I John 3:19-20 (Part 3)

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By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

THE STUDY:

          Why is it that our hearts will tell us one thing but our mind seems to contradict it? The heart may not be a reliable indicator. We may live under self-condemnation, although our actual spiritual condition, known better by God than by us, is secure. A troubled heart may reflect an unnecessarily anxious condition, lacking in trust. But God is “greater than our hearts;” his mercy is the deciding word. He is more merciful to us than is our own conscience. John wants his readers to find their assurance from God, who in spite of knowing “everything” about us yet loves us immensely.^[1]

          If I ponder on something from my past long enough I can fell a sense of guilt. I don’t like what I have done in my past but I have been forgiven and that is where I need to place my faith. My heart may still feel the guilt of it but as for my salvation, due to my repentant heart, I am a child of the King. What I need to do is ask the Holy Spirit to remove this guilt so I can live a life that is fully free in Christ. Just as John has stated in this verse, “for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart!”

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that our spiritual condition is not always dictated correctly by the feelings of our heart. Forgiveness of sin is one thing but guilt of that sin is another. Self-condemnation is not something that directly effects our salvation but our heart. Let God have the guilt as well as the sin and then live a life that is free in Christ.

CONCLUSION:

           A young man found himself divorced and his little girl no longer lived with him. He had visitation rights but as for time with his daughter, it was very limited. Through this situation the father found Christ and went on to live a successful life. He was forgiven of the sins of the past but he always felt the guilt of his daughter not knowing what it was like to have two parents living under the same roof and raising her.  

          In order to live a life free in Christ, the father surrendered that guilt to Jesus and now lives in the fullness of Christ. As for the daughter, she has grown up to be a beautiful young lady and has a wonderful relationship with her dad.

          Don’t let Satan try and take away your Joy in the Lord. Surrender it all (sins and guilt) to Christ and live is His full love!

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 (127). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:19-20 (Part 2)

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By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

THE STUDY

          Yesterday we looked at the idea of what is in our hearts is what will be demonstrated to those around us. If we have the love of God in our hearts then that is what (and should) be pouring from within.

          Only a faith that works can set our hearts at rest. The plural hearts translates the singular kardia. So the text speaks of one heart. Biblical writers occasionally used the concept of corporate personality in which one person represented the whole community. Here, the many is placed with a singular noun, heart. The net effect is to stress the unity of the body of believers. Although we are many, we have one heart. And when this one-in-heart group acts in love, our common heart can be at rest (peisomen, lit. we will persuade; see Heb 13:18) in the presence of God (emprosthen autou: before him). The expression “reassure … before him” (nrsv) suggests the judgment seat of God or Christ (Matt 25:32; Luke 21:36; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Thess 2:19; 3:13). The verb “we know” (gnōsometha) is a middle voice suggesting knowledge that validates the claim of the person—for ourselves. A few manuscripts read simply ginōskomen (we are knowing). This knowledge assures us that we belong to the truth.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

• We walk away this morning with the sense that we can have this assurance that we are Children of God! We belong to the truth which sets us free. We don’t have to wake up every morning wondering if we have fallen short or missed the mark. Our fruits will demonstrate our oneness with His Spirit. Friends, family members, and complete strangers will see and know, as well as ourselves, that we are in the truth.  

         

CONCLUSION:

          A visitor asked an old, bedridden woman who said she was trying to be a Christian: “Are you trying to be Mrs. Whyte?” “No, I am Mrs. Whyte.” “How long have you been Mrs. Whyte?” “Ever since this ring was put on my finger.” “That is how it is with me. I do not try to be a Christian. I have been one ever since I put out my empty hand and received Christ as my Savior.”

          Rest assured, if you have accepted Christ as your personal savior, have allowed the Spirit of God to dwell inside you, and have been developing this relationship with Him; the fruit that comes from within will be the truth. Let the very nature of Christ pour from you onto someone who needs Him today.  

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 (126). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:19-20 (Part 1)

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By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

THE STUDY

These two verses are difficult to interpret, for the meaning of the text is not clear. The interpreter discovers that the wording is too general for him to give the reader a definitive explanation. In a sense, therefore, our interpretation only approximates the meaning of the passage.

“This then is how we know that we belong to the truth.” The word this refers to the preceding context in which John encourages the Christian to express genuine love for his brothers and sisters in Christ.” True children of God will know that they belong to the truth, because they will be sincere and genuine and live in accordance with the truth of God’s Word.

The person who refuses to acknowledge his sin is a liar and the truth is not in him (1:8; 2:4). But the believer who actively and sincerely demonstrates his love belongs to the truth. Actually, the expression belong to the truth is synonymous with the term born of God (3:9).^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that our actions will demonstrate our heart. If we are expressing love to one another it is because this is what dwells inside of us. It will be a natural reaction to situations.

         

CONCLUSION:

          I have heard so many Christians say to other brothers and sisters of the faith, “Don’t judge me!” When in fact they are not being judged but being held accountable. I do agree there are, sometime, better ways at revealing to someone their flaws or sins, but we need to realize we are to be “fruit inspectors!”

          What dwells inside us will be demonstrated outwardly and those fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.)^[2] will be evident.

          My prayer for each of us this morning is that we live in the truth which produces the fruits of the spirit and may that be evident to those who we come in contact with today.

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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 (313). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ga 5:22–23). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

I John 3:18

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Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

THE STUDY:

John is possibly dealing with a group of people who were saying they loved one another but their actions were not saying the same thing.  John urges moving from lip service to lived-out love. True love works; it expresses itself in actions (see Mark 13:34). One can feel love and not act on it—loving only with words or tongue. But such love is of doubtful value. A “love” that is only words is not really love at all. The faith of which John speaks sees needs and acts to meet them. One with material means to help and in whose heart God’s life is active will instinctively show God’s love by sharing with others.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• This morning, my heart is heavy with the understanding of many marriages struggling. Not just where I live but abroad as well. In the conclusion of this Blog I want to share something that speaks to couples but can be helpful to those who are single as well.

CONCLUSION:

           In many families today, divorce, desertion, and separation create untold grief and bitterness. Couples who at the time of the wedding declared that they would love each other “until death do us part” exhibit callous indifference when they contemplate divorce. Their wedding vows lie broken like pieces of porcelain on a stone floor. What went wrong?

Love has vanished because it could not flourish in an atmosphere of ever taking but never giving. Love can succeed only in an environment where it is allowed to give, for genuine love is sacrificial giving.

Look at the divine example. God loves nothing more than to be able to give. Indeed, he loved us so much that he gave his one and only Son to die for us (see John 3:16), and out of love for his people Jesus laid down his life. Says John, “We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

What does the Lord expect in marriage? Husband and wife should honor and love one another even to the point of being willing to lay down their life for one another. When husband and wife tenderly care for each other by imitating Christ’s example of sacrificial love, they will experience that God keeps them together in marital love and blesses their home and family with years of wedded bliss.

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 (126). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:17

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But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

THE STUDY:

How appropriate it is, during this time of the year, to be reading about Love. Not just love received but also Love given. Christmas is the time of the year when people seem a little more loving than the rest of the year. We not only see love in people by their heart felt cards and words given but we receive it in the form of gifts.

In this verse we read how Passing love on to another is not merely to express warm thoughts. Shared love has substance. Love consists of giving goods, material possessions (lit. the life [bios] of the world). The word bios appears rarely in the NT and always suggests life in its external aspects; it expresses concern over the affairs of material existence. In 2:16 the NIV translates it as what one “has and does.” Probably it is intended here as the “things of life” the necessities of life in the world. ^[1]

When others have material needs we can open our hearts and respond to their need. Or, instead, we can have no pity. The Greek text is vivid, saying one may be tempted to lock (kleisēi) away one’s inner being from him. To refuse to help another when God has placed the means in our hands is to lock those resources inside ourselves away from the needy other. The verb kleiō suggests a key or locked door, holding someone outside (Matt 23:13; Luke 11:7). To have no pity is to close off compassion to another.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that Love is not just words but action as well. To say we love someone yet not show it by meeting a need or giving from the blessings the Lord has given us means that the Love of God doesn’t abide (remain) in us.

CONCLUSION:

           Four-year-old Martha, hugging a doll in each of her pudgy little arms, looked wistfully up at her mother and said, “Mamma, I love them and love them and love them, but they never love me back.”

          Let today be a day that God shows His love for His people through you and me! Meet a need, give a hug, say a kind word, whatever the moment calls for, 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 (125). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (125). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:15-16 (Part 2)

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Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

THE STUDY:

Last Sunday was the second Sunday of Advent which focused on LOVE! These 2 verses are dealing with love and hate. Yesterday we read how hatred is defined as being a “murderer.” Today we read how John defines what Love is “that he laid down his life for us.”

The death of Christ was not a colossal accident; it had a purpose. His was a life given, not taken from him. The NIV inserts the name Jesus Christ for the word ekeinos (that one). In 1 John eikeinos consistently refers to the incarnate life of Christ (2:6; 3:3, 5, 7; 4:17). He “laid down his life,” no earthly ruler had the power to take his life, not even the Roman governor Pilate.

John contends that the only adequate response to this love is to live a life of selfless sacrifice, that is, to live like Christ. Such living is not to earn merit with God, but to express gratitude toward God. This sacrifice and emptying of self extends as far as giving our lives.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

We walk away this morning reminded that Christ always had US on his mind. Everything He did was because of the love He has for God’s people. The surrendering of His wants, His ways, and His will for the will of the Father is the life we should desire to live on this earth.

CONCLUSION:

           George Atley, a young Englishman with the heart of a hero, was engaged in the Central African Mission. He was attacked by a party of natives. He had with him a Winchester repeating rifle with ten loaded chambers. The party was completely at his mercy. Calmly and quickly he summed up the situation. He concluded that if he killed them it would do the mission more harm than if he allowed them to take his life. So, as a lamb to the slaughter he was led; and when his body was found in the stream, his rifle was also found with its ten chambers still loaded.

          The next time the Holy Spirit moves you to do the Fathers will, remember it is all in the name of Love.  

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 (125). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:15-16 (Part 1)

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Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

THE STUDY:

Yesterday John uses the dualism of Death and Life. In this passage we read the flip side of death: one who takes life reflects what is in him (not eternal life), one who gives their life is demonstrating what is inside of him (love).

The one who “hates his brother” not only still resides in death but spreads a death-dealing spirit toward others. Love leads to life, lack of love leads to death; both are contagious. Like Jesus, who linked “angry with his brother” (Matt 5:22) to murder and consequent judgment, John warns of the danger of lost love.

When love leaks out it is often replaced by hatred. When hatred seeps in, a person opens the door to the possibility of becoming a “murderer.” This word appears only one other time in the NT where it refers to “the devil” as “a murderer” (John 8:44). This verse speaks of the spiritual condition—eternal life—that could be forfeited by hatred toward our Christian “brother” and sister.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• What we can walk away this morning is the realization of the ways and effects of hatred. To the spirit, it is a cancer that will destroy the soul if left unattended. Just as Love is a choice, hatred is a choice as well. We can either choose hatred (no eternal life) or Love.

CONCLUSION:

           I am very thankful to the fact that God loved us so much he gave us Jesus. In St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is a life-size, marble statue of Christ struggling in anguish on the cross. The statue is titled: “This is how God loved the world!”

          My prayer for us today is to love like Christ loved. Let us take up our cross daily and follow His ways. Let that way be LOVE!

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 (123). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.