Walk in the Light - Walk in Forgiveness

Intro:

This year let us raise the standard of character and accountability. Let our words and our actions line up. Let us aim to acknowledge our sins and repent. Let us demonstrate forgiveness as we benefit from forgiveness. Let us show how we are children of the Living God who is Light, Live and Love. Therefore, let us move out of the darkness and seek what is good in the amazing Light of God by walking in this marvelous light living in fellowship with our God.

Lead into text:

This letter by John is believe to be written after the Gospel of John as a circular letter. The theological themes in this letter echo his thoughts and give further development of eschatological views.

1 John 1:5–10 NLT

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Live in the Light

1 John 1:5 NLT

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.

The message is God is Light

God is Light

Light comes from God (Genesis 1:3)

God is light Psalm 27:1

God’s Word enlightens our path Psalm 119:105

God turns darkness into Light (Isaiah 42:16)

In the new Heaven and new earth there will be no sun or moon because God will be all the light we need (Revelation 21:23).

There is no darkness in God.

Therefore we are to seek the light and righteousness.

God is light and calls us into the light.

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

We are to live with good character and not hypocrisy.

1 John 1:6 NLT

6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.

Live to show who you have fellowship with.

Fellowship - participation and alliance with God is to align with the Light - what is right and not in darkness or wickedness therefore do not practice in lies but work in truth. Therefore, our words need to line up with our actions to say we are following God in the Light we are not living out in lies and not practicing the truth. God is truth and light.

Truth will come out in your life.

Living for the Lord requires you to live out the commands of the Lord.

John 3:20 NLT

20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

2. We are to live out in the light and seek what is righteous.

3. Live in the Light is to shun evil and love the light.

We are to live in the Light!

1 John 1:7 NLT

7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Walk in the Light - is to be like Jesus because like God Jesus is light.

Fellowship in the Light because of the blood of Jesus has cleansed us from all sin.

We are not in the light beaus we are light. We are in the Light because we are in Jesus who is the Light!

Our fellowship with God the Father is totally dependent on God the Son. God the Son died on the cross for our sins and the blood he shed for us cleansed us from all sin. “Blessed is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus redeemed us from sin because all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. There is no one righteous no not one (Romans 3:23). We all are guilty of Sin.

We are blessed because of this amazing relationship in Christ with

God. Because of our relationship in Christ we are forgiven and redeemed from all our sin.

God is light and forgives

1 John 1:8–10 NLT

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Walking in the Light will reveal our weakness and sin. Do not deceive self and say you are without sin. Truth is that we are all sinners but by the grace of God. We do not need to stay in the condition of a sinner. WE can know redemption (1 John 1:9) through Jesus Christ.

1John 1:9

Confession is to acknowledge our sin. Healing will begin once we acknowledge our broken relationship with God because of our sinful lives. God’s righteousness moves him to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God forgives us because of Jesus. He makes us right and with him in the light.

Think how we hold things up to the light to inspect the quality and see if there are no spots. The light reveals out true colors, identify and our character.

God forgives and removes us from our sins, because of our confessions.

Micah 7:18 NLT

18 Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.

Let us confess and turn to walk in the light.

Have fellowship in the light and walk in the light.

Embrace being forgiven by God and redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

1 John 1:9 NLT

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Live out this truth and acknowledge our wrongs our sins.

1 John 1:10 NLT

10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.