Untitled Sermon (2)

When you woke up this morning, how many of you thought about the fact that you live in a world of BOTH true AND false,

real AND fake

The answer to this question really comes down to one issue: the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth around the year AD30. But how does a dead guy coming back to life change anything? Well it’s because Jesus wasn’t just any old guy. He was completely unique among humanity. Author Henry J Heydt rightly says of Jesus, “No founder of any religion has dared to claim for himself one fraction of the assertions made by Jesus Christ about himself.” [1] He claimed that because he had come, the kingdom of God had arrived.[2] He then went on to back up this claim by doing deeds that baffled people who saw him do them. He cast out demons that were tormenting people, instantly healing them.[3] He revived people who had been dead for up to 4 days back to life.[4] He healed sick people with a word, and immediately they were made well.[5] He showed complete authority over the laws of nature, rebuking storms and feeding over 5000 people from a boy’s play lunch of two loaves of bread and three fish,[6] all in public view of a multitude of eye witnesses.

genuine AND counterfeit.

Ultimately, he said that he eternally existed,[7] making himself equal with God,[8] that he had come from heaven,[9] and that he was bringing the kingdom of God to earth. All the miracles that he performed were signs to people that the kingdom of God had come, and that evil, sickness, death and disorder were coming to an end.

genuine AND counterfeit.

Before his crucifixion, he made it clear to his followers that he was going to die and then be raised to life after three days,[10] and then return to heaven.[11] Why would he allow himself to be murdered? Well Jesus saw the purpose of his death and resurrection as a ransom for many,[12] a casting out and defeat of Satan,[13] a sacrifice that would make the forgiveness of sins possible and secure the way for people to enter the kingdom of God.[14]

I bet not many of you

Because that would be fairly strange, unless you’ve been reading this passage all week like I have.

Hopefully you can now see that whether Jesus was raised from the dead or not really matters. If he didn’t, he’s still dead, and everything that he said about God’s kingdom is false.[15] Evil, sickness, death and disorder still reign, and the kingdom of God is a nice idea, but there’s no reality to it. However, if he did rise from the dead, he’s alive now and everything he said is true.

Because that would be fairly strange, unless you’ve been reading this passage all week like I have.

In our world there’s true and false isn’t there.

So, are there good reasons to believe that Jesus rose from the dead? Yes. I will outline four facts about Jesus death and resurrection that are agreed upon by all scholars doing ancient history, both Christian and non-Christian, and will leave the best explanation of these facts for you to decide.

In our world there’s true and false isn’t there.

There’s genuine oakley’s, AND the $4 foakley’s I bought when I was in the Philippines.

First, Jesus death by crucifixion. Although some have claimed that Jesus survived his crucifixion (swoon theory), or that he didn’t die at all (Islam), the overwhelming evidence puts it beyond doubt to all scholars of ancient history that Jesus died. He was flogged to the near point of death, followed by having his wrists and feet nailed to a wooden cross, followed by having his heart pierced with a spear. This was all done by professional Roman executioners who crucified people for a living and made sure they did the job properly.

Second, Jesus burial in a known tomb. Normally criminals who were crucified were not given an honourable burial, however, history records for us that Joseph of Arimathea, a leader of the Jewish people, asked the Roman Governor Pilate permission to take the body of Jesus down from the cross and bury it in his family tomb.[16] Pilot gave permission, and the tomb was sealed, and two Roman guards posted to keep watch lest any of his followers try to come and steal the body.[17]

Real meat hamburgers that go off after a week AND Maccas cheeseburgers that stay the same after 14 years.

There’s a SPIRIT of truth, and a spirit of falsehood.

Third, the empty tomb. Although Jesus’ followers had heard him say he would die and rise again, they didn’t believe it. This is shown in the total unbelief when the first group of women arrive at the tomb on the third day. The seal is broken, and the tomb is empty. Peter and John then arrive, having been told by the women, and they too are shocked by what they see, or rather, by what they don’t see. The historian Luke tells us that his followers were preaching publicly that Jesus had been resurrected only 7 weeks after his death. If this was something his followers made up, it would have been easy for the Roman governors to crush these proclamations by presenting the corpse of Jesus, but they couldn’t. In fact, the early Jews paid the soldiers to spread the lie that Jesus body had been stolen by his followers, which became a commonly held belief among the Jews.[18] All this is overwhelming evidence that Jesus tomb was empty 3 days after his death.

There’s a SPIRIT of truth, and a spirit of falsehood.

But the trend today is to see ALL spirits as true, to be NAÏVE to the reality of deceptive spirits, and to accept it ALL.

Finally, the appearances of Jesus after his death. On multiple occasions, in various situations, to many different people, Jesus showed up. The New testament lists twelve of these appearances over a forty-day period:[19] to Mary Magdalene and the other women with her, to the twelve apostles, to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, to five hundred disciples, to James, and to the apostle Paul. All these visitations are described as bodily appearances, not spiritual ones. Thomas placed his hands in Jesus side and felt his body. Jesus ate meals with them, talked with them, and they touched him. The resurrected Jesus had real flesh and bones.[20] These were not appearances of Jesus from heaven either, as Jesus’ return into heaven happened 40 days after his resurrection, again seen and attested by multiple eye-witnesses. One of the key signs that this was not a made-up account by his followers, is the fact that the first recorded witnesses of the resurrected Jesus were women. The testimony of women was not highly regarded in that day. [21] If the church were going to invent a resurrection story, they would not include women as the first witnesses. The apostle Paul is the one who records for us the appearance of Jesus to the 500 disciples at one time. He goes on to say that most of these disciples are still alive.[22] Why would he say this in his letter? So that anyone who had doubts about the truth of Paul’s claim, could go check it with the hundreds of other people who had the same eye-witness testimony. Some have claimed that these appearances were really hallucinations. But this theory fails for multiple reasons. Hallucinations are unique to the individual, not to large groups of people. Furthermore, they are usually wish fulfillment, however, the disciples had all but lost hope at the sight of Jesus death on the cross. His resurrection was not something that they were expecting. The hallucination theory also leads to the conclusion that the existence of Christianity is founded upon mentally ill people who were grossly out of touch with reality, which goes against all the evidence of the actual lives of these people.

But the trend today is to see ALL spirits as true, to be NAÏVE to the reality of deceptive spirits, and to accept it ALL.

These four almost completely undisputed facts of history offer good reasons to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. If you still doubt this, the challenge is put forward for you to offer a better explanation of the facts.

After all, what’s true for you is true for you, and what’s true for me is true for me. It’s wrong to tell people what they can and can’t believe.

What we all long for deep down is not a mere fantasy. There is more! Freedom from evil, sickness, death, disorder and injustice is available through the one who overcame all these in his own life and resurrection from death. He is the one with all authority in heaven and earth, and he holds out in invitation to all of us who would seek eternal life, to call on his name, and be saved. As Jesus himself promised, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26 NIV).

Well, first up, John says to his dear friends, his dear children in the faith, in v1. DO NOT BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT! Sorry, God loves you too much NOT to tell you what you should and shouldn’t be believing.

Satan, the one behind the spirit of the world, the one who the whole world is sitting in the lap of, says BELIEVE every spiritual teacher, believe every spiritual experience. Believe every talk show host who shares spiritual TRUTHS.

[1] Henry J. Heydt, A Comparison of World Religions (Christian Literature, Crusade: 1976) 92-93.

Satan, the one behind the spirit of the world, the one who the whole world is sitting in the lap of, says BELIEVE every spiritual teacher, believe every spiritual experience. Believe every talk show host who shares spiritual TRUTHS.

There’s nothing dangerous about witchcraft, weegie boards and the like. It’s harmless fun.

That’s EXACTLY what Satan want you to believe. Believe all the movies and spiritual counsellors, because they’re controlled by him. And when we believe them, we’re believing him, who is the father of what?...

[2] Mk 1:15

That’s EXACTLY what Satan want you to believe. Believe all the movies and spiritual counsellors, because they’re controlled by him. And when we believe them, we’re believing him, who is the father of what?...

The Father of lies.

Why does Satan want us to believe him?

[3] Mt 8:16

Why does Satan want us to believe him?

Because if we believe him, he can gain our trust. And when he gains our trust, then he can begin to make demands.

[4] Jn 11:44

and because we’ve gained his trust, we give him what he asks for.

And we become his.

[5] Mt 8:16

Slaves to the baddest, meanest, self-centred thief and murderer there is.

He doesn’t care about you, me or anyone else.

[6] Mk 4:39 & 6:44.

He’s obsessed with power. Obsessed with himself, and he’ll do anything to get more power and get more worshippers.

When he gets us to believe him, he renders us ineffective for God. Ineffective against him. And we don’t cause him any trouble.

In our culture today, we need discernment. The devil’s done an incredible job of getting people to believe either

1) He doesn’t exist or

But boy can we cause him trouble when we’re not believing him, but believing God.

1) He doesn’t exist or

[7] Jn 8:58

2) If he does exist, he’s not that bad, what harm can he do?

In our culture today, we need discernment. The devil’s done an incredible job of getting people to believe either

The command of our loving Father is, DON’T believe every spirit. I love you and I don’t want you to be misled.

[8] Jn 5:18

The command of our loving Father is, DON’T believe every spirit. I love you and I don’t want you to be misled.

1) He doesn’t exist or

So firstly, just because you get a spiritual experience, don’t believe automatically it’s from God.

2) If he does exist, he’s not that bad, what harm can he do?

If you get a prompting, don’t believe automatically it’s from God.

[9] Jn 6:38

If you get a prompting, don’t believe automatically it’s from God.

The command of our loving Father is, DON’T believe every spirit. I love you and I don’t want you to be misled.

Story of housemate:

The Holy Spirit says, don’t believe every spirit.

BUT,

- Dream

[10] Mk 8:31 & 9:31

- Prayer vision

TEST the spirits.

Why?

If someone around you has had a spiritual experience where they got told or shown something they’re convinced was from God, don’t automatically believe them.

Why?

[11] Jn 8:21, 14:28 & 16:7

to SEE whether they are FROM GOD. Throughout this section this phrase from God is repeated 7 times.

The Holy Spirit says, don’t believe every spirit.

to SEE whether they are FROM GOD. Throughout this section this phrase from God is repeated 7 times.

BUT,

Who wants what’s FROM GOD?

[12] Mk 10:45

Who wants what’s FROM GOD?

TEST the spirits.

Who of you wants to experience FROM GOD everything he has for you?

Why?

[13] Jn 12:31 & 16:11

I know I do.

So how do we discern the Spirit FROM God?

to SEE whether they are FROM GOD. Throughout this section this phrase from God is repeated 7 times.

[14] Mt 26:28

John says, many false prophets have gone out into what?

Who wants what’s FROM GOD?

THE WORLD.

Who of you wants to experience FROM GOD everything he has for you?

There are MANY false prophets speaking to us today. And there are not from God. Which means they are from Satan.

[15] The apostle Paul in 1 Cor 15:17 says that if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins, and that Christians, of all people, are most to be pitied

I know I do.

Telling people things about God, about us, about life, about death, about religion, about what you should and shouldn’t be thinking, feeling, doing, believing. And they’re not FROM GOD.

John says, many false prophets have gone out into what?

How do we discern the Spirit from God?

[16] Mt 27:58

THE WORLD.

1) Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is FROM GOD.

There are MANY false prophets speaking to us today. And there are not from God. Which means they are from Satan.

1) Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is FROM GOD.

[17] Mt 27:65

What do they say about Jesus?

Telling people things about God, about us, about life, about death, about religion, about what you should and shouldn’t be thinking, feeling, doing, believing. And they’re not FROM GOD.

It’s simple. It all comes back to Jesus.

How do we discern the Spirit from God?

It’s simple. It all comes back to Jesus.

[18] Mt 28:15

So what do we need to do straight away to a teacher or spirit that is trying to speak to us about the spiritual realm?

1) Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is FROM GOD.

What do you believe about Jesus?

What do they say about Jesus?

What do you believe about Jesus?

It’s simple. It all comes back to Jesus.

In John’s day, Satan’s tactic was to deny that Jesus was truly human. The world couldn’t accept that the divine Christ would become truly human as well.

[19] Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, 546.

In John’s day, Satan’s tactic was to deny that Jesus was truly human. The world couldn’t accept that the divine Christ would become truly human as well.

And people believed him. Today, it’s the opposite, he’s denying that Jesus was truly God. And people are believing him.

So what do we need to do straight away to a teacher or spirit that is trying to speak to us about the spiritual realm?

And people believed him. Today, it’s the opposite, he’s denying that Jesus was truly God. And people are believing him.

[20] Lk 24:39

If the person affirms that Jesus Christ is the God-man who came from heaven, to the earth to live in a human body for the sake of saving humanity, then they are from God.

What do you believe about Jesus?

Why is this the key issue?

In John’s day, Satan’s tactic was to deny that Jesus was the Christ come in the flesh. The world couldn’t accept that God could come in the flesh and become truly human.

Why is this the key issue?

Because without Jesus being the God-man, the representative both of God and mankind, there can be no salvation for us.

And people believed him. Today, it’s the same. he’s denying that Jesus was truly God. And people are believing him.

Because without Jesus being the God-man, the representative both of God and mankind, there can be no salvation for us.

[21] Douglas Groothuis, Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, 548.

There is no hope of us ever escaping this world where Satan rules to live in the world where God rules.

If the person affirms that Jesus Christ is the God-man who came from heaven, to the earth to live in a human body for the sake of saving humanity, then they are from God.

[22] 1 Cor 15:1-8

In God’s place.

Why is this the key issue?

In God’s kingdom.

Because without Jesus being the God-man, the representative both of God and mankind, there can be no salvation for us, there’s no mediator who is both God and man who can reconcile the two together.

In God’s kingdom.

V3; EVERY SPIRIT THAT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS IS NOT FROM GOD.

There is no hope of us ever escaping this world where Satan rules to live in the world where God rules.

V3; EVERY SPIRIT THAT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS IS NOT FROM GOD.

In God’s place.

This is the spirit of the ANTI-CHRIST.

In God’s presence.

What does Christ mean? Saviour.

The spirit of the anti-saviour.

V3; EVERY SPIRIT THAT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS IS NOT FROM GOD. This is the spirit of the ANTI-CHRIST.

What does Christ mean? Saviour.

The spirit that says there’s no salvation.

God hasn’t done anything to save you.

The spirit of the anti-saviour.

God hasn’t done anything to save you.

You’re just the same.

The spirit that says there’s no salvation.

Who is the chief Anti-Christ? Satan.

God hasn’t done anything to save you.

Who is the chief Anti-Christ? Satan.

And his spirit of rebellion against Christ is in all those who along with him, don’t acknowledge Jesus. Who reject their need for God and his Saviour and try to be God instead.

You’re just the same.

Who is the chief Anti-Christ? Satan.

BUT

Good news.

And his spirit of rebellion against Christ is in all those who along with him, don’t acknowledge Jesus. Who reject their need for God and his Saviour and try to be God instead.

Good news.

Verse 4, YOU, dear children, are FROM GOD.

This anti-christ is doing all he can to get us to take our eyes off Christ. To get us to believe that we’re not saved. That we’re still his.

BUT

WOW! What a PROMISE!

You are FROM GOD. I am FROM GOD.

The TRUTH is!

What does this mean?

Verse 4, YOU, dear children, are FROM GOD.

It means we are God’s children

WOW! What a PROMISE!

We’ve been born of God (v7).

You are FROM GOD. I am FROM GOD.

We have our origin in God, and so

What does this mean?

It means WE ARE God’s children.

We belong to God.

Not only have we been created by God, and so are from him in that sense. We have been born again by God, saved, and filled with God’s Spirit. We have full rights as sons in his house, which is heaven, our true and real home.

We HAVE been born of God (v7).

Not only have we been created by God, and so are from him in that sense. We have been born again by God, saved, and filled with God’s Spirit. We have full rights as sons in his house, which is heaven, our true and real home.

It’s a common question we ask each other isn’t it.

Our origin is IN GOD, and so

We DO belong to God.

When we first meet someone.

Not only have we been created by God, and so are from him in that sense. We have been born again by God, saved, and filled with God’s Spirit. We have full rights as sons in his house, which is heaven, our true and real home.

Where are you from?

It’s a common question we ask each other isn’t it.

Our origin tells us a lot about who we are and where our home is.

When we first meet someone.

Where are you from? Say it. I’m FROM GOD. I come from Him.

Being FROM GOD, we’re returning to God as well aren’t we. This is not our home. God is our home. That’s where we’re from. Did you know God is your home?

Where are you from?

Being FROM GOD, we’re returning to God as well aren’t we. This is not our home. God is our home. That’s where we’re from. Did you know God is your home?

That’s why you can be anywhere in the world and have the peace of home. Because you’re with God. You’re in God. And He is in you. And God’s Spirit in you is the deposit that guarantee’s our future where?

Our origin tells us a lot about who we are and where our home is.

God.

Where are you from? Say it. I’m FROM GOD. I come from Him.

Speak this truth to yourself. I am from God. I belong to God.

Being FROM GOD, we’re returning to God as well aren’t we. This is not our home. God is our home. That’s where we’re from.

That’s why you can be anywhere in the world and have the peace of home. Because you’re with God. You’re in God. And He is in you. And God’s Spirit in you is the deposit that guarantee’s our future where?

And being from God, holding to your belief in Jesus Christ, you have overcome not only Satan, but all those trying to get you away from him.

Nothing they can say or do can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ. Nothing can take his spirit from you. Nothing can take your home away from you.

God.

How do we overcome all these false Jesus in our world today? These anti-christs? Those that deny that there is a saviour?

Speak this truth to yourself. I AM from God. I BELONG to God.

How do we overcome all these false Jesus in our world today? These anti-christs? Those that deny that there is a saviour?

WE have overcome them BECAUSE the one who is IN YOU is greater than the one who is in the world.

And being from God, holding to your belief in Jesus Christ, you have OVERCOME not only Satan, but all those lying prophets he uses to try to get you away from Christ.

NOTHING they can say or do can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ. That’s the REALITY.

By the power of the Holy Spirit within you.

He convicts us when we’re tempted to go astray.

NOTHING can take his spirit from you. NOTHING can take your home away from you.

How do we overcome all these false Jesus in our world today? These anti-christs? Those that deny that there is a saviour?

He holds on to us.

He’ll never let us go.

WE have overcome them BECAUSE the one who is IN YOU is greater than the one who is in the world.

He’ll never let us go.

So stand in the victory that he has won for you!

Because he’s in us, Satan can’t touch us.

By the power of the Holy Spirit within you.

So stand in the victory that he has won for you!

You are an overcomer. You have overcome and you continue to overcome by holding to the spirit of truth, that Jesus is your Saviour, who reconciles you to God.

You don’t belong to God because there’s anything good in you.

What about false teachers. THEY ARE FROM THE WORLD and THEREFORE, they speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

You belong to God because he put his Spirit inside of you.

What can Satan do?

Satan’s false teachers are from the world. The world is their home. This place of suffering and pain and death.

He holds on to us.

He can perform powerful signs and wonders that are counterfeit, to deceive people ().

And so they speak from the viewpoint of the world.

He can snatch away the word from people before it gets rooted in their hearts ()

He’ll never let us go.

He can shoot arrows at us ()

Because he’s in us, Satan can’t touch us.

There’s no salvation in what they teach.

No future.

He’s in control of the whole world ( )

I was chatting about this with Isaiah yesterday.

He can tempt, lie, suggest, prompt, ROAR.

He’s been asking some great questions lately.

No hope.

He can masquerade as an angel of light ()

Nothing beyond your cancer

He asked me, “Can Satan touch us?”

Nothing beyond your addiction

And I said to him, “No, Zai, because we belong to God. Jesus protects us.”

We’re not unaware of his schemes. ()

I said to him, think of a lion. A lion is ferocious, it can roar, it can kill. You don’t wanna go near a lion. But, at the zoo, the lions are behind big glass walls so we’re not afraid even if they roared and did everything they could to try and frighten us in to thinking it could harm us. It couldn’t.

Don’t let him outwit you (). Don’t give him a foothold in your marriages, in your lives, keep a short account of your faults and failures ().

Nothing beyond the death of your spouse

Nothing beyond your death.

Jesus is like the glass wall. He protects us from Satan. He can try and get us to believe all kinds of lies, but he can’t change the fact that we’re God’s children.

And resist him. There’s so many ways that we can do this.

Married couples: be intimate on a regular basis ()

So stand in the victory that Jesus has won for you!

No life past this world.

What can Satan do?

They can’t see the wonders of God.

Stand in the authority Jesus gave us to overcome all the power of the enemy ().

Use the powerful name of Jesus who has overcome the world () and who came to destroy the devil’s work ().

He can perform powerful signs and wonders that are counterfeit, to deceive people ().

The glory of Jesus and the power he has over all these things, both now and in the final victory of the new creation.

He can snatch away the word from people before it gets rooted in their hearts ()

He cannot change who God has made us to be. Who you are.

And because of this they don’t acknowledge Jesus because they can’t see beyond this world. Their viewpoint is limited, their blinded.

Satan has no claim on us. We belong to Jesus.

He can shoot arrows at us ()

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

He can harass us all he wants but it’s our faith that overcomes him. So speak out the truth of who you are in Jesus. What he hates the most is that people that were previously slaves to him have been saved and are now children of God.

And guess who listens to these worldly teachers. The world. People who like the worldly teachers, are blinded from seeing the light of the gospel, the good news that displays the glory of Christ.

He’s in control of the whole world ( )

You are an overcomer. You have overcome, and you continue to overcome by fighting for your identity in Christ.

The power of Jesus over every enemy in our life. Our sin. Our impending death. Satan and all that separates us from life.

He can tempt, lie, suggest, prompt, ROAR.

Notice how he contrasts believers with the world, as two places of residence.

He can masquerade as an angel of light ()

Don’t let anything or anyone get close to robbing you of your identity in Christ.

We got robbed during this past week.

God lives in the believer. Satan lives in the world. He can have the world, but he can’t have believers, and he can’t have the believer’s home. This is the one place he cannot go, heaven. Our home. With God.

It’s all a dazzling smoke screen to distract from his anti-Christ message. Don’t be fooled.

And the world and all that is in it is passing away, but those who have believed on the Lord Jesus will never die, but have eternal life.

Don’t be unaware of his schemes. ()

2 weeks in Nambour and already been robbed.

It made me feel sick in the stomach.

Don’t let him outwit you ().

These false teachers of Satan’s are from the world.

And resist him.

In contrast, John says, he and those who Jesus spoke to, lived with and made his witnesses, are from God. And whoever knows God listens to them.

Always does when something precious gets taken from you.

Stand in the authority Jesus gave you to overcome all the power of the enemy ().

The Devil wants to steal your identity.

Whoever is not from God does not listen to the apostles and the eyewitnesses of Jesus.

You hear this all the time today. It’s incredible.

Use the powerful name of Jesus who has overcome the world () and who came to destroy the devil’s work ().

He can’t. But he’ll try and get you to forget it. To live as if it’s not the case when it is the case.

He cannot change who God has made you to be. Who you are.

Many people have an opinion about Jesus. A friend of mine told me Jesus is our example.

Don’t deny Jesus. Acknowledge him and declare who you are in him.

He shows us what’s possible if we live in total surrender to God.

Saved. Redeemed. Citizen of Heaven.

Satan has no claim on you. You belong to Jesus.

What about false teachers. THEY ARE FROM THE WORLD and THEREFORE, they speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

He can harass us all he wants but it’s our faith that overcomes him. So speak out the truth of who you are in Jesus. What he hates the most is that people that were previously slaves to him have been saved and are now children of God.

Where does he get that idea from?

Satan’s false teachers are from the world. The world is their home. This place of suffering and pain and death.

You are an overcomer. You have overcome, and you continue to overcome by fighting for your identity in Christ.

Not from the eye witnesses.

Don’t let anything or anyone get close to robbing you of your identity in Christ.

It fits his ideas. It fits the thinking of this world. That if we try hard enough, we can do it. We don’t need a Saviour. We can save ourselves. We can make our own lives better.

And so they speak from the viewpoint of the world.

We got robbed during this past week.

We read in verse 10 that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

There’s no salvation in what they teach.

That means all of us have sinned, and all of us need a Saviour, that’s what Jesus said, and that’s what his chosen apostles said, who were the ones with him.

No future.

2 weeks in Nambour and already been robbed.

No hope.

It made me feel sick in the stomach.

We need to be so careful who we’re listening to.

Always does the handful of times something precious has been taken from me.

This is how we recognise the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

Nothing beyond your cancer

What are they saying about Jesus.

Nothing beyond your addiction

The Devil wants to steal your identity.

Even though He can’t. He’ll try and get you to forget it. To live as if it’s not the case when it is the case.

Nothing beyond the death of your spouse

Nothing beyond your death.

Don’t deny Jesus. Acknowledge him and declare who you are in him.

No life past this world.

Saved. Redeemed. Citizen of Heaven.

They can’t see the wonders of God.

What about false teachers. THEY ARE FROM THE WORLD and THEREFORE, they speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

The glory of Jesus and the power he has over all these things, both now and in the final victory of the new creation.

Satan’s false teachers are from the world. The world is their home.

They belong to this world.

And because of this they don’t acknowledge Jesus because they can’t see beyond this world. Their viewpoint is limited, their blinded.

This place of suffering and pain and death.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

And guess who listens to these worldly teachers. The world. People who like the worldly teachers, are blinded from seeing the light of the gospel, the good news that displays the glory of Christ.

It’s all they’ve got.

The power of Jesus over every enemy in our life. Our sin. Our impending death. Satan and all that separates us from life.

And so they speak from the viewpoint of the world.

There’s no salvation in what they teach.

Notice how he contrasts believers with the world, as two places of residence.

God lives in the believer. Satan lives in the world. He can have the world, but he can’t have believers, and he can’t have the believer’s home. This is the one place he cannot go, heaven. Our home. With God.

No future.

No hope.

And the world and all that is in it is passing away, but those who have believed on the Lord Jesus will never die, but have eternal life.

In their message, there’s nothing beyond your cancer

These false teachers of Satan’s are from the world.

In contrast, John says, he and those who Jesus spoke to, lived with and made his witnesses, are from God. And whoever knows God listens to them.

Nothing beyond your addiction

Nothing beyond the death of your spouse

Whoever is not from God does not listen to the apostles and the eyewitnesses of Jesus.

Nothing beyond your death.

You hear this all the time today. It’s incredible.

Many people have an opinion about Jesus. A friend of mine told me Jesus is our example.

No life past this world.

They can’t see the wonders of God.

He shows us what’s possible if we live in total surrender to God.

The glory of Jesus and the power he has over all these things, both now and in the final victory of the new creation.

Where does he get that idea from?

Not from the eye witnesses.

And because of this they don’t acknowledge Jesus because they can’t see beyond this world. Their viewpoint is limited, their blinded.

It fits his ideas. It fits the thinking of this world. That if we try hard enough, we can do it. We don’t need a Saviour. We can save ourselves. We can make our own lives better.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ.

And guess who listens to these worldly teachers. The world. People who like the worldly teachers, are blinded from seeing the light of the gospel, the good news that displays the glory of Christ.

We read in verse 10 that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

The power of Jesus to break the pattern of sin and death that this world runs on.

That means all of us have sinned, and all of us need a Saviour, that’s what Jesus said, and that’s what his chosen apostles said, who were the ones with him.

These false teachers of Satan’s belong to the world. They don’t belong to God.

We need to be so careful who we’re listening to.

This is how we recognise the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

In contrast, John says, he and those who Jesus spoke to, lived with and made his witnesses, are from God. And whoever knows God listens to them.

Whoever is not from God does not listen to the apostles and the eyewitnesses of Jesus.

What are they saying about Jesus.

This passage on discerning the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood is sandwiched between sections on love.

I hear this a lot.

Most people have an opinion about Jesus.

Why?

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes FROM GOD. Everyone who loves has:

A friend of mine told me Jesus is his example.

He shows him and all of us what’s possible if we live in total surrender to God.

Been born of God

And knows God

Where does he get that idea from?

Not from the eye witnesses.

Whoever does not love:

It fits his ideas. It fits the thinking of this world. That if we try hard enough, we can do it. We don’t need a Saviour. We can save ourselves. We can make our own lives better.

Does not know God.

If we become more devoted.

Because

If we become more religious.

GOD IS LOVE.

If we do…

Satan has no love. When he comes to people, he comes in condemnation. He comes to steel, kill and destroy. These are his true colours.

If we do…

The Spirit of God is love.

When he comes to people, he comes in love that casts out all fear ()

Watch this: verse 10. What Jesus did.

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

He gives assurance that we are his ()

He is the Spirit of Jesus, who gives life abundantly ().

That means all of us needed saving, that’s what Jesus said, and that’s what his chosen apostles said, who were the ones with him.

God is love. Everything that God does comes from love. The source of all his activity is love.

We need to be so careful who we’re listening to.

He did what we can’t do.

We don’t know what love is until we’ve seen the love that comes from God.

What I’ve noticed speaking to spiritually demonic teachings in Maleny is that there’s just no love for others. It’s so self-focussed.

This is how we recognise the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

Love from God is out of this world. It’s other worldly. The world can’t understand it.

What are they saying about Jesus. Do they acknowledge him as the Saviour of mankind?

This is how God showed HIS love among US:

It wouldn’t be right to finish it there because this passage on discerning the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood is sandwiched between sections on love.

He sent his ONE AND ONLY SON into the world, why?

Why?

That WE MIGHT LIVE through him.

Because

This is love: not that we’ve loved God. It’s not about us. Our love’s nothing in comparison to his love. We need his kind of love to flow through us.

GOD IS LOVE.

Satan has no love. When he comes to people, he comes in condemnation. He comes to steal, kill and destroy. These are his true colours.

It’s that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

The Spirit of God is love.

What?

He died to deliver us from our sins.

When he comes to people, he comes in love that casts out all fear ()

Was it God’s problem and responsibility?

He gives assurance that we are his ()

No.

He is the Spirit of Jesus, who gives life abundantly ().

Then why’d he do it?

God is love. Everything that God does comes from love. The source of all his activity is love.

LOVE.

We don’t know what love is until we’ve seen the love that comes from God.

Satan uses the word love. But it’s without substance. It’s fake.

This is the love from God. He takes your problems. Problems you can’t get out of. And makes them his own. And gets you out of them.

Love from God is out of this world. The world can’t understand it.

This is how he showed his love among us. He did everything necessary for you to leave your life of sin that leads to death and LIVE, how?

THROUGH HIM.

This is how God SHOWED HIS love among US:

He sent his ONE AND ONLY SON into the world, why?

That WE MIGHT LIVE through him.

I’m constantly wanting to know how Satan showed His love among us.

Haven’t discovered anything yet.

Allah. Nothing from him.

God’s of Hinduism. Nothing from them.

Philosophies of the new age who worship the universe. Nothing from the universe.

No, the real God shows real love. In REAL time. As a witness to REAL people.

THIS is REAL love: not that we’ve loved God. OUR love’s nothing in comparison to HIS love. It’s that HE loved US and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

What?

He GAVE UP his life to secure LIFE for us.

Was our sin God’s problem and responsibility?

No.

Then why’d he do it?

Cause it’s his nature. God is LOVE.

This is the love from God. He takes your problems. Problems you can’t get out of. And makes them his own. And gets you out of them.

This is how he showed his love among us. He did everything necessary for you to leave your life of sin that leads to death and LIVE, how?

THROUGH HIM.

What does it mean to live through him?

It’s got to do with IDENTITY.

Everything we do and think flows from our identity. Who we are.

Do you know who you are?

United with Christ. Child of God. Belonging to God. From God. Perfect. Blameless. Free from all sin.

God sent Jesus into the world so that you could live through a different person than yourself. His Son.

You could live through his identity, that has become your identity.

This means when we sin, we’re acting out of character, because we’re not a sinner anymore. We’re a saint.

In HIS sight.

Dear friends, do not believe the spirit of falsehood. Believe the Spirit of TRUTH.

You ARE FROM GOD. You BELONG to him.

Jesus came into the world to save you, to give you a new identity. To give you a life that can be lived through him, and through who he is and what he has made you to be.

Grasp hold of these truths. Remind that devil when he comes with his false accusations that you’ve overcome him because he that is in you is greater than him who is in the world. He can have the world, cause it’s all passing away. But we belong to God. To his family. To his kingdom. To his future in the glorious kingdom of Christ where peace and righteousness reign forever.