Faith-Family Relationships

Welcome & Opening Prayer

Turn to 1 John 2:7...

Open in Prayer

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I. Introduction: Family Matters

FEW THINGS in LIFE—BRING ME as MUCH JOY—

— as WHEN MY KIDS LOVE EACH OTHER

SIBLINGS HAVE a TENDENCY,, DON’T GET ALONG

YOUR KIDS

YOUR SIBLINGS

PERHAPS YOU WERE the MEAN ONE??

Connection: ANYONE RELATE?

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Story: ABIGAIL FALLING OFF PLAYGROUND— SELAH VERY SWEET.

SOMETIMES: “WHY CAN’T YOU JUST GET ALONG?!?!”

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✨Transition/Thesis: I THINK THERE ARE COUNTLESS TIMES WHERE GOD THINKS the SAME THING...

ADULTS HAVE TENDENCY NOT to GET ALONG—EVEN in the CHURCH...

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Transition: TODAY— APOSTLE JOHN is GOING to FOCUS on RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN the FAITH-FAMILY...

want to BEGIN BY READING PASSAGE...

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II. Passage Reading: 1 John 2:7-11

1 John 2:7–11 (ESV)

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Declaration: this is God’s Word for us this morning...

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III. Context Recap: Walking His Walk

Recent Weeks: JOHN WRITES LETTER—STRAIGHTEN OUT FALSE TEACHING

RIGHT BELIEF

RIGHT LIVING

CLAIMING to BE in FELLOWSHIP W/ GOD (LIGHT) — LIFE SHOULD RESEMBLE HIS PURITY

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Last Wk: LOVE for GOD = PROVEN BY KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS.

COVENANT ISN’T ESTABLISHED BY OUR OBEDIENCE—

—BUT PROVEN BY IT

Last Week’s Theme:

If you say you’re in Christ, your life should look something like His did. 👣

WALKING as HE WALKED— W.W.J.D.??

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Transition: TODAY—JOHN = CONTINUING on THEME of “RIGHT LIVING”...

LOOK W/ ME AGAIN @ VS. 7...

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IV. Passage Exposition

A. An Old Commandment (v7)

1 John 2:7 (ESV)

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

APOSTLE JOHN—GOING to SHOW MOST FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH of CHRISTIAN LIVING...

Last Wk:

JESUS SUMMED UP LAW

LOVE GOD

LOVE NEIGHBOR

=> LAST WK: FOCUS = LOVING GOD...

THIS WEEK—JOHN HITS “LOVING NEIGHBOR”

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Focus: LOVE = NOT a NEW COMMANDMENT!

Leviticus 19:18 (ESV)

18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

HUMANS MADE in GOD’S IMAGE— PART of OUR D.N.A.

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✨THE CHRISTIAN DISTINCTIVE!!

John 13:35 (ESV)

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

NOT:

RIGHT DOCTRINE

HOLY LIVING

MIRACULOUS GIFTS

ALLEGIANCE to HIS NAME...

=> BUT LOVE for ONE ANOTHER! <=

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Apostle Paul:

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (ESV)

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

LOVE = MORE EXCELLENT WAY—THAN SPIRITUAL GIFTS...

=> => IF WE MISS LOVE— WE MISS EVERYTHING!! 👣

NOT the CHERRY on TOP—BUT the WHOLE CAKE!

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Transition: ANCIENT COMMAND— BUT THERE’S ALSO a NEWNESS to IT...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 8...

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B. New Commandment (v. 8):

1 John 2:8 (ESV)

8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

JOHN CONTRADICTING HIMSELF???

REALITY: OLD COMMAND—MADE NEW!

OLD COMMAND—LEVITICUS

NEW COMMAND—REINTERPRETED THROUGH JESUS’ EXAMPLE.

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(V8.b) — “TRUE in HIM”

John 13:34 (ESV)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

JESUS CAME NOT to BE SERVED—BUT to SERVE & GIVE HIS LIFE

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Jesus Said: NO GREATER HUMAN LOVE— GIVING LIFE for OTHERS...

John 15:13 (ESV)

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

🤯 JESUS DIDN’T LAY DOWN HIS LIFE for FRIENDS—BUT ENEMIES!!🤯🤯

Romans 5:8 (ESV)

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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the COMMANDMENT ISN’T NEW—

— BUT TAKES on a WHOLE NEW LIGHT in CHRIST...

(v8.B) TRUE in YOU— FOUNDED in CHRIST’S EXAMPLE—PRESENT REALITY AMONGST HIS PEOPLE...

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💡(v8.C) BECAUSE— DARKNESS is PASSING AWAY…TRUE LIGHT is SHINING

JESUS = LIGHT of the WORLD

Exhort: SATAN’S DOMAIN PUT on NOTICE! 🙌🙌

WE’RE PART of the WINNING TEAM!

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KINGDOM of GOD is PROGRESSING

STARTED SMALL LIKE MUSTARD SEED—BUT GROWS

GATES of HELL WON’T PREVAIL AGAINST the CHURCH

CHRIST = VICTORIOUS 🙌

SATAN—BEAST—FALSE PROPHET— THROWN INTO LAKE of FIRE

DEATH & HADES WILL BE THROWN INTO LAKE of FIRE

REVELATION & SCARED/DISCOURAGED??

READ END of the BOOK!

John 1:5 (ESV)

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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Encourage: WE LIVE in the IN-BETWEEN

W/ HOPE of END-TIME VICTORY

STILL BATTLING DARKNESS

WE ANTICIPATE FINAL VICTORY in FAITH!

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Transition: DARKNESS PASSING AWAY—WE DON’T WANT to BE PART of IT...

....WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 9

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C. A False Claim: Light Without Love (v9)

1 John 2:9 (ESV)

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

ONE WHO “SAYS” HE’S in LIGHT

(Q) FAMILIAR??

1 John 1:6 (ESV)

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

JOHN’S SPIRIT INSPIRED CONCERN—

— NOT W/ “TALK”

— BUT W/ “WALK”

SAYING YOU’RE in LIGHT = NICE...

=> DO YOU SHOW EVIDENCE of IT?? 👣

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WHAT’S the EVIDENCE of WALKING in DARKNESS??

LIST of WORKS of FLESH??

VARIOUS SINS???

=> HATE YOUR BROTHER <=

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JOHN’S FOCUS: RELATIONSHIPS in FAMILY of FAITH

**Disclaimer: CHRISTIAN = STILL SUPPOSED to LOVE NEIGHBOR & ENEMY!!**

SPECIAL LOVE for FAITH-FAMILY

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👀 Exhort: ALL THOSE BORN-AGAIN = PART of FAMILY of FAITH!!

SONS of GOD in JESUS CHRIST (GAL. 3:26)

MEMBERS of GOD’S HOUSEHOLD (EPH. 2:19)

HEAR,,LANGUAGE of “BORN-AGAIN” —

— PROBABLY THINK ONLY of VERTICAL RELATIONSHIP

CHILD of GOD—HALLELUJAH!!

🤯🤯Exhort: TRULY AMAZING—CREATOR of UNIVERSE CALLS YOU CHILD! 🤯🤯

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✨Challenge: VERTICAL TRANSFORMATION has HORIZONTAL IMPLICATIONS...

I’VE GOT SPIRITUAL SIBLINGS!!

BROTHERS & SISTERS in CHRIST!!

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Background: CONSIDER—ANANIAS MEETS SAUL of TARSUS in ACTS 9....

LORD JESUS SPEAKS to ANANIAS—GO to SAUL—HE’S PRAYING...

Ananias responds:

Acts 9:13–14 (ESV)

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.

14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

Jesus responds: HE’S a CHOSEN VESSEL...

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Ananias Obeys:

Acts 9:17 (ESV)

17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

PERSECUTOR = TURNED BROTHER...

SAUL of TARSUS = GREAT APOSTLE to GENTILES—APOSTLE PAUL!

NOT JUST @ PEACE… BUT FAMILY!!

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💥 Focus: HOW WE TREAT OUR FAITH-FAMILY MATTERS!!

IF YOU’VE BEEN BORN-AGAIN—

— YOU’RE BORN INTO a FAMILY—

— NOT JUST a RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD...

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Transition: PERHAPS YOU AREN’T a PART of the FAMILY YET...

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V. Gospel Connection: A Part of the Family

🤔 COME to CHURCH—BUT HAVEN’T COME to CHRIST....??

ATTENDING GATHERINGS = GOOD

BUT YOU NEED JESUS.

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ANOTHER PLACE in SCRIPTURE:

JOHN RECOUNTS—SOME ACCEPTED CHRIST,, OTHERS REJECTED HIM...

John 1:11–13 (ESV)

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

MANY REJECTED

SOME RECEIVED HIM—BELIEVING on HIS NAME

=> => TO THOSE—HE GAVE the RIGHT to BECOME CHILDREN of GOD!!

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Prodigal Son: JESUS ONCE TAUGHT PARABLE—FATHER RUNS to the LOST SON

ALL HEAVEN REJOICES OVER ONE SINNER REPENTING

GOD’S FAMILY GROWS!!

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💡WELCOME to the FAMILY—ISN’T JUST a SLOGAN—BUT a REALITY!

Invitation: IF YOU HAVEN’T RECEIVED CHRIST—PUT YOUR TRUST in HIM—YOU CAN BE a PART of the FAITH-FAMILY TODAY!!

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Transition: FOR THOSE in FAITH-FAMILY—

— GOD DESIRES for US to LOVE ONE ANOTHER

WE’LL SEE THIS FURTHER in V.10...

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D. A True Life: Light by Love (v. 10):

1 John 2:10 (ESV)

10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

HATRED = DARKNESS

LOVE = LIGHT

RIGHT BELIEF LEADS to RIGHT LIVING —NO EXCEPTIONS 👣

=> WON’T DO IT PERFECTLY

=> THERE WILL BE EVIDENCE!

IF YOU’RE ACTUALLY in the LIGHT—

=> => YOU’LL LOVE YOUR BROTHER/SISTER in CHRIST

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Test: the LESS LOVABLE MEMBERS of the FAMILY

LOVING YOUR FRIENDS ISN’T DIFFICULT

LOVING THOSE WHO ARE HARD to LOVE —WHERE RUBBER MEETS the ROAD 👣👣

Testimony: SUSIE M. @ APARTMENTS—

— NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT MY FAITH if I ONLY LOVE those WHO ARE EASY to LOVE...

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CHRISTIAN = TASKED W/ LOVING FAITH-FAMILY & PUTTING NO STUMBLING BLOCKS BEFORE THEM…

PUTTING OTHERS BEFORE OURSELVES...

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Transition: JOHN = GOING to FINISH WITH ONE FINAL REMINDER:

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 11...

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E. Conclusion: A Life in Darkness (v. 11):

1 John 2:11 (ESV)

11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

WHAT WE SAY DOESN’T MATTER

WHAT WE DO DOES...

IF YOU LOVE YOU’RE in LIGHT...

IF YOU HATE YOU’RE in DARKNESS...

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Sermon on the Mount: NOT ENOUGH to AVOID MURDER...

BUT ALSO AVOID ANGER/HATRED… LIVE @ PEACE!

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TRANSFORMED HEART OUGHT to LOVE GOD & LOVE HIS PEOPLE...

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Transition: ALL in ALL—I BELIEVE JOHN is SAYING to US...

Passage Idea: 💡

Walking in the light is proven not by our words but by our actions of love.

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VI. Application: Loving Our Faith-Family 👣

👉👉REALITY of FAMILY IDENTITY = HELPFUL for ME

=> IF GOD is YOUR FATHER—OTHER BELIEVERS ARE YOUR SIBLINGS

& GOD CARES HOW YOU TREAT HIS KIDS.

GOD FINDS JOY in OUR LOVE for ONE ANOTHER—HEAVENLY FATHER!

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Pondering: HOW OFTEN—GOD LOOK DOWN & SHAKE HIS HEAD?

WE MIGHT NOT YELL “MINE” & STEAL TOYS

NOT ARGUE in BACKSEAT of CAR

Church Divisions:

STYLE of WORSHIP?

COLOR of CARPET?

COFFEE or NO?

SOME BELIEVERS DIE on EVERY HILL

HEAVENLY FATHER: “KIDS CAN’T YOU JUST GET ALONG?!?”

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Testimony: G.C. THINGS GOING WELL—AS FAR as I’M AWARE...

PRAY it REMAINS

Key to RETAINING UNITY:

REMINDING OURSELVES WE’RE FAMILY

& TREATING OTHERS as GOD’S CHILDREN.

STRUGGLING to LOVE?

REMIND YOURSELF of THIS REALITY

REMIND YOURSELF HOW UNDESERVING YOU WERE/ARE of CHRIST’S LOVE

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Conclusion:

REMEMBER: WALKING in the LIGHT = EVIDENCED BY YOUR LOVE for OTHER BELIEVERS

& IT’S LIKEWISE the PROOF of your PROFESSION of FAITH...

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so LET’S TREAT OTHERS as the FAMILY THEY ARE…AMEN?

LET’S PRAY....