Sermon from April 27

Test the Spirits

1 John 4: 1 - 13

1. To "test the spirit" means to give teaching an acid test, just like a metal-worker does to make sure gold or silver is pure.
2. The acid test is: what does the teaching say about Jesus. (The Gnostics were teaching that Jesus did not have a physical body.)
3. Any teaching that says we can get to heaven any way other than faith in Jesus is false. John 14:6
(This is the Jesus we find in the Gospel accounts.)
4. God gives us the faith to accept the grace of salvation. Ephesians 2: 8, 9
5. The proof that we belong to Christ is our love for one another.
6. The standard for love was set by Jesus. We willingly sacrifice for each other. We want what’s best for each other.

Sermon from April 20

The Love God has Lavished on Us

1 John 3: 1 - 24

1. This is a chapter of contrasts. Between love and hatred, good and evil, life and death, and God and the world.
2. If we are God’s children, we will have a love for other Christians, but we will be in conflict with those who belong to the world.
3. Cain belonged to the world and murdered his brother who belonged to God. John says we are murderers if we hate each other. Matthew 5:21, 22
4. Hatred means more than disliking someone, it means you wish him harm. You continue to hold a grudge and are unwilling to forgive.
5. Love is not a fond feeling. It means we take action, have pity, and stand up for the truth.
6. Our reward for being God’s children is that he provides for all of our needs.

Sermon from April 13

As Far as The East is From the West

1 John 2: 12 - 20

1. Our sins are not forgiven because we have become good people. The only reason our sins are forgiven is because we accepted Jesus' gift of salvation.
2. This is important because it keeps us from walking in guilt.
3. One of ­­­­­­­­Satan's favorite weapons is guilt. He will make sure we remember every thing wrong we’ve ever done. He’ll even lie to us about things we could not help.
4. Satan will whisper in our ears that we are not good enough. It’s okay to want to become a better person, but it’s not okay to live in a guilt trip.
5. God does not undo the consequences of sin, but he forgives us and allows us to enter into his presence as if we had never sinned.
Psalm 103:12, Romans 8:1

I fear many Christians walk around feeling guilty. Guilty because they are not good enough or because of the past. I tried to explain that the Holy Spirit convicts us, but that is different than laying a guilt trip on us. Conviction is about the present and future, much like discipline. Guilt is about the past, much like punishment. Guilt is a terrible motivator because feeling guilty makes us want to give up. When 1 John 1:9 says God is faithful and just to forgive us, we need to believe that. We are forgiven when we accept Christ. We are declared not guilty.

Sermon from April 6

Jesus, The Atoning Sacrifice

1 John 1: 8 - 2: 14

Remember, John is refuting Gnosticism which taught that because the body is evil and we can’t help it, it doesn’t matter how we act.

1. Some people believe that 1 John 1:9 teaches that we must ask for forgiveness for every sin or we will not be forgiven for it.
2. This would mean if we died suddenly, with unforgiven sins in our lives, we would go to hell.
3. There is no way any of us could remember to ask forgiveness for every single sin.
4. In truth, we have an advocate -- a defender -- with the Father. This means Jesus stands beside us and tells the Father that we are no longer guilty. (2:1)
5. The reason we are not guilty is because Jesus is our atoning sacrifice. This means he cleanses us and satisfies God’s anger toward us. (2:2)
6. When Jesus died for our sins, he paid for all of them, past, present and future. Hebrews 10:10, Romans 8:1
7. We know we belong to God if we obey him and walk like Jesus. John 14:15