Life Only in Christ Only (2)
Notes
Transcript
1. Turn with me to
2. State Title:
a. Fellowship with Jesus is to live the New commandment
3. Read:
a.
4. Illustrate/quote/Problem in text/Background/Question
5. Importance of this text and what I have to say
a. In John 2:7-8, John encouraged believers to live out the new commandment faithfully as Christ Jesus lived out the commandment faithfully. If they were a born again believer, they would live the new commandment because of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
b. Christians today will live out the new commandment of Christ. This is what the Holy Spirit does inside the Christian, makes them love as Christ loved them on the Cross. Hate fades, Love comes alive. The is the main fruit of disciples who don’t walk by the flesh, but in the Spirit.
6. Why it is important to listen?
i. In Christian circles, Churches, and even in Christian homes, it seems darkness creeps its way into these places and fades the new commandment.
ii. Satan tempts and deceives and captures what was the shining candle of the new commandment in these places.
1. Some believers in vain, try to bring life of the new commandment to the room with candles of self importance and instead it creates a foothold of selfishness and pride.
2. While other believers will try candles of programs and cause dark patches of weariness.
3. And even a few believers will use candles of compromising sin to lighten the room, but even that seems to have a dim effect on spiritual desires and instead fattens up the fleshly motives.
7. YOU
a. Would you liketo keep the candle of the new commandment burning in your life for Christ?
b. Would you like to see the candle of the new commandment shine brightly in this place?
8. Well if you answered yes, this message is for you
9. Let me show you where we are going
a. John the apostle gives us 3 new ways to live the new commandment
i. 1- Have a dear Love for believers, v. 7a
ii. 2- Have a dear Love for the Old Commandment, v. 7b
iii. 3-Have a dear Love for the New commandment, v. 8
1. Let’s look at the 1st new way to live the commandment: “Have a dear love for believers”
2. John the author begins this verse with an affection.
3. Which is defined as a fondness, love, or a liking.
4. In v. 7a, John identifies himself as a caring brother
5. And the early believers as relatives
6. And what John is saying to us here is:
i. Believers are to see one another as their own family.
1Jn 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1. This speaks to… a fellow Christian
a. But it doesn’t speak to … an unbeliever
i. 1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
2. The word “Brethren” speaks to … the affectionate term “Beloved” as it says in the NASB “one who is dearly loved”
3. Namely what the word “brethren” is speaking to is…
a. if you are born again, you are beloved
i. you are a beloved child of God
ii. You are a beloved brother or sister in Christ
iii. You are BE LOVE
iv. You are to BE brotherly Love
v. And you are to consider other brethren “Beloved”
4. LIKE:“My boy”
5. Apply:3
a. And I just want to say…
b. There is not one Born again believer outside of being considered “a Beloved Brethren” of Jesus Christ
6. But we see this problem in the world today…
a. Those who claim to be born again, are not being brethren to other brethren
b. They are not being Beloved to the Beloved
c. They are not walking as Christ Walked to fellow Christ walkers
i. In the Home, amongst employees, in
7. Why?
a. Hang on to burdens (past)
b. They never been taught this doctrine of Love
c. They are not born again
d. Their expectations are not Christ expectations
e. Not trusting God
8. (Scripture) says,
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9. If you have… been born again, you will love one another because you are born again and you know God
TRANSITION 1
1. We have seen the 1swt new way to live the commandment
2. I want you to note the _______________
10. … the 2nd new way to live the commandment: “Have a dear love for the Old Commandment”
11. First off scripture teaches that born again believers don’t treat God’s commandments as another literature you would read in the new paper and forget it the next month, but instead they are to have a dear love for it that would remain with them for the rest of their lives…
12. Read/Prove v. 7b “Had/heard” from Beginning
13. IOW: If they truly have a dear love for God’s Commandments-they will have it and they would of heard it
1Jn 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
14. Please look back at v. 7 of how John describes the commandment to the brethren…
15. Read/Prove: He says it is not new, but an old commandment
16. What does this mean?
a. It means…it is just one singular commandment, not 2, (Compare to v. 3)
(1Jn 2:3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments
b. It means…John is not writing a new commandment in the sense he is making up or adding on to, but he is referring to the commandment from the OT they had
CR-Lev 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
c. And especially it means … John is reminding them of the commandment that they had from the beginning of their conversion when they heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
d. PM: This not new but old commandment
i. is still to be relevant in born again believers lives today as when God commanded it
ii. is still to be fresh in Christian’s lives today as when Moses preached it
iii. is still to be crisp in disciples today as when Jesus lived it
2. LIKE:old but new fryer
APPLY
10. And I just want you to know
11. Those who claim to be born again believers in this church is under the authority of God’s Word to keep the not new but Old Commandment significant in your life
12. Because Jesus commandsus to love one another as He loved us…
1Jn 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
1. Let me comment again on v. 7 … notice John changes the verb sequence with the Brethren dealing with the Old commandment
2. Read/Prove
3. SP: The brethrennot only HAD the commandment from the beginning, but they also heard this from the Word of God as well.
4. This Indicates … not only did the brethren always have this commandment from the beginning of their salvation, yet importantly, when they heard it preached to them,
i. they listened to it
ii. they understood it
iii. They meditated on it
iv. They contemplated it
v. They envisioned it
vi. They reminisce Christ Jesus living it
vii. And they planned their life to live it
b. LIKE: vacation in Arizona
(Quote) Remember what famous puritan theologian John Owen (1616-1683) once said on, The person who never meditates with delight on the glory of Christ in the Scriptures now will not have any real desire to see that glory in heaven. What sort of faith and love do people have who find time to think about many other things but make no time for meditating on this glorious subject?
5. That is to say: if you are always listening
i. always understand
ii. always meditate
iii. always contemplate
iv. always envision
v. always reminisce
vi. And always planning your life with delight on the beauty of Christ’ Love in the scriptures,
1. you will have a real desirable faith and love for/from heaven above.
6. I always want to have a real desirable faith and love for/from heaven above… x3
i. I always want to mediate with delight on the Glory of Christ in the scriptures
b. Question:
i. What sort of faith and love do you have? What are you always thinking about? How can you set aside time this week to mediate on the glory of Christ in the scriptures?
TRANSITION 1
3. We have seen 1st and 2nd new ways to live the commandments-
a. have a dear love for believers
b. And have a dear love for the old commandment
4. I want you to notice the _______________
5. … the 3rd new way to live the commandment: “Have a dear love for the New Commandment”
6. READ/PROVE
7. IOW: If you have a dear love for the new commandment, you will have a true Light shining inside of you
1Jn 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
13. In v. 8, notice how John describes the commandment NOW and why its described this way…
14. Read
15. IOW: John describes the commandment as New and the reason it is new is because of Jesus Christ and it is living in the born again believer
16. Prove
17. “New Commandment” indicates to be the new commandment of Christ love to his disciples
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
1. I just want to say, that this new commandment of Christ Love encourages me as I see other disciples of Jesus Christ have love for one another.
2. It’s an encouragement to me that I need to … step up in having Christ’ love to fellow disciples
3. “Can you think of a time where you …. Needed to step up in having Christ love towards another disciple?
1Jn 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
a. But looking back at 1 John 2:8, the question is, how was this commandment of love new?
i. It was new in 2 senses:
1. (1) it was sacrificial love modeled after His love ("as I loved you"; cf. Joh_15:13),
a. Prove: 1John 2:8-“thing is true in him…”
b. Apply:what a wonderful thing it is to know where we can find true love faithfully lived and kept- Only in Jesus Christ
i. Yes, people in this world can love you
ii. But make no mistake, true love at itfinest is only found in Jesus Christ life for you in the scriptures.
ii. John says the Commandment was new in the 2nd sense:
1. (2) it is produced through the new covenant by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jer_31:29-34; Eze_36:24-26; Gal_5:22). Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
a. Prove:1 John 2:8 “which thing is true in… you”
i. Doesn’t say outside you, or beside, but “In”
ii. Is it true in you?
18. I just want to comment by saying…
a. There is not one born again believer who cannot love one another becausethey have the Holy Spirit inside them
19. We see this problem in the World today many who claim to be Christians but will not love certain other people who are Christians
20. Why?
a. They love something else
b. They don’t have the Holy Spirit/never converted-Rebuttal
c. They won’t forgive as Christ forgave them
21. Scripture
1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
22. If you
i. Have passed from death unto life, you will love the brethren
1Jn 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
1. Notice again in v. 8, John noting the reason the new commandment is true in Christ and in the believer
2. That is to say: John refers to the new commandment as true in Christ/believer because the darkness is passing and the true light is now shining
3. This is not the darkness of sin/hate is gone forever
a. But a darkness of sin and hate passing away because of the light of holiness/Love shining now
4. This is not Darkness of hate/sin in the driver seat of a believer
a. But a darkness of sin/hate left behind in the dust because of the Light of Holiness/love through Jesus Christ steering the believer
5. This is not a Light of Holiness/love that is always dim and dying in a believer
a. But a TRUE light of holiness/love that will continue to shine because of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit living inside of the believer
LIKE: the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth reminds me of A teacher asked a boy this question: “Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were seven of you—your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get?”
6. And I just want to encourage all of us to be shining the true Light of holiness/love through Christ in our lives …
7. There needs to be specific ways in your life that you need to be done to ensure this…
8. Be … sacrificial
9. Be…Last
10. Be…Forgiving
11. “Can you think of any ways to be shining the true light of holiness/love through Christ in your life this week?
12. just like John is encouraging the brethren in 1 John 2
(Pause)
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1. I will never forget hearing what Hudson Taylor told those he was interviewing for missionary work
a. 2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us;
2. In conclusion you should be able to live the new commandment with a dear love for other believers, for the Old commandment, and for the new commandment.
3. Because of Christ’s Love that constrains you
4. Some of you here …
Are living the new commandment
a. It’s not by coincidence… you have a dear love for other believers, you have a dear Love for Christ’ Word
5. Others of you … are not living the new commandment
a. No wonder … thecandle is no longer burning, you let others get to you, and you could care less about God’s Word
6. But you might be saying, but ______ what should I do?