Top Ten List of evidences of God’s activity in 2019 at City Bible Church, Part 1...

Throughout the letters that make up the Bible, we see occasions where the people of God stopped to celebrate the evidence of God’s activity in their life and in history. For example, after creating the universe and everything that exists out of nothing, God stopped to rest and reflect on His activity in creating history. God then commanded the Jewish people to pause every week for the Sabbath, which was designed for followers of God to follow the example of God and rest and reflect on His activity in their lives.

Then, in the book of Exodus, we see God command the Jewish people to celebrate the Passover so that they would reflect, remember, and celebrate God’s activity in the past that resulted in their deliverance from slavery at the hands of the nation of Egypt. Jesus instituted communion, where we pause to reflect, remember, and celebrate the message of the gospel that provides us forgiveness and the relationship with God that we were created for as a result of placing our trust in what Jesus did for us through His life, death, and resurrection. Throughout the history of God’s movement in history called the church, followers of Jesus have paused to reflect, remember, and celebrate the evidence of God’s activity in their lives.

So this week, as we come to the end of 2019, I would like for us to reflect, remember, and celebrate the evidence of God’s activity this past year at the church where I serve, which is City Bible Church in Bullhead City, Arizona. To do that, I would like to share with you a top ten list.  This top ten list involves the top ten things that we are celebrating when it comes to the evidence of God’s activity this past year at City Bible Church. So with that in mind, lets jump into this top ten list together.

Number 10 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2019 here at City Bible Church involved our involvement in the Global Leadership Summit. This past August, we had the opportunity as a church to be a host site for the Global Leadership Summit, which is held at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago and is one of the best leadership conferences in the country.  The opportunity to be a host site provides the ability for us to provide top notch training to those who would not have the opportunity to normally attend such a conference.

As a result of the success that we had as a church in hosting what is referred to as a private viewing, we now have the opportunity to invite other churches to be a part of the Global Leadership Summit as a public viewing venue. One of our priorities as a church is to develop spiritually growing leaders within our church, while providing spaces and opportunities for other local churches to develop their leaders as well. As we talked about with the Growing Faith Conference, while we are a local church, we want to be open handed and generous to other churches in a way that helps the big C Church advance the kingdom mission we all have been given by Jesus. We look forward to the opportunities we now have to help equip, empower, and unleash leaders from C.B.C. and other local churches to make a difference for Jesus in our community and beyond. 

Number 9 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2019 here at City Bible Church involved our participation in the Angel Tree project.  Angel Tree is a project where we adopt local families where one or more parents are incarcerated and unable to spend Christmas with their families. As part of adopting these local families, we purchase Christmas gifts on behalf of the incarcerated parent. We then have the privilege of being that hands and feet of that parent by delivering the gifts to the children. This provides us the opportunity to reveal and reflect the love of Jesus to local families as we bring a glimpse of the light and love of the kingdom of Heaven to these families in a time that could be otherwise very discouraging and disappointing. 

This past year, as part of the partnership with Angel Tree ministries, we were able to purchase gifts for 77 children and impact 34 families with the love of Jesus. Angel tree has provided the opportunity to engage children and their families by developing relationships that invite them to explore faith and experience genuine and authentic community, and we look forward to being a part of Angel Tree next year as well.

Number 8 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2019 here at City Bible Church involved our participation in the Boys and Girls Club Scholarship Outreach. As we have engaged our local community over the years, one of the pressing needs that many families have during the summer months involves providing childcare for their children. When school is out for the summer, many families are faced with the prospect of leaving their children home alone while they go to work to provide for their families. The cost of childcare in many cases, is beyond their reach. In addition, while to Boys and Girls Club provides a summer program, the cost is also beyond what many local families can afford.

As a result of these realities, as a church we raised resources in an attempt to be able to scholarship children that would otherwise be unable to participate in the program. As a result of your open-handed generosity over and above your regular giving, this past spring we were able to raise the resources to scholarship 42 children to participate in the 8-week summer program at the Boys and Girls Club. The impact of your generosity can not be overrated for the lives of local children and families, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club this spring.

Number 7 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2019 here at City Bible Church involved our involvement with the annual Fusion Prescott Pines Mission Trip. This past July 19-22^nd, 27 Fusion students and staff loved and served Prescott Pines Camp by completing two different projects. This Mission Trip is designed to give Jr. And Sr. High students the opportunity to selflessly serve the camp during the day by completing projects that the camps staff is unable to attend to during the busy summer months. 

One Team of Fusion students and staff created the forms necessary for the building of Yurts, which are a hybrid tent building designed to replace the current Tee Pees used during the summer to house children during summer camp. A second team completed a renovation project of a former bathhouse that will be turned into a conference space for adult visitors. After working on these projects during the day, the students participate in team building projects and teaching on the three most important questions that everyone asks and answers about life.

The impact of the experience for these students provides a foundation for their life experiences in the future and sets the stage for their engagement in the ministry here at the church and their involvement in fusion during the year. As we have talked about in the past, students are not the church of the future; they are the church of the present and are actively involved in many of the ministries here at C.B.C. We are excited about what God is doing in the lives of these students and look forward to continuing our partnership with Prescott Pines in the future.  

Number 6 on the top ten list of evidences of God’s activity in 2019 here at City Bible Church involved our engagement of the community through our annual Candyland Carnival that past Halloween. Every Halloween we take the opportunity to turn our west parking lot into a carnival atmosphere with games, bounce houses, and food, at no cost to our community. The purpose of Candyland is to create a safe space on Halloween night that reaches out to our local community in a way that reveals and reflects the love of Jesus to our community. Candyland provides us the opportunity to redeem the evening for Jesus as we reveal and reflect Jesus to the community.

This past Halloween, nearly 2,000 individuals from our community were able to enjoy the fun fan family friendly atmosphere at Candyland.  What is so encouraging is that for many individuals and families who call C.B.C. home, their initial encounter with the church was through Candyland. As a church we are so thankful for the many individuals who invested their time, talents and treasure to make Candyland such a success by helping with set up and take down, by managing a game booth, and by helping prepare and serve food for the children and families that were a part of this event.

Friday, we will look at #5-1 on the Top Ten List…. in the meantime, what would be #10-6 on your Top Ten List of the evidences of God's activity in your life?

7 Common Questions About Attending City Bible Church this Christmas...

If you are considering visiting a church for the first time this Christmas, or after not having been to church for a while, you may have questions, but you’re not sure who to ask. So here are 7 frequently asked questions that you may have if you are considering visiting City Bible Church this week for Christmas:

What should I wear?

At City Bible Church, you will see all styles of dress. Some will wear suits and dresses. Some will wear jeans and t-shirts. To answer your question, choose an outfit you already own, one you feel comfortable in, and join us.

What will we do? What can I expect?

We will have a fairly typical worship schedule. We will have a short greeting time, sing two songs, I’ll share a message, we will sing two more songs. We will attempt to have songs that would be somewhat similar in style to what you may hear on your radio and that all ages can enjoy. And, yes, in full transparency, and in case you’re wondering, we will receive an offering. Our offerings support the full range of ministries we offer in the church, community, and around the world. You are not required, however, to participate during this time unless you choose to do so.

Will you embarrass me?

I certainly hope not. It will be a primary goal not to do that. I don’t personally like to be embarrassed when I visit somewhere new, even in a church — and I’m a pastor — so my goal is to create an environment that is comfortable for all. You WILL NOT be singled out as a visitor. We don’t make visitors stand, raise their hand, or even fill out a card if you choose not to do so.

How long will the service last?

Slightly more than an hour. I’d love to say an hour, but frequently the service ends up being an hour and 5 or 10 minutes. At the most, you’ll be with us for an hour and 15 minutes.

What time should I arrive?

That’s a great question. We have two worship services on the Sunday before Christmas (8:30 and 10:00 a.m.) and two worship services on Christmas Eve (4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.) that will have a different message than on Sunday. And, I’m really trying to help when I suggest you get here a few minutes early. Maybe even as many as 10 or 15 minutes early. It takes a little while to make your way through our campus, especially if you have children to check into our children’s areas or this is your first time. We especially want you to find a seat where you are most comfortable, and you’ll feel more comfortable if you have a few minutes to adjust before the service begins. We have a bulletin you can be reading while you wait for the service to start.

Do you have something for children?

Absolutely. Birth through 6th grade have their own activities designed especially for them. They will enjoy a time called Kids Konnection that will engage them at their level. Of course, we don’t keep you from bringing children with you in the worship service if that is more comfortable on a first visit, but our experience is that they truly do enjoy Kids Konnection. Either way, we love when entire families join us Christmas week.

Can I only come one time? Really, for what am I signing up when I come on Christmas?

There’s no obligation beyond Christmas weekend. Promise. Being honest, we do ask you to fill out a communication card and, if you do, we will follow up with you. And I hope you do. I love seeing who God brought to us as our guests. I love meeting guests. We won’t put any unfair pressure on you to ever come again. We hope you will, and we’d love if Christmas triggered that desire in you, but that’s your call — not ours.

I hope that answers some questions of those who are thinking about visiting City Bible Church.

What other questions do you have? Seriously, I’d rather you asked.

***Much of this post adopted from a great post by Ron Edmonson on this issue...

How do we give thanks when we are not thankful?

This Thursday, as a culture, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the one holiday that has an almost universal understanding regardless of religious or cultural upbringing. While there are differing opinions and often heated debate regarding the meaning and purpose of holidays such as Christmas or Easter, Thanksgiving is the one holiday that leaves no debate. While people may disagree about what should be served at Thanksgiving dinner; while people may disagree about which football game to watch, or if football should even be watched, no one disagrees about the meaning and purpose of Thanksgiving.

By its very name, thanksgiving is the day in which we all pause to give thanks for the blessings that we have received. Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and response to the events of the past year. So, I would like for us to spend our time together addressing this idea of Thanksgiving. And to do that, I would like for us to spend our time together looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of 1 Thessalonians.

However, before we jump into this section of this letter, I want to spend a minute talking about the writer of this letter and the original recipients of this letter. The book of 1 Thessalonians was written by a man that we know today as the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul was once a self-righteous religious person who persecuted Christianity until he had an encounter with Jesus Christ after He had been raised from the dead. After His life transforming encounter with Jesus, Paul proceeded to become the chief missionary to the non-Jewish nations of the world and wrote the majority of the letters that we have that form the New Testament of our Bibles.

Paul planted the church of Thessalonica during his second missionary journey, which occurred around 50 A.D. The city of Thessalonica was a port city of approximately 200,000 people that was located along a prominent Roman trade route in Macedonia, or modern-day Northern Greece, called the Egnatian way, which connected Rome to the Orient. As a result of its location, the city of Thessalonica was a commercial center in the Roman Empire. After planting the church, Paul wrote this letter that we know today as the book of 1 Thessalonians a short time later from the city of Corinth, which was located in southern Greece.

From its beginning, the church at Thessalonica and its members experienced trouble and distress as a result of persecution and exploitation by the Roman Empire. Followers of Jesus who lived in Thessalonica were harassed and hounded for their beliefs by both political leaders and other religious leaders. And as these early followers of Jesus struggled to follow Jesus in the midst of the persecution and exploitation that they were experiencing, the Apostle Paul sat down to write this letter that we have in the New Testament today to encourage them to persevere in the face of persecution.  

And as Paul finished his letter, we see Paul give a series of commands that seemed to be both unthinkable and unrealistic in light of the circumstances that the members of the church were facing. So let’s look at these commands together, beginning in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Rejoice always; ¹⁷ pray without ceasing; ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Here we see Paul give a string of three commands: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. Now I want us to take a minute and imagine ourselves as a follower of Jesus who lived in the city of Thessalonica. I want us to place ourselves in their shoes. 

Ever since you became a follower of Jesus and word spread that you were following Jesus, you have experienced trouble and distress. You have experienced trouble and distress as a result of persecution and exploitation by the Roman government. You are being harassed and hounded for your beliefs by both political leaders and other religious leaders. You have lost friends because of your beliefs; you may have lost your job because of your beliefs. You are searching for hope and encouragement.

Then you receive a letter from the Apostle Paul, who introduced you to Jesus and helped bring you into a relationship with Jesus. And as you near the end of the letter, Paul commands you to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. You’re a member of the church at Thessalonica. What would you be thinking? How would you be feeling? How would you respond to Paul’s commands?

Maybe you can relate to some of the struggles and questions that must have been running through the members of the church at Thessalonica’s mind. I mean, how do you give thanks when you are not thankful? How do you give thanks in all circumstances?

And that can especially be the case this time of the year. You see, for many the thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are painful and difficult times. They are difficult and painful because we can become caught up and overwhelmed by the hurts, habits, and hang ups that we experience as we live life here on earth.

After all, how are we supposed to give thanks in all circumstances when we have lost a job, or the job we have is something that we dread going to every day? How do we give thanks in all circumstances when our husband or wife leaves us? How do we give thanks in all circumstances when our family rejects us because of our faith in Jesus? How do we give thanks in all circumstances when we lose a loved one suddenly, unexpectedly?

How do we give thanks in all circumstances when we receive critical and hurtful comments that cut to the core of our being as we walk down the aisles of school or work? How do we give thanks in all circumstances when we are carrying the shame and the guilt of our past, or present selfishness, rebellion, and sin in our lives? How do we give thanks in all circumstances when circumstances out of our control throw our life into chaos? How do we give thanks in all circumstances when we feel abandoned and alone?

How do we give thanks in all circumstances when we feel like we are eating a pumpkin pie made out of salt instead of sugar? How do I give thanks in all circumstances? How do I give thanks when I are not thankful?

Now, oftentimes, a temptation that we face is to respond to difficulties, doubts, and struggles in our spiritual life by keeping them to ourselves, to not allow anyone else to be aware of our difficulties, doubts, and struggles. So we show up on Sunday morning and go through the motions of putting on a façade that gives the right answers, that give the right appearance, while behind the façade we are hurting, questioning, and crying out for connection and community. But why do we do this?

So often, at least for me, we do not want people to see that we are struggling because that would give the impression that we are “less spiritual” than others. So we put on the façade and hide behind the mask of “everything is fine” or “I’m just praising the Lord”. However, when we choose this method of dealing with the difficulties, doubts, and struggles in following Jesus, we choose to accept a counterfeit spirituality which robs us of the opportunity to engage in genuine and authentic community where people are cared about, prayed for, and where the transforming power of God can move through our lives as we live in community with others.

Other times, we find ourselves struggling to be thankful because we feel a gap in our lives. We can find ourselves wrestling with difficulties, doubts, and struggles in our spiritual life because there is a gap between our expectations and the reality of our circumstances. Maybe you can relate to the struggle of reconciling the gap that we can experience between our expectations and the reality of our circumstances?

For example, maybe you were sold on the expectation that once we choose Jesus and follow Him that our life will be smooth sailing. If you grew up in church, you may have heard this idea conveyed with a church mumbo jumbo talk statement like “Well you know, the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will”.

If you were sold on that kind of expectation, here is the thing: that expectation is not taught in the letters that make up the Bible. I mean, do you think that Jesus felt that the safest place to be was at the center of God’s will. Really?

I wonder if Jesus felt that way? I wonder if Paul, the disciples, or early followers of Jesus in Thessalonica felt that way? I wonder if Christians in the Syria, or in China feel that way? Do you feel that today, or are you right there wrestling with the gap between unfulfilled expectations and the reality of current circumstances? How do we live lives that are always joyful and that give thanks in all circumstances? How do we give thanks when we are not thankful?

Tomorrow, we will unpack Paul’s commands to discover the answer to that question….

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the pressures of idolatry...

This week we have been looking at the final section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 1 John. So far theis week, we have looked on as John revealed for us a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in community in that true community and connection with God provides freedom. And in 1 John 5:18-21, we see John reveal three different areas where true community and connection with God provides freedom. First, in 1 John 5:18, we see John reveal for us the reality that true community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin.

Second, John revealed for us the reality that true community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan because Jesus entered humanity so we can comprehend and wrap our minds around the reality that we can be freed from those things in the world system around us that is hostile to God and that sets itself up in opposition to God and the kingdom of God.

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan because Jesus entered into humanity to reveal and explain God to humanity and to expose humanities need for forgiveness and relationship with Him by allowing Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful life so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. Today, John reveals a third area where true community and connection with God provides freedom. We see that third area in 1 John 5:21:

 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

John concludes his letter by commanding the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history to guard themselves from idols. This idea of guarding literally means to protect oneself by taking careful measures. The idols that John is referring to here were fabricated and imaged deities. But that is not all that John had in mind here. When we read the message and teaching of Jesus and the letters that make up the Bible, we discover that an idol is anything other than God that we elevate and worship as God.

John’s point here is that in light of all that he has shared in this letter about the components that make for true community and connection with God and the landmines that can keep us from experiencing that community and connection, we must be on guard against anything that competes with God for our worship and devotion. Since a person who is living in true community and connection with God has the freedom from the practice of sin and the power of Satan, John is warning followers of Jesus throughout history to not use that freedom to become enslaved to something other than the source of your freedom.

And it is here that we see John reveal for us the reality that true community and connection with God provides freedom from the pressures of idolatry. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the pressures of idolatry because when we experience true community and connection with God, we treasure Jesus as our ultimate treasure. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the pressures of idolatry because when we experience true community and connection with God, we will be on guard against anything that competes with God for our devotion.           

Now you might be thinking to yourself at this moment “Well Dave I don’t have an idol that competes with God for my worship and devotion. I don’t worship a fabricated or imaged deity?” If that thought is in your mind, here would be my response: Are you sure? Are you sure you don’t have an idol?

Do you live in your idol? Do you drive your idol? Do you look at your idol every morning in the mirror? Do you sleep next to your idol? Do you get a paycheck from your idol? Do you worship the idol of comfort or convenience? Do you worship the idol of position, possessions, or pleasure?

John is calling the readers of this letter throughout history to carefully protect themselves from elevating anything other than God to a place of worship. If you are not sure whether or not you have an idol, here is a suggestion: Take some time and look at how you spend your time, your treasure, your talents, and what you talk about. Because we spend our time, our talent, our treasure, and our talk on what we treasure and are devoted to.

So here is a question to consider: what is imprisoning you? What bars and chains are you surrounded and shackled by? And who placed them there?

You see, the only way that we can lose our freedom as followers of Jesus over the practice of sin and the power of Satan is when we choose to imprison ourselves. And, at the same time, the only way that we can experience true freedom is through a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and leader.

Because, as we have discovered, true community and connection with God provides freedom True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan. And true community and connection with God provides freedom from the pressures of idolatry...

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan...

This week we are looking at the final section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 1 John. Yesterday, we looked on as John revealed a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in community in that true community and connection with God provides freedom. Just as it was for followers of Jesus in John’s day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history; true community and connection with God provides freedom.

And in 1 John 5:18-21, we see John reveal three different areas where true community and connection with God provides freedom. First, in 1 John 5:18, we see John reveal for us the reality that true community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin because God’s transforming work in our lives that results in a person becoming a child of God who is a part of the family of God also results in that person having a new heart and new desires by the power of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus Christ that is revealed and demonstrated by our lifestyle, or practice of life.

And because of that reality, a person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God does not live a lifestyle that is characterized by selfishness and rebellion against God and others. Instead, an act of selfishly doing things that we should not do, or not doing things that we should do, that hurts God and those around us, is out of character for the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God. 

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin because the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God is kept in that state of relationship and connection by God’s power. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin because God protects the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God from the evil one causing harm or injuring the nature of that relationship and connection.

Today, as John continues this final section of his letter, we see John reveal a second area where true community and connection with God provides freedom. So let’s discover that second area together, beginning in verse 19-20:

 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰  And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

Here we see John reveal the reality that on earth, at any one time, there are really only two groups of people. The first group of people that John reveals for us that are present on this earth are those who are of God. With this phrase, John is referring to those who have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God that comes through believing, trusting, and following Jesus Christ as Lord and leader in response to God’s transformational activity in their lives.

The second group of people are those that John refers to as the whole world who lies in the power of the evil one. As we have seen throughout this series, when John uses the phrase “the world”, he is referring to everything in the world system around us that is hostile to God and that sets itself up in opposition to God and the kingdom of God. This world system competes with God for our total devotion and we cannot love both. And as John reminds the readers of his letter throughout history, the ultimate leader of the world system that sets itself up in opposition to God and His kingdom is Satan, or the devil.

John’s point here is that those who do not have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God because they have rejected the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel will instead aligned themselves with the world system opposes God and that is controlled and influenced by the devil. John’s point is that there are only two types of people in the world; those who have been born physically and have rejected the claims of Christ, instead choosing to align themselves with the false worldviews that set themselves up in opposition to God and His kingdom, and those who have been born physically and have received the spiritual birth as a result of God’s transforming work in our lives that gives us a new heart and new desires by the power of the Holy Spirit to believe, trust, and follow Jesus.

Then, in verse 20, John continued by explaining that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, entered into humanity with a goal and a mission to give us understanding. This word understanding literally refers to the ability to comprehend something. John’s point here is that Jesus entered into humanity to give the ability to comprehend and wrap our minds around three huge ideas.

First, Jesus has given us the ability to comprehend and wrap our minds around the reality that we may know Him who is true. In other words, Jesus entered humanity so we can comprehend and wrap our minds around the reality that we can have a genuine and authentic relationship with the one true and real God.

Second, Jesus has given us the ability to comprehend and wrap our minds around the reality that we are in Him who is true. John’s point here is that Jesus entered humanity so we can comprehend and wrap our minds around the reality that we can have the assurance that we are actually living in relationship and connection with the one true and real God, through believing, trusting, and following Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Leader.

Third, John states that this is the true God and eternal life. John’s point is that Jesus Christ is the real and true Son of God who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God to humanity and to expose humanities need for forgiveness and relationship with Him by allowing Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful life so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. And it is through believing, trusting, and following Jesus that humanity has the opportunity receive the freedom from power of selfishness and rebellion that separates us from God. It is through Jesus Christ that we receive the freedom from the power of those things that place themselves in opposition to God and His kingdom.

And it is here that we see John reveal for us the reality that true community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan because Jesus entered humanity so we can comprehend and wrap our minds around the reality that we can be freed from those things in the world system around us that is hostile to God and that sets itself up in opposition to God and the kingdom of God.

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the power of Satan because Jesus entered into humanity to reveal and explain God to humanity and to expose humanities need for forgiveness and relationship with Him by allowing Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful life so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life.

Friday, we will see John reveal a third area where true community and connection with God provides freedom...

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin...

At the church where I serve, we just came to the conclusion of a sermon series entitled Connect. During this series, we looked at a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 1 John. During this series, we are discovering the components that make for true connection and community, along with the landmines and roadblocks that keep us from true connection and community. And as we go through this series, our hope and our prayer has been that God would move by the power of the Holy Spirit in our heads, hearts, and hands, in a way that moves us to the place where we can experience the connection and community with God and one another that we were created and designed to experience.

This week I would like for us to spend our time together picking up where we left off last week. And as we jump into the final section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 1 John, we will see John reveal for us another timeless truth when it comes to how we can experience the connection and community with God and one another that we were created and designed to experience. So let’s jump into the final section of this letter together, beginning in 1 John 5:18:

We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

John begins this final section of his letter by making a seemingly impossible statement: “We know that no one who is born of God sins.” But what does that even mean? Is John saying that true Christians never sin? Because if John is saying that true Christians never sin, then is anyone truly a Christian? After all, we all know that, even after becoming followers of Jesus, are guilty of selfishly doing things that we should not do, or not doing things that we should do, that hurt God and others, which the Bible calls sin. So what is John’s point here?

To understand what John is communicating here, we first need to understand what John means when he uses the phrase born of God. As we discovered earlier in this series, when John uses the phrase “born of God”, this phrase is passive; it is something that God does to us. When we respond to Jesus making Himself known to us by placing our confident trust in Him and recognizing and acknowledging who He is by accepting Him as being large and in charge of our lives, we become a part of the family of God.

Becoming a part of the family of God as a child of God is solely the result of God’s transformational activity in our lives. It is only through God’s transformational activity in our lives that flows from His desire to bring us into an eternal relationship with Him that results in us becoming a child of God as a part of the family of God.

John’s point here is that it is God’s transforming work in our lives that results in a person becoming a child of God who is a part of the family of God also results in that person having a new heart and new desires by the power of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus Christ that is revealed and demonstrated by our lifestyle, or practice of life. John is not saying that the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God will never sin; John is saying that the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God will not live a lifestyle that consistently practices sin.

The person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God does not live a lifestyle that is characterized by selfishness and rebellion against God and others. Instead, an act of selfishly doing things that we should not do, or not doing things that we should do, that hurts God and others, is out of character for the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God. 

In addition, John states that for the person who is born of God, God keeps Him. In other words, the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God is kept in that state of relationship and connection by God’s power. And because the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God is kept in that state of relationship and connection by God’s power, John states that the evil one does not touch him.

As we discovered earlier in this series, when John refers to the evil one, he is referring to the Devil. In addition, when John uses the word touch here, this word literally means to make contact so as to harm or injure. John’s point is that God protects the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God from the evil one causing harm or injuring the nature of that relationship and connection.

The person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God will remain for all eternity in that relationship and connection because of God’s transforming power in their lives that has brought them into that relationship. We see Jesus Himself reveal this reality in a prayer that John recorded for us as part of an account of Jesus life that bears his name. So let’s look at that prayer together, beginning in John 17:12-15:

"While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. ¹³ "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. ¹⁴ "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.

And it is here, in this final section of this letter, that we discover us a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in community. And that timeless truth is this: True community and connection with God provides freedom. Just as it was for followers of Jesus in John’s day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history; True community and connection with God provides freedom. And in 1 John 5:18-21, we see John reveal three different areas where true community and connection with God provides freedom.

First, in 1 John 5:18, we see John reveal for us the reality that true community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin because God’s transforming work in our lives that results in a person becoming a child of God who is a part of the family of God also results in that person having a new heart and new desires by the power of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus Christ that is revealed and demonstrated by our lifestyle, or practice of life.

And because of that reality, a person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God does not live a lifestyle that is characterized by selfishness and rebellion against God and others. Instead, an act of selfishly doing things that we should not do, or not doing things that we should do, that hurts God and those around us, is out of character for the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God. 

True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin because the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God is kept in that state of relationship and connection by God’s power. True community and connection with God provides freedom from the practice of sin because God protects the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God from the evil one causing harm or injuring the nature of that relationship and connection.

As John continues this final section of his letter, we see John reveal a second area where true community and connection with God provides freedom. We will discover that second area tomorrow…

We experience true community and connection with God when we trust His true testimony about His Son Jesus...

This week we have been looking at a section of a letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 1 John. So far this week we have looked on as John revealed the reality that it was the message of Jesus and the baptizing of those who identified with His message as being the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah;  it was Jesus death on the cross, in our place, for our rebellion, to be raised from the dead never to die again; and it was the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who is true and proclaims the truth about the truth of the message and mission of Jesus, that provided the evidence of the truth the message and mission of Jesus to provide humanity the opportunity to enter into a new covenant, or agreement between God and humanity that provided true community and connection between God and humanity.

And as John pointed out, the testimony of these three were in agreement. In other words, there was no space, there was no gap in the testimony. The testimony of Jesus message and mission that resulted in the baptism of those who identified with Jesus, the testimony of Jesus death on the cross, in our place, for our rebellion, and the testimony of the Spirit of God consistently pointed to the truth of the testimony of God.

We looked on as John made what is referred to as a lesser to greater argument to basically say to the readers of this letter that “if you believe and accept as true the testimony of men, then you should believe and accept as true the testimony of God because God’s testimony is always greater. And we are giving you the testimony of God because we were eyewitnesses of Jesus message and how people responded to His message. We are giving you the testimony of God because we were eyewitnesses of His death on a cross, in our place, for our rebellion, and His resurrection.”

John explained that for the person who responded to the testimony of God by trusting the message as being true, has the testimony in himself. In other words, the true testimony of God had seeped into the core of their being in a way that had resulted in a life that was becoming increasingly more like Jesus in both character and conduct.  However, the person who responded to the testimony of God by refusing and rejecting the message as being true make God a liar.

After all, to refuse and reject the testimony of another as being truthful and trustworthy is to call someone a liar. And because John and other leaders of God’s new movement in history called the church were providing the testimony of God that they had received from God and had been eyewitnesses of in the life of Jesus, to reject their testimony as being false was to reject the testimony of God that they had been given to proclaim. John then concluded this section of his letter by providing the testimony of God that they had been given to proclaim. Let’s look at that testimony together, beginning in 1 John 5:11-13:

 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Now John’s statement here, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: the message of God that we have been given to proclaim to you as being trustworthy and true is this: “The One True God has given us the opportunity to experience transcendent life in relationship with Him for all eternity, and that transcendent life is found through His one and only Son Jesus, who is God in a bod. The person who stands in close relationship and connection with Jesus has transcendent life in relationship with God for all eternity. However, the person who does not stand in close relationship and connection with Jesus does not have transcendent life in relationship with God for all eternity.”

 John then revealed what it means to stand in close relationship and connection with Jesus in a way that results in transcendent life in relationship with God for all eternity in verse 13. John explained that the motive behind his letter was clear: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” In other words, to stand in close relationship and connection with Jesus requires that we entrust with complete confidence the testimony that God has given through His Son Jesus and early followers of Jesus who were leaders in God’s new movement in history that we call the church. 

To experience transcendent life in relationship with God for all eternity requires that we place our confident trust in Jesus as God in a bod, who entered into humanity to live that life we refused to live and die the death we deserve to die and who was raised from the dead never to die again to usher in a new covenant, or agreement between God and humanity that provides humanity the opportunity to experience to community and connection with God and one another that we were created for. And it is here, in this section of this letter, that we discover a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in true community. And that timeless truth is this: We experience true community and connection with God when we trust His true testimony about His Son Jesus.  Just as it was for followers of Jesus in John’s day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, we experience true community and connection with God when we trust His true testimony about His Son Jesus.

The timeless reality is that it is the message of Jesus and the baptizing of those who identified with His message as being the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah;  it was Jesus death on the cross, in our place, for our rebellion, to be raised from the dead never to die again; and it is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who is true and proclaims the truth about the truth of the message and mission of Jesus, that provides the evidence of the truth that Jesus provided humanity the opportunity to enter into a new covenant, or agreement between God and humanity that provides true community and connection between God and humanity. To experience true community and connection with God requires that we entrust with complete confidence the testimony that God has given through His Son Jesus and early followers of Jesus who were leaders in God’s new movement in history that we call the church.

And that testimony from God, through Jesus, who was God in a bod, and through other followers of Jesus who were leaders in God’s new movement in history called the church requires that we place our confident trust in Jesus as God in a bod, who entered into humanity to live that life we refused to live and die the death we deserve to die and who was raised from the dead never to die again to usher in a new covenant, or agreement between God and humanity that provides humanity the opportunity to experience to community and connection with God and one another that we were created for.

For the person who trusts the testimony of God as being true, the true testimony of God will seep into the core of their being in a way that results in a life that becomes more like Jesus in both character and conduct.  However, for the person who refuses and rejects the testimony of God as being true, they make God a liar and will never experience true community and connection with God.

So here is a question to consider: How have you responded to the testimony of God that God has given through His Son Jesus and early followers of Jesus who were leaders in God’s new movement in history that we call the church? Have you responded to the testimony of God by trusting the message as being true? Or have you responded to the testimony of God by refusing and rejecting the message?

Because, as we discovered this week, we experience true community and connection with God when we trust His true testimony about His Son Jesus...