Breaking the power of sin

INTRO

-Good morning, open your Bible, grab a Bible, follow along on the screens

-Sorry I have no movie connection this morning but the past two messages are incredibly important to help us understand today’s text.

If you were not here the last two weeks, don’t worry, you will still be able to understand.

-We have a lot to discuss in this section today so I’m going to pray and then we will jump into it.

Pray.

BIBLE

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

-Story of a child describing what sin is.

-John says that sin is defined as lawlessness, or going against God’s ways.

-Why is John talking about this after he just talked about being a child of God? Gnosticism was shrugging of sin instead of teaching what Jesus said about sin.

-Jesus’ name literally means that he will save his people from their sins. Not, “he will save you from a difficult life, from financial hardship, or save you from hard times.”

-Jesus came to take away our sins, why? So we can be children of God. Righteous, pure, holy before him. I’m not a mind reader but I’m sure many of you are questioning right now, well then how come I still sin? John answers that very question here.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

-That’s pretty self explanatory, right?

-This ties back to two weeks ago where we talked about practicing righteousness, where we practice walking out what God calls us. We don’t practice unrighteousness which is what we discussed last week where we find our identity in anything other than God.

-So if I sin, does that mean I don’t know God? There is a difference between sinning and not caring, and sinning and caring.

-Practice example with piano? Guitar?

-This is the evidence of a child of God, a believer, is there is a desire to be pure as he is pure. To not care about your sin, I would confidently say, you are not saved. But for those of you who are practicing righteousness and find yourself messing up or sinning but long to correct it and reorder your life so that it is in melody and in tune with the Lord-beautiful!

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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.

-Drew’s story of wanting to know about Jesus the Destroyer.

-Jesus came to destroy your sin so that you can walk in righteousness. Grace is the power to walk differently, not to sin and get away with it. You have been born again!

-Practice is a perfect word for this. Are you practicing sinning? Or righteousness?

-God’s seed explanation.

English Standard Version Chapter 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.

-John repeats himself so that we learn, but then shares what he is about to go into which is loving others.

-However, lots have been said and it would be good to abide for a moment so we can soak up what was just covered.

Review and Reflection

John says that sin is lawlessness, meaning sin is going against God’s ways. Are you desiring more of God’s ways or your own ways?

-Is your prayer God let your kingdom come, or is it more, God let my will be done?

-I’m going back to when we talked about the parable of the talents, Matthew 25, are we living life as a wicked and evil servant that does it’s own thing or are we asking God in prayer and in worship to shape our lives according to His word?

-This is a good question to ask because we don’t know the day or the hour of his return and we also don’t know how long we have here. Let’s be prepared, let’s stay awake, let’s seek first his kingdom and His righteousness.

Are you practicing righteousness?

-Do you give up too easy on God? Are you persistent in prayer, faithful in affliction?

-Paul being told no for over 400 miles in Acts 16 through Asia

-Start again, open up His word, talk to Him, receive what he says about you!

Are you following Jesus the destroyer of the works of the devil.

-This is a powerful picture isn’t it? Is this your view of Jesus? -He wants to do this in your life, in this world, and he wants to work through us.

Is there evidence that you are a child of God?

-Two pieces of evidence for John are 1) you practice righteousness and 2) you love your brother.

-We will get into loving our brother next week, but this question points us to last week with our identity.

-His seed is in you, are you growing it, or quenching it? His DNA is in you, are you living in that, or letting your flesh take control?

CLOSING

These are good questions to think on and meditate on throughout the week so that you can continue to abide in Him. If you feel overwhelmed or concerned, we will have prayer encouragers to pray with you after the service.

-Pray