1 John 5:13-21
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Welcome...
Introduce self...
Pray...
Invite kids up...
Reenact the Jacob and Esau story...
Explain how foolish it was for Esau to trade everything he had for a bowl of soup!
Read text
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
The last verse in the whole letter...
The first use of the word “idols”
Is this a final thought shoved in at the last moment? Or a summation of everything John has been writing about?
Exegete text
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
“I write these things… that you may know you have eternal life.”
This is most immediately talking about the previous verses.
The water, the blood, and the Spirit. These three agree and testify to about Jesus.
Because of the testimony of Jesus, we have assurance of eternal life.
Our assurance does not rest on our efforts, our faithfulness, and especially not our righteousness.
Our assurance is fully and squarely on GOD, his faithfulness and his righteousness.
In some ways this echos John 20:30-31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
The gospel of John was written that we would believe and have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
The letter John wrote was to give us assurance.
Everyone sins, don’t say you don’t have sin.
At the same time, don’t walk in darkness and say you have fellowship with the light.
Anyone who claims the name of Jesus ought to walk in the same way Jesus walked.
John is saying this that we might not sin.
But if we do sin, we have an advocate with the father in Jesus Christ.
God is faithful, it is his work that will bring you to him.
In fact, God is love, and if you love with the love of God, you know that must come from God.
Your transformed life is evidence that you belong to God.
If your life is not transformed, confess, repent, turn to Jesus.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
“Confidence”
Literally translated, “freedom of speech”
Other places it’s translated “boldness”
This is really quite extraordinary!
That we can come before God with boldness and confidence!
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
We ought to desire to pray with God’s will in mind, not ours.
Prayer is not for the purpose of bending God’s will to ours.
Prayer is for the purpose of submitting our will to God’s.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
IDOLS
We pray for idols and then we’re surprised when we don’t get it...
I don’t go to church because I don’t get anything out of it...
We go to church seeking our idols, then we complain when we don’t get it, then we leave the church, then we complain that God is distant and your life is falling apart.
If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
The sin that does not lead to damnation...
Any sin that we commit that we are capable of confessing and repenting of.
If you can confess your sin, you will be forgiven (1 John 1:9)
One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)
“All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”
“Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”
But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
“You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed. And you have seen their detestable things, their idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, which were among them. Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. The Lord will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven.
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
Balancing act...
If you’re born of God you don’t go on sinning...
On the other hand, if you think you’ve stopped sinning… you deceive yourselves.
The mark of a believer is confession and repentance.
The mark of a believer is confession and repentance.
THE MARK OF A BELIEVER IS CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE!
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
If God saves you, you are secure.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
And yet, I will not ignore the warnings in the Bible, such as 1 John.
(1) These warnings may be here for the unregenerate person in the church to turn to Christ (we can so easily deceive ourselves)
(2) These warnings may be here as means of grace to the regenerate person to persevere in Christ
(3) These warnings are here to remind us of the seriousness of sin and rebellion
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
What are idols?
A bowl of lentil soup.
Questions:
What lesser god are you exchanging for the knowledge and closeness that the true God offers?
What lesser god are you exchanging for the knowledge and closeness that the true God offers?
Do you see evidence of God’s grace in your life according to 1 John?
Do you see evidence of God’s grace in your life according to 1 John?
Do you see yourself loving like God loves?
Do you see the work of the Spirit transforming you so that you walk the same way Jesus walked?
Does you regularly practice confession and repentance?
Does you regularly practice confession and repentance?
Or do you try to live perfectly in pride? Making others think you are righteous?
Are you trusting your own righteousness or Jesus’ righteousness?
Are you trusting your own righteousness or Jesus’ righteousness?