How to Be an Influencer

Brenden Bridges

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My Favorite Illustrations Influence

Someone said, “It is the law of influence that we become like those whom we habitually admire. Men are mosaics of other men.”

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Mission, the Practice of Christianity, and Prominent Early Churches

The earliest Christians strove to live the message of Christ, to love God and to love others in unity (Phil 2:1–2; 3:10; Eph 4:1–16) by practicing self-sacrifice in a spirit of thankfulness to God (Phil 2:17–18; 2 Thess 2:13). They did this because the resurrection was real to them, as was the tangible presence of God’s kingdom. It was by the Holy Spirit’s power that they lived this message, utilizing the gifts of the Spirit that acknowledged this power (Acts 1:8;

Good morning! I would like to start by making a few comments about Last Sunday. A big thank you to Pam who really has been a partner with me over 23 of the past 25 years. I am not sure how she managed to organize everything on top of all the other things we had going on last week. Thank you for all the kind words and affirmation from your cards and notes... Thank you to Gary and Susan for amazing snack time.

It was also a blessing for me to hear from those from friends that have been part and parcel of of our lives over the past 25 years.

was an incredible and such a blessing for me to hear from those from friends that have been part and parcel of the fabric of our lives over the past 25 years. I am Thankful for all the influencers in my life… Going back to my grandmother who got me up every Sunday morning for Sunday School, Sundays School teachers, our Youth Pastor David Eden, to Pastors and leaders…There are those past influencers…but there are also what I am going to current influencers… many are right here in this room.

When you reflect on your life you realize that there are many people who are part of the fabric of what becomes your life… You don’t go through life on your own…and you pick up something from others as you go along.

It’s all about the positive influencers in your life..

For me these influencers include my Oma/ grandmother who got me up every Sunday morning for Sunday School, Sundays School teachers, youth pastor and leaders…

Someone put it well when they said, “It is the law of influence that we become like those whom we habitually admire.

I am Thankful for all the influencers in my life… Going back to my grandmother who got me up every Sunday morning for Sunday School, Sundays School teachers, our Youth Pastor David Eden, to Pastors and leaders…There are those past influencers…but there are also what I am going to current influencers… many are right here in this room.

“Men are mosaics of other men.”

This mornings message is entitled, “How to to Be an Influencer.” This is an important message… many of us shy a way from leadership… and with think well let someone else worry about that..and I’m hoping that some of that will change as God works through this message.

What is an influencer? Well firstly Influence is a word that come up leadership studies… The classic definition of leadership is influence…Leaders are always concerned about outcomes… The want to see people, organizations, culture move towards positive changes that will transcend there own lives.. There are many ways to try and get results..

There are those past influencers…but there are also what I am going to current influencers… many are right here in this room.

Let me take a moment to define an Influencer.

Men of God who modeled Christ and leadership…

Leadership Tip:

God has given us the responsibility and privilege of entering into one another’s growth process. One of the ways we can do that is by “Building people up.”

Small Group Leaders’ Handbook: The Next Generation Core Principles of Kingdom Communication

God has given us the responsibility and privilege of entering into one another’s growth process.

The definition of a leadership is influence…

Building up people is harder than tearing them down. Encourage patterns of communication in your group that bring personal and spiritual growth.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

BIBLE STUDY

Start your meeting with an Ice Breaker:

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten for breakfast that is not a breakfast food?

Background

It is well for us to think that no grace or blessing is truly ours until God has blessed someone else with it through us.—Phillip Brooks

John Stott tells us that there are three things that people are looking for in our secular world…The first.

Love is, first of all, something we receive from God. He has shown his love in sending Jesus to die for us. Jesus has won forgiveness of our sins and restored us to life in the family of God. If this is how much God loves us, then surely we can love one another.

The love Christians have for each other is a real experience of God’s love. God is invisible, but through the church we can realize and receive his love for ourselves. In John’s Gospel, the invisible God is seen in the coming of Jesus (). In this letter of John, the invisible God is found in Christian fellowship.

My Favorite Illustrations Influence

Someone said, “It is the law of influence that we become like those whom we habitually admire. Men are mosaics of other men.”

John Stott tells us that there are three things that people are looking for in our secular world…The first.

—Phillip Brooks

We live in a world with many influencers and influences.

John Stott tells us that there are three things that people are looking for in our secular world…The first.

1.Transcendence… looking for something beyond themselves. Be apart of Something that is greater than themselves.

2. Looking for significance. Looking for personal identity… Who am I, where do I come from and where they are going.

3. Quest for Community/ Indentity — We see this kind of thing in Cross fit gyms and social causes.

People are looking for the very thing that Gospel offers… John in the Epistle of 1 John to be come this type of Community… Radical Community that lives out the Gospel..

What does it mean to be an influencer… A number years ago, Time magazine had an article on the 25 most influential people in America. Inside the article they made a distinction between influential people and powerful people.

It said, “These are not necessarily the most powerful people, but they’re the most influential.”

Time magazine had an article on the 25 most influential people in America. Inside the article they made a distinction between influential people and powerful people. It said, “These are not necessarily the most powerful people, but they’re the most influential.” I think that’s a very helpful distinction. Let me put it in my own words. Let me try to paraphrase what that distinction is.

I think that’s a very helpful distinction. Let me put it in my own words. Let me try to paraphrase what that distinction is.

Power changes people from the outside in; influence changes people from the inside out. When you have power, that means you have money or you have government behind you. In power, you bring coercive force to bear on the outside of the person, on their behavior. So they change because they have to.

In influence, you target the insides. You target the heart, the mind.

You change their views. Therefore, the people change because they want to, not because they have to. Therefore, we can actually say power changes from the outside in, influence from the inside out, but actually, only changing people from the inside out is really changing people.

In the Epistles of John we are confronted with false teachers and false doctrines that have infiltrated the Church…John calls these Spiritual influences… In John’s mind there were two powers at work in the world… there is light and there is Darkness.

The definition of a leadership is influence…

Now being a leader is a calling that we should not shy away from, but rather it is something that we ought to embrace… Not being a leader is not really optional as a Christian, because we are face with all kinds of spiritual forces and influences in our world.. And if we don’t become the leaders and influencers in our homes, church and community someone else will willing do that for us…

John taught us how to deal with the wrong kind of influences by --- Begining of this Chapter he tells us to. “test the spirits to see whether they are from God ” --- The reason being that many false prophets have gone into the world and behind these individuals are spirits… By testing Spirits He means live with wisdom and discernment.

it is always going to point us to the incarnation and Divinity of Jesus.. He came in the Flesh and is the Son of God...

Not every spirit or influence is necessary from God.. In fact many wrong influences exist in the world...

We are to live wisdom and the knowledge of God. We are to discern what spirit are from God and what are imitations. The Holy Spirit is always going to point us to the incarnation and Divinity of Jesus.. He came in the Flesh and is the Son of God...

We are to discern what spirit are from God and what are not. The Holy Spirit is always going to point us to the incarnation and Divinity of Jesus..That is that Jesus came in the Flesh and is the Son of God...

—“Love is God’s desire to impart himself, and so all good, to other persons, and to possess them for his own spiritual fellowship” Clarke in Christian Theology, 88

John

What is an influencer? The word comes from old Latin word which means ‘inflow’ AND to “flow into.”

from Old French, or from medieval Latin influentia ‘inflow’, from Latin influere, from in- ‘into’ + fluere ‘to flow

A great metaphor for an Influencer is a RIVER - Not all rivers are dramatic.... some are and some aren't… But regardless of the current or rapids - RIVERS over time make paths and tributaries that shape surrounding terrain and landscapes..

Influence is about inflows and outflows.

. Influence over time change and shape our world.

Influence is one of those words that come up leadership …The classic definition of leadership is influence… Leaders are always concerned about outcomes and the process of making things happen… Leaders desire to see people, organizations, culture move towards change. Leaders believe they can influence the world in such a way that will transcends their own lives.. But there is big Difference between Power and Influence.

The classic definition of leadership is influence…Leaders are always concerned about outcomes… leaders desire to see people, organizations, culture move towards positive changes that will transcend their own lives.. There are many ways to try and get results.

When we talk being an influencer Top down kind of leadership--- that pushes to accomplish certain goals… But rather how do we influence those who God has placed in our path..

Systematic Theology 2. Love

Clarke, Christian Theology, 88—“Love is God’s desire to impart himself, and so all good, to other persons, and to possess them for his own spiritual fellowship

A number of yers ago Time magazine had an article on the 25 most influential people in America. Inside the article they made a distinction between influential people and powerful people. It said, “These are not necessarily the most powerful people, but they’re the most influential.” This is a helpful distinction.

Tim Keller explains it like this.

Power changes people from the outside in; influence changes people from the inside out.

When you have power, that means you have money or you have government behind you. In power, you bring coercive force to bear on the outside of the person, on their behavior. So they change because they have to.

In influence, you target the insides. You target the heart, the mind. You change their views.

Therefore, the people change because they want to, not because they have to. Therefore, we can actually say power changes from the outside in, influence from the inside out, but actually, only changing people from the inside out is really changing people.

We influence people when we don’t just tell them the what by the why and this is what John does in his Epistles.

John tells us that the best way to become an influencer’s is through the path of love. John himself is an incredible influencer… Tradition tells us John is 100 years old and people were still seeking him out to hear him teach… John had one message… love God and love others....

It not really forceful as it is

T/S The next section of scripture make up some of the most profound and exciting teaching in the Bible.. In a very real sense John summarizes the whole theology of his this letter...

John life message in a nutshell is love God and love others.... If you asked John — How do I make a difference in my family,Community, or in the market place… John would say learn to love… Love traveres right through his letters… Agapeo… unconditional love comes up 28 times in chapter 4 alone…

John tells us that the way to become an influencer’s is through the path of love. John life message in a nutshell is love God and love others.... If you asked John — How do I make a difference in my family,Community, or in the market place… John would say learn to love… Love traveres right through his letters… Agapeo… unconditional love comes up 28 times in chapter 4 alone…

How do you impact your friends and family with the Gospel?

If you were to ask John - How can I make a difference in my marriage, my family, my Community, my office space..

John would tell us to become a more loving person…Get a vision of the love of God… Excavate the depths of How much God loves you.... (don’t skip that step). Marvell, get curious about others and how God loves others.

Not only does John write extensively about love through His Gospel and letters… but in 1 John Chapter 4 alone the word … Agapeo…( selfless love) comes up 28 times.

You see Influence is all about inflows and outflows… The inflows is what we allow to impact and influence our lives… Wisdom (discernment) acts as a gate that allows some things in and keeps somethings out. The Inflows are going to allow to flow out of us to others…

… Agapeo… unconditional love comes up 28 times in chapter 4 alone…

We need to ask ourselves what’s in our cup… If the contents of what is in your life spills out.... Is there anger, resentment, jealousy.... or is there love…peace, Joy, contentment.

and what we allow to flow out of us to others...

The way that God influences is through Love....Clarke tells us that..

… More love in your life more influence in your world.

According to John Leaders and Influencers posses the quality of love..

The word Agapeo come up 28 times in chapter 4 alone… Love is the greatest influencers in the world.

T/S Lets look at our text.

—“Love is God’s desire to impart himself, and so all good, to other persons, and to possess them for his own spiritual fellowship” Clarke in Christian Theology, 88

1 John 4:7–12 ESV

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

John tells us that love is an indicator of being a true believer. How might growing in our Knowledge of the God increase the way we love others? What observations can we make about the Trinity and love? (Remember they always existed and collectively they are Love)

(Remember they existed in eternaity past as a Trinity...

John Stott tells us that one of the problems today is the invisibility of God. (The atheist might say, If I could see God then I would believe.) Is the Record of Jesus life and death enough to prove the love of God? How important is the visibility of love among us as the Church?

Is the Record of Jesus life and death enough to prove the love of God?

T/s How does one become an Influencer? That’s a Great question!

1. Stop Talking about Love and Start Loving.

John begins this section with the now familiar title “Beloved.” Lets not skip too quickly over that one word… let that sink in… Beloved....those who are known and cherished and favored by God. In the that one word are all the rights and privilege of sonship.. and inheritance that is imperishable that leads to eternal life.

A. Real Children Know love. (born again)

let us love one another,

for love is from God,

and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

John begins again with the title of Beloved.. those who are known and cherished and favored by God. John speaking to them as Children of God…

Once in a while we will gather our family together for a “family meeting” to discuss something important… It could be something that needs be addressed or just making plans for the week.

This is the sense that you get from this text… This is “in-house house keeping.”

This is the sense that you get from this section of scripture… This is “in-house -house keeping” — there are no frills… just getting down to some essentials..just truth.

It is out of the love that we have received we are to love one another…

John make the statement...

That is their identity… John desires the Church to live out of their identity in the world..as those who are loved…

ohn tells us what love... Love IS from God.. speaking of origination - (to be from God). It would make sense that if love derives itself from God that whoever claims to be of God would love.. Because being born of God means that one knows the love of God first hand. This is still on the theme of warning and being deceived... linked to what John has already said about how you know truth from error...

“Let us.. love one another”

John always goes back the default message of loving God and loving others… This is the 3rd time he is giving us this mandate to love.

Sometimes we don’t like to talk about mandates, obligations and expectations… One of the first things we did intentionally at the first meeting of our Community Groups - was to talk about commitment to the group… The reason is that we all have busy schedules and without commitment to times and meetings it simply not going to work…

John tells us that there are obligations that come with being a Christ follower..and that is to “love one another”

John Calvin has this great quote…about the obligation of love each other… He says..

“It is a false boast when anyone says that he loves God, but neglects His image which is before his eyes.”

He is talking about the person across from us being an image bearer...

“Let us” plural/ collectively as the Church love one another.

This is not a suggestion this is an imperative of being part of God’s family… its a non negotiable… loving one another is prefaced with the phrase “let us.”

There is a responsibility that comes with being a Christian… One is loving God — with you heart soul and mind the other demand placed on us is to love one another… This is not a suggestion this is an imperative of being part of God’s family… its a non negotiable… loving one another is prefaced with the phrase “let us.”

There is a responsibility that comes with being a Christian… One is loving God — with you heart soul and mind the other demand placed is to love one another.

This is written as an imperative not a suggestion… We make this mistake with both the great commission and the great commandment.... The Bible suggests evangelism… the Bibles suggests loving others… John doesn’t allow us to get off so easily..

John says Lets us stop talking about love and lets practice agapeo…

This is what you might call Radical Community…It is well documented that “Radical Community existed in the early church many of them lay aside there lives for each other and were generous to the point that the world took note.

This is inclusive community language… let us as the church… practice the art of loving one another.... Let us make this a Priority… put it to the top of our agenda’s… Lets practice agapeo… This is what you might call Radical Community...

The early church had no building, no money, and no political influence. And they turned the world upside-down. J.D. Greear

John gives the reason why we ought to love…

Because God is Love

Collectively as the church let us practice together the art of loving one another.... Let us make this part of our identity…Why? Love IS from God.

Love Exists or is in the very nature of God… Marshal says that “love belongs to the Divine Dimension.” There is this eternal love that is seen in the Trinity…

Love IS from God.. (Is to be from God). It would make sense that if love derives itself from God that whoever claims to be of God would love.. Because being born of God means that one knows the love of God first hand. This is still on the theme of warning and being deceived... linked to what John has already said about how you know truth from error...

In other words

eternity the Trinity as the Godhead has been giving out—positively bursting with—love Each other.

This is apart of the eternal nature of God where the Father has been loving the Son and Son has been loving the Spirit.. For eternity the Trinity as a Godhead (Father Son and Holy Spirit) has been bursting and energized with—love for Each other.

Love has been called Gods Central attribute… and every other attribute is an extension or an expression of love.

Lexham Survey of Theology God’s Love

God’s love is considered his central attribute in that all other divine attributes are but expressions of his love

“God is love”

love is intrinsic to the character and nature of God, and one who is intimately acquainted with God walks in His love. Love is the deepest possible expression of God's Character.

There is modern teaching ( called process theology) that flips the equation“God is love” and they says “love is God.”

Love is therefore, the deepest possible expression of God's Character.

Love belongs to God.. it is intrinsic to the character and nature of God… Unlike the greek understanding of a Deity being abstract… God is viewed as love… expressing his bing in a dynamic and practical way--- rather than in a theoretical way… Love is therefore, the deepest possible expression of God's Character.

well because He is Holy and righteous…

There is a huge problem when we translate God is love as Love is God… Because love does not define everything in the Character of God…God is still Righteous, Justice, and Holy…When we say LOVE IS GOD…we identifying with human kind of love… Then we might think that God is uncaring...

In other words all that matters is love…because love is God… well a Biblical idea of love…

and God expresses himself in love. Love is the deepest possible expression of God's Character.

What about terrible things that happen in our world?...... How can God allow bad things to happen to Good people?

Sometimes question the love of God... How can God allow bad things to happen to Good people..… well because He is Holy and righteous… Biblical Love doesn’t mean nice - it means that God want the best for someone… John is not saying God is Nice… He says God is love..

Here is what we need to understand --- and that is Biblical Love doesn’t mean nice - The Subject is God --- Not Love --The two terms are not interchangeable — Therefore...

John is not saying God is Nice… He says God is love.. Which includes his Holiness, His Justice, Sovereignty and Omniscience… omnipotence.

Biblical Love doesn’t mean nice - it means that God want the best for someone… John is not saying God is Nice… He says God is love..

The two terms are not interchangeable

He says God is love.. Which includes his Holiness, His Justice, Soveriegnty and Omniscience… omnipotence.

This is not Johns or a Biblical idea of love… John is simply saying... Love belongs to God.. it is intrinsic to the character and nature of God… Unlike the greek understanding of a Deity being abstract… God is viewed as love… expressing his bing in a dynamic and practical way--- rather than in a theoretical way… Love is therefore, the deepest possible expression of God's Character.

John tells us ... Love is Central to God’s being.. it is intrinsic to the character and nature of God… Unlike the greek understanding of a Deity being abstract… God is viewed as love… expressing his bing in a dynamic and practical way--- rather than in a theoretical way… Love is therefore, the deepest possible expression of God's Character.

BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE...it would stand to reason that those are THE Children of God have His DNA”… As the children of God we are expressions of the Love of God in the world..

John makes the point that “if God is love then the deepest expression of love it would stand to reason that those are Children of God have His DNA”… As the children of God we ought to be an expression of the love of God.

If we are those who are born of God that means that we have experience Gods love first hand… Born of God means knowing love...

John tells us what love... Love IS from God.. speaking of origination - (to be from God). It would make sense that if love derives itself from God that whoever claims to be of God would love.. Because being born of God means that one knows the love of God first hand. This is still on the theme of warning and being deceived... linked to what John has already said about how you know truth from error...

verse 7 is interesting t- John could have phrased the sentence and said…

What is interesting about verse 7 is that logicallyJohn could have phrased the sentence and said…

Everyone knows God is born of God and therefore loves others.... but he inverts or reverses the order of the words and says

“whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

It true that anyone can love.... John is well aware that by itself love is not a mark of being God’s child and knowing him… but its an evidence of Love.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 51: 1, 2, 3 John Comment

It is true that loving people are to be found outside the Christian Church as well as inside it; but, important as love is, John is well aware that by itself love is not a mark of being God’s child and knowing him

John is well aware that by itself love is not a mark of being God’s child and knowing him… However the Demand of Faith...

John is stressing the necessity of love … in verse 8 John says that anyone who does not love does not know God.... because God is love..

John stressing the necessity of love to be present in a believers life, because love is one of the main ways to discern truth and error… Christ and anitchirst… spirits… and the Holy Spirit… in verse 8 John says that anyone who does not love does not know God.... because God is love..

How do we know that someone or something is not of God? Is love present or absent. .. This is a good indicator of what is of God and what isn't of God... John is saying that anyone who enters into a real relationship with a loving God should be transformed into a loving person.

John takes the same thought God children should love because of his DNA and he reverses it.. How do we know that someone or something is not of God… There is the absence of love... This is a good indicator of what is of God and what isn't of God...

. from what love is - to what love is not...

When love is abscent that is not of God... This is a good indicator of what is of God and what isn't of God... Agapeo love -

Anyone who enters into a real relationship with a loving God can be transformed into a loving person (see v

"When you love people who are like you, that's ordinary. When you love people, who are unlike you, that's extraordinary. When you love people, who dislike you, that's revolutionary."

Real Children of God…have come to know God in fulness of his person…

This is really the Trinitarian view of Love…

let us love one another,

for love is from God,

and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

John restates because “God is love” we have come know God’s love in a threefold way.

a. Trinitarian view of love know

This speaks of an ongoing knowledge—“getting to know” God—a continual, growing, spiritual knowledge based on actual experience of God in believers’ lives

1. In the love of Christ

God sent his only son into the world and Christ now lives with in us.

Through out the book of 1 John Knowing is one of the big themes…we have Known Jesus, We have know the Father and we have Know the Spirit… John is showing us a Trinitarian love - love of the Father, love of the Son and the love of the Holy Spirit…

2. Know Fathers love

Christianity Today, 2012, Volume 56, Numbers 1–11 Where to Start?

God is love because God is a Trinity, because for eternity this God has been giving out—positively bursting with—love for his Son.

3. Know Spirit Love.

We know this love because love of God is not an abstract idea.... it’s not the sentiment of the love of God… As the real children of God we have received the Real love of God… How through the sending of Christ into our world.

Love is an Event....

We have Received REAL love through..God sending His only Son into the World... and becomeing a propitiation for our sins.. This is one of those great words in the Bible… propitiation… means to satisfy... Christs our Advocate lovingly took on the demands of God's Righteousness standard of holiness. Through laying aside of his own life fully satisfied Gods Holiness… Therefore making it possible for us to enjoy a real relationship with the Father.

1. God sending His only Son into the World...

.... it not what we have done but what God has done....God has sent his Son into the world and he has become a propitian

Theological core of John’s definition of love: “Not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the one who takes our place… .” Love, for John, is what God has done in our behalf. Love is the person Jesus Christ alongside humanity on the road as Savior of the world.

“Not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the one who takes our place… .”

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 35: 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation Love is an Event

Love is the event in which God spoke for Himself in human history by His Son. This sentence and its parallel sentence are at the theological core of John’s definition of love: “Not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the one who takes our place… .” Love, for John, is what God has done in our behalf. Love is the person Jesus Christ alongside humanity on the road as Savior of the world.

Love, for John, is what God has done in our behalf. Love is the person Jesus Christ alongside humanity on the road as Savior of the world.

We have received real love not only through the person of Christ but what Christ… we received REAL love.

2. Through Christ becoming the propitiation for our sins - This is one of those great words in the Bible… propitiation… means to satisfy... Christs our Advocate lovingly took on the demands of God's Righteousness standard of holiness. Through laying aside of his own life fully satisfied Gods Holiness… Therefore making it possible for us to enjoy a real relationship with the Father.

in order to make it possible for us to enjoy true sonship... Christ removed every barrier possible in order for us to secure a relationship with God.

Through the Sending of Jesus we have received is perfect love.. What we need to understand here is that its not our love that is perfect but his love that is perfect… Remember we will never be perfected.... But God’s love can be perfected in us...

3. Perfecting love -

The word perfect does not mean “flawless,” but “mature.” This perfection happens as each believer’s relationship with God, who is love, grows. His perfect love becomes free to work completely in and through them.

This should be a huge encouragement… God love is always maturing… expanding.... stretching..

JOHN IS MAKING A MAJOR POINT HERE…

The idea of God’s love reaching completeness in a believer may suggest a deep and full experience of that love

… We live in a world where the visibility of God is a major problem… ATHEISTS will tell us that is only we could had physical proof of God then we would believe.. One of God’s attributes is that He is invisible… How has God resolved the issue of invisibility.... Through the incarnation. John has made this point already.

What happens when Christ is being perfected in us is a major point… We live in a world where the visibility of God is a major problem… If only we could see God then we would believe… God has solved the problem of invisibility in few ways… The first is

This is a major point...

That’s John’s

John 1:18 ESV

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

“No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known...

Now that is might be well and true but... that was 2000 years ago? What about today… John begins with the same formular … he uses in the Gospel of John… but now he changes… “Visibility factor”

1 John 4:12 ESV

12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

begins with the same words… he uses in the Gospel of John… but now he changes… “Visibility factor”

1 John

1 John 4:13–17 ESV

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Stott says,

“The same invisible God who once made himself visible in Jesus now makes himself visible in the Christian community, if we love one another.”

When love exists in the Church God becomes visible to the World…when we love one another and abide in love... love is perfected --

(nuture a daily relationship with Christ)

T/s John has told us that love is the characteristic of real children of God…this love comes through abiding in Christ.

the idea of God’s love reaching completeness in a believer may suggest a deep and full experience of that love

Our love is imperfect…

vrs 13

The reason we struggle with loving others is that our love is imperfect…But God’s love can be perfected in us…

Here is a major Point...

READ 1 JOHN 4:15-17

1 John 4:13–17 ESV

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

1 John 4:13-1

4. Verse 16 Tells us that we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. In a few words describe how this process of knowing and believing and accepting God’s love look for you?

5. John talks about love being perfected in us that gives us confidence. Why might unconditional love give us confidence before God and others?

T/s How does one become an Influencer?

1. Stop Talking about Love and Start Loving.

2. Turn off the Distractions and Turn on Knowing God.

a. We know because theendwelling spirit has been given

b. We know Christ - what we have seen of Christ we testify that he is the savior

c. (Now he adds) We know the love of God for us us.

It should come as no surprise that advertisers spend millions of dollars each year studying the science of attention, both through empirical research and testing with target audiences.

One AD company's motto is "6. 5 seconds." That motto is based on their research indicating that the typical viewer really pays attention to only 6.5 seconds of any TV ad. Their goal is to "capture the consumers' attention and motivate them to act" in that brief time. They want to ensure that we spend our 6.5 seconds of attention on the product and not the problem.

… In this informational age we are ready to move onto the next thing.... But here here is the Think when it comes to KNOWING GOD IT TAKES ABIDING…

In this informational age we move from one thing to the next.. Who has time to stay put and sit around. But this exactly what John tells us in the Gospel of … “Jesus says Abide in Me, and I in you.”

... But here is the thing when it comes to KNOWING GOD IT TAKES ABIDING… “making time” staying put.”

When it comes to Knowing God… We have so many distractions in the modern world..

The only way to deal with distractions is make time for what is important.... We have to live by our priorities...

Nike in the 1988 came up with the famous slogan “Just Do it.”

There are no substitutes when it comes to knowing God…

There are several different words in the ancient Greek language translated “know” into English. This specific word for knows (ginosko) is the word for a knowledge by experience.

Dr. Jeffrey Hall, a communications professor at the University of Kansas, recently published research about the relationship between time invested in a friendship and friendship closeness. In general, Hall found that it took 40-60 hours to form a casual friendship. Moving from casual friend to friend required between 80-100 hours, and moving from friend to good/best friend took between 160-200 hours. Time spent together was a key predictor of friendship closeness, but the type of activity mattered as well.

fo r

John Summarises - God is love - and you can love because..

It’s only when we make time for God do we know him.

The only way that we can grow in any relationship that has the element of experience is by spending time with someone… That is the basis of all relationships.

There are several different words in the ancient Greek language translated “know” into English. This specific word for knows (ginosko) is the word for a knowledge by experience.

This is how we know that we abide…

John says “By this” we know (EXPERIENCE GOD)…

The kind of talk friends engaged was also important. Small talk (about things like pets, sports, current events, TV/music/movies) predicted lower closeness over time. But striving talk (which Hall defined as “catching up by talking about events that have occurred since you last saw each other,” “Talking about what’s up/what happened to you during the day,” “Serious conversation where both of you are involved in the conversation,” “Playful talk to have fun or release tension,” or “Talking in ways that express love and give attention and affection”) predicted greater closeness.

How Do we Get know God?

John says in verse…13 -By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

How do we have a deepen our relationship with God? ...

you know his Spirit, you know his Son, You know the Fathers love.

“By this” SPEAKS OF THE TOOLS FOR DEEPENING OUR RELATIONSHIP....

In vrs 12 John says no one has seen God… But we know God.. the reason is because as the Children of God we have been given the Holy Spirit as a deposit… We have an annointing from the Holy One.

How do we have a deepen our relationship with God? ...

We know that we are abide (rest in Christ) —

By Deepening our relationship with God…

Therfore you abide in him and love is being perfected in us.

a. Making time for the Holy Spirit

“because he has given us the Holy Spirit.”

We need to Remember that John give us this Trinitarian view of God… God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit… Each person of the Trinity is knowable in their own right..

One of the ways of developing a real relationship with God… Is through knowing the Holy Spirit.

John gives us the Trinitarian view of the love of God… love is seen in all the dimensions of God person…

Remember John give us this Trinitarian view of God… God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit… Each person of the Trinity is knowable in their own right..

Now can you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit?

The word Gr word Spirit is pneuma it means “breath” or “wind” - It is easy to get think of the HS as an impersonal force or power…

The Holy Spirit is a person the Bible uses Personal pronouns when speaking of the Holy Spirit..

John 16:14 ESV

14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Not only is he described as a person but He has personal Characteristics … He has intelligence -, emotion and will… The Holy Spirit can be grieved and the Holy spirit Loves..

Personal Characteristics are given to the HS… He has intelligence -, emotion and will… The Holy Spirit can be grieved and the Holy spirit Loves..

all that indicate personality…

the Holy Spirit loves

Romans 15:30 ESV

30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,

Foundations of Pentecostal Theology C. God the Holy Spirit

the Holy Spirit loves (Rom. 15:30), is vexed (Is. 63:10), and is grieved (Eph. 4:30). (3) The Holy Spirit possesses a will: “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to ever man severally as He will” (1 Cor. 12:11).

The Holy Spirit has been poured out and has been given to us. last week we talked about the Spirit is the one who will tell us that Christ came in the flesh and is the Son of God…

Not only does the Holy Spirit maintain a relationship with the Father and the Son… He also maintains a relationship with believers.

In we see that believers sort the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lay hand on leaders.

Acts 15:28 ESV

28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:

What can we expect when we seek a relationship with the Holy Spirit?

He will always Glorify Jesus.

He will Help you with your prayer life

He will guide you

He will Comfort you

He will lead you into truth

He will empower you for service

He will speak to you

Acts 13:2 ESV

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

… The Holy Spirit is going to make God’s love real to you….

Again John make s the Point… even NO one has ever seen God…vrs 12…

… The Holy Spirit is going to make God’s love real to you….

But we Know God - because we have seen and can testify that God sent his son into the world. We have seen this same love in the Father through sending his Son into the world and we have seen love of Christ through laying down His life....

John says NO one has ever seen God…vrs 12

But we Know God because have seen and can testify that God sent

We have seen this same love in the Father through sending his Son into the world and we have seen love of Christ through laying down His life.... He tells us to know Each Person of the trinity...

Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world...

The Result of Knowing God… is that we Come to know and Believe the Love of God.

Embrace the Fatherhood of God.

C. Make time to Know Christ as your savior!

He sums up How we come to know Christ...

vers 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 51: 1, 2, 3 John Comment

John emphasizes the biblical truth that the divine initiative is central to the plan of salvation (as it is to the activity of creation). God loved us enough to save us; and our love (for him and for others) can only be an answer to that love (see

The only way that we can grow in any relationship that has the element of experience is by spending time with someone… That is the basis of all relationships.

What happens is love is perfected

The Character of Leadership: Nine Qualities that Define Great Leaders Chapter 9

The solution is to enjoy God's love for you. Enjoy might not be a word you are comfortable using to describe how you experience God's love. We tend to think how unworthy we are, how gracious God is, and therefore how stingy we need to be with God's love. In other words, we like it but we need to use it in small doses so as not to exhaust the supply.

God's love is unlimited. Enjoy it. Revel in it. Drink deeply from the well. Let God's love immerse you. God's love is perfect, and perfect love—enjoyed thoroughly—will drive out fear. It really will. As you rest securely in God's love, condemnation ceases, self-punishment stops, and fear diminishes.

Love is a dynamic word, not a static word. We must then decide to live in its living presence and grow in its full implications or else we will grow cold and go adrift. When we lose a living relationship with God’s love it is not that God leaves us; it is that we leave Him.

John says God is love is perfected in his person.... when make time to abide in Father, Son and Holy Spirit… What happens is we are exposed to the fullest expression of Love..

The great event in every believers life... the perfection of love... Gnostics would say that proof of spirituality is special revelation from God... but John has a different measurement for Spirituality ... the perfection of love...

John says God is love is perfected in his person.... when make time to abide in Father, Son and Holy Spirit… What happens is we are exposed to the fullest expression of Love..

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 35: 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation Love is an Event

Therfore when you abide in him and love is being perfected in us.

T/S Now John says start loving...

1 John 4:18–21 ESV

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 4:18-

7. John ends this section again with the Great Command to love others and especially our brothers/sisters in Christ. How might “mature” love be a major influence in the people in our lives.

Challenge: Love is a verb and implies ACTION. John tells us that we love not in words but in Deeds and in Truth. lets make it practical!

T/s How does one become an Influencer?

1. Stop Talking about Love and Start Loving.

2. Turn off the Distractions and Turn on Knowing God.

3. Stop Making Excuses and Start Influencing.

John wants Christians to live with confidence and assurance before God and before other people… If you can have confidence at the appearing of Christ… God shows up… Having full assurance that you are Sons…surely, this confidence can flow into human relationships… In other words Assurance… is not just knowing you are going to heaven…

but assurance should dictate how you live now…If you can have confidence in death you should have confidence in life.

John deals with one of the biggest road blocks to any progress in our lives is the fear of failure…

John tells us that fear has to do with punishment! Punishment - suffering consequences… Do you know that 90% of the things we worry about never materialize… Fear can be tremendous Road block...

One of the biggest road blocks to any progress in our lives is the fear of failure…

Sometimes its easier not to try than to deal with failure… John says

Because love is being pefected in us....

John shares with us that there are three sources that give us confidence..

There is no fear in love…

1 Comes from the Past.... We have confidence because God first loved us… vrs 19

“Perfect love casts out fear.” Phobeomai is the word John uses for the verb “fear.” It means to be frightened, in the sense of alarm, fright, terror. John makes a remarkable promise to his readers. As love matures in our lives on a day-to-day basis, the result is that fear is cast out

2. Confidence comes from the present ..Because of the HS we have known and believed the love of God.

Love is perfected in us and therefore love is going overcome Fear…

3. Confidence comes from the future…We have confidence on the day of Judgment.

There is something comfortable in stepping into an environment of love… in an environment of love we are more likely to risk failure....

a. Deal with your fear of be being an influencer

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Fear, Child’s

A little boy had a part in the school play that read, “It is I; be not afraid.” He came out on stage and said, “It’s me and I’m scared.

John deals with one of the biggest road blocks to any progress in our lives is the fear of failure…

John tells us that fear has to do with punishment! Punishment - suffering consequences… Do you know that 90% of the things we worry about never materialize… Fear can be tremendous Road block...

Sometimes its easier not to try than to deal with failure… John says

There is no fear in love…but “Perfect love casts out fear.”

Spurgeon preached many sermons… but he preached 5 sermons on this verse alone…shows the importance of this verse..

Phobeomai is the word John uses for the verb “fear.” It means to be frightened, in the sense of alarm, fright, terror.

John makes a remarkable statement. As love matures in our lives on a day-to-day basis, the result is that fear is cast out...

Love is Greater than Fear of Punishment or making a mistake..

There is something comfortable in stepping into an environment of love… in an environment of love we are more likely to risk failure....

Do you notice that the only qualification mentioned here is Love....

Abiding - Knowing - Confidence - Influencing others (loving others

T/S We have to deal with our own fears and insecurities if we are ever going to influence others… How does this happen?

b. Let God's love influence your own life.

If you had a pipe that was clogged—water kept going into it, but never came out, that pipe would be useless. You would replace it. Just so, God puts His love into our lives that it might flow out. We want the Lord to clear us and fill us so that His love can flow through us.

1 John 1. The Call to Love (7–8)

“There is love in many places, like wandering beams of light; but as for the sun, it is in one part of the heavens, and we look at it, and we say, ‘Herein is light.’ … He did not look at the Church of God, and say of all the myriads who counted not their lives dear unto them, ‘Herein is love,’ for their love was only the reflected brightness of the great sun of love.” (Spurgeon

It boils down to this. We will not be able to imitate God in our love for others unless we know that we are blessed, valuable, and significant—that we are loved. Our sense of being loved must not depend on this person liking us or that person coming through for us. You and I are not just “okay.” In Christ, we are wonderful, significant, valuable, dearly loved, and the objects of God’s infinite and unconditional affection.“There is love in many places, like wandering beams of light; but as for the sun, it is in one part of the heavens, and we look at it, and we say, ‘Herein is light.’ … He did not look at the Church of God, and say of all the myriads who counted not their lives dear unto them, ‘Herein is love,’ for their love was only the reflected brightness of the great sun of love.”

1 John 4:19 ESV

19 We love because he first loved us.

CONCLUSION.

1.Transcendence… looking for something beyond themselves. Be apart of Something that is greater than themselves.

Transcendence… looking for something beyond themselves.

2. Looking for significance. Looking for personal identity… Who am I, where do I come from and where they are going.

3. Quest for Community/ Indentity — We see this kind of thing in Cross fit gyms and social causes.

People are looking for the very thing that Gospel offers..

John Challenges us...

A. Loving others is a non-negotiable.

You can not hate your brother and love God

John Stott tells us that there are three things that people are looking for in our secular world…The first.

1.Transcendence… looking for something beyond themselves. Be apart of Something that is greater than themselves.

2. Looking for significance. Looking for personal identity… Who am I, where do I come from and where they are going.

3. Quest for Community/ Indentity — We see this kind of thing in Cross fit gyms and social causes.

People are looking for the very thing that Gospel offers… John in the Epistle of 1 John to be come this type of Community… Radical Community that lives out the Gospel..

We must love the real people in the real places where we live. There is not one ounce of escapism here, but, instead, a fully involved, definite lifestyle in daily companionship with Jesus Chris

It said, “These are not necessarily the most powerful people, but they’re the most influential.”

I think that’s a very helpful distinction. Let me put it in my own words. Let me try to paraphrase what that distinction is.

In influence, you target the insides. You target the heart, the mind.

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 35: 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation Love is an Event

We must love the real people in the real places where we live. There is not one ounce of escapism here, but, instead, a fully involved, definite lifestyle in daily companionship with Jesus Christ

1 John 2. The Meaning of Love and Its Application (9–11)

Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships 3. God’s Prescription for Lasting Relationships

Challenge: Live to give God the interest of your life.

Video of Man that has given his life to serve

How to Be an Influencer!

Good Morning Community Group leaders! Here are this weeks Community Questions. Thank you for being a blessing.

Leadership Tip:

1. God has given us the responsibility and privilege of entering one another’s growth process. One of the ways we can do that is by “Building people up.”

2. Building up people is harder than tearing them down. Encourage patterns of communication in your group that bring personal and spiritual growth.

ESV

📷24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

BIBLE STUDY

START HERE - Start your meeting with an Ice Breaker:

· What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten for breakfast that is not a breakfast food?

BACKGROUND – (You Can Summarize this in your own words or read it)

John turns to the theme of love. There is so much more to the Christian life than resisting error and testing spirits. The positive side is shown in the love Christians have for each other. ‘Let’s do it,’ writes John, ‘Let’s live together in the love of God!’

READ

1. John tells us that “God is Love” – Have you ever been asked the question: How can a loving God allow so many bad things to happen. Why might inverting the equation “God is love” to “Love is God” be the wrong view of God? How might God’s dealing with man be different from the way we might expect? (ie. God is holy, Just, perfect)

2. John tells us that love is an indicator of being a true believer. How might growing in our Knowledge of the God increase the way we love others? What observations can we make about the Trinity that reflect love?

3. The Pastor/Theologian John Stott tells us that one of the problems today is the invisibility of God. (The atheist might say, If I could see God then I would believe.) Is the Record of Jesus life and death enough to prove the love of God? If not, why not? How important is the visibility of love in the Church today?

READ

4. Verse 16 Tells us that we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. In a few words describe how this process of knowing and believing and accepting God’s love look for you?

5. John talks about love being perfected in us that gives us confidence. Why might unconditional love give us confidence before God and others?

READ

6. How might fear be a hindrance to embracing God’s love? Does the fact that “perfect love casts out fear” give us reason to be encouraged? Why?

7. John ends this section again with the Great Command to love others and especially our brothers/sisters in Christ. How might “mature” love be a major influence in the people in our lives.

Closing Prayer:

As we Close Group today — lets first Pray for love to be matured in our lives. Second, let’s think of some specific people who could benefit from us being a positive role model in their lives right now.

Challenge:

Love is a verb and implies ACTION. John tells us that we love not in words but in Deeds and in Truth. let’s make it practical!

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