Aug 29, 2021 Sunday Morning Service

Sometimes the sing the songs. Mirrors, what happens in our lives? There's ups and downs, right? And so, when we think about our ups and downs, I can't imagine living this life without having Jesus in it. I don't know how people get through life, not relying Upon Jesus, not thinking about you understanding, who is here to provide us. And as I think about the things of life that you and I have experienced. I'm thankful that Jesus is in my life. I'm thankful for that. But as we consider first, John, that we've been looking at past several weeks. Remind full of again about the theme of the book, the theme of the book is about Assurance. The John is riding to a group of people who have been troubled trouble by false teachers, who are teaching false Doctrine and they're troubled by the break and fellowship that took place member. John says, says that they left us. They left us because they weren't of us, had, they been all of us, they would not have left, but they left. So they were not. Find it interesting. But I also find it necessary when we consider the fellowship that God desires. Because in first John chapter 1, the idea of Fellowship is spelled out immediately inverse of it. 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 cleanses us from all sin in that beautiful. And so in, that particular group of people, however, there was a group of people that had from had Arisen, from, within teaching, false Doctrine. And so therefore, they were no longer walking in the lag and therefore had no longer had the fellowship with the Brethren there, because of their sin and because of that, they no longer had fellowship with God in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the point, John is making. So he's riding them to assure them. That they have been doing that. They have been walking in the life. And I thought it interesting was have a little talk this morning with brother came in came in, came up to me. And you said, you know, I find it really interesting that John is talking about being born again that he's talking about being born of God.

Is that when we're bored again, we live inside his righteousness. Now, that's coming from a young man. Can you imagine how many people in the world to understand that concept? But I'm not living by my righteousness. I'm living by his righteousness. And so we live within the confines of the righteousness of Christ. And then the confines when we mess up, That's for those of you who are more technically sound, when we send the blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness because we are within the sphere of the righteousness of Christ. That's how the father sees us through the lens of Jesus, his son. He sees us pure, he sees us clean all because of the blood of Christ. And much of the world is missing out on that because they have not received Jesus into their lives. They have not accepted his word and they have not obeyed his gospel. And therefore, they miss out on all the spiritual blessings that are in Christ Jesus. Before we go any further, just want to note that Harold Alberts will be going in for a procedure on Wednesday. So, let's, let's add that to our prayer less and prayer list and keep him in our prayers as he goes in for that procedure. And also as up as Brother, Don was mentioning, you know, the All the Troubles going on in the world in Afghanistan and the catastrophes of earthquakes in Haiti. And now we're approaching the hurricane season one more time. And it's bearing down on the coast of the Gulf Coast that we need to remember them in prayer. So before I even go any further, I'd like to pray for those things. The let's go to God In Prayer.

Our Father in Heaven, we're so thankful that we can be here today to worship you in spirit and Truth. His father was so thankful that you have provided us an Avenue. Whereby we can talk to you. that we can deliver to you, or Most Ardent desires. Even our most Ardent fears. That we can petition you with anything that's on her mind and in our hearts. Father, were grateful for that. We're grateful that you love us that you want us to come to you and to talk to you. And to tell us our problems that they share them with you because you're the only person that can help and father at this time, as we're mindful of things going on in the Middle East, in particular, in Afghanistan by the we pray that you be with the world leaders and the leaders of the Taliban, the leaders of this country and all those countries in the area that you put their hearts father, that they may strive for peace and father that no more Bloodshed will take place. Father, help us to continue to pray for our own leaders of this country by the, we know it's not easy to do the work that they're doing. And my father, we often let politics get in the way of things and yet, they still need our prayers. And father, we pray for our leaders, our President, we pray for his cabinet. We pray for all those and leading positions within our government, that you be with them and that they might turn for you, turn to you for answers and and that you may guide them and all that they say and do and father even though if you have no faith in you who are leading in our country, we pray father that three-year Divine Providence. Others might and its influence them and that they make. Humble themselves to receive their opinion in the suggestions father. And father. We pray that you be with those who are at this time about to experience another hurricane. We pray, father that you be with all those people that you give them strength and courage and and and father, peace of mind that that you are the God of all comfort and that all the things in this life, all the material blessings that we enjoy father are just simply material things. We know they come from you but father, we we know that there's far there's things far more important than the material. We know that those are the spiritual things. I pray, father that all those in that area will rely upon you and your strength. And finally pray that you be with all those involved in our A man in the Afghanistan conflict. Father, we pray that you'll be with our soldiers, both our men and women in our leaders, that they make the right decisions in the right choices. Father, and protector, father forbid. I will father this. So many things happening in this world, especially now with covid and we see all these things emerging at once. And father. We know it could be a terrible catastrophe with all these things coming in at one time, but father, we know that you love us that there is a reason father for these things and that threw it all. Helped us to rely upon you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

So as we consider about what brother Kayden was telling me about being born of God about about living within that righteousness. I'm reminded of a story of a girl, a little girl who was in her elementary school and she was assigned a topic for an essay and she had to write this essay on birth. In about children being born. And so, the essay was on her mind as she came home. She asked her, her mother and said, where did I come from? How is a, how is that bored and moms? Looked at her and said, in her motherly guidance and said, honey, you came from the store stork delivered, you the stork brought you. And so, she had a puzzled look on her face and she said, well. What about you and Dad? Where did you and Dad come from? She said well, we came from the stork to the stork brought us. Just like the store dork brought you. And she said, well, what about Grandma and Grandpa brought them to. So she she said to the teacher, you know, this is one of them or most difficult things that I've had to write about because evidently in our family, we had three generations that have a natural childbirth.

It's important to know our birth. It's important to know where we came from, because it tells us who we are, right? And that's what John here. Was telling the people here. We need to know something about our birth so that we can know something about our worth. And got here is telling the people you're worth something to me. And we just got done sharing a spiritual meal together. And this spiritual meal tells us just how much we are worth to a beautiful thing that we can gather together as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. We're Bound by the blood of Jesus. Speaks to Our Father who sent his son, our elder brother who died in our place and has given us eternal life. And we ought to be here with a happy smile on your face, doing that in this life. We ought to be happy people, right? And that's true. You know, we go through death. We see people suffer. We have loved ones who died. We go through failures, in our own lives. We do so many things wrong. We have messed up and yet we know. And this is what John is pointing out to the folks here, eternal life. So in the end, what does it all matter? Except Jesus Christ and him crucified? That's what matters and that is a blessing that we share together as brethren in Christ. And so I want us to go to the pastor's that Kayden is read. I just look at it together a little bit. He says and now little children abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at is coming. I just think about that for just a second because John is going back. And in this little book of 5 chapters, he mentions being born of God six times and then he mentions born of him once, so referring to God, so he says, born of God to their birth, their spiritual birth in God. It's kind of similar to what how John was talking about in The Gospel of John. Or he goes back to the very beginning of time, talking about this, if you will New Birth called creation. Number in the beginning, was the word and the Word was with God. And the Word was God. And without him, nothing that was made in this world that was made except everything be made by him mention that, that the Lord Jesus Christ is also their creator. The creator of Heaven and Earth, the creator of human beings, the Creator, the creator of animal life.

And he goes back to, in the beginning, talking about creation, and they're in the garden. The father desired to have this relationship with his Grand, create, man. And it was a pleasure for God as he walked along with man in the garden. And it would walk and talk together as the song goes on to say. And so this The serpent comes along Satan and attempts, Adam, and Eve, and they fail the test. Know what we have to understand is that in the beginning of creation. God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. That's important. Because the creation there, the new birth, if you will, is that mankind was created in the image of God, but Satan came along and stole all that marred, the image of God in our lives. And in our hearts. Took away that image interrupted at image, that we should have had. Do you think about the mart image? And I think about Isaiah chapter 52 in about verse 14. Where it says that his visit. Talking about the appearance of Jesus Christ his vision. His visit, his appearance was marred. More than any other. And there was talking about how this man was beaten to a pulp.

Before he was even hung on the cross. And now he's not talking about people who have been beaten up in life by other men, but he's talking about this man who endured the cross that everyone before him that went to a cross, not his cross. But went to across was not beaten. Like this man was beating Jesus. His Image was marred on our behalf.

Then we learn that God wanted to restore the relationship. He had with man in the beginning, sent his son. When the mama was just right, but when the flumist, when the mama and the force of time had come God sent forth his son, to be born of a woman to be born under the law at the appropriate time. He sent his son to do that, to restore the image. That was marred. He had to Mar his own image. Imagine that. And through that image. We have the image of God retain once again, in our lives, in our minds and our hearts through his sacrifice. And so again John comes back and he says that's what happened. You were born of God and you are now in the image of the god once again. You had that restored in your lives. Thanks be to Jesus Christ. So, John is pointing out this Grand blessing that we all enjoy today. What does short term consequence? Has John rights here. He says this, and now little children abide in him that we that when he appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed. You remember in the garden when send enter the world through Adam and Eve, that they were ashamed before their father, because they knew they were naked. Now. They had this knowledge, this understanding, because the 8th of that tree that God told him not to. And of course, you remember, when God came. Why are you hiding from me?

Why are you hiding from me while we're naked? We don't, we don't want you to see us that way. Well, that's exactly what Christ came for us. But we have to be a shame before the father, no matter what we have done in life. No matter what we might do in life. We no longer have to be ashamed. Why just like, brother Kaden said, because we are living within the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Remember, it's not about my righteousness or your righteousness. It's about his righteousness and what he did on the cross. That's why our obedience is not maraton God's favor. That's why our obedience is not something that's a legalistic that we have to do. No, it's something that God provides for us to do as an expression of faith in love. And when we sail we have is blood. In fact, if I could stay in our own vernacular Christ has our back. Christians are back when we fall and that is a joy in a blessing, Shirley for us to understand. And so as we continue, he says, don't have to be shamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is righteous. You know, that everyone who practices righteousness. I thought an interesting there that the word there for practice also means works. Right? Works righteousness, is born in Born Again. Behold? What? Manner of love. The father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Noticed that. Does Peter tell us that we are A peculiar people? To all our friends to all our family to all those in the community to all those in the world that don't live in Christ Jesus. They plan it peculiar that you're a little strange, a little off a little off-kilter because you don't behave in the manner that others do. No, because you put your faith in Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ, said follow me not the world. And so we followed Jesus and we put our hope in him and that demonstrates not only to the world. But to God, that we are also children of God and he says the love. Now, we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall see him as he is and everyone who has this. Hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. As we consider this idea of being born again. I want to point out that the born-again idea is a concept of a process. It's something that has steps. If you will you remember the Romans chapter 4 in verse 12? Paul says that we walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham Abraham through Steps of Faith. And so therefore like Abraham, we proceed through our what by Steps of Faith. Was Abraham Steps of Faith always perfect. Know we can read about the mistakes and Abraham's life. In fact, Abraham might take two steps forward and three steps back. But he kept proceeding onward and so it is with us, we fall, we stumble we send but we get back up. We ask forgiveness and we move on and we try to be more christ-like every day. And that's where the righteousness of God comes in. The righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ who molds us and makes us after his image. And so God, how to spell restoring the image that were made in the image of God in our lives because I know, This is a happy day. And as brother Roy said, it's a happy day because of Jesus. And I agree with that 1%, but I will add one little caveat. It's a happy day because of chicken. Chicken today is a happy day. So I hope you plan to stay and enjoy some chicken with us of chicken Fellowship. Dinner call Sis giving thanks to the father who has qualified US to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints. In the white. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us or translated us into the kingdom of the sun is love. We have Redemption through his blood, the Forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible. God.

We have Redemption through his blood, that blood hold the image of Jesus Christ. That's the image, when the blood of Christ is applied to our hearts, that the father sees the image of Christ.

And so that's a process that's involves a lot or born of God and therefore that begins the faith process. The notice was Jesus will say here in John chapter 3. Jesus answered and said to him, Nicodemus most assuredly, I say to you. Unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of Nicodemus said. And how can a man be born when he is old and be born? Jesus answered, most of Shirley. I sent you unless one is born of water and the spirit. He cannot enter the kingdom of God. I have a feeling that Nicodemus is not talking about. natural birth process here, not talking about merely entering, the his mother's womb again, to be born but as a Jew As a Jew who was born from his mother's room. They have eternal life, simply and primarily because of the birth. They were born into the family of God. God chose the Jews. So if you were a baby born from your mom and you came into the world, you were a Jew. You were chosen. And therefore you were saying, Jesus response, but Most assuredly, I say to you everyone. That is born of water, literally out of water, and out of spirit. Enter up will not enter enter the kingdom of God. So we have to be born out of water and we have to be born out of spirit. What does that mean? Well, if you look in the same context, two chapters later. For as the father raises the dead and gives life to them. Even saw the sun gives life to whom he will for the father. Judges. No one but has committed all judgment to the son. That all should honor the son. Just as they honor the father, he who does not honor the sun, does not honor, the father who sent him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word, number one and believes in him who sent me number two. Has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment. Number three, but has passed from death into life and those who hear will live. That's the process of being born again, born out of water. And the spirit What you talkin about fireman that message from inspired men called all men to be baptized. Just as Jesus said, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Therein lies the change a spiritual change from Death unto life. And then we come into John chapter 6, 1 chapter later. And Jesus says it is the spirit who gives Jesus just said Now he says it's the spirit that gives life. What, how does Jesus give life? How does the spirit give lap while he tells us? It was a spirit, gives life, the flesh profiteth, nothing the words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life. All, so we get water from father to Jesus. And it's the spirit that gives the words to Mankind. And through those words, when we submit to them, when we believe them, when we accept them by faith, because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, faith comes through the work. So you have to hear and you have to listen and you have to mow it over your mind and you have to understand. Do I really want that or not? I really believe that or not.

Either way, salvation comes through the word of God. That's the point. That's the point. When he says, it's the spirit who gives life and even when it says that Jesus gives eternal life when folks obey his word, with the words that I speak to you are spirit and they are lap, you accept them. You have that wife, that Jesus Promised. But moreover. In Ephesians chapter 5, chapter 5, husbands. Love your wives. As Christ. Also loved the church and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of Water by the word out of water out of spirit here. It says, washing of water washing Out of Water by the word, the word of God instructs us to be washed in the blood of Christ, by being washed in the waters of baptism. That's what he's talkin about here. James chapter one of his own. Will he brought us forth by the word of truth that he might be kind of the kind of first fruits of his creatures. But notice, he says that he brought us forth. The words here is to be get to be. Got you be gotten The only begotten son of the father, will he be got us how through the word? But I thought we were born out of water and not a spirit. Yes. Do the work. Those spirit gives the teachings the teachings. Give the mean the means of being baptized. When you see that you obey it, you do it, you've been born again by the word. And so we become a child of God. Remember I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. What for it? The gospel is the power to Salvation for everyone? There's no exceptions. No exceptions. Everyone has a right to hear the word of God. Don't you believe a word of God? But not everyone will hear the word of God and not everyone will believe the word of God. And so the only thing that separates the people from the masses is being brought forth or be gotten or being born again by the word of God. Notice what Peter tells us the 1st Peter chapter 1. since you have purified, your souls in obeying the truth will have just said, Jesus said

How can you not be Saved by the Bell when we obey the Lord's come in and do? As he says, you've obeyed the truth, having been born again? There's that connection. There's a connection between being born again and obeying the truth. And that gets back to again, John chapter 3 and verse for being born out of water and out of The Spirit. Well, quite simply, I would say this way, born out of water, borne out of the teaching of the spirit, but that's because the spirit is a, is a word that stands for what the spirit brings, which is instruction. And that's exactly how the people on Pentecost were saved. Was it not right? How are they say that day? Peter got up when he started preaching. That preaching message that he preached, that day hurt them inside and their hearts because I just got told by Peter. You crucified, the Lord you crucified the very Messiah. We were waiting for it. So, how did they respond Maryland, brother, and what shall we do? And Peter responds repent and be baptized everyone of you. The name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. To be purified. To be born again. To have the blessings of the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin and from all righteousness, and then we come back. To where we begin. The first John, chapter 2 verse 28 and now little children abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming, the whole purpose of insurance is to know what you have done. You have done with the Lord has asked you to do. Like Paul says at the end of his life. He says I have kept the faith. I have kept the faith and we too, and we keep the faith that is what week do. What the Lord has asked us to do in a manner that is asked us to do it in, we can be assured and confident. And we don't have to be ashamed as we wait for the Lord. We have the image of God and planted at our minds and our hearts, by virtue of the new birth that we have in Jesus Christ. You can have that assures today if you so desire. Jesus said, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. You can take that all the way to your grave and into eternity and know for a fact that those words will forever stand. The word of God will last forever, as well as his promises. If you believe that you desire, that you have the opportunity this morning, if you've done that, but perhaps you have wondered, perhaps you have not been as faithful as you possibly could. Jesus says, they're still a remedy. It's called his blood. His blood still works and operates in your life upon repentance and confession. If you're subject to the invitation of Christ, Jesus, this morning, won't you come forward as together? We stand