Does God love, or is God love?

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 pick 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 connecting in community. So let’s discover that timeless truth together, beginning in 1 John 4:7-8:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

John begins this section of his letter by renewing his call for the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to love one another. As we have talked about throughout this series, when John uses the word love here, this word refers to a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others. 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.

John then provides two reasons behind his call for followers of Jesus throughout history to love one another. First, John explains that followers of Jesus are to love one another because love is from God. With this phrase, John is revealing the reality that that God is the source of love. And because God is the source of love, therefore, God in His very nature and character is love. You see, God is not loving, God is love. Love is not something that God does. Instead love is something that God is.

Second, John explains that followers of Jesus are to love one another because everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. As we discovered earlier in this series, when John uses the phrase born of God, here is revealing for us the reality that 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 is that the natural result of coming to a knowledge of God as a result Jesus making Himself known to us so that we become a part of the family of God is that we would love one another. John’s point is that those who have a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with Jesus will reflect that reality by a life that looks and loves like Jesus and that results in them being identified as being in relationship with God as part of the family of God.

By contrast, John explains that the one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In other words, the person who does not demonstrate 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 have not come to know and experience a genuine and authentic relationship and connection with God, because love is not simply something God does, love is something that God is. And, as we discovered earlier in this series, just as a child takes on the characteristics of their parent, a child of God will naturally take on that characteristics of God. And one of those defining characteristics, if not the defining characteristic of God, is love.

And as John continued this section of his letter, we see John transition to provide an example for followers of Jesus to follow when it come so how they were to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others. So let’s look at that example together, beginning in verse 9-11:

 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Now to fully understand what John is communicating here, we first need to understand a few things. The first things that we need to understand is what John means when he uses the word manifested. This word literally means to cause something to become known. John is explaining that the love of God was manifested, or made known in us, in that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

Now that leads us to the next thing that we need to understand, which is what John means when he uses the word sent. What is so interesting is that the word sent, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to dispatch someone for the achievement of some objective.

And then there is this church mumbo jumbo talk word begotten. You see, we often hear people use the word begotten in church when they refer to Jesus, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself what the word begotten really means? This word begotten literally refers to something that is the only one of its kind or its class. So when John uses the word begotten, he is revealing for us the reality that Jesus is unique; there is no other. There is only one son of God and His name is Jesus.

John’s point here is that God’s love and interest in us was made known and shown in the most powerful way when He sent His unique, one and only Son to earth on a mission. The mission that God gave His Son was a rescue mission so that humanity might have the opportunity to experience the forgiveness of sin and eternal relationship and connection with God through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who allowed 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.

John here is reminding the readers of this letter throughout history of the reality that love is a verb and that God’s love is demonstrated and made known through His activity in history through His Son Jesus Christ. 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 it is that love that was made known to us by God through the sending of His Son Jesus on a rescue mission for us.

John reinforces this reality is verse 10 by stating that in this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Now when John uses the word propitiation here, this is a church mumbo jumbo talk words that refers to satisfying God’s right response to selfishness and rebellion in a way that removes the selfishness and rebellion. The word propitiation simply means that God’s right and just response to our selfish rebellion and sin was satisfied through Jesus death on the cross.

In addition, Jesus death on the cross, in our place, for our selfishness and rebellion removes the guilt that comes as a result of our selfishness and rebellion. You see, Jesus death on the cross provides us salvation because Jesus death alone satisfies God’s justice and removes humanities guilt that results from selfishness, sin, and rebellion.

John here is revealing the reality that God did not send His Son Jesus because we loved God but just did not know how to love and live in relationship with God. No humanity selfishly wanted nothing to do with God. Humanity at best only wanted to use God to satisfy what they truly loved, which was to satisfy their own selfish desires. But to use someone to get something is not to truly love someone, is it?

No humanity did not take the initiative to seek to love God. Instead, God took the initiative to demonstrate a warm regard and interest in others that is marked by a selflessness in their relationship with others by selflessly sending His Son Jesus to live the life we refused to live and to die on the cross, in our place, for our selfishness and rebellion, so that all humanity could have the opportunity to be forgiven of their selfishness and rebellion and experience the relationship and connection with God that they were created for.

And because of that example of selfless love that God provided by sending His Son Jesus on a rescue mission for humanity, in verse 11 we see John urge followers of Jesus throughout history by stating “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." As we have seen throughout this series, when John uses the word beloved, this word is a term of endearment of how John felt about the members of the church at Ephesus. In addition, when John uses the word ought, this word means to be under obligation to meet certain moral or social expectations.

John here is calling the members of the church at Ephesus, who were very near and dear to his heart, to respond to God’s demonstration of His selfless and sacrificial love for humanity by fulfilling the obligation that they were under as a result of their relationship and connection with Jesus to demonstrate that same selfless love in their relationship with one another. John is revealing for us the reality that when followers of Jesus live in genuine and authentic community with one another that is marked by a selfless and sacrificial love for one another, we reveal and reflect the very nature and character of God to the word around us.

Friday, we will see John reinforce this reality…

A second test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God...

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. We looked on as John revealed for us a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in true community in true community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test what we are taught by others.

As followers of Jesus, we are not just to gullibly trust everyone who claims to be speaking for God. Instead of gullibly trusting that everyone who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God, as followers of Jesus, we are to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they are genuinely speaking on behalf of God.

We looked on as John provided the first of two different tests that the readers of his letter throughout history were to employ to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they were genuinely speaking on behalf of God. John explained that a person can arrive at the knowledge, that someone who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is actually speaking on behalf of God by the content of their message.

As followers of Jesus, we are to ask "Does the content of the message being taught proclaim and pledge allegiance to Jesus as being God in a bod who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God and rescue humanity from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God?"  Or "Does content of the message being taught deny and reject Jesus as being God in a bod who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God and rescue humanity from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God?"

 But not only does the content of the message being taught provide a timeless test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God. We see John provide a second test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God. So let’s discover that test together, beginning in 1 John 4:4-6:

 ⁴ You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Now to fully understand what John is communicating in these verses, we first need to define some terms. First, when John uses the word overcome, this word conveys the sense of an action that has ongoing results. John was pointing the members of the church at Ephesus to the reality that, as followers of Jesus, their identity is that of one who has the victory over the spirit of those who oppose Jesus and that influence the words of the false prophets and their attempt to keep them from the relationship that they were created for with Jesus Christ.

In addition, when John uses the phrase “because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” this phrase, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would sound something like this: greater is the Holy Spirit who is in you than the spirit of rebellion and opposition to God and His kingdom that influence and empower the false prophets who place themselves in opposition to God and the kingdom of God". John’s point is that the victory over the spirit of those who oppose Jesus and that influence the words of the false prophets that they have achieved is the direct result of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. John’s point is that it is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit that enabled the members of the church at Ephesus to overcome the influence of the false teachers and their attempts to influence them to abandon the message and teaching of Jesus to instead embrace their false teaching.

John then continued to expose the false teachers in verse 5 by explaining that they are from the world. As we discovered earlier in this series, when John refers to the word world here, he is referring to those things in the world system around us that are hostile to God and that place themselves in opposition to God and the kingdom of God. And because they are a part of the world system around us that is hostile to God and places themselves in opposition to God, John explained that they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. John’s point is that as these false teachers, who claimed to be speaking on behalf of God, spoke a message that was in opposition to God, those in the world who were also in opposition to God would pay attention to their message and would embrace their message.

By contrast, John explained in verse 6 that he and other leaders of the early church who were communicating the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel were from God. And as John and other early followers of Jesus communicated the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, those who were influenced by the Spirit of God would pay attention to their message and embrace the message. However, those who were in opposition to God would not pay attention or embrace the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

By this, John explained, we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. In other words, the truth of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that was being communicated by John and early followers of Jesus who were influenced by the Holy Spirit would be received and embraced by those who were also influenced by the Holy Spirit. However, the false teaching that was being communicated by the false teachers who claimed to be speaking for God but were in fact influenced by spiritual beings who were opposed to God would be received and embraced by those who embraced the same spirit of rebellion and opposition to God and the kingdom of God.

And here we see John reveal a second timeless test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God. And that test is this: What is the response that the message that we are being taught requires?

Is the response to the message being taught a response that proclaims and pledges allegiance to Jesus as being God in a bod who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God and rescue humanity from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God?  Or is the response to the message being taught a response that denies and rejects Jesus as being God in a bod who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God and rescue humanity from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God?

Because the timeless reality is that true community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test what we are taught by others. True community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test the content of the message that we are being are taught by others. And true community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test the response the message that we are being are taught by others requires.

True community and connection with God is not a passive endeavor that is driven by a desire to be entertained. True community and connection with God is an active endeavor that is driven by a desire to become like Jesus as we actively engage in the kingdom mission we have been given by Jesus.

So here is a question to consider: Are you gullibly trusting everything that you are being taught by others?  Or are you putting to the test what you are being taught by others?  Because that is what true community and connection with God requires of you...

A timeless test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God...

This week we are 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. Yesterday we looked on as John commanded the members of the church at Ephesus to not just gullibly trust everyone who claimed to be speaking for God.

Instead of gullibly trusting that everyone who claimed to be speaking on behalf of God was genuinely speaking on behalf of God, John commanded the members of the church to critically examine the claims of those who were claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they were genuinely speaking on behalf of God. We discovered a timeless truth when it comes to connecting in true community in that true community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test what we are taught by others.

The timeless reality is that there are many people who claim to speak on behalf of God. There are many people who claim to have a message from God when it comes to how one can experience true community and connection with God. And because of that reality, as followers of Jesus, we are not just to gullibly trust everyone who claims to be speaking for God.

Instead of gullibly trusting that everyone who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God, as followers of Jesus, we are to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they are genuinely speaking on behalf of God. Now a natural question that could arise at this point is “Well Dave that sounds great, but how exactly are we supposed to do that?  How are we to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they are genuinely speaking on behalf of God?

If that question is running through your mind, I just want to let you know that you are asking a great question. And fortunately for us we see John answer that question in what he says next. So let’s look at what John says next, in 1 John 4:2-3:

² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

Here we see John provide the first of two different tests that the readers of his letter throughout history were to employ to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they were genuinely speaking on behalf of God. First John explained that a person can arrive at the knowledge, that someone who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is actually speaking on behalf of God by the content of their message.

John stated that the person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God and who teaches a message that proclaims and pledges allegiance to Jesus being God in a bod who entered into humanity to appear and reveal Himself to humanity is actually speaking on behalf of God. By contrast, the person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God and who teaches a message that proclaims and pledges allegiance to a message that denies and rejects Jesus as being God in a bod is not speaking on behalf of God.

Instead, John states that the person who teaches a message that proclaims and pledges allegiance to a message that denies and rejects Jesus as being God in a bod is speaking on behalf of the spirit of the antichrist. Now your immediate response to John’s statement is “what does that even mean?”

Earlier in this letter, we looked on as John explained to the members of the church at Ephesus that, just as it is for us today, they were part of the final and climactic chapters of God’s story on earth. And as part of that story there will be those who will stand as adversaries to Jesus Christ and his kingdom.

John explained that while the Antichrist, which is the last great world leader who will place Himself in opposition to God and His kingdom mission that we read about in the Book of Revelation has not yet appeared, there are already present those who possess the same spirit as the spirit of the antichrist and are adversaries to God and His kingdom mission. And these antichrists will be present until Jesus comes again. As we get closer to the end of God’s story on earth the adversaries of Jesus Christ will continue to become more and more hostile to the kingdom of God.

John is calling the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to recognize the spirit of the antichrist who oppose God and the kingdom of God by their false teaching that denies and rejects Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promised Messiah. Here we see John reveal a timeless test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God. And that test is this: What is the content of the message that we are being taught?

Does the content of the message being taught proclaim and pledge allegiance to Jesus as being God in a bod who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God and rescue humanity from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God?  Or does content of the message being taught deny and reject Jesus as being God in a bod who entered into humanity to reveal and explain God and rescue humanity from the selfishness and rebellion that separated them from God?

But not only does the content of the message being taught provide a timeless test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God. We see John provide a second test to determine whether or not a person who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God.

Friday we will discover that test together…

True community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test what we are taught by others...

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 pick 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 4:1:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

John begins this section of his letter to early followers of Jesus who were a part of the church in Ephesus, who were very near and dear to his heart, by making two commands. First, John commanded the members of the church at Ephesus to do not believe every spirit. Now when John uses the word believe here, this word literally means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of trust. In other words, John is commanding the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to not trust every spirit.

Instead of trusting every spirit, John commanded the members of the church at Ephesus to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. What is so interesting is that the word test here, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to make a critical examination of something or someone so as to determine its genuineness. You see, John was warning the members of this early church, who he cared deeply for, to take the time and make the effort to make sure that they were carefully examining the messages that they were hearing to determine whether or not those messages were actually from God.

John then provided the reason behind his commands: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. When John uses the phrase gone out, this phrase conveys the sense of going out with the goal of fulfilling a mission. As we discovered 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. 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 finding their identity in what the world offered instead of what Jesus offered. And those who had attend the church at one time, but had left the church were now on a mission to influence the members of the church at Ephesus to abandon the message and teaching of Jesus to instead embrace their false teaching.

Now a natural question that immediately arises here is “Well Dave, what is John referring to when he talks about not believing every spirit, but testing the spirits? What spirits is he talking about? If that question is running through your mind, I want to let you know that you are asking a great question.

Last week, we looked on as John revealed the reality that followers of Jesus arrive at the knowledge that they are is close connection and communion with Jesus as a result of the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in their lives. It is the Holy Spirit who 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. John reminded followers of Jesus throughout history that it is the Holy Spirit’s presence and activity in our lives that serves as evidence of our connection with Jesus.

However, there were false prophets and teachers who were also claiming to be sent by the Spirit of God to proclaim God’s message and were on a mission to influence the members of the church at Ephesus to abandon the message and teaching of Jesus to instead embrace their false teaching. John is pointing the members of the church at Ephesus, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to the reality that there will be people who will claim to be speaking on behalf of God who are not actually speaking on behalf of God.

And because of that reality, John commanded the members of the church at Ephesus to not just gullibly trust everyone who claimed to be speaking for God. Instead of gullibly trusting that everyone who claimed to be speaking on behalf of God was genuinely speaking on behalf of God, John commanded the members of the church to critically examine the claims of those who were claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they were genuinely speaking on behalf of 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: True community and connection with God and others requires that we put to the test what we are taught by others.  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 and others requires that we put to the test what we are taught by others.

The timeless reality is that there are many people who claim to speak on behalf of God. There are many people who claim to have a message from God when it comes to how one can experience true community and connection with God. And because of that reality, as followers of Jesus, we are not just to gullibly trust everyone who claims to be speaking for God. Instead of gullibly trusting that everyone who claims to be speaking on behalf of God is genuinely speaking on behalf of God, as followers of Jesus, we are to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they are genuinely speaking on behalf of God.

Now a natural question that could arise at this point is “Well Dave that sounds great, but how exactly are we supposed to do that?  How are we to critically examine the claims of those who are claiming to speak on behalf of God in order to determine whether or not they are genuinely speaking on behalf of God?

If that question is running through your mind, I just want to let you know that you are asking a great question. And fortunately for us we see John answer that question in what he says next.

Tomorrow we will see what John had to say next…

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…