Bible Text: Matthew 1, Luke 2 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |  

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

12-20-2020
“The Advent of God’s Son”
 

See Matthew 1…

Matthew’s main purpose is to declare Jesus as the Messiah [the Christ], a descendant of David:

 
The Genealogy of Jesus
 

Matthew 1:1…
“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:”

Matthew 1:17… There are three 14 generational periods of Jewish history recorded:

Matthew1:17
“17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.”

“David fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

1. Abraham to David (vv. 2-6).

Matthew 1:2-6
“2 Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram. 4 Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon. 5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse. 6 Jesse fathered David the king.  David fathered Solomon by [her who had been the wife of Uriah.

2. David to Babylonian captivity (vv. 7-11).

Matthew 1:7-11
“7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, and Abijah fathered Asa. 8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, and Joram fathered Uzziah. 9 Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, and Ahaz fathered Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, and Amon fathered Josiah. 11 Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.”

3. Babylonian captivity to the time of Christ (vv. 12-16).

Matthew 1:12-16
“12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel fathered Abihud, Abihud fathered Eliakim, and Eliakim fathered Azor. 14 Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, and Achim fathered Eliud. 15 Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob. 16 Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”

Matthew traces Christ’s genealogy from Abraham, through David’s son Solomon (cf. Matthew 1:6), to Jacob (cf. Matthew 1:16), “the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” The synonym “by whom,” is in the feminine singular, indicating that Jesus was born of Mary, not Joseph and Mary, thus proclaiming the virgin birth.

cf. Matthew 1:6
“David fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

cf. Matthew 1:16
“16 Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”

Joseph, who would be the legal father of Jesus, was from the bloodline of David, but Mary must also be a descendant of David, in order to that Jesus be of the royal bloodline, giving Him the right to sit on the throne of David,

(Luke 3:23)
“When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli [Heli].”

Joseph was the son-in-law of Eli, Mary’s father, meaning that Mary was also from the bloodline of David, but through David’s son Nathan (cf. Luke 3:31).  Long before the birth of Jesus, some Rabbis wrote, “The Messiah is to have no earthy father; His birth will be like that of no other man.” And that is exactly how Jesus was conceived–apart from any human action, or will; this was done by God.

cf. Luke 3:31
“31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,”

Read Matthew 1:18-21…
“18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””

 
Mary’s conception by the Holy Spirit is a great mystery.
She was a virgin yet she was pregnant.
 

Isaiah 7:14
“14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.”

Joseph and Mary were pledged to be married at the time of the angel’s announcement, and therefore Joseph, an honorable man, had a big problem, Mary was pregnant and it wasn’t his child.

Jesus is never directly called the son of Joseph, and Joseph is never directly called His father; and yet, there is no evidence that Joseph ever felt anger or bitterness toward Mary (Matthew 1:19) “not wanting to disgrace her, [Joseph] planned to send her away secretly; i.e., he didn’t want to shame her publicly by exposing her condition, but instead would give her a decree of divorce, so she could go away quietly.

Matthew 1:19
“19 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.”

An angel announces to Joseph, that Mary’s pregnancy is from God, and will be a son. Joseph (although not the biological father) will have the responsibility to name the baby (Matthew 1:21), “you shall call His name Jesus [God’s Salvation], for He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus will be the only source of salvation for the whole world, for all of eternity, and Joseph will raise Him as his own son.

Read Matthew 1:22-23…
“22 Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 23 “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.””

The virgin birth was predicted in the OT. “All this” refers to specific facts about the birth of Jesus, as foretold by Isaiah and Micah (700 B.C.); the greatest sign from God to all men is that Jesus was, “God with us: God in the flesh” (Colossians 2:9), “the fullness of God in bodily form.”

Colossians 2:9
“9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”

Matthew 1:24-25…
“24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus.”

Joseph was awakened from his sleep and did just as the angel told him. Joseph took Mary home as his wife, and kept her a virgin until the birth of Jesus. However, Mary did not remain a virgin, for Jesus had other brothers and sisters who were conceived naturally through Joseph (Matthew 13:54-56).

Matthew 13:54-56
“54 And He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, with the result that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man acquire this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is His mother not called Mary, and His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man acquire all these things?””

 
The Supernatural Birth of Jesus Validates His divinity
 

Christ the Savior was conceived in the womb of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was born to a virgin in a place where animals were sheltered; He grew up in an average home, learning the trade of carpentry; when He was about 33 years old, He was arrested and crucified, because He claimed to be God (John 10:30; 14:7, 9).

John 10:30
“30 I and the Father are one.””

John 14:7
“7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.””

John 14:9
“9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

On the third day after His burial, eyewitnesses (soldiers guarding His tomb) reported that He came out of the grave, alive. All this happened just as Jesus had repeatedly told His followers it would (cf. Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 18:31-34).

cf. Matthew 16:21
“21 From that time Jesus began to point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day.”

cf. Mark 8:31
“31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise from the dead.”

cf. Luke 18:31-34
“31 Now He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be ridiculed, and abused, and spit upon, 33 and after they have flogged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise.” 34 The disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.”

 
Christmas is not just another holiday!
 

Jesus Christ is not just another Jewish male baby born in Bethlehem, He is the Savior. He alone was the fullness of God in human flesh: He came to us, because we could not go to Him.

Christmas is in celebration of Christ’s birth; Easter is in celebration of His death and resurrection; Sunday is set apart each week specifically for the worship and honor of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

Our calendar designates all history before His coming as B.C. [before Christ] and all history after His coming as A.D. [Anno Domini = “in the year of the Lord”].

This child, born to a virgin through the divine plan and power of God, is God’s  One and Only Son. His birth was a sign from Almighty God! To misread/reject this sign will bring eternal consequences: (John 3:16), (John 3:36).

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,”

John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

 
Jesus is the Reason for the Season
 

You cannot celebrate Christmas appropriately without knowing God’s One and Only Plan, Provision, and Promise by which we receive forgiveness for sins and eternal life.

Read Luke 2:1-7…
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Joseph took Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, to register in the town of his ancestors, according to the census being taken. While they were there, it came time for the baby to be born, since they could find no place to stay, Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son, and placed Him in a manger.

Read Luke 2:8-20…
“8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”  15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

An angel of the Lord appeared to some shepherds, announcing the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord. The angel said God would validate this marvelous event with a sign (Luke 2:12), the baby would be wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Luke 2:12
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

A large number of angels appeared praising God, the shepherds then went to Bethlehem to see all God had done, and there they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus who was lying in a manger, just as they were told.

Shepherds were near the bottom of the Jewish social order, for they couldn’t keep the religious rituals and ceremonies. Isn’t it amazing, that out of all the people in and around Jerusalem, God chose a small band of shepherds to be the ones to witness the birth of His Son, who would be (John 10:11), “the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep,”

John 10:11
“11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

and (1Peter 5:4), “the Chief Shepherd, to whom we all will give an account.”

1Peter 5:4
“4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

After looking upon the baby Jesus, Luke 2:18 says the shepherds went out into the streets, sharing the good news that the Savior had indeed been born.

Luke 2:18
“18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.”

Luke 2:19 says,
“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her
heart,” all these things meaning: the angel’s announcement about her Holy
conception, Joseph’s response to this news, Elizabeth’s marvelous greeting, and
the very special names “Jesus” and “Immanuel,” to be given to her baby boy!

Luke 2:20
tells us the shepherds, “returned (most likely to their flocks), glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

 
First and Second Coming of Jesus
 

Jesus came to earth the first time, in the flesh of a helpless baby boy; the next time, He will come as a Warrior, the Eternal King, Sovereign Lord, and Righteous Judge over All (cf Revelation 19:11-16).

cf Revelation 19:11-16
“11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.””

When Jesus came to earth the first time, there was no available room for Him to be born in; and yet, He told His disciples (John 14:1-3).

John 14:1-3
““Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.”

Revelation 21:1-5
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.””

Only a few shepherds witnessed the first coming of Jesus; but when He returns to earth again, everyone in the world will see Him (cf. Revelation 1:7).

cf. Revelation 1:7
“7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”

More books and song lyrics have been written about, and more paintings have been done of, Jesus, than any other person in history. The world’s calendar dating system (B.C., A.D.), two major holidays (Christmas, Easter), the first day of every week (Sunday), and the praise and worship of 2.2 billion followers (out of the world’s 7.8 billion people) declares that this Jesus is indeed very, very, special.

Galatians 4:4-5
“4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.”

At just the right time, according to God’s plan, purpose, provision, and power, God put on the flesh of a son of man, in order to provide payment for our sins by the sacrifice of Himself, in order that we might become the children of God.

1John 3:1
“See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him.”

If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ to save you, do it now, He turns no one away. Jesus Christ, the Savior, came to earth in the flesh of a baby; grew up in obscurity, and at abut 30 years of age began to heal the sick, set prisoners free, and raise the dead; about three years later He was put to death on a cross, because He claimed to be God; He was then placed in a tomb, but on the third day after His death, eye witnesses said He came out of the grave alive (just like He had said that He would), victorious over sin, death and judgement, forever,

 
2Corinthians 9:15
“15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
Christmas is about Jesus:
He is the Reason for the Season!
Christmas is in honor and worship of
the Holy One from God,
who has already come and is coming again
for those who belong to Him,
those on whom His favor rests,
those whose hope is in God’s Son
for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life,
to all of you I want to wish a very
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Luke 1:26-51 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

12-13-2020
“The Marvelous Message of Christmas!”
 

Twelve days from today we will celebrate the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save us from sin’s penalty.

There are 195 countries in the world today, of which 160 celebrate Christmas in some way or another, while 35 do not in anyway observe Christmas.

It is interesting that most of the world, until the later part of the 20th century, used a dating system focused on the birth of Jesus Christ, using the designation of B.C., “Before Christ,” in order to set apart history occurring before His birth; and A.D., Anno Domini, [Latin, “in the year of our Lord”] for history occurring after His birth.

There is a growing effort (by academia, the scientific community, and atheists) to delete BC and AD, replacing them with the designations BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era); this is an attempt to remove Christ and Christianity from all calendars and calendrical systems. But isn’t it interesting that the pivotal date for BCE and CE is the very same as that used for BC and AD, i.e., the birth of Christ.

It can be said that those who deny God’s existence and therefore Christ’s advent to earth, have their own holiday, celebrated each year on April 1, i.e., April Fool’s Day.

Psalm 14:1
tells us the reason for this holiday, because “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

The godless spirit of the world also tries to remove the Christmas by changing the greeting of Merry Christmas to Merry xmas, Happy Holiday, or Season’s Greetings.

But Christmas is a compound word made up of two words: Christ [the Anointed or Holy One], and Mass [an assembly or gathering for religious observance].

Christmas celebrates and honors the birth of God’s One and Only Son, Who came to save us; God’s ultimate gift is named Jesus [God’s Salvation], and He is called Immanuel [God with us].

But was Jesus born on December 25? What do the Scriptures reveal about that? I’m glad you asked.

Please turn to Luke 1:26-27, 30-31, 34-36, 39-41…

See Luke 1:26-27
“26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”

Luke 1:30-31
“30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

Luke 1:34-36
“34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month.”

Luke 1:39-41…
“39 Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

At the
time of Mary’s conception (through the Holy Spirit), she went to visit her aunt
Elizabeth, and upon greeting her, Elizabeth’s baby “leaped in her womb,” for
Elizabeth, was six months pregnant with John, who would become John the
baptizer, proclaiming

(John 1:23),
“I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said,”

(John 1:29), “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Luke 1:56…
“56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.”

Luke 1:56 says Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. According to the Jewish religious calendar, concerning the division of the priests, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, at which time Mary was pregnant, would have been late in the month of Kislev (November-December),.

Kislev is when Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights) is celebrated, which begins on the 25th day of Kislev (late December) and lasts for eight days. The Jews celebrate the Festival of Lights while Christians celebrate Jesus Christ, Who is (John 8:12), “the Light of the world.”

John the baptizer, Jesus’ cousin, would have been born during Passover, in the month of Nisan (March-April); he was six months older than Jesus. Remember, Gabriel announced Mary’s pregnancy when Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John; therefore, Jesus would have been born in the month of Tishri (September- October), at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Our celebration of December 25 doesn’t line up with the actual birth of Jesus, but it is very probable that it lines up with the time of His conception, when the biological life of Jesus began in the womb of Mary.

Luke 2:8 tells us,
“there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night,” when Jesus was born.

What does the record of weather patterns in Israel tells us? A little research on past and present weather conditions in Palestine will lead you to conclude that there were most likely no shepherds out in the fields around Bethlehem, at the end of December, for it is often below freezing and very rainy or snowing.

Here is some insight from the Old Testament:

Ezra 10:9, records that, “all the men of Judah and Benjamin [were] assembled at Jerusalem… …in the ninth month (Kislev) on the twentieth day of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of the heavy [and cold] rain.”

Jeremiah 36:22 tells us,
“the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth
month (Kislev), with a fire burning in the brazier [or fire pot, i.e., a container that
holds hot coals) before him,” because of the cold.

The climate of Palestine in December, during Bible times, especially in Jerusalem and Bethlehem (which sit at an elevation of 2500 ft.), could be very cold and wet (dropping to well below freezing at night), i.e., “it was not the practice of the shepherds of Judea to be out with their flocks in the open fields later than about the end of October; it was the custom then (as it is now) for the shepherds “to withdraw the flocks from the open fields and house them for the winter.”

Turn to Luke 2:1-7…
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke says there was a decree issued at the time of Jesus’ birth, that a census would be taken of all the inhabitants of the earth, and everyone was to return to their hometown, the town of their ancestors (Rome the world’s Ruler was taking inventory).

It wouldn’t be sensible to hold a census in December (if you wanted an accurate count), much more likely, a census would be taken after the harvest season, during September-October, when the weather was more moderate and dry, allowing for safer and easier travel.

So, why was December 25 chosen to be set apart as the celebration day for the birth of Christ? That is a great question, let’s see if we can find an answer: The Romans celebrated the Festival of Saturnalia in December, from about the 17th-25th, during which they worshipped the s-u-n god Saturn. Common customs during that festival were celebrations that included the exchanging of gifts, feasting, and decorating homes with evergreen boughs and lighted candles.

The decision to celebrate the birth of God’s Son on December 25th, came about during the middle of the fourth century A.D., through the promotion of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, after his supposed conversion to Christianity.

The celebration of Christ’s birth during the winter solstice, seems to have been an attempt to Christianize the popular pagan celebrations already in place (in honor of the sun god), so that Christians could simultaneously honor and worship the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

The union of these celebrations brought about a bizarre mixture of both pagan and Christian elements that still exist today.

But regardless of the historic or pagan background of December’s traditions, whether or not Jesus was born on December 25th, our purpose and pleasure during this time of year is to try and direct the hearts and minds of all people toward Jesus Christ, the Savior who has come.

The light of the world has indeed come, and the Christmas season, with all its celebrations, customs, and festivities, presents the church with a wonderful opportunity to both live out and share the good news of peace, love, faith, and hope that has been granted to everyone who believes in God’s Son.

See John 1:1-4, 14, 18…

John 1:1-4,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”

John 1:14,
“14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:18
“18 No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.”

Christmas is about the Incarnation of God’s Son (full of grace and truth), i.e., God putting on flesh and living among us, in order to serve and exemplify the Father.

John 14:6-7
“6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.  7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.””

John 14:9
“9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with [e]you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Jesus made full and final payment for our sins by His own blood, as expressed through His words while on the cross (Luke 23:34), “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” (Mark 15:34), “At the ninth hour (3pm) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Before sundown Jesus declared (John 19:30), “‘It is finished,’ then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Luke 23:34
“34 [But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves.”

John 19:30
“30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Jesus paid [in full, by His own death] the penalty for our sins. This same Jesus, being fully man yet fully God, was taken down from the cross, placed in a tomb, and three days later He came out of the tomb alive.

Hebrews 9:26-28
“26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as it is destined for people to die once, and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”

Hebrews 10:17-18
“17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will no longer remember.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.”

Christmas is about God giving us His Son, the Messiah, sent to save us from the consequences and eternal curse of sin.

Christmas is a time when many people are more open to talking about the things of God, therefore, we ought to make the most of this opportunity to be witnesses of the marvelous message of God’s greatest gift, His own Son.

Christmas is a time to honor the Savior’s birth by sharing the message of His advent to earth in the flesh of a baby boy, named Jesus; God’s Son, Immanuel.

The majority of the world’s people either reject Jesus outright, are confused about Him, or are just indifferent toward Him and have instead, turned to man centered religious rituals that are promoted and supported by network television, public education, the godless news media, and the commercial marketplace.

If you are a Christian, the greatest gift you can offer to an unbeliever is the Good News about the Special Child whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas: Jesus [God’s Salvation], Immanuel [God with us], born to a virgin in Bethlehem, put to death on a cross at Calvary, buried in a borrowed tomb, only to come out alive on the third day, and for 40 days to show Himself to His followers, after which He ascended up into heaven before His disciples.

Because all this is true, and because God is loving, merciful, faithful, omniscient, omnipotent, and eternal, the words of Paul (Romans 8:38-39) should encourage and comfort all of us, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Please don’t attempt to celebrate Christmas without knowing the One to Whom the celebration is directed, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Everyone who calls on Him for the forgiveness of sins will be saved, He turns no one away.

 
The Marvelous Message of Christmas, is this:
God loves you so much that He
gave up His own Son to die for your sins, so that you might believe in Him now, and
live in heaven with Him forever; and for that reason we ought to unabashedly,
fervently, and perpetually proclaim, Merry Christmas!
 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Micah 5:2 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

Dec. 6, 2020
Jesus Christ was Born to Die

Christmas celebrates God’s greatest Gift to the world, but God’s gift (His own Son) was not fully understood or realized until He was unwrapped on the Cross.

About 2700 years ago, two of God’s prophets (Isaiah & Micah) both wrote about the future birth of a male child, to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea; this child would be God in the flesh, God’s Salvation come to earth, and He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus came to pay the penalty (for all sin, for all time, for all people), by His death on the cross; and three days later, He came out of the grave alive, providing eternal life to all who believe in Him.

Micah 5:2,
“2 But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.””

Isaiah 7:14
“14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6
“6 For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

See Isaiah 53:1-12
“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of dry ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we would look at Him, Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.

3 He was despised and abandoned by men, A man of great pain and familiar with sickness; And like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we had no regard for Him.

4 However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, And our pains that He carried; Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, Struck down by God, and humiliated.

5 But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds we are healed.

6 All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off from the land of the living For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due?

9 And His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 But the Lord desired To crush Him, causing Him grief; If He renders Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, For He will bear their wrongdoings.

12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the plunder with the strong, Because He poured out His life unto death, And was counted with wrongdoers; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the wrongdoers. ”

God had repeatedly announced His coming, giving special details about His arrival, and then God delivered Him in Bethlehem, just as He had said He would. Joseph and Mary raised Him in Nazareth in Galilee.

Luke 2:52,
“52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.”

When Jesus was was baptized in the Jordan River, by John (Luke 3:22), God declared from heaven, “You are My Son, whom I love, with You I am well pleased,” (Luke 3:23), “Jesus was about thirty years of age, when He began His ministry.”
God revealed His Son, and all we need to know and to have is made complete in Him.
Read Hebrews 1:1-3…
“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

See Hebrews 1:2a,
“in these last days [God] has spoken to us in His Son.”

Since Jesus’ first advent, God has fully revealed all we need to know, have, and do, concerning God’s greatest gift, His Own Son.

Jesus’ birth happened just as God had announced through the prophets, everything being made ready for the advent of God’s Son, at just the right time

(Galatians 4:4-5),
“when the time had fully come (i.e., at just the right time), God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

 
Politically
Rome the world ruler, had provided good roads and a time of
relative peace; the message of Christ could be taken to the rest of the world.
Culturally
The world’s people were more educated and unified, even common
people spoke Koine Greek.
Spiritually
The world was more accepting of a wide variety of religious
philosophies; and the Jews had a renewed interest in the OT Scriptures that
pointed to the Messiah, God’s One and Only Son.
 

See Hebrews 1:2b,
“whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.”

God appointed His Son as the beneficiary of all things, i.e., everything that was made belongs to Jesus Christ, God the Son, Creator of and Ruler over everything.

Colossians 1:16,
“16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

In Revelation 5:5, John records God sitting on His throne in heaven, with a scroll in His hand (the deed to the earth and everything on it). No one is worthy to take the scroll and open it, but then John writes, “one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’”

Revelation 5:5-7
“5 And one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to be able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
7 And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

(Revelation 5:9),
“9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.””
Jesus came.
God sent Jesus (Colossians 1:20)
“20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

God’s plan was to provide forgiveness for sins through the shed blood of His One and Only Son.

Hebrews 1:3
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Hebrews 1:3a,
“And He [Christ] is the radiance of His glory.”

Christ is “the radiance of God’s glory” (lit. “brightness”) meaning Jesus is the Light of God, sent to mankind. “Light” is the revelation that brings “Life from God” to all who are being saved.

 
Jesus Christ was God’s Light, sent to mankind.
John 1:1-2
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.”

John 1:4-5
“4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”

John 8:12
“12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””

1John 1:5
“5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

See Hebrews 1:3b
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Jesus is the express image of God [in human flesh] and without Him we could not see or be exposed to God’s light, let alone could we receive life from God.

Colossians 1:15
“15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:”

Colossians 1:17
“17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Colossians 2:9
“9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”

God’s Son holds together, sustains, and maintains, all things by His own Word.

See Hebrews 1:3c
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

He created the heavens and the earth upon which we live, itself sitting out in space just the right distance from the moon and the sun, tilted at precisely 23.5 degrees, as it revolves at 1,037 mph, making a complete rotation every 24 hours; while traveling at 67,000 mph in an orbit around the sun every 365 days.

See Hebrews 1:3d
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

This is the seat of power and authority.  Wow! Jesus Christ fulfilled His sovereign work by taking the punishment for our sins, upon Himself.

 
Jesus took our punishment for sin.
(Hebrews 9:11-12)
“11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption. ”

About 700 years after Isaiah and Micah gave their prophecies, a young woman named Mary, who was said to be a virgin, gave birth to a male child in Bethlehem, in Judea; the baby was named in Hebrew, Yeshua, the Greek rendering is Jesus [meaning Rescuer, Deliverer, i.e., God’s Salvation/Savior]; the baby was also called in Hebrew Immanuel [meaning God with us].

This child was God in human flesh, Savior to all who will believe in Him. Jesus was born in a stable and raised in obscurity; as a teenager He confounded the religious leaders, as a man he demonstrated authority over nature, healed people of every kind of disease and infirmity, raised a young girl and a man from the dead, and was then put to death on a cross, buried, and on the third day He came out of the tomb alive, and began showing Himself to His followers over a 40 day period; after which, he ascended back into heaven.

Hebrews 10:12
“12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,”

The final message from God is that His own Son was born in the flesh of a man for the purpose of dying for the sins of mankind.

 
Christmas is about God’s Greatest Gift:
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was born for the purpose of laying down His own life as full payment for our sins, so that everyone who repents, believing in Him, receives forgiveness and eternal life.
Revelation 1:8
‘8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is yet to come, the Almighty.”’
He is the great I AM.

1John 5:11-13
“11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.  13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

If you have never repented of your sins, believing in God’s Son to save you, why not do it right now? This is the most important decision of your life. Don’t enter the Christmas season without making sure you belong to God through Jesus Christ, God’s One and Only Son.

The reason for the season is Jesus, as Paul writes:

2Corinthians 9:15
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

 
The word “Christmas” is formed from two words: Christ and mass.
Christ (the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word Messiah), means Holy [or Anointed] One;
and
mass means a congregation or gathering for the purpose of a religious observance or celebration; and so,
Christmas is a celebration in honor and praise and worship of Jesus Christ, God’s Son,
 
Lord and Savior:
crucified, resurrected, and coming again.

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 3:18-4:6 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

11.29.20
1John 3:18-4:6,
God’s Spirit of Truth…
 

Last week we studied how those who genuinely belong to God will desire to live in a manner that brings glory to God and benefits to God’s people.

As Christians, we are to love others as an expression of the love we have received from God, i.e., if you love God you will display love for others.

Read 1John 3:18-22…  God’s Spirit comes into the heart of everyone who genuinely seeks forgiveness for sin by trusting Jesus Christ to save them, at the moment of genuine faith, expressed by heart-belief in Christ, you are spiritually born-again into the eternal family of God (Romans 10:9-10), “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

John 3:6-8, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” 

John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” 

2Corinthians 1:21-22, “He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In [Christ], you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him [Jesus Christ] to them He [God’s Son] gave the right to become children of God, …those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

In 1John 3:1 it says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are,” and in 1John 3:18, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

Look again at 1John 3:21-22, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”

God loves to hear the prayers of His people, and God loves to bless His people as they live obediently before Him.  

1Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

God has provided forgiveness for sin, eternal life, and adoption as God’s own children, bringing us into a relationship with every true Christian; all this being made effectual through God’s Spirit living in us.

God’s Spirit encourages and equips us to live for Christ; when we fail to do what honors God, God’s Spirit convicts us so that we will ask for forgiveness, resulting in God’s power to know, to pray for, and to accomplish that which pleases Him.

Ephesians 2:10, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” 

John 15:12, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” 14, “You are My friends if you do what I command you.” 16, “I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

Read 1John 3:23-24…  Anyone born of God will love his brothers and sisters in the Lord.  The more you and I express God’s love for one another and serve as His witnesses to the godless world around us, the more God’s assurance of salvation is made manifest in us. God expressed His love for us through the sacrificial death of His own Son; and we who belong to God, will express our love for Him by loving others through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

John 14:15-17, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” 

John 14:24-26, “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

Read 1John 4:1-3…  As God’s beloved children, we have God’s Word and God’s Spirit to guide us; but we must test every teaching and discern whether or not it is from God.

Satan, his demons, and all his workmen (false teachers) seek to dilute and/or distort God’s Word, in order to deceive, if it were possible, even God’s own people.  Therefore, God’s people must diligently test all teachings and reprove and/or rebuke any that do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as both the Son of God and the Son of Man.

There are many false teachings being propagated by those who oppose God; but God’s Word is the final authority by which every teaching must be judged.  Some teachings say Jesus was a man, some say He was God; but God’s Word is sovereignly clear that Jesus was both – fully man and fully God – and any other teaching is a lie straight from the Devil.

John is speaking here of a future time when Satan will raise up the final world ruler (the Antichrist) who will seek to oppose and take the place of God (during the Tribulation Period, after all Christians, those who have died and those who are still alive at Christ’s return in the air, will be caught up to be with the Lord forever).

John reminds his hearers/readers that many antichrists have appeared, which is part of the birthing pains in the last days; and that there are many antichrists present, these are the false teachers who promote doctrine that is hostile toward God’s Son and contradictory toward the whole counsel of God’s Word.

John specifies (1John 2:19) that these false teachers arise from within the physical church; for although they appeared to be genuine believers, they have departed from fellowship in the true church and now they attempt to lead people out of Christianity into false religions and cults. 

2Corinthians 4:1-6, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants on account of Jesus. For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Read 1John 4:4-6…  True believers belong to God forever, and are capable of discerning truth from falsehood, because everyone who is born of God has God’s Spirit in them and can therefore overcome the spirit of the antichrist. 

Satan’s false teachers will either reject the sovereignty of God’s Word or they will add to or subtract from it.  You and I must be diligent about discerning and judging all that is said to be from God. 

Revelation 22:18-19, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

God’s children are to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11), “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

Those who fail to remain in the truth, those who fall away, believing and promoting Satan’s lies, never belonged to God in the first place.  

Both the OT and the NT have been given to God’s people that we might have full confidence of sovereignly and eternally belonging to God, and that we might not be deceived by the spirit of falsehood; but instead, we will know, apply, and proclaim God’s Truth for as long as we have life.

Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

2Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 

2Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is [God-breathed] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be [thoroughly] equipped for every good work.” 

I thank God for His Spirit, through whom I am able to know the Truth of God, through His Word, and so not be deceived; if you belong to God, you have the Holy Spirit of Truth to guide you.  

God has graciously and powerfully equipped every Christian with the God’s Word of Truth and God’s Spirit of Truth, in order to guide, provide for, protect, and empower us, as we serve Him; we are God’s children, and as such, we are to (1Thessalonians 5:16-18), “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

And all God’s people said?  Amen!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 3:10-18 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

11-22-2020
“Loving God, Loving Others”

1John 3:10-18
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.  11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.  13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. 17 But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him? 18 Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
Last week, while we were studying 1John3:4-11, I mentioned the Greatest Commandment [Foremost, Supreme, Number One Commandment] which is all about Love [agape = the sacrificial, uncompromising, unmerited, and intentional act of serving God and anyone who is in need].
1John3:4-11
“4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him. 7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.  11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another;”
The foundation for this commandment is found in:
Deuteronomy 6:5
“5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Leviticus 19:18
“18 You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

We find those commands in the New Testament, coupled as one command: Please turn to the references in Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Matthew 22:36-40
“”36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Mark 12:28-31
“28 One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””

Luke 10:25-29
“25 And behold, a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?””
Jesus then uses a parable to illustrate the priority of His teaching about loving God, loving others.
Please turn to Luke 10:30-37…
“30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 And by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’ 36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed compassion to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.””

The command from Leviticus 19:18, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” that is found in Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27, is also repeated in Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; and James 2:8 [Royal Law, Golden Rule], reiterating that God expects His children to demonstrate agape love [God’s love] toward others.

Leviticus 19:18
“18 You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

Matthew 22:39
“39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Mark 12:31
“31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””

Luke 10:27
“27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.””

Romans 13:9
“9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

Galatians 5:14
“14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

James 2:8
“8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.”
Read 1John 3:10-12…
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister. 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.”
John reminds us of how Cain murdered (1John 3:12) Abel. Cain was so angry that Abel’s offering was accepted by God, and his own was not, that he murdered his own brother (SEE Genesis 4:1-8).

1John 3:12
“12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.””

Genesis 4:1-8
“Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a male child with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. 3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; 5 but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face was gloomy. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why is your face gloomy? 7 If you do well, will your face not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8 Cain talked to his brother Abel; and it happened that when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

God is righteous and merciful, and though it is not recorded in Genesis, both Cain and Abel had to know what was required of them as an offering unto the Lord. How do we know that (SEE Hebrews 11:4).

Hebrews 11:4
“4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.”

Abel obeyed the Lord and offered a firstborn lamb from his flock. Cain did what he felt like doing, he brought some of his produce; but this was evidently not in accordance with what God had directed him to do.
Not only did Cain disobey God by what he brought as an offering; but I believe Cain got angry with God and jealous of his own brother all at the same time. Cain couldn’t take his anger out on God, but he could take it out on his brother, and so he did.
By his actions, Cain showed himself to be a child of the devil. As I said last week, in the eyes of God there are really only two groups of people on earth: God’s children and the Devil’s children. Those who are unwilling to do what God requires are showing hatred, not love, toward God; whereas, God’s children, all those who have received eternal life, will not act like Cain who expressed hatred; but instead they will show love because God is Love (see 1John 4:7-10).
1John 4:7-10
“7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Read 1John 3:13-16…
“13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.”

Jesus Christ is God’s sovereign example of what
God’s love is, i.e., to love sacrificially, showing compassion toward others. God’s love is demonstrated completely in Jesus Christ, who gave up His own life so that we might have life from God (John 10:10), (John 15:13), (Philippians 2:5-8).
John 10:10
“10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.”

John 15:13
“13 Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.”

Philippians 2:5-8
“5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”
We are called to demonstrate love for God.  What does that look like? How do we do that?  By demonstrating God’s love toward others.
Read 1John 3:17-18…
“17 But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him? 18 Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

Love is not a feeling, it is behavior that reflects the gracious and unmerited love we have received from God. When a Christian brother or sister is in need, we are to reach out and help as God has prospered us to be able to do so.
God doesn’t want us to express our love toward Him through sacrifices on the alter, as was required all through the Old Testament under the Law. God’s requirement for New Testament Christians, living under Grace, is very practical and easily exhibited through day to day situations and circumstances.
1Timothy 6:17-19
“17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

James 2:14-17…
“14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”

If a person is unwilling to reach out and help those in need, it is questionable as to whether or not that person really belongs to God’s family. Anyone who lives in a manner that does not demonstrate a loving concern and willingness to help those in need, is either being disobedient, or they are not a child of God.
According to the Bible’s eschatology in reference to future events, at the end of the Seven Year Tribulation Period (which follows the Rapture of the true Church, i.e., all born-again Believers and Followers of Jesus Christ. Matthew 25:31-33), “when the Son of Man comes in His glory… …He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep (believers) from the goats (unbelievers); and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
Matthew 25:31-33
“31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.”

See Matthew 25:34-40…
“34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’”

The believers (sheep) on His right are those who lived through the most turbulent time in eternity, a time when God’s wrath is poured out upon those who take the mark of the beast, those who reject the Word of God, Jesus Christ; in fact, Revelation 8, 9, 16 is a narrative of the catastrophic destruction of the earth’s salt water and fresh water turning to blood, the trees and vegetation will burn up, and the planets and stars will fall from the sky.
The faith of true believers during this time is made evident by their actions toward Christ, symbolized by their care for those who belong to God. In Matthew 25:37, the believers ask, “when did we do these things, when did we provide food, drink, clothing, care and comfort to You?”
Matthew 25:37
“37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ”

All the writings of the Prophets and the Apostles, both Old and New Testament, is summed up in the Greatest Commandment: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself.
Believers living during the last 3.5 years of the Tribulation will be in great need of food, drink, shelter, clothing, hospitality, and encouragement, because the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and all those who take the mark of the beast (666) will be hunting them down.
See Matthew 25:41-46…
“41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””

Those on His left (goats=unbelievers) didn’t show care or compassion toward God’s children; and so they will be cast into the eternal fire, where there will be no care or compassion shown to them for all of eternity.
God’s Love (Hebrew, ahab; Greek, agape] will be eternally experienced by those who believe in His Son, but those who rejected His Son will exist apart from the love of God for all of eternity.
The first time the word for God’s love is used in the Scriptures is in reference to Abraham’s love for the long awaited son that God promised and finally gave him (Genesis 22:2), God tells Abraham “take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love [Hebrew, ahab], and offer him as a burnt offering.” In Genesis 22:12-13, it is clear that God never intended for Abraham to harm his son, for God provided a ram to be sacrificed in his place; this was an illustration of the future sacrifice of God’s One & Only Son.
Genesis 22:2
“2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.””

Genesis 22:12-13
“12 He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you [a]fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son.”

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the first use of the word love [agape] is by God, speaking from heaven about Jesus Christ saying (Matthew 3:17; 17:5).

Matthew 3:17
“17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””

Matthew 17:5
“5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!””

In John’s Gospel the first use of the word love is in John 3:16.

John 3:16
“16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

Jesus, is the standard by which all love is evaluated, given, and received; and we can only realize, be redeemed by, and become recipients of God’s love through the once for all sacrifice of God’s Son; everyone who calls upon Him for the forgiveness of sins is eternally saved, becoming a child of God the Father in Heaven.
Claiming to be a Christian and claiming to love your brothers and sisters in the Lord is not enough. The love we demonstrate must be more than words of concern or wishing someone well; our actions must be rooted in a desire to do that which pleases God, and what we do must align with that which is taught in God’s Word .
1John 3:14
“14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.”

1John 3:16
“16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.”

1John 3:18
“18 Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth”
So, let’s sum up what we have studied today: If you belong to God the Father through Christ the Son, you have God the Holy Spirit indwelling you, compelling you to express your love for God by demonstrating your love for others.
And all God’s children said? Amen!
 
Pastor Mike Hale

Bible Text: 1John 3:4-11 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

11-15-2020
1John 3:4-11
A Christians Spiritual DNA is LOVE…
Read 1John 3:4-6…
“4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him.”
Because Christians are “in Christ,” we are to live as if we are incompatible with sin. The verb used (1John 3:4) in the phrase, “everyone who ‘practices’ sin,” speaks to the habitual lifestyle of ‘committing’ sin.

1John 3:4
“4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”

We all have a conscience and we know right from wrong, whether believers or unbelievers (Genesis 3:22).

Genesis 3:22
“22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out with his hand, and take fruit also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—”

(Romans 2:15), “They show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience [con=with, science=knowledge] bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.”

Romans 2:15
“15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”

Unbelievers are controlled by the flesh because they do not have the Spirit of God (Romans 8:8).

Romans 8:8
“8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Christians have a built-in sin detector [the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Christ] to help guard against the practice of sinning, for (Romans 8:9).

Romans 8:9
“9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him”

Do Christians sin? Yes! But because we have been born of God our new nature desires to avoid sin, not to practice sin.

1John 3:4 says “Lawlessness” depicts those who live apart from God, those who ignore God’s plan for people to exemplify Christ in their life.

1John 3:4
“4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness”

Christ died to pay for our sins, and the Holy Spirit marks [indwells] those who have been made holy (2Corinthians 5:21).

2Corinthians 5:21
“21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

1Corinthians 6:9-11
“9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

1Corinthians 6:19-20
“19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

Listen! We are not to live in a pattern of sin, for we have been born again by God’s Spirit; a continual pattern of unbroken sin is representative of those who don’t know Christ, those who are still dead in their sins.

Read 1John 3:7-9…
“7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil [a]has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God.”

There are those today who teach (as in John’s day), that it doesn’t matter how you live or what you do. John warns us not to be deceived or led astray by these false teachers and teachings.

God’s children seek to do what God’s Word says pleases Him. Those who reject God’s Word and Christ’s authority can’t please Him because they are of the devil.

Ever since Satan’s original rebellion and his eviction from the presence of God, Satan has diligently sought to destroy the plan of God, that being: To save and to sanctify a people who will love, serve, and desire to honor God.

Those who habitually practice sin belong to the devil [Greek, diabolos, “accuser,” “slanderer”) or Satan (Hebrew, “opposer,” “adversary”). Satan is himself the originator for all sin and leads the rebellion against God.

Unsaved people are under the control and influence of Satan; in a sense, they are Satan’s children, just as Christians are God’s children.

Satan was created perfect, and he originally served in the very presence of God; then he willfully chose to rebel against God by placing his own pride above his worship of God (cf. Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 24:13-14).

Isaiah 14:12-14
“12 How you have fallen from heaven, You star of the morning, son of the dawn!  You have been cut down to the earth, You who defeated the nations!  13 But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”

Ezekiel 24:13-14
“13 In your filthiness is outrageous sin.  Because I would have cleansed you, Yet you are not clean, You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again Until I have expended My wrath on you.  14 I, the Lord, have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will not overlook, I will not pity, and I will not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you,” declares the Lord God.’””

To place any thoughts or actions above or against the sovereign authority and holy nature of God, is to exemplify the very foundational rebelling in heaven by Satan, which led to the ultimate deception of Adam and Eve on earth, and through their sin, came the curse of death to each and every person who is born.

God’s plan all along, was that Jesus Christ would come and destroy that which had begun at the time of Satan’s rebellion, he is the preeminent enemy of God.

Satan is aggressively working against God, trying to deceive, confuse and corrupt the very people of God; but one day that will cease and Satan will be sent to hell forever and he will no longer be an adversary of God or a deceiver of humans (Revelation 20:10).

Revelation 20:10

“10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1John 3:9) we have been given a new birth, a new nature; becoming children and servants of God.

1John 3:9
“9 No one who has been born of God practices sin, because His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin continually, because he has been born of God.”

Read 1John 3:10-11…
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.  11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another;”

There are only two groups of people on this earth: those who seek to do what is right are children of God; those who seek not to do what is right are children of the devil!

Let me speak to one of my pet peeves here. You know when you fill out an application or questionnaire for the County, State, or Federal Government, and it asks you to signify what your Race is, basically wanting to know if you are of the Black, Brown, Red, Yellow, or White Race.

Look! There are many ethnicities or nationalities, but there is only one Race, the human race. This has been scientifically proven and undeniably demonstrated through genetic research, which should not surprise us, as God’s Word tells us that God made Adam and God made Eve and everyone on this planet came from them, as Paul says (Acts 17:26).

Acts 17:26
“26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,”

Paul goes on to say (Acts 17:27-28) that, the reason God made humans was so, “they would seek God… … though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist.”

Acts 17:27-28
“27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’”

Because God is righteous, we who belong to Him will also seek to be righteous. And our righteousness is most clearly seen when we express our love for one another (John 13:34-35).

John 13:34-35
“34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.””

The apostle John was so affected by that statement that he repeated it in 1John 3:11.

1John 3:11
“11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another;”

As God’s children, we have God’s spiritual DNA, giving us the capacity to know, to receive, and to give God’s love [agape – unconditional, uncompromising, unmerited, irrevocable, intentional, and eternal].

If we were loving others as Christ loved us [He died for us], there would be no need for laws or courts; for there would be no conflicts, no assaults, no thefts, no murders. Why? Because we would be treating one another the way we want to be treated; we would be living out Ephesians 4:32.

Ephesians 4:32
“32 Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Jesus’ love is sacrificial, compassionate, and forgiving; only that kind of love can fulfill the Greatest Commandment: Love the Lord with your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-37).

Deuteronomy 6:5
“5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Matthew 22:36-40
“36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.””

Mark 12:28-31
“28 One of the scribes came up and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””

Luke 10:25-37
“25 And behold, a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 And by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’ 36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed compassion to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.””

The proof of which is displayed (Luke 10) by loving your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; Romans 13:9; Galatians
5:14; James 2:8).

Leviticus 19:18
“18 You shall not take vengeance, nor hold any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

Romans 13:9
“9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

Galatians 5:14
“14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

James 2:8
“8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.”

I’ll expound on this next time, in 1John 3:10-18.

1John 3:10-18
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.  11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we are to love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And for what reason did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.  13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. 17 But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him? 18 Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

If Christians exemplified that kind of love for God and for other people, the world would be in awe of Christ; but because many, calling themselves Christians, live as self-centered, pious hypocrites, lacking Christlike love, the church has become ineffectual, ignored, and even disliked, in this world.

Paul writes (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Ephesians 5:1-2
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

As a Christian, you are a new creation (John 1:12-13).

John 1:12-13
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

If you are a Christian, you are born-again from above, through God’s Spirit, made effectual by Christ’s atoning death on the cross. Therefore, it most definitely matters how you live, both what you do and why you do it should align with that which is taught in God’s Word and reflective of God’s character (John 3:16), (1John 4:8).

John 3:16
“16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

1John 4:8
“8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

We who belong to God through Christ will seek to love others, as God has loved us, and has commanded us (John 15:12).

John 15:12
“12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 2:28-3:3 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

11-8-2020
1John 2:28-3:3, Our Hope is in Christ…

Last week (1John 2:18-27) we were exhorted to remain in the truth and not to be led astray by false teachers, false religions, cults and doctrines that deceive and lead people away from the forgiveness and eternal life provided in and through Jesus Christ, for He is (John 14:6) the only Way to receive God’s Salvation, the only revealed Embodiment of God’s Truth, and the only source of Eternal Life from God.
John 14:6
“6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”
1John 2:28-29…
“28 Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also has been born of Him.”
1John 3:1-3…
See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
The world we live in is hopeless apart from Jesus Christ and God’s love expressed in and through Him to all those who believe; and those who have this hope are able to experience the great joy of forgiveness and the eternal security made effectual by the Spirit of God, through Whom we are able to prayerfully come into the throne room of God in heaven, and to have fellowship on earth with our brothers and sisters in Christ, purposing to offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship.
The hope we have received is a gift of God’s grace that cannot be earned or acquired; it is (Titus 1:2), (Romans 15:4).
Titus 1:2
“2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,”
Romans 15:4
“4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

1Peter 1:3
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

John 11:25-26
“25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?””

1Corinthians 15:1-4
“Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, 2 by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  3 For I handed down to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

Romans 15:13
“13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Read 1John 2:28…
“28 Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming.”

To “abide in [Christ]” means to persevere in the faith we receive at the moment of salvation: abide [Gk. men-o, meaning ‘to remain’ or ‘to stay’], i.e., we stay true to Christ, remaining in Christ, so that when “He appears” [Gk. in His presence], most likely talking about the Rapture, because that is when John’s audience and future believers will be joined with Christ, having been made perfect (see John 14:1-3; 1Corinthians 15:51-54; 1Thessalonians 4:16-18).
John 14:1-3
““Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.”
1Corinthians 15:51-54
“51 Behold, I am telling you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

1Thessalonians 4:16-18
“16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”
There are some commentators who say this is talking about the Lord’s Return to the earth, at the Second Coming; but I’m sure not going to support that claim, as I believe the Greek words and their syntax, here in 1John 2:28, do not allow such an interpretation.
1John 2:28
“28 Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming.”
As I study to show my self approved to God (2Timothy 2:15), as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth, I try to seek the most accurate, clear, contextually coherent, concise yet comprehensive meaning in such cases.
2Timothy 2:15
“15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who [a]does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
I believe the priority of this verse is that our hope (our confidence) in Christ’s return should encourage and even exhort us to live in a manner that honors God and aligns with His Word.
Our hope is in Christ, not in ourselves, or our works, or in our religious performance; Jesus alone is righteous and only through Him are we made acceptable to God, now and forever (see Romans 3:10-12, 23-26; 2Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-10).
Romans 3:10-12
“10 as it is written: “There is no righteous person, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God; 12 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, There is not even one.” ”

Romans 3:23-26
“23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; 26 for the demonstration, that is, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

2Corinthians 5:21
“21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Ephesians 2:1-10
“And you were dead in your offenses and sins, 2 in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

But then, what does the phrase (1John 2:28), “we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming [lit., in His presence] mean?  We are convinced of our salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and we are confident of Christ’s return, so we continue to do that which pleases Him, according to His Word. Why? He gave His life for us, took our punishment for sin; and so we belong to God, having been purchased with the very blood of Christ.
What if, at the time of the rapture, you are involved in committing a sin, or at the very least, you are doing something that is not pleasing to God at that moment, then you are immediately caught up, transformed, perfected in Christ. I believe anyone who genuinely loves the Lord would hate to be doing something that did not honor Him, at the moment of the Rapture.
Read 1John 2:29…
“29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also has been born of Him.”

Everyone who genuinely belongs to Christ will seek to find out what pleases Him and attempt to do it! When we express our desire to please and obey God, we are showing that we are “in Christ,” and have indeed been born again by God’s Spirit.
When Jesus Christ returns to receive those who belong to Him, we can be confident of our acceptance by Him, because He loves us, and He loses none of those who belong to Him (see John 10:27-28; Romans 8:24-25, 28-30).
John 10:27-28
“27 My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”
Romans 8:24-25
“24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
Read 1John 3:1…
“See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him.”
God calls us, forgives us, and saves us; and when Christ returns all true Christians will be brought together with God. God is the one who initiated our salvation and He will see it through to our glorification.

John 15:16
“16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
Why God the Father should love us so much as to sacrifice His own Son, we’ll never fully understand (cf. John 3:16). But one thing we do know; if we belong to Him, we will want to live our life on earth in a way that exemplifies Christ, and this will be totally foreign and most likely objectionable to those who aren’t saved.
No wonder Christians are described as aliens and strangers among those who live on the earth. God’s divine nature should be seen in and through the lives of those who belong to Him (see 1Peter 2:11-12, 1Peter 2:15).
1Peter 2:11-12
“11 Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of visitation.”
1Peter 2:15
“15 For such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people.”

2Peter 1:3-4
“3 for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 Through these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world on account of lust.”

Read 1John 3:2…
“2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”

From the very moment of salvation, every Christian should begin to exhibit saving faith through a desire to know and to obey God’s Word.
John 1:12-13
“12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.”
John 3:5-8
“5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.””
Romans 8:12-16
“12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,”
The presence and power of God is to be seen in our life, as God’s Holy Spirit works to conform us into the nature of Christ while we serve Him on this earth.
I don’t believe anyone can really understand, let alone describe, what it will be like for mortal man to put on immortality and live in heaven with God. And yet, that is what the Bible says will happen!
1Corinthians 2:9,
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the human heart, All that God has prepared for those who love Him” [pp. Isaiah 64:4, Isaiah 65:17].  1Corinthians 2:10, “To us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.”
We are to live as if the hope we have of Christ’s return makes a difference right now, right here; as we live in accordance to His Word in conformity to His nature, we give testimony that we are continuing in Him; we are to be exemplifying Him (1John 2:6).
1John 2:6
“6 the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.”

Read 1John 3:3
“3 And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Those who genuinely belong to God will live in a manner that brings honor and glory to Him; exemplary of the character and nature of Jesus Christ, the full embodiment of the Godhead, in the flesh.
Do Christians sin (1John 1:8-9).
1John 1:8-9
“8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Often we fail to obey God’s Word, and at times we even turn a deaf ear [spiritually] to God’s Spirit nudging us to do what is right (Romans 8:6-9)
Romans 8:6-9,
“6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
Paul offers a test (2Corinthians 13:5).
2Corinthians 13:5,
“5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?”
This is a simple Pass/Fail test! If you haven’t repented and you are not trusting Jesus Christ to provide forgiveness (for all your sins: past, present and future) then you “fail” the test, and you have not received eternal life.
If you are seeking to live in obedience to God’s Word, allowing God’s Spirit to conform you to the image of God’s Son, as you wait expectantly for Christ’s Return, then you will have full confidence that you “pass” the test!
1John 5:11-13
“11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.  13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
All our hope rests in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming Again, to take all those who belong to Him to be with Him in heaven, forever.
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 2:18-27 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

Nov. 1, 2020 –  1John 2:18-27,
Those Who Stay and Those Who Go…

Last week we studied a certain type of love that God hates (cf. 1John 2:15-17); that being, to love any ideology that rejects God’s Son or any behavior that offends Him.

A major characteristic of those who do not belong to God, is that, not only do they not believe in God’s One and Only Son, but they try to deceive others into denying Him as well..

Read 1John 2:18-19…
“18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident that they all are not of us.”

John addresses us as “dear children,” and tells us that the Antichrist is coming. John is speaking of a future time when Satan will raise up the final world ruler who will seek to oppose and replace Christ (during the Tribulation Period).

John warns that there are already many antichrists present in the world; these are false teachers who promote doctrine that is hostile toward God’s Son and contradictory to God’s Word.

John says these false teachers come from within the so-called church, but they never belonged to God, and have departed from fellowship with the true church and now attempt to lead people out of Christianity into false religious belief systems and apostate doctrine.

Most cults and world religions teach something about a person named Jesus; but their teachings deny that He is the One True God and that He alone provides forgiveness for sins and eternal life to everyone who will repent, believe in, and follow Him.

False teachers promote a false Jesus, a false Christ, for they are antiChrists [anti = opposed to, or against] the true Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming Again!

 
Brief look at false teachers over the past 40 years:
Listen to an overview of some of the most infamous false teachers and antichrist’s in the past 40 Years…

In 1978, Jim Jones convinced his followers of the People’s Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, to drink Kool-aid laced with cyanide that killed over 900 men, women, and children. Jones, who claimed he was the re-incarnated Christ, was found dead, a gunshot wound to the head.

In 1981, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh: came to the US, after being run out of India, establishing a commune on a 64,000 acre property (purchased for $5.75 million), known as the Big Muddy Ranch, near Antelope, Oregon. Here he promoted sex to be the first step toward achieving “super consciousness,” and “dynamic meditation,” as the path to experience divinity. The village of Rajneeshpuram (as it was named) grew to 3,000 followers (called Rajneeshees), and eventually, using drastic measures that included wiretapping, voter fraud, arson, salmonella poisoning, and even murder, took over the town of Antelope, renaming it the “City of Rajneeshand.” Eventually a criminal investigation was opened, and in 1985 Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh was deported, the city of Antelope reclaimed its name, and the property containing the commune reverted back to the state of Oregon because of past due taxes.

In 1993, in Waco, Texas, David Koresh (who said he was the Christ, the Son of God, the Anointed One to Whom the Seven Seals in the Book of Revelation was given) led 85 people, including 20 children and two miscarried babies, to their death (after a 51-day siege, by FBI and ATF, that was ended by fatal gunshots, a raging fire and collapsing buildings). Koresh died of a gunshot wound to the front of the head.

In 1997, Marshall Applewhite, a self-proclaimed descendant of Jesus Christ, led 39 members of his Heaven’s Gate cult to commit suicide, believing their souls would be transported to a spaceship that was trailing the Hale-Bopp comet.

In 1954, Sun Myung Moon a Korean industrialist and religious leader founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which became known as the Unification Church. His Disciples, called “Moonies,” believed him to be the Messiah. His movement came to the US in the 1970’s, with mass weddings and times of blessings for hundreds and even thousands. Moon and his wife were respectively addressed as “Father” and “Mother” by followers, for they epitomized God’s ideal family. In 2008 Moon appointed his son Hyung Jin Moon to be leader, and in 2012 Sun Myung Moon died at the age of 92.

In 1994 Harold Camping (the President of Family Radio Station since 1958) predicted the world would end on September 6, it didn’t; he then predicted it would happen May 21, 2011, it didn’t; afterward Camping said God stopped saving people after May 21, 2011 and would end the world on October 21, 2011, Many of his followers gave away their properties and had their pets euthanized, since the world was ending and they were going to heaven. In 2012 Camping died, after a stroke, prolonged health issues, and a bad fall.

There is no lack of those who claim to be Christ and teach false doctrines, or are followers of these anti-christ’s and anti-biblical teachings.  Just as John warns us in today’s text, Paul warns us in 1Timothy 6:3-5, and Peter in 2Peter 2:1-3.

1Timothy 6:3-5,
“3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a sick craving for controversial questions and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”

2Peter 2:1-3.
“But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

Paul doesn’t just warn about them, he names them (cf. 1Timothy 1:18-20; 2Timothy 2:15-19), Hymenaeus, Alexander, Philetus, “men who strayed from the truth, jeopardizing the faith of some [people].”

1Timothy 1:18-20;
“18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”

2Timothy 2:15-19
“15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.   16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth, claiming that the resurrection has already taken place; and they are jeopardizing the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness.””

You know, I feel obliged to name a few infamous false teachers myself, like: Robert Schuller, Oral Roberts, Paul & Jan Crouch, Jim & Tammy Bakker, Kenneth Hagin, Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Marilyn Hickey, Kenneth & Gloria Copeland, Joel Osteen, Sarah Young, Fred Price, Paula White, T.D. Jakes, Beth Moore, etc.

Those genuinely born again through belief in Jesus Christ will remain true to God’s Word. Biblical integrity and spiritual endurance are the ultimate test and mark of all those who eternally belong to God.

Read 1John 2:20-21…
“20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.”

The “anointing” we have received is the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13-14; John 1:12-13; 3:5-8).

Ephesians 1:13-14;
“13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

John 1:12-13;
“12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.”

John 3:5-8.
“5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.””

The Holy Spirit not only indwells us, but He guides, protects, and provides for all God’s people through God’s Word (see John 14:16-17, 25-29).

John 14:16-17,
“16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.”

John 14:25-29.
“25 “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful. 28 You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.”

Those who fail to remain in the truth, falling away, believing Satan’s lies, rejecting Christ, they never belonged to God in the first place. Salvation is eternal! Romans 11:29 says it is irrevocable, meaning that it cannot be lost, taken away, or given back.

Romans 11:29
“29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

Read 1John 2:22-23…
“22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.”

Antichrists (false teachers and deceivers), deny the One True Faith by rejecting what Scripture teaches about the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that He was fully God and fully man. Those who reject what God’s Word says set themselves against God (see John 3:16-18; 5:31-38; 6:28-29, 40; 8:18-19).

John 3:16-18;
“16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. 18 The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

John 5:31-38;
“31 “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.  33 You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 But the testimony I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was the lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.  36 But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.  37 And the Father who sent Me, He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 Also you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent.”

John 6:28-29,
“28 Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.””

John 6:40;
“40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.””

John 8:18-19
“18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.””

False religions deny that Jesus is God, and that He alone has fulfilled God’s sovereign requirements in order to provide, once and for all, forgiveness for sins and eternal life to all who call upon Him.

 
What do cults and false religions say about Jesus?
Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is not God; but instead, he is Michael the archangel, the very first creation of God.

Christian Science teaches that Jesus is the human man and Christ is the divine idea, and that Jesus is not eternal, sovereign, or one with the Father.

Mormonism teaches that Jesus was a spirit-child of Elohim (the God of planet earth), and through obedience and devotion Jesus was able to attain Godhood. They believe there are many God’s, all of whom were once mortals like us, until they attained Godhood, like Jesus.

Judaism believes in One God, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, but it rejects Jesus Christ as God’s Son and is still waiting for the Messiah to come.

Islam rejects the idea of redemption, for Muslims believe and teach that salvation depends solely upon man’s actions and attitudes, not on the work of God.

Hinduism seeks escape from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth through many incarnations (reincarnations) to final salvation. The path to salvation depends upon and is expedited by acquired spiritual knowledge through meditation, or sacrificial works.

Buddhism declares that ignorance, rather than sin, is the roadblock to salvation, the highest state of being, and the end to the continual rebirth-death rebirth (reincarnations), which is obtained through heightened levels of meditation that allow one to lose self, and to become spiritually enlightened, reaching Nirvana the highest state of being, which is the cessation of suffering, and the ultimate state of “salvation”.

Read 1John 2:24-25…
“24 As for you, see that what you heard from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.  25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.”

The gospel is God’s eternal truth and only those who remain faithful to it will experience a personal, intimate and growing relationship with God, through Christ, on earth, culminating in a personal and eternal relationship in heaven with God, and with all those who genuinely believe in Him.

Read 1John 2:26-27…
“26 These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you remain in Him.”

Antichrists are attempting to deceive God’s children, but we have been given the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Truth: the anointing we received from God at the moment of genuine belief), and we are therefore able to discern truth from falsehood, good from evil.

John is not saying here that we don’t need gifted men of God to teach and lead us; but instead, he is affirming that we are not dependent upon human wisdom or the philosophies of godless men — but on the very Word of God that has been once for all delivered to us by God Himself in the 66 Books of Old and New Testaments (see 2Timothy 3:16-17; 2Peter 1:20-22; Jude 1-4).

2Timothy 3:16-17;
“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.”

2Peter 1:20-22
“20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

Jude 1-4
“1 Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.  3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

God’s Spirit guides and guards all true believers into the truth of God so that we will be able to endure and persevere in sound doctrine as we live out our lives for Christ, just as He gave up His life for us.

If you genuinely belong to God through Christ, God’s Spirit will testify to that fact in your heart and through your life as you remain true to God’s Word, continually and obediently serving Him on earth individually, but yet not separate from the Body of Christ, the Church, of which you are a member.
And all God’s people said, Amen!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1 John 2:15-17 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

10-25-2020 –
The Love of God Perseveres, Everything Else Perishes
God loves His people and He has expressed His love by sending His own Son to die for our sins. God’s Word teaches that those who accept God’s free gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ, will seek to obediently serve God here on earth.
Serving God must include knowing and trying to do that which pleases God, just as it must also include knowing and trying not to do that which displeases God (cf. Romans 12:9).
Romans 12:9,
“9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Read 1John 2:15-17…
“15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
There is a certain type of love that God hates.
John is telling us not to love anything in the “world system.” Why? Well, maybe it is because Satan is the ruler of the world system that hates God’s Son, and all those who serve Him.
Either you love God and hate the world system (meaning all that opposes God), or you hate God and love the world system, there is no third option.
Unbelievers are devoted to serving self through the philosophies and practices of this world. But God’s people are to be devoted to knowing, applying and proclaiming God’s sovereign and eternal Word (revealed to us in the 66 Books of the Old and New Testaments).
The Bible is a God’s revelation to us, so that we might not just know about Him, but that we might personally come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (see John 1:1-3, 14, 18; 5:39-40; 6:26-29, 40; 8:19, 42-45; 10:24-33; 14:6-7).
John 1:1-3, 14,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

John 1:14,
“14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:18;
“18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

John 5:39-40;
“39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

John 6:26-29,
“26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.””

John 6:40;
“40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.””

John 8:19,
“19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.””

John 8:42-45;
“42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.”

John 10:24-33;
“24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”  31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.””

John 14:6-7).
“6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.  7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

Back to 1John2:16…
“16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

That which doesn’t come from God is the godless world system (“all that is in the world”). John describes the cravings of sinful mankind: “the lust of the flesh [appetite],” “the lust of the eyes [desires],” and “the boastful pride of life” [arrogant pride]; these are not from God, but are from the world.
Satan uses the world and all that is in our flesh to tempt and deceive us, and to draw us away from God by what we see, hear, touch, taste, think, and do.
Satan has been using the same strategy since the very early days of creation when he deceived both Adam and Eve, through the serpent [devil incarnate].
See Genesis 3:5-6… The serpent “of old” who is called the devil and Satan (Revelation 12:9; 20:2) deceived Eve by raising doubts about God’s motives, while tempting her appetite, desires, and pride [good for food, delight to the eyes, make one wise].
Genesis 3:5-6…
“5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 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 desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Revelation 12:9;
“9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

Revelation 20:2
“2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;”

See Genesis 3:5-6…
“5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 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 desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”
The Bible uses the term “flesh” to describe that which opposes the Spirit of God. There is a battle taking place daily, sometimes moment by moment, between the Spirit and the flesh (Galatians 5:17).
Galatians 5:17,
“17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

See Romans 7:21-25;
“21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”
When we seek to fulfill our own wants and desires apart from God’s instructions and warnings, we are either being deceived or disobedient, or both! The world system is controlled by Satan, through the flesh, and we were all part of it, to some degree, before coming to Christ (see Ephesians 2:1-10).
Ephesians 2:1-10…
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. ”
Satan has the ability to blind the minds of unbelievers (2Corinthians 4:4), “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,” but God’s people are not to be deceived nor taken captive by the philosophies of this world; we are to fight against them with God’s weaponry (Ephesians 6:12), “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places,” therefore (Ephesians 6:17), “take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The Bible is alive.
Hebrews 4:12,
“12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The Bible is life giving.
John 6:63,
“63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

John 6:68-69,
“68, Simon said, “Lord, …You have words of eternal life.” 69, “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
The Bible is food for spiritual growth.
1Peter 2:2,
“2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,”

Hebrews 5:14,
“14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
The Bible transforms lives.
Romans 12:2,
“2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The attitudes and the actions of a sinful world are in opposition to God’s Word. We must recognize and respond to the world system according to God’s instruction; if not, we will suffer the consequences.
Back to 1John2:17….
“17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
God is sovereign and those who believe in and follow God’s Word will live forever with Him. Jesus came to offer forgiveness and eternal life to anyone who would believe in and follow Him.
God wants everyone to be saved (cf 1Timothy 2:3-4; 2Peter 3:9); but through Satan’s deception, using the practices and philosophies of this world system, most of the world will reject God’s plan and provision through Christ.
1Timothy 2:3-4;
“3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2Peter 3:9
“9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
The world apart from God’s presence, power and pleasure, is cursed and God will one day destroy all of it by fire (see 2Peter 3:3-7, 10).
2Peter 3:3-7
“3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

2Peter 3:10
“10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
What then, should be our response to 1John 2:15-17?
1John 2:15-17…
“15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
Clearly, we are not to love the world or anything in the world, i.e., we are not to make a priority out of seeking to fulfill our own self-centered carnal appetites and desires, nor are we to be prideful about anything of our own doing or acquisition.

2Corinthians 11:30,
“30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.”
2Corinthians 12:10,
“10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
weak, then I am strong.”
Philippians 4:12-13,
“12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:19-20,
“19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
We are to be constantly feeding upon God’s Word, and expressing our love for the Lord by seeking to obey the instruction we are given in His Word telling us how we should then live, as those who are born of God’s Spirit, for we are children of God (1John 3:2), “Beloved, …we are children of God,” (Ephesians 5:1), “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
1John 3:2,
“2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”

Ephesians 5:1),
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;”
God is our Father, Christ our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our resident trainer, Comforter, and Counselor, who is transforming us, through our obedience to the Word of God, to become more like Jesus. We have God’s Spiritual DNA in us, marking us as His possession, His servants, His children, and part of His Eternal Family.
Romans 8:16-17,
“16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
All true believers, having been made children of God, will suffer along with and because of Christ, who was hated by the world, rejected by His own people (the Jews), and abandoned by His very closest followers and friends (the Disciples) after He was arrested; and yet He sacrificed Himself to set us all free from sin’s penalty and condemnation.
The bad news is, that in this world God’s people will suffer because of the name of Christ.
John 15:18-19,
“18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”
2Timothy 3:12-13,
“12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
The good news is that even though we will suffer in this life, we are heirs with Christ, and we will be given glorified bodies that will enable us to live for eternity, in heaven, with God.
Revelation 21:1-5,
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.””
Those who genuinely belong to God through the death and resurrection of God’s Son, have been born again by the Spirit of God, in order that we will live in such a manner as to bring honor and glory to God while we are still on this side of heaven, because once we go to be with the Lord, we will be perfected, knowing Him as He knows us, and never again will there be anything in all of creation that is offensive or displeasing to God.
Now that is something to be thankful about, to celebrate, and to proclaim!
Pastor Mike Hale
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 2:12-14 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

10-25-2020 –
As we have learned from our previous studies in 1John, the Apostle John writes from his own personal life with Jesus Christ, i.e., John wrote down what he had seen, heard and experienced in Christ’s presence.
John declares that those who genuinely believe in and follow Jesus, have come into fellowship with God, who is Light; and therefore, as God’s children, children of the Light, we will allow Christ to be seen through us.
Our lives as Christians should reflect a desire to please the one who has forgiven our sins and granted us eternal life; and the thing that reflects God’s presence in our life more than any other thing we do, is our love toward other Christians:
(John 13:35)
“all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
When God looks at the world, He sees only two groups of people: those who belong to Him by faith in Christ, and those who belong to the devil through their rejection of Christ.
Read 1John 2:12-14…
“12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

John is writing to those who belong to God, “I write to you, fathers…” “I write to you, young men…” “I write to you, little children…”
John makes a reference to three stages of spiritual maturity among those who belong to God: fathers, young men, little children:
“Fathers” are the spiritually mature who have an experienced and deepened knowledge of God. “Young men” are those who don’t have a mature knowledge of God as yet, but they do know sound doctrine and are able to overcome the deception of Satan’s tricks and lies. “Little children” are those who have trusted in Christ and have a basic understanding of God, but they have not yet matured in their walk to a point where they are capable of discerning the ways of the devil.
See Ephesians 5:15-17…
“15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

We must remain sober minded in this life, looking, observing, giving attention to the way we live; we are to

2Timothy 2:15
“15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
When we actually reverence God’s Word, studying it and allowing it to permeate our heart and mind so as to transform our life; we become intolerant toward sin, narrow minded in reference to our worldview, and discriminating in reference to where we go, what we do, and why we do what we do.
The change that has taken place (cf. 2Corinthians 5:17) continues to grow and mature us to become more and more like Jesus, God’s Son. God is not just a loving God; He is a Just and Loving God! He is merciful, but He must judge sin!
2Corinthians 5:17
“17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
As we walk through this life we are to be looking and examining with great care and alertness. Christians must remain aware of the devil’s schemes, applying God’s wisdom we live obediently in alignment with God’s Word, in a manner that honors God.
See Ephesians 4:20-24…
“20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Paul exhorts us to lay aside the old self, and put on Christ, i.e., we are to live in a manner that pleases God.

Romans 12:2
“2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 13:14
“14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
Paul is speaking of the change that occurs in a person’s life when he is born into the family of God; there must be a difference in the life of those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, because God’s Spirit lives in them.
John 3:3-8
“3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ”

John 14:15-17
“15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

John 25-26
“25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

1Corinthians 6:19-20;
“19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

Ephesians 1:13-14
“13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Imagine that you had to work in a sewer all day. When you get home, you remove your soiled clothing, take a long hot cleansing shower, and put on clean clothes! You wouldn’t dare put back on the filthy garments you had taken off.
In the same way, Paul says, we are to lay aside [put off] those sinful attitudes and actions of our old life; for they are like sewage soaked clothing. Christians are a new creation in Christ; we are to “dress and look differently,” i.e., our walk and our talk should exemplify Christ, not the godless life we had before coming to God.
See Matthew 7:13-14…
“13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

The broad road ultimately leads to Hell (eternal separation from God). Everyone is on this road until they get off by exiting through the small gate (Christ) onto the narrow road (Christianity) which leads to heaven.
Notice, only a few find It! Why is that? See (verses 7-8), only a few are seeking the way off, the way out.
In John 10:9 Jesus says, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved,” in
John 14:6 He says, “I am the Way;
and in John 11:25-26 Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”
Salvation is eternal! Once saved you cannot become unsaved (cf. Romans 11:29), however, you can live in ignorance and/or disobedience toward the teaching of God’s Word, turning a deaf ear to the Spirit’s voice, like an unbeliever. But honestly, for a person to return to the way they lived before coming to Christ, would be like putting back on sewage soaked clothing, after having taken it off, thoroughly washed your body in a hot sudsy shower, and then put on clean clothes!
When you repent of your sin asking God to forgive you, He cleanses you from all unrighteousness, i.e., from all your sins, all of the sewage of your life, and He clothes you with His own righteousness.
1John 1:8-9
“8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Isaiah 43:25
“25 “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.”

Hebrews 10:17
“17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.””
See Titus 3:3-8…
“3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.”
Believers are not immune to ignorance, foolishness, bad behavior or disobedience; we are just sinners saved by grace, and we can at times act like unbelievers. What does that look like? When we are:

Not believing God completely, i.e., believing God for salvation but not for everything else, or failing to accept as truth any part of God’s Word.
Not obeying or holding firmly to the Word of God.
Allowing our heart to go after the wrong things.

It is a sad and tragic thing when Christians do not take God at His Word in everything. When you do not obey what He commands, and you desire things that God warns you against, you are acting unwise and undiscerning. There is no excuse for you to live foolishly when God has supplied all you need to serve Him victoriously on this earth.
2Peter 1:2-4
“2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
Many people today are fanatically dedicated to some ideology, religion, or fad, but very few are dedicated to the Holy and Sovereign God of Creation and His Eternal Word of Truth. As God’s people, we ought to devote the time we have to the Lord’s work.
Outside of purposeful disobedience to God’s Word, the most spiritually foolish thing a Christian can do is to waste time and opportunity in trivial and half-hearted service to the Lord. What a waste and misuse of time!
None of us knows how much time we have to live, let alone to serve the Lord; some are given a long life to serve, and some only a brief moment of time.
Paul sought to use every minute of his life in the fullest service to God
Acts 20:24
“24 But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

Galatians 2:20,
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
In John 10:9 Jesus says,
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved,”
in John 14:6 He says, “I am the Way; and in John 11:25-26 Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”
There is the story in Luke 12, of a farmer who had great plans of building bigger and better storehouses for all his grain and crops
(Luke 12:20), “God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'”
That man had already lived his last tomorrow; he was wasting the time God had given him. The moral of that story is clear: We need to find out what God wants us to do, and then we need to earnestly seek to do it.
Within any Christian church, fellowship, or group, there are people at different stages of spiritual growth and maturity in their Christian life: little children incapable of discernment, young people who are still immature, and mature believers who are diligently, faithfully, and honorably serving the Lord.
Every genuine Christian, no matter what stage of growth they may be in, ought to seek to make God’s priorities their priorities. God’s people are to be different, and that difference must exemplify Christ in us, if we are going to make a difference for God.
Colossians 2:8,
“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”
We must stand apart from the foolish philosophies and practices of this godless world; and we can only do that as we acknowledge, apply, and adhere to God’s Word.
Ephesians 5:15-17
“15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Hebrews 10:23-25
“23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near”
(We need God’s Word, God’s Spirit, God’s Church)
And finally, as we are commanded in
1Thessalonians 5:16-18
“16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
And all God’s people said, Amen!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><