1 John 5:13-21 - Sermon
Christians should live in the confidence of knowing Christ.
(13) Introduction
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14
Faith requires confidence in Christ to function properly.
“Christianity happens when men and women experience the reckless, raging confidence of knowing the God of Jesus Christ.” - Brennan Manning
Jesus wants his disciples to be confident that he is with them.
Immanuel:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
Farewell Discourse :
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
Great Commission:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
John wants us to be confident as Christians
these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
“Christianity happens when men and women experience the experience the reckless, raging confidence of knowing the God of Jesus Christ.” - Brennan Manning
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
Without confidence, we’ll continue trying to prove ourselves worthy of
(14-17) Pray with confidence.
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
We have confidence to speak freely with God as children of a loving Father.
“Not my will, but yours be done,” is the essence of the assured prayer.
Prayer is God’s means of making us more Christlike.
Confidence in prayer comes from the fact that they are answered according to his will.
Illustration: The crazy things children ask for their birthday, and the much better things their parents actually get them.
Prayers are granted at once, though their results may be experienced in the future.
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
(18-19) Live in the world with confidence.
18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
(20) Grow in Christlikeness with confidence.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
(21) Conclusion
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.