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1Jo 1:01-10 | How To Be Happy Though Saved

1 John 1:1-10

INTRO: This is how I learned to spot a backslider in the congregation… During a Valentine banquet at another church the pastor told me they were having problems with one couple in the church. I told him I bet I could tell him which couple it was. They were easy to spot.. .they were the only ones not smiling, not enjoying the fellowship.

The Christian life is meant to be one of radiant joy. Jesus in John 15, 16, 17; joy is a fruit of the Spirit; Psa. 51; Psa. 86:6.. .Twice the disciples were criticized because they were happy.

The greatest ad for Christianity is joy. The greatest hindrance is that many people need to learn how to be a Christian and enjoy it.

This is the purpose of John’s writing.

JOY: Perfect tense: full, complete and continuous. Not silliness nor “happiness”, but an artesian spring of joy which nothing on the outside can affect or atrophy.

I. THIS JOY IS SHARING A COMMON LIFE. vs. 3,4

The NEB translates “fellowship” as sharing a common life. THE SOURCE OF THIS JOY IS FELLOWSHIP. Note the sequence of the passage. He’s telling us about the Incarnation that we might get in on the life and thereby have a full and complete joy.

WE SHARE THE LIFE OF THE FATHER. There are two ideas in this word “fellowship”–partaker and partner.

(1) Partaker of His Life…II Peter 1:4. Illustration: the prodigal son and Father sharing with him. Illustration: Rev. 3:20–”Sup with me…”

The good news of the Gospel is not that we are to IMITATE His Life, but that His life has been IMPARTED to us… IMPARTATION NOT IMITATION.

(2) Partner in the Life…a word used of marriage, business partnership–sharing in the work and responsibility. Paul said the Philippians were “partners” with him in the Gospel.

Vs. 3 lays out our part…”We declare unto you…that which we’ve seen and heard.” We are to share with others this life.

Illustration: When Jill told an old friend she had become a Christian, the friend said, “I’m a Christian, too.” But Jill told me, “I don’t believe she is. How could she be and not share it with her friend?”.

2. WE SHARE IN THE LIFE OF THE FAMILY. “Fellowship WITH US…”

II. THIS JOY IS SUSTAINED BY A CONSISTENT LIFE.

“Walk” is in the present tense, indicating habitual conduct, that which characterizes the believer.., hence, a consistent life.

A walk is a series of steps.. .one step doth not a walk make. You may take a step, make a decision, but that must develop into a walk.

THE FOLLOW-THROUGH

IT IS A WALK IN THE LIGHT

1. We are to WALK IN HOLINESS.., light signifies moral purity and perfection. THE CHARACTER OF GOD DETERMINES OUR CONDUCT.

“As He is in the light…” Where’s God? Exactly where He’s always been… in the LIGHT. We need to live where God is.

2. We are to WALK IN HONESTY… light signifies exposure, nothing hidden, clear and transparent. “What you see is what you are.”

We must live INSIDE OUT. It’s the HIDDEN THINGS that kill. I visited a man in the hospital and said, “You’re looking good!” He replied, “My looks aren’t what’s wrong with me!”

The germs, the virus, the disease that lurks beneath the surface… that’s the deadly, dangerous thing. ARE YOU BEING HONEST…. WITH GOD, WITH OTHERS?

III. THIS JOY IS SAFEGUARDED BY A CLEANSED LIFE. Vs. 8-10

1. There must be a CONSCIOUSNESS OF SIN.

(1) Sin as a Principle v. 8.

(2) Sin as a Practice v.10.

2. There must be a CONFESSION OF SIN. V. 9

(1) Continual — “present tense”

(2) Complete –“sins”, PLURAL, ONE BY ONE.

CONFESS means to say the same thing, agree—agree with God that it is sin. He’s been calling it a sin all the time. Some can’t get deliverance from sin because they’ve called it everything BUT SIN.

3. There must be a CLEANSING FROM THE SIN. vs. 7, 8

Some want forgiveness but not cleansing.

Illustration of little boy who falls in the mud and wants mom to forgive him but not bathe him.

The CLEANSING is from the pollution of the sin. Often we know God has forgiven us but we still feel dirty, unfit. We need to understand that god not only forgives, but He cleanses us from any stain we may have incurred from the act.

Note: vs. 7 says, “if we walk in the LIGHT” then the blood of Jesus cleanses us… GOD DOESN’T FORGIVE SIN IN THE DARK!

©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2003

1Pe 2:11-13 | Living Holy In An Unholy World

1 Peter 2:11-13

I. WE ARE TO SEPARATE FROM THE LUSTS OF THE WORLD.

1. The reason. V.11:

(1) We are pilgrims and strangers in this world.

(2) Fleshly lusts war against the soul.

2. The responsibility: V.12,

“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles . . . they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

II. WE ARE TO SUBMIT TO THE LAWS OF THE WORLD.

V.13,14 Romans 13:1ff; I Timothy 2:1ff

III. WE ARE TO SILENCE THE LIES OF THE WORLD.

V.15. “For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence (muzzle) the ignorance of foolish men.”

1. For the Lord’s sake. vs. 13

2. It’s the will of God. v. 15

Reasons enough

©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2001

1Pe 1:13-16 | Called To Be Holy

1 Peter 1:13-16

Duncan Campbell: “A baptism of holiness, a demonstration of godly living is the crying need of our day.”

I. IT IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR CONVERSION—”Ye shall be holy”. vs. 16.

II. IT IS PATTERNED AFTER CHRIST, VS 15, “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves.”

1. The Old Standard Abandoned: vs. 14, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were your in ignorance.”

2. The New Standard Adopted: vv 15,16, “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’”

III. IT IS TO BE PORTRAYED IN ALL CONDUCT. “Be holy yourselves in all your behavior.” vs. 15.

IV. IT IS POSSIBLE THROUGH GOD’S CALL. “Like the Holy One who called you.” v. 15. “Called” always means “the EFFECTIVE call of God.

1. Be Serious. “Gird up your minds for action.” v. 13

2. Be Sober. “Keep sober in spirit.” v.13 — moral alertness

3. Be separated. “Do not be conformed to the former lusts.” v. 14. A

Definite and Daily break with the world.

Robert Murray McCheyne: “The greatest ambition of my life is to be a holy man.”

©Ron Dunn, LifeStyle Ministries, 2001

Jam 1:01-08; 16, 17 | Knowing Before Asking

James 1:1-8; 16,17

I. HE IS A GIVING GOD. “That gives to all men….” 1. He gives to all men generally. 2. He gives to all men generously 3. He gives to all men graciously.

II. HE IS AN INVOLVED GOD. “If any lack wisdom.” “fall into trials.” He is a God who is interested in our lives. If it’s big enough to worry about, it’s big enough to pray about. 1. He is concerned about our circumstances. 2. He is more concerned about our character. (1) Seen in that trials are allowed. (2) Seen in that wisdom is offered. (3) Seen in that faith is demanded.

III. HE IS A TRUSTWORTHY GOD — Vs. 16, 17 No change. Nothing changes or affects Him. 1. He is a Father 2. He is Faithful. It may often appear that God’s gifts aren’t good — the world has turned and cast a shadow on the goodness of God. Spurgeon said, “When you cannot trace His hand, you can always trust His heart.”

2Ti 4:06-21 | Three Plus One

2 Timothy 4:6-21

INTRO: Paul knew he was about to die and these are his last words. He gives us some snapshots or minibiographies of some of the people he labored with that might be instructive to us.

DEMAS – NO ONE OF US EVER GETS BEYOND WORLDLINESS.

Worldliness is an attitude or philosophy of wanting to blend in with the world- to lose your identity as a Christian.

Demas is mentioned three times in the bible. First, as “my fellow servant” in Philemon 24, then just as “Demas” in Col. 4:13 to this passage in II Tim. 4:10 “ forsaken me, having loved this present world.”

Demas went to Thessalonica to blend in–not to forsake the Lord– his heart just got cold and you can lose yourself in a large place. He just forsook Paul. For a long time Demas had been loving the world but has now made a choice. It doesn’t happen overnight.

Demas must have done a lot of good things in his life, having been a servant with Paul but he was branded by his final act.

Paul contrasts himself with Demas in verse 7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.”. It’s not how fast you run, it’s whether you FINISH THE COURSE.

I. LUKE – NO ONE OF US EVER GETS BEYOND USEFULNESS

Dr. Luke is the only one who is still with Paul. In v. 11 he says, “only Luke is with me”.

In Cot. :14 he is called the “beloved physician.”

Luke wrote the book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke. He was an educated historian, diligent researcher and theologian, using the finest Greek in the New Testament.

He joined with Paul at Tarsus for missionary journeys, spending most of his life in the background and was the human instrument God used to prop Paul up. Who needed a physician more than Paul with the beatings, stoning, shipwrecks and imprisonments.

II. MARK – NO ONE OF US EVER GETS BEYOND FORGIVENESS.

He was the son of Mary. He grew up in the home where the church met- a spiritual atmosphere.

He was the nephew of Barnabus and went with Paul and Barnabus on their first missionary journey.

Mark left Paul and Barnabus to go home and there was strife between Paul and Barnabus about taking John Mark on another journey. So, Paul took Silas and Mark went with Barnabus.

Now, 30 years later, Paul is telling Timothy to go out of the way to pick up Mark and bring him to Paul because” . .he is profitable to me in the ministry.”

Our failure does not have to be FATAL NOR FINAL.

III. PAUL – NO ONE OF US EVER GETS BEYOND HUMANNESS.

Paul is in a Roman prison facing death. He asks Timothy to”. . .make every effort to come to me soon.” v. 9 and to “…make every effort to come before winter.” v. 21.

He also asks Timothy to”. . .bring the cloak which I left at Troas with Carpus, and the books, especially the parchments.” v. 13.

He is COLD, LONELY and BORED. When a person becomes a Christian, grace does not de-humanize them.

Paul finds no inconsistency in loving the appearing of the Lord and the appearing of Timothy. God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.”. Jesus knew what it was to be lonely and he wept.

God knows our frame that we are but dust. I have a divine treasure dwelling in me but I am a CLAY POT.

We need to be reminded that we are human. It makes us trust in the Lord more. Live the life as a human but IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT.