A Proven Love
Notes
Transcript
🙏I. Welcome & Opening Prayer
🙏I. Welcome & Opening Prayer
Turn to: 1 John 5
Open in Prayer
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🧭 II. Introduction: Redefining Christianity
🧭 II. Introduction: Redefining Christianity
Opening Thought:
Christianity is often misunderstood as a rigid list of rules: a BUNCH of “DO’S” & “DO NOT’S”
BIBLE = RULEBOOK
GOD = COSMIC KILLJOY
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Truthfully: BIBLE = LOVE-LETTER from CREATOR DESIRING RELATIONSHIP W/ US
A FATHER—DESIRING RECONCILIATION W/ CHILDREN
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YES THERE ARE “RULES” COMMANDMENTS
🗝️Key Idea: GOD—AS CREATOR—KNOWS WHAT is BEST
Illustration:
* Kids and donuts for breakfast
* TV 24/7
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God’s commands aren’t aiming to rob us of joy...
… but to lead us to true life—HE KNOWS BEST!
Ref, Ecclesiastes: LIFE FILLED W/ BLESSINGS—GOD INTENDS for US to ENJOY!
📌 WE MUST SIMPLY FIRST FIND JOY in the GIVER—THEN the GIFTS…
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Transition: LOOKING @ TODAY’S PASSAGE
GOD’S COMMANDMENTS AREN’T IMPOSSIBLE
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT to OBEY📷
READ PASSAGE:
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📖 III. Passage Reading: 1 John 5:1–5
📖 III. Passage Reading: 1 John 5:1–5
1 John 5:1–5 (ESV)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
“This is God’s Word for us this morning…”
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🔄 IV. Context Recap: Perfected Love (from last week)
🔄 IV. Context Recap: Perfected Love (from last week)
Last Week:
FOCUSED on LOVE of GOD for US…
🗝️Key Idea: GOD’S LOVE has INTENDED GOAL/PURPOSE🗝️
PERFECTED LOVE DRIVES OUT FEAR
FEAR = UMBRELLA TERM:
RESPECT/REVERENCE
TERROR
=> WE STILL REVERENCE GOD “FEAR of the LORD” ABSOLUTELY…
…BUT THERE’S NO NEED for TERROR IF YOU ARE in CHRIST…
CHRIST EXHAUSTED SIN’S PENALTY!
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L.W. Passage Idea: All in all we saw that: God’s love for us ought to eliminate fear and motivate love.
1 John 4:19 (ESV)
19 We love because he first loved us.
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Last Week:
GOD’S LOVE for US
OUR LOVE for OTHERS…
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Transition: This Week:
TRANSITIONING to OUR LOVE for GOD… 📷
LOOK W/ ME AGAIN @ VS. 1
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V. Passage Exposition:
V. Passage Exposition:
🧠 THOUGHT 1: The Born-Again Believer (v.1)
🧠 THOUGHT 1: The Born-Again Believer (v.1)
1 John 5:1 (ESV)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
BEGINNING W/ DOCTRINE of SPIRITUAL REBIRTH…
Recap: MANY PASSAGES in 1 JOHN—SPEAK on REBIRTH
SPIRITUAL REALITY—BORN of GOD
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🌱New-Birth🌱
🌱New-Birth🌱
📷 Focus: JOHN BELIEVED in SPIRITUAL REBIRTH BECAUSE the LORD JESUS TAUGHT IT:
John 3:3 (ESV)
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
RELIGIOUS LEADER—NICODEMUS—YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
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Apostle Peter:
1 Peter 1:23 (ESV)
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
GOD’S WORD—RESPONDED to W/ FAITH—BRINGS SPIRITUAL REBIRTH from GOD.
🗝️Key Truth: GOSPEL MESSAGE ISN’T JUST ABOUT MORAL REFORM—BUT a SUPERNATURAL TRANSFORMATION
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Spiritual Blindness
Spiritual Blindness
NATURALLY—BORN SEPARATED from GOD
2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
GOD MUST DO a WORK—OPENING YOUR EYES to SPIRITUAL TRUTH…
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Focus: CHRISTIANITY ISN’T JUST CONVERTING to a RELIGION—BUT BEING SPIRITUALLY REBORN. 📷
CONVERSION & REGENERATION
NO ONE EXPERIENCES REBIRTH & CONTINUES the SAME👀
CH. 3— “GOD’S SEED ABIDES in HIM” (V9)📜
=> SAME GRACE THAT SAVES—CHANGES! ((MORE LATER))
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(V.1.b) INITIAL INSTRUCTION: “LOVE”
(V.1.b) INITIAL INSTRUCTION: “LOVE”
LOVING FATHER—LOVING HIS CHILDREN
“LOVING the BEGETTER = LOVING HIS BEGOTTEN”
QUINTESSENTIAL CHRISTIAN COMMAND
GOD is FATHER?? BELIEVERS ARE SIBLINGS!📌
BORN AGAIN—INTO a FAMILY!
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Transition: WHAT DOES THAT LOVE LOOK LIKE?
APOSTLE WILL OFFER IMPORTANT QUALIFIER…
…LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 2
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❤️ THOUGHT 2: The Proof of Love (v.2)
❤️ THOUGHT 2: The Proof of Love (v.2)
1 John 5:2 (ESV)
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
INTERESTING TWO-WAY STREET:
LOVE for GOD—PROVEN BY LOVE for OTHERS
LOVE for OTHER—PROVEN BY LOVE for GOD
Helpful: QUALIFIED BY LOVE for GOD & OBEDIENCE to HIM💡
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🗝️Key Truth: LOVE for OTHERS MUST BE CONDITIONED—ON SUPREME LOVE for GOD 🗝️
Recap, Two Weeks Ago: LOVE for CHRIST is CHIEF OVER ALL HUMAN LOVES
=> I LOVE JESUS MORE THAN ..............
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LOVE for OTHERS = FILTERED THROUGH PRIMARY ALLEGIANCE to GOD…
🧍 Modern Misconceptions:
🧍 Modern Misconceptions:
IF YOU LOVE ME—YOU’LL ENDORSE EVERYTHING I DO
LOVE ME—USE MY PREFERRED PRONOUNS
LOVE ME—ACCEPT EVERYTHING
IF YOU LOVE ME—YOU DON’T PUSH YOUR BELIEFS…
Focus: TRUE LOVE = ROOTED in TRUTH… 📷
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Qualifying Love
Qualifying Love
NO ONE WOULD LOVINGLY SAY “ENJOY the TRIP” on a ROAD WITH a BRIDGE OUT… 🚗🚗
Doctor Illustration:
NO ONE—GO to DR—HEAR WHAT YOU WANT to HEAR
=> RATHER—WHAT YOU NEED to HEAR!!
YOU WANT a DR WHO SPEAKS TRUTH in LOVE…
HEALTH = IMPORTANT
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Connecting to Pastors:
YET MANY WANT CHURCHES THAT WILL TELL THEM WHAT THEY WANT to HEAR…😬
GOT CANCER? —NEED a TREATMENT PLAN
HEART ATTACK COMING? NEED to DRASTICALLY CHANGE LIFESTYLE
THAT’S NOT TOUGH LOVE—THAT’S JUST LOVE.
🤒🤢HUMAN BEINGS HAVE SPIRITUAL CANCER—SIN— AND COUNTLESS CHURCHES SAY “YOU’RE in GOOD HEALTH”🤒🤢
ONLY SOLUTION is to RID CANCER—ONLY WAY is JESUS CHRIST.
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IF WE TRULY LOVE OTHERS—IT HINGES on LOVE & OBEDIENCE to GOD FIRST📌
OTHERWISE WE’RE BEING NICE @ EXPENSE of KINDNESS
LOVE GOD FIRST—WE SPEAK TRUTH in LOVE.
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Transition: A FURTHER PROOF of LOVE of GOD…
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 3-4
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💡 THOUGHT 3: Love Means Obedience (v.3–4)
💡 THOUGHT 3: Love Means Obedience (v.3–4)
1 John 5:3–4 (ESV)
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Last Week: GOD’S LOVE for US
This Week: OUR LOVE for GOD...
LOVE for GOD = PROVEN THROUGH OBEDIENCE. 💡
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John 14:15 (ESV)
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Quote, R.C. Sproul: “JESUS is EITHER LORD of ALL—OR HE’S NOT LORD AT ALL.”
👑👑JESUS ISN’T BEST-FRIEND, BOY-FRIEND, BUDDY— BUT HE is LORD, KING, GOD. 👑👑
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True Love for God:
True Love for God:
Exhort: IF YOUR ONLY LOVE for GOD = ON YOUR LIPS for an HOUR on SUNDAY—HE’S NOT DECEIVED.
LOVE for GOD = PROVEN in the 167 HOURS YOU SPEND OUTSIDE of CHURCH
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Good News, Commandments not Burdensome
Word Study (Burdensome):
“a source of difficulty or trouble because of demands made.”[1]
WEIGHTY & HARD to HANDLE
Illustration: ALL MEN HAVE MOVED THAT COUCH.
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👉👉GOD’S COMMANDMENTS NOT BURDENSOME
1. IT’S NOT as COMPLICATED as WE’VE MADE IT…
LORD JESUS: LOVE GOD & LOVE NEIGHBOR
=> MANY EXPRESSIONS—BUT IT’S SIMPLE. <=
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Background Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
Background Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)
DEBATING CIRCUMCISION — SIGN of O.T. COVENANT!!
Acts 15:28–29 (ESV)
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
SURELY WE CAN GROW BEYOND SIMPLE THINGS
Many Churches Complicate:
LEGALISM
NO BEARDS
SKIRTS THIS LENGTH
WHAT YOU CAN & CAN’T DO on SUNDAYS
Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV)
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
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YES—THERE is an EXPECTED OBEDIENCE—
YES—WE SHOULD GROW
=> BUT WE CAN OVERLY COMPLICATE IT
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Transition: SECOND REASON IT’S NOT BURDENSOME
… ESSENTIAL—GET THIS—
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V.4. Overcoming the World:
V.4. Overcoming the World:
1 John 5:4 (ESV)
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
THE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER OVERCOMES the WORLD—SPECIFICALLY THROUGH the FAITH…
WORLD—REBELLION AGAINST GOD…
🗝️Key Idea: COMMANDMENTS NOT BURDENSOME… BECAUSE… WE’VE OVERCOME. 🗝️
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Focus: BORN-AGAIN— WORLD LOSES ITS PULL— A NEW HEART GIVEN: 📷
New Covenant Hope:
New Covenant Hope:
Ezekiel 36:26–27 (ESV)
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
IN JEREMIAH:
Jeremiah 31:31–34 (ESV)
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
New Covenant: A NEW HEART GIVEN—LAW WRITTEN on INWARD MAN…
GOD’S DESIRE— is to SHAPE OUR DESIRES.
Philippians 2:13 (ESV)
13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Exhort: CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN’T HATING to DO the RIGHT THING...
… UNTIL YOU DIE & GO to HEAVEN!💡
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DESIRES SHAPED
SUPREME LOVE for GOD DISQUALIFIES OTHER LOVES
1 John 2:15 (ESV)
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Exhort: LOVE JESUS & LOVE PORN AD??😬
⚔️⚔️SIN ISN’T LOVED—BUT STRUGGLED W/ & FOUGHT!!⚔️⚔️
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THROUGH FAITH—WE ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S WAYS ARE BEST.
REF. INTRODUCTION
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Transition: JOHN HAS ONE FINAL WORD— ON OVERCOMING the WORLD…
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 5
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🏆 THOUGHT 4: The Overcomer’s Faith (v.5)
🏆 THOUGHT 4: The Overcomer’s Faith (v.5)
1 John 5:5 (ESV)
5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
THE ONLY WAY to OVERCOME = THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST THAT BRINGS NEW BIRTH…
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Transition: PERHAPS YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING… AND YOU DON’T BELIEVE:
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✉️ Gospel Invitation: Be Born Again
✉️ Gospel Invitation: Be Born Again
I CAN’T CONVINCE YOU.
CAN’T PREACH ENOUGH SERMONS.
CAN’T SHARE ENOUGH SCRIPTURE...
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Focus: IT HAS to BE a SUPERNATURAL WORK of GOD on the HEART… 📷
1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
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🗝️ Key Truth: NATURALLY SPEAKING—CHRISTIAN MESSAGE DOESN’T MAKE SENSE 🗝️
1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
IT’S NOT JUST CONVERSION—IT’S REGENERATION…
GOD HAS to REMOVE the BLINDERS...
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1 Corinthians 1:21 (ESV)
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
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JESUS CHRIST CAME to SAVE
MANY REJECTED—SOME ACCEPTED:
John 1:12–13 (ESV)
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.
✝️HE PAID the PRICE for OUR SINS
RAISED to LIFE AGAIN
RECONCILES US to OUR CREATOR
BORN INTO the FAMILY of HEAVEN✝️
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DON’T HEAR WHAT WE AREN’T SAYING…
CHRISTIANITY ISN’T JUST WORKING HARDER—MORAL TRANSFORMATION—THEN GOD WILL ACCEPT US...💥
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WE CAN’T BE GOOD ENOUGH—
— CHRIST HAS MADE UP the DIFFERENCE—
— NO MATTER HOW SHORT WE FALL...
ALL OUR COMMANDMENT-KEEPING....
… is MERELY the RESPONSE of a GRATEFUL HEART…
Invitation: IF YOU’VE NEVER TRUSTED CHRIST as SAVIOR—PUT YOUR FAITH in HIM—TALK to ME AFTER the SERVICE TODAY…
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Transition: FOR the REST of US— I BELIEVE ALL in ALL,, JOHN is SAYING:
📌 Passage Idea:
📌 Passage Idea:
“The born-again believer proves their love for God by keeping His commandments.”
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🛤️ VI. Application: Walking the Walk
🛤️ VI. Application: Walking the Walk
Self-Examination Questions:
To Believers:
DOES YOUR LIFE SHOW YOUR LOVE for GOD?
IF SOMEONE WERE to LOOK OVER YOUR LIFE:
WOULD THEY SEE YOUR LOVE for GOD & NOT MERELY HEAR IT??
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WE WON’T GET it RIGHT 100 PERCENT
WE AREN’T SAVED BY WORKS/PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS
👉👉BUT BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS HAVE PROOF in the PUDDING.
Point: THE SAME GRACE that SAVES ALSO TRANSFORMS…📌
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LOVE for GOD & LOVE for WORLD = MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
LOVE for GOD & LOVE for BELIEVERS = PACKAGE DEAL
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LOVE = DISTINGUISHING MARK of CHRISTIANS
LOVE GOD
LOVE NEIGHBOR
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Challenge:
Challenge:
DOES YOUR LIFE SHOW YOUR LOVE for GOD AS MUCH as YOU PROFESS IT?🍎
WE PROBABLY ALL CAN USE MORE BIBLE APPLICATION...
… BEFORE WE REALLY NEED MORE BIBLE TEACHING
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Conclusion:
Conclusion:
THANKFULLY—HIS COMMANDMENTS AREN’T BURDENSOME
IT’S NOT OVERLY COMPLICATED
HE HAS GIVEN US the HELP of HIS SPIRIT
THE NEW BIRTH BRINGS NEW DESIRES
WE MERELY HAVE to WALK IT OUT…AMEN??
!! Close in Prayer!!
