Belonging to God

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 23rd of July, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  A recording should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

As we read the Apostle John’s letters, and remembering what he’s told us in his Gospel account, we can see that John is very much concerned with the subject of love.  This should be expected, as Jesus commands us to love one another, and John is very diligent in following Jesus’ command.

Throughout his Gospel account and his letters, John emphasizes love, and especially God’s love for us.  God loves us so much that He sent His own Son to wash us clean of our sin and offer us eternal life.  God loves us so much that He adopts us into His family as His own children, equal heirs with Jesus.  The world may hate us, just as it hates Christ Jesus, but God dearly loves us.

In his 1st letter, John also contrasts the children of God with the children of the devil, Satan’s workers.  For John is very concerned that we understand how our faith and belief should directly affect our relationships with others.  He encourages us to be in fellowship with one another, to practice righteousness and brotherly love.

One thing to keep in mind while reading his letters is that at the time John wrote them, the heresy of Gnosticism was beginning to make inroads into the early church.  The Gnostics pretty much rejected the teachings of the Apostles and disciples of Christ, holding to their own set of beliefs that ran counter to even early Christian standards.  For instance, they rejected the immaculate conception, stating that a spiritual being, such as God, could not directly unite with a physical being, like a woman.  So then the birth story of Jesus would be a fabrication.  And since they also did not believe in resurrection, if there had been such a person as Jesus, He could not have risen from the dead back to life again.

So a lot of what John addressed in his letters, without mentioning them by name, was to counter these heretical beliefs before they could fully take root.  Since the moral standards of the Gnostics was quite low, John stressed that true Christians must maintain a high ethical standard, better reflecting those of the earthly life of Jesus.

So let’s continue our examination of John’s 1st letter to the early church by opening the 3rd chapter and reading verses 1 through 10, from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as He is pure.

4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in Him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in Him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know Him or understand who He is.

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

--1 John 3:1-10 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Almighty God, Thank You for reminding us through the writings of the Apostle John of just how much You love us.  By this we know that we are Yours, we belong to You.  Thank You, Father, for calling us and accepting us as Your children.  Sadly, though, Father, sometimes we are very disobedient little brats.  Sometimes we just can’t find it in ourselves to love others unconditionally, especially those that don’t love us and that wish us harm.  Forgive us these times, Father.  Please help us be more like Jesus.  Help us maintain a higher ethical standard than those of the world around us.  Remind us that we bear the name of Your Christ, so it is important that we represent Him in the best possible way.  And please protect us, Father.  Shield us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil works.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Help us recognize heresy when we hear it and counter it with the truth.  Help us avoid those children of the devil who try to drag us down with them.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

The Sunday Express of London once reported that, “Most people wish to serve God -- but in an advisory capacity only.”

That’s a rather funny remark, but also a sadly true commentary.  Of those people who say they believe in God, too many would rather give Him lip service than actively go to work for Him.

Think about it a moment…  How many times have we advised God on what He should do?  How many times have we told Him to send some rain, or to rain down judgment on our enemies?  How many times have we demanded He damn someone because of what they did to us?  Compare that to how many times we love unconditionally, seeing to the needs of others, visiting the institutionalized, helping the lost find their way to the truth, breaking the chains of those still captive to sin and death.  The Apostle James says that faith without works is dead.  We've all been given a measure of faith.  What do we do with our measure?

Now I will admit I’ve often served God in an advisory role in my past, and sometimes even still today.  But I pray that now my role is that of more active service, helping to build His family, spreading the Gospel truth, leading others to Jesus.  Belonging to God is more about serving Him than serving ourselves and our own selfish wants and desires.  So let’s resign from our advisory positions, put on our work clothes, and get out there in the fields.

Like I said earlier, John is all about love.  Our reading this morning starts out talking about God’s love for us.  But there is also a cautionary note in this letter.  The world does not love us.  We are God’s chosen children, but the world refuses to believe that because the world refuses to accept God.

The people of the world sin against God by breaking His law, which John says is the very definition of sin: not keeping God’s law.  Since Jesus came to take away our sin by taking them all on Himself, if we continue to live in Him we must strive to no longer sin, for those who do continue sinning, who go back to the ways of the world, do not understand who Jesus is or what He did for us.

Now if we understand what the church was going through at the time, we can see that John was addressing part of Gnosticism here.  The Gnostics were not keeping themselves pure.  They continued to sin, refusing to accept even what Jesus Himself taught.  We who follow Christ must strive to keep ourselves pure, just as Jesus was pure.

And here is where John warns the church not to let the Gnostics or anyone else deceive us or mislead us.  When people do what is right, it shows they are righteous, just as Christ is righteous.  But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the very beginning.  So John draws a distinction between those who refrain from sin being the children of God, and those who keep on sinning being children of Satan.  Those who do not live righteously and do not love others do not belong to God.

If we truly belong to God, we will do as He commands.  For that is the key to righteous living.  And what does He command us to do but to love others, just as Jesus loves us.  The Apostle Paul, in the 13th chapter of his letter to the church in Rome, verses 8 through 10, puts it like this…

8 Owe nothing to anyone — except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These — and other such commandments — are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

--Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)

If we’re not helping Jesus, if we’re not out there working the fields for Him, then we’re harming Him, we’re driving nails into His hands all over again.  If we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem.  And all those people not helping Him are anti-Christ, in His own words.

Love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.  In his 1st letter to the church in Corinth, Paul reminds us that, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.”  In all of this, love does no wrong to others, so love meets our requirement of God’s command.  And we’re talking true love here, the kind of love Jesus showed, taking care of others, acting without any consideration of personal reward or recognition, showing God’s love through our love.

John says we Christians must keep ourselves pure, do what is right, act righteously in all things.  Jesus freed us from our chains of sin and now we must stay free.  For if we truly belong to God, we will be a new creation, cleansed of our sin and obeying God's word, just as we heard from Peter a few weeks ago.  In the 1st chapter of his 1st letter to the early church, verses 22 and 23, Peter reminds us that…

22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

23 For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

--1 Peter 1:22-23 (NLT)

We have not been given new life just so we can return to our old worldly life.  We have not been saved from death just to die again.

We have been shown great mercy and love by our heavenly Father God, and now we must show our love, our sincere love, by loving each other as brothers and sisters, loving each other with all our heart.  This is how to live the new life that Jesus has given us.  This is how to show we’re that new creation, by loving what the world would hate.  This is how we show we belong to God.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for loving us so much that You would have mercy on us and send Your Christ, Your Son, to offer us forgiveness and freedom from our sin.  And thank You for the faith to believe in Jesus and to follow Him.   He was pure and without sin, but He took all our sin upon Himself and washed us clean.  Forgive us those times, please Father, when we return to our old sinful ways and the lustful life of the world.  Forgive us when we care more about ourselves than about others.  Please help us be more like Jesus.  Help us see others through His eyes, recognizing their need and acting on it.  And please, Father, shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You gave of Yourself for us, to set us free from our sinful life.  And all You ask is that we love one another.  If we truly do love one another, even our enemies and those who would do us harm, then we will try to help make disciples of them, so that they too can be saved from eternal torment and punishment.  Please forgive us when we slip back into our old ways.  Forgive us when we let the world whisper in our ear and tempt us.  We pray, dear Lord, that You please help us let go of the world and all its charms.  Help us refrain from sin and be more righteous as You are righteous, doing what is right in God’s eyes.  And help us love as You love: unconditionally, selflessly.  And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.

And Jesus, please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You.  Please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Focus On the Truth

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 16th of July, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  A recording should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, our culture here in the US is very focused on things – the possession of things.  The more things, the better.  And quantity isn’t all that counts, but quality as well.  Only the very best things are to be desired.  We can’t possibly be happy if we don’t drive this model of car, or wear those designer clothes, or have that brand of refrigerator in our kitchens.

All these man-made items have become modern-day idols for the masses, reflected in the advertisements plastered across our TV screens, in our magazines, and all our internet browsing.  These things are what the world holds out before us, enticing us to seek more and more, luring us into a deepening trap of want and desire.

Now, this is not really a new phenomenon.  Sure, all the advertising and putting all these things right in our faces is a relatively recent trend.  But desperately seeking after worldly goods and pleasures rather than spiritual rewards is as old as mankind itself.  The early Christians faced these temptations just as we do today.

The fact is that the world does not love God and will do anything it can to pull our love away from Him.  Because the world has been given to Satan, to give him free reign to try to break our faith in God and shatter our belief in Jesus.  Just like he did with Job.  This is our test of faith.  Job passed.  Will we?  Do we really love God, or do we care more about the things the world has to offer?

The Apostle John had a message for those early Christians, new to the faith.  And it is a message still valid for us today, just  as important for us as it was for them.  Please listen and follow along as I continue reading chapter 2 of the Apostle John’s 1st letter to the early church, verses 15 through 29, and I’ll be reading this from The Living Bible translation of our Holy Bible…

15 Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; 16 for all these worldly things, these evil desires — the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance — these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. 17 And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.

18 Dear children, this world’s last hour has come. You have heard about the Antichrist who is coming — the one who is against Christ — and already many such persons have appeared. This makes us all the more certain that the end of the world is near. 19 These “against-Christ” people used to be members of our churches, but they never really belonged with us or else they would have stayed. When they left us it proved that they were not of us at all.

20 But you are not like that, for the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you know the truth. 21 So I am not writing to you as to those who need to know the truth, but I warn you as those who can discern the difference between true and false.

22 And who is the greatest liar? The one who says that Jesus is not Christ. Such a person is antichrist, for he does not believe in God the Father and in His Son. 23 For a person who doesn’t believe in Christ, God’s Son, can’t have God the Father either. But he who has Christ, God’s Son, has God the Father also.

24 So keep on believing what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will always be in close fellowship with both God the Father and His Son. 25 And He Himself has promised us this: eternal life.

26 These remarks of mine about the Antichrist are pointed at those who would dearly love to blindfold you and lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and He lives within you, in your hearts, so that you don’t need anyone to teach you what is right. For He teaches you all things, and He is the Truth, and no liar; and so, just as He has said, you must live in Christ, never to depart from Him.

28 And now, my little children, stay in happy fellowship with the Lord so that when He comes you will be sure that all is well and will not have to be ashamed and shrink back from meeting Him. 29 Since we know that God is always good and does only right, we may rightly assume that all those who do right are His children.

--1 John 2:15-29 (TLB)

Let us pray…  Almighty God, Thank You for the warnings saved for us in our Bible.  Through these we can see the activities and behaviors we must avoid.  We can understand how even our thoughts can harm us in Your eyes.  And we can watch out for those who are actively working against Your Christ.  Thank You, Father, for showing us what these “anti-Christs” look like as we await the final Antichrist that will come at the end.  Sadly, though, Father, sometimes we are fooled by those who only teach and preach what the people want to hear.  Sometimes we allow their false promises to lead us astray.  Forgive us these times, Father.  Please help us see through the lies.  Help us be better workers for our Lord Jesus.  Reminding us that we are His, chosen by Him, we belong to Him.  And please protect us, Father.  Shield us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Please help us remain faithful and true.  Help us focus on the truth and not on what the world would have us believe.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State in President Woodrow Wilson's Cabinet, was interviewing a man who was seeking a diplomatic post in China.  Bryan warned the applicant that it was necessary to qualify as a linguist.  "Can you speak the Chinese language?" he asked.

The man was equal to the occasion.  Looking Bryan squarely in the eye, he replied, "Try me.  Ask me something in Chinese."

We don’t know the outcome of that interview, but I’d say it’s a safe bet that Bryan did not ask a question in Chinese.  The man, of course, was taking a chance that Bryan didn’t know the language well enough to speak it.

The problem we face, though, is that our adversary is well versed in the language of truth: our Bible’s scripture.  He knows what the truth is, he just doesn't want us to believe it, or follow it.  So he lies and paints pretty pictures and offers empty promises, all the while speaking the language we know.  He is the great deceiver, the greatest liar.  And while he does indeed know God, and he knows that Jesus is God’s Son, he works against Them and tries to keep the truth from mankind.  Only by God’s grace, Jesus’ sacrifice, and our belief and faith can we be spared eternal death.

Our reading this morning opens with John admonishing us to stop loving this world, this life, and all the hollow things it can offer.  If we love the world, we can’t let go of it, and it will drag us to our ruin.  Our lusts and desires for worldly things – the mad craze for sex, the thirst for wealth and importance that drives our ambition to buy anything and everything that appeals to us, even to the point of going deep in debt, and the pride that comes from all this -  these are not from God, but are temptations laid out before us from Satan, the evil one.

God doesn’t tempt us, but He does make promises to us - promises of life eternal in paradise, promises of forgiveness of our sin and salvation through our belief in His Son Jesus, promises of our reunion with all our loved ones who went home before us.  If we stop and think of what God has promised and what awaits us in heaven, for all eternity, then any love we hold for this life, this temporary existence on earth, should vanish into thin air.

This world won’t last, nor any of the things in it.  It is slowly fading away.  We can see it all around us, as society falls apart and our resources are depleted.  So we must resist the devil’s temptations.  We must see through his lies.

Thank God, though, that we have help to do so.  We have God’s very own Holy Spirit living within us, counseling us, showing us the way to walk without falling into the devil’s traps.  But we have to listen to Him.  And we have to stay in fellowship with our Lord Jesus.  For He is coming back some day, and He will set everything right.

John talks about those people who are against our Christ a good bit in this passage, pointing out that they are the ones who dearly love to lead us astray and keep us from seeing the truth.  But who are these folk that are so dead-set in their thinking and actions, so anti Jesus?

I find it interesting that John says that many of these “against-Christ” people used to be members of our churches.  But then he adds that they never really belonged with us, or else they would have stayed.  Family, this is a pretty good description of those folks who call themselves Christians, but who aren’t.  They don’t really follow Jesus or obey His commands.  They’re not out there working for Him.

The Apostle Matthew recorded what Jesus had to say about these folk, in verse 30 of the 12th chapter of his Gospel account.  The New King James Version of our Bible has Jesus saying…

30 “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

--Matthew 12:30 (NKJV)

The Living Bible version is more to the point…

30 “Anyone who isn’t helping Me is harming Me.”

--Matthew 12:30 (TLB)

If we’re not helping Jesus, if we’re not out there working the fields for Him, then we’re harming Him, we’re driving nails into His hands all over again.  If we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem.  And all those people not helping Him are anti-Christ, in His own words.

Now I know that there comes a time when we just aren’t physically able to go into the world making disciples, when we can’t see to the needs of the homeless or the sick or the institutionalized.  Our bodies, even our minds, eventually fail us and our service capabilities diminish.  But there are still things we can do to “help” Jesus.  We can continue to pray – pray for the lost and the needy.  We can keep Jesus in our hearts, abiding in His love.  We can let go of our lusts and desires, ignore what the devil offers, loosen our grip on this worldly life.  We can walk with our eyes wide open, and keep believing what we've been taught.  

And we can stay focused on the path Jesus laid for us, a path only a few will follow.  Again please hear the words that Jesus spoke and Matthew recorded in the 7th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 13 and 14…

13 “Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The way that leads to destruction is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. 14 But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.”

--Matthew 7:13-14 (TLB)

Family, John has told us how to abide in Jesus.  We just need to turn from the ways of the world, cast off earthly desires, and focus on the narrow road beneath our feet.  In this way we will remain in happy fellowship with our Lord so that when He returns, we will not have to be ashamed or afraid to meet Him face to face.

Focus solely on the truth, and our salvation is secure.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for offering us salvation and the forgiveness of our sins through the precious blood of Your Son Jesus, shed to wash us clean.  And thank You for the gift of faith that allows us to believe in Jesus as Your Christ, to follow Him as our Lord, to worship Him as we worship You.   Forgive us those times, please Father, when we let the world hold us back from fully loving You.  Forgive us when we just can’t release our grip on our worldly possessions, our worldly desires, our worldly sins.  Please help us give ourselves completely to You.  Help us resist the devil’s temptations and listen only to Your still, small voice within us.  Please, Father, shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You said it quite clearly and quite plainly – if we’re not working for You, we’re working against You.  If we’re not helping You, we’re causing You harm.  Thank You for letting us know exactly where we stand in this regard.  Please forgive us when we harm You, when we drive more nails through Your hands.  We pray, dear Lord, that You please help us be more obedient to Your commands, more diligent in our striving to follow You.  Help us rid ourselves of worldly wants and desires.  Help us focus only on the truth of God’s word and God’s love.  And help us endure any persecution that may befall us.  Shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.

And Jesus, please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You.  Please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Belonging to Jesus

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 9th of July, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  A recording should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, most of us have had doubts, at some time or another in our life.  I guess it’s just human nature to doubt something, to wonder about something that we can’t actually prove or know for sure.  Some may be mundane, like I doubt if this cake is going to be any good.  Some may have a greater impact on our life at the moment, like I doubt I’ll get that promotion at work.  Some may drastically affect our outlook on this life and the next, like I doubt that God could ever love me after what I’ve done.

So yeah, doubts are pretty natural for us.  But this is why God gave us faith, and His word in our Bible.  If we believe in His Son Jesus as the Christ sent to free us from sin, follow His voice and keep our faith strong, then we really should not doubt the security of our salvation or the steadfastness of our heavenly Father’s love.

But sometimes, especially those dark times when nothing is going right, sometimes we still question if our faith is enough.  We cry out, “Where is Jesus, why isn’t He helping me, am I one of those who He’ll say to, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me’”?  Doubts creep in and dampen our spirit, chill our heart.

And if it’s hard for us today, with our Bible and all our modern research tools, imagine what the early church must have gone through.  With only around 500 people having witnessed the risen, resurrected Jesus, the vast majority of those early Christians believed in the Christ based on the testimony of others, and the faith God gave them.  I can only imagine how many doubts they must have had regarding their belief and the impact of their belief.  Chief among these doubts, and one still in many of us today, must have been whether they actually were cleansed by the blood of Jesus and were His.  How could they…  how can we be sure we are one of His sheep, truly one of His flock?

Well, they did have eyewitnesses to help reassure them, and we have the testimony of those eyewitnesses to help us.  Take for instance the Apostle John, one of the first four followers hand-picked and called by Jesus.  In his letters to the early church, and to us today, John tells us how to know when we belong to Jesus.

Please listen and follow along as I read from verses 1 through 11 of the 2nd chapter of the Apostle John’s 1st letter to the early church, and I’ll be reading this from The Living Bible translation of our Holy Bible…

1 My little children, I am telling you this so that you will stay away from sin. But if you sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. His name is Jesus Christ, the one who is all that is good and who pleases God completely. 2 He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon Himself and brought us into fellowship with God; and He is the forgiveness for our sins, and not only ours but all the world’s.

3 And how can we be sure that we belong to Him? By looking within ourselves: are we really trying to do what He wants us to?

4 Someone may say, “I am a Christian; I am on my way to heaven; I belong to Christ.” But if he doesn’t do what Christ tells him to, he is a liar. 5 But those who do what Christ tells them to will learn to love God more and more. That is the way to know whether or not you are a Christian. 6 Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did.

7 Dear brothers, I am not writing out a new rule for you to obey, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the start. You have heard it all before. 8 Yet it is always new, and works for you just as it did for Christ; and as we obey this commandment, to love one another, the darkness in our lives disappears and the new light of life in Christ shines in.

9 Anyone who says he is walking in the light of Christ but dislikes his fellow man is still in darkness. 10 But whoever loves his fellow man is “walking in the light” and can see his way without stumbling around in darkness and sin. 11 For he who dislikes his brother is wandering in spiritual darkness and doesn’t know where he is going, for the darkness has made him blind so that he cannot see the way.

--1 John 2:1-11 (TLB)

Let us pray…  Almighty God, Thank You for giving us the gift of faith.  With faith in our hearts, we can believe in what can’t be seen, what can’t be proven.  And by our belief, we can be saved.  Thank You, Father, for loving us this much.  Sadly, though, Father, sometimes our faith grows weak and the devil can begin to sow seeds of doubt into our minds, clouding our thoughts, further eroding our faith.  Forgive us these times, Father.  Please help us keep our faith strong.  Help us put all our trust in You and in Your word.  Please remind us of our salvation through Your Son Jesus.  And please protect us, Father.  Shield us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Please help us look within ourselves to see if we are truly living as Christ did.  Help us as we strive to do what our Lord wants.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

You all know of Rodney Dangerfield, right?  His tagline was, "I get no respect".  He often didn't even get respect from himself.  One of my favorite stories he told went like this:  "I applied for membership in a very exclusive country club that had a great golf course.  A couple weeks later I received an acceptance letter welcoming me to the club.  I turned them down.  I didn't want to belong to any club that would have me as a member."

I can almost relate to that.  If a club would accept someone like me as a member, would I really want to belong to it?  Of course, Rodney was playing it for laughs, but the point is kind of valid.  If there’s an organization that I do not think myself to be worthy enough to be a member of, and they accept me anyway, are their standards really that low, so low that I’d turn down their invitation?

Well, there’s one club where we’ll never be worthy enough to join, but they ask us in anyway.  And we’d be utter fools to turn down the invitation.  The “club” is God’s family, and Jesus offered the invitation when He said, “Follow Me.”  We don’t deserve membership, but Jesus paid our dues already, and they’re good for all eternity.  All we have to do is what He tells us to do: to love one another.  This is a club even Rodney would want to join.

If you were paying attention and remember last week’s scripture reading, here in the beginning of his 2nd chapter of this 1st letter, John is repeating some of what he said in the 1st chapter.  Now this isn’t because John is forgetful or getting senile, although he is quite old at this point.  No, it’s to emphasize what he said earlier, to show us how important this information is.

What I’m talking about is John’s description of Jesus as the light of mankind.  He is again comparing Jesus to a light shining in the darkness, showing us the safe and sure way.  And he makes it clear that he is indeed speaking metaphorically, talking about spiritual darkness, being lost in sin.

No matter what we may say we believe in, no matter what we may call ourselves, if we dislike our fellow man, we are still walking in darkness and not in the light of Christ.  We’re still stumbling around in our sin, blinded by the darkness, with no idea of where we’re actually going.

Yet the solution is so simple.  The light switch is easy to find.  There’s nothing new about this.  It hasn’t been hidden from us.  We’ve been told how to avoid the darkness all along.  All we have to do is as Jesus commanded us and love one another, and then all the darkness in our lives will disappear and the light of life in Christ will shine in us and out from us for all to see.

I began this discussion by saying that John tells us how we can be sure we belong to Jesus.  Well, John poses that very question in verse 3 of our reading: “How can we be sure we belong to Christ?”  And then he answers it: “By looking within ourselves to see if we are really doing what He wants us to do.”

John is calling us to purposeful self-examination, deep introspection - open up all the cupboards and drawers, look through every nook and cranny, and honestly determine if we are living the way Jesus wants us to live.  Are we truly loving our fellow man?  Or do we still harbor hatred and resentment?  Do we curse those who hate us, who wish us harm, or do we pray for them, that they may somehow see the light of truth themselves?  Do we envy what someone else has, or do we rejoice with them for their good fortune?  Are our acts and deeds self-serving, or selfless, unconditional, performed out of love?  Do we stand up to injustice, speak for the silent, uphold the weak, have mercy even on the merciless?

In short, do we try to live as Jesus lived?  None of us are His equals; we’re all sinners.  But we can strive to do as Jesus would have us do, and cast the darkness out of our hearts with the light of life in Christ.

Family, this is all about love.  All we need is love to drive out the darkness.  Love is what Jesus commanded us to do.  Love is what He gave to the world.

In the 15th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 9 through 17, John recorded Jesus saying this to His disciples, including us…

9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love. 10 When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is My commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me. 16 You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name. 17 This is My command: Love each other.”

--John 15:9-17 (NLT)

This is John’s message to the early church.  This is Jesus’ message to us.  Love one another.  As long as we bear ill will against a brother or sister, as long as we hate an enemy, as long as we wish harm or even damnation on someone else, we are still stumbling around in the darkness of our sin and not living as Jesus wants us to.

“Love one another” was not a suggestion, but a command.  Jesus loves us just as much as the Father loves Him.  He obeyed His Father’s commands, and we must obey His if we are to remain in His love.  To remain in His love we must show our love by loving one another.

You know, family, when it comes right down to it, there is very little going on in the world right now that we can do anything about.  None of us can go and stop the war in eastern Europe.  I dare say most of us aren’t trained or physically able to head off and fight the wildfires in western Canada.  We can’t single-handedly fight world hunger or homelessness.  I can’t even do anything about all the SPAM calls and scam calls I get on a daily basis.

But we can love one another.  We can put all the world’s problems in God’s hands, knowing He is still in control.  We can help provide food for the needy, support those places and organizations that shelter the homeless, things that we are doing as a church family but that we as individuals can do too.  And we can love the unlovable, love those who hate us, love them enough to pray for them that the light might penetrate the darkness of their sin and free them from Satan’s grasp.

We just need to rid ourselves of our little hatreds.  We don’t have to like someone to love them.  We don’t have to like or approve of what they do to pray for them that God’s Holy Spirit will show them how to stop and to walk in the light.  We do have to stop hating them, despising them, wishing them harm.  And we certainly have to stop damning them.  After all, we don’t need to do that.  Jesus says we damn ourselves by our words and our actions, even by our thoughts and our inactions.

Let’s be careful not to damn ourselves.  Instead, let’s keep on walking in the light so we can keep on belonging to Jesus.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for loving Your creation enough to send Your Son into the world to shine His light of life into the darkness of our sin.  You took out Your wrath for our disobedience on Your own Son, sparing us the punishment we rightly deserved.   Forgive us those times, please Father, when we step back into the darkness, when we let our pride or hatred overrule what we know to be right in Your eyes.  Forgive us when we fail to do the things we know we should do, and when we do the things we know we shouldn’t.  Please help us live closer to how Jesus lived.  Help us love as He loved so that we might remain in His love.  And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You gave us one simple command: to love one another.  And yet, dear Lord, we struggle so mightily to carry it out.  We let our foolish pride trip us up.  We lash out in anger against our fellow man, and too often for silly reasons.  Thank You, Lord, for showing us the way to righteousness by shining Your light into our darkness.  We pray, dear Lord, to please help us obey Your simple command.  Please, Jesus, help us reach out to those that we hold ill will against and show them our love instead of our spite.  Help us show them Your love.  And help us endure any persecution this may cause us.  Shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.

And Jesus, please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You.  Please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Walk In the Light

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Independence Day weekend, Sunday, the 2nd of July, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our service this morning also included the observance of Holy Communion with our Lord.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, this morning we’re going to continue reading our way through the letters a few of the apostles wrote to the early church.  We’ll be moving from those the Apostle Peter wrote straight to the Apostle John’s, just as they’re listed in our Bible, though they were authored about 25 years apart.  I like to include timelines and snippets of history because it helps us relate that the events we read about actually did happen over the course of time.  So while Peter penned his letters in the mid 60’s AD, John was an old man when he authored his in around 90 AD.

The “beloved disciple” was most likely in Ephesus at the time, writing to those early Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor, just as did the Apostle Paul with his letter to the Ephesians.  The timing of John’s three letters is interesting, too.  The Roman Emperor Nero was now dead, but the persecution of the Christian church continued under the new Emperor, Domitian.  In fact, it was under Domitian’s rule that John would soon be exiled to the prison island of Patmos, where he would write the Book of Revelation, recording the events to come that Jesus revealed to him.

I am going to start at the beginning of John’s epistles, with verse 1 of chapter 1 of the 1st letter, and I think it appropriate to do so since John so often mentions the beginning in his writings.  In verse 1 of chapter 1 of his Gospel account, John proclaims, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  And in verse 1 of chapter 1 of this his 1st letter he adds, “That which was from the beginning… we declare to you”.  So please listen and follow along to the 1st chapter of the Apostle John’s 1st letter to the early church, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life — 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us — 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

--1 John 1 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Almighty God, when You began Your great creation, Your ordered, “Let there be light!”, and You brought light into being.  Thank You, Father, for bringing light to the darkness.  And then You sent Your Son Jesus, the Light of men, and again the Light shone in the darkness.  Sadly, though, Father, too many people prefer the darkness, thinking it hides their wickedness.  They shun the Light, refusing to acknowledge Your Christ.  Forgive them, Father.  Please help us speak to them and tell them about Jesus.  Please soften their hearts so that Your Spirit can do His mighty work within them, that they too might be saved.  And please protect us, Father, from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds.  Remind us of what we have been taught from the beginning, so that our joy may be full.  And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Please help us to stay in the light of Your word, to always walk in Your light.  Help us remember what we have been taught, what we have read of the testimonies of those who witnessed first-hand.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Peter Marshall, former chaplain of the US Senate, once opened a session with this plea:

Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right.

248 years ago, a band of patriots began a long and terrible battle to secure the right for Americans to rule ourselves, to free us from the chains of tyranny.  Not quite 2000 years ago, Christ Jesus defeated death to secure our salvation, to free us from the chains of our sin.

Liberty is not free; it comes at a high cost.  Neither is liberty a license to do whatever we want.  To honor those patriots who fought and died for our freedom, we must not surrender our rights to tyrants.  To honor our Lord who died for our salvation, we must not return to a sinful life.  Let us walk in this life always in the light.

Family, at some point in our life, each of us has received the Gospel, the Good News of salvation through Christ Jesus.  Some of us were taught this long ago as children.  Some newly born again heard it only recently.  John and the rest of the apostles who contributed to our Bible declared this truth to us so that all could learn, all could be taught, all could read or hear.

John assures us that in this shared knowledge, we all have fellowship together, as our true fellowship is with our Father God and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And in this, our joy is full.

The message John wants us to get right off the bat is that God is light.  God is light.  In Him there is no darkness; He’s not trying to hide anything.  We may not be able to see everything, but it’s not because God hides it from us.  The truth is in plain sight, for those who believe and use the faith they’ve been given.  We can see God in the sunrise and the sunset, in the gentle rain and the mighty storm.  We can see Him in His light.

So if we want to stay in God’s care and good graces, we need to be careful to stay in His light.  We can’t try to hide some things in the dark while walking in the light.  Let’s face it…  we can’t really hide anything from God.  He shines His light everywhere all the time and knows exactly what we are doing even before we do it.  Sure, we may be able to hide our actions from other people, but God always sees, God always knows.  There’s no hiding from God, no darkness He can’t see through.

God is light.  And since Jesus is not only God’s Son, but also God, then Jesus is light, too.  John comes right out and proclaims this in the 1st five verses of the 1st chapter of his Gospel account, when he writes…

1 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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

--John 1:1-5 (NKJV)

In Jesus is the life, and the life is the light of men.  In Jesus is the light for all of mankind, and the darkness of evil cannot overcome it.  Sadly, too many people prefer the darkness, for they can continue their wicked ways under its cover.  They shun the light, scampering away like cockroaches any time it comes near.  They walk in darkness and have no fellowship with God.

If we walk in darkness, if we continue living a sinful life while saying we believe in Jesus, we are deceiving ourselves, for we are not following our Christ, not walking in the light as we should.  We are not in fellowship with God.  But if we return to the light and remain in the light, stay the straight and narrow path, follow Christ and His commands, and confess our sins before God, then the precious blood of His Son Jesus will cleanse us of our sin and we will again be in fellowship with God, with Jesus, and with the family of believers.

There was a time when the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus that they had caught in the act of adultery, asking Him to say whether she should be stoned as according to their law, hoping to trap our Lord.  Jesus responded, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  All the stones dropped harmlessly to the ground; none were thrown.

Jesus knows we sin; it’s our inheritance from Adam and Eve.  But He gives us the chance to get back in the light by telling us just as He told this woman, “Go, and sin no more.”

John recorded the words Jesus spoke next, after the Pharisees all stepped away, in the 12th verse of the 8th chapter of his Gospel account…

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

--John 8:12 (NKJV)

The light of the world; the light of mankind.  If we walk around in the light, we can see anything that might get in our way, that could make us stumble and fall and hurt ourselves.  If we try walking in the dark, even in familiar surroundings, we can get into all kinds of trouble.

Family, we must walk in the light of God, of Jesus, if we are to remain free of our sin, free of the chains of death, free from the tyranny of Satan.  This Tuesday, July the 4th, let us celebrate our hard-fought victory over foreign tyranny.  And let us rejoice in the victory won for us by Jesus, who brought light into the world, to show us the way out of darkness.  This Independence Day, and every day, let us proclaim our freedom and remain in the light of God.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for shining Your light for us to be able to see how we should walk through this life.  When we walk in the light, we remain in fellowship with You and with one another.  When we try to hide in the darkness, we displease You and sadden You.  Forgive us those times, please Father, when we think we can hide our acts from You, hide our sin.  And forgive those who help us sin, who may even encourage us to sin.  Forgive them so that they may find their way to the light.  Please help us reach out to them and help them.  Help us share Your light.  And please help us to not be afraid to shine the light of truth before others, showing Your love, so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and grace.  And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, Your Father God brought light into being when You and He created the world.  And then You brought light back into the world when we were stumbling and lost in the darkness of sin.  Thank You, Lord, for shining the light for all mankind to see.  We pray, dear Lord, that others may open their eyes and see the light.  Please, Jesus, help us reach out to them.  Help us show them Your love.  And help us endure any persecution they may cause us.  Shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.

And Jesus, please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You.  Please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.