Well, a couple of years ago, I was reading a biography about Bonhoeffer.
! I'm not sure if any of you have read that book. It's by Eric Metaxas. It's about 500-600
! And I'm not much of a reader, but I thought, you know, maybe this is worth a shot and I'll
tackle this book and see how it goes. And what was interesting to me as I read through this
book, there was almost a sense in which Bonhoeffer became a close friend. There was, Eric did
such a good job at kind of leading the reader through the story of this man and his heart
for people and his willingness to risk much for the sake of Christ and for the sake of
the church and all of the struggles that he went through and the churches that he helped
to establish and the people he was able to encourage and the challenges that he faced.
And you knew it was coming. You knew at the end of this story that it was going to end
in the martyrdom of this man. And the closer and closer you got to the end of this book,
the slower and slower my pace became because I just didn't want to say goodbye. He had really
become a close friend. And this morning we come to the end of this letter in 1 John. And it's
my prayer that God has done for you what he has done for me and that Jesus has become sweeter
through the study of 1 John. And that the beloved apostle John has become a dear friend. Now,
fortunately, we don't have to say goodbye to this friend because we know that next week we're going
to, even though we're going to be in a different part of Scripture, we're going to be seeing and
coming to appreciate the same main character, the same person who is central in every part of the
Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. We'll see the story of God come to light for us again next week.
And so even though we're wrapping up our study in 1 John, really the same themes and the same truths
that we have been studying throughout our series in 1 John will continue in our study as we move in
to 1 Thessalonians. Last Sunday I had the opportunity of teaching the junior high and high school.
And I asked one of my kids afterwards, so what did you think? How did it go? And they said to me,
well, it was the same thing that Caleb taught on Wednesday. I mean...
So Caleb's doing a great job. I just have appreciated his ministry. But I want to let you know,
that is the truth. No matter where we go in the Scripture, whether we're in the minor prophets,
you know, Hosea and Joel and Amos and Obadiah, what do they have to add to the story? Well,
let me tell you, they have to add much to the story because it's all about God. From start to finish,
the story is a story about God. And so as we come to the Scripture, no matter where we are,
whether we're teaching about the life of David or teaching about the life of Joseph or we're in
the New Testament, we're learning about the abiding life, we're learning the story about God
and how to have that sweet fellowship with Him that He craves for us. Do you realize that God
desires and craves fellowship with you? He craves it so much that He sent Jesus Christ to this
earth, to die for us, to bridge the fellowship gap, the sin gap that disrupts fellowship with Him.
He bridged that gap to make salvation possible, to make fellowship possible, to make joy,
abounding joy possible for you, and to connect us not only to Christ, but to connect us to one another.
It really is a remarkable story and it's been encouraging to my own heart as we walk through
the study of 1 John and to pick up the same themes as we look again at 1 Thessalonians and
we're going to be moving through that in the coming weeks. So in the closing of our time with 1 John,
let me invite you to take your Bibles if you would please, as we open up to 1 John chapter 5.
We're going to begin in verse 6 and we're going to move to the end of the chapter,
taking this piece by piece. Now maybe you're asking the question, how does this relate to
the communion service that we're going to be having here towards the end of our time together?
And I want to help make that connection. Some of you have probably already made that connection
or already very aware, but for those of you who have not made the connection,
I want us to realize that if the Bible is the story about God, whether we're in 1 Corinthians chapter 11,
or whether we're in the Gospels, or whether we're in 1 John, or anywhere else in the Bible for that
matter, because it's the story about God, it's the story of redemption. It's the story of salvation.
It's the message of God's rescue. And so it's really great for me to be able to see the story of God,
even in unique places, and to appreciate that as we go to those places. And so this morning,
as we're in 1 John chapter 5, I want us to see that the message of the story of Christ is the same.
It's the story of his redemption for us, his body, and his blood, and his price that he paid for us
to bridge the gap for salvation and fellowship with him.
As we look at this passage this morning, there's going to be something that stands out and is
inescapable for us as we look at these verses. And I hope that as you read the Scripture,
it's your habit to read with a pen, not only so that you can underline and highlight the things that are
important and that stand out to you, but so that you can take notes along the way.
Well, this might be a good opportunity for you to continue that practice, because what I want to
point out to you in the first part, or in these concluding words, is the certainty that we have
as those who abide in Christ. There is certainty in the Christian life.
Notice in verses 6 through 12, there is a recurring word that we're going to see over and over and over
again. It's the word testify. We see that word there at the very beginning of verse 6.
This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by the water only, but by the water and the blood.
And the Spirit is the one who testifies.
In verse 7, we find there are three that testify. In verse 8, we see these three agree, meaning in the
mouth of two or three witnesses, a thing will be established. They're testifying. In verse 10, we'll see
whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. In verse 11, and this is the testimony.
Then if we, as we look at verses 13 to 21, he shifts from this use of the word testimony to a use of a word
to know. In verse 13, he says, I write these things to you who believe, that you may know. And I would
encourage you to underline that you may know. Verse 14, and this is the confidence.
In verse 15, and if we know, then we know that we have. Then in verse 18, we know. And in verse 20,
and we know, so that we may know. It is inescapable what John is trying to get at in these remaining
verses of his little letter to the church of Ephesus. There is something that can be known,
that can be examined, that can be rested on, and you can have confidence in the truths that he's been
articulating throughout this little letter. Over this past week, we had the privilege as a family,
we do Netflix from time to time. And my wife found a little movie called The Case for Christ.
It's really the story of Lee Strobel. And if you know anything about his story, he was an investigative
reporter for the Chicago Tribune. He was an atheist, and he was adamant about the fact that there was not
a deity that existed. Well, through some circumstances that took place in his family,
namely, his family was having dinner, and his daughter began to choke on some food.
And by God's providence, a lady came to help clear the food from the little girl's throat,
and lo and behold, she was a Christian. And through this interaction that was taking place between
this lady and her committed testimony to the gospel, and suggesting that this did not happen
by circumstance, but this was a divine appointment, the wife began to take some interest,
and went to church, and came and essentially committed her life to Christ.
Christ. Well, Lee was not interested in this taking place in his family, and so he determined
that as an investigative reporter, he was going to find the facts that would disprove Christianity.
One of his Christian co-workers says, well, if you're going to take Christianity out, you need to go
to the heart of Christianity, and that is the resurrection. So he spent the next several months trying to
disprove the resurrection, and through the course of that process, came to understand that the evidence
was overwhelming. And through that process, God led him to faith in Christ. You see, this world would
have us believe that those who are Christians are just living by blind faith. There's just ignorance in
them. They've abandoned all rational thinking. They're not thinking and evaluating the facts as they are,
the things that you can touch and see and evaluate and examine up close. But John wants us to understand
that the Christian life, although it is a life of faith, it is also a life of proof. It's a life of evidence.
It's a life that the criteria can stack up and help us to help to demonstrate that what we believe
really does have substance. There can be certainty in the Christian life. And so this passage this morning
is a passage of encouragement, really. There are at least five things that I see in this passage
that we can take comfort in and to know that God has established these truths,
and we can have certainty and confidence about these truths.
I think I'm going to do something a little different this morning. I usually spend the bulk of my time on
point number one, and then we don't have time to get to the others. I hear some chuckling.
I, I, I, I, guilty as charged, I, I understand. So we're, we're going to, we're going to move through
point number one. We're going to go two, three, four, and five, okay? So stick with me. And then we'll go
back to point one because point one really helps to fill out our time of communion. So pray for me in
this process so that we can really get to the, the real heart of, of what this is, is talking about this
morning. The first point, though, I, I want to just put it there for you so that you have it in your
reservoir. We'll come back to it in just a moment. But, but the first point that we see here in, in verses
6 through 10, is that we can have certainty about Jesus Christ. There is no question in this letter
who is the central figure of John's attention. He begins this whole letter with, with this
exuberance and enthusiasm about the person of Christ. He says, we, we have seen him. We've, we've heard him.
We've, we've touched him. We, we've spent time with him. We've, we've listened to his message and, and we
are commending him to you. Make no mistake about it. There is nothing that matters more than Jesus
Christ. He, he begins with that and he finishes with that very, very idea. We, we've seen it throughout
chapter 4. We've seen it here at the beginning of chapter 5. He finishes with that thought here in
chapter 5. He wants you to understand that you can be certain about Jesus Christ. And we'll look at
those witnesses towards the end of our message this morning. Point number two. That was the fastest
point number one we've ever had, huh? All right. Point number two. We're, we're, we're going to pick this
up here in verse 11. And John wants us to recognize that if there is certainty about Jesus Christ,
there is also certainty about the future. Certainty about the future. Notice what it says here,
beginning in verse 11. And this is the testimony, again, that key word, that God gave us eternal,
eternal life. And this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God
does not have life. Can you hear the heart of this beloved apostle pleading with his audience in the
midst of difficulty that they're experiencing? Those that had abandoned this church, he, he alludes to them in chapter 2. And he says they were not of us because they, they went away from us. The, the turmoil that was taking place in, in this city of Ephesus and for this specific church. He wants this church to understand that however uncertain their circumstances are in the moment,
there is certainty about the future. There is certainty about eternal life.
There is certainty about eternal life. I write these things that you may know that you have eternal life.
life, he says in chapter 5, verse 13. Jesus' death and resurrection guarantees future life for all of those who are in Christ Jesus.
After all, that is why Jesus came in the first place. We all know John 3, 16.
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus came so that you could have hope and confidence about the future.
And if there is confidence about the future,
what else matters?
What else is there?
If you know that the difficulties that you're facing are only temporary,
if you know the struggles and the conflicts that,
that you are experiencing right now are, are just superficial,
if you recognize that the, the challenges that you face are only momentary,
but there is a future hope in heaven,
there is eternal life with God,
nothing else begins to matter.
John wants his, his congregation,
these, these people that he has spent so much time shepherding and pastoring
to know,
if you know him,
you know everything that matters.
You can have confidence about the future.
And in this expression,
he is, he is pleading with,
with the rest,
those who don't know Jesus,
if you know him,
you can have eternal life as well.
So many during Jesus's ministry were,
were interested in this question.
We see the rich young ruler in Matthew chapter 19,
who, who came to Jesus and said,
good teacher,
what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
And then in Luke chapter 10,
the lawyer that comes and asks a similar question,
a lawyer stands up and,
and tested him saying,
teacher,
what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
This is the question of anyone who is really interested in what's coming in the future.
Any religious institution,
any orientation of,
of spirituality has the future and,
and the,
the eternal life as its final objective.
But only those who are in Christ can experience it.
Jesus says,
I am the way,
the truth,
and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
You want life?
You must come through the author of life,
the initiator of life,
not only physical life,
but spiritual life.
Jesus came to bring life.
We see that in John chapter 10,
verse 10.
He says,
I have come
that they might have life
and that they might have it abundantly.
And those apart from Christ
will only know death.
Romans chapter 6, 23,
for the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The question for us this morning
is do you know Jesus Christ?
And if you know him
and have embraced him as Savior,
then you have the joy of eternal life.
You see,
the resurrection of Christ
changes everything for us.
Paul picks up this theme
in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.
And basically,
he recounts the significance
of the resurrection.
He says,
it is the resurrection
that gives purpose to our message.
In 1 Corinthians 15, 14,
he says,
if Christ has not been raised,
then our preaching is in vain.
It is also the resurrection
that gives our faith substance.
In 1 Corinthians 15,
verse 14, it says,
if Christ has not been raised,
then our faith is in vain.
It is also the resurrection
that activates our obedience.
In verse 17, he says,
if Christ has not been raised,
then you are still in your sins.
And it is the resurrection
that gives us hope.
for the future.
In 1 Corinthians 15, verse 19,
he says,
if in Christ we have hope
in this life only,
we are of people most to be pitied.
But, in fact,
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstborn of those
who have fallen asleep.
Because of Christ's resurrection life,
we who are in Christ
will also experience
the life that he has to give.
What hope?
What certainty?
The certainty of Christ's resurrection
leads to certainty
of future life for those
who are in Christ.
And we come to our next point.
Not only certainty,
not only certainty
about the future,
but certainty about answered prayer.
We see that in verses 14 to 17.
Here's what it says.
And this is the confidence
that we have towards him,
that if we ask anything
according to his will,
he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us
in whatever we ask,
we know that we have the request
that we have asked of him.
This is the confidence,
John says.
If you are in relationship,
an abiding relationship with Christ,
then Christ will hear your prayers.
And if you are in a relationship with Christ,
an abiding relationship with him,
he not only hears your prayers,
but he fills that out
and defines what his hearing actually means.
Notice,
how does John describe the hearing?
If he hears us in whatever we ask,
we know that we have the request
that we have asked of him.
That's what it means when God hears.
Time out.
That is not my experience.
Is that your experience?
Everything we ask,
we receive of him?
Okay, so then there must be
something going on here.
There must be a dynamic
that we need to begin to understand
when John is describing
the asking and the praying,
the hearing and receiving.
What is taking place?
Remember,
as we have introduced this series
and as we have been talking about this series
through the past couple of months,
we've mentioned that this is really
just an exposition of the upper room discourse.
Okay?
So it shouldn't be any surprise to you
to know that Jesus,
on at least four occasions,
actually uses the exact same phrase.
In John chapter 14,
I would just encourage you,
why don't you just keep your finger
for a moment in 1 John chapter 5
and turn with me
to John chapter 14
so you can see this
and maybe even underline it for yourself.
John 14,
verses 13 and 14.
Whatever you ask in my name,
this I will do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
if you ask me anything in my name,
I will do it.
Now move to chapter 15,
verses 7 and 8.
If you abide in me
and my words abide in you,
ask whatever you wish
and it will be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified
that you bear much fruit
and so prove to be my disciples.
Now chapter 15,
verses 16 and 17.
You did not choose me,
but I chose you
and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit
and that your fruit should abide
so that whatever you ask the Father
in my name,
he may give it to you.
These things I command you
so that you will love one another.
And then chapter 16,
verses 23 and 24.
Chapter 16,
verses 23 and 24.
In that day,
you will ask nothing of me.
Truly, truly,
I say to you,
whatever you ask of the Father
in my name,
he will give it to you.
Until now,
you have asked nothing in my name.
Ask,
and you will receive
that your joy may be full.
What in the world is going on here?
What in the world
is Jesus trying to commend
to his disciples?
Is there a magic formula?
Is there a process
that we need to go through
in order to get this answer
from God that we're looking for?
Well, if you were here last week,
you know the answer to that question
is no,
there's not a magic formula.
That's the old way of doing life.
But we've been called to the new way.
The new way that sets us free
from the pressure of this world
and the pressure of performance
and responsibility.
But what we're talking about here
is in conjunction
with who Jesus is himself.
And in conjunction
with the abiding life
that we've been called to.
Notice Jesus points to that
at least a couple of times
throughout this section.
and also says,
if you pray anything
or ask anything in my name,
then I will do it.
What in the world
is he talking about?
It begins and ends with Jesus.
That's the answer.
The abiding life
out of which flows
forgiveness
and cleansing
and obedience
and love
and confidence
satisfaction
and fellowship
boldness
in his presence
endurance
in the Christian life
hope
and joy
and clarity
and life.
What else
is there
to be had?
It is all found
in him.
And so if we
as we learn
to be satisfied
in him
and as we are praying
for the things
that are oriented
towards finding
sufficiency
in Christ
seeking his glory
strengthening his body
building his kingdom
then we will find
that all of our hopes
and dreams
and prayers
will be answered
in the power
of Christ.
Because as our
orientation
is moving
in the direction
of being satisfied
in him
and looking to him
for his glory
and looking for him
for his strength
and seeking
to be about
his purposes
then nothing else
matters.
And he is delighted
to answer those prayers
because those are
the things
that he wants
to accomplish
in and through us.
Perhaps the best
example of this
is Paul.
Paul
when he prays
in 2 Corinthians
chapter 12
he says
remember
he has this
thorn in the flesh
right?
And he prays
three times
that God
would take it away
and the answer
at least
in that specific
request was no.
My grace
is sufficient
for you
for my power
is made perfect
in weakness.
Now listen
that was not
a no answer
that was a yes
answer.
That was a yes
answer because
at the heart
what Paul wanted
was for the glory
of God
to be known
and for the kingdom
of God
to be advanced
and the power
of God
working through
the life
of Paul
to be obvious.
And God says
Paul
you want
the right things.
The only way
this can happen
the best way
this can happen
is to strip you
of your personal
strength
so I can rush
in with divine
strength.
This is my
yes
not a no.
As the author
says
for all
the promises
of God
find
their yes
in
him.
That is why
it is through
him
that we utter
our amen
to God
for his
glory.
all of the
answers
to our
prayers
are yes
in Christ
as long
as our
prayers are
oriented
towards the
glory of God
and the
desire for
him
to be
evident
in all
of the
affairs
of life.
His desire
is for you
to grow
in your
abiding
relationship
with him
and for
those who
are affected
by your
ministry
to be
drawn in
to relationship
with him
as well.
So God's
answers are
yes.
We have
confidence in
that.
But notice
as it moves
to verses
16 and
17
there is
also this
confidence
that we
have in
God's
answer of
forgiveness.
Forgiveness
of sin.
Let me
read this
for us
in verse
16 and
17.
If anyone
sees his
brother
committing a
sin not
leading to
death he
shall ask
and God
will give
him life.
To those
who commit
sins that
do not
lead to
death there
is sin
that leads
to death.
I do not
say that one
should pray
about that.
All wrongdoing
is sin but
there is sin
that does not
lead to
death.
What in
the world
is this
talking about?
I don't
know.
I don't
know definitively.
But here
are some
things that
we do
know.
First of
all we
understand
that what
John is
talking about
is not
talking about
praying for
somebody's
salvation so
they find
their way and
now all of a
sudden magically
become a
Christian.
Certainly we
need to be
praying for
the souls of
those who
are lost.
Jesus on
the cross
says Father
forgive them
they know
not what
they do.
We need to
be praying
for the
lost.
But we
cannot pray
them to
salvation.
We cannot
pray them
into heaven.
That is
something they
must do for
themselves.
Repentance
and obedience
and yielding
to God is
something that
has to happen
personally.
Something that
only can be
done individually.
We can't do
it for them.
So this is
not a prayer
for salvation
for those who
are lost.
lost.
This is
also not a
prayer for
forgiveness to
those who are
absent in the
process.
What I mean by
that is if you
are aware of
individuals in
your life who
are Christians
and are sinning
their sin
doesn't lead to
death meaning
their sin isn't
going to lead
them to eternal
destruction.
You can't just
shoot off these
prayers and pray
for forgiveness
for them and
that will all
of a sudden be
covered.
Okay?
I'll just pray
for everyone in
my church.
They're sinning
these various
sins and then
we'll be
perfectly sanctified.
No, as John
says in 1 John
chapter 1,
if we confess
our sin, he is
faithful and just
to forgive.
That again is
also requires
personal
brokenness.
It requires
personal
confession.
A personal
recognition of
our own
dysfunction and
stepping out
of line.
Now, what I
think this is
talking about
is closer to
what we find
in James
chapter 5.
James chapter
5, that
verse 16,
where those
who are involved
in sin ask
for their
fellow brothers
and sisters to
come around
them.
And it says,
therefore,
confess your
sin to one
another and
pray for one
another that you
may be healed.
the prayer of
a righteous
person has
great power
as it is
working.
I don't know
about you,
but there have
been times in
my life where
I have been
so, felt so
bankrupt
spiritually.
I feel so
disqualified as
an individual.
I feel like I've
blown it so
much that God
couldn't possibly
hear my prayer.
and so I
confess my
sin to a
brother in
Christ and
say, would
you just please
pray for me?
I just need
God to rush
into my life
and to fill
the vacuum
of my heart.
And that
brother comes
alongside and
says, I'd just
love to pray
for you.
And in his
righteousness
carries me to
the throne,
pleads for
me on my
behalf for
forgiveness,
pleads for
God's mercy to
come through,
and I am
met by the
fellowship of
God and I
am joined in
fellowship with
him.
That is the
blessing that we
have as believers
in Christ, to do
that for one
another as we're
willing to confess
our faults to
one another so
that you might be
healed.
Galatians chapter
6, 1 and 2
says much the
same thing.
It says,
Brothers, if
anyone is caught
in a transgression,
you who are
spiritual, restore
such a one in a
spirit of
gentleness.
That's what we're
talking about here.
We're talking
about recognizing
the dysfunction
of your brother
or sister in
Christ, and
rather than
holding that
against them,
rushing to the
rescue to seek
to bring them
into fellowship
with God,
praying with
them over sin,
seeking God's
forgiveness,
filling the gap,
filling the void
of their own
spiritual life,
and seeking to
lead them in
communion with
God himself.
Verses 18 and
19, our next
point, talk about
the certainty of
spiritual preservation,
certainty of
divine preservation.
Let me read this
for us.
Let's see.
we know that
everyone who has
been born of God
does not keep
on sinning.
But he who is
born of God
protects him,
and the evil one
does not touch him.
We know that we
are from God,
and the whole world
lies in the power
of the evil one.
and we know the
Son of God has
come and has
given us
understanding so
that we may
know him who
is true,
and we are in
him who is
true,
in his Son,
Jesus Christ.
He is the
true God
and eternal
life.
Little children,
keep yourselves
from idols.
over the past
couple of weeks,
we have been
talking about
the overcoming,
victorious,
triumphant life
of the Christian.
Not because of
some resident
power that we
have in and of
ourselves,
but because of
the indwelling
power of the
Holy Spirit
who strengthens
us for this
walk that we
have from day
to day.
It is an
overcoming,
triumphant life
because of this
abiding relationship
that we experience
with Christ.
because of the
power of the
Spirit that is
working within.
That is what
John wants them
to have confidence
about.
No matter how
bad this life
becomes,
no matter how
great your
adversary might
be,
and he points
to how bad
he is,
he says here
that the evil
one cannot
touch him.
Peter,
in talking about
the characteristics
of the evil
one,
says,
watch out,
Satan walks
around like a
roaring lion
seeking whom
he may devour.
We have a
great adversary.
So often,
I find myself
becoming
complacent,
sometimes
apathetic,
maybe even a
little ignorant
to the involvement
of our
adversary in
this world.
It finds a
way to use
the systems
of this world
to corrupt,
to lead us
into sin,
to change our
orientation in
terms of how we
think, the
philosophies of
this world,
to lead us in a
direction that
takes us away
from God.
God says,
but those who
have this
abiding
relationship
with Christ,
God says,
in the end,
nothing can
touch you.
No matter how
bad it gets,
you are mine.
Kind of like
what he says
to Peter.
He says,
Peter,
Satan has
desired to
sift you
like wheat,
but I've
prayed for you.
I've prayed
for you.
You're mine,
Peter.
No one can
touch you
because you
belong to
me.
We have that
promise in
Ephesians chapter
1 that the
Holy Spirit is
our guarantee
of salvation
until the
coming of
Christ.
Nothing can
touch you.
You don't
have to worry
about what's
coming.
They may
touch your
life, but
they cannot
touch your
soul.
They cannot
affect your
future
destiny.
You belong
to me.
You can be
settled in
that.
You can move
forward in
confidence because
of that and
because of the
confidence of
divine preservation,
there can be
great risk
taking in the
spiritual life.
I'm challenged
to think of
what we might
be able to
accomplish if
we were willing
to really trust
in the promise
of that divine
preservation.
what might
we be able
to do?
I was even
thinking about
this a couple
years ago when
one of my
kids started
learning Arabic.
I thought to
myself, what is
this going to
mean in terms of
where is she
going to end
up?
What is God
doing in her
life to move
her to places
of riskiness,
the jeopardy
of the
physical life?
life?
What might
her future
become?
That is,
should be a
minor concern
because what
really matters
is that we
are anchored
in him.
We are
preserved by
him.
We have a
future destiny
in heaven
because of
him.
It should
lead us to
great risk
taking in
our missions
endeavors,
in our
willingness to
accept much
for the sake
of him.
Finally,
verses 20
and 21,
we have
certainty
about the
truth.
Certainty
about the
truth.
We know
him,
we know,
excuse me,
we know that
the son of
God has
come and
has given
us understanding
so that we
may know
him who
is true.
We are in
him who is
true in
his son,
Jesus Christ.
He is the
true God
and eternal
life.
It is
astounding
to think
that we
have access
to truth.
We have
the ability
to walk
through this
life convinced
of the
truth,
anchored in
the truth,
walking in
the truth.
God has
given us
understanding
through his
word and
through his
Holy Spirit
spirit and
because of
the truth
that he has
given to us
through his
son, we
know we
can please
him and
fellowship with
him and
we can give
that message
to those who
desperately
need it.
As we
come to
the end of
our service
and now
move to
this time
of communion,
I want us
now to back
up to
point number
one.
certainty
about
Jesus
Christ.
What a
sweet truth
this is.
And God
has given
us evidences
in three
different ways.
Evidence
through the
water,
evidence
through the
blood,
and evidence
through his
Holy Spirit.
We could
spend an
entire message
talking about
these three
evidences that
God has given
to us.
The evidence
of the
water is
the evidence
of his
baptism.
It's the
evidence of
Jesus in
his willingness
to be
obedient.
John, if
you remember
John the
Baptist, when
Jesus came
to be
baptized,
pushed back
against Jesus
and essentially
said, what are
you doing here?
You don't need
baptism.
This is the
baptism of
repentance.
And Jesus,
in response
to him,
says, I
must fulfill
all
righteousness.
this is
necessary
because I
must now
be the
means of
righteousness
to all.
Instead of
forgiveness
flowing through
the sacrifices,
instead of
purity coming
through the
washing of
the priests
and their
communion with
God through
the context
of the
temple,
Jesus established
himself as the
means by which
we can get
to God.
Jesus must
fulfill all
righteousness.
That forgiveness
flows through
him.
Cleansing
comes through
Christ and
not through
any other
means.
Baptism was
the way for
Jesus to
fulfill all
righteousness.
The righteousness
that couldn't be
fulfilled through
the millennia,
through the
generations,
was finally
fulfilled in
Jesus Christ.
Christ.
Jesus ups the
ante in
Matthew chapter
5, the
Sermon on the
Mount.
And when they
couldn't fulfill
even what they
understood about
the law, the
letter of the
law, Jesus
raises the
bar to
extraordinary
levels and
says, well, you
have heard it
said, but I
say to you,
which essentially
was, you
thought the law
was hard before.
Let me tell you
what I really
mean.
Only Jesus
could fulfill
righteousness.
And that
testimony of
the pure,
radiant
righteousness of
Christ is a
testimony for
us of God's
authentication
through his
son that he
was truly
God.
It is the
first testimony
that speaks to
the fact that he
is who he said
he was.
only God could
live the holy
life.
I'm going to
pray for us
and we're going
to remember the
holy life of God
through the bread
because it was
through the bread
that Jesus says,
not my will but
thine be done.
I will let my
obedience lead to
the point of
death, even
death on a
cross.
Let me pray as
we remember the
bread this morning.