Final Sermon from 1 John
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:13-21
Opening Prayer
Introduction
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13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
Exposition 1 (14-17)
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Confidence that God hears prayer
Confidence that God answers prayers He hears
But why are we praying? Is this passage even really about prayer
Yes and no...
16 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 for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
The “sin leading to death”?
This is the 4th of 4 discussions of sin in this book
1:7–10 -
Christians walk in the light but are still sinners, yet are cleansed.
A claim of sinlessness means either you or God is a liar
2:1–12
The atonement does not grant a license to sin but rather motivates righteous living
3:4–9
“John explained the complete incompatibility of sin with life in Christ by offering this strong statement: “No one who has been born of God sins, because [God’s] seed remains in them, and they are not able to sin because they have been born of God” (3:9). There we concluded that the specific sin in view was “lawlessness”, the sin of the deliberate rejection of God’s authority”
-1, 2, & 3 John, Jobes, ZECNT
So what is the “sin leading to death”?
People have offered various explanations (From Jobes)
Deliberate sin vs unintentional sin
Catholic view - Mortal sins vs. Venial sins
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - Mark 3:28-30
Apostasy - Hebrews 6:4-6
Deliberate and persistent rejection of the truth in Christ
vs. 16 - The instruction of vs. 16, no matter how you interpret “the sin leading to death” is clear, you (anyone) must lift up in prayer brothers who are caught in sin.
vs. 16b-17 - Further, it also must be recognized that there are situations where prayer for someone as a brother or sister in Christ must cease because that person as clearly evidenced that they are not, as far as we can determine, a believer.
I. As a believer, you have the responsibility to pray for others
I. As a believer, you have the responsibility to pray for others
Implications
Priesthood
Relationship
Judgment
Discernment
Certainty of “eternal life” (confidence from vs. 13)
Exposition 2 (18-20)
18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
18a “We know”
“everyone born of God” (True Believers)
Does not keep on sinning
In light of the assurance given in the last verse, he reminds us that Christians, through confident, are not granted license to sin. In the words of John, we don’t make a practice of sinning
18b “but He who was born of God” — Jesus
“protects him”
“and the evil one does not touch him”
Basically
19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20 And we know that 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.
II. Be confident in your status as God’s child if you believe (18-20)
II. Be confident in your status as God’s child if you believe (18-20)
Exposition 3 (21)
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
It is tempting to think that this little verse is out of place but in the original culture, it served as an emphatic conclusion to the book.
He is basically saying, in light of all we talked about, where are you. You are either following Jesus as you have been taught by the Apostles, a Gospel of water and blood, or you have made an idol and teach a gospel of water only.
If your God did not save you through the shedding of the blood og Jesus, then you are not born of Him.
Instead, you are an idol worshipper.
In the words of John, you are a child of the devil.
III. Who will you serve? (21)
III. Who will you serve? (21)
Conclusion
Know God
Belief that leads to action
Pray for eachother
The result of love
Prayer of Thanksgiving