Jesus Is Enough
Notes
Transcript
Jesus Is Enough
Jesus Is Enough
You ever notice how we tend to over complicate things? We can take something, whether it be a task, a thought, an message from someone and we can over think it and over complicate it.
In my work for the real estate company it’s putting up curtains in a rental.
That’s what we see here in today’s passages. John is warning his readers about a group of people that are trying to over complicate the faith, over complicate the Gospel. This group is trying to pull these early believers away from the simple child-like faith that saved them in the first place.
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,
It doesn’t need to be over complicated.
It’s not Jesus plus this, or Jesus plus that. Jesus is enough.(Elaborate on things we/people try to add)
You see Jesus is the answer.(The trivia game we played)
Let’s read today’s passages again and pray.
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
But to see this a little more let’s look backward one verse.
And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
The promise that he made to us. He’s trying to simplify it for them. He’s saying look I know you have all these people telling you all these different things. Things you have to believe, things you have to do, pointing out how their right and you are wrong, but look let’s cut out the middle man for a minute because this is the promise that He, Jesus made to us. Eternal life.
Now remember this is John writing this, writing a message he’s consistently shared.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Eternal life just so we’re clear just doesn’t mean hey guess what you get to live forever. It’s more about a quality of life not the length of life. You get to live forever in His presence, knowing him.
Jesus makes this clear later in the Gospel of John.
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Intimately knowing Him forever in a perfect and unhindered relationship. This is what he’s promised.
So John writing to those he’s writing to is saying remember little children this is the promise he has made to you. That by repenting and simply believing what God did for you through His Son Jesus Christ you have eternal life.
Not because you were able sift through all kinds of complexed hidden messages. Or follow all kinds of man made traditions or laws. Not because you have a theological degree. Not because you have been anointed with the gift of prophecy, or healing, or casting out demons, or speaking in tongues. But because you trust and believe in the person and work of Jesus.
So picking up in verse 26 John says
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
So again he’s addressing this group of people who this other group were attempting to deceive. These people that he’s writing to were holding on to the simple truth of the Gospel. That Jesus died for their sins, was buried, and on the third day rose again in accordance with the scriptures. But this other group was trying to over complicate those simple truths.
I was saved around eight and a half years ago. That’s when I was truly disgusted with the person I was and put my trust in Jesus to do what I couldn’t do for all those years prior. This message also opened my eyes to the truth that not everyone who talks some Jesus talk is truly a Christian. Because for years prior to that I was claiming to believe in God, in jail I’d end up in church services and bible study. I was talking the talk and not walking the walk. Because once those doors opened and I was out I was right back to living for myself. Doing the same old destructive habits that were doing their very best to kill me. Because I thought there were all these other requirements I needed to do and things I had to achieve for God to truly love me.
But here I stand today knowing that God has truly saved me. The transformation he has done in me is unmistakable.
About 6 years ago I started the journey to become one of the pastor’s of this church, and because of the immediate need I began preaching fairly quickly into that journey. I didn’t have super deep knowledge of the bible, but I did trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance as I prepared messages. So here we are 6 years later and by the anointing of the Holy Spirit to continue to open my eyes to the truth of the scriptures I do have a deeper understanding of the scriptures. But even in that there are people in this very church that have a similar story I’m sure and also even have a deeper understanding of the bible than I do. Tony, Dave, Jen Carter, but the one thing we all have in common is that none of us are more saved now because of that deeper knowledge than we were when we first believed.
The depth of our salvation isn’t contingent upon the things we bring to the table. The depth of our salvation in solely contingent upon the things Jesus took to the cross. And John is trying to warn about people who are trying to over complicate the simplicity of our faith.
The common thing that was coming up in the early church and still today was these two options of error.
Being that the body doesn’t matter. You can live and do anything you want and just soak up this never ending well of grace.
Being law and rule and tradition and more rules and also some rules about those rules.
Those two things are on the opposite ends of the spectrum but it doesn’t matter because error is error. I heard one bible teacher say Christianity is like walking on a tall narrow cliff and the drop off on both sides is certain death. That can be scary. But it’s more scary when we or we have others trying to complicate the path. When the path becomes muddy and filled with stumbling blocks outside the truth of the gospel.
When it becomes filled with things outside repenting and believing that Jesus stepped down from His throne in Heaven took on human flesh. Died for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day. And trust me you will have people come in and try and compare their faith to yours and say your not saved for a multitude of reasons. Try and use your current struggles against you.
Your struggling because you’re not keeping your house clean, your leaving the door open for attacks, your not saved and your lack of obedience is proof. Obedience is a result of the gospel not the requirement of it. The gospel doesn’t save you because you’re perfect. It saves you because you’re not. Then it takes you down this life long journey of stripping those this away and making you more and more holy in the process.
But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
So here he takes the focus off of those trying to deceive and puts the focus back on the believers. He telling them some comforting things here. It’s a reminder of the moment of salvation. The moment when we first believed in the truth of the gospel. That moment when even in the midst of some struggles there was finally a peace because the Holy Spirit had taken up a home living inside of us.
A moment of peace. Not a thunder cloud from Heaven or a vision in a dream. But a moment of peace because we have a teacher now, a guide. One that is no lie and is true.
He’s pointing out not that there isn’t a need for teachers but that they have the truest teacher and his anointing will teach them and keep them rooted in the simply truths of the gospel. That is not all about smoke and lights and these emotional experiences that prey on our fickle feelings. It’s not about these wondrous mysteries that God has shown some and now it’s their job to help us experience them. It’s about the promise Jesus has made to us. That if we trust and believe in His finished work on the cross we will inherit eternal life.
I can get so wrapped up in not having a bible school education, not being a great theologian, and those things can derail me just like sin can if I let them in. But there is one thing I rest on. That Jesus Christ died for my sins and my dead heart had become alive. That was the Holy Spirit working in me bringing me to life.1 John 2 28-29
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Here he is saying just keep abiding in that in which you first believed. Abide in that peace that you first had and look forward to the day of his coming.
Let’s look at this same message from Paul to the Galatians.
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Paul comes with this rather straight forward questioning.
Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
In a sense saying come on guys Jesus is enough!
And that’s what I am trying to say today.
That’s the question I want you to ask yourself right now. Is Jesus enough? I’m even going to give you the correct answer. It has to be yes. Just yes! If you said yes, but. You’ve missed it.
Yes, but why do bad things happen? We live in a world operating outside of it’s original design.
Yes, but why am I still struggling? Because you were promised eternal life, not a temporal life free of struggles.
That’s the question to ask ourselves but also let’s not forget the context here of people trying to deceive these believers. The same is true for us. We will have people come along whether intentionally or not try and deceive is with all these different philosophies and rules and false promises.
Our question for then should always be is Jesus enough?
There are plenty of other religions or groups that say hey we are Christian too. We believe in the same things you do, but. We should always have the mindset that if we both believe in the same things, in the same Jesus and that Jesus is enough then why are you evangelizing me?
Well all that is true but… There is no reason for but. We don’t need their religion to be saved. We don’t need their rules, laws or traditions to be saved. We don’t need to be able to do certain signs, wonders or gifts to be saved.
All we need to do is repent and believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and on the third day rose again. That he is back seated at His throne in Heaven and that he is enough!
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
So church if you can’t tell by now my message that I hope we can all grasp and walk away with today is that Jesus is enough. Whether you are feeling inadequate or have a group of people trying to highlight your inadequacy it’s okay. It’s okay because it’s true. We are inadequate. Bit remember the promise, eternal life, and for that Jesus isn’t inadequate.
He is enough which is great news because only he can save us.
He is enough because He is the sum of all things, He is above everything, He is our one absolute.
He is enough. So that means there is nothing to add or take away.
He is enough. His grace is sufficient.
He is enough. He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him.