March 11, 2012
Evening Service

John again proclaimed the message that our love of God must be followed with the love of our neighbors and a desire to keep His commandments.   When we begin to see God working in our lives in these areas it should please us greatly.  We are beginning to look & act like our Heavenly Father (imitating Him).

We learned that our faith in Jesus gives us over coming power to have victory over this world.  It is a privilege for us to serve  Christ and let our light shine at times of adversity and trouble.

 “How can I glorify You today, Jesus?”

We spoke of the witness of the water, blood and Spirit confirming Jesus divinity.

The title of the message was “he who has the Son has life.”  Jesus is life to us (John 14:6).  Through Him, we are offered to share in the only thing that is eternal; the very life of God.  This relationship with God also brings with it other privileges for us.

 

1Jo 5:13-15  I have written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.  (14)  And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  (15)  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

 

John wrote this letter to us so that we may know we have eternal life and believe on the name of the Son of God.  With that knowledge and belief, we now receive the confidence that as we approach our Creator in prayer; He hears us.

 

We also see a principle of prayer; it must be according to His will.  Look at the greatest example of this from Jesus’ own prayer in the garden.

 

Mat 26:38-39 Then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Wait here and watch with Me.  (39)  And He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.

 

Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.

 

In His prayer, Jesus makes a request of God to allow Him to avoid the cross, if there is any other way possible.  However, in essence Jesus is actually reaffirming His commitment to fulfill what God has planned for Him.  The Father told His one and only, faithful Son, no.  It was not because He did not love Him or He didn’t deserve it, it was simply God’s omnipotent will that Jesus go to the cross.

 

William Barclay says it like this:  We are so apt to think prayer is asking God for what we want, whereas true prayer is asking God for what He wants.  Prayer is a conversation of not only talking to God, but also listening to Him.

 

 

 

1Jo 5:16-18  If anyone sees his brother sin a sin not to death, he shall ask, and He shall give him life for those that do not sin leading to death. There is a sin leading to death, I do not say that he shall pray for it.  (17)  All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not to death.  (18)  We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him.

 

John now shows us a way to use this privilege of prayer in the right manner.  It is very natural for us to pray for the healing of someone’s physical body, so it should be so with the spiritual one.  This is commonly known as “intercessory prayer.”  We pray for a loved one who is caught in the trap of sin to be open to God’s offering of a way of escape.

 

God is faithful and there is nothing He can’t do.  He has created us with a free will that is the only limit He encounters.  His message is preached week after week from this and other pulpits, but it is up to those who hear to accept it of reject it.

 

Much debate has been made over the statement “sin leading to death.” 

 

Mat 12:31 Therefore I say to you, All kinds of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven to men.

 

This sin is one of continually and totally ignoring God to the point where the very thought of repentance never enters his mind or heart.  According to verse 18 we who have been born of God (saved) can fall into sin, but will not be consumed by it.

 

1Jo 5:19-20 We know that we are of God, and all the world lies in evil.  (20)  And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the everlasting life. 

 

We see here the battle lines are drawn.  We have been given the understanding to know we are on the winning side.  This should serve as our reality.  God has conquered evil and at the end of our journey He awaits with open arms to greet us.  As Paul told us nothing can separate us from His love.

 

Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  (36)  As it is written, "For Your sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep of slaughter."  (37)  But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us.  (38)  For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  (39)  nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

This is the reality in which we should live daily!

 

1Jo 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Amen.

 

The NLT reads like this; Dear children keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.

 

What a challenging way to end this letter.  Let us guard our lives so that nothing comes between us and God.

 

 Thank you brother John, for obeying the Spirit and instructing us so wisely.