All Aboard The Struggle Bus!

Psalm 4 / 1 John 3:1-10

They Are (Particularly) Loved - 1 John 1:1

Lot - (Genesis 14)

Egypt - (Exodus 14)

The High Priest - (Leviticus 16)

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Ephesians 2:4–5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”

The love that is shed abroad in the hearts of believers is not only a general love for mankind, but a PARTICULAR love for the people and cause of God.

You may be justified in not liking certain things about individuals or individual churches, but people who are born again love their brothers and sisters. People who are born again love the church of Jesus.

They Purify Themselves - 1 John 3:3

This is the natural (and should be the expected) response to a rescued sinner whose eyes have been divinely opened by God in conversion. Their understanding has been illumined to see the wretchedness, the emptiness, and the wickedness of sin, that he or she would want to rid themselves of it.

Let us not so quickly forget the lesson of Good Friday and Easter, namely that sin is costly (your sins and mine cost Jesus His life), but that we who are saved no more should or must remain in sin than Jesus in the tomb.

Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;”

…As He is Pure

The sanctifying purification in the heart and life of the believer is based on two things:

The purity of the sinless, spotless lamb of God, who is Jesus

The willingness of Christ to impute His righteousness to us

They Practice Righteousness - 1 John 3:7

Because they know Biblical standards of righteousness to be true

Because they begin to see them as beautiful and beneficial

Because they more and more recognize the Lordship of Christ Jesus

They do not make a practice of sinning - 1 John 3:4

Old Testament

Exodus 1:17–18 “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?””

New Testament

Matthew 7:12 “12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

We know we will continually sin in this life.

1 John 1:8 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

But there is something about continuing unrepentant in patterns of sin that is 100% conflicting with a profession of being born again. we should take that line of thinking very seriously, whether looking at the witness of others, or also in taking stock of our own life:

What about my OWN living is contrary to my claim to be a child of God?

How are my actions, choices, and words concealing a witness of godliness to my family and community?

Thus I say that the Christian life is one of struggle. We are in a sort of halfway state; rescued from sin yet still living with a corrupt.body and mind. This is NOT an excuse to sin, but a realization that it is believers, convicted by God’s Holy Spirit in our hearts that struggle with sin in our lives.

Let us recognize this in ourselves. Let us recognize this in each other. Let us struggle together for righteousness, for a clearer, more consistent witness for Christ!

The Christ-Driven, Holy Spirit Fueled, Heaven Bound Struggle Bus is real! It is also known as the Local Church.

Get on board, struggle with sin in the might of Jesus, and realizing you are on the same bus, even if a different seat, extend daily grace to your fellow, struggling passengers.

They Love Each Other - 1 John 3:10

Devote your life IN TOTAL to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

Live a life of frequent prayer and praise

Be present on The Lord’s Day, and in the lives of brothers and sisters everyday

1 John 3:10 “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

Church Family, may we consider these descriptions and ask God to work in our church, our homes, and our lives that we may be so evidently His.