WEBVTT 00:00:00.780 --> 00:00:07.780 1 John chapter 3, these last couple verses, what you're going to find out is this section of scripture is very sobering section 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:08.580 of scripture. 00:00:09.600 --> 00:00:16.940 I want to approach really with as much clarity as Lord 00:00:16.940 --> 00:00:23.820 provides me to share with you because this section of scripture we're going to look at today is really the foundation of Christianity. 00:00:25.100 --> 00:00:26.790 Clarity on this matters. 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:35.040 When people don't understand what is communicated in this section of scripture and how pertinent it is, it's where you get a lot of false 00:00:35.040 --> 00:00:39.240 beliefs developing off of Christianity. 00:00:39.400 --> 00:00:46.600 This section, I would say, for me, is sort of the most paramount theologically in understanding what 1 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:52.000 John communicates to us in following after Christ with our lives. 00:00:52.020 --> 00:00:59.040 If you remember what we focused on, especially over the last couple weeks, is that, starting in chapter 2 to chapter 4, this is the meat of what 00:00:59.040 --> 00:01:01.320 1 John is about as followers of Jesus. 00:01:01.620 --> 00:01:08.740 He started off, 1 John chapter 1, John recognizing in our lives that in the Church there is a mixture of 00:01:08.740 --> 00:01:15.920 people, people that really belong to Jesus, people that might be seeking not belonging to Jesus, and people that really don't care about Jesus but 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:17.740 just want to be in a community. 00:01:18.320 --> 00:01:22.380 He really wants people to understand what it means to follow after God. 00:01:22.740 --> 00:01:27.400 He talks about people that are part of us, but they go out from us, but they weren't really of us. 00:01:27.660 --> 00:01:34.980 What John is thinking about in this story is how God is light, God is truth, God wants you to be righteous and 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:42.000 not lawless, and what it looks like to be a true follower of Jesus, in light of all of that, and one day all of us are going to meet God 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:43.170 face to face. 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:50.820 When we meet him, John says it like this, "That he wants you to be confident." If you remember of the beginning of 1 John, 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:55.400 what he talked about, he really laid out who he was and the authority that he carries. 00:01:55.420 --> 00:01:58.440 Remember, John is the last living Apostle as he writes this. 00:01:58.460 --> 00:02:00.680 All the other Apostles had been martyred for their faith. 00:02:01.940 --> 00:02:08.979 When John starts this letter, he reminds us that he has seen Jesus, he has heard from Jesus, he has even 00:02:08.979 --> 00:02:16.120 touched Jesus, he has been a witness first hand to everything that Christ has proclaimed and he says to us that, "God is 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:23.460 light, he is pure." What he is about to do now is to summarize all of what it means to pursue Jesus with 00:02:23.460 --> 00:02:24.820 our lives. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:29.460 He summarizes Christianity in really two commands. 00:02:29.700 --> 00:02:36.580 These commands as followers of Christ impact what you believe and how you behave. 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:41.040 In 1 John chapter 3, verse 22, the end of verse 22, this is how he picks it up. 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:48.740 "We keep his commands and do what pleases him and this is his commandment." John is saying, "Look, 00:02:48.940 --> 00:02:56.220 people think about different religious beliefs." In his time, he's combating against Gnosticism where these people are coming into the church, 00:02:56.220 --> 00:03:03.400 they're saying, "Look, you have this truth proclaimed to you, but there's this extra secret knowledge that you need." John's like, "No, 00:03:03.500 --> 00:03:05.580 let's just cut to the chase here. 00:03:05.900 --> 00:03:11.720 In Christianity, there is this command that God wants you to follow or these commands God wants you to follow and here are the commands. 00:03:12.040 --> 00:03:19.200 The first command is not about what you do, but the first command is about what's been done." 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:27.840 I should say it like this, "What you believe will determine how you behave." He's setting the precedent for not what you do, but what's 00:03:27.880 --> 00:03:28.280 been done. 00:03:28.380 --> 00:03:28.870 Look at this. 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:36.120 This is the commandment, here it is, "That we believe in the name of the son, Jesus Christ." Then, he says the second, "And love one another 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:37.680 just as he commanded us. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:41.860 Whoever keeps his commandments, abides in God and God in him. 00:03:41.860 --> 00:03:49.320 By this, we know that he abides in us by the Spirit whom he has given us." John summarizes 00:03:49.320 --> 00:03:51.180 all of Christianity this way. 00:03:52.420 --> 00:03:56.020 It's not about what you do, but it's about what you trust. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:03.310 Base of the Christianity is not about what you do, but it's about what's been done by the grace of God for you. 00:04:04.160 --> 00:04:11.760 He makes this very clear in the very beginning by saying, "We believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ." 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:14.570 Name has to do with identity of an individual. 00:04:14.860 --> 00:04:16.839 Today, we think about names, it's just what... 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:20.040 we asked the question, "What did you mama give you?" Then, you say your name, right? 00:04:20.140 --> 00:04:24.100 But, in Jesus' day, names represented identity. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:31.420 In fact, Christian practice was common to rename someone based on the spiritual gifts that they demonstrated in 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:32.420 Jesus. 00:04:33.200 --> 00:04:38.810 You think one of the Apostle Paul's companions was Barnabas, he was an encourager. 00:04:39.460 --> 00:04:46.720 Who else is going to do ministry next to Paul, who was known as a murderer, other than one who thinks optimistically about what Jesus could 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.240 do in his life, right? 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:52.320 Names in Jesus' day represented identity. 00:04:52.340 --> 00:04:59.640 Jesus' name isn't just like his mom said, "You know, you look like a Jesus, I'll call you Jesus." But, Jesus Christ represents the identity of 00:04:59.640 --> 00:05:02.220 who he was, the saving anointed one. 00:05:02.220 --> 00:05:06.600 That's what Jesus' name means, the saving King, and Jesus pursues us. 00:05:06.880 --> 00:05:08.220 What are we trusting in? 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:10.860 This word, believe in, literally means to trust in. 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:18.180 To take anything that you trusted in life, that you thought was secure, that your hope was resting in; stop hoping in those things because 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:22.080 they don't last and rather, trust in what does endure. 00:05:22.460 --> 00:05:26.260 What we trust in the identity of who Jesus is. 00:05:26.260 --> 00:05:28.420 He is this rescuing King. 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:35.680 Our salvation, our security is based on what this King has done for us, not what we do. 00:05:36.280 --> 00:05:40.770 Religion gives this idea that you climb this mountain to show to God that you are lovable. 00:05:41.080 --> 00:05:48.160 Rather, what Jesus said is in the midst of sin, Jesus pursues us, Jesus comes after us and Jesus 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:49.840 rescues us. 00:05:49.860 --> 00:05:52.660 John is saying, "Here's the basis of Christianity. 00:05:53.280 --> 00:06:00.600 It's not what you do, it's what's been done." The second commandment then is 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:01.300 to love others. 00:06:02.900 --> 00:06:10.120 When we see the ways that Jesus has pursued us, the way that Jesus loves us; we recognize that God cares about people and 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:14.120 God wants to reach us right where we are. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:22.040 God loves your heart, God wants to transform that heart, and God 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:23.550 is in pursuit of you. 00:06:24.280 --> 00:06:31.800 When see this King on this rescue mission to change our lives and we belong to that King, we 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.340 begin to demonstrate that in our world. 00:06:34.340 --> 00:06:38.980 It tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 20, "You have been bought with a price. 00:06:39.020 --> 00:06:46.120 That King came and he gave it all." He says in 1 Corinthians 6:20, "You have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in 00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:53.280 your body." Meaning, God doesn't just save you to leave you there, but now, this King, who's come to present thing Kingdom to 00:06:53.280 --> 00:06:57.740 you, calls you a citizen of this Kingdom and want you to represent this King. 00:06:58.960 --> 00:07:02.320 You've been bought with a price, glorify God with your body. 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:09.670 When you think about Christianity, and we say it very simplistically in this church, in Matthew chapter 28, verse 19 and 20, 00:07:09.720 --> 00:07:16.980 the last statement Jesus gave to his disciples before he ascended, "Go into this world and make disciples." ABC, our desire 00:07:16.980 --> 00:07:24.220 is to see disciples made, to see people become fully devoted followers of Jesus so that you can become fully 00:07:24.220 --> 00:07:25.700 devoted leaders for Jesus. 00:07:26.520 --> 00:07:27.820 You want to be a good leader, be a good follower. 00:07:29.780 --> 00:07:34.420 When you think about what Christianity is about, the representation is this, coming to know God. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:42.380 Paul said it this way in Philippians chapter 3, "I count it all as rubbish, for one pursuit, that I may know him." Paul 00:07:42.380 --> 00:07:47.300 abandons all of his religious pursuit in life for one simple cause, to know Jesus. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:51.400 To know him, and then in knowing him, to make him known. 00:07:52.680 --> 00:08:00.100 When we talk about what Christianity is, we can really summarize it this simplistically, to trust 00:08:00.100 --> 00:08:03.640 in Christ with your life, as this King has given you his. 00:08:04.740 --> 00:08:09.140 Then, to love others through this King and his Kingdom because this King loves you. 00:08:10.640 --> 00:08:18.740 Some people have looked at this and think, "Can it really be that simple?" Brother, 00:08:19.720 --> 00:08:23.020 the truth is that God's grace is that sufficient. 00:08:25.400 --> 00:08:29.520 There's nothing you can add to what Jesus has already done because Jesus has paid it all. 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:39.799 Some people in the simplicity of what that is, have determined that they want to pervert the message of what the Gospel is. 00:08:41.460 --> 00:08:47.580 When you use the word gospel, I think it's important for us to understand that the Gospel, the word gospel literally means a proclamation. 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:54.400 It's a proclamation of victory, saying there's really nothing that you can add to it because the King has already come, conquered and won. 00:08:56.360 --> 00:09:03.560 Some will look at the Christian message, and you can see this beginning early in the New Testament, they doubt rather in the sufficiency of 00:09:03.560 --> 00:09:09.780 what Christ has done for them and they feel like they need to add to the message of what the Gospel is. 00:09:09.820 --> 00:09:17.060 In doing so, it's no longer a good news, it's no longer the Gospel because they begin to pervert it and they add man's 00:09:17.060 --> 00:09:19.020 works on top of it. 00:09:19.500 --> 00:09:23.300 John, being aware of this, begins to address this idea. 00:09:24.540 --> 00:09:31.580 Some of us, even when you study the Apostle Paul when he went around early in the Church and he began to proclaim the Gospel, it tells us early on 00:09:31.580 --> 00:09:38.580 in his ministry, the Jews would follow him around and they would say, "Look, that's good that you have this message of Jesus, but really, you need to add the Old Testament Law 00:09:38.580 --> 00:09:45.600 to it." I mean that's the reason, I think, in your Bible, you have a lot of what the book of Romans is and the book of Galatians. 00:09:46.460 --> 00:09:53.220 If you just study the first three chapters of Romans, you'll see that the thing that Paul is primary addressing is the Law and how it relates to us today. 00:09:53.420 --> 00:09:57.320 People will look at the Old Testament Law and say, "Do we have to live this? 00:09:59.020 --> 00:10:03.100 Why do we not obey the 613 Commandments of the Old Testament Law? 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:09.690 Why is Jesus alone sufficient?" That's a good question, right? 00:10:11.700 --> 00:10:15.900 The Old Testament Law, when you think about it, the Old Testament Law in itself, it's holy. 00:10:17.240 --> 00:10:23.340 God gave us the Old Testament Law and it represents his nature, therefore it's holy. 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:33.220 But, when you think about categorically how we even refer to the sections of the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:37.720 even in the representation, there is a distinction worthy of talking about. 00:10:38.020 --> 00:10:43.020 Why do we talk about one part of the Bible being Old Testament and one part of the Bible being New Testament? 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:47.300 The idea of testament can also be translated covenant. 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:53.040 What we're really saying is old covenant and new covenant. 00:10:54.520 --> 00:11:01.720 Now, you can't have a new covenant until the old covenant is fulfilled. 00:11:02.940 --> 00:11:10.220 What we're talking about and even acknowledging that the Old Testament is old covenant, New Testament is new covenant; is something has taken place in between these 00:11:10.220 --> 00:11:11.780 two covenants to fulfill them. 00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:12.750 What is the old covenant? 00:11:12.920 --> 00:11:17.380 Well, it's the Old Testament Law, the 613 Commandments. 00:11:17.380 --> 00:11:19.200 Who fulfilled the old covenant? 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:21.260 Jesus. 00:11:22.260 --> 00:11:30.760 Matthew chapter 5, verse 17, Jesus says, "I came not to abolish the Law, but to," what, "fulfill 00:11:30.760 --> 00:11:33.580 it." Jesus came to fulfill it. 00:11:34.740 --> 00:11:41.780 When you study the purpose of the old covenant, the old covenant, Old Testament, the Law that God established; the purpose of the 00:11:41.780 --> 00:11:45.660 old covenant Law wasn't to save you, it wasn't to free you. 00:11:46.980 --> 00:11:54.340 To look at Jesus and say he's not sufficient, we need to add Laws to find our selves to be approved before God is to 00:11:54.340 --> 00:11:57.600 apply something to us that wasn't even intended to ever free us. 00:11:59.280 --> 00:12:06.520 In fact, when you look in books like Romans and Galatians, which is, told you Paul laid out because of the conflict of seeing Jews 00:12:06.520 --> 00:12:13.060 try to tell Christians that you need to insert Law into your living or some Jews even believing in they need to hold to the Old Testament Law. 00:12:13.060 --> 00:12:14.460 Look at some of the things Paul said here. 00:12:15.300 --> 00:12:22.440 "Now, we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the law," look at this, "so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:23.540 accountable before God. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:31.600 For by the works of the Law, no human being will be justified in his sight," meaning looks right 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:39.240 to God, "since through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." Look what he says about the law in Romans 4:15, "For the Law bring wrath." 00:12:41.140 --> 00:12:42.920 What Paul is saying is the Law doesn't free you. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:45.000 The only thing religious Law does is condemn you. 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:48.480 What religion does will tell you when you failed. 00:12:49.220 --> 00:12:50.360 Law does that. 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:57.540 When you leave here and you pulled over too fast like cops pull you over not to tell you great at obeying the law, but they tell you when 00:12:57.540 --> 00:12:58.440 you break the law. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.180 Laws work to tell you when you break them. 00:13:01.280 --> 00:13:03.100 They don't free you, they condemn you. 00:13:03.140 --> 00:13:10.200 To apply any law to what Jesus says is, one, to say Jesus is insufficient and, two, it's adding condemnation to our head. 00:13:11.180 --> 00:13:16.410 What Paul is acknowledging here is the purpose of the old covenant Law isn't about freedom, it's about condemnation. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:24.520 In addition to that, the book of Galatians, he says it like this, Galatians 3:24, "So then the law," the reason the law was given, "was 00:13:24.520 --> 00:13:31.720 our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith." What makes us righteous? 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:33.620 It's not living the law, it's faith. 00:13:33.760 --> 00:13:34.740 Who's that faith in? 00:13:34.740 --> 00:13:42.020 Well, John told us, "Believe in Jesus, in the name of what Christ has done for you." But he says, "Now, that 00:13:42.020 --> 00:13:47.400 faith is come, we are no longer under," what, "the guardian," right, which is the? 00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:48.660 The law. 00:13:50.760 --> 00:13:57.840 You look at the Old Testament, the purpose of the Old Testament Law, not to free but to condemn and it's to show us, in Galatians 00:13:57.840 --> 00:13:59.720 3, it's to show our need for Jesus. 00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:03.040 It's to help us to recognize as we look at this law. 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:04.140 We're like, "Man, I keep messing up. 00:14:04.400 --> 00:14:06.520 I need something to really rescue me. 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:11.980 WHat's going to rescue me?" That was the purpose of the Law, so that you recognize in Law, "I feel condemned. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:13.080 I'm not perfect. 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:16.420 What can I do?" Now, he's saying, "Now, the answer is come by faith. 00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:23.950 You're no longer under guardian, but now rest in Jesus." Do you see the sufficiency of Christ in this being proclaimed through what the Law intended? 00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:27.240 Not as freedom, but to show your need for Jesus. 00:14:28.920 --> 00:14:35.660 Knowing we were condemned, Jesus comes and he looks at the Law. 00:14:37.280 --> 00:14:40.460 He realizes that we aren't perfect, but he is. 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:48.820 He comes not to abolish the old covenant because God gave that covenant, but rather to fulfill its demands by 00:14:48.820 --> 00:14:53.280 going to the cross and his perfection and taking all of the punishment upon himself. 00:14:54.920 --> 00:14:56.020 Jesus came to fulfill it. 00:14:57.280 --> 00:15:04.300 Look what it says in Hebrews 8:13, "And speaking of a new covenant, it's acknowledging now that Jesus is brought in a 00:15:04.300 --> 00:15:11.850 new covenant." It says, "Jesus makes the first one obsolete." Jesus 00:15:11.850 --> 00:15:13.090 obliterated. 00:15:14.910 --> 00:15:16.600 Word can be translated as obliterated. 00:15:18.030 --> 00:15:19.720 He obliterated the Old Testament Law. 00:15:21.730 --> 00:15:23.430 Do we obey the old covenant? 00:15:24.630 --> 00:15:24.940 No. 00:15:26.350 --> 00:15:33.830 I don't wake up in the morning and say, "How can I obey 613 laws." There may be things I do that reflect the old covenant like I haven't murdered anyone, 00:15:34.210 --> 00:15:34.960 right? 00:15:36.010 --> 00:15:39.290 But, it's not because I wake up in the morning and want to reflect the old covenant. 00:15:40.310 --> 00:15:43.910 It's because sometimes the new covenant aligns with Christ. 00:15:46.030 --> 00:15:47.730 In the new covenant, remember what it's about. 00:15:48.530 --> 00:15:51.150 "What do we do now if we don't obey the Old Testament Law? 00:15:51.190 --> 00:15:55.290 Do we just live however we want?" People worry about that. 00:15:55.290 --> 00:15:56.750 "What are you going to do if there's no law then? 00:15:56.790 --> 00:16:02.890 If you don't say you'll obey all these laws of the Old Testament, do you just wake up and do whatever you want? 00:16:02.890 --> 00:16:04.730 You can just live like hell and Jesus rescues you? 00:16:04.790 --> 00:16:09.080 Is that really what it's about?" Paul makes an argument in Romans. 00:16:09.170 --> 00:16:10.610 He says, "What shall we do now? 00:16:10.610 --> 00:16:17.690 Should we go on sinning that grace may abound?" He said, "May it never be." Remember 1 Corinthians 6:20, "You've been bought with a price." 00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:22.890 The value of Jesus, it's been given for you. 00:16:22.930 --> 00:16:24.310 You've been bought with a price. 00:16:26.350 --> 00:16:27.730 Glorify God with your body. 00:16:29.510 --> 00:16:32.850 Jesus has pursued you and Jesus wants to know you. 00:16:34.190 --> 00:16:36.010 What do we then in new covenant? 00:16:36.010 --> 00:16:37.310 Well, John said it for us. 00:16:37.990 --> 00:16:45.150 We trust in Jesus for the new covenant frees us from the wrath of God, so we're walking in Christ, we're believing 00:16:45.150 --> 00:16:46.690 in him, we're hoping in him. 00:16:46.950 --> 00:16:55.410 Then, it tells us how to respond in that belief, we lean all our trust, is to love others, is 00:16:55.450 --> 00:16:56.830 to care for others around us. 00:16:58.030 --> 00:17:00.130 I mean God calls us to minister in this world. 00:17:00.290 --> 00:17:02.710 Ministry's not about accomplishing religious law. 00:17:04.030 --> 00:17:09.670 Ministry is designed for the purpose of reaching hearts of people, which God desires to do. 00:17:09.710 --> 00:17:14.329 The way God desires to do that is through his people that are now empowered by his Spirit. 00:17:16.510 --> 00:17:19.310 As a Christian, we don't wake up and follow religious Law. 00:17:20.010 --> 00:17:25.510 Rather, what the New Testament says to us now is in new covenant, God promises his Spirit. 00:17:25.730 --> 00:17:33.090 This is the command he tells to believers now, "I say walk by the Spirit." He doesn't say, "Wake up and obey Law." He says, "Now, rather, here's what you're going to do, walk 00:17:33.090 --> 00:17:37.990 by the spirit." This idea of walk literally means be surrendered to how the Spirit of God wants to move. 00:17:39.950 --> 00:17:43.630 Surrender your life to this King that pursued you since he is a king, he has a kingdom. 00:17:43.890 --> 00:17:45.530 You belong to him as a citizen. 00:17:45.530 --> 00:17:47.400 Now, you represent this King as an ambassador. 00:17:47.970 --> 00:17:54.750 Surrender your life before this King and walk in the Spirit of what this King has sent to you by the Holy Spirit that now indwells you. 00:17:55.370 --> 00:17:56.010 Walk in the Spirit. 00:17:56.070 --> 00:18:00.210 If you want to know what that means to walk in the Spirit, I will tell you read Galatians 5:16 and on. 00:18:00.250 --> 00:18:07.360 But, look at this, "Walk by the Spirit," look at this, "you will not gratify the desires of your flesh." Now, but, in verse 18, 00:18:07.530 --> 00:18:14.830 "if you are lead by the Spirit," look at this, "as a Christian being indwelled by the Spirit, if you're lead by the Spirit," look what it says, "you are not under 00:18:14.830 --> 00:18:22.190 the," what, "law." Wake up every morning loving 00:18:22.190 --> 00:18:22.750 God. 00:18:24.470 --> 00:18:29.470 I don't mean God arbitrarily like some just figure that's just ambiguous. 00:18:29.490 --> 00:18:29.980 I mean Jesus. 00:18:32.450 --> 00:18:33.270 Love Jesus. 00:18:34.190 --> 00:18:41.230 In pursuit of that heart, in pursuit of his heart, my heart connected to his heart; I'll learn to share what his heart is for this world, 00:18:41.530 --> 00:18:42.490 and which is to love people. 00:18:44.730 --> 00:18:45.990 I'm not governed by law. 00:18:46.050 --> 00:18:53.950 I'm walking in the spirit.He even says it like this in Galatians 6:2, "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ." You 00:18:53.950 --> 00:18:54.870 know what the Law of Christ is? 00:18:55.010 --> 00:19:02.670 Jesus said it like this, John 13:34, "A new Commandment I give unto you." Jesus' is giving a new Commandment, not because he's adding to the old Commandment, but 00:19:02.690 --> 00:19:09.930 because he's created the new covenant, and the new covenant says, "Love one another as I have loved you." We bear one another's 00:19:09.990 --> 00:19:14.670 burdens because we want to fulfill the Law of Christ, which is in knowing him, we love others. 00:19:17.390 --> 00:19:24.470 John recognizes that in that message, the simplicity of what Jesus has done, not the basis of what 00:19:24.470 --> 00:19:31.570 we do and the freedom of what Christ gives to us that people will come along and pervert the teaching of 00:19:31.570 --> 00:19:31.670 Christ. 00:19:33.630 --> 00:19:40.650 You can see it in the life of Paul as he ministers in the New Testament, you can see it in the life of Peter, you can even see it in this Epistle 00:19:40.890 --> 00:19:41.650 written by John. 00:19:42.770 --> 00:19:50.490 When gnostics are coming in and saying, "You need secret knowledge, extra knowledge, there's more to this." John's saying, "No, there's not." He 00:19:50.490 --> 00:19:54.890 follows the idea of 1 John chapter 3 with these next words. 00:19:54.890 --> 00:20:02.250 This is where he gets a little sobering for us, but he says this, "Beloved," talking about the Body of Christ, "Beloved, do 00:20:02.250 --> 00:20:09.350 not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God for many false prophets have gone out into 00:20:09.350 --> 00:20:13.350 the world." Test the spirits. 00:20:13.430 --> 00:20:14.030 Now, this is freaky. 00:20:15.950 --> 00:20:23.130 You think about this for a minute, I mean in terms of talking about a Holy Spirit, in terms of talking about a human spirit, in terms of talking about spiritual 00:20:23.130 --> 00:20:29.050 forces; there are dark forces and there are light forces and we can be influenced by both. 00:20:30.450 --> 00:20:33.410 That is kind of freaky to think about, right? 00:20:35.010 --> 00:20:37.030 Let me just start like this. 00:20:37.030 --> 00:20:38.610 Why is it so important to test the spirits? 00:20:38.650 --> 00:20:40.010 I mean John's saying test the spirits. 00:20:40.030 --> 00:20:40.790 Let's just ask the question. 00:20:41.330 --> 00:20:43.370 Why is it so important to test the spirits? 00:20:43.370 --> 00:20:50.390 Often times, when we think about the spirits like when you think about Satan, in our mind the way that we like to think about Satan in 00:20:50.390 --> 00:20:55.400 John chapter 10, verse 10, it says this, "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. 00:20:55.970 --> 00:20:57.650 That sounds just like Satan, right? 00:20:57.650 --> 00:21:04.830 Then, he juxtaposes that statement with Jesus, but Jesus says, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." You're like, "Okay, what's 00:21:04.830 --> 00:21:06.010 the Kingdom of Darkness about? 00:21:06.030 --> 00:21:07.860 It's about steal, kill and destroy. 00:21:08.110 --> 00:21:09.110 What's Jesus about? 00:21:09.110 --> 00:21:14.350 He's about life abundant, right?" We think in terms of Satan, we tend to think this way, "I don't want darkness. 00:21:14.670 --> 00:21:21.730 It's evil, steal kill and destroy, right?" You think about what Satan is in our society today, he grows horns, he's 00:21:21.730 --> 00:21:26.230 really red, he's got this nasty tail, he walks around with pitchforks, he's evil. 00:21:26.390 --> 00:21:28.610 When we see bad things like that, we run, right? 00:21:30.290 --> 00:21:31.690 But, just think about this for a moment. 00:21:34.310 --> 00:21:35.610 Satan shows up in the Garden of Eden. 00:21:35.730 --> 00:21:38.410 I think it's true, Satan wants to kill, steal and destroy, right? 00:21:39.010 --> 00:21:41.410 Spiritual forces of darkness, they want to steal, kill and destroy. 00:21:43.130 --> 00:21:51.910 But, Satan shows up in the Garden of Eden, and if you know the story of Garden of Eden, they eat a piece of fruit and from that point, all 00:21:51.910 --> 00:21:56.210 of destruction, all the curse of what we seen in sin and all of this world was born. 00:21:58.030 --> 00:22:01.290 But, when Satan showed up, did he say, "Steal, kill, and destroy"? 00:22:02.630 --> 00:22:03.690 Is that how he presented himself? 00:22:05.150 --> 00:22:06.270 I mean who's really going to believe that? 00:22:07.010 --> 00:22:13.610 If Satan shows up this morning and he wants to influence for bad, and he talks to us, he's like, "Everyone, go out, steal, kill and destroy," right? 00:22:13.870 --> 00:22:16.030 I mean who's going to be like, "Man, that sounds like a great idea, right? 00:22:16.050 --> 00:22:16.770 Let's do this. 00:22:16.910 --> 00:22:20.070 This guy's on to something." No one's going to follow that. 00:22:20.070 --> 00:22:24.810 If Satan appears before us and he's say's that, no one's going to listen to that. 00:22:25.030 --> 00:22:25.950 It's like, "Dude, you've got horns. 00:22:26.510 --> 00:22:30.750 We need halos if we're going to do anything, right?" Satan doesn't work that way. 00:22:30.830 --> 00:22:35.600 When Satan showed up to the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, he didn't come saying, "Steal, kill and destroy." What did he do? 00:22:38.410 --> 00:22:42.080 In Genesis chapter 3, verse 1, all he did was ask a question. 00:22:44.350 --> 00:22:51.090 He looked at Eve and said, "Surely, God didn't say not to at the tree. 00:22:51.110 --> 00:22:57.630 Did he?" Satan didn't come teaching kill, steal and destroy. 00:22:57.690 --> 00:22:58.320 You know what Satan did? 00:23:00.810 --> 00:23:09.150 All he did was twist the truth because Satan knows if he can get you to buy into a lie, destruction 00:23:09.150 --> 00:23:09.970 happens. 00:23:12.090 --> 00:23:13.730 That's why John's saying test the spirits. 00:23:15.830 --> 00:23:19.550 Spirits don't come with these horns, all these bells and whistles warning you. 00:23:21.370 --> 00:23:24.570 They come under the deception of something that may look good but isn't godly. 00:23:25.990 --> 00:23:27.170 It's like old covenant Law. 00:23:27.330 --> 00:23:28.910 Old covenant Law can look good. 00:23:29.290 --> 00:23:33.480 I mean there's a lot of good things that God tells people to do, but you know what it completely does? 00:23:35.050 --> 00:23:37.170 Undermines the sufficiency of Jesus in your life. 00:23:38.390 --> 00:23:44.810 While it may look good, it leads the soul to destruction because law will never free your heart. 00:23:46.370 --> 00:23:47.230 Jesus does. 00:23:48.870 --> 00:23:49.530 Test the spirits. 00:23:51.110 --> 00:23:58.130 You know it's probably a more accurate way of looking at Satan, Ezekiel 28 in describing Satan, just think about this, how 00:23:58.130 --> 00:24:05.130 Eve would've seen Satan, it says, "You are the signet of perfection," talking about Satan, "full of wisdom and perfect 00:24:05.130 --> 00:24:08.870 in beauty, You were in Eden, the Garden of God. 00:24:08.870 --> 00:24:12.930 Every precious stone was your covering." Does that sound like pitchfork? 00:24:15.130 --> 00:24:23.190 Even in the New Testament, it says, 2 Corinthians 11:4, "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." What 00:24:23.190 --> 00:24:30.230 John is saying to us when he says, "Test the spirit," is the deception of spirits is that spiritual feeling, it can feel 00:24:30.230 --> 00:24:33.490 good and still not be of God. 00:24:35.270 --> 00:24:38.910 It can look good but completely hate God. 00:24:40.210 --> 00:24:46.410 I've told us this before, but Satan has no problem with good, the problem's with God. 00:24:46.430 --> 00:24:48.190 Even if you read the mission statement. 00:24:48.250 --> 00:24:50.930 If you look on your phone, what's the mission statement of the Satanic Temple? 00:24:52.550 --> 00:24:54.150 It's to do good to all men. 00:24:56.890 --> 00:25:04.170 They've got no problem with good, it's with God because Satan understands it's 00:25:04.170 --> 00:25:05.710 God that sets you free. 00:25:08.590 --> 00:25:14.960 John is looking at the simplicity of what the message is because of what Jesus has done for you by the extravagance of his grace. 00:25:15.390 --> 00:25:22.390 He's saying to us, "Look, don't let go of this message because the temptation in your life is to gravitate towards other things and try to add to 00:25:22.390 --> 00:25:27.430 it." But, the know that hope of your heart is just to rest in the goodness of what Jesus had done. 00:25:29.550 --> 00:25:36.730 Rather than picture Satan like this, one who comes to steal, kill and destroy, is to recognize that Satan comes 00:25:36.730 --> 00:25:43.010 deceiving us as an angel of light and so testing the spirits are important. 00:25:43.710 --> 00:25:50.970 It's to say truth matters, especially when you're on the receiving end of a lie because if Satan can just twist the 00:25:50.970 --> 00:25:58.210 truth, he can bring destruction to your soul, doesn't start 00:25:58.210 --> 00:25:59.190 with kill, steal and destroy. 00:26:00.830 --> 00:26:04.300 He starts with a lie and just lets the destruction happen. 00:26:05.910 --> 00:26:07.240 How do you test the spirits? 00:26:08.830 --> 00:26:15.910 When you look in verse 1, I think people come to this verse and really they sometimes will react two 00:26:15.910 --> 00:26:16.410 different ways. 00:26:16.450 --> 00:26:18.630 You'll either go into fight or flight mode. 00:26:19.850 --> 00:26:22.550 Flight mode is where you get paranoid. 00:26:23.370 --> 00:26:28.310 I don't want you to look at this verse, be like, "Oh, my gosh, there's these spirits everywhere and we're just ah," you freak out about it, right? 00:26:28.310 --> 00:26:32.150 Verse 4 to 6 is for you if this verse makes you paranoid, okay? 00:26:32.410 --> 00:26:34.320 We'll look at it in a minute, but don't get paranoid. 00:26:35.210 --> 00:26:41.930 I got to say one of the greatest pains in ministry is also really quickly aligned with one of the greatest joys in ministries. 00:26:41.930 --> 00:26:48.610 One of the greatest pains is seeing people lost because they really don't know how to test the spirits or they've been lied to in their lives. 00:26:48.710 --> 00:26:52.780 But, one of the greatest joys is directing them to the truth that sets them free. 00:26:54.190 --> 00:27:01.170 I want us rather than be paranoid to build our confidence in what John says helps us test these spirits and to walk confidently in that. 00:27:01.310 --> 00:27:02.590 How do we test these spirits? 00:27:02.990 --> 00:27:05.090 That's a good question but just think about this. 00:27:05.090 --> 00:27:06.080 Don't be paranoid. 00:27:06.430 --> 00:27:07.910 Don't go into flight mode. 00:27:08.490 --> 00:27:10.610 The other thing is don't go into fight mode. 00:27:10.770 --> 00:27:17.970 Fight mode are people that just become permanent heresy hunters, where they act like arrogant critics and just blast heretics all 00:27:17.970 --> 00:27:25.160 day like they feel like their whole purpose to seek and destroy, find people that don't agree with Jesus and just annihilate them like from this truth. 00:27:25.470 --> 00:27:27.250 I don't think God wants us to do that either. 00:27:27.370 --> 00:27:33.560 I don't think that God calls us to be critical, but rather what this verse calls you to do is think critically. 00:27:34.130 --> 00:27:34.720 Does that make sense? 00:27:35.490 --> 00:27:36.170 Don't critical. 00:27:36.210 --> 00:27:37.080 No one wants to be around that. 00:27:37.270 --> 00:27:38.480 But, do think critically. 00:27:38.670 --> 00:27:39.010 This is important. 00:27:39.350 --> 00:27:41.830 Truth sets us free. 00:27:42.030 --> 00:27:46.370 I want us to encourage us to see truth as important and to show people what truth is. 00:27:46.410 --> 00:27:52.190 I want to be discerning, humble, godly servants of the Lord. 00:27:54.670 --> 00:28:00.590 It's not about being paranoid in flight or being heresy hunters and fighting. 00:28:00.610 --> 00:28:02.450 It's about recognizing there is light and there is darkness. 00:28:03.750 --> 00:28:04.590 I want to be aware of that. 00:28:05.890 --> 00:28:08.610 I want people to know the truth of Christ that sets them free. 00:28:08.970 --> 00:28:10.610 How do you test the spirits? 00:28:12.490 --> 00:28:20.670 This idea of test means to try, to examine, 00:28:21.030 --> 00:28:21.490 to prove. 00:28:23.010 --> 00:28:27.870 How do we prove these spirits, how do we examine these spirits or test them? 00:28:27.890 --> 00:28:32.390 The question I'm going to answer is then what is the standard by which we measure. 00:28:32.490 --> 00:28:37.550 You ever take a test in life, you go to grade school, you have a test, everyone takes a test, you turn your test in, teacher's got an answer sheet. 00:28:38.910 --> 00:28:43.230 That answer sheet becomes the standard to determine did you get an A or did you flunk the class, right? 00:28:43.990 --> 00:28:47.850 What is the standard to determine if something is true or not true? 00:28:48.790 --> 00:28:50.870 Here's the unfortunate part of our society. 00:28:50.870 --> 00:28:57.970 In our country, what we've taught ourselves is that humanity is the highest standard of life and so we base everything 00:28:57.970 --> 00:28:59.690 on your personal experience. 00:28:59.830 --> 00:29:01.690 You become a litmus test for truth. 00:29:01.730 --> 00:29:07.550 It's like this Oprah Winfrey style where she'll ask the question, "What is your truth?" Honestly, that's not what... 00:29:07.570 --> 00:29:13.290 She should rather ask, "What is your experience?" Because truthfully, you are not the determiner of truth. 00:29:13.290 --> 00:29:17.570 Truth existed before you existed and truth's going to continue exist after you're going. 00:29:17.930 --> 00:29:19.210 Truth is bigger than you. 00:29:19.310 --> 00:29:22.130 You aren't the standard for what determines truth. 00:29:22.150 --> 00:29:25.670 Now, you can experience truth, but you never establish truth. 00:29:25.790 --> 00:29:34.150 In fact, just by way of thinking of that, I would just say there is a lot of good people that believe a lot of things sincerely and 00:29:34.150 --> 00:29:35.380 they're sincerely wrong. 00:29:36.930 --> 00:29:41.450 Just looking within yourself for the source of truth, well, there are spirits that can deceive you. 00:29:41.530 --> 00:29:43.550 How in the world do you know if you're being deceived? 00:29:43.970 --> 00:29:51.410 If just take an example, two people, two types of people that I love, that I would disagree with, I would say, "Look, there is Hinduism 00:29:51.410 --> 00:29:52.690 and there's Islam, right? 00:29:53.150 --> 00:29:55.470 Both of them make a proclamation about God. 00:29:57.030 --> 00:30:04.240 Both of them can say, 'I had these wonderful internal experiences and this is my truth.' But, they both can't be right 00:30:05.910 --> 00:30:07.730 because they both teach about a different God. 00:30:09.010 --> 00:30:16.670 They can both be wrong, but they both can't be right." When you have two people with different religious views saying, "I 00:30:16.670 --> 00:30:23.790 believe this is true, I believe this is true and this has been my experience, my personal experience of my truth." The other person's like, "This has been my personal experience and truth." 00:30:23.910 --> 00:30:27.870 How do you determine who's right and wrong if the basis of the standard of truth is within yourself? 00:30:28.650 --> 00:30:29.890 Because they both can't be right. 00:30:31.050 --> 00:30:32.590 They're teaching about two different gods. 00:30:33.830 --> 00:30:40.930 As they indicate for us the standard to examine which one's true isn't found within them but outside of them, there's got to be a place that you come to, 00:30:41.190 --> 00:30:46.380 an answer sheet that examines outside of all of us that we can look at together and say, "Look, these guys are both making the proclamation. 00:30:46.710 --> 00:30:47.610 One of here's got to be crazy. 00:30:48.050 --> 00:30:48.610 Maybe both. 00:30:48.630 --> 00:30:49.170 Who's right? 00:30:49.250 --> 00:30:52.370 Who's wrong?" You can love them in their incorrectness. 00:30:54.610 --> 00:30:55.450 They can't both be true. 00:30:56.490 --> 00:30:58.910 The standard of truth isn't found within us. 00:30:58.930 --> 00:31:02.930 Now, I hope you enjoy your journey with the Lord, but the standard of truth isn't found within us. 00:31:02.950 --> 00:31:08.170 I mean there's a lot of people that believe things and believe wrong and now because of that, the prisons are full with them, right? 00:31:08.790 --> 00:31:11.160 With your whole heart, you can believe something. 00:31:11.810 --> 00:31:15.810 Then, we have a standard of law that says, "Well, you can believe that all, but it's wrong, right? 00:31:15.830 --> 00:31:21.710 It is wrong, so let's go to jail for this." There's a standard for that. 00:31:22.470 --> 00:31:28.910 Using yourself as a basis of truth, here's the scary part where that can go, Nazi Germany. 00:31:31.790 --> 00:31:38.830 When you start to use humanity as the basis for determining what's right and wrong, eventually, you get to a place where 00:31:38.830 --> 00:31:39.930 might makes right. 00:31:40.430 --> 00:31:41.590 It's not about what's true anymore. 00:31:41.890 --> 00:31:44.610 It's whoever screams the loudest, fights the hardest and wins the battle. 00:31:44.830 --> 00:31:47.530 Has nothing to do with truth and might makes right. 00:31:48.790 --> 00:31:54.990 In the end, what happens in the passivity of other people that might be true, corruption. 00:31:54.990 --> 00:31:57.090 Things like that birthed Nazi Germany. 00:31:58.810 --> 00:32:00.110 Might makes right. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:07.670 The point is I can believe sincerely like I can believe right now when I leave today I've got a helicopter outside that's going to take me away. 00:32:07.810 --> 00:32:10.890 Reality is when I walk out I've got my same dinky car, right? 00:32:11.150 --> 00:32:13.330 You can believe things, but that doesn't make them true. 00:32:14.530 --> 00:32:16.890 How do you determine what's true? 00:32:17.230 --> 00:32:19.070 Well, the standard of truth is outside you and me. 00:32:20.270 --> 00:32:22.070 What can we look at to determine what's true? 00:32:22.110 --> 00:32:22.730 Well, John says that. 00:32:23.950 --> 00:32:31.110 He tells us in 1 John chapter 4, verse 2, "By this you know the Spirit of God," so you want to test the spirits, here's where you find 00:32:31.110 --> 00:32:33.390 the Spirit of God, the spirit you want to pursue. 00:32:33.610 --> 00:32:37.430 Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. 00:32:39.150 --> 00:32:46.290 Every spirit that does confess Jesus is not from God, this is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard was coming 00:32:46.290 --> 00:32:48.050 and now is in the world already. 00:32:50.130 --> 00:32:57.130 What John is saying is, "Look, the foundational standard for Christianity is built on Jesus, on Christ. 00:32:57.190 --> 00:33:00.230 That's why we call it Christianity, right? 00:33:00.490 --> 00:33:07.550 We can examine Jesus to see if Jesus is who he claims to be, but the standard in this for us is Jesus. 00:33:08.410 --> 00:33:14.210 In John's day, remember what they're combating in Gnosticism, they think that the world is spiritual and evil and the evil's bad and the spiritual's good. 00:33:14.370 --> 00:33:17.770 Since Jesus was good, he never really came physically, he only came spiritually. 00:33:18.250 --> 00:33:19.770 John says that's baloney. 00:33:19.770 --> 00:33:20.860 Jesus had to come physically. 00:33:21.130 --> 00:33:24.680 He had to be here physically because he had to die for you physically to pay for your sins physically. 00:33:26.430 --> 00:33:29.390 If you don't believe that Jesus came, you're undermining what Jesus did. 00:33:29.610 --> 00:33:30.200 Here's the test. 00:33:31.330 --> 00:33:34.350 Jesus, it's the identity of Jesus. 00:33:34.690 --> 00:33:41.890 Jesus said it like this, as a standard of truth, John 14:6, "Am I the way, I am the," what, "truth, I am the life." Jesus 00:33:41.890 --> 00:33:46.370 tells us he is the way to pursue, he is truth itself, he is life itself. 00:33:46.370 --> 00:33:47.480 It's not that he just gives life. 00:33:47.550 --> 00:33:49.540 It is he is the sustainer, upholder of life. 00:33:49.730 --> 00:33:52.190 I mean what kind of person calls themself the truth? 00:33:53.210 --> 00:33:57.890 What kind of man calls himself the truth, unless he's more than just a man? 00:33:59.470 --> 00:34:03.820 What John is establishing for us is Jesus is that standard. 00:34:04.030 --> 00:34:06.440 We think about that question, who is Jesus. 00:34:06.910 --> 00:34:07.870 Who is Jesus? 00:34:07.950 --> 00:34:15.050 The most important question you can answer in Christianity because this is everything that you're believing in, this is what you rest your life on, this 00:34:15.050 --> 00:34:22.670 is what give you hope, this is where you say, "This is why my life is sufficient and not religion but in Christ." It's because of the identity of Jesus. 00:34:23.050 --> 00:34:29.370 Jesus is eternal creator God who made everything physical and spiritual part of the tri-unity of God. 00:34:30.250 --> 00:34:31.710 We rebelled against him. 00:34:31.909 --> 00:34:38.510 He pursued us, he was born of a virgin, came in the flesh, died on the cross, resurrected the third day. 00:34:38.510 --> 00:34:45.550 He said, "Unless you believe in me, you will die in your sins." Jesus, today, in his resurrection, ruling on the 00:34:45.550 --> 00:34:50.850 right hand of the Father, promises in that ruling and reigning, he will return for us one day. 00:34:51.010 --> 00:34:54.170 That is the clarity of Christ which we rest in. 00:34:54.510 --> 00:34:59.190 That is the litmus test to examine if what someone is proclaiming is true or not. 00:35:00.710 --> 00:35:05.270 John wants us to rest in the identity and standard that is Jesus. 00:35:05.330 --> 00:35:06.830 Then, John builds from there. 00:35:06.830 --> 00:35:14.090 He says this, verses 4 to 6, let me just read verse 6, he says, I want to come back to the other ones, "We are from God. 00:35:15.290 --> 00:35:17.490 Whoever knows God listens to us. 00:35:18.490 --> 00:35:20.810 Whoever is not from God does not listen to us. 00:35:21.710 --> 00:35:27.720 By this, we know the Spirit of truth and spirit of error." I'm going to use this word us. 00:35:27.830 --> 00:35:33.940 I think he's representing the Church as a whole and then I think more specifically the Apostolic teaching because that's what the Church obeys. 00:35:34.530 --> 00:35:41.670 But, you remember in Jude verse 3, it tells us, and the book of Jude's only got one chapter, verse 3, that, "The faith," the faith not your faith, but 00:35:41.730 --> 00:35:48.570 the faith, "was once for all handed down to the Saints," so it's saying what is our faith is concluded and wrapped up in the identity of Jesus. 00:35:48.830 --> 00:35:50.550 There's no more that needs to be added to scripture. 00:35:50.670 --> 00:35:55.040 Everything that we believe and live in is in Christ, so the faith has been handed to us. 00:35:55.170 --> 00:35:59.950 That's why John, in this passage, was able to say, "Look, you need to listen to what we have taught. 00:35:59.970 --> 00:36:07.030 Listen to us and what we have taught." The standard, what John is saying, is really he's saying it's God's word, "Listen to what 00:36:07.030 --> 00:36:14.230 the Apostolic teaching has brought to us because this is where we rest." When you think about what Jesus, the idea of Jesus, Jesus 00:36:14.230 --> 00:36:21.030 being the standard when we test the spirits, we test the spirits we examine according to who Christ is in accordance to God's word. 00:36:22.690 --> 00:36:25.560 God's word records for us the identity of who Jesus is. 00:36:26.690 --> 00:36:29.390 Jesus prayed for you in John chapter 17. 00:36:30.670 --> 00:36:39.110 In his prayer, as God's people, he says this in verse 17 of chapter 17 of John, he says, "Sanctify them in truth, your 00:36:39.110 --> 00:36:46.430 word God is truth." The standard, God's 00:36:46.430 --> 00:36:46.670 word. 00:36:49.870 --> 00:36:58.890 What John is saying in this story for us is that for us to examine the spirits is 00:36:58.930 --> 00:37:03.970 to look at the identity of Jesus and the truth at which is proclaimed about Jesus in God's word. 00:37:05.210 --> 00:37:09.480 Then, you'll know if what you're taught is of the Spirit of God or not. 00:37:10.990 --> 00:37:18.010 I know for some of us, and I have no problem with this, some of us you might be hearing me say, "Jesus is a standard, God's word is a standard." 00:37:18.010 --> 00:37:23.550 You're thinking, "Well, I'm glad that's the standard, but how can I be confident in Jesus and how can I be confident in his word? 00:37:23.750 --> 00:37:30.770 I'll tell you this morning, I don't have time to dive into all of that, but I think if that foundation is secure and you can get 00:37:30.770 --> 00:37:36.070 to a place where you can see that foundation is secure, you can use this as the basis in your life to rest in. 00:37:37.650 --> 00:37:39.320 John wants us to recognize that. 00:37:40.570 --> 00:37:47.630 Then, just in case you might be paranoid about the idea of spirits and the fact that there's dark spirits and light spirits and you might want 00:37:47.630 --> 00:37:49.680 to build a bunker and hide in that. 00:37:49.730 --> 00:37:51.650 John writes verse 4 to 6 for you, right? 00:37:51.710 --> 00:37:57.650 He says this, "Little children, you are from God and you've overcome them. 00:37:58.630 --> 00:38:06.440 For he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." Those spirits have no power over you. 00:38:07.210 --> 00:38:14.230 People read verses like 1 John chapter 4, verse 1 and freak out and say things like, "I see spirits." Then, they just go in this voodoo mood 00:38:14.230 --> 00:38:17.890 and they're afraid of everything, but, look... 00:38:18.330 --> 00:38:26.210 Well, I'm not going to argue whether that happens to you, but I'll just say this, people just get weird over spiritual things sometimes, but look, regardless, 00:38:26.230 --> 00:38:27.030 they don't have anything over you. 00:38:28.530 --> 00:38:30.430 You belong to Jesus and you belong to Jesus. 00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:39.930 Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world, which means what God had called you to in this world, you can accomplish because God's power is 00:38:39.930 --> 00:38:40.290 with you. 00:38:40.390 --> 00:38:45.170 The same power that resurrected Jesus from the grave, rests in God's people. 00:38:46.190 --> 00:38:47.910 We're not called to walk in fear. 00:38:48.790 --> 00:38:55.790 In verse 5, he says it like this, "They're from the world," talking about people that don't follow Jesus, they're from the world, "therefore they speak from the world and 00:38:55.790 --> 00:39:01.690 the world listens to them." Don't be shocked when the world disagrees with you. 00:39:03.230 --> 00:39:04.860 I mean, in fact, if you follow Jesus... 00:39:07.050 --> 00:39:09.410 These people murdered Jesus. 00:39:10.130 --> 00:39:17.270 You're following a guy who was murdered and all of his immediate followers were murdered, so if the world doesn't like you for following Jesus, just don't be shocked 00:39:17.270 --> 00:39:17.810 by that. 00:39:17.830 --> 00:39:19.650 They operate by a different agenda, right? 00:39:19.930 --> 00:39:21.950 But, greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 00:39:22.150 --> 00:39:23.290 Verse 6, "We are from God. 00:39:23.290 --> 00:39:25.210 Whoever knows God, listens to us. 00:39:25.210 --> 00:39:26.950 Whoever is not from God, does not listen to us. 00:39:27.190 --> 00:39:34.330 By this, we know the Spirit of truth and spirit of error." Here's what he's saying in the end, 00:39:34.530 --> 00:39:38.290 here's what your goals should be, just know God. 00:39:40.330 --> 00:39:45.310 Don't even worry about all the negative, dark stuff if you just make it one goal. 00:39:45.450 --> 00:39:47.730 That's what Paul did in Philippians chapter 3, verse 8. 00:39:48.730 --> 00:39:49.290 Know God. 00:39:51.090 --> 00:39:57.090 I want to know God, to know him, and the Spirit in my life and to make him known. 00:40:00.830 --> 00:40:07.950 Christianity is about believing in the truth of Jesus, trusting in that, resting in that foundation 00:40:07.950 --> 00:40:08.830 of his identity. 00:40:10.030 --> 00:40:17.150 In seeing his love in pursuit of our lives, giving our heart back to this King, who's given his heart to you, 00:40:18.450 --> 00:40:21.950 to then respond by the loving those around us because that's who Jesus loves. 00:40:23.570 --> 00:40:26.250 Christianity is summarized very easily, love God, love others. 00:40:27.750 --> 00:40:34.830 The reality is that message in its simplicity, it's simple in its message because of the enormity 00:40:34.830 --> 00:40:36.870 of God's grace that's been poured out for you. 00:40:38.470 --> 00:40:45.790 But, don't undermine that grace by adding to what Jesus has done because adding anything to it diminishes its perfection 00:40:45.790 --> 00:40:46.250 and beauty. 00:40:47.830 --> 00:40:52.810 Embrace it because what Satan desires to do is to get you to believe a lie. 00:40:54.090 --> 00:40:58.230 Yes, his motive is to steal, kill and destroy, but he understands he doesn't have to do that. 00:40:59.510 --> 00:41:02.450 All he has to do is twist the truth and allow destruction to happen. 00:41:03.690 --> 00:41:04.890 But, if we can walk in the truth. 00:41:06.490 --> 00:41:08.570 It brings our souls freedom. 00:41:09.930 --> 00:41:16.950 John's encouragement for us is rather than be afraid of the spiritual world, understand that he who is in you is greater than he who is in the 00:41:16.950 --> 00:41:24.670 world and that God calls you to test the spirits, holding to the standard of what is truth, that found in Christ and 00:41:24.670 --> 00:41:25.070 in his word. 00:41:26.490 --> 00:41:33.550 In so doing when you wake up tomorrow, you don't wake up asking what are the laws I obey, but rather, you 00:41:33.550 --> 00:41:38.200 surrender yourself to his leading and you walk in his Spirit. 00:41:39.870 --> 00:41:47.010 Walking in his Spirit, you're free from the Law, but in that Spirit, the Bible tells us there is love, there's joy, there's peace, there's patience, there's 00:41:47.010 --> 00:41:47.870 kindness. 00:41:47.950 --> 00:41:55.210 When you surrender your life to the goodness of this God, you allow that Lord to work through you, and 00:41:55.210 --> 00:41:59.050 in working through you, he impacts hearts in this world.