Family Traits

📖 Title: Family Traits

I. 🛐 Welcome & Opening Prayer

Turn to 1 John Ch. 2—V.28

Pitch picnic

Open in Prayer

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II.👪 Introduction: Family Traits & Resemblance

Illustration: Physical & Behavioral Traits mark families...

I find it truly amazing the FEATURES that FAMILIES have in COMMON.

Nature: GENETICS/LOOKS

Nurture: MANNERISMS, HABITS, ETC.

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Connection: How MANY— MET a FAMILY,, KNEW THEY WERE FAMILY?

Nature:

DENNY’S FAMILY— 7 KIDS— ALL OBVIOUSLY SIBLINGS

BRITTANY: BABY LOOKS LIKE MOM/DAD

ME: LOOKS LIKE a BABY

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Nurture:

FAMILIES W/ SIMILAR LAUGHS//MANNERISMS//VERNACULAR

**INCREASINGLY REALIZE: SELAH is my KID!**

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Transition: REALITY of FAMILY TRAITS— HAS a SPIRITUAL REALITY as WELL...

THOSE BORN of GOD have NEW TRAITS...

READ PASSAGE:

CH.2:28— 3:10...

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III. Passage Reading

1 John 2:28–3:10 (ESV)

28 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.

29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

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.

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

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IV. Context Recap: Living in the Last Hour

John’s Letter: RIGHT BELIEF & RIGHT LIVING

Last Wk: RIGHT BELIEF—ALLEGIANCE to CHRIST

Antichrists—those OPPOSED to CHRIST—HAVE ALREADY COME

=> Conclusion: IT’S’ the LAST HOUR!

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✨APOSTLE PURSUING CONGREGATION’S PERSEVERANCE

CALL to FAITHFULNESS to CHRIST...

TO HAVE SON = TO HAVE FATHER…

— WITHOUT SON—NO FATHER...

JESUS is THE WAY,, TRUTH,, LIFE

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Call to PERSEVERANCE in CHRIST👣

EXCLUSIVITY isn’t POPULAR

HASN’T BEEN for 2,000 YRS

WE MUST ABIDE in HIM—NOT LEAVING CHRIST...

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Transition: W/ FOUNDATION in PLACE

JOHN WILL CONTINUE ALONG THESE LINES...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS.28-29

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V. Sermon Exposition

✨ 1. The Call to Abide – Because Christ is Coming (v28-29)

Text: 1 John 2:28–29

1 John 2:28–29 (ESV)

28 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.

29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

TODAY’S PASSAGE OPENS—WHERE LAST LEFT OFF: ABIDE in HIM...

REMAIN ROOTED in CHRIST— DON’T FORSAKE HIM…MAINTAINING PROFESSION

Last Hour: ANTICHRISTS—TELL YOU THERE’S MANY WAYS… OPPOSED to CHRIST

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To Those Abiding: WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE (NOT ASHAMED) @ HIS COMING!!

a state of boldness and confidence, courage, confidence, boldness, fearlessness (BDAG)

Encourage: IN CHRIST— NO FEAR for JUDGMENT DAY—

— HE’S OUR PROPITIATION—ATONING/WRATH-BEARING SACRIFICE!

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Eschatology— END-TIMES THEOLOGY— OUGHT to IMPACT LIVES WE LEAD:

ABIDE in CHRIST

Quote: “the NT consistently grounds present perseverance in eschatological hope (e.g., Titus 2:12–13). Faith in the future grounds perseverance in the present.”[1]

PRACTICING RIGHTEOUSNESS

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END-TIMES SHOULDN’T HAVE US LOCKING in OUR HOUSES...

REMAINING in CHRIST

& PURSUING PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

**(V29) THOSE WHO PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS SIGNIFY THEY ARE BORN of HIM...

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Transition: IDEA of NEW-BIRTH is VERY IMPORTANT in TODAY’S TEXT…

APOSTLE WILL DWELL on THIS

in CH.3..V.1

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💖 2. The Believer’s Position & Hope as Children of God

Text: 1 John 3:1

1 John 3:1 (ESV)

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

BELIEVERS ARE CHILDREN of GOD!

SEE = “BEHOLD!” — IMPERATIVE… CHECK THIS OUT!!

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Exhort: CREATOR of UNIVERSE BRINGS US into HIS HOUSEHOLD!!🤯

DON’T DESERVE—SINFUL

REJECTED HIM—SPIT in HIS FACE— TOLD HIM to GO AWAY…YET HE LOVES US....

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Consider: HE’S AMAZING

WE’RE FINITE—HE’S INFINITE

WE’RE HUMAN—HE’S DIVINE

WE’RE CREATURE — HE’S CREATOR!

WE’RE IMPURE — HE’S HOLY

WE’RE FRAIL —HE’S ALMIGHTY

THIS GOD SET HIS LOVE on YOU!

NOT JUST CALLED CHILDREN of GOD— WE ARE!!😮

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Challenge: HAS THIS TRUTH GOTTEN OLD??

PRAYING “HEAVENLY FATHER” WITHOUT a THOUGHT??

WE SHOULD ALWAYS MARVEL!!

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📣 Gospel Invitation

HERE THIS MORNING—WITHOUT THIS...

OUTSIDE of CHRIST—YOU CAN’T HAVE FATHER

WITH CHRIST—HE is ALSO YOUR FATHER!

GOD LOVES YOU.

GOD LOVES WORLD—REBELLION AGAINST HIM

CHRIST LOVES US PERSONALLY (YOU & ME,, REF. GAL. 2:20…)

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Amazing: HE LOVES US DESPITE HOW UNLOVELY WE’VE BEEN....

NO CLEAN UP B4...

HE CAME to DIE FOR SINNERS...

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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✨Gospel: CHRIST DIED for YOUR SINS—THAT IF YOU TRUST in HIM—YOU’LL BE FORGIVEN,, BROUGHT INTO GOD’S FAMILY…

John 1:12 (ESV)

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

FREE GIFT of GRACE---NOT RESULT of WORKS

Invitation: IF YOU’RE HERE WITHOUT ASSURANCE, OR HAVE QUESTIONS—I’D LOVE to SPEAK W/ YOU AFTER the SERVICE.

HE MADE the GREATEST SACRIFICE to DRAW YOU BACK to HIMSELF...

NO GREATER LOVE.

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Transition: CHILDREN of GOD— EVEN in PRESENT...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 2-3...

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1 John 3:2–3 (ESV)

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

(v1) CALLED CHILDREN of GOD & ARE...

(V2) BELOVED… WE’RE GOD’S CHILDREN NOW!

Gk, Background/Word Order…

BELOVED. NOW!!… CHILDREN of GOD WE ARE. ((RIGHT NOW))

Exhort: NOT a FUTURE REALITY—BUT PRESENT— YOU CALL the CREATOR “FATHER”,,, TODAY!!🤯

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HOWEVER— IT’S in PROCESS...

=> CHILDREN of GOD TODAY

👉👉(v2B) => => WHAT WE WILL BE HAS YET to APPEAR—SOME DAY WE’LL BE LIKE HIM!

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LIFELONG PROCESS WILL BE FINISHED

📜📜Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

SANCTIFICATION (GROWTH in HOLINESS) RESULTS in GLORIFICATION

=> SOME DAY WE’LL BEAR the IMAGE of the MAN of HEAVEN!

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(v3) w/ this IN MIND — WE PURIFY OURSELVES, PRESENTLY.

IF FUTURE GOAL = LIKE CHRIST—

— WE SHOULD BE MOVING in THAT DIRECTION!

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Transition: IN LIGHT of THIS—JOHN ISSUES a WARNING...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 4-6

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🚫 3. The Believer’s Lifestyle as an Abider

Text: 1 John 3:4–6

1 John 3:4–6 (ESV)

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

CONTRAST “EVERYONE WHO HOPES/PURIFIES”

NOW: “EVERYONE WHO MAKES a PRACTICE of SINNING”

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**Disclaimer** JOHN DOESN’T BELIEVE in SINLESS PERFECTION.

1 John 1:8 (ESV)

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

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Focus: JOHN WARNS ABOUT THOSE W/ PERSISTENT, ONGOING SIN...

SPECIFICALLY LAWLESSNESS...

Define: LAWLESSNESS = DENYING GOD’S AUTHORITY as ARBITER of TRUTH.

LAWLESS ONE MAKES THEIR OWN RULES...😬

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⚠️WARNING: HAVE to BE SO CAREFUL...⚠️

DENY PERSONAL SIN THROUGH SELF-DECEPTION… “MY SIN isn’t SINFUL”

DENY PERSONAL SIN BY DENYING GOD’S AUTHORITY…

Illustration: ROBIN HOOD VIDEO...

Gk: HAMARTANO, SENSE of “MISSING MARK”

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Challenge: IF YOU CONSISTENTLY MOVE the TARGET YOU’LL NEVER MISS.

BUT GOD’S TARGET is FIXED…

YOU CAN DENY IT,

YOU CAN TRY & MOVE the TARGET,,

BUT SIN is DEFINED by GOD—HE’S the CREATOR.

IN LIGHT of CHRIST’S COMING— WE PURIFY OURSELVES— WE DON’T MOVE the TARGET...

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(V5) CHRIST APPEARED to TAKE AWAY SINS!

=> WHY WOULD WE CONTINUE in THEM??

IMPERFECT,, BUT DISTINCT CHANGES...

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(V6) HARSH CONCLUSION— THOSE WHO CONTINUE in PRACTICE of SINNING & LAWLESSNESS DON’T KNOW CHRIST.

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Transition:

MANY WILL SAY DIFFERENTLY...

JOHN HAS a WARNING…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 6-9

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👣 4. The Believer’s Lifestyle as a Son

Text: 1 John 3:7–9

1 John 3:7–9 (ESV)

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

⚠️WARNING: “DON’T BE DECEIVED” — APPARENTLY DECEIVERS WILL EXIST. ⚠️

TARGET-MOVERS WILL COME.

THERE’S an EXPECTATION of RIGHTEOUSNESS

(V8A) WHOEVER MAKES a PRACTICE of SINNING is of the DEVIL...

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Addressing Affirming Churches:

DON’T BE DECEIVED.

YOU CAN FIND a CHURCH to AFFIRM YOUR SIN…

....BUT YOU WON’T FIND THAT HERE.

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**Clarification: YOU DON’T NEED to CLEAN YOUR LIFE UP to COME to CHRIST**

Exhort: BUT IF CHRIST MAKES HIS HOME in YOUR HEART—

— HE’S GOING to REARRANGE the FURNITURE💥

WE AREN’T SAVED BY CLEANING UP

BUT HE WILL CLEAN US UP....

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IF WE AFFIRM SIN— WE SPIT in the FACE of GOD…

& IF WE AFFIRM SIN— WHAT DO WE NEED to BE SAVED FROM??

Exhort: COMING to CHRIST— WE RECOGNIZE OUR NEED for a SAVIOR....

Illustration: DROWNING & NEED a LIFE-PRESERVER?? YOU NEED to CRY FOR HELP— NEED to RECOGNIZE YOU’RE DROWNING!

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CHRIST WON’T SAVE ANYONE WHO DOESN’T RECOGNIZE THEIR NEED for SAVING.

RECOGNIZE SIN is SINFUL— “GOD’S BULLSEYE”

COME to TERMS W/ IT

SEEK FORGIVENESS//CHRIST

TURN from IT.

I WOULD RATHER SEE YOU in HEAVEN… THAN SEE YOU HAPPY.

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JESUS DIED for OUR SINS—NOT SO THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE in THEM

IF YOUR LIFE is CHARACTERIZED BY LAWLESSNESS/CONTINUAL SIN—YOU AREN’T BORN AGAIN.

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Challenge: YOUR LIFESTYLE SHOWCASES WHAT FAMILY YOU ARE a PART of. 👣

Only two families:

GOD’S

SATAN’S

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CHRIST CAME to DESTROY the DEVIL & HIS WORKS…

… SO WHY WOULD WE CLAIM to BE “IN CHRIST” & BUILD SATAN’S KINGDOM W/ SIN???

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(V9) CHRISTIAN—IF YOU’RE BORN AGAIN, YOU ARE a CHILD of GOD— W/ NEW NATURE..

Exhort: NOT JUST FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE...

(V9) GOD’S “SEED” HOLY SPIRIT ABIDES WITHIN—MAKING YOU ANEW 😯

=> THERE WAS a DAY YOU WENT from DARKNESS to LIGHT… FROM DEATH to LIFE… <=

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Illustration: SEE CHART...

Exhort: JOHN SHOWS US: PAST-TENSE SPIRITUAL REBIRTH HAS PRESENT IMPLICATIONS...💡

GK: PERFECT TENSE.... PAST EVENT W/ NEW STATE/ONGOING RELEVANCE...

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AGAIN: DISCLAIMER: GETTING ORDER RIGHT

WE DON’T CLEAN UP to BE BORN AGAIN

GOD CAN MAKE the MOST WRETCHED SINNER HIS CHILD, AS IS.

HE’LL WORK to CLEAN YOU UP AFTERWARDS…COME AS YOU ARE.

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WE DON’T WORK FOR SALVATION...

.... BUT FROM SALVATION....

WE DON’T WORK FOR ACCEPTANCE

… BUT FROM ACCEPTANCE

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WE ARE REBORN as HIS CHILDREN—IN LIGHT of THIS NEW IDENTITY—WE WALK as HIS FAMILY-MEMBERS!

IF GOD HAS DONE a SUPERNATURAL WORK—THERE WILL BE EVIDENCE.

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Transition: JOHN HAS ONE FINAL CONCLUDING THOUGHT...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 10...

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⚖️ 5. Concluding Observation – Two Spiritual Families

Text: 1 John 3:10

1 John 3:10 (ESV)

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.

JOHN UNAPOLOGETICALLY SHARES TRUTH:

CHILDREN of GOD = DISPLAYED BY THEIR UPRIGHT LIVES & LOVE for OTHERS…

CHILDREN of DEVIL—LIKEWISE PROVEN THROUGH ACTIONS.

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Transition: IN SIMPLE TERMS… JOHN is SAYING THIS MORNING:

Passage Idea:

If you are born again—live like it.

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VI.📝 Application: Living Like You’re Born Again

PAST-TENSE SPIRITUAL REBIRTH—CHANGES EVERYTHING— ABOUT HOW YOU LIVE TODAY.

looks LIKE???

1. Abide in Him

FAITHFUL to CHRIST & TRUTH of GOSPEL— HE ALONE is the WAY....

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2. Practice Righteousness

NOT JUST AVOIDING WRONG—BUT DOING RIGHT.

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3. Purify Yourself

AVOIDING WRONG— Kill sin before it kills you.

JESUS CAME to DESTROY DEVIL’S WORK—LET US NOT BUILD IT...

COMING to TERMS W/ GOD’S DEFINITION of SIN!!

CONFESS IT

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

WE MUST GO FROM DENYING IT,, TO CONFESSING IT & OBTAINING FORGIVENESS CHRIST DIED FOR.

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🔍 Call to Self-Examination

Ask Yourself: DOES MY LIFE REFLECT MY FAMILY-TRAITS as A CHILD of GOD??

Conclusion:

THIS PASSAGE OFFERS PERFECT OPPORTUNITY ...

...for SELF-EXAMINATION....

... as WE TURN to COMMUNION NOW...

Close in Prayer