Child of God

Scripture

1 John 3:1–7 CEB

See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children, and that is what we are! Because the world didn’t recognize him, it doesn’t recognize us. Dear friends, now we are God’s children, and it hasn’t yet appeared what we will be. We know that when he appears we will be like him because we’ll see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure. Every person who practices sin commits an act of rebellion, and sin is rebellion. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and there is no sin in him. Every person who remains in relationship to him does not sin. Any person who sins has not seen him or known him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you. The person who practices righteousness is righteous, in the same way that Jesus is righteous.

Intro: Abby and Nathan (PK’s)

What was the greatest responsibility for you growing up as a PK?

What was the greatest privilege?

Being recognized?

Recap last week:

John is writing to a body that for him theologically is invited to be in fellowship (koinonia)

The same way that Jesus to be in koinonia, in fellowship, in harmony, with the father in the life of the spirit, so now too the Church is in Christ through the spirit in fellowship with both God and with each other!

Because of the Son, through the Spirit

1 John 1:5 CEB

This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.”

1 John

He knows us completely!!

We stand revealed in grace.. not in judgement but in God’s mercy.

Tranistion: there is something really beautiful and profound yet challenging about that and now John wants to up the stakes.

1 John 3:1 CEB

See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children, and that is what we are! Because the world didn’t recognize him, it doesn’t recognize us.

1 John 3:

This fellowship is not this mystical spiritual thing but it is familial— we are family

We are God’s children!

1 John 3:2 CEB

Dear friends, now we are God’s children, and it hasn’t yet appeared what we will be. We know that when he appears we will be like him because we’ll see him as he is.

What makes us family

We have entered into the future

We’ve entered into a life that will be

A life that has broken in because of the death a resurrection of Jesus

That which was suppose to happen at the end has happened in the middle.

We have entered in to this hope this newness

But we are not quite there yet

When we Him we will be like Him.

but that doesn’t mean we are just waiting to become like him..but as we live in this hope we are purifying ourselves.. we are moving towards that end that we know will happen.

When we become like Him…become like Him is so powerful.

To be like Him doesn’t mean we will be a God, but rather we will be like the resurrected Christ!

text: Jesus isn’t just alive He is fully alive.

It is not just some spiritual aliveness— Thought He was a Ghost.

Jesus— I’m not a Ghost, touch me.... He is alive, but more fully alive then we are now!!

I know some if you still have questions… Let’s have dinner.

13. It is fellowship, but its fellowship in ways we can only imagine now.

14. So when we see Him we will have this life that’s like we have now, but so not like what we have now because death won’t be there, and sickness won’t be there, brokenness won’t be there… and most importantly for John sin won’t be there.

15. There wont be this destroying of each other, and the destroying of creation, but creation will be renewed, and we will deal with creation in ways that rather then dominate it and break it, we will have dominion and care for creation and for each other and the beauty of we were intended to be will happen.

16. That’s what makes us family.. is the we have already entered in to that!!

17. He has made us and adopted us as his children

Why? Because of the Son, through the Spirit

17. He has made us and adopted us as his children

Adoption in the ancient world… Inheritance..

This is the language John uses here… He has adopted us and made us His children..

This is our inheritance… This new creation life that we are waiting for cause when we see Him it will all come to be, but in the mean time we are purifying ourselves as he is pure.

The Challenge of being a child

1 John 3:4–6 CEB

Every person who practices sin commits an act of rebellion, and sin is rebellion. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and there is no sin in him. Every person who remains in relationship to him does not sin. Any person who sins has not seen him or known him.

1 John 3:4

3 Part Pattern

We were in sin, in bondage and destruction

Christ came and destroyed that bondage

Now you’ve been set free to a new kind of life without sin

He repeats it again in verse 8.

1 John 3:8–9 CEB

The person who practices sin belongs to the devil, because the devil has been sinning since the beginning. God’s Son appeared for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil. Those born from God don’t practice sin because God’s DNA remains in them. They can’t sin because they are born from God.

Christ has done battle with the powers ans principalities and has conquered them and now you are set free!

The Problem:

Much like exodus:

You used to be slaves to Pharoh, you used to be in bondage

God sent a deliverer and freed you

You could go back and work for Pharoh but why would you?

There may be times in the wilderness that you act like a slave but your not … SO STOP IT..

That is the language John uses here

You use to be captive to sin but you are not anymore

It doesn’t mean you want sin, but when you do why would you??

And especially why would you continue in that?

You are not a slave… you have been set free..

You have a new relationship… YOU ARE GOD’S CHILD: THAT’S WHO YOU ARE!!!!

The Responsibility

The Responsibility is we have been people who have set free by God’s future then the responsibility we have is to live as people of God’s future.

This whole letter is about people who are within the body who continue to sin… An John is saying “YOU CAN’T DO THAT!!”

This letter is written to people who keep causing division and John is saying: “YOU CAN’T DO THAT”

You have an obligation now because you are God’s child.

“I know the world doesn’t recognize yet, but that’s who we are!!”

The responsibility that we have is to let go of the old life and to pursue the new life in Christ, which at times can be such a challenge. But it is the responsibility that you have because you are God’s unique person in the world

The Privilege

1 John 3:1 CEB

See what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children, and that is what we are! Because the world didn’t recognize him, it doesn’t recognize us.

The adjective used here to describe God’s love is used only one other place. In . The disciples are describing the stones used to make the temple!

This is the Uber-whelming massive Love of God that has brought us into his family.. who loved you to much to leave you in slavery to an old life.

The blessing, benefit, privilege that you get is that you are a child of God’s future!!

You and I have the opportunity that in the NOW begin experience that life that is so much more then a life that is just physical.

We now have whole new ways of seeing each other, understanding each other, loving each other that gets so beyond the creepy, lusty, broken, obejectifying ways the world treats us! But gets to truly care for the other as the OTHER!!

That’s who we are… That’s who you are!!

Conclusion:

We get a family that we share DNA with and they’re ok, but the great news we get a family that we share the divine DNA of the Spirit.

Because of the Son, through the Spirit!!