Don’t be Fearful, Be Joyful! (Jude 24-25 Part 2)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

THE STUDY:

          Yesterday we looked at the first thing Jude list of what God is able to do: keep us from stumbling. Today we will be looking at the second thing which is God’s ability to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy. The presence of his glory refers to the day of judgment when all people will stand before God to give an account of their lives. Jude assures his readers that God is able to protect them from sin so they can stand before him blameless (amōmous). Amōmous was originally used to describe acceptable sacrifices (Heb 9:14). But it came to be used generally to describe moral purity. Peter uses this word to describe Jesus as the perfect sacrificial lamb (1 Pet 1:19). God’s ability to keep you from stumbling will be abundantly evident when believers stand before his throne blameless. As a result, the day of judgment will not be a time of fear or dread for believers. Because of “him who is able,” believers will celebrate that day with great joy.^[1]

           

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that Jesus was and is the prefect sacrificial lamb. It’s within this faith that believers can stand before God on the day of judgment with joy in their hearts and not fear.

APPLICATION:

           Early on in my walk with Jesus I had come to an understanding that this whole Trinity of God looked something like a court room: God is the judge and Jesus is my defense lawyer. After spending many years in studying the scripture I have come to the conclusion, this analogy is wrong!

          We will not be standing before God on judgment day! Our defense Lawyer will be the Holy Spirit and Christ will be the judge. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Cor. 5:10) We will be judged on what we have done since accepting Christ as our personal savior. Christ is the one who will present us to the Father. God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. (Romans 2:16) If you think about it, this is how we want it to be.

          Today, if Christ is Lord in your life don’t be fearful of the second coming, rejoice in it. But, if you have not accepted Christ as your personal savior then let fear be the motivation for you to turn your life over to the one who stands at the right hand of the Father for you: Christ! Don’t be fearful, be joyful!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Powers, D. G. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter/Jude: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (300). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

Don’t be a Diotrephes! (3 John 10)

So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

THE STUDY:

 In this verse John is continuing on with the subject of Diotrephes and his refusal of the Apostles authority. He says, “I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us.” This is not to imply a face-off between the two but a more candor acknowledgment that in the near future this matter will be addressed, personally, by John.

The resistance from Diotrephes went beyond refusing to receive those approved by John. Any who offered hospitality to the elder’s group he put out of the church. The verb ekballō, puts … out, means throw out or away. It describes what Jesus did to demons (Matt 8:16; Mark 1:34) and to the moneychangers in the temple (Matt 21:12). The word in this context suggests an expulsion of some sort of those who were providing hospitality to the elder’s representatives. We can only speculate that Diotrephes was a host of a local house church. We can say for sure, though, that his actions were that of a local discipline and not an overarching church decision.

Although Diotrephes was a person of some authority, his position seems not to have prevailed. The survival and canonization of this little letter suggests that the elder’s appeal was successful. Otherwise the NT may have included letters written by Diotrephes!^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that the truth of Christ (the Church) will prevail. We know that some individuals who believe that their own convictions, in regards to the church, should rise to the top and become a focal point. In this scenario those individuals are the ones who eventually lose credibility and position. Credibility with God’s people and position with God! What they must do to regain what was lost is repent!   

CONCLUSION:

 In ministry, I have seen many individuals feel the need to challenge the authority and even attempt to remove leaders (Pastors) in the church. The feeling that resonates from me regarding these circumstances is that this is wrong! I have seen good pastors encounter such actions and have left the ministry. I have seen some who have weathered the storm but they have paid the price. No one wins in these situations, everyone loses! This is not to the Glory of God!

I am not implying that all pastors are right and all laymen are wrong! I know this is not always the case. We need to understand that God calls few to lead by all to follow! All of it should be for the Glory of God.

There will be disagreements and disputes and this is where the words of Jesus should be put into practice: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector (Matt. 18:15-17).

Don’t let Satan have a foothold on you today! If you have an issue or a disagreement with your brother/sister (pastor or laymen) put Matt. 18 into practice. Let’s not be a Diotrephes, let’s be Jesus!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (215). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

Got Jesus, Got Life! (I John 5:11-12)

Got Jesus, Got Life! (I John 5:11-12)

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

THE STUDY:

          Again, John uses the contrast between two things: life and death. This is characteristic in John’s writings. The word "life" is found 135 times in the NT. Almost half of those occurrences (66) are found in John’s writings (Gospel of John, 1-2-3 John and Revelations). In these two verses alone the word "LIFE" is found 4 times. John states that through God’s testimony we have ETERNAL life. That life is found in Christ! John does not state the content of God’s testimony concerning his Son but the result of that testimony, which is nothing other than “eternal life.” Therefore “the question whether we accept God’s testimony or not is not a merely academic one. Our answer to it will determine whether or not we participate in eternal life.”

          John uses verse 12 as a concluding point to verses 9-11, Whoever has the Son has life. Ultimately, what matters is our relationship to the Son. This life is not something only to be received in the future but is a present possession (“has,” echei = present tense). It should be noted that eternal life is not earned or merited, but rather it is a gift that is given by God to those who have the Son.^[1]

                   

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding of the importance of Christ. He is not someone we are to “just know about.” He is someone we are to encounter, accept, believe, trust, love, and build a relationship with. This relationship is something to “have.” To have eternal life is to have Jesus.

CONCLUSION:

          I find as I get older I think more about the afterlife. I think about my time coming to an end on this earth. Nothing wrong with these thoughts. I rather enjoy it because I know that when tomorrow comes, I will be stepping into eternity because I have Jesus today.

          According to a tradition current among the natives of Puerto Rico, there was an island of the Bahamas group which had upon it a marvelous fountain, whose waters produced perpetual youth. For this elixir of eternal life, Juan Ponce de Leon, the Spanish navigator, sought long and hard, yet in vain.

          Let us not live for a perpetual youth here on earth. Let us live in Christ so we can have eternal life with the Father in Heaven.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Akin, D. L. (2001). Vol. 38: 1, 2, 3 John (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (202). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

I John 4:12-13 (Part 2)

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No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

THE STUDY:

          John writes throughout in sharp disagreement with the secessionists’ claim they had a special, esoteric knowledge. But he insisted that he and all true believers in his community, possessed a definite knowledge of their own: “We know” (ginōskomen)! And what do Johannine Christians claim to know That “we live (abide) in him” and that God lives “in us.”

          Throughout, the text keeps grace clearly in view. God initiates, God abides/lives in, and God brings believers to completion. Christians are not, however, swept along irresistibly by his grace. We respond by welcoming his Gift.^[1]

         

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that by welcoming this gift that God has for us we can have the confidence of knowing we are in Him and He is in us. This is not a one shot, locked in deal! At any time we can walk away from this gift. By the Love that dwells inside and pours from us we can rest assure we are living in Him and He is us!

CONCLUSION:

           A four year old was at the pediatrician for a check-up. As the doctor looked into her ears with an otoscope, he asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?" The little girl stayed silent. Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked down her throat. He asked, "Do you think I'll find the Cookie Monster down there?" Again, the little girl was silent. 

Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her chest. As he listened to her heart beat, he asked, "Do you think I'll hear Barney in there?"  "Oh, no!" the little girl replied. "Jesus is in my heart. Barney's on my underpants."

          If a doctor was to do a CAT scan of your heart today what would they find: Jesus or someone else? Believe it or not, claiming to be a Christian, people are doing CAT scans on you every minute of the day. Let them see Jesus today! Show them who you are made of!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

 

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (146). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:5

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You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

THE STUDY:

The verb “away” (airō) is used in the Fourth Gospel with the sense of a change of location (John 2:16; 11:39, 41; 19:31, 38; 20:1, 13). Sins are taken away by the atoning work of “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29) whose death was a representative bearing away of sin. But the term may imply more than simply to “take away”. It can also suggest removal in the sense of destruction. The Jews in John 19:15 call for the death, by execution, of Jesus, “Take him away [aron]! Crucify him!” (see Luke 23:18). These usages suggest not just a new residence for sin, but its eventual removal by defeat/destruction.

John is not presenting Christ as having come simply to counterbalance sin in the human heart, that is, to hold down evil so as to give holiness a chance at succeeding in the believer. Christ came to complete a decisive victory over sin.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We can walk away, today, with the understanding, as one of the great hymn writers penned down,  Jesus “PAID IT ALL.”. The Victory is ours to obtain if we simply accept, acknowledge, and believe in the one who paid it all. In this victory we can stand in the midst of sin and walk away from it, rebuke it, or both.

CONCLUSION:

           I recall, as a kid, an old TV show called “The Flip Wilson Show.” One of the famous quotes from that show was, “The devil made me do it.” I have used this quote many times in sermons as an example of our society today. Everyone wants to blame someone else for their sins but the bottom line is we can only blame ourselves. We can’t even blame the devil!

          We can do something about it though. We can repent, accept, and start living in the victory Christ has provided for us. Let Jesus “take away” your sins today and start living in the power of Christ!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (115). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:2

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Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

THE STUDY:

          In studying the Word of God one of the things to look for is repeated words or phrases. When we see this we need to pay close attention to it. There is a reason the writer repeats these words or phrases. An example in our day and time; “Son, I want you go throughout the house and empty all the trash cans. After you have finished that take the trash out to the garage. Once all the trash is collected take it out to the street for the garbage collectors to pick it up.” Repeated word is “Trash!” Why? The word “trash” is the main focus of the conversation.

          In this verse the word “WE” is repeated 5 times. John is trying to reconnect the believers with the one true God. It may appear they have been swayed by the teachings of the Gnostics. John says WE …

1. … are God’s Children!
2. … will be gloriously resurrected! 
3. … know all about Christ! 
4. … shall be like Him in the resurrection!
5. … shall see him as He is!

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that everything God has done is because He LOVES us! We are His children because he loves us. We will be gloriously resurrected because He loves us. He has revealed Christ to us because He loves us. He sent His son so that we may be like Him because he loves us. We shall have an opportunity to be in heaven with God because He loves us.

CONCLUSION:

A young woman grew up in dire poverty in the heartland of the country. A benefactor made it possible for her to take a trip to the coast where for the first time she saw the ocean. Captivated, she stood gazing at its vastness. In awe she was heard to say, “Thank God for something of which there is more than enough!” So it is with God’s love. We stand in awe of its vastness. There is more than enough!

If you don’t know this I want to make sure you walk away this morning hearing it from me, “God Loves You!” He always has and He always will. It’s what we do in response to this love that makes the difference.

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:24-25 (Part 1)

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²⁴Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.

²⁵And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we read this passage and we should be reminded of verses 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard” and 2:7 “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.” With the rebuking of this Gnostic teaching, again, John is referring back to the beginning what you heard from the beginning.

          We, as parents, have disciplined our children. In doing this we have said things like, “you know better than that!” What are we really saying? We have taught them from the beginning how to behave and every once in while they slip up and we have to remind them by leading them back to the very beginning of what we taught them. John is doing the same thing by referring his flock back to what they were taught from the very beginning.

          Not only does John take them back to the beginning but he reminds them to what he is referring too: abide in you. This is the very thing they have heard, been taught, and have believed in from childhood: about the Son and the Father. John is reminding them to remain in the Son and in the Father.  

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with this morning understanding that in or times of valleys or troubles we need to go back to the beginning: What we have been taught and what we understand as the truth. There are going to be days, when our faith is challenged, when the lies from Satan get us to question and doubt, or when we our physically weak! When those days come let us “abide” (remain) in the truth of Jesus Christ and of the Father.

CONCLUSION:

           I was talking with the dean of an American college some years ago. She shared a story about a woman who for the last four years had taken the same course in algebra even though she had passed it the first time.

          The dean inquired of her for an explanation. The woman said she was so tired of arguing with her neighbors about everything in the world that she wanted to study something she couldn’t argue about.

          Mathematical calculations certainly do not change. Two times two will eternally be four. And that truth is authoritative as well as eternal.

          The same is true with the Word of God. It is authoritative and eternal. When in doubt during your life, go back to the truth! It will never changed nor will it ever left you.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:22-23 (Part 1)

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Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

THE STUDY:

 I find it interesting the fact that John asked a question and then answered it in the same sentence. This is done in today culture. We use this technique if we are really trying to stress a point. We see this on TV in those police shows. They say to the crook, “Who stole the jewels?” And before the crook can answer, the cop says, “You did!” They know he did it; they just wanted him to confess. John may be doing the same thing in this verse.

From the general context, we cannot say that John is speaking to Jewish opponents who refused to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. John is opposing Gnostic teachers who taught that Jesus was a man who lived and died. During Jesus’ public ministry, the Gnostics said, the Christ descended upon him and gave him divine power from the time of his baptism to the time of his suffering. At the conclusion of Jesus’ suffering, Christ departed. To the Gnostics, then, Jesus was not the Christ. And John says that the person who proclaims this teaching is a liar. More than that, says John, he is the antichrist.^[1]

         

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• This morning we walk away with the understanding that issues of this nature need to be addressed. Sometimes they can be handled behind closed doors in a very mild manner. But then there are times when we will have to address these types of issues publically. No one likes confrontation, but if the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being lied about, like John, someone needs to take the pastoral stance.

CONCLUSION:

          I see, more and more every day, the attempted to water down the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hear so many excuses, which may be good excuses, in the world’s eyes, but in the realm of the Gospel it could lead to a false doctrine. I have seen good people turn from their upbringing, their beliefs, even their faith in order to appease others. Church, let us not compromise the Gospel to appease man. Look for the lies in the world today and rebuke them and continue on in the truth.

           

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (281). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

I John 2:16 (Part 2)

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For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

THE STUDY:

           Friday we started into verse 16 and discussed the issue of the world. John reveals three aspects; cravings, lust, and boasting. Friday we addressed the issues of craving. Today we are going to look at lust. John writes, For all that is in the world …. the desires of the eyes, and brings out an issue that many don’t like to admit to or talk about; lust!

          The NIV translates this passage with the words “craving” and “lust” but in the Greek they are the same word. To help us better understand, the NIV translators decided to use different words to express Johns thoughts. Nothing wrong with this, it just needs to be mentioned.

John is speaking with the understanding that the world may look good and may tempt us to desire it instead of God but this is not the longing of God. It is not a sin to desire a nice house, car, better job, or a lot of money. Where the problem lies is the heart. When we desire these things “in our heart” more so than desiring a healthy relationship with God, we have a problem. As a matter of fact John says someone who desires what they see more so than desiring God is not from the Father. Remember, John is dealing with a group that believes in God but they also believe they have a “more excellent way” to spiritual things. This group was bent more toward the world than the ways of Jesus.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

What we can walk away with this morning is the understanding that the world may entice, intrigue, or even bait us into seeing good in it more so than seeing good in God. But let us never take our eyes off Jesus. Let us never forget how sin entered into the world, by Adam and Eve, and Satan tempting them with power and beauty, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6)

CONCLUSION:

          This was a letter to Dear Abby: “Since I am a pastor with 43 years’ experience, I’d like to offer this suggestion to the inexperienced young minister who didn’t know how to handle a very bold woman in his congregation who had designs on him. “Whenever I noticed a romantic twinkle in the eye of a woman in my congregation, I always checked to make sure it wasn’t caused by a reflection from the gleam in my own. The Rev. Walter Cowen.”^[1]

          Let us be watchful of Satan’s temptations and keep our EYES ON JESUS!

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

I John 2:14 (Part 2)

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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.

THE STUDY:

          Just a reminder that John is writing in regards to a group called the Gnostics, whose philosophy is infiltrating the Christian beliefs. John addresses this issue and now is praising the people for their obedience toward God. He covers the entire people of God by calling them “Children” then speaks more specifically to the “fathers” (the elders of the community) and then the “young men.”

          He praises the young men in this passage in three aspects; being strong, abiding in the word, and having overcome the evil one. As you may remember, John addressed the fact that the young men have overcome the evil one. But, in this verse he adds two more things that we are going to look at this morning.

          John states that these young men are strong. Many of us would assume he is talking about their physical abilities. This may be so but most scholars believe he was talking about their spiritual strength and that they have overcome the evil one. I look at it this way, John states that these young men are strong in their faith and this is due to the fact that they abide in the word. The word “abide” means to remain or stay which gives us the impression they have been walking with God for a long time. These young men may be young in age but they were not young in their walk with God. All of this, being strong and abiding in the word, leads to the ability to overcome the evil one.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with this in mind; it is not a matter of age, position, abilities, gifts, or anything else. Pursue God in everything you do, stay in his word, and you will have VICTORY over the evil one. God’s desire is for us to walk with him and if this is His desire then He will provide a way to accomplish it. Jesus is the way God has provided for us to accomplish victory over the evil one and sin.

CONCLUSION:

          A military strategist said that battles are won before they are fought. That was his way of saying that victory depends on prior preparation. One general called it “Making a good ready.” The same principles apply in spiritual warfare. God in Christ has made all necessary prior preparation in effecting His eternal purpose of redemption to give us victory over sin.

          Sometime ago I was told that at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary a poll was taken among the students to discover the most popular hymns. “Victory in Jesus” was first and “Amazing Grace” was second. This is an interesting combination. Amid our turbulent times Christians long for assurance of victory over evil forces that plague us. We find that assurance in Jesus—His victory and ours through Him. God’s amazing grace made those victories possible and available.

          Church, let us live this day knowing the VICTORY is ours. It is found in Jesus!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:14 (Part 1)

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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.

THE STUDY:

          In this verse we have addressed the reasoning for some translators to put the end of verse 13 (ESV) at the beginning of verse 14 (NRSV). Whatever the case may be we still need to look at why John was compelled to repeat this section of scripture. As a minister I use a communication technique that involves repeating main points for emphasis. I would expound on three or four points and then at the end, repeat them. This is to help imbed the points into the mind of the hearer. John could possibly be trying to accomplish this when he repeats because you know him who is from the beginning.

          If this be the case then we need to take another look at what John is repeating. One scholar believes the repetition discloses the seriousness of the author’s appeal; that is, the fathers cannot afford to relax the process of their spiritual growth.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• This morning, the one thing we can walk away with is that we should not relax when it comes to our spiritual growth. I have heard some people say that once you are sanctified, you have arrived. This is not the case! We, as believers in Jesus, need to remember that our relationship with him is always developing. The moment this development stops, is when we have entered into the place Jesus went to prepare for us, Heaven. Let us keep seeking more of Jesus; his ways, his truths, and his character.

CONCLUSION:

          Whether one is a new Christian, a babe in Christ, or a Christian who has sinned and found forgiveness, we must put a comma and not a period at the end of one’s experience. The road of living for Christ still lies ahead. There are difficult hills to climb. Pitfalls await us. Dangers lurk on every hand. There are roaring streams to be crossed. Other crisis, temptations, and trials are to be faced. So more than ever we need the Lord’s help.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (268). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

I John 2:13 (Part 3)

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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.

THE STUDY:

          As I have mentioned in the past, when it comes to studying the word of God, there are certain techniques to use. One of those techniques is looking at a passage of scripture in different versions (ESV, NASB, NIV, and such). This passage of scripture is a great example of the reason why we should do this. In the NRSV verse 13c is found at the beginning of verse 14. Some translators put it there due to the symmetry dealing with “Children, Fathers, and young men” found in verses 12-14 whereas others have it at the end of verse 13. Why is this so significant? It’s due to the fact that children is not the same Greek word found in verse 12 as it is in verse 14. The Greek word in verse 14 is a term of endearment to express his tender love to all his readers regardless of age.

          Moving on we see John saying basically the same thing that was mentioned at the beginning of verse 13. But John is hammering home a point to the reader. This understanding of “Knowing the Father” is reflected in three aspects: (1) a person who welcomes Jesus, (2) a message (doctrine) that is accepted and acted on, (3) and a life that is lived for.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with this thought in mind, Have you welcomed Jesus into your life? Have you accepted and acted in accordance with the message of Jesus Christ? Finally, are you living for Jesus? These questions need to be answered.

 

CONCLUSION:

          What I find, in many cases, is people love what Jesus can do for them. They accepted “almost” all of Jesus’ teachings and they have given “most” of the keys to their life over to Him. But, the full surrender and the “KNOWING OF THE FATHER” is not there. Jesus Paid it all so in turn for us to receive this free gift of salvation all Jesus is asking is our ALL. John writes this epistle to those who know the father. Do you know Him like they do? Part of “knowing God” is “letting God.”

A young man, who was struggling to let the Lord have His way in his life, knelt to pray. He had been advised to “Let God do the work for him.” But as he was kneeling, he cried, “I want to let God have His way, but I can’t.”

The day before he had cut out of pasteboard the letters “LET GOD” and tacked them on the wall. He rose from his knees and with a feeling of defeat and despair, he left the room and slammed the door with a bang, saying, “I can’t “LET GOD.””

On his return to his room, he was startled to note that the slam of the door had loosened the letter D on the word GOD, causing it to fall to the floor, and changing the motto to “LET GO.”

“I will, I will, Lord Jesus,” he cried and threw himself on his knees at the side of his bed. “I will “Let go,” and “Let God,”” and he did.

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod