Standing Before God
John's Letters • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 6 viewsWe can stand before a holy God boldly because of what Jesus has done and expect our prayers to be answered.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
PRAY!
Series Recap
fellowship with the Lord
knowing who the Lord is, he is light
that we cannot live a life of sin and still claim to be in fellowship with him
we recognize those who teach something different, John calls them antichrists
we live out His commands by loving God and loving people
how can we say the love of God is in us if we are not loving other people, all people, especially the family of God
it must be a love that is active, not just in speech
Today - Standing Before God
1 John 3:18-24 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth. 19 This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 Now this is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps his commands remains in him, and he in him. And the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he has given us.
we ended with v18 last week
but it is a hinge verse moving us into the next topic that John is talking to us about
several times John writes, this is how you know you are God’s
that is something that we desire… to know that we know him
that feeling of assurance that we belong to God
John tells us look at your life, that is how you know
a confidence that we can enter into his presence
The Lies of Our Heart
The Lies of Our Heart
1 John 3:19-20 This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things.
Satan does not want us boldly before God
our hearts will believe the lies of Satan
our hearts will deceive us
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?
Satan desires for the lost to not see their sin and the saved to believe that our sin is to great
he desires the lost to not see their sin so that they will not repent
he knows that if they repent, they will be forgiven
he wants the believer to think that their sin is so great that they cannot stand before God boldly
a believer that is boldly going to the throne of God is a threat to all that Satan wants to accomplish
Jesus himself said that on the gates of Hell would not be able to stop his church
why - because he wants to destroy our faith
John 10:10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
He desires that none come to the knowledge of God
and those that do, to never fully understand the abundant life that we have available through Jesus Christ
God desires that we would know who we are in Christ
God desires that we know that we are saved
v18 is our test
are we loving God and loving people
do we live out our faith
is it something that we do when we have time, or nothing better to do
The Boldness of Our Faith
The Boldness of Our Faith
1 John 3:21 Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God
Satan is right that sin separates us and that sin cannot be in the presence of God
how serious does God take sin
the Tabernacle in Exodus 36
tabernacle means meeting place, it would be where the High Priest of the Israelites would go to meet with God
look at the detail of how the Tabernacle was to be built
certain fabrics and wood had to be used, made in a certain way with a certain number of loops buttons and
the detail is incredible… and it had to be perfect
look at the requirements of the High Priest in Leviticus 16
his clothing had to be made a certain way with the same detail as the tabernacle
he had to make sacrifices a certain way in a certain order
he had to bathe a certain way
all to be considered clean and pure and perfect to enter the holy of holies
this is how serious that God has taken the idea of sin and people coming into his presence
it is not something that can just be done, can be done half hearted as if it is a meaningless thing
What has changed… Nothing!
We still cannot simply walk into the presence of God without being clean, without everything being perfect
That is where Jesus comes into the story
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Jesus was tempted in every way, yet did not sin
Jesus was crucified and was the ultimate sacrifice for us
we no longer need the blood of bulls and goats
we are made pure by the blood of Christ
first place I go chills in Israel was when we say a crack in a baptismal that was dated back to 30 AD.
when the earth quaked the curtain was torn
we, those that have been saved are the temple as the Spirit of God dwells within you
we can therefore go boldly, having been cleansed by the blood of Jesus
and assured by our love for him and others
we have no fear that we will be turned away
we have no fear that the sacrifice will not be accepted
The Surety of Our Prayers
The Surety of Our Prayers
1 John 3:22 and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight.
Not just confidence that we belong
ever feel like you were the last one admitted or invited
like yeah, I am hear, but I do not really belong
Buck O’Neil birthday party
God is not going to look at you and ask how you got in here
God is not going to look past you when you are speaking
looking to see if there is somebody more important going to talk
God is not just allowing you to talk without listening to you
like a kid telling a story where you end up saying at the end of it… umm ok.
you really have no idea what they said, you were not able to stay with the story.
God sees us, hears us, and answers us
He gives us what we ask for because we obey his commands
this sounds like a quid pro quo - do for me and I will do for you
if that is the case, we move God to do what we want him to do
look at the scenario that I have been describing, has God moved on anything
there still needed to be a perfect sacrifice
there still needed to be blood covering our sins
how do we know that we are there, we love him and love people
he is not the one that has moved, we have
of course he answers our prayer, because we are His children, we are living out what he desires us to do
of course our prayers will be answered
we have finally begun to live out the Lord’s prayer,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Do you know him… Do you love him and serve Him by loving others
then boldly go before him in prayer and praise!