Sermon 030297

1Jn. 5:3-5                                     Overcoming While in Trouble - II                                  3/2/97

                                                                                                                             ABCC

I.   Overcoming the World (Review)                                                                                      561

God gives the Christian no option but to overcome the world - we must be conformed to it (Rom. 12:2), cannot befriend it (Jas. 4:4), or love it (1Jn. 2:15).  We must overcome it (anyone or anything that causes us to think or act negatively toward God & His word).

     A. Christians are to overcome by our faith in Christ & love for God (v. 4-5)

     B. Expressed in actions & attitude (v. 3) = Ps. 40:8

·        The temptation toward wrong thinking is greatest in times of trouble (tight places)

II.  Seven Cases of Trouble for Churches to Overcome (Rev. 2-3)

Unloving actions/motives in the battle for right doctrine (Rev. 2:7), Fear while enduring suffering, poverty & danger (Rev. 2:11), Compromise in doctrine while surrounded by worldliness (Rev. 2:17), Compromise in morality while surrounded by immorality & wickedness (Rev. 2:26), Spiritless lifestyles of rituals & routines resulting from legalism (Rev. 3:5), Strong opposition in times of opportunity & blessing (Rev. 3:12), Arrogance & apostasy in times of abundant material blessing (Rev. 3:21)

III. Individuals That Overcame by Faith (Heb. 11) - by faith [v. 1, 6]

·        Abel (v. 4) - He had to overcome the rebellion of & hatred from within his own family

·        Noah (v. 7) - He had to overcome mocking & rejection, impatience, compromise in details

·        Abraham (v. 8) - He had to overcome insecurities, relational loyalties, comfort

·        Sarah (v. 11) - She had to overcome the struggle with fulfillment & purpose in life from barrenness

·        Isaac (v. 20) - He had to overcome tradition & familiarity

·        Moses (v. 24-26) - He had to overcome the temptations of wealth & pleasure of sin

Overcoming While in Trouble - II, pg. 2

·        Rehab (v. 31) - She had to overcome sexual temptations & social pressures

·        Others (v. 32-40) - they experienced financial ruin, severe health problems & death, children’s lives endangered, career & education plans radically changed, loss of possessions, rejection, loneliness

·        How did they overcome?  >  They believed & agreed with the promises of God (v. 13).  They believed that God’s best is yet to come; not in this life, but eternity (v. 16, 39-40)

·        How can we overcome in trouble?

        We must have the same attitude that they had & the same attitude that our Christ had (Heb. 12:1-4)

         1.  Lay aside anything & everything that inhibits you from running this race (v. 1)

              - We have been entered in the Christian race to finish as a winner.  Sin cannot finish with us & yielding

                 to sin only slows us down.  There is absolutely no value in yielding to worry, fear, bitterness,

                 immorality, etc.  So we must overcome lust, greed, vengeance, lying, worry, fear, discontent

         2.  Fix your eyes on Jesus (v. 2-3)

              - In addition to the testimonies of all the past saints, we have the example of Christ.  We cannot fix our

                 eyes Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses or the other saints because they were imperfect.  O but there was no

                 flaw in Jesus; He is our goal, prize, reward, jewel….the object of our faith; everything that we want to

                 be - I want to see Him face to face, hear His voice…experience the glory, wander & awe of heaven…

                 He began this good work in us & He will ensure that the work is complete!

         3.  Resist the world with all the power of heaven (v. 4)

                          - We must use every means of grace available to resist yielding to sin & compromise