Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

It was a bright Sunday morning in 18th century London, but Robert Robinson’s mood was anything but sunny.

Who was Robert Robinson?

The minister who authored of the popular Hymn: “Come Thou Fount” and other hymns as well.

All along the street there that Sunday in London were people hurrying to church, but in the midst of the crowd, Robinson was a lonely man.

The sound of church bells reminded him of years past when his faith in God was strong and the church was the most important part of his life.

It had been years since he set foot in a church—years of wandering, disillusionment, and gradual defection from the God he once loved.

The loneliness that he wrote about in his diary he attributed it to his falling from the faith.

Early in his adult life, he was a Baptist minister who converted to Methodism, and then towards the end of his life, became what he had once despised and denounced: a Unitarian denying the Trinity and other fundamental doctrines to the faith.

Could it be that Robert Robinson was a tragic case where none of his fellow brothers and sisters in the faith love him like they should, leaving him so lonely that he even had forgotten the love of Jesus?

Transition:

The Apostle John has some words about this matter.

Perhaps Mr. Robinson and his fellow churchgoers could have benefited from the passage that we are looking at this morning.

Scripture Reading:

This is another proof text from the Apostle John.

A proof text in the sense that it is yet another test to the authenticity of true brothers and sisters in the faith.

John now again directly confirms the interconnectedness of our love for other Christians with our love for God and the relation to the obedience to His commands.

Transition:

This morning I want to offer you what I think the Apostle John offers here in a couple proofs about what is true in a brother or sister in the faith:

I. Proof #1 Consistent Conformity (vv.

2-3)

Let’s start with verse 2 with this idea of obedience popping up for the believer

This verse, along with verse 3, repeats one of the major themes of 1 John.

Love for God is expressed by lasting, ongoing love and obedience.

Here obedience to God is the test.

To obey God proves love to him, and this again involves love of his children.

Take note the evidences of a true believer throughout this one passage:

(1st) he/she loves God

(2nd) he/she loves God’s child [Jesus] (v. 1)

(3rd) he/she loves God’s children (v.

2);

(4th) he/she obeys (vv.

2, 3); and

(5th) he/she overcomes (vv.

4–5)

“By this” ἐν τούτῳ - By what?

By what follows, observing God's commandments— in other words: Our Conformity

Just as believers’ love for their brothers and sisters is the sign and test of their love for God, so their love for God (tested by obedience, 5:3) is the only basis of their love for Christian brothers and sisters.

There is a tendency in each of us to be a bit selfish at times.

We like what we like and we want things to go according to our desires.

It is not within human nature to submit to the desires of another.

The flesh wants to promote itself, even at the expense of others.

In ourselves we do not desire to live according to the Word of God, keeping His commandments.

The flesh always desires that which is contrary to the spirit.

“For this is the love of God” Love is not sentimental emotions but physical action, both on God’s part and on ours.

Obedience is crucial (cf.

John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10; 2 John 6).

back to our passage:

Our Continuation in that: “we keep his commandments.”

Lives submitted to the Lord, lived in light of His great love, are marked by obedience to His commandments.

Our love for God is revealed through submissive, obedient lives.

The word keep has the idea of “watching over or guarding something viewed as great treasure.”

It is easy to talk of our love for the Lord, but the proof is in the pudding.

Do our lives reflect our love for Him? Do we live in a way that brings honor to Him?

As I considered this simple statement I thought of those who have been faithful to our Lord throughout life.

I thought of those who had served the Lord for many years, and as they ended their journey, they remained committed to Christ unto death.

It is one thing to serve the Lord for a short while and quit, but it is out of this world to remain committed to Christ for a lifetime.

It is possible to serve the Lord throughout life, but faith in Him has to remain strong.

Our love for Christ always must continue to grow if we are to remain committed for life.

How? complete abandonment to self—Kill yourself daily to live for Christ every single day.

Our Consolation (3b) – and his commandments are not burdensome/grievous.

The world looks at the believer in astonishment and unbelief.

They wonder why we would live as we do.

They do not view faith as joyful and liberating, but restricting and burdensome.

They view the Christian life as being bound by a set of rules that deprive the follower of all joy in life.

John declares the commandments of God are not grievous; they are not heavy, burdensome, or the cause of affliction.

Henry Donald Spence said:

“The Christian, whose will is united with the will of God, will not find obedience to that will a task.”

The new covenant does have responsibilities (cf.

Matt.

11:29–30 where the rabbis used yoke for laws, 23:4).

Yes! His yoke is light and easy, BUT IT IS STILL A YOKE! YOU ARE STILL A SLAVE TO CHRIST

These responsibilities flow out of our relationship with God, but don’t get confused— these responsibilities do not form the basis of that relationship, which is based on God’s grace--not human performance, faithfulness, or merit Titus 3:5 .

His people, the more and more aware we become of the two extremes of libertinism and legalism.

Jesus’ guidelines are very different from the false teachers, who either had no rules (antinomian) or too many rules (legalists)!The longer we serve God by serving

We know the secular man views these responsibilities/commands in the New Covenant as grievous, but the believer embraces His commandments, viewing them as beneficial, and even necessary.

That is not to say the flesh will never want to rebel against the commandments and desire of God for our lives, but spiritually we know God is working in our lives for our benefit.

One cannot embrace the commandments and will of God apart from faith in Christ and love for Him.

However, when one is born again in Christ, indwelt by the Spirit, there is an understanding of God’s great love and His desire for us to be conformed to the image of His Son.

It is not a burden to serve the Lord.

I do not view Christian service as dreadful, but a genuine joy.

We are privileged to have the opportunity to serve the Lord and follow Him.

Transition:

Therefore, Consistent Conformity to the commandments of God is a sure proof of an authentic Christian, but there’s at least one other proof here John wants to point out:

II.

Proof #2 Vigorous Virtue (vv.4-5)

John now shifts his focus to the faith believers possess and the great benefit it has in our lives.

“For” — this is the reason for the preceding statement from verse three that it is not burdensome: the opposition which causes the difficulty is already been overcome.

John is speaking of:

Our Vigor and vitality (4a) – “everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world" We must keep in mind the historical context for this epistle.

The church was in its infancy.

False teachers were abundant.

Many of the Jews maintained loyalty to the Old Testament teachings and refused to embrace Christ as the Messiah.

The church faced many obstacles and daily struggles.

Many were likely tempted to abandon their faith.

John encouraged them of the great strength and help they had in the Lord that destroys these life difficulties.

It is all too obvious that we too face many struggles and obstacles as well—even recently!

The circumstances and lures may have changed, but the battle is still the same.

These are the most difficult times the American church has faced since the Revolution and it is likely to still get worse unless the church changes drastically.

There is a forceful push to silence our voice and force us to abandon biblical conviction for political correctness.

Unless we stop tolerating this attack from satan, things will get worse.

As difficult as today is, we can overcome in Christ.

He is still sovereign and in charge of this world.