Living Out Authentic Faith

I never really struggled with taking test when I was in school.

Jesus is asked a question in

Matthew 22:36 ESV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

Never struggled with test anxiety or felt the need to cram late into the night.

This is a loaded question because the Pharisees wanted Jesus to stumble here.

Now I am not saying I was particularly successful taking all of the tests I took, but I at least didn’t stress about it.

Neither did these people:

They asked Him a question that most of them couldn’t answer…like

Find x—There it is

Would you rather step on a piece of Lego barefoot everyday for a week, or get a single paper cut between your toes?

What color is this dress? (Show the slide)

There really seems to be no RIGHT answer to these questions right.

What Ended 1896—1985

Would you rather step on a piece of Lego barefoot everyday for a week, or get a single paper cut between your toes?

But Jesus’s answer leaves them all speechless, no rebuttals, no arguing.

Name the quadrilaterals

There really seems to be no RIGHT answer to these questions right.

Matthew 22:37–40 ESV

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

matt 22 37-

What is hard water—ice

Jesus shares two commandments, Love God and love others.

I like to… Move it Move it

The two are equally central to the commands of God

Today we are going to talk about testing the authenticity of our faith in Christ.

Jesus says the whole of the Bible as they knew it hinged on those two commands.

We might want to take this test more seriously that those kids did.

We learn a lot about following Jesus in these 2 commandments

Jesus perfectly accomplished both of these. He accomplished something we could never do.

Love for God and Love for others is the aspiration of someone who is following Jesus. “To walk as Jesus walked.”

1 John 2:7–8 ESV

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

In verse 7, John is pointing to the greatest commandments Jesus gave us in .

John is saying “These things I am saying to you are not new additions to the law. I am not adding any additional weight for you to bear. This is the essence of the message you have heard for a long time.

The newness of the command is seen in Jesus shining light on the commandments as He lived them in His life and perfected them in His death and resurrection.

If you are a Christian then you will love the Lord your God above everything else, and because you love Him you will obey Him.

If you are a Christian then you will love others because you are the recipients of the greatest act of love EVER given.

What evidence points to the validity of your faith in Christ and fellowship with God?

In 2009 Voice of the Martyrs printed a story about a house church leader in Iran who was arrested and told by a judge “If we find any evidence you are a Christian, we will kill you.”

That is a shocking quote as we consider the trials our brothers and sister go through around the world because of their faith.

But it is also a shocking question for each of us to consider about ourselves.

If someone looked at your life, the way you talk, the way you spend you free time, the way your spend your money, how you speak to your spouse and kids, or what you do when no one is looking.

Would the evidence they find lead them to believe you are a Christian?

John give us three tests throughout the letter.

Last week we talked about the test of BELIEF

This week we are going to examine the tests of Obedience and Love.

1 John 2:3–4 ESV

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

How do you know you are

“If you know —> then you will obey

Simple, straightforward, and squirm-worthy.

Jesus give us a parable to help us understand

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Notice that both the wise man and the fool HEARD THE WORDS OF JESUS, the difference is whether they DID THEM.

Matt 7024027

The foolish man didn’t have a hearing problem, he had an obedience problem.

John is saying “If you say you know God’s character, God power, God’s love, God’s grace, God’s sovereignty, God’s wisdom…and your life is unchanged, then you are either ignorant or are denying the truth (twisting the truth)

They seem restricting and tedious.

John is saying “If you say you know God’s character, God power, God’s love, God’s grace, God’s sovereignty, God’s wisdom…and your life is unchanged, then you are either ignorant or are denying the truth (twisting the truth)

James says it another way

James 2:17–19 ESV

17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

James 2

Neither James nor John are teaching a works-based salvation

Just before this passage John declares that Jesus is our propitiation and advocate.

Paul, James, and John do not disagree.

Just before this passage John declares that Jesus is our propitiation and advocate.

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us

Not by our work, but by the work of Jesus on our behalf.

But if we REALLY know Jesus then it will show in how we live.

What makes you any different than demons if you say you believe, but you do not obey?

The true test of obedience

1 John 2:5–6 ESV

5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 jn 2

Obedience is not motivated by fear, it is motivated by affection.

The one who love God will obey Him.

Jesus says it in ...

John 14:21–24 ESV

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

John 14:23–24 ESV

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

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jn 15

John 14:21 ESV

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

When we Love Jesus we will follow Him, and when we follow Jesus we will love Him more and more.

It is as simple a concept as a young child following the voice of its mother.

The one who feeds him, soothes him, makes him laugh is the one he follows as she walks by.

“whoever keeps His word (obeys)…will display TRUE love for God.”

When we Love Jesus we will obey Him, and when we obey Jesus we will grow in love of Him more and more.

If you love the things of this world you will obey the things of the world and when you obey they things of this world you will grow in love with them more and more.

1 John 2:9–11 ESV

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

John leave no grey area in this statement either. “If you say you are in Christ, but you hate your brother then you fail the test.”

John is saying if you know Jesus you will live like He lived, and if you know Jesus you will love like He loved.

We lay down our lives in love for people around us.

We selflessly serve and compassionately care for people around us.

And not just people like us, but people unlike us—even our enemies.

We provide for those in need among us, particularly in the church.

And anyone who says he or she is a follower of Jesus, but that kind of love is not evident in their lives they’re not in the light. They’re still in the darkness.

Examine your love:

How do you talk about others when they are not around?

Who can you just not forgive for what they said, did, or didn’t do?

Who do you avoid because of something you don’t like about them?

Romans 12:9–19 ESV

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

This is what it means to love like Jesus.

Jesus is asked a question in

ESV36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

Matthew 22:36 ESV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

This is a loaded question because the Pharisees wanted Jesus to stumble here.They asked Him a question that most of them couldn’t answer…likeWould you rather step on a piece of Lego barefoot everyday for a week, or get a single paper cut between your toes?What color is this dress? (Show the slide)There really seems to be no RIGHT answer to these questions right.But Jesus’s answer leaves them all speechless, no rebuttals, no arguing.

This is a loaded question because the Pharisees wanted Jesus to stumble here.

They asked Him a question that most of them couldn’t answer…

But Jesus’s answer leaves them all speechless, no rebuttals, no arguing.

ESV37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:37–40 ESV

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus shares two commandments, Love God and love others.

Jesus shares two commandments, Love God and love others. The two are equally central to the commands of GodJesus says the whole of the Bible as they knew it hinged on those two commands.We learn a lot about following Jesus in these 2 commandmentsJesus perfectly accomplished both of these. He accomplished something we could never do.Love for God and Love for others is the aspiration of someone who is following Jesus. “To walk as Jesus walked.”

The two are equally central to the commands of God

Jesus says the whole of the Bible as they knew it hinged on those two commands.

We learn a lot about following Jesus in these 2 commandments

Jesus perfectly accomplished both of these.

He accomplished something we could never do.

Love for God and Love for others is a growing part of someone who is following Jesus. “To walk as Jesus walked.”

ESV7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

1 John 2:7–8 ESV

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

In verse 7, John is pointing to the greatest commandments Jesus gave us in . John is saying “These things I am saying to you are not new additions to the law. I am not adding any additional weight for you to bear. This is the essence of the message you have heard for a long time.The newness of the command is seen in Jesus shining light on the commandments as He lived them in His life and perfected them in His death and resurrection. If you are a Christian then you will love the Lord your God above everything else, and because you love Him you will obey Him. If you are a Christian then you will love others because you are the recipients of the greatest act of love EVER given.

In verse 7, John is pointing to the greatest commandments Jesus gave us in .

John is saying “These things I am saying to you are not new additions to the law. I am not adding any additional weight for you to bear. This is the essence of the message you have heard for a long time.

The newness of the command is seen in Jesus shining light on the commandments as He lived them in His life and perfected them in His death and resurrection.

If you are a Christian then you will love the Lord your God above everything else, and because you love Him you will obey Him.

If you are a Christian then you will love others because you are the recipients of the greatest act of love EVER given.

Questions to ponder:

Do you know God? and does your knowledge of Him motivate your obedience?

Do you love God? And does your love for Him drive you to live for Him?

Some of you will shrug off these words today to some overzealous preacher trying to make people feel bad

Do you love others because of the love you have been shown in Christ Jesus.

And that will be your attempt to suppress the conviction you feel right now because you life does not possess evidence of authentic faith in Jesus.

You may be a good person, an avid church goer, and even a staunch republican, but do you really know and love Jesus?

Don’t walk out of here today without dealing with the conviction God has laid on your heart.

Some of you will feel a heavy weight of anxiety over your salvation as you examine your life for all the evidence you can find that you really are a Christian.

Rest in

Or maybe the Holy Spirit is working on your heart today and you can’t wait to get out that door so you can get back to life.

The decisions you are making, the life you are living, the sins you are hiding are destroying you.

eph

It is time to give up and come to Jesus.

Ephesians 2:5 ESV

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

The evidence of our faith in Christ is found not in how well we perform, but how our affection for Christ motivated our obedience.

Ephesians 2:7 ESV

7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Eph

It is time to let go and give your life to Him fully and completely.

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

You can know and you can

Do you love Jesus? Then rest in Him.

Living Out Authentic Faith

Taking Tests

Would you rather sweat mayonnaise or sweat ketchup?

Would you rather step on a piece of Lego barefoot everyday for a week, or get a single paper cut between your toes?

The Tests of Saving Faith

How do you know you are a Christian?

Living in the Light

1) The Test of Obedience

KNOWING God leads us to OBEY Him. (vs. 3-4)

When what you want and what the Word of God says are in conflict, who wins?

LOVING God frees us to LIVE for Him. (vs. 5-6)

2) The Test of Love

EXPERIENCING the love of God produces in us LOVE FOR OTHERS. (vs. 9-11)

The New/Old Commandment

Reflection