God Is Love Part 2

Good morning and welcome to the final morning worship service of 2023. In fact the final day of 2023 New Year’s Eve.

I am so looking forward to tonight’s worship night at 6 pm followed by fellowship with games and finger food and just enjoying our family in Christ!

I urge you to make an excuse to be here and enjoy a glimpse of heaven as we worship Jesus and then fellowship and spend time together tonight.

It will not be until midnight, well you stay until midnight but this old guy will be long asleep by midnight.

I also pray all of you had a wonderful Christmas celebrating Jesus and His gift of salvation.

Melody was sick so Christmas this year was just the two of us as we did not want to expose anyone to whatever Melody had. God is still good and ministered to each of us in a way unique to us.

Mel is much better and I think I am as well. What a blessing to be children of the great physician Amen?

Let’s Pray

START OBS

Last week we looked at God is Love Part 1 I John 4:7-12 This morning we will finish God Is Love with part 2 as well as finish Chapter 4 in I John. This is something that God keeps bringing to our attention....God is love and God’s love requires actions not feelings....words…or thoughts.

Actions.

Truly loving one another in deed not words

I challenge each of you and myself to truly ask God to evaluate if you are loving one another as He calls you to love one another!

Where is your fruit?

Where is my fruit?

Where is our, CCC’s fruit?

Those questions are questions we should be asking constantly. I pray after today you can move past questions of salvation to questions of where is my fruit

what burdens am I carrying?

Am I truly loving one another as God calls and expects me to love one another?

1 John 4:13–21

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“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

The first thing I want to look at is

Abide in Him

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KJV uses the word dwell here for abide. Every time you see abide or dwell here in this section of scripture it is from the same Greek word which is a verb which means to stay, abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain

Websters 1828 defines abide as to be or exist, to continue, it signifies to adhere to, maintain, defend, or stand to

This is a very intimate connection

A very committed, dedicated connection

In it for the long haul regardless of the price connection

How do you know if you abide in God and God abides in you

The Holy Spirit

When you repent and are saved....remember repentance leads to salvation

When you repent and are saved God gives you the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Who has the Spirit

1 John 4:15

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“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

Confess is much more than just saying words

The Greek word translated confess is actually a compound word

The first Greek word means at same place or time…together

The second Greek word means something said

The Greek compound word translated confess means to assent, covenant, acknowledge, confession is made, promise

So confess is much more than words

Today we understand contracts not covenant

Contracts can be broken if rules or agreements are not followed by either party

Covenant is much different.

Once a covenant is made it doesn’t matter what either party does the covenant must be carried out or fulfilled.

Both parties agree to do their part regardless of the other parties performance

God is a covenant God not a contract God

When you repent and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior you enter into a covenant with God....that covenant is sealed with the Holy Spirit

When people entered into a covenant agreement they both gave the other something of significance. Like a ring used to seal or make documents official or

A family crest that only a member of the family would have They also added each other’s last name on to their own

When you are saved God gives you the Holy Spirit to seal the covenant, He adds you to the family as a son or daughter

Your part is to make Jesus Lord and Savior....that is confess…give up yourself…die to you....die to sin…die to the world…die to idols....and live in and from Jesus

That is why I say a change must accompany true salvation.......the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is God.....you cannot stop God.

God will produce fruit

There are only two kinds of fruit…worldly, sinful, fleshly fruit and Spiritual fruit…the fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19–23

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“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Fruit of the flesh

sexual immorality

impurity

sensuality,

idolatry

sorcery

enmity

strife

jealousy

fits of anger

rivalries

dissensions

divisions

envy

drunkeness

orgies

All of these are very prevalent in society today.

They are in almost every commercial and for sure in any secular movie or tv show or song.

You children and grand children are being taught that these things are good and the things that should be chased in life

Facebook

Instagram

Snapchat

Ticktok

they are all full of people celebrating these very things

Those social media platforms also have many very good, Christian things that honor God and share the Gospel as well

If you have children in the home and are not monitoring what they are looking at on social media and entertainment shame on you

The enemy comes but to kill, steal and destroy and you are allowing him to do just that if you leave your children's social media and entertainment choices up to them and completely unchecked.

These are fruits of the flesh....what our flesh desires and craves

The Fruit of the Spirit

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

If you are saved the Holy Spirit lives inside of you and will produce these fruits in and through you

So does that mean you will never see fleshly fruit again....No sir

This is that civil war that happens every day inside of Christians here on earth

Romans 7:15–20

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“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”

Your flesh will always want to produce fruit according to the flesh. Sin is the result of following that desire of the flesh.

The Holy Spirit prompts you and enables you to do godly things.......good things.....produce spiritual fruit

That battle is constant and ongoing until Jesus returns or we are promoted to heaven in death

It is a war

It is a battle

If you are not experiencing that battle you better have God check your heart because you have become comfortable with sin and fleshly fruit

That road leads to destruction and hell my friends

You will experience the battle and you will only win the battle through Jesus and the Holy Spirit!

You will see it a decrease in fleshly fruit and an increase in spiritual fruit the more you surrender control to the Holy Spirit

That is the result of repentance and salvation and the Holy Spirit in your life

The things of old....that are passed away along with your old self and begin to fade away and lose their draw and the things of God, the fruit of the spirit take their place and pull you to God........Abide

Confidence on Judgement Day

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If you have confessed Jesus…truly made Him Lord and Savior you will have full confidence on judgement day....not in you and your worthiness....you are not and never will be worthy.....you are guilty

No you have confidence in Jesus

John 3:17

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“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

We looked at this last week but remember God sent Jesus not to condemn the world but to save the world through Jesus

Jesus didn’t come to hand out punishment but to pay the price to satisfy God’s wrath and punishment

God has recently been pressing into me and hopefully you as well that we are spiritual beings as Christians

Things change when one accepts Jesus, again if they do not then one must question did they really accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior

Sin and satan and the world say justify sin.......accept sin.....it is just the way you are......it is the way things are.......no one can be good enough so just do whatever makes you feel good.....feed your flesh......feed your desires......turn to anything but Jesus.....drugs....alcohol…sex…food…money....hobbies…work…sports....etc

Matthew 12:33–37

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“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””

Fruit. You will produce Fruit

You must understand that your fruit truly shows your heart so there for you must be a fruit inspector inspecting your fruit daily for fleshly....bad…fruit or godly…good…spiritual fruit

Another thing you must understand is Christians will face judgement

You will stand and give an account for every careless word you spoke

now hell will not be your destination but you will face judgement

Your confidence is in Jesus that His blood covers you and that He paid your price therefore no condemnation for you at judgement day....therefore you face judgement day with confidence in Jesus!

No Fear In Love

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1 John 4:18

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“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

God’s love casts out....drives out fear

Perfect love casts out fear

Why?

Fear has to do with punishment.....that punishment is eternity in hell for sins

Because of Jesus and you confessing Jesus.....making Jesus your Lord and Savior…entering into covenant with God through the blood of Jesus then Jesus’ payment has been applied to your punishment

You have no fear of God or punishment because of Jesus!

Galatians 5:1

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“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

Christ died to set you free.....free from death.....free from the power of sin…free from punishment.....free from God’s full wrath that you fully deserve!

You are free to love and live from Christ. Love one another…truly love with no fear or hang ups......give completely of yourself.......put other first before yourself

You are free to abide in God.....free to live out the Word of God in your life everyday

In Christ you are free!

So many return to the yoke of slavery

They live in fear of God’s Wrath

If you are saved STOP!

Jesus is enough!

Have faith in His work on the cross and allow God’s love to cast out that fear!

If you are saved you do not have the spirit of fear

Romans 8:15

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“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!””

You have the Spirit of adoption......the problem with so many today…even many of you here in this room or online is you are adopted but continue to think and live like an orphan

Throughout history there have been wars and there will continue to be wars until Christ returns

In those wars the end when a truce or cease fire is agreed upon and both sides agree to end the war

However, it takes time to get that word out to the soldiers fighting the war

Before modern communication there would be weeks if not months before the word could truly get out that the war was over

Those soldiers were fighting a war that was either already won or lost depending on which side they were on because they didnt know it was over

The same is true for a Christian who doesn’t truly live in the freedom of Christ

You are a son or daughter of the King of kings…God Almighty......you are free.....you will not face punishment.....you will face judgement but not punishment because of Jesus that enables you to live and love like Jesus lives and loves you.

You have the Spirit of adoption not fear.......does your life show that you have a Spirit of adoption or a spirit of fear?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Enjoy the freedom and security of your adoption

You are forgiven and free and fully adopted by God.....that makes you a son or daughter to God Almighty!

What do you have to fear

NOTHING!!!!!!!!!

Love One Another

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1 John 4:20–21

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“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

If you can’t love those you see how can you love God whom you cannot see!?!?!?!?!?

This isn’t a suggestion

This isn’t a strong recommendation

This is an either or type of deal

Either you love others and have God’s love inside of you

Or

You don’t love others and therefore don’t have God’s love inside of you

So many get hung up on what others have done to them

I am not belittling anyone’s pain or suffering because that happens.

People hurt you.....some of you try to blame God for what other people did to you but you were hurt

You will be hurt again

I am not trying to take that away but as a Christian your mindset must change through the power of the Holy Spirit

No one can do to you what you did to God

It was your sin that drove Jesus from heaven to earth to be beaten, rejected, spat upon

It was your sin that made God have to watch His only Son suffer and die

It was your sin that made Jesus willingly crawl on the cross and die for you.....to pay your price.

You did that but God still loved you enough to act....to sacrifice His only Son Jesus

He did all that while you were still a sinner

While you hated Him

While you were His enemy and HE still loves you

Wow. I don’t know about you but when I truly think about that......God sent Jesus to die for me when I hated God.....when I was a sinner....when I drove the nails......it breaks me

What kind of love is that

How could anyone love like that

I deserve hell

I deserve pain

I deserve to be hated

I am guilty

But God said I love you so much, even though you hate me, that I will send my only Son to pay your price

Jesus got what we deserved so we could become sons and daughters of God

Wow when you truly realize that

When you truly realize what the cross means

When you truly realize how evil you are by nature

When you truly realize how far short you fall of God’s expectations and laws

and yet He loves you anyway

How in the world could you ever choose to not love someone?

You can’t that is the power of God’s Love!!!

What does it look like to love one another?

Galatians 6:1–2

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“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Love is action

Gently restoring brothers and sisters who sin

This is hard

This will require hard conversations

People may get mad at you........if you get mad at someone who loves you enough to bring up your sin to you so that you can confess it and get right with God shame on you by the way

If you are truly a Christian and truly love your brothers and sisters in Christ the way God loves you then you will gently restore those brothers and sisters in Christ when they sin and they will do the same for you

You are also to Carrying each others burdens

You must be involved to do this

You must be present to do this.

You can’t do this from a pew just on Sunday mornings

No

we must do life together…rebuke…carrying each others burdens

Love is action

What is your fruit?

Do you bear the fruit of God’s love?

Can all who see you see that fruit?

If you are saved you have no spiritual fruit and you have no love

God is love and you only have God after you repent and are saved

If you are saved and you realized today you fall short in loving one another ......repent…confess…be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness here this morning

Won’t you come

Stop OBS

Invitation song Spirit of God…Phil Wickham