done for us
We have confidence because God has provided salvation
God manifested his love for us in Christ, and that love is our assurance

Confident prayer begins with assurance in salvation/eternal life

Has your life been transformed by the salvation that only comes through a knowledge of Jesus?
If so, then you have assurance that the God who saved is the God who will hear

This is good news: Our Father hears us

2. Confident Prayer Continues with Confident Relationship

1 John 5:14-15—John continues his conclusion by reminding his readers of their intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:1 reminds us that faith in Christ has resulted in our becoming children of God
This means that we have a family and a familiar relationship with God
As a child has special privileges with his or her parent, so we have the privilege of confidence as children of God

“Confidence”—remember that we defined this word as meaning in some sense “freedom of speech” (cf. 1 John 2:28; 4:17 both regarding judgment)
1 Jon 3:21-24 is almost a parallel passage here regarding prayer

John is saying that because of our relationship with God as children, we can come into his presence to make our requests with boldness—we have confidence and freedom to speak directly to our Father

Ray Stedman says that God delights in bold praying and in bold people—our prayer to God should be confident, bold, and certain because he loves us

This confidence arises from two principles given in these verses: the certainty of being heard (a promise) and the certainty of receiving (a qualification)

The promise: When we pray, God hears us and responds
a. We ask confidently (Hebrews 4:16)
b. We come into his presence (the words “in him” in verse 14 could be rendered “before him”). We come confidently into our Father’s presence to speak freely with him
c. We must ask for him to respond
d. We have an audience, so we must talk to our Father and we must listen for and anticipate his response

Remember as Andrew Murray says, “Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue. Gods voice in response to mine is its most essential part.”

Prayer isn’t a magic lamp or a secret code by which we obtain all our wishes, but rather as Ray Stedman says, “Prayer is a means of obtaining the will of God, and is limited always by the will and purpose of God.”

That brings us to the Qualification—we must ask according to God’s will (cf. Matthew 6:10; John 14:13)

John is not saying that we can get God to do whatever we want by adding the magic words “in Jesus’ name”
a. Prayer is not asking God to move towards us, but for God to move us towards him
b. Pastor E. Stanley Jones: "If I throw out a boat hook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God. "

Remember, James 4:3 reminds us that we can pray and ask improperly
In fact, James acknowledges that we often fail to receive answers to our prayers because we ask for selfish reasons

John says that if we know we have eternal life through our relationship with God by faith in Christ, then we can be confident that our Father God will hear us when we pray

If God hears us, it then follows that like a good Father he will respond to us

But John goes a step further—not only does God hear us, but “we know that we have obtained the request made of him”
This sounds like we can be assured of a favorable response
So, does God answer all your prayers with “Yes”?
Yeah, me neither!

The problem goes back to that little phrase: “according to his will”
a. This means we must line up with God—like Jesus in Gethsemane, we must make sure our hearts cry out “Not my will, God, but yours”—our focus must be on the best interests of God and his kingdom and not our selfish desires
b. We must not harbor un-confessed or habitual sin (Psalm 66:13)
c. We must trust God for the answer (Matthew 21:22)—he will respond, but not always in the way we desire or expect!
d. We must be sure to seek what God wants, for in doing so we will pray for what he longs to accomplish—we can only do this by spending time with God in his Word and in prayer (remember the Sears catalog—Ray Stedman)

Confident prayer keeps a relationship with God fresh
This kind of prayer also has amazing results

3. Confident Prayer Results in Restoration/Life

1 John 5:16-17—John now gives application to his lesson on praying according to God’s will by giving an example to his readers

Praying isn’t just about us, praying is for our brothers and sisters
We should pray confidently for each other
We should pray for restoration and life

Again, John gives a promise and a qualification here
a. The promise—if we pray for a brother or sister who is not committing a sin unto death, then God will give them life
b. The qualification—the promise does not apply to the one committing a sin unto death

A quick disclaimer: We tend to get tangled up in a discussion of what a “sin unto death” may be, but John assumes his readers know this already. The point John seems to make here is that praying according to the will of God means that we should pray for each other, that we should pray for restoration and life for those committing sin
a. We have a responsibility to each other
b. Part of loving God’s children is to pray for them

John doesn’t say, “If you see your brother or sister sinning, quickly get on the phone and talk to others about it!” He doesn’t say, “Let the pastor know so that he can deal with it!” No! John says, “Pray for your brothers and sisters and God will give them life.”
a. We are brothers and sisters, not competitors
b. All sin is serious
c. You can’t be indifferent to sin if you love others

If our prayers are for children of God who sin, then in what sense do they need “life”? John says our prayers will result in life from God for those who commit sins not unto death

To answer that question is to continue on to the qualification—What is the sin unto death?

Take a few minutes, get into groups of two or three, and scan through 1 John. Find places where the words “sin,” “death,” and “life” show up.

What did you find?

There are typically three responses to what the “sin unto death” may be
a. Some specific sin that causes the person to die physically (cf. Moses, Achan, Uzzah, Ananias and Sapphira, the folks in 1 Corinthians 11)
b. The unpardonable sin, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or rejecting Jesus
c. The sin of the false teachers who denied the Incarnation and lived immoral and unloving lives

It seems likely that the background for John’s comments here is to be found in 1 John 3:11-18 and the contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil
1 John 3:14—”We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death.”
The sin unto death, at least in part, seems to be a persistent and intentional disobedience of Jesus’ command to love one another. It is denying the love of Jesus and following the unloving example of the false teachers

1 John 3:23—disregarding this command leads to death

Regardless of the view one takes on this issue, John expects his readers to pray for one another especially when they fall into sin

So, when should we not pray?
That is difficult to say, isn’t it?
Apparently there is a time in which prayer is no longer useful—note that John does not command us not to pray, but he seems to suggest that when a person reaches the point of “sin unto death” prayer will not help
We should respond, then, by continuing to pray unless we get some indication from the Spirit to cease praying

If all wrongdoing is sin, then praying for restoration of our brothers and sisters is the best starting point

Confident prayer results in restoration and life for those who sin
We cannot ignore the sin of others
We should pray for God to work in their lives

Application

How do we respond to this difficult passage?

There seems to me to be only one response, we must become a people of prayer, and not just any prayer, but a confident prayer that comes from an assurance of our relationship with our Father through his Son, Jesus Christ

As E. M. Bounds says, “"What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but people whom the Holy Ghost can use – people of prayer, people mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through people. He does not come on machinery, but on people. He does not anoint plans, but people, people of prayer."

How does this look in every day life?

First, we must be diligent in keeping our relationship with God current. That requires time with God, with his Word, and with his people

Second, we must pray. We need to carve out time to meet with God in prayer. This week set aside at least 10 minutes a day where you simply get with God to pray for others.

Finally, we must avoid sin. We need to live accountable lives with each other so that we can honor God. Remember, everything we do reflects on the character of God. Our lives are the best (or worst) witness for the grace of God in Jesus Christ. How are we doing?

Confident prayer begins with salvation, continues with a confident relationship, and results in restoration

Will we practice it?

Thanks for reading!

Father's Day Sermon: "Act Like Men, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14"

A friend of mine asked me to fill his pulpit on Fathers' Day (June 19, 2011), so I pondered what to share. Almost a year ago I presented a lesson to men at Thomas Road Baptist Church's Wildfire Conference. The lesson was entitled "Act Like Men: Strong Advice for Tough Times." I reworked portions of the lesson for my sermon at Gospel Community Church. The notes are posted below. Comments or questions are welcome!

Act Like Men
Strong Advice for Tough Times
1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Introduction
Happy Fathers’ Day to all you Dads out there

When I realized that I’d be speaking at Gospel Community on Fathers’ Day, I decided to focus my thoughts on men in general instead of only on dads

Of course, what I have to say today will be applicable to all Christians, so I expect the ladies to pay attention as well, okay?

There is a severe lack in our society today of what may be called “mature” people—Just look at the news
Yet another member of Congress behaving badly
Celebrities are acting like children
Even the church is not immune to immaturity

There seems to be a real shortage of mature men

The movie “Second Hand Lions” and the “how to be a man speech”
Our passage today is Paul’s version of “how to be a man” or “how to be mature”

It is strong advice for tough times

All of the statements that Paul uses are commands, they are not options

What do you know about the church in Corinth?

These people were a mess
1. They had divided on doctrinal issues
2. They had split into factions determined by slogans and political posturing
3. They had forgotten what they were taught and become lazy in their spiritual growth/wisdom
4. They had ceased to serve one another and passed judgment on each other to the point of lawsuits
5. They had immoral activity in their church
6. Their marriages were on the rocks
7. They abused their spiritual liberty and hurt one another with it
8. They had no spiritual discipline and had become disorderly in their use of God’s gifts
9. They lost love for one another
10. They had forgotten the power of God’s love and Christ’s resurrection

They needed some mature people to lead them

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

1. Act Like Men/Be Mature

Andrizesthe—Greek term (present tense)
To behave like a man as opposed to acting like a juvenile
Exhibit positive masculine properties
Be mature and be brave

Three characteristics to note here:
a. Spiritual maturity—1 John 2:12-14—John encourages his readers to progress on to a mature position, to leave behind childish things (1 Cor. 13:11-12)—cf. Ephesians 4:13
This maturity comes from the Word of God (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 John 2:12-14—young men are strong in the Word of God)—this Word of God refers of course to both the written Word (the Bible) and the Incarnate Word (Jesus)—to be spiritually mature requires us to be adept in both (1 Cor. 14:20—the Corinthians need to grow up)

What about us? Where do we need to grow up? Where do we need to stop acting juvenile? What relationships and situations need maturity instead of juvenile selfishness?

b. Courage—John Wesley: “Give me 100 men who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the world: I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; and such alone will overthrow the kingdom of Satan and build up the Kingdom of God on earth.”
“Courage is being scared to death, and saddling up anyway.” John Wayne

c. Consistency—a constant process of growth that builds Christ-like characteristics in our lives

The rest of this passage reveals for us what it means to “act like men” or to “be mature” according to Paul

To act like men/to be mature requires us to be on the alert

2. Be on the Alert

“Be watchful” or “be on the alert”—a military term with a strategy in mind that means to be vigilant
It is the opposite of indifference or apathy
It is an active concern to be aware

What happens when those on guard duty fail their watch?
The enemy sneaks in
Others may suffer loss
Someone may die

In the spiritual life of a Christian, watchfulness must be combined with prayer (Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2)

What are the objects of our watching?
a. The enemy (1 Peter 5:8)
b. Temptation (Mark 14:38)
c. False Teaching (2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1)
d. Opportunities to share God’s good news or to do God’s works (Titus 3:1; 2 Timothy 4:5)
e. The return of Christ (Matthew 24:42-44)

To act like men/to be mature means to watch out for each other
Watching out for each other requires a solid foundation in Christ

3. Stand Firm in the Faith

Another “militant” term—Paul is calling on the Corinthians to make a stand, to be recognized, to hold their ground (cf. Ephesians 6:10-11)

1 Corinthians 15:58

There is a connection between being watchful and standing firm
An army on the watch is an army ready to stand
An army caught off guard is an army soon defeated

How do we “stand firm”?
a. Be a disciple/learner—spend time learning the great truths of God from the Bible—search the Scripture to find God’s plan

b. Know what you believe (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

c. Know why you believe it and be ready to offer a reason (1 Peter 3:15)

d. Once you know what and why, act on it—do the truth

Standing firm is like a tree planted with deep roots—it is solid because it has a strong foundation—our foundation is what God accomplished through Jesus and the revelation of his truth in the Bible

Our faith (belief and action) should be an anchor for us (2 Timothy 2:15)

To act like men/to be mature means to make a stand in what God has done
Standing in God’s work requires and results in strength

4. Be Strong

Krataio—refers to a strength in action rather than simply strength in possession
It isn’t how much you bench press, it is how you act when strength needed
The biggest muscles will freeze up if there is no strong character

Ephesians 6:10—”be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might”
Three kinds of strength here—empowerment (be endued with the Lord’s power), strength (a similar word as used in 1 Corinthians), and power (might or muscle)

We must gain power from God, act on what he gives us, and use it to accomplish his purposes

2 Corinthians 10:3-6—we pull down fortresses

What does this strength look like in action? Philippians 2:3-4
God’s power properly applied usually acts on behalf of others

Which brings us to our final point
We have all these “militant” terms, then Paul calls us to love
How do militant ideas fit with a concept of love?

To act like men/to be mature we must be strong—but strength must be always be tempered with love

5. Do All in Love

What’s love got to do with it?
Only everything

God at his most powerful is also God at his most vulnerable
John 1:1-3, 14—God who created all things revealed his glory, grace, and truth by becoming one of us and revealing God among us (i.e., “Immanuel”)

Philippians 2:5-8--Jesus' kind of love
a. Equal with God, but didn’t take advantage
b. Emptied himself, and became a servant
c. Incarnated as a human, he humbly obeyed even to the point of dying for our sins on a cross

How did Jesus love? He gave himself so others could live
That’s the love Paul refers to here

To act like men/to be mature requires us to do all things in love

The Corinthians certainly needed this kind of love (Paul even discussed it in chapter 13 of this book)

Their divisions had caused factions and fighting
They had become rivals instead of brothers
They were engaging in lawsuits instead of love
They were acting like children
They were not watching out for each other
They were not standing firm in the truth Paul had taught them
They were giving in to weakness

Where do we need love? Where do we need to show love?

To act like men, we must learn to do all things in love
That little three letter word “all” is difficult isn’t it?
“All” things—even my marriage? My kids? My job? My business relationships? Even with those who don’t “love” me? Even in situations where showing love could result in a loss for me?
What do you think?

Acting like men/being mature is not easy
No one said growing up would be simple
Paul’s advice here is tough

What Does Love Do?

In our world today, love is not only an important element, it is THE MOST IMPORTANT element.

Without love, watchfulness can deteriorate into a judgmental spirit.
Without love Paul’s commands could lead us to be militant but hardhearted.
Love keeps our firmness from becoming hardness and our strength from becoming authoritarian domination. It keeps our maturity gentle and considerate. It keeps our right doctrine from becoming obstinate dogmatism and our right living from becoming smug self-righteousness. It makes us like Christ.

Love is not easy. In fact, love cost Jesus his life. We need to remember, however, that sometimes the toughest task produces the sweetest results. Look at how God’s love redeemed you!

As Phillips Brooks said, “Never pray for an easier life—pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers—pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then doing your work will be no miracle—you will be the miracle!”

Conclusion

So what do we do? How do we respond to this passage?

Our circumstances are not so different from the church in Corinth
We live in a divided society, live in divided families, even attend divided churches
We have people around us acting like juveniles—blaming others for their problems or only looking out for themselves—we have a lack of “grown ups”—we need some mature men
We have problems creeping in, temptations attacking, people falling, we need someone to be on the watch

Our society and our churches seem at times to be slipping into all kinds of problems or errors or sin. Nothing seems to be solid or firm. We need folks who are on a solid foundation

We need strength tempered by love

We need mature men and women who will
a. Watch out for the church and for others
b. Take a stand for God’s truth and be bold
c. Be strong in God’s power to accomplish God sized tasks
d. Love God and love others as Christ commanded

Our response to this passage is simple
We must act like men, we must be mature and brave
We must go to our homes, our churches, our neighborhoods, our jobs, and embody the principles Paul has described here
We must be willing to be a solid foundation, a trustworthy people, a group of men and women who love each other as Christ loves each of us

This will require us to be creative, to reach out to those others have deemed “unreachable” or “untouchable”

We will need to imitate the life of Jesus in our everyday lives

We must be humble servants looking to bless others with God’s grace

Will we risk it?
If we don’t, who will?
What will our families, our churches, and our world look like if we do?

I’d like to see that!

Thanks for reading!

Can I Get A Witness? 1 John 5:6-12, Theology Matters Series

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meeting on June 5, 2011. A while back we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson looks at 1 John 5:6-12 and discusses the idea that Christians should live in response to the testimony and evidence God offers in the Incarnation. In fact, if we take the Incarnation seriously, we will realize that God is calling us to a life of humble service to others just as Christ came among us. His life is not merely an example for us, it is a call for us to take God at His Word and live as he has called us. In this lesson, I put the audience in the jury box and ask them to consider several pieces of evidence and some testimony. Then I ask them to make a decision based on that evidence. The decision will reveal itself in our own testimony to what God has done. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

Can I Get a Witness?
1 John 5:6-12
Theology Matters Series

Introduction
Jury duty
These words usually do not make people happy
When you receive a notice of jury duty, it doesn’t usually bless you
I served on juries before—two in Waco and a grand jury in Campbell County
We heard testimony, observed evidence, and rendered a verdict

Our passage today, 1 John 5:6-12, makes me think of a courtroom

Twelve times in 1 John our author uses the Greek word for witness, testify, or testimony
Ten of them show up in our passage today

I am going to ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to be a jury today

I am going to present to you some testimony and some evidence, and I will be asking you to render a verdict

Are you ready?

The Evidence
In chapter 4, John reminds his readers of the importance of faith in the Incarnation. Now he addresses the issue: How can we be assured that the Incarnation is a fact? In these verses John lays out the evidence for the Incarnation.

We live in an age where uncertainty and a lack of “dogmaticism” is enshrined as a valuable virtue.
We are told the no one can be certain and that truth is relative
We are often reminded that things are subjective and truth is a personal decision or opinion
I even saw a letter to the editor that declared that faith in the resurrection of Christ is based on “blind faith” and cannot be known by “fact” or historical data

That is the world WE live in

John would say that such a view of the world is foolish

I would agree with John

John gives us three pieces of evidence and a contrast to say to us, “You can be bulldogmatic on the topic of the incarnation”

In 1 John 5:6-9, he lists his three witnesses as follows: the Spirit, the water and the blood

Verse 6 tells us that Jesus Christ came by the water and the blood and not by water only

What in the world does John mean by this?
To what do the words “water” and “blood” refer?

Here are some options:
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
The Incarnation (Jesus’ birth) and the Crucifixion
Some connection to blood and water coming from Christ at the crucifixion (John 19:34)
But none of these are satisfactory given the context

Let’s remember a bit of our history here
John is dealing with opponents to his teaching
These opponents apparently were teaching a doctrine that said that God is Spirit only and cannot be “flesh” or “human”

In fact, some of them even claimed that Jesus only “seemed” human, he was really a spirit being (Docetism)

Some even went so far as to separate the man Jesus from the Messianic Divine Spirit called “Chirst” (Cerenthus). This teaching claimed that the spirit of Christ came on the man Jesus at his baptism, but left him at the cross. That is, Jesus the man was endued with power at his baptism, but this divine power left him at the cross. The Spirit of “Christ” couldn’t suffer or die in this view

For these individuals, redemption is not important but enlightenment is needed. They have a baptized Jesus but a “bloodless” Christ. They are happy to be initiated into a “mystery,” but they shy away from suffering as a means of redemption

These are the people resisting John’s teaching

John is writing not only to reassure his people but to also resist the false teachings of his opponents

The language in verse 6 indicates a past historical kind of witness
With that in mind, it seems likely that water and blood refer to the baptism of Jesus and the crucifixion of Jesus

John says that it is not by “water only” but by the blood as well
John refers here to God’s testimony in Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion
These two historical events testify to the truth of the Incarnation

As if these two were not enough, John reminds his readers that there is also the testimony of the Spirit of Truth (verse 7)

The word “Spirit” here refers to the Holy Spirit of God.

Just as God testified of Jesus as the Christ at his baptism and at his crucifixion, so also the Holy Spirit continues to testify about Christ and his work of salvation (John 15:26)
This witness is the truth (John 14:6)

These three: The Spirit, the water, and the blood all agree (verse 8)—they are united in testimony
They agree about the witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Incarnate Word of God
Their testimony is God’s evidence of Jesus

John closes this section with verse 9, in which he contrasts human testimony with God’s testimony

Simply stated, John reminds us that we often receive the testimony of humans
We usually accept the word of human agents without asking for more
How would you respond if every time you spoke to a friend he said, “I just don’t know if I can believe you. Is your testimony true?”
Most of us expect to be believed in most cases, and we tend to believe other human witnesses in general

Parent, Authorities, Pharmacists, Doctors, even the people on TV or in the newspaper
We often accept their testimony without hesitation
If we can accept the testimony of humans, then we ought to recognize that God’s testimony is greater than human words

God’s testimony is pretty straightforward: He has testified/borne witness to his Son (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; 2 Peter 1:17)

In other words, the evidence for the Incarnation is historical and supernatural
The historical events speak of Jesus as the Messiah and God’s witness supports these facts/events

God has spoken his witness in history and in his Scripture, what is the effect of it?

The Effects
1 John 5:10-12 outline the effects of the witnesses John offers above

The evidence John presents brings the reader or hearer to the place of a decision

Just like a judge or jury must make a decision and respond to the witnesses and the evidence presented in a court of law, so also the hearers/readers of John’s letter must now respond

There are two possible responses

1. The negative (5:10)
One possible response to the testimony/witness John provides is to say, “It isn’t true. I will not act on it in faith. God lies.”

John depicts unbelief not as a position to be pitied, but as a sin of which to repent

The person who looks at God’s evidence and God’s testimony and says, “It is not true” is calling God a liar.

Remember, “faith” as we defined it last week is an action—it is acting on what we know and placing our trust in something bigger than us—it is total reliance on Jesus and what God has accomplished in him

John’s opponents did not accept the full testimony of God
They belittled the truth of Christ by making him less than the Incarnate Word of God
They tried to avoid the blood of the crucifixion and to rely only on a mysterious enlightenment that led one to a mystical experience
Such actions/faith claim that God lied in his Word

This position does not accept the truth of God’s full testimony regarding Jesus

2. The Positive (5:10-12)
The person that responds to God’s testimony with faith (i.e., that trusts completely in God’s works in Christ for salvation) receives as a result an internal testimony
This is the testimony of the Spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:15-17; Gal. 4:4-7)

All who place faith in God’s truthful witness will have an internal testimony of this Truth

The person that responds to God’s truthful testimony with faith also receives an eternal testimony and eternal life

This life is not just a heavenly reality in the future, it is a spiritual reality now—the believer in God’s truth lives a life full of God
His life is centered on God, directed by God, filled with God
That is abundant life—the certainty of that life is focused on Jesus as the perfect revelation of God (John 1:1-3; 14; Hebrews 1:1-3) and as the one who gives abundant life (John 1:11-12; 10:10)

John even says that eternal life is in Jesus, and those who have Jesus have that eternal life—those who deny the truth of Jesus do not have eternal life

Embracing Jesus equals life, while rejecting Jesus results in no life

So what is the verdict?
Will you reject the evidence and God’s testimony?
Will you accept the evidence and the witness and have life?

What does the Jury say?
We stand in a place of decision today. John has offered us testimony and evidence regarding the divine Messianic status of one Jesus of Nazareth

We must now make our decision, we must render our verdict

Is Jesus the Christ? Is he the perfect expression and reflection of God’s divine nature?
If so, what are the ramifications for us?
If not, what will happen?

The Verdict
If we reject the Word of God as presented today, we must acknowledge that we are labeling the testimony of the evidence and of God as false. We will call God a liar and we are spiritually dead

If we accept the testimony, then we must place our trust completely in Christ for the life that only God can bring. Our life will exhibit that quality of life that only Jesus offers

If we accept God’s testimony then, our lives will look like Jesus—we will be his witnesses, we will add to the evidence our own testimony

What is your decision?

Thanks for reading!

Counter Culture Christians, 1 John 5:1-5, Theology Matters Series

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meeting on May 30, 2011. A while back we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson looks at 1 John 5:1-5 and discusses the idea that Christians should live a lifestyle that is counter to the values and desires of the world. This lifestyle manifests itself in a new birth, a radical faith, and an obedience that puts Christians at odds with the world. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

Counter Culture Christians
1 John 5:1-5
Theology Matters

Introduction
My childhood
When I was a kid, being counterculture usually meant being a “hippie” or resisting the “establishment”
In the 60s and 70s, that had a lot to do with drugs, rock and roll, and sex

What do you think of when you hear the words “Counter Culture”?

How about the words “Counter Culture Christians”?

1 John 5:1-5 speaks of Christians as being world beaters, those who overcome the world

John describes them (in a sense) as counter culture

To be born of God is to oppose the world’s culture

Let’s take a look at 1 John 5:1-5

I’m going to approach this passage in a different manner than I have in the past
I’m going to let you help me with the exegesis a bit

How many times do the following words (or their equivalents) appear and where?
1. Born of God (3 times)
2, Faith or believe (3 times)
3. Love (5 times)
4. Commandments (3 times)
5. Overcome (3 times)
6. Obey (2 times)

Here is a copy for you to consider

1 John 5:1-5
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

“Born of God”
“Born of God”, “born of him” appear in verses 1 and 4
In verse 1, those who are born of God are those who believe in Jesus as the Messiah
In verse 4, those who are born of God overcome the world

Verse 5 gives us further information: Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God (i.e., the one “born of him” mentioned in verse 1?) are also described as those who overcome the world

Faith in Jesus as Messiah/Son of God results in being born of God and being an overcomer

Born of God=overcoming the world
We’ll come back to this later

Before we unpack this further, let’s define faith

What is “faith”?
John uses the word “faith” or “believe” three times in verses, 1, 4-5

What is faith?
Hebrews 11:1-3
Romans 10:8-17
James 2:14-26

Faith is active—it acts on the object on which it relies—faith acts on the trustworthiness of its object and responds to that trustworthiness

“It is not the size of the miracle of faith that matters, but the size of our God.” Dr. Jerry Falwell

“Faith is putting everything in God’s hands and then letting Him tell us what to do. What’s the essence of faith? It’s doing what God wants us to do, not what we desire.” Dr. Jerry Falwell

Faith works—our faith that overcomes the world is something we do

The Result of Faith: Obedience
If faith is active, what kind of action does John expect as a result of faith?

Two words to consider here: “Love” and “obey”
“Love” appears five times in verses 1-3
Some form of “obey” appears twice in verses 2-3 (i.e., “observe” and “keep”)

What do “love” and “obedience” have in common in 1 John 5:1-3?
Verse 3 tells us
Loving God equals keeping his commandments (“Commandments” used three times in verses 2 and 3, right along with the words for “obedience”)

What does John mean by “commandments”?
May be a reference to the whole Law or just the 10 commandments

According to Jesus, what are the two most important commandments?
Matthew 22:34-40—on these two commandments rest the whole Law and the Prophets
Love God with all you are, and love others as yourself

Active faith keeps God’s commands and loves

John’s Argument
John’s argument here seems to be something like this:
1. Those who believe in Jesus as Messiah are born of God, and that birth results in faithful activity in loving as God loves
2. Loving as God loves equals keeping God’s commandments
3. When we love, we are obeying
4. When we love, we are acting in faith

Those who believe that Jesus is Messiah/Son of God are born of God, love others, keep the commandments, and overcome the world. Being “born of God” equals “overcoming the world” in some sense, so loving as God loves is victory

So, those who believe that Jesus is Messiah/Son of God are born of God and by that birth of faith they overcome the world.

Those who act upon the truth of the Incarnation (i.e., the “our faith” of verse 4) are born of God and that birth results in victory

Now, let’s consider some questions before we come to our conclusion

Some Questions
1. According to 1 John 4:21 and 5:1-2, those born of God love, but what do they love?
They love what God loves

2. What does God love?
Those who are born of him—our brothers and sisters

3. According to 1 John 5:2-3, how do we love God?
We love God by observing and keeping his commandments
This means we must be reading and obeying his Word
This means we must be spending time in the Scripture in order to observe and obey it

4. What are the commandments we should keep?
Love God (by obeying his Word) and love others (as a result of obeying his commands)

5. According to 1 John 5:4, what overcomes the world?
Our faith

6. What does that look like?
It is a reliance on what God has accomplished in the Messiah, the Son of God, the Incarnation
Faith is active and obedient, not passive and mental

How does faith overcome the world?

Conclusion
Faith acts in opposition to the world’s values and that is our victory over the world. Jesus, the self-sacrificing Messiah/Son of God, God incarnate who comes to die for sins (two things God had never experienced—death and sin), set the standard for a love that the world does not understand and cannot comprehend (John 1)—love is sacrificial, it is active. 

Belief in the Incarnation makes us victorious.

John returns to his first chapter here with an emphasis on Incarnation and faith. In fact, 1 John 5:1-5 is almost a summary of the first four chapters of 1 John
Verses 1a and 5 represent chapter 1, verses 1b-3 represent chapters 2 and 4, verses 4-5 are chapter 3

John says here, “Faith that acts on what God has accomplished in Jesus is antithetical to and overcomes the world.”

Overcoming the world then is living in a way that is “counterculture” to the world’s approach

The world is that which is in opposition to God
It is selfish, vain, and arrogant

1 John 2:15-17
“lust of the flesh”—selfish and desiring its own gain
“lust of the eyes”—vain and focused on appearance
“boastful pride of life”—arrogant and self absorbed

Those who have been born of God and overcome the world by their faith will live in opposition to these
They will be selfless and sacrificial in their lives
They will not stake their lives on reputation or titles
They will not put themselves first (Phil 2:3-8)

Victory over the world comes by faithfully obeying God’s Word—there is no other means
Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

What do we do now?
If we are to overcome the world by our faith, then we must act on the trustworthiness of the object of our faith; namely, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God
To act on his trustworthiness requires us to know him and to spend time with him
The first step of application is to be born of God by placing our faith in what he has accomplished in Christ

For those of us who are Christ followers, there are things we can do (acting in faith) to live as victors over the world.

1. First, we need to know what we believe. If faith is acting on what we believe, then knowing what we believe is a starting point. This requires us to spend time with the One who saved us and reading the things he has told us in his Word. This week spend an extra 10 minutes a day with Christ reading his Word. In fact, use that time to read 1 John or the Gospel of John or even Psalm 119 (a praise of God’s Word)

2. We need to put our faith into action by obeying what God says in Scripture. We cannot claim to have faith if we do not act, so we must obey. This week set aside time to share the truth of God with a friend. Find someone who needs the love of God and be creative in sharing that love. Be exuberant, be extravagant in your obedience. God doesn’t need “secret Christians.”

3. Finally, we need to be intentional in living against the world’s purposes. We need to follow the sacrificial example of our Lord and put the needs of others before our own. We need to pray for those who mistreat us, we need to show Christian concern for those who do not reciprocate, we need to be “counterculture” to the world and its intentions. What can you do this week to show that you are “born of God” and not a part of this world’s culture?

Thanks for reading!

Memorial Day by Edgar Guest

I love the poetry of Edgar Guest, and this poem in honor of Memorial Day seems rather appropriate today. Let me know what you think!

The finest tribute we can pay
Unto our hero dead to-day,
Is not a rose wreath, white and red,
In memory of the blood they shed;
It is to stand beside each mound,
Each couch of consecrated ground,
And pledge ourselves as warriors true
Unto the work they died to do.

Into God's valleys where they lie
At rest, beneath the open sky,
Triumphant now o'er every foe,
As living tributes let us go.
No wreath of rose or immortelles
Or spoken word or tolling bells
Will do to-day, unless we give
Our pledge that liberty shall live.

Our hearts must be the roses red
We place above our hero dead;
To-day beside their graves we must
Renew allegiance to their trust;
Must bare our heads and humbly say
We hold the Flag as dear as they,
And stand, as once they stood, to die
To keep the Stars and Stripes on high.

The finest tribute we can pay
Unto our hero dead to-day
Is not of speech or roses red,
But living, throbbing hearts instead,
That shall renew the pledge they sealed
With death upon the battlefield:
That freedom's flag shall bear no stain
And free men wear no tyrant's chain.

Thanks for reading! And thanks to all military who served or currently serve to protect our freedoms! May God bless you and your families.

About Legacies: In honor of Dr. Jerry Falwell

I wrote the piece below in August 2009. That summer had been a summer of introspection and thought about life. By that time, two great influences in my life had gone to be with the Lord: My dad in August 2004, and Jerry Falwell in May 2007. These men formed and fashioned me in many ways, but this post is not all about them. In fact, this post is simply in their honor. You see, four years ago Dr. Falwell passed into eternity. I only had about 3 years to serve with him, but the things he taught me (many before I ever set foot on Liberty Mountain) still influence my life today. He was a man full of big dreams and a big love. As far as he was concerned, no one was beyond the reach of God's great gift of love and grace, no one was beyond Jesus. My dad was very similar. My dad loved on folks other people turned away. I didn't realize how much alike these two men were until I met Dr. Falwell at Liberty. At any rate, this weekend marks 4 years since Dr. Falwell left us, and I wanted to reprint this old note to remind us all of the importance of legacies. Thanks, Doc, for caring for us and leaving such a legacy! I hope we live up to it!

A little over a year ago, I wrote the post below after attending several key events in the lives of some important folks in my life. I want to reprint the article today for a very special reason. Today, August 11, would have been the 77th birthday of Dr. Jerry Falwell. He was a man of great influence and even greater dreams. His life and ministry cut a large path across this country and had an amazing effect on thousands (no, make that millions) of people. I used to listen to the Old Time Gospel Hour on the radio shortly after I became a Christian. I was even a Faith Partner in his ministry. I wanted to play football at Liberty, and although that never happened, I still felt as though Jerry Falwell was in some ways my pastor and teacher. I read his sermons, I joined his first Moral Majority, and I genuinely appreciated his life and influence on me as a young man trying to figure out what God wanted me to do.

I watched Jerry Falwell's ministry from afar until August 2004. That month two very important things happened in my life: My father passed away, and I moved to Lynchburg, VA to begin a great adventure teaching at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Falwell became a larger than life part of my adventure. I only had the privilege to meet the man face-to-face a few times, but each time he remembered me and details of my life. He revealed such a genuine concern for me and my family that I began to think of him (to some degree, at least) as my second father. I remember once as he walked through the seminary offices, I could hear his booming voice as he talked to folks. As he passed my office, I heard him say, "Wait, I need to stop by and say hello to Leo." He not only remembered my name, he wanted to come into my office to check on me. His leadership and his kindness still inspire me. Oh that every pastor or leader could be a little bit like Jerry Falwell!

I hope that I live up to his legacy and expectations. I miss him, and I wish he had remained with us. At any rate, here are my thoughts on legacy, presented on this day in honor of a man who profoundly influenced my life: Dr. Jerry Falwell.

Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth.

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.

Recently I have experienced several occasions that caused me to think seriously about the idea of legacy. On May 9, 2009 I attended Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary's graduation, in which I watched several students and good friends walk across the stage to receive their degrees and launch into their ministries. Then, on May 15, 2009, I paused to remember the life of Dr. Jerry Falwell who passed away two years ago. May 17, 2009 saw the retirement of Dr. A. Ray Newcomb from 33 years of being a pastor at First Baptist Church, Millington, TN. Then May 21, 2009 witnessed the graduation of my nephew, Ethan Percer. All of these events reminded me of beginnings and endings, but more importantly they reminded me of the impact a legacy can have on people. In the next few paragraphs I'll try to explain.

I'm not sure how much we think of the impact of our lives. As I watched the high school students graduate with Ethan and the seminary students walk the stage in VA, I couldn't help but think about what I may hear about these people in the future. Some of them have already made an impact, some of them have a future impact to make. Most of them have no idea what the end of their lives will be, they only have dreams and hopes and (perhaps) plans. I remember holding my nephew shortly after he was born. Ethan seemed so tiny to be the first grandchild born to my parents, and as I held him in my arms, I prayed that God would grow him into a warrior, a man of God who is willing to help others and serve God no matter the risk. I had forgotten that prayer, to be honest, until one day I heard a story about my nephew tutoring other students in school and going out of his way to help others when it wasn't necessarily a popular thing to do. He has laid a foundation for a legacy that will not fade. I received an e-mail from his principal that said, "I would be proud if all of my students were like Ethan." Ethan is building a legacy.

Some of the seminary students who walked across the stage recently have begun their legacy. Many of them left homes and nice jobs to pursue a degree at the seminary. They said "no" to "success" as the world measures it so that they would have the opportunity to labor for God. Some will labor in obscurity, some will never have "the largest Sunday School in America," some will never make the "big money," or write the most impressive "how to" book for other pastors. I know their lives, their hearts, and I know that their legacy will be greater than any can imagine. Does anyone remember "James the Less"? He was one of the twelve chosen by Jesus, but even church history and tradition have trouble determining who he was. Yet, he was one of the twelve, one of the original disciples, one of the eyewitnesses to Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Not as famous as James the son of Zebedee, this James nonetheless left enough of an imprint on history to be regarded as one of those individuals who "turned the world upside down" with his life and preaching. We no doubt graduated a lot of these individuals, folks we may have a hard time identifying who will nonetheless make a great impression on many they will bring to Christ or love in God's name. "Less" may describe the knowledge of them, but it will not define their impact on those to whom they minister. I bet there were people in the first century who didn't think of James as "the Less" because of what God did through him. Nonetheless, James built a legacy, and like him, many of these graduating seminary students are building a legacy.

That brings me to two pastors--one gone and another freshly retired. Dr. Jerry Falwell and Dr. Ray Newcomb may have taken decidedly different paths to ministry, but they have something in common--their lives and ministries encouraged and affected many who now try to follow in their footsteps. Both men gave multiple decades to one congregation (Dr. Falwell served at Thomas Road for over 50 years, Dr. Newcomb at First Baptist for over 30 years), and the dreams and plans they received from God have inspired many to pursue the purposes of God for the love of Christ. Both men played a role in helping me grow as a new Christian, in helping me understand the concept of "call," and in helping me define the ministry to which God appointed me. I do not know where I would be without the legacies of these two men. On Sunday, we had a celebration of the ministry of Bro. Ray. During the singing of "Thank You," the minister of music asked all of us who had become Christ followers under Bro. Ray's ministry to come forward and stand by the stage. It seemed like over half of the crowd came forward to testify that God used this man's life and ministry to bring them to Jesus! There were doctors, lawyers, postal employees, politicians, teachers, and even one seminary professor. I was fine until then, but that scene brought tears to my eyes. Bro. Ray was getting to see his impact in a very visible form. Here were dozens, even hundreds of people whose lives will never be the same simply because he obeyed God to serve at First Baptist Millington. That number doesn't even count the lives that have been touched by those individuals as they went out to emulate their pastor. Bro. Ray and Dr. Falwell built great legacies.

Well, I've rambled a bit. I want to close with one more legacy to bring this full circle. As I watched my nephew graduate and as I participated in the celebration of my pastor's life and ministry, I couldn't help but think of one person who would have been so proud of both of them--my father. My dad, Bobbie Percer, passed away in August 2004. I have no doubt he would have loved this week--watching people honor his pastor and his grandson--oh, how proud he would have been. But my father's legacy is bigger than his joy at the accomplishments of others. You see, my dad left quite an impression. When my father passed away, my family and I drove to Millington from Waco, TX for the funeral. On Friday night before the funeral on Saturday, we had the traditional "viewing" when people would come to give their condolences to the family. I stood there greeting people in a line that stretched so far outside of the funeral home that the people were literally standing in the parking lot. I met folks I did not know, and they told me things I had not heard. One fellow told me how he came to Christ because my dad gave him shoes and a ride to church. This fellow's family was embarrassed to go to church because they did not have proper clothing. My dad not only clothed them, he gave them a ride to church. Another young man told me that he never would have graduated college if my father hadn't helped pay for his education. A young woman (with several children) told me of how my dad had helped her family and been instrumental in leading her husband and several children to the Lord. A line of nearly 1000 people marched through that funeral home and praised the life of this man, my father, in ways I could not even imagine. My dad was a great man. No, you'll never hear his name mentioned with luminaries like Jerry Falwell or Billy Graham, but man what a large footprint this one man left in a small town in west Tennessee. Lives were changed (including those in his family), and eternities were determined. He did not even recognize all that he had accomplished, but he continued to love and to serve others because he loved a great God. His legacy is intact because he followed the example of his Lord. Bobbie Percer was a hero to many, and he is a hero to me. If I can have half the influence on others that my father had, I'll be a happy man. Bobbie Percer left a legacy and a good name.

I watched all of these scenarios open before me recently, and it made me a bit introspective. What kind of legacy am I leaving? Where will my footprints lead others if they follow me? Who would attend a celebration of my life and what would they say? Would my love for Christ be obvious? Would my love for others be mentioned? God has blessed me to walk with giants (and some giants in training), and I have to admit that I am often overwhelmed by their collective witness. I am reminded of a conversation I had with Dr. William L. Lane. I admitted to him that I didn't think I could live up to his example of a godly life and scholarship, and he said to me, "Never covet another person's gift, and never despise your own." He went on to remind me that God had not called me to be identical to Dr. Lane or to anyone else. God had called me to use my unique gifts and abilities for his glory. I do not have to live up to the stories of these giants, I simply need to live the legacy God has given me. No matter how obscure or unrecognized or inconsequential a life may seem, if it is lived for God it will have a legacy. What kind of legacy are we leaving the next generation?

Thanks to all of the men and women who left their footprints in our hearts and lives!

Thank you, dear reader, for reading!

A Love Louder than Fear, 1 John 4:16b-21, Theology Matters Series

Hello all:

I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline for our meetings on May 1-8, 2011. A while back we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson looks at 1 John 4:16b-21 and discusses the idea that Christians need to live in and live out the love of God, a love that is louder than fear. This love manifests itself in three aspects: it is confident, it is mature, and it is honest. As we grow in and learn to live out of this love, Christians will find themselves loving God and others in the way that Jesus did. In fact, they will find that their relationships may be less characterized by fear and more characterized by the presence and love of God. When we love others, we give a living example of the love Jesus showed in the cross. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!

A Love Louder than Fear
1 John 4:16b-21
Theology Matters Series

Introduction
When I was a kid, I had a few fears
I was afraid of the dark
I was afraid of death
I was even afraid of not being perfect

People all across this city are afraid
They struggle with fear of acceptance
Fear of strangers
Fear of being rejected
Fear of being alone

Many of you probably suffer from similar fears

Recently, the singer Pink made a comment: “Love is louder than fear”
She was speaking of the fear that some in the homosexual community feel
She was speaking out against the actions of bullies

In our passage today, John offers a continuation of his message about God’s love for us
He describes for us a love that will cast out fear, a love that will outgrow and work through fear and find itself in a place of peace

John describes a love that is louder than fear, and that love exhibits three characteristics. It is:
Mature
Confident
Honest

Love that is louder than fear is found only in Jesus Christ

1. This Love is Mature

1 John 4:16b-17a—John reminds his readers that God is love; abiding in that love is abiding in God; and this abiding is revealed in a process of growth

“Abiding” means to take up residence, to camp, to dwell in—it means to take up habitat and to live there—it is a process and an ongoing action

As we stated regarding 1 John 4:8, the statement that “God is love” is a reference to God’s character

God’s character is revealed in God’s acts
God loved us (and the world) by giving Jesus as our atoning sacrifice
God’s love is expressed in what he gives

The idea is that a Christ follower is changed by the love of God and begins to live a life defined by that love (cf. Gal. 2:20)—Love grows and matures

If God’s love and God’s Spirit dwell in us, then how we live our lives should exhibit their presence

God’s love changes things, and that is the love that John wants to see “perfected” in us

The word “perfected” in verse 17 carries the idea of “mature” or “complete”
John is not necessarily referring to the idea of “flawlessness”
Certainly God’s love is flawless/perfect
But the love that God works in and through us progresses and grows

John indicates here that love must grow in us
As we abide in God and his love, his love works in and through us
As we grow in our relationship with God, our ability to love should grow as well

This kind of growth and maturity takes dedication (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Peter 3:11, 17-18)
Think of a musician or an athlete
Practice makes perfect—the more we do something, the more we grow in our ability to do it

We must practice love if we hope to be mature in love
This means we must spend time with the objects of our love
We must spend time loving God
We must spend time loving others
What does this look like?

Love that is louder than fear is mature—it takes time to grow
It matures/grows in us as we practice it
It matures/grows us as we live in it

2. This Love is Confident

1 John 4:17b-19—speaks of the confidence that we can have in our relationship with Jesus Christ and the assurance that we are children of God (3:1) as we experience change in our hearts and lives through God abiding and living within us (4:16). (Ray Bentley)

In this passage John introduces two new words—fear and punishment/torment
Remember, these words are written to believers
John is trying to convey some message to those of us who are Christ followers

The idea of “fear” and “torment” here speaks of an eschatological event—the day of judgment—but the words have specific meanings
Matthew 25:46 mentions this torment, punishment, or correction as the state of unbelievers eternally
The words used here are typically related to slaves and servants—these are people who live in fear of torment or punishment
Sons and daughters do not relate to their Father in that way—they have reverence or respect for their parents, and they experience discipline but not torment
John is saying that as children of God we have no reason to fear as slaves fear
Because of God’s love we can have confidence

“Confidence” here means “boldness” or “freedom of speech”

When we live in fear, we are not mature in love and we lose confidence

Many Christians live in fear of being known or of being exposed
a. We fear being transparent or vulnerable because we think that no one can accept us as we “really” are
b. Some folks live in fear because of something in their past that haunts them, or something in their present that upsets them, or something in their future by which they feel threatened (Warren Wiersbe)
c. When we live in that fear, we are not walking in God’s love—we are not maturing in love

As we grow/mature in love, we should find fear losing ground
Think of the mother of a sick child—she is not afraid of the sickness, her love simply drives her to one end—the care and cure of her child

As we grow in God’s love, we quickly realize that this love is secure and safe
If God loved us when we were his enemies (Romans 5:6-10), then how more will he love us now that we are his children?
God loves us as we are and accepts us—that is the source of our confidence
Romans 8:36-39—Nothing separates us from God’s love

As we are connected to the Light of Life, that Life drives out our fear

The story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer from the movie on his life (Bruce Goettsche)

Bonhoeffer tries to pray for a fellow inmate who claims that he does not believe in God. Bonhoeffer encourages him to place his hands on the cell wall as he is doing, and then Bonhoeffer prays, ""Lord, it's dark in me; in you is day. I am alone, but you will stay. I am afraid; you never cease. I am at war; in you is peace." The man in the other cell slowly places his hands on the wall. Bonhoeffer's confidence flowed from God's light of love in his horrible situation, and that confidence produced a sense of peace in his fellow inmate. This is the love to which we are called! Does our love create confidence and peace in others?

John 3:16-21

God loves us more than we can imagine
He loved us enough to send Jesus to die for us
He loves as he loves Jesus
That love is the love he wants in us

In his Gospel account (John 3:16-21), John reminds us that God loves even those who reject him—in these verses he reminds us that judgment comes by rejecting God’s Light/Love

When we choose to hide our works, we are living in the darkness
When we hide our deeds for fear of exposure, we are not walking in the light. When we bring our deeds to the light, Satan is disarmed.

When we bring our deeds to the light, we are learning to bask in God’s love, and that requires effort on our part

It requires transparency and honesty
"There is a beautiful transparency to honest disciples who never wear a false face and do not pretend to be anything but who they are." Brennan Manning
“Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable.” Mother Teresa

Love that is louder than fear is confident before God and others

A Quote from Warren Wiersbe

“The perfecting of God’s love in our lives is usually a matter of several stages. When we were lost, we lived in fear and knew nothing of God’s love. After we trusted Christ, we found a perplexing mixture of both fear and love in our hearts. But as we grew in fellowship with the Father, gradually the fear vanished and our hearts were controlled by his love alone. . . . A growing confidence in the presence of God is one of the first evidences that our love for God is maturing.” Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 522

3. This Love is Honest

1 John 4:20-21—Here John reminds his readers that God’s love for us is reflected through our love for others. As we grow in love, our confidence leads us to live God’s love towards others, but to do that requires us to be honest

“If someone says”—John uses this phrase some seven times in his letter to warn his readers against the danger of pretending to be something that they are not

Fear and pretense often go together
Think of Adam and Eve
No sooner had they sinned than they hid
They refused to even take responsibility for their own acts

A Christian who lacks confidence before God will lack confidence with God’s people (W. Wiersbe)

When our hearts are confident before God, we do not need to pretend

When we lack that confidence we tend to worry—”What will they think if they knew?”

God’s love produces the confidence to be honest and transparent
We do not need to pretend at spirituality
We know that God accepts us and his children should too
We can be ourselves, warts and all, because of God’s love

When we pretend to be what we aren’t, we become liars
Who is the father of lies?
Satan

Remember Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5)

Spiritual honesty can bring peace and power to the one who practices it
Because he lives in open honesty with the Father, he can live honestly with other people

But this transparency and honesty comes at a risk, doesn’t it?

We risk exposure, we risk being vulnerable, we risk rejection by those who don’t “get us”

But truth and love go together—you really can’t have one without the other

If we are going to be the people of God, then we must love others (John says so)
And loving others means both accepting them and being honest with them
We must tell the truth in love (Ephesians 4:14-16)

As Christians, we cannot grow up or mature in Christ if we do not love each other
And we cannot truly love each other if we do not speak honestly

Many of us avoid love because we are afraid
Look at the example of Christ--he loved others and was rejected, mistreated, falsely accused, and even killed for it--Yet Jesus loved anyway

Our goal is to be like Christ in this world (1 John 4:17)
We must love each other as he loved

Love that is louder than fear is honest

Conclusion

As “children of God” we are being transformed into his image (the image of Christ), becoming more like him in our thoughts, actions, and love for other people, especially other believers

Love sums up Christ’s teaching. The standard of love to which we are called is literally not of this world. The love that comes from God is sacrificial and manifests itself in action on behalf of others. It meets the needs of others in a variety of ways. As Christians genuinely exhibit this level of love, they in some ways incarnate the very character of God and reveal him to the world

This sacrificial love requires us to be honest before God and others, and it requires us to find ways to get rid of fear

We must sacrifice our desire to be respected or to be exalted and be willing to humble ourselves to serve

This humility will also result in transparency and honesty

How do we do this?

Some ideas for this week:

1. Be honest about your fears—be honest to yourself and to God. If possible, be honest and accountable with another Christian. What is hindering you from growing in confidence in God’s love? What will you do to rid yourself of it?
Consider fear a spiritual problem—develop your walk with God with an eye toward growing in confidence with what he has accomplished. Pray and spend time with him until fear begins to abate

2. Memorize verses that deal with fear and that deal with love: Psalm 23, Isaiah 43:5, John 3, 1 John 4. Take time this week to commit some verses to memory that deal with your area of need. Spend 10 minutes a day hiding God’s Word in your heart

3. Find ways to practice love so that love may grow in you. Make some time to show sacrificial love this week—remember that sometimes the people who cause the most fear in you are also afraid. Love them. Show forgiveness to those who have wronged you. Love those who hate you. Encourage someone who is discouraged. Listen with love when a brother or sister shares honestly and transparently with you. Accept them and pray with and for them.

Love that is louder than fear is only found in Jesus Christ and should be found in his followers

Will we risk it?

Thanks for reading!