What's The Point

What’s The Point

Attention

Have you ever had someone tell you “You just don’t get it”?

If not, go work with some teenagers for a while and chances are you’ll hear those words at some point.

We often miss the point of conversations with people.

-It may be because

~We are distracted

~We proudly think we know the answer

~We don’t care

It could be any number of reasons

Did you hear about the farmer that decided to buy a chain saw? A logging foreman sold him one that he guaranteed would cut down 15 trees in a single day. A week later, a very unhappy farmer came back to report that the power saw must be faulty - it averaged only 3 trees a day. The foreman grabbed the saw, pulled the cord, and the saw promptly went “Bzzzzzzzz.”

“Hey” demanded the startled farmer, “what’s that noise?”

Obviously, the farmer missed the point. He did not make the connection that the saw must be cranked.

In our spiritual live we often miss the point.

We focus on things that are not of greatest importance

Only to neglect those needful things

As was mentioned a couple weeks ago…we get caught up in preferences and opinions

We major on the minors and throw away the majors

When it comes to our lives and how we live in light of our sin there is nothing more important than the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

John does not begin the book with a formal address to the reader…at least not in the beginning

-This is what we would consider more of an address

My little children

-Why would John refer to them as little children? Isn’t that demeaning?

-The purpose why John is calling them little children is to express his love for them…because of his affection for them

-There are believers in a church that is struggling but John still loves them…he is still seeking to help them

-Something else to notice is the switch from “these things we write” to “these things I write”

-Why the switch? He is getting more personal

-He wants to write to these specific believers about what they are specifically dealing with.

-Kind of like when we read, we can fail to apply Scripture at times because we can take it as something theoretical or an abstract idea…John is saying, listen up because this is for you!!!

We have a loving, elderly pastor pouring out his heart to a congregation in need

WHAT THE PROBLEM IS

John is giving the purpose of the message of the apostles and this epistle; it also presents us with the problem we face as human beings

Sin!

These things refer to chapter one…

-Realizing our sin

-Confessing sin

-Denying sin

He wrote that for the purpose of helping the readers to not fall into sin

-It was a warning…

-People say this about sin…don’t fall for it or you will be falling into sin

I think that the real challenge that John is giving is similar to what Paul often deals with.

That is the temptation to fail to see the gravity of our sin because of how easily we experience cleansing

I believe that that is another reason for confession of sins after salvation

-Again, not to receive brand new justification but to be reminded of the cost of that justification and that the consequences of sin has a high cost.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

So, what does the Bible say about sin and it’s cost?

Genesis 3:23-24, sin cost Adam and Eve fellowship with God and it ultimately cost them their lives

We looked at Joseph last Sunday night, sin cost him a life with his family

Sin cost Moses entrance into the promised land

Sin cost Samson his eyesight and his life

David payed a high price for his sins

-The loss of his integrity

-The loss of a child

-Uriah lost his life

-The eventual loss of part of the kingdom

-Sin costs us our lives as well Romans 6:23 ““For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

-Sin costs us our freedom

-Sin costs us our integrity

-Sin cost Jesus His life

Proverbs 15:10 “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: And he that hateth reproof shall die.”

Just because the gift of forgiveness and cleansing cost us so little does not meant that sin does not have a tremendous price

WHY WE CAN’T DO IT

It was a price we could not and still cannot pay

-I fear that as Christians once we get a little way into this journey we feel like we start adding to our forgiveness when nothing could be further from the truth.

Jesus saved us and He is the one who sustains us

1 Corinthians 4:7

Jesus Christ is the one responsible for our forgiveness

Jesus Christ is the one who secures our forgiveness and he interceded at the right hand of the Father

It is not our responsibility to secure our forgiveness

It is our responsibility to respond to the gospel and the live a life of obedience

John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments”

-If ye love me (if you have responded to the Gospel), keep my commandments (live a life of obedience)

How, the work of the Holy Spirit who indwells each of us

As we saw last week in the word paraklete the Holy Spirit is the one who indwells us to guide and direct us through this life

-He illuminates Scripture for us to help us understand spiritual truths

-He convicts us of sin

-He gives assurance of salvation

-And a lot more we won’t mention

It is by the free gift of forgiveness and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we live a life of obedience

As John would say…this is how we keep from sinning

But not if, but when, you sin again Jesus is still there interceding for those sins

HOW JESUS DID IT

The first chapter of John reminds is that the acceptance of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection on our behalf offers us full forgiveness and cleansing.

It reminds us that it is because of Jesus (and only Jesus) that we can begin to please God and live a life of purpose and peace

Ephesians 2:11-22

Colossians 1:16-22

Romans 5:8-11

Jesus Christ is the way

He is the way to the Father

He is the way to receive forgiveness

He is the way to experience peace

Jesus Christ is the way

HOW THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS YOU SHOULD LIVE NOW

Spell out practical ways that faith in Christ should shape our lives in this area.

This is why we stress the practice of Bible study

And not Bible study when we meet once a month

Daily Bible study

This gives us the knowledge of what to obey and who to obey

John 14:15 again…If you love me keep my commandments

How do you know who or what to obey unless you listen to them?

This is the importance of Christian fellowship

Which is why we are here with masks on

We need to be together sharing our burdens, praying for one another, encouraging one another.

We need to daily wake up with a heart attitude of submission to our savior

We need to wake up daily and direct our hearts to love for the savior

We need to daily listen to His Word

We need to daily speak to Him

To humble ourselves before Him in prayer

We need to daily commit to listening to the Holy Spirit and follow after Jesus

We need to purpose to not get sidetracked by the things of this world.

Satan is a master at deceiving us into believing the urgency of the trivial

That is all Satan has to offer…the trivial

There is nothing more urgent than the Savior