True community and connection with Jesus is revealed by a life that trusts Jesus and loves others in obedience to the message and teaching of Jesus...

This week we have been looking at a section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of John. So far this week , we have seen John explain that followers of Jesus will be able to arrive at a knowledge that they living in true community and connection with Jesus as a result of a lifestyle that loved as Jesus loved and that was in line with the message and teaching of Jesus as an ongoing reality in their life. John explained that the center and seat of a person’s emotions and desires will move from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic connection with Jesus that is produced by a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved.

John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to clearly understand that when the center and seat of a person’s emotions and desires moves from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that produces a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved, the result is confidence before God. John explained that the reality of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus will produce a confidence and boldness to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer.

John’s point to the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, is that the reason why followers of Jesus can have boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer, is due to the fact that we are living in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that is evidenced by our obedience to the commands of Jesus and by our desire to live a life that is pleasing Jesus and that makes much of Jesus. And in case there was any question when it came to what commandments John was referring to, we see John remove any doubt in what he says next. So let’s look at what John has to say next, which is found in 1 John 3:23-24:

 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

John points the readers of his letter to two events from history that are recorded for us in the account of Jesus life that also bears his name. First John points the readers of his letter to an event from history that is recorded for us in John 6. During this event from history, Jesus, after miraculously feeding 15,000 people, was followed by large crowds who wanted to make Him king. It is in this context that we jump into this event from history beginning in John 6:25-29:

When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" ²⁶ Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷ "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." ²⁸ Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" ²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

Now, as we have talked about in the past, when Jesus uses the phrase believe in, this word, in the language that this letter was originally written in, is that same word that is translated trust in out English Bibles. This word means to entrust oneself with complete confidence to someone or something. In addition, when Jesus uses the phrase in Him whom He has sent, and when John uses the phrase in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, this phrase means to place one’s confident trust in Jesus and accept what His name proclaims Him to be.

However, in John 6, similar to what was happening with some people who had left the church at Ephesus and were trying to influence others to leave the church at Ephesus, most of the crowd left Jesus after refusing to place their confident trust in Jesus and accept what He proclaimed to be as the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a rescuer, a deliverer, a Messiah who was God in a bod. John then pointed the readers of his letter to a second event from history that we looked at a few weeks ago, which is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in John 13:34-35:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

As we talked about a few weeks ago, Jesus said that all men, in other words all humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that a person has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of the reality that they loved others as Jesus had loved them. John pointed the readers of his letter throughout history to these two events from history to reveal the reality that experiencing and genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus can be summarized in two commands: Trust Jesus as the One who is large and in charge and love others as Jesus loved.

After pointing the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to these two commands, John explained that the one who keeps these commands would abide in Him and He in him. As we have talked about throughout this series, the word abide refers to someone who does not leave a certain realm or sphere of existence. This is the idea of remaining in community and connection with God as we are mystically and spiritually united in Jesus as followers of Jesus. John’s point is that that the person who persists in obeying Jesus commands to Trust Him as the One who is large and in charge and to love others as Jesus loved, would remain in close community and connection with Jesus.

John then explained that “we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” John’s point is that followers of Jesus arrive at the knowledge that they are is close community and connection with Jesus as a result of the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives. You see, it is God, though the Holy Spirit, that removes our heart of stone that resists and rejects the claims of Christ and message of the gospel and gives us a new heart that results in us responding to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.

At the moment that this occurs, which is referred to in church mumbo jumbo talk as regeneration, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives and unites us in Christ and to one another to form the body of Christ the church. This means, that, on a mystical level, when God sees His followers, He see them “in Christ”. In other words, when God the Father looks at us as followers of Jesus, He does not simply see us. Instead, He sees us in Christ. Right now, in a mystical and spiritual way, God the Father sees you, in Christ, in Heaven.

As followers of Jesus we are part of the church, which is the body of Christ here on earth. But even now, we are mystically and spiritually a part of the body of Christ in Heaven. Here John is reminding followers of Jesus throughout history that it is the Holy Spirit’s presence and activity in our lives that serves as evidence of our community and connection with Jesus. 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: True community and connection with Jesus is revealed by a life that trusts Jesus and loves others in obedience to the message and teaching of Jesus. 

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 Jesus is revealed by a life that trusts Jesus and loves others in obedience to the message and teaching of Jesus. This morning, the timeless reality is that the evidence of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus can be summarized by one’s obedience to two commands given by Jesus: Trust Jesus as the One who is large and in charge and love others as Jesus loved.

As followers of Jesus, it is a lifestyle that is driven to love as Jesus loved and that is in line with the message and teaching of Jesus provide the evidence that we are living in true community and connection with God. And that lifestyle provides the evidence to put our hearts at ease when it comes to whether or not we are truly connected to Jesus. As followers of Jesus, the center and seat of our emotions and desires will move from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that is produces a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved.

And as followers of Jesus, we can have boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer when we are living in genuine and authentic community and connection with Jesus that is evidenced by our desire to live a life that is pleasing Jesus and that makes much of Jesus. Just as Jesus was the vehicle that God used to reveal Himself to the world, followers of Jesus are the vehicle that He would use to reveal Himself around the world as we live lives that are focused on trusting Jesus as the One who is large and in charge and love others as Jesus loved. 

And as followers of Jesus, we arrive at the knowledge that we are in community and connection with Jesus as a result of the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives. As followers of Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit’s presence and activity in our lives that serves as evidence of our connection with Jesus as we are empowered to live a life that looks like Jesus and that makes much of Jesus.

So here is a question to consider: What does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal about who or what you truly trust and love? Does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal that you trust Jesus as the One who is large and in charge? What does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal about how you love and treat others?

Because true community and connection with Jesus is revealed by a life that trusts Jesus and loves others in obedience to the message and teaching of Jesus…

A message from Jesus designed to give confidence to followers of Jesus...

This week we are looking at a section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of John. Yesterday we looked on as John explained that followers of Jesus will be able to arrive at a knowledge that they living in true community and connection with Jesus as a result of a lifestyle that loved as Jesus loved and that was in line with the message and teaching of Jesus as an ongoing reality in their life.

John then explained that the center and seat of a person’s emotions and desires will move from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic connection with Jesus that is produced by a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved. John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to clearly understand that when the center and seat of a person’s emotions and desires moves from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that produces a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved, the result is confidence before God.

And that confidence, that boldness, John explained results in the reality that whatever we ask we receive from Him. John’s point is that the reality of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus will produce a confidence and boldness to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer. John then provides the reason why followers of Jesus can have such boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer: because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

John the explained that the reason why followers of Jesus can have boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer, is due to the fact that we are living in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that is evidenced by our obedience to the commands of Jesus and by a desire to live a life that is pleasing Jesus and that makes much of Jesus.

John here is pointing followers of Jesus throughout history to the very message that he received firsthand from Jesus in an event from history that is recorded for us in the account of Jesus life that he wrote.  So let’s look at that message together, which is found in John 14:12-14:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Here we see Jesus, as part of His final conversation with His closest followers before His arrest, reveal two amazing truths. First, Jesus explained that those who place their confident trust in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel will accomplish more to advance God’s kingdom here on earth than Jesus did while here on earth. Now a natural question that arises here is “how can that be?”

Jesus point here is that His followers would have a greater impact in terms of the extent and effect to advance His kingdom here on earth. Think of it this way. At the time of Jesus death, how many followers of Jesus were there on earth? In the book of Acts we read that there were 120 followers of Jesus huddled in hiding in Jerusalem after His death. How many churches were there at the time of Jesus death? None.

You see, as a result of Jesus going to God the Father in Heaven, the church was born and followers of Jesus were equipped and empowered to advance His kingdom to a greater extent that Jesus did during His time on earth. Just as Jesus was the vehicle that God used to reveal Himself to the world, followers of Jesus would be the vehicle that He would use to reveal Himself around the world.

Second, Jesus explained that whatever you ask in My name, that I will do. Unfortunately, some in the prosperity gospel movement take this verse to advocate a “name it and claim it mentality” when it comes to prayer. In other words, if I just have enough faith, I can ask God for anything and He will give it to me. The problem with that view however, is that Jesus is not saying that here.

Notice what Jesus says here: "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Now the word glorified means to cause to have splendid greatness. In other words, to glorify is to make much of someone in a way that makes one great. Jesus point is that God will respond to the prayer that is focused on accomplishing the mission of God in a way that advances God’s kingdom and makes much of God. God enters into the prayer that asks for the ability to accomplish God’s kingdom mission in a way the reveals and reflects the attitude and actions of Jesus.

Jesus is encouraging the disciples to understand that just because He is leaving, that does not mean that the message and mission is changing. Just as Jesus was the vehicle that God used to reveal Himself to the world, followers of Jesus would be the vehicle that He would use to reveal Himself around the world.

John here is pointing followers of Jesus throughout history to the very message that he received firsthand from Jesus to reinforce Jesus own words that His followers could have the boldness and confidence to approach Him in prayer as a result of the reality of their relationship and connection with Jesus that was evidenced by a lifestyle that was marked by obedience to the commands of Jesus and that desired to please Jesus and make much of Jesus.

And in case there was any question when it came to what commandments John was referring to, we see John remove any doubt in what he says next. Friday we will look at what John has to say next... 

"How do I know that I am truly living in community and connection with Jesus?”

At the church where I serve we are in the middle of a sermon series entitled Connect. During this series, we are looking 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 going to discover the components that make for true connection and community. During this series, we are going to discover the landmines and roadblocks that keep us from true connection and community. And as we go through this series, our hope and our prayer is 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. 

Now 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 next section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 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 next section of this letter together, beginning in 1 John 3:19-20:

We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him ²⁰ in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.

Now to fully understand what John is communicating in this statement, we first need to understand the context in which John is making this statement. As we talked about earlier in this series, there were some people who had left the church at Ephesus and were trying to influence others to leave the church at Ephesus.

There were some people who had attend the church at one time, but had left the church, who were claiming that you could have close connection with God while living their day to day lives in a way that is marked by moral and spiritual darkness as a result of selfishness and rebellion against God. There were some people who had attend the church at one time, but had left the church, who were proclaiming that one could have close connection with God while living a life that was in disobedience to the commands and demands of God.

Two weeks ago, we saw John reveal for us the reality that the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to. John pointed out that because children tend to take on the characteristics and character of their parents, no one who is born of God engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

And because of the timeless principle that the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to, last week John revealed the timeless truth that true connection and community with God produces a life that loves as Jesus loved. John explained that those who demonstrate a lifestyle that is driven by a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others provide the evidence that they are living in true connection and communion with God. By contrast, those who does not live a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they still remain separated from God as a result of their rebellion against God. is life for us

Now with that context in mind, John begins this section of his letter by explaining to the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, that they will know by their lifestyle that loves others as Jesus loved that they are of the truth. John’s point is that followers of Jesus will be able to arrive at a knowledge that they living in true community and connection with Jesus as a result of a lifestyle that loved as Jesus loved and that was in line with the message and teaching of Jesus as an ongoing reality in their life.

John then explained that such a lifestyle that loved as Jesus loved “will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us”. But what does that mean? When John refers to heart here, this word refers to the center and seat of our emotions and desires. John’s point here is that there are times where a follower of Jesus may feel a conviction in the core of their being that they are not living in true community and connection with Jesus.

And it is in those times that the question becomes “How do I know? How can I be at a place of ease or rest in the core of my being that I am truly living in community and connection with Jesus?” John here is revealing the reality is that the answer to that question can be found in the lifestyle that one has committed to living.

The person whose lifestyle is driven to love as Jesus loved and that is in line with the message and teaching of Jesus provide the evidence that they are living in true community and connection with Jesus. And that lifestyle provides the evidence to put one’s hearts at ease when it comes to whether or not they are truly connected to Jesus.

John’s point is that the center and seat of a person’s emotions and desires will move from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic connection with Jesus that is produced by a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved. We see John reinforce this reality in what he has to say next. So let’s look at what John has to say next, in verses 21-22:

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²² and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Once again, we see John use a term of endearment to encourage the members of the church at Ephesus, who he cared very deeply for, that if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. You see, John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus to clearly understand that when the center and seat of a person’s emotions and desires moves from the place of conviction and condemnation to the place of ease and rest when confronted with the evidence of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that produces a lifestyle that loves like Jesus loved, the result is confidence before God. A confidence that comes as a result of experiencing the evidence of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus.

And that confidence, that boldness, John explained results in the reality that whatever we ask we receive from Him. John’s point is that the reality of a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus will produce a confidence and boldness to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer. John then provides the reason why followers of Jesus can have such boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer: because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Now to fully understand what John is saying here, we first need to define some terms. As we discovered earlier in this series, when John uses the word keep here, this word literally means to persist in obedience. In addition, when John uses the word commandments, he is referring to the commands and demands of Jesus that are contained in the message and teaching of Jesus. Finally, when John uses the phrase do the things that are pleasing in His sight, this phrase refers to carrying out an obligation of a moral or social nature.

John’s point to the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, is that the reason why followers of Jesus can have boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer, is due to the fact that we are living in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that is evidenced by our obedience to the commands of Jesus. The reason why followers of Jesus can have boldness and confidence to approach God in prayer, believing that we will receive what we ask for in prayer is due to the fact that we are living in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that is evidenced by our desire to live a life that is pleasing Jesus and that makes much of Jesus.

John here is pointing followers of Jesus throughout history to the very message that he received firsthand from Jesus in an event from history that is recorded for us in the account of Jesus life that he wrote. Tomorrow we will look at that event from history together… 

True community and connection with God produces a life that loves as Jesus loved...

This week we have been looking at a 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. Tuesday we looked on as John wanted followers of Jesus throughout history to clearly understand that the more that their lives demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of how they loved others as Jesus had loved them, the more that those in the world that were hostile to Jesus would be hostile to them.

John introduced a well-known and generally accepted fact for followers of Jesus throughout history to remind the readers of this letter throughout history that because the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to, those who demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others provide the evidence that are no longer eternally separated from God as a result of their selfishness and rebellion against God. Instead, their love for others reveals the reality that they have experienced the transformational activity of God that has moved them into eternal life in the relationship and connection with God that they were created for.

By contrast, John explained that the person who does not live a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they still remain separated from God as a result of their rebellion against God. Because, as we discovered last week, the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to. John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to clearly understand that what spills out of our heart produces a lifestyle that reveals where we are truly at when it comes to whether or not we have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus.

And because of that reality, John introduced another well-known and generally accepted fact to the readers of his letter throughout history to make it unmistakably clear that those in the world that are hostile to Jesus and place themselves in opposition to Jesus would be hostile to those who were committed to live a lifestyle that demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. And it is that hostility to those who were committed to a lifestyle that demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that provided the evidence to reveal the reality that they were still eternally separated from God as a result being committed to a lifestyle of rebellion against God.

And as John continued this section of his letter, we see John describe what a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others looks like in the day to day life of a person what has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. Let’s look at these verses together, beginning in 1 John 3:16-18:

 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

Now when John uses the word know here in verse 16, this word literally means to arrive at a knowledge of someone or something. This idea of knowing is the idea of a past experience that has ongoing and continuing results. John is talking about someone who truly knows what God’s love is and how God’s love was demonstrated. In addition, when John uses the word ought, this word means to be under obligation to meet certain moral or social expectations.

John’s point here is that God’s love was made known and demonstrated in the most powerful way possible through Jesus willingness to allow Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives, so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. And Jesus willingness to demonstrate His love for us by allowing Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives should have ongoing and continuing results in the lives of His followers. And that ongoing and continuing result is that followers of Jesus should live their lives in a way that is driven by the obligation to lay down their lives for one another.

So John’s command to followers of Jesus throughout history, if communicated in the language that we use in our culture today, would sound something like this: Just as Jesus was willing to give up His life for us in order to demonstrate His love for us, we are under obligation to be willing to give up our lives for one another as followers of Jesus. is life for usJohn then asks a rhetorical question to reveal a stark reality: “But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Now the reason why this question is rhetorical is due to the fact that the answer to this question is so obvious that it does not require an answer. When John uses the phrase “closes his heart” this phrase was an idiom of the day that meant to shut off the center and seat of one’s emotions from another. John asked this rhetorical question to reveal the reality that the person who has the resources needed to maintain a life and observes another who lacks the resources needed to maintain life and responds to that need by shutting of their emotions that the need provokes within them, does not demonstrate the reality that the selfless, other-centered love of Jesus remains a part of their life.

John here is reminding the readers of this letter throughout history of the reality that love is a verb. You see, unlike our culture, which views and talks about love as though it were a noun, the letters that make up the Bible talks about love as a verb. Here is a clear and simple definition of love that the John is talking about here: Love is giving someone what they need most when they deserve it the least. Biblical, selfless, sacrificial, other centered love actively gives someone what they need the most when they deserve it the least.

And because of that reality, in verse 18, we see John urge the members of the church at Ephesus, who, as we have seen throughout this series, were every near and dear to his heart, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” John here is urging followers of Jesus throughout history to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others not only in what words they spoke to one another. John here is urging followers of Jesus throughout history to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others not only in how they exercised their tongues.

Instead John is urging followers of Jesus throughout history to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others in how they exercised their actions. John is urging followers of Jesus throughout history to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others in a way that was in line with the message and teaching of Jesus that forms the content of the Christian faith and that is to be an ongoing reality in their life.

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: True connection and community with God produces a life that loves as Jesus loved.  Just as it was for followers of Jesus in John’s day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, true connection and community with God produces a life that loves as Jesus loved.

The timeless reality is that because of the timeless principle that the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to, those who demonstrate a lifestyle that is driven by a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others provide the evidence that they are living in true connection and communion with God.

By contrast, those who does not live a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they still remain separated from God as a result of their rebellion against God. As followers of Jesus, Jesus willingness to demonstrate His love for us by allowing Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives should have ongoing and continuing results in our lives. And that ongoing and continuing result is that, as followers of Jesus, we should live our lives in a way that is driven by the obligation to lay down their lives for one another. Just as Jesus was willing to give up His life for us in order to demonstrate His love for us, as followers of Jesus we are under obligation to be willing to give up our lives for one another. is life for us

And the timeless reality is that, as followers of Jesus, we are to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in our relationship with others not only in what words we speak to one another or by how we exercise our tongues. Instead as followers of Jesus, we are to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in our relationship with others in how we exercised our actions. As followers of Jesus, we are to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in our relationship with others in a way that was in line with the message and teaching of Jesus that forms the content of the Christian faith and that is to be an ongoing reality in our live.

As followers of Jesus, we are to be constantly reminded of the reality that love is a verb. Unlike our culture, which views and talks about love as though it were a noun, the letters that make up the Bible talks about love as a verb. Love is giving someone what they need most when they deserve it the least. Biblical, selfless, sacrificial, other centered love actively gives someone what they need the most when they deserve it the least. And the timeless reality is that true connection and community with God produces a life that loves as Jesus loved

  

So here is a question to consider: What is the lifestyle that you are committed to living producing? Is the lifestyle that you are committed to living producing love? Hate? Indifference? What does your life reveal about how you view love? Is love a noun or a verb in your life?

Because, as we have discovered, true connection and community with God produces a life that loves as Jesus loved...

What hostility reveals about our view of Jesus...

At the church where I serve we are in the middle of a sermon series entitled Connect. During this series, we are looking 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 going to discover the components that make for true connection and community. During this series, we are going to discover the landmines and roadblocks that keep us from true connection and community. And as we go through this series, our hope and our prayer is 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 next section of this letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of 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 next section of this letter together, beginning in 1 John 3:13-15:

Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. ¹⁵ Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

John begins this section of his letter to early followers of Jesus who were from the church at Ephesus with a seemingly surprising command: Do not be surprised brethren, if the world hates you. What is so interesting is that the word surprised here, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to be extraordinarily disturbed by someone or something so as to be surprised. As we have talked about earlier in the series, when John uses the word world, he is referring to those things in the world that are hostile to God and place themselves in opposition to God and His kingdom.

So John’s command, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: Do not be surprised so as to be disturbed by the reality that those in the world that are hostile to Jesus and place themselves in opposition to Jesus would be hostile to you and hate you. You see, in giving this command, John was echoing back to the very words that he had heard Jesus communicate to he and the rest of the disciples. Words that John recorded for us in the account of Jesus life that bears his name. Let’s take a minute and look at those words together, beginning in John 15:17-21:

"This I command you, that you love one another. ¹⁸ "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. ²⁰ "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

You see, just as Jesus wanted His closest followers to understand, John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to clearly understand that the more that their lives demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of how they loved others as Jesus had loved them, the more that those in the world that were hostile to Jesus would be hostile to them. As we discovered last week, the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.

And because of that reality, it should not come as a surprise that those in the world that are hostile to Jesus and place themselves in opposition to Jesus would be hostile to those who were committed to live a lifestyle that demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. It should not come as a surprise, because those who are hostile to God and place themselves in opposition to God and His kingdom have committed themselves to a lifestyle of rebellion against God.

However, in verse 14, John introduces a well-known and generally accepted fact for followers of Jesus throughout history in that we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. John introduces this well-known and generally accepted fact to remind the readers of this letter throughout history that because the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to, those who demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others provide the evidence that are no longer eternally separated from God as a result of their selfishness and rebellion against God.

Instead, their love for others reveals the reality that they have experienced the transformational activity of God that has moved them into eternal life in the relationship and connection with God that they were created for. By contrast, John explained that he who does not love abides in death. Now, as we have discovered throughout this series, the word abide means to remain in a sphere of existence. John’s point here is that the person who does not live a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they still remain separated from God as a result of their rebellion against God.

Because, as we discovered last week, the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to. The person who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is revealing the reality of a lawless rebellion against God. The timeless reality is that, because children tend to take on the characteristics and character of their parents, no one who is born of God engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

The timeless reality is that all humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that a person has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of how they love others as Jesus had loved them. And because of that reality, the person who does not live a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they still remain separated from God as a result of their rebellion against God.

John then reinforced this reality in verse 15 with an incredibly strong statement: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. With this statement, John was once again echoing back to the very words that he had heard Jesus communicate, this time as part of perhaps the most famous sermon that He ever preached. Words that are recorded for us in an account of Jesus life that we know today as the gospel of Matthew. Let’s take a minute and look at those words together, beginning in Matthew 5:21-22:

"You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

You see, just as Jesus wanted those who listened to perhaps His most famous sermon to understand, John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to clearly understand that we are guilty of murder when we respond to our desires being blocked in a way that damages another. We are guilty of murder when we respond in anger either to the wrong things or in the wrong way in a way that damages another.

We are guilty of murder when we angrily verbally bully another, whether that verbal bullying is face to face or on social media, in a way that damages the heart of another. We are guilty of murder when we angrily speak in a way that disrespectfully slanders another person in a way that damages the heart of another. We are guilty of murder because Jesus is not simply concerned with our external behavior.

We are guilty because at the end of the day Jesus is concerned with our internal heart condition. Jesus is concerned with our internal heart condition because Jesus knows, and human history has shown, that what is in the heart will eventually spill out. John wanted the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to clearly understand that what spills out of our heart produces a lifestyle that reveals where we are truly at when it comes to whether or not we have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus.

And because of that reality, John introduced another well-known and generally accepted fact to the readers of his letter throughout history: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. John wanted to make it unmistakably clear to the readers of this letter throughout history that those in the world that are hostile to Jesus and place themselves in opposition to Jesus would be hostile to those who were committed to live a lifestyle that demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus.

And it is that hostility to those who were committed to a lifestyle that demonstrated a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus that provided the evidence to reveal the reality that they were still eternally separated from God as a result being committed to a lifestyle of rebellion against God. And as John continued this section of his letter, we see John describe what a lifestyle that demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others looks like in the day to day life of a person what has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus.

We will continue to look at this section of John’s letter on Friday…

The lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to...

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 John. So far this week, we have seen John explain that everyone who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is engaging in a lifestyle of lawlessness. And because of that reality, John explains that sin is lawlessness. John is revealing the reality that, at the end of the day, acts of omission and commission against God and others is ultimately about a lawless rebellion against God.  And because of that reality, everyone who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is revealing the reality of a lawless rebellion against God.

By contrast,  the person who remains connected with God as they are mystically and spiritually united with Jesus will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. The point that John wanted to drive home to the readers of his letter throughout history is that the person who has  truly recognized Jesus for who He truly is; the person who has identified themselves as having a genuine and authentic relationship with God will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

John then explained that if we know that Jesus is totally just and right in character and actions, then the person engages in a lifestyle that is committed to doing what is just and right reveals the reality that they have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. By contrast, the person who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others reveals the reality that they are demonstrating a connection with the lifestyle of lawless rebellion of the Devil.

John wanted to make sure that the reader of his letter would not be misled in a way that caused them to go astray in their relationship with Jesus to instead embrace the idea that they could remain in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus while engaging in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

John then explained that because children tend to take on the characteristics and character of their parents, no one who is born of God engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. John then explained that the reason that is the case is due to the fact that His seed abides in him. John’s point here is that the very nature and character of God remains present in the life of a person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus. And because of that reality, John explains that a person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus cannot sin because they are a part of the family of God as a child of God as a result of God’s transformational activity in their lives.

A commitment to a lifestyle of lawless rebellion against God is not possible for a person who lives in a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus because of the presence of the very nature and character of God that is present in their lives, as they have a new heart and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence. John then reinforced this reality by reminding the readers of his letter throughout history that anyone who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to refusing to do what is just, fair, and right reveals the reality that they are not a child of God who is a part of the family of God.

In addition, John explained that anyone who does not demonstrates a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others reveals the reality that they are not a child of God who is a part of the family of God. John then proceeds to provide the evidence to back his claims as he concludes this section of his letter in 1 John 3:11:

 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹² not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.

As we have talked about earlier in this series, when John refers to the beginning here, he is referring to the first time that the members of the church had heard the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. And as part of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that they had heard from the beginning, John reminded the readers of his letter of a command that Jesus gave His followers throughout history. A command that is recorded for us in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible, called the gospel of John. So let’s look at the command together, beginning in John 13:34-35:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Notice what Jesus did not say. Jesus did not say "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love the right doctrine and theology." Jesus did not say "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for the ideas about God." Jesus did not say "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love doing things for God in order to earn favor with God." That is not what Jesus said.

Instead, Jesus said that all men, in other words all humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that you are a disciple; that you are a follower of Jesus who knows and does what Jesus knows and does, by your love for one another. All humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that a person has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of the reality that they loved others as Jesus had loved them.

John then pointed the members of the church at Ephesus to an event from history that is preserved and recorded for us in a section of the very first letter in the Bible, called the book of Genesis. In Genesis chapter four, we read of an event from history involving Adam and Eve’s son, named Cain, and his brother Abel. Cain grew up to follow in his father’s footsteps as a farmer, while Abel grew up to become a shepherd who took care of domesticated animals.

Just as God’s people today worship the Lord by giving back a portion of the financial resources we have been given, Cain and Abel gave back a portion of the resources that they had been given. Cain responded to God’s provision to him as a farmer by giving back a portion of the produce that God had provided him. Abel also responded to God’s provision to him as a shepherd by giving back a portion of the animals that God had provided him.

Yet, while both Cain and Abel responded to God’s provision by giving back to God a portion of the resources that they had received as an act of worship, we see God have differing responses to their acts of worship. God accepted Abel’s act of worship, but rejected Cain’s act of worship.

Cain responded to the rejection of his act of worship with an anger that was evident in his attitude, his actions, and even his posture. Cain responded to the Lord accepting Abel’s offering, but rejecting his offering by hunting Abel down and killing him. Cain, in a cold hearted and premeditated fashion, took the life of his younger brother.

You see, Cain’s murder of Abel was an external manifestation of the reality that sin, selfishness, and rebellion had dominated his life. Cain’s lack of faith revealed itself in his act of worship and his response to God rejecting his offering. Instead of recognizing that selfishness and rebellion was dominating his life, Cain sought vengeance that flowed from jealousy and envy of Abel.

John pointed the members of the church at Ephesus to this event from history as evidence that Cain embraced and engaged in a lifestyle that was committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others that revealed a lawless rebellion against God. And that lawless rebellion against God revealed the reality that Cain demonstrated the characteristics of the devil by engaging in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God.

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: The lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.  Just as it was for followers of Jesus in John’s day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, the lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.

The timeless reality is that the person who engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others is revealing the reality of a lawless rebellion against God. The timeless reality is that the person who remains connected with God as they are mystically and spiritually united with Jesus will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. The person who has truly recognized Jesus for who He truly is; the person who has identified themselves as having a genuine and authentic relationship with God will not engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

The timeless reality is that the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus will not be misled in a way that causes them to go astray in their relationship with Jesus to instead embrace the idea that they could remain in genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus while engaging in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others.

The timeless reality is that, because children tend to take on the characteristics and character of their parents, no one who is born of God engages in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebelling against God and others. The timeless reality is that the person who has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a part of the family of God cannot engage in a lifestyle that is committed to selfishly rebel against God, because they have been brought into the family of God. A commitment to a lifestyle of lawless rebellion against God is not possible for a person who lives in a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus because of the presence of the very nature and character of God that is present in their lives. The timeless reality is that all humanity, whether religious or irreligious, whether near or far from God, would arrive at the conclusion that a person has a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus as a result of how they love others as Jesus had loved them.

So here is a question to consider: What does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal about who or what you are committed and connected to? What does the lifestyle that you are committed to living reveal about who or what you are a child of and have taken that characteristics and character of?

Because, as we have discovered, The lifestyle we are committed to living reveals who we are committed and connected to.