WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.740
 the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I'm writing to you,

00:00:05.060 --> 00:00:10.540
 which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light

00:00:10.540 --> 00:00:16.859
 is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:22.679
 Whoever loves his brother and abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

00:00:23.420 --> 00:00:27.820
 But whoever hates his brother and is in the darkness and walks in the darkness,

00:00:27.820 --> 00:00:32.700
 but does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:37.480
 I'm writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.

00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:41.659
 I'm writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.

00:00:42.259 --> 00:00:45.799
 I'm writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:51.880
 I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know

00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:57.700
 him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word

00:00:57.700 --> 00:01:02.900
 of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Let's pray.

00:01:03.500 --> 00:01:09.760
 Lord, we are thankful this morning for your word, for the reading only is enough to convince us

00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:17.879
 that you are glorious and that we need Jesus and that he is glorious. Lord, we pray also that you

00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:24.520
 might tune our hearts and minds to your word, to the words that you speak to us. We pray this in

00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:32.759
 Jesus' name. Amen. You might not know the names MacArthur Wheeler or Clifton Earl Johnson,

00:01:32.759 --> 00:01:37.859
 and even if you had never heard those names before, you definitely don't know about their

00:01:37.859 --> 00:01:44.920
 meteoric rise to fame or infamy. They're famous for being really, really stupid.

00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:54.780
 See, in 1995, Wheeler and Johnson robbed two Pittsburgh area banks, but they didn't have

00:01:54.780 --> 00:02:01.299
 a clever plan or really good disguises. They thought they did, or really fast getaway car

00:02:01.299 --> 00:02:10.240
 or anything like that. They are just really, really stupid. And that's what the Pittsburgh

00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:14.939
 Post-Gazette said about them. That's what the evening news said about them, because you see,

00:02:15.020 --> 00:02:19.719
 they thought they could get away with it all, not because they had a good plan, not because they

00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:26.000
 had good disguises or fast getaway car or even really big guns or anything like that.

00:02:27.160 --> 00:02:33.680
 You see, Johnson convinced Wheeler that if he squirted lemon juice on his face, that he would be unseen to

00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:40.360
 any CCTV camera, that no one would be able to see him, and they would get away with it, and they'd be

00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:49.760
 rich forevermore. Mind you, they only stole $5,000, but they even tested this plan out. They squirted

00:02:49.760 --> 00:02:55.300
 lemon juice on their faces, and then they took a Polaroid of each other. Now, police think that they

00:02:55.300 --> 00:03:04.760
 pointed the Polaroid camera at the wrong place, or they had bad film. But they were supremely confident

00:03:04.760 --> 00:03:13.060
 that they would get away with it. And armed with supreme confidence and nothing else, they were

00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:19.939
 subsequently caught within hours. Well, one was caught within hours, the other in a couple days. But they were

00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:26.840
 extremely confident. In fact, when Wheeler was caught, he kept mumbling, but I wore the juice, but I wore the

00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:35.340
 juice. Now, psychologists famously use this example to show how you can be so stupid that you don't know

00:03:35.340 --> 00:03:42.599
 that you're stupid, right? And we chuckle and laugh about this, but the reality is that we're not unlike

00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:49.900
 Wheeler and Johnson, that we are supremely confident in ourselves or something else, and we

00:03:49.900 --> 00:03:56.700
 don't realize we have no reason to be confident that we are so stupid that we don't realize we're

00:03:56.700 --> 00:04:03.620
 stupid. See, confidence is a tricky thing. We all, even in our modern day, think that we should have it.

00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:12.520
 In this scenario, the bank robbers were confident. They were blinded. We are blinded. Our confidence is

00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:22.079
 often misplaced in things that it shouldn't be placed in. And we're wrong. We're not unlike them

00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:27.860
 at all. As humans, we fail to see ourselves rightly. I'm not talking about the emotional,

00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:32.759
 intelligence, social aspect of it, but something far greater, something cosmic.

00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:40.139
 That left to our own devices, we squirt lemon juice on our faces and think ourselves invisible,

00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:41.620
 if not invincible.

00:04:44.779 --> 00:04:47.500
 John is not a writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,

00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:51.659
 but he's writing to a group of people that have the same problem.

00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:57.439
 The same problem as some of us here in this room, all of us here in this room.

00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:04.959
 He's addressing a people that are tempted to be supremely confident, whether it's in themselves,

00:05:05.300 --> 00:05:10.620
 in others, in their works, their actions, or the things they've done or things they haven't done.

00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:17.560
 But that's not where our confidence should be at all. The message of the gospel confronts that

00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:25.740
 each time we hear it. And John is writing to Christians, to them and to us, to warn them

00:05:25.740 --> 00:05:33.759
 that our confidence is off. That our call to love one another is based out of this fellowship with God.

00:05:33.860 --> 00:05:37.519
 And that should be our confidence, that fellowship with God.

00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:41.980
 And he does it two ways. One is really harsh. One is a warning.

00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:46.259
 And one is a little bit more gentle, a reminder of who they are.

00:05:46.819 --> 00:05:49.639
 So it's a warning and a reminder. Let's first look at that warning.

00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.480
 It might not seem like the words he's using are that harsh.

00:05:53.480 --> 00:06:01.360
 I mean, he starts out beloved. But in fact, he's repeating something that he's already said.

00:06:01.460 --> 00:06:03.980
 He kind of softens it a little bit up front in this warning.

00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:10.000
 But this theme that we see here in these first verses is not something that's new to us.

00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:16.480
 If you remember, when we looked at 1 Sean before, he, like any good pastor, repeats things over and over again.

00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:25.860
 And this is one of those. He's warning us that the way to follow Jesus is to walk in his commands.

00:06:26.460 --> 00:06:31.240
 And this time, he's very direct. He's not very broad. He's very specific.

00:06:31.939 --> 00:06:35.900
 And that command is to love one another. That seems simple enough, right?

00:06:35.899 --> 00:06:43.560
 But then why do we have this huge body of work in the New Testament repeating this idea over and over?

00:06:43.639 --> 00:06:46.679
 We saw it in Matthew when we confessed earlier.

00:06:47.259 --> 00:06:51.039
 Even the Puritans thought it was so important that they put it in the catechism.

00:06:51.299 --> 00:06:52.159
 Love one another.

00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:54.639
 Look back with me at verse 7.

00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:59.739
 Beloved, I'm writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.

00:07:00.579 --> 00:07:03.759
 The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:09.159
 John's really concerned about showing them that this is nothing that's newfangled.

00:07:09.219 --> 00:07:12.139
 It's not a new idea. In fact, you've had it a long, long time.

00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.800
 He's pointing them back to the ministry of Jesus, saying,

00:07:15.899 --> 00:07:18.279
 Jesus said these things. This is an old commandment.

00:07:19.740 --> 00:07:23.019
 And if you knew the gospel either from Jesus or the apostles,

00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:25.500
 then this is not a new idea to you.

00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:27.300
 But why is he so concerned about that?

00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:30.439
 He's concerned because much like in our modern day,

00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:32.399
 we have people that come around and say,

00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:34.179
 this is the way to follow Christ.

00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:35.620
 Some new idea.

00:07:36.159 --> 00:07:37.739
 And he's saying, no, that's not it at all.

00:07:37.979 --> 00:07:40.359
 In fact, this is something that you were taught from the beginning.

00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.199
 You heard this from Jesus' lips.

00:07:42.379 --> 00:07:43.839
 You heard it from the apostles' lips.

00:07:44.019 --> 00:07:45.620
 I've told you this very thing.

00:07:46.139 --> 00:07:46.979
 Love one another.

00:07:48.719 --> 00:07:50.120
 Why is that so important?

00:07:51.679 --> 00:07:55.099
 Because he wants to confirm to them that this is an old thing.

00:07:55.339 --> 00:07:56.719
 This is nothing new.

00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.720
 We looked at this passage a couple weeks ago in Mark 12.

00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:03.600
 Jesus is challenged.

00:08:04.700 --> 00:08:07.160
 His opponents try to trick him, trap him.

00:08:07.520 --> 00:08:08.640
 And they ask him,

00:08:09.140 --> 00:08:10.860
 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment of the law?

00:08:11.060 --> 00:08:13.860
 And he says something like this.

00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:15.580
 The most important is,

00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:17.720
 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God.

00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:18.620
 The Lord is one.

00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:21.260
 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:23.040
 with all your soul, with all your mind,

00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:23.960
 and with all your strength.

00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:25.560
 And the second is this.

00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.740
 You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:31.260
 There is no other commandment greater than these.

00:08:31.700 --> 00:08:32.840
 And the scribe said to him,

00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:33.720
 You're right, teacher.

00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:37.420
 This is not anything new.

00:08:37.680 --> 00:08:39.019
 They heard this before.

00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:40.779
 This is really old.

00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.580
 But if you listen closely to Jesus' answer,

00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:46.779
 we heard this other places.

00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:48.379
 We read it earlier in Scripture.

00:08:48.800 --> 00:08:50.379
 We hear it in the Shema,

00:08:50.580 --> 00:08:51.800
 which is Deuteronomy 6.

00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:53.559
 Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one.

00:08:54.219 --> 00:08:56.699
 Love the Lord your God and love others.

00:08:57.319 --> 00:08:58.659
 We heard it in Leviticus,

00:08:59.059 --> 00:09:01.299
 where there's this lengthy expansion

00:09:01.299 --> 00:09:03.779
 of what it looks like to love other people.

00:09:04.319 --> 00:09:06.859
 It's not just an idea that's made up.

00:09:07.199 --> 00:09:08.439
 It has teeth to it.

00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:09.859
 Love one another.

00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:11.819
 It's something old,

00:09:12.459 --> 00:09:13.859
 something very, very old,

00:09:13.939 --> 00:09:17.099
 that goes past when Jesus walked this earth.

00:09:18.359 --> 00:09:19.819
 But at the same time,

00:09:19.819 --> 00:09:21.199
 it's something that is new.

00:09:22.099 --> 00:09:24.259
 So why does John say it's new here?

00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:26.439
 Something that's repeated in the Gospels.

00:09:26.839 --> 00:09:29.139
 In John 13, Jesus says this,

00:09:29.459 --> 00:09:31.059
 A new commandment I give to you,

00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:32.459
 that you love one another.

00:09:32.719 --> 00:09:33.979
 Just as I have loved you,

00:09:34.259 --> 00:09:36.319
 you are to also love one another.

00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:38.659
 By this, all people will know

00:09:38.659 --> 00:09:39.599
 that you are my disciples,

00:09:40.059 --> 00:09:42.339
 if you have love for one another.

00:09:42.719 --> 00:09:45.259
 The newness that Jesus is speaking of

00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:47.779
 is the fact that they're indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

00:09:47.779 --> 00:09:50.939
 It's kind of a new spin on an old command,

00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:53.339
 that they are empowered and enabled

00:09:53.339 --> 00:09:55.459
 to actually love one another.

00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:58.639
 And they're to do so in the way that Jesus has done it,

00:09:59.179 --> 00:10:00.159
 sacrificially.

00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:02.419
 They're to love one another.

00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:05.039
 And that has an evangelistic quality to it,

00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:06.519
 that when people see that,

00:10:06.579 --> 00:10:07.399
 that's attractive.

00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:12.220
 You will know that you're a disciple of Christ

00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:13.720
 by how you love one another.

00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:17.659
 This idea that we see in 1 John,

00:10:17.779 --> 00:10:20.439
 there's a couple ideas that keep coming back up.

00:10:20.539 --> 00:10:21.779
 One is love for one another.

00:10:22.340 --> 00:10:25.019
 The other is light and darkness.

00:10:26.299 --> 00:10:27.000
 And Jesus kind of,

00:10:27.199 --> 00:10:29.379
 or John overlays those two ideas here.

00:10:29.379 --> 00:10:32.939
 He starts in verse eight at comparing those.

00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:34.039
 At the same time,

00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:36.039
 it's a new commandment that I'm writing to you,

00:10:36.439 --> 00:10:37.960
 which is true in him and in you,

00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:40.379
 because the darkness is passing away

00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:42.399
 and the true light is already shining.

00:10:42.980 --> 00:10:44.100
 John has a couple themes,

00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:46.779
 light and darkness and love for one another.

00:10:46.939 --> 00:10:48.659
 And here he mashes them up.

00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:50.799
 It's like when we talked about at Easter,

00:10:51.100 --> 00:10:53.919
 there's a sense in which Jesus has defeated death,

00:10:54.179 --> 00:10:56.399
 finally and fully, in some capacity.

00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:00.079
 But it's like that snake that's still around.

00:11:00.220 --> 00:11:00.699
 I think that's an example.

00:11:00.819 --> 00:11:02.319
 We talked about this in Sunday school earlier,

00:11:02.439 --> 00:11:05.539
 but the fangs have been removed of poison,

00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:08.439
 but death is still here.

00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:11.079
 The light has invaded the darkness,

00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.480
 but not finally and fully

00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:15.840
 in the sense that there'll be no more tears

00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.259
 and no more sadness as we walk this earth.

00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.000
 In the midst of that,

00:11:21.079 --> 00:11:22.539
 we are called to love one another.

00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:25.120
 That's how light is shining in the darkness.

00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:27.679
 Christians are called to love each other.

00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:29.620
 We are called to love one another.

00:11:30.259 --> 00:11:33.539
 And that light is shining in the darkness of this world.

00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:41.580
 But how do we know he's talking about love?

00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:42.919
 Because we haven't seen it yet.

00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:45.600
 Look at verses nine and 11 with me.

00:11:46.259 --> 00:11:47.860
 Whoever says he's in the light

00:11:47.860 --> 00:11:50.080
 and hates his brother is still in the darkness.

00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:52.759
 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light.

00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:55.360
 And in him there is no cause for stumbling.

00:11:55.799 --> 00:11:58.319
 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness

00:11:58.319 --> 00:12:00.100
 and walks in the darkness

00:12:00.100 --> 00:12:01.899
 and does not know where he's going

00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:05.179
 because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

00:12:05.319 --> 00:12:07.860
 He makes the connection here that walking in the light,

00:12:08.179 --> 00:12:09.720
 which is fellowship with God,

00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:12.460
 has a quality about it.

00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:13.620
 And it's loving one another.

00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:16.100
 And then he repeats the same idea

00:12:16.100 --> 00:12:17.559
 by doing it in the converse.

00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:18.779
 He says,

00:12:18.939 --> 00:12:21.419
 if you say that you live like this,

00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:22.739
 but then hate your brother,

00:12:22.859 --> 00:12:24.500
 then you're actually not in the light at all.

00:12:25.459 --> 00:12:26.739
 Light is fellowship with God.

00:12:27.059 --> 00:12:29.879
 Darkness is not fellowship with God.

00:12:30.599 --> 00:12:33.199
 Loving one another is a quality of light.

00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.919
 So you can't be in the light and hate your brother.

00:12:36.579 --> 00:12:38.019
 Those are mutually exclusive.

00:12:38.019 --> 00:12:42.039
 John's addressing this

00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:45.480
 because light and darkness

00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:48.199
 is really big and really important.

00:12:48.939 --> 00:12:50.899
 And he's really pointed right here

00:12:50.899 --> 00:12:54.439
 because he's really concerned about fellowship with God.

00:12:55.079 --> 00:12:56.919
 He's concerned because there are people

00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:58.000
 that are swirling around

00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.779
 that are maybe influencing the church

00:12:59.779 --> 00:13:00.299
 that are saying,

00:13:00.699 --> 00:13:02.259
 it doesn't matter how you live.

00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:04.819
 It doesn't matter if you love one another.

00:13:05.059 --> 00:13:07.960
 You can still be a Christian and do this.

00:13:08.340 --> 00:13:08.939
 And John is saying,

00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:09.480
 no, no, no.

00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:11.259
 This is really important

00:13:11.259 --> 00:13:13.319
 because if you follow after Christ,

00:13:13.460 --> 00:13:14.679
 you will love one another.

00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:17.319
 You must love other Christians.

00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:20.139
 Jesus mentioned this already.

00:13:20.439 --> 00:13:21.879
 The disciples are gonna be known

00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:23.220
 for their love for one another.

00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:25.179
 And that was true in Jesus

00:13:25.179 --> 00:13:28.079
 because he sacrificially loved his disciples.

00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.199
 And that's true in you, John says,

00:13:32.199 --> 00:13:33.559
 in Christians now,

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:35.759
 because as they have fellowship with God,

00:13:36.019 --> 00:13:37.439
 as they're united with him,

00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:39.080
 we will reflect that.

00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:41.380
 They will reflect that.

00:13:42.680 --> 00:13:44.700
 Oftentimes, I think we think of darkness

00:13:44.700 --> 00:13:45.560
 and we think,

00:13:45.940 --> 00:13:48.300
 ah, that's not like dark.

00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:50.820
 But John clarifies it here.

00:13:51.080 --> 00:13:53.660
 It's not just my inability to see a little bit.

00:13:53.900 --> 00:13:55.800
 It's complete and utter darkness.

00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:57.600
 You're stumbling around.

00:13:58.280 --> 00:13:59.580
 You're tripping over things.

00:13:59.580 --> 00:14:03.720
 I've moved around a lot in this country

00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:05.480
 and around the world.

00:14:05.820 --> 00:14:08.220
 And I'm sure most of you are like me right now

00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:10.400
 where if I go out at night,

00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:12.200
 there's always lights.

00:14:12.660 --> 00:14:14.000
 There might not be a street light,

00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:16.740
 but I can see on some level.

00:14:17.300 --> 00:14:19.100
 But there are places in this world,

00:14:19.740 --> 00:14:20.520
 third world countries,

00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:22.180
 or even the Colorado back country,

00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:23.460
 where you can go

00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:25.440
 and you can wave your hand

00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:26.220
 in front of your face

00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:27.759
 and you can't see it at all.

00:14:28.920 --> 00:14:31.120
 And that is really stinking scary.

00:14:32.540 --> 00:14:35.259
 Especially if you go to a tunnel.

00:14:36.800 --> 00:14:39.060
 There are some old mines here in Colorado

00:14:39.059 --> 00:14:41.000
 and you can go down in those mines

00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.219
 and if you cut out the light,

00:14:42.319 --> 00:14:43.599
 I did this with my kids

00:14:43.599 --> 00:14:44.899
 and I was a little freaked out.

00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:47.479
 And they were definitely really freaked out.

00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:49.239
 That they went in the darkness

00:14:49.239 --> 00:14:51.000
 and you can't tell

00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:52.719
 which way you came from.

00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:54.059
 Because if you move slightly,

00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.819
 your point of reference

00:14:55.819 --> 00:14:57.399
 is completely thrown off.

00:14:57.739 --> 00:14:59.579
 The only thing that you can even feel

00:14:59.579 --> 00:15:00.799
 is the rush of wind

00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.139
 that comes down the mine shaft

00:15:02.139 --> 00:15:02.979
 that you just went in.

00:15:03.719 --> 00:15:05.299
 That's the kind of darkness

00:15:05.299 --> 00:15:07.059
 that John is talking about.

00:15:07.059 --> 00:15:09.259
 That when you are in sin,

00:15:09.419 --> 00:15:11.579
 you are completely blinded.

00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:14.119
 It's not that you have

00:15:14.119 --> 00:15:15.459
 some frame of reference.

00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:17.619
 We're more familiar

00:15:17.619 --> 00:15:19.039
 with this idea from Paul

00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.859
 of death and life

00:15:20.859 --> 00:15:22.519
 when we talk about sin

00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:24.079
 and fellowship with God.

00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:26.419
 And that's all well and good,

00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:28.859
 but darkness, true darkness,

00:15:29.359 --> 00:15:30.579
 is often something

00:15:30.579 --> 00:15:32.459
 that we have familiarity with.

00:15:33.839 --> 00:15:35.899
 True darkness is stumbling,

00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:37.299
 walking around,

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:38.840
 tripping and falling.

00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:41.980
 That's what John is talking about.

00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:43.220
 He's talking about

00:15:43.220 --> 00:15:44.679
 being blinded by sin

00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:46.079
 and not knowing

00:15:46.079 --> 00:15:47.720
 what is good,

00:15:47.959 --> 00:15:48.559
 what is right,

00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:49.379
 what is beautiful,

00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:50.360
 what is true.

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:53.340
 Or even that you need a Savior.

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:56.879
 You're blinded by sin.

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:57.919
 That is darkness.

00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:01.839
 When we come on these texts,

00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:03.339
 I think it's often easy

00:16:03.339 --> 00:16:04.679
 for us to draw parallels

00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:07.819
 at Giant Mountain

00:16:07.819 --> 00:16:08.519
 or whatever,

00:16:08.719 --> 00:16:10.699
 or whatever church we go to.

00:16:11.219 --> 00:16:11.819
 And as Christians,

00:16:11.939 --> 00:16:12.639
 that's a good thing.

00:16:13.219 --> 00:16:13.360
 Right?

00:16:13.459 --> 00:16:14.559
 John's writing to people

00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:15.279
 that are Christians,

00:16:15.719 --> 00:16:16.500
 writing to people

00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:17.639
 that struggle with sin.

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:19.259
 We struggle with sin.

00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:20.079
 We're Christians,

00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:21.139
 so that's natural.

00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:22.480
 We should do that.

00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.019
 And that's why we're drawn

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:25.099
 to texts like this.

00:16:25.100 --> 00:16:27.879
 But we have to imbibe,

00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:30.279
 we have to soak in

00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:31.820
 what he is saying to us.

00:16:32.560 --> 00:16:34.500
 That if we walk in darkness,

00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:37.220
 we don't have a frame of reference.

00:16:37.680 --> 00:16:39.340
 We're stumbling around.

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:42.519
 We need Christ.

00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:46.779
 John said this very directly before.

00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:47.840
 He said in the Gospels,

00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:49.420
 and he said it now,

00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:53.379
 that whoever claims

00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:54.279
 that he's in the light,

00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:56.100
 but hates his brother,

00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:57.059
 walks in darkness.

00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:01.879
 That person is lost.

00:17:02.959 --> 00:17:04.379
 If we say that we're Christians

00:17:04.379 --> 00:17:05.359
 and we don't have love

00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:05.980
 for one another,

00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:07.420
 especially in this room,

00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:08.899
 that we are in darkness.

00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:12.220
 We are lost.

00:17:12.379 --> 00:17:13.299
 We are blinded.

00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:16.440
 So what do we do then?

00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:18.019
 We have to search our own hearts

00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:18.420
 and ask,

00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:20.119
 do I truly love my brother?

00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:23.639
 Do I truly love my sister?

00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:27.399
 Practically, though,

00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:28.339
 what does that look like?

00:17:29.299 --> 00:17:31.359
 That means being concerned

00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.099
 with people that don't look like you,

00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:35.299
 not just tolerating them,

00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:37.420
 not just holding them a distance

00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.460
 and plugging my nose

00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:39.980
 because I think that they're stinky,

00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:43.660
 but actually being sacrificial towards them

00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:44.899
 in both time

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:48.060
 and caring for them.

00:17:48.060 --> 00:17:48.280
 And caring for them,

00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:49.960
 caring about their soul

00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:51.140
 because we're not walking

00:17:51.140 --> 00:17:52.700
 in this Christian life alone.

00:17:54.180 --> 00:17:56.480
 And sometimes we get distracted by that.

00:17:57.440 --> 00:18:00.100
 Sometimes we get confused by that.

00:18:00.280 --> 00:18:03.120
 It doesn't matter whether we're age seven or 70.

00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:05.660
 I should be concerned about a seven-year-old,

00:18:06.080 --> 00:18:07.019
 a 70-year-old,

00:18:07.080 --> 00:18:08.660
 or even a 38-year-old.

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:12.080
 We should all be concerned for each other

00:18:12.080 --> 00:18:14.120
 even if we don't look the same,

00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:16.240
 we don't work in the same spot,

00:18:16.300 --> 00:18:17.680
 we don't live in the same neighborhood

00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:20.860
 because we're concerned about each other's souls.

00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:22.380
 John's telling us that.

00:18:24.860 --> 00:18:27.000
 Now we've looked on this warning.

00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.279
 John is really forward,

00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:31.100
 very direct about this.

00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.620
 And he can do that

00:18:32.620 --> 00:18:34.420
 because of what's been done.

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:36.040
 Oftentimes we talk about

00:18:36.040 --> 00:18:37.680
 what's been done for you as a Christian

00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:39.299
 and then what you're supposed to do.

00:18:39.560 --> 00:18:40.940
 And it normally follows that pattern.

00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:42.299
 But we've seen that John

00:18:42.299 --> 00:18:43.600
 doesn't like patterns at all

00:18:43.600 --> 00:18:44.460
 unless it's his own.

00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:48.400
 He circles around ideas over and over again.

00:18:48.820 --> 00:18:50.340
 But here he says,

00:18:50.600 --> 00:18:51.580
 love one another

00:18:51.580 --> 00:18:53.360
 because of who you are.

00:18:53.560 --> 00:18:56.140
 He reminds them who they are

00:18:56.140 --> 00:18:57.980
 or whose they are.

00:18:58.940 --> 00:19:01.060
 Look with me at verses 12 and following.

00:19:01.380 --> 00:19:03.279
 I'm writing to you little children.

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:05.460
 I'm writing to you fathers.

00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:07.620
 I'm writing to you young men.

00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:09.140
 I write to you children.

00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:10.460
 I write to you fathers.

00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.019
 I write to you young men.

00:19:12.080 --> 00:19:13.980
 He's repeating this over and over.

00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:18.019
 John can speak with such emphasis.

00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:20.740
 He calls them,

00:19:21.100 --> 00:19:21.360
 first,

00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:23.480
 because your sins are forgiven.

00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:24.880
 That's the axis

00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.860
 on which all of this spins.

00:19:27.080 --> 00:19:27.539
 He can say,

00:19:27.900 --> 00:19:28.500
 love one another

00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:30.720
 because of what's been done for you.

00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:32.680
 But just remember

00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:34.340
 who you are in Christ.

00:19:34.659 --> 00:19:36.839
 Remember that your sins are forgiven.

00:19:37.399 --> 00:19:38.379
 That your ethics

00:19:38.379 --> 00:19:39.259
 or what you do

00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:40.879
 flows out of who you are.

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:42.480
 Your identity.

00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:47.099
 Because your sins are forgiven.

00:19:47.639 --> 00:19:49.419
 It's not like this.

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:50.819
 Oftentimes we think of this.

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:52.359
 I have done this for you

00:19:52.359 --> 00:19:53.839
 so you will do this for me.

00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:54.279
 No.

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.819
 Love one another

00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:58.720
 because you've been changed

00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.400
 because your sin is forgiven.

00:20:00.600 --> 00:20:02.440
 Your sin is not counted

00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:03.339
 against you at all.

00:20:03.600 --> 00:20:04.819
 That's who you are now.

00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:07.259
 But when we think it's

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:08.740
 this for that,

00:20:08.819 --> 00:20:09.600
 we get it backwards.

00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:12.700
 John's calling them to action

00:20:12.700 --> 00:20:13.980
 based on who they are

00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:15.000
 as Christians

00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:16.420
 and he reminds them.

00:20:16.600 --> 00:20:17.680
 He's pointing them back

00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:18.839
 by using this phrase,

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:19.740
 I write to you,

00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:20.420
 I write to you,

00:20:20.420 --> 00:20:21.080
 I wrote to you,

00:20:21.140 --> 00:20:21.880
 I write to you.

00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:24.600
 He's reminding them

00:20:24.600 --> 00:20:26.039
 this is not something that's old

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:29.900
 but it's new and old

00:20:29.900 --> 00:20:31.279
 because it deals with

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:32.920
 the new and old problem

00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:34.340
 of our own hearts

00:20:34.340 --> 00:20:35.980
 that we think that we can

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:38.740
 walk in the light

00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:40.420
 but have no love for a brother.

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.360
 Their living

00:20:43.360 --> 00:20:45.960
 is born out of their identity

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:47.300
 as Christians.

00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:49.220
 As knowing that your sin

00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:51.000
 is no longer counted against you,

00:20:51.099 --> 00:20:52.659
 that should motivate us

00:20:52.659 --> 00:20:53.519
 and prompt us

00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.480
 to love one another.

00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:56.759
 Because we've been shown compassion,

00:20:57.139 --> 00:20:58.460
 then we are compassionate.

00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:00.740
 Their identity

00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:02.339
 is fundamentally important.

00:21:03.659 --> 00:21:05.039
 I've made my return

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:07.659
 to the soccer field

00:21:07.659 --> 00:21:10.180
 after a very long time away

00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:12.000
 and I thought

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.119
 that my

00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:16.479
 U5

00:21:16.479 --> 00:21:17.739
 pride

00:21:17.739 --> 00:21:18.339
 soccer

00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:19.139
 panda bears

00:21:19.139 --> 00:21:20.179
 would be really excited

00:21:20.179 --> 00:21:21.059
 that they have so many

00:21:21.059 --> 00:21:21.859
 that's a coach

00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:23.239
 of such great experience

00:21:23.239 --> 00:21:24.500
 and played all over the world

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:26.079
 and such a high level

00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:27.059
 but they don't care.

00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:29.479
 It's been really fun

00:21:29.479 --> 00:21:31.000
 but I was confronted

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:31.899
 a couple weeks ago

00:21:31.899 --> 00:21:32.579
 with a challenge

00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:33.659
 I've never faced before

00:21:33.659 --> 00:21:35.319
 and it was this.

00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:36.219
 I had a player

00:21:36.219 --> 00:21:37.079
 on my team

00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:38.199
 whose name was Emily

00:21:38.199 --> 00:21:39.699
 and

00:21:39.699 --> 00:21:41.259
 she refused

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:42.139
 to let me

00:21:42.139 --> 00:21:42.899
 call her

00:21:42.899 --> 00:21:43.939
 by her name.

00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:44.699
 On the field.

00:21:45.379 --> 00:21:45.979
 And in fact,

00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:47.279
 she wanted to be called

00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:47.879
 Bowser.

00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:50.359
 And she got

00:21:50.359 --> 00:21:51.619
 incessantly

00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:52.879
 angry with me

00:21:52.879 --> 00:21:53.599
 and furious

00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.299
 stomping

00:21:54.299 --> 00:21:55.119
 because I didn't

00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:55.919
 call her Bowser.

00:21:56.719 --> 00:21:56.979
 Now,

00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:57.939
 does she share

00:21:57.939 --> 00:21:58.839
 the same qualities

00:21:58.839 --> 00:21:59.359
 as Bowser?

00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:00.279
 Does she have

00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:01.379
 spiky shell?

00:22:01.500 --> 00:22:02.159
 Does she look like

00:22:02.159 --> 00:22:02.719
 a dinosaur?

00:22:03.419 --> 00:22:03.779
 Does she,

00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:05.579
 I think he spits fireballs,

00:22:05.679 --> 00:22:06.079
 I'm not really

00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:07.519
 a video game guy

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.359
 but spit fireballs

00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:10.799
 or smash Mario

00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:11.679
 or anything like that?

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:11.979
 No,

00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:12.839
 absolutely not.

00:22:12.839 --> 00:22:14.959
 And so she got

00:22:14.959 --> 00:22:16.139
 so angry at me

00:22:16.139 --> 00:22:16.740
 that I refused

00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:17.279
 to call her

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.500
 Bowser on the field.

00:22:20.099 --> 00:22:21.419
 But she was reminded

00:22:21.419 --> 00:22:22.279
 by her dad

00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:22.959
 that no,

00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:23.879
 you're not Bowser

00:22:23.879 --> 00:22:24.859
 or later

00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:25.720
 Princess Peach.

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:28.259
 But you're in fact

00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:28.659
 Emily.

00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:29.839
 Your identity

00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:30.779
 is

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:32.000
 Emily.

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.079
 Emily,

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.419
 a little girl

00:22:33.419 --> 00:22:34.519
 on the U5

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.459
 Pride Soccer

00:22:35.459 --> 00:22:36.179
 Panda Bears

00:22:36.179 --> 00:22:37.339
 soccer team.

00:22:37.339 --> 00:22:40.339
 her dad

00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:41.179
 reminded her

00:22:41.179 --> 00:22:42.039
 of her identity

00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:43.240
 as Emily,

00:22:43.439 --> 00:22:44.559
 not as Bowser.

00:22:45.459 --> 00:22:46.759
 We are reminded

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:48.500
 in the same way

00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:49.599
 by the words of John.

00:22:49.919 --> 00:22:50.899
 He can call us

00:22:50.899 --> 00:22:51.539
 to love

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:52.939
 because he reminds us

00:22:52.939 --> 00:22:53.819
 of our identity

00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:55.759
 as Christians.

00:22:56.179 --> 00:22:57.379
 It wouldn't make sense

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:58.439
 for him to call us

00:22:58.439 --> 00:22:59.539
 to love one another

00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:00.439
 and warn us

00:23:00.439 --> 00:23:01.339
 and shout at us

00:23:01.339 --> 00:23:02.480
 love one another

00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:04.839
 unless he reminded us

00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:06.339
 out of the well

00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:07.200
 which we draw

00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:08.960
 as Christians.

00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:11.259
 He reminds us

00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:13.000
 by first

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.000
 starting with

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.720
 the good news

00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.500
 that our sins

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.099
 are forgiven.

00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:17.539
 That's the axis

00:23:17.539 --> 00:23:18.240
 on all

00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:20.039
 that all of this

00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:20.480
 turns.

00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:22.039
 And then he says

00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:23.460
 fathers

00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:24.220
 you know him

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:24.900
 from the beginning.

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:25.380
 Again,

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:26.620
 it's not a new idea.

00:23:27.059 --> 00:23:28.099
 It's an old thing.

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:29.160
 Young men

00:23:29.160 --> 00:23:29.920
 you have overcome

00:23:29.920 --> 00:23:30.840
 the evil one.

00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:32.100
 There is triumph

00:23:32.100 --> 00:23:33.279
 over sin now

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:34.660
 because of what

00:23:34.660 --> 00:23:35.460
 Christ has done.

00:23:36.940 --> 00:23:38.360
 You know the Father.

00:23:38.580 --> 00:23:39.640
 You know the Son.

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:40.720
 Think of that.

00:23:40.840 --> 00:23:41.880
 Think of the intimacy

00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:43.380
 that that

00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:45.019
 is communicating.

00:23:45.279 --> 00:23:46.340
 You know the Father.

00:23:47.300 --> 00:23:48.140
 You are strong.

00:23:48.480 --> 00:23:49.100
 You are strong

00:23:49.100 --> 00:23:49.940
 not because

00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:51.140
 you have muscles

00:23:51.140 --> 00:23:52.060
 and you work out.

00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:52.900
 No, you're strong

00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:54.160
 because the Word of God

00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:54.980
 abides in you.

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.300
 Because of your faith

00:23:56.300 --> 00:23:56.779
 in Christ

00:23:56.779 --> 00:23:58.019
 that's what makes you strong.

00:23:58.360 --> 00:23:58.880
 That's what

00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:00.300
 allows you to overcome

00:24:00.300 --> 00:24:01.240
 the evil one.

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.620
 That's what he's communicating

00:24:02.620 --> 00:24:04.160
 in this second part.

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:07.080
 John's reminding us

00:24:07.080 --> 00:24:08.620
 he's reminding them

00:24:08.620 --> 00:24:09.940
 of who they truly are.

00:24:11.100 --> 00:24:11.860
 And he uses

00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:12.880
 a couple different terms

00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:13.380
 to highlight

00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:14.540
 different stages of life.

00:24:14.680 --> 00:24:15.240
 Young men,

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:15.860
 fathers,

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:16.840
 children.

00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.620
 But all of these

00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:20.520
 apply to us

00:24:20.520 --> 00:24:21.160
 as Christians.

00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:22.560
 All of these

00:24:22.560 --> 00:24:23.720
 are good reminders

00:24:23.720 --> 00:24:25.480
 of who we are.

00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:29.900
 But why are

00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:30.640
 their sins forgiven?

00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:31.740
 Not because

00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:32.480
 they love.

00:24:32.819 --> 00:24:33.319
 I think that's

00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:33.819
 the danger

00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:34.539
 in this text

00:24:34.539 --> 00:24:35.519
 is coming to this

00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:35.940
 and saying

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:36.880
 our sins are

00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:37.500
 forgiven

00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:38.579
 because we love

00:24:38.579 --> 00:24:39.059
 one another.

00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:40.579
 That confuses it.

00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:41.740
 What does he say

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:42.400
 in verse 12?

00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:43.180
 He says this,

00:24:43.640 --> 00:24:44.180
 little children

00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:45.079
 because your sins

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:45.599
 are forgiven

00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:46.940
 for his name's sake.

00:24:47.360 --> 00:24:48.620
 Not because you love.

00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:49.519
 Not because of

00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:50.500
 how great you are.

00:24:50.819 --> 00:24:51.460
 Not because of

00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:52.160
 how great of a

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:53.160
 soccer coach you are.

00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:53.720
 No.

00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:55.580
 Your sins are forgiven

00:24:55.580 --> 00:24:57.580
 because Christ

00:24:57.580 --> 00:24:59.460
 is who he says he is.

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:00.880
 For him alone.

00:25:01.140 --> 00:25:02.300
 For his mere

00:25:02.300 --> 00:25:03.060
 good pleasure.

00:25:04.060 --> 00:25:04.620
 And in order

00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:05.480
 to love one another

00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:06.700
 that has to be settled.

00:25:07.840 --> 00:25:08.740
 And if we're truly

00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:09.720
 to love

00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:10.779
 we must experience

00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:11.480
 that love

00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:12.519
 and know it

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:13.360
 to our core.

00:25:14.820 --> 00:25:15.779
 Woven throughout this

00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.660
 is this reminder

00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:17.940
 and repeated again

00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:18.400
 and again

00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:19.440
 that this is something

00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:20.019
 they've known

00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:20.700
 from the beginning.

00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:22.000
 That's a good

00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:23.779
 reminder to us

00:25:23.779 --> 00:25:25.140
 that when we're

00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:25.819
 assaulted

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:27.359
 with new ideas

00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:29.039
 with new challenges

00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:30.079
 and that will happen

00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:31.420
 that we apply

00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:32.779
 the same old faith

00:25:32.779 --> 00:25:34.119
 the same old past

00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:35.359
 to new challenges

00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:37.259
 to those new ideas

00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:39.140
 to those new situations

00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:40.859
 that our lives

00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:42.119
 might not look like

00:25:42.119 --> 00:25:42.759
 the people

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:44.019
 that John wrote to

00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:45.319
 but they do

00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:45.980
 at their core

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.660
 because we have

00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:47.619
 that same faith

00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:48.660
 and we're assaulted

00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:49.799
 with some of the

00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:50.500
 same challenges.

00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:51.799
 and as we apply

00:25:51.799 --> 00:25:52.400
 that faith

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.700
 we must be reminded

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:55.299
 old is not bad

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:57.859
 especially when it comes

00:25:57.859 --> 00:25:58.839
 to this life changing

00:25:58.839 --> 00:25:59.400
 message.

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.039
 We know the Father

00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:02.980
 we've known him

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:03.779
 from the beginning

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:06.119
 of our Christian walk.

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:08.039
 He's talking about

00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:09.240
 Jesus often

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:09.960
 in this phrase

00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:10.680
 when he says

00:26:10.680 --> 00:26:11.539
 you've known him

00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:12.259
 from the beginning.

00:26:12.660 --> 00:26:13.539
 He's pointing back

00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.099
 to Jesus

00:26:14.099 --> 00:26:15.660
 but he's also

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:16.400
 pointing to the Father

00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:16.819
 because they're

00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:17.480
 three in one.

00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:20.539
 we've known this

00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:21.460
 from the beginning

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:22.480
 of our Christian lives

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:23.420
 and our strength

00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:24.539
 flows from that.

00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:27.559
 All of this is written

00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:28.920
 John writes all these people

00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:30.039
 to reassure them

00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:30.720
 of the faith

00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.380
 they have

00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:32.680
 to reassure them

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:33.339
 as they face

00:26:33.339 --> 00:26:34.279
 these different challenges

00:26:34.279 --> 00:26:35.680
 these new ideas

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.599
 that it doesn't matter

00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:37.380
 how you live

00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:38.759
 they're returned

00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:39.559
 to the old

00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:40.460
 old story

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:42.299
 to the old faith

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:44.380
 to the Christian message

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:46.820
 and that they're

00:26:46.820 --> 00:26:47.600
 to have confidence

00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:48.420
 because of their

00:26:48.420 --> 00:26:49.500
 fellowship with God

00:26:49.500 --> 00:26:51.660
 as they love

00:26:51.660 --> 00:26:52.180
 one another.

00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.000
 John's reminding them

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:55.020
 of who they are

00:26:55.020 --> 00:26:57.300
 and we're reminded

00:26:57.300 --> 00:26:58.400
 of who we are.

00:26:58.700 --> 00:26:59.660
 So when the voices

00:26:59.660 --> 00:27:00.420
 in this world

00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:01.300
 try to tell us

00:27:01.300 --> 00:27:02.240
 that we're silly

00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.420
 for thinking

00:27:03.420 --> 00:27:04.580
 that this is true

00:27:04.580 --> 00:27:05.440
 remember

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.060
 that is not

00:27:06.060 --> 00:27:06.980
 a new challenge

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:08.580
 that's something

00:27:08.580 --> 00:27:09.320
 that they faced

00:27:09.320 --> 00:27:09.860
 as well.

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:11.480
 We'll face

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.860
 new challenges

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:14.119
 but we must

00:27:14.119 --> 00:27:14.899
 return again

00:27:14.899 --> 00:27:15.719
 to this old

00:27:15.719 --> 00:27:16.379
 old story

00:27:16.379 --> 00:27:17.019
 that Christ

00:27:17.019 --> 00:27:17.679
 has died

00:27:17.679 --> 00:27:19.319
 and has risen

00:27:19.319 --> 00:27:20.339
 and our sins

00:27:20.339 --> 00:27:20.859
 are forgiven

00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:22.500
 and that

00:27:22.500 --> 00:27:24.119
 is how we love

00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:24.579
 one another.

00:27:24.779 --> 00:27:25.459
 Out of that

00:27:25.459 --> 00:27:26.299
 is how we love

00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:26.799
 one another

00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:28.879
 because we can't

00:27:28.879 --> 00:27:29.939
 do it without that

00:27:29.939 --> 00:27:33.859
 and that should

00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:34.240
 grant us

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:34.699
 confidence

00:27:34.699 --> 00:27:36.519
 in this life.

00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:37.359
 That should

00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:38.019
 grant us

00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:41.519
 an accurately

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.500
 placed confidence

00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:43.599
 not misplaced

00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.180
 in ourselves

00:27:44.180 --> 00:27:45.460
 not misplaced

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:46.339
 in anything else

00:27:46.339 --> 00:27:48.119
 but in this

00:27:48.119 --> 00:27:48.940
 old story.

00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:50.720
 So when the

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:51.039
 tempter

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:52.480
 accuses us

00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:53.480
 and says to us

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.240
 surely can't

00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.039
 be serious

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:57.019
 surely you can't

00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:57.519
 think that you're

00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:57.980
 a Christian

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:59.440
 because you failed

00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:00.619
 to love one another.

00:28:01.079 --> 00:28:01.920
 Our desire

00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:02.859
 to love one another

00:28:02.859 --> 00:28:03.619
 is born out

00:28:03.619 --> 00:28:04.240
 of that faith.

00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:06.279
 We must have

00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:06.799
 confidence

00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:08.079
 in who we are

00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:08.920
 and that's what

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.700
 John is reminding

00:28:09.700 --> 00:28:10.160
 of us

00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:10.759
 this day.

00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:13.920
 we love

00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:14.279
 one another

00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:14.859
 because we have

00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:15.420
 fellowship with

00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:15.879
 God through

00:28:15.879 --> 00:28:16.220
 Jesus.

00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:17.440
 We love

00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:18.019
 one another

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:20.480
 we're warned

00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:21.240
 that we must

00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:21.980
 love one another

00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:23.279
 but we're

00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:23.759
 reminded

00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.819
 our loving

00:28:24.819 --> 00:28:25.400
 one another

00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:26.140
 does not

00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:26.660
 make us

00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:27.140
 lovely

00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:28.000
 that we are

00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:28.720
 made lovely

00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:29.720
 based on what

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.339
 Christ has

00:28:30.339 --> 00:28:30.640
 done.

00:28:31.379 --> 00:28:31.920
 May we be

00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:32.819
 reminded of that

00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:33.779
 this morning.

00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.440
 Let's pray.

00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:37.420
 Lord we thank

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.019
 you this day

00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:39.320
 for the

00:28:39.320 --> 00:28:39.840
 life changing

00:28:39.840 --> 00:28:40.680
 message of

00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:41.160
 the gospel

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:41.980
 the fact that

00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:42.700
 you change

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.660
 sinners

00:28:43.660 --> 00:28:44.920
 into things

00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:45.180
 that are

00:28:45.180 --> 00:28:45.539
 lovely

00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:47.120
 not because

00:28:47.120 --> 00:28:47.480
 of what

00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:47.740
 they have

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.140
 done

00:28:48.140 --> 00:28:49.259
 not because

00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:50.860
 of who

00:28:50.860 --> 00:28:51.340
 they are

00:28:51.340 --> 00:28:51.779
 we pray

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.160
 that you

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:52.880
 might remind

00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:53.840
 us of that

00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:54.180
 and we

00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:54.500
 would have

00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:55.240
 confidence

00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:56.360
 confidence

00:28:56.360 --> 00:28:56.900
 with the

00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:57.299
 saints of

00:28:57.299 --> 00:28:57.620
 old

00:28:57.620 --> 00:28:58.200
 that we

00:28:58.200 --> 00:28:58.759
 don't face

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:58.980
 new

00:28:58.980 --> 00:28:59.480
 challenges

00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:02.079
 that you

00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:02.460
 have not

00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:02.779
 faced

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.299
 yourself

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:04.720
 but father

00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.019
 that we

00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.339
 have the

00:29:05.339 --> 00:29:05.660
 same

00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:06.079
 old

00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:06.420
 old

00:29:06.420 --> 00:29:06.900
 faith

00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:08.059
 and we

00:29:08.059 --> 00:29:08.480
 pray that

00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:08.759
 you might

00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:09.140
 show us

00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:09.720
 more and

00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:10.180
 more how

00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:10.720
 to love

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.240
 one another

00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:12.079
 out of that

00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:12.980
 old faith

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:14.160
 in Jesus name

00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:14.620
 amen