Fruit For Others

This is a new beginning for all of us.

some will be called to step up into leadership that they have never done before.

John writes to the church to help them understand that Jesus was the Messiah.

Most of us have come out of deep commitments to concepts about Jesus.

We have begun to see Christ as a person.

“They” missed the Christ in the midst of a concept of Christ.

Our mission is to lead people to know God.

1 John 1:1–2 ESV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—

John is refuting the religious teachers of the day with personal experiences with Jesus.

God reveals himself to us so that we can know him.

This is not about what “feel”.

God shows himself to us.

We began with a desire to simply know God and to let him define what church would be.

There would be a lot that was the same, but also much that would be different.

When you begin understand the personal touch in your life, it fills you to the degree that your friends want to know who He is.

1 John 1:3–4 ESV

3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

John shared the truth, his personal experience with Jesus, so that the church could join in the fellowship.

1 John 1:5–10 ESV

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

God is light and in Him is no darkness.

When we see the light there is either repentance or rejection.

When He reveals himself we see that he is personal.

The religious leaders did not see Jesus as the light.

They were walking in darkness.

When we see christ for who he is, we also see ourselves and are caused to repent.

we confess and he is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us.

1 John 2:1–6 CSB

1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: 6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

The grace of god is a distinctive of our church and sets us apart.

This is a message that has changed our hearts and we need to share it with people.

We list grace as the motivation to share the gospel with others.

it is the grace of God that causes us not to sin!

if you don’t understand grace your motivation will always be wrong.

you cannot know god if you do not obey him.

1 John 2:7–11 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. 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.

our challenge

Love others.

our lives are about others.

If we are abiding, the commands he gives us are always tied to others.

The enemy wants to stop us and just “enjoy god”.

The father wants us to move forward in selfless love.

agape love.

if you love one another, others will know that you are my disciples.

Many of us have been enjoying God too much and he is calling us to share him with others.

This is why we are called to plant churches.

this is why half of our budget is for missions around the world.

1 John 2:12–17 ESV

12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

God intends for us to expand this beautiful thing that he has done in us.

We feel it in our hearts.

good job to all of you, you have learned all these things.

This is a new beginning - we see the glory of god and share that light with the world.