1 John 1:5-7 Biblical Fellowship in and through Christ

1 John 1:5-7 Biblical Fellowship in and through Christ

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Great Congregation – Good Evening

Give Text Turn to 1 John 1:5-7

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Brief Preliminary Context and Admonition

· The passage of 1 John 1:5-7 is one that makes you question yourself.

· We who claim to be Christians are called to walk in the truth, but YOU know that this is not always the case in your lives.

· The Passage will be calling us to true biblical Fellowship which is in and through Christ.

Turn to 1 John 1:5-7

Hear now the very Word of God

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: But the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Let us PRAY

· Father, we pray for the illumination of this passage to us through your spirit.

· Father, we pray that you will use your servant to speak to your people.

· And Father we pray that your Son Christ Jesus would be glorified and exalted in the preaching of your Word.

· We ask this in the name of Christ Jesus our King and head of the Church Amen.

INTRODUCTION

· Sermon Illustration Michael P. Green gave an applicable illustration that can help us.

During World War II, the enemy conducted experiments to find the most effective type of punishment for eliciting information from prisoners. They found that solitary confinement was the most effective. After a few days of solitary confinement, most men would tell all.

That is why we need fellowship—without it, we too become easy prey for temptation and abandonment of our values.

· How can we walk in the Light and have True Biblical Fellowship?

· How can we have fellowship one with another?

· To answer these questions and more, we must first learn

1. HOW YOU SHOULD NOT WALK IN DARKNESS verse 6

o First, we must know what light is and not have some made up version of light in our minds.

o Some believe that the light is whatever they enjoy in life.

o Some believe that the light is a New Car.

o Some believe the light can be found within themselves.

o Some believe the light is living a good life and obeying Gods Commands in and through themselves.

o Some believe the light is physical fitness and being the perfect specimen of the human race if that were even possible.

o Some believe the light is having more knowledge than those around them.

o Some believe that the light is how Reformed they believe themselves to be by checking off things on a list.

o Do you believe in or trust in something other than Jesus Christ?

o The text tells us that GOD IS LIGHT AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.

o IF YOU ARE TRUSTING IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN CHRIST

o MAYBE YOU ARE IN DARKNESS AND DO NOT KNOW HIM.

o MAYBE YOU ARE LYING TO YOURSELF

o MAYBE YOUR LYING TO OTHERS AND GOD ABOUT WHO YOU ARE.

o Vs 6 says IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM AND WALK IN DARKNESS WE LIE AND DO NOT PRACTICE THE TRUTH.

· So How can we have true Biblical Fellowship done in and through Christ?

· How can we HELP our brothers and sisters by treating them Christ-like?

Good questions, right? Well we must walk in the Light

2. HOW MUST YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT. Verse 7

o This is not just any God this is the Lord Jesus Christ of the Scriptures who was there when the world began. We learn this in

o John 1:1-5, In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

o So in this passage, we find out that the light of Christ is Life.

o And Christ is that light that 1 John speaks of us walking in.

o If we are walking with Christ, this Light will be obvious to us and those around us.

In Bryan Chapell’s, Christ-Centered Preaching he says

The influence of a preacher’s testimony on the acceptance of a sermon requires that one’s life be under the rule of Scripture. With unblinking candor, John Wesley once explained to a struggling protégé why his ministry lacked power: “Your temper is uneven; you lack love for your neighbors. You grow angry too easily; your tongue is too sharp—thus, the people will not hear you.” Wesley’s honesty reflects Scripture’s admonition and challenges each of us to guard our character if we desire effectiveness with the Word.

· This quote may be speaking of a preacher but what does it say about you.

· Is your temper uneven Turn to Christ.

· Do you lack love for your neighbor Turn to Christ?

· Do you grow angry easily Turn to Christ

· Is your tongue too sharp Turn to Christ.

· IF WE AS GODS PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE TRUE BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP our characters must reflect the character of Christ.

· WE CAN'T DO THIS IN AN OF OURSELVES. TURN TO CHRIST.

SO WHEN WE TURN TO CHRIST What DOES HE DO FOR US?

3. HOW CAN CHRIST ENABLE YOU TO HAVE TRUE BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP? Verse 7

· Psalm 133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, That ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: That went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: For there the Lord commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore.

o Brother, we must dwell in unity with Christ and with each other.

o You MUST OBEY HIS LAW

o You must APPLY HIS LAW

o YOU MUST LOVE HIS LAW

o HIS LAW WILL ENABLE US WITH HIS SPIRIT TO REFLECT THE LORD JESUS IN OUR LIVES TO

o OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST, AND UNBELIEVERS.

o OUR LIFE SHOULD REFLECT HIS LAW IN WORKS AND IN FAITH

o JAMES 2:19-26 SHOWS US THIS IN SOME OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE FAITH SUCH AS ABRAHAM AND RAHAB.

James 2:19-26 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac, his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works, faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

o So, our lives should reflect faith and works this is walking in the light of Christ

o This is true Biblical Fellowship

o Loving God and His law and our brothers and sisters and living our faith out as he has commanded us to.

o WE CAN ONLY DO THIS IF CHRIST HAS CLEANSED US FROM SIN.

4. HOW DOES JESUS CHRIST CLEANSE YOU FROM ALL SIN. Verse 7

· CHRIST IS OUR PRIEST the WSC teaches us of this it says

WSC 25 How doth Christ execute the office of a priest? Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, (Heb. 9:14,28) and reconcile us to God; (Heb. 2:17) and in making continual intercession for us. (Heb. 7:24–25)

· HE OFFERED HIMSELF UP FOR YOU

· HIS BLOOD WAS SPILT FOR YOU

· HE SATISFIED DIVINE JUSTICE THAT WAS DUE TO YOU.

· AND CHRIST RECONCILED US TO GOD.

· AND CHRIST CONTINUES TO MAKE CONTINUAL INTERCESSION FOR US.

· CHRIST ENABLES US TO WALK IN THE LIGHT.

· CHRIST ENABLES US TO HAVE TRUE BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP WHICH IS SPOKEN OF IN 1 JOHN 1:5-7

· SO HOW SHOULD WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN LIGHT OF THIS KNOWLEDGE.

· WHAT CAN WE DO? WE CAN WALK IN CHRIST’S LIGHT

· EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS FROM HIM EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS BORROWED INCLUDING THE BREATH YOU JUST TOOK.

CONCLUSION

· WE SHOULD NOT WALK IN DARKNESS AND CLAIM TO BE WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.

· Be true to who you are.

· BROTHERS SISTERS HOW IS YOUR FELLOWSHIP WITH THE WORD OF GOD IS IT SOMETHING THAT IS SECONDARY IN YOUR LIVES?

· IF SO WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU WILL RUN THROUGH YOUR MIND?

· DO WE TRULY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST?

· HOW IS YOUR FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IS IT SUPERFICIAL AND SHALLOW OR IS IT DEEP AND RICH AND SWEET TO WHERE YOU ENJOY THEIR COMPANY TO THE POINT YOU DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES or Church DURING FELLOWSHIP.

· IS YOUR FELLOWSHIP WITH BELIEVERS A JOY ON THE LORDS DAY OR JUST SOMETHING YOU DO IN YOUR LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU DO.

· ARE YOU IN DARKNESS OR ARE YOU IN THE LIGHT.

· ARE YOU DECIVEING YOURSELF AND THOSE AROUND YOU?

· ARE YOU LYING TO GOD?

· WE MUST STRIVE DAILY TO WALK IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SO THAT WE MAY HAVE TRUE FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER IN THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THAT WE MAY HAVE TRUE FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST WHO ENABLES US IN ALL THINGS.

· DO NOT BE THE JUDAS OF PSALM 41B that familiar friend who eats bread with the brothers and then lifts his heal and turns on you.

· BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT HAVE FELLOWSHIP YOU HAVE NO HOPE AND YOU ARE HEADED TO HELL, AND YOUR FATHER IS THE DEVIL.

· CHRIST HOLDS US UP IN OUR INTEGRITY, AND OUR DWELLING PLACE IS WITH HIM.

· AND IF YOU PUT YOUR TRUST TODAY IN CHRIST JESUS HE WILL AND HAS CLEANSED YOU FROM ALL SIN.

CLOSING PRAYER

Father I pray that those who have heard your call to walk in truth and in the light of Christ will turn to you.

Father I pray that we would have this deeper richer Fellowship with you through your Word and with each other In Christ name Amen