This week we had the special privilege of having Charlene Neuman bring us our morning message on 1 John. Charlene Neuman is the Pastor of Children’s Ministry at Westheights Community Church. She’s passionate about live concerts, musicals and plays, the a-ha moments of teaching, community music, and Purdy’s Himalayan Pink Salt Caramel Chocolates. Char is happiest inciting quips and banter about the latest in teen and young adult subcultures, over authentic Chinese – and preferably (and regrettably for her husband Dale) throughout a movie classic.
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1 JOHN
Message by Charlene Neuman – August 30, 2020
ZŌĒ LIFE
1 John 5:1-12 NLT Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. So we have these three witnesses— the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.
1 John 5:1-5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
- OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDS = LOVING GOD’S CHILDREN = LOVING GOD
- OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS BECOMES A HABIT, A PART OF OUR CHARACTER, BECAUSE OF WHO WE CHOOSE TO LOVE, AND WHO WE ARE BECOMING
- GOD’S COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT BURDENSOME, BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENS IN US WHEN WE BELIEVE IN JESUS
1 John 5:10-12 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.
- TO BELIEVE IN: TO ADHERE TO, TO TRUST IN, TO RELY CONFIDENTLY ON
- THE PERSON WHO REALLY BELIEVES IN THE SON OF GOD CAN SPEAK AUTHORITATIVELY ABOUT CHRIST FROM THEIR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
ETERNAL LIFE – WE ALREADY HAVE IT!
GREEK WORD FOR “LIFE,” AS IN “ETERNAL LIFE”: ZŌĒ – DIVINE LIFE, ABUNDANT LIFE
ZŌĒ LIFE:
- A LIFE IN COMPANIONSHIP WITH GOD, THE ETERNAL ONE
- A LIFE FROM WHICH ETERNAL THINGS GROW
- A LIFE OF CONSTANT PURPOSE
- A LIFE OF SPIRITUAL COMPLETENESS
ZŌĒ LIFE IS THE PRIZE IN THE RACE OF FAITH
1 Corinthians 9:24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
YOU GET THE PRIZE WHILE YOU’RE STILL RUNNING THE RACE!
REFLECTION QUESTION
How is the eternal life in you evidence of who Jesus is?
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