Sermon Tone Analysis

A.      And by this we know that we have come to know Him (v.3)

1.

If we keep His commandments (v.3)

2.       If we keep His word (v.5)

B.      The Result:

1.

The love of God is perfected in us (v.5)

2.       Assurance: We know that we have come to know Him (v.3)

C.      This is related to obedience

 

!

The Test: Do we keep His commandments?—1

John 2:3, 5

!! If we keep His commandments (2:3)

1.       Jesus related the keeping of His commandments to loving Him.

 

a.

John 14:21 – "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.

And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

b.       John 14:15 – "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

2.

Jesus related the keeping of His commandments to His Lordship over your lives.

a.

Luke 6:46 – "But why do you call Me `Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?

b.       Matthew 7:21-23 – "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

"Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'  "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

* *

*A Cathedral in Germany displays and engraving which says,*

*“Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:*

*‘You call me Master and obey me not.

You call me light and see me not.

You call me the way and walk me not.

You call*

*me life and don’t live with me.

You call me wise and follow me not.

You call me fair and love me not.

You call me rich*

*and ask me not.

You call me eternal and seek me not.

If I condemn you, blame me not.’”*

3.

Jesus related the keeping of His commandments to following His example.

a.

"You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for [so] I am.

"If I then, [your] Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

"For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them

b.

We are to “/walk as He walked/”

 

4.

Jesus related the keeping of His commandments to

 

a.

Loving God completely

b.

Loving our neighbor as ourselves

 

Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

(Romans 13:8).

!!

If we keep His words (2:5)

“/keep/” is a continuous action; to continue on and not stop; a day by day obedience

 

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. (John 14:23-24 NKJV)

 

1.

When we draw near to God, keeping His Word, we begin to /establish a relationship with Him./

 

a.

Just as a boy who meets a girl and begins to draw near to her.

b.

He begins to know her and develop affection for her.

1)       The same with God, the more we draw near to Him, keeping His Word, learning about Him, the more we love Him!  “/Love of Christ constrains me/”

c.

The only way to know somebody is to get near to that person.

2.

If I am in Him, His love is being perfected in my life.

a.

There are those who are easy to love.

b.

Those who are difficult to love.

c.

Those who are impossible.

1)       But I know that I am “in Him” & God is working in my life when

a)       I begin to love those that are impossible for me naturally to love.

b)       Supernaturally we can love those who we can not love naturally.

2)       You cannot mentally prepare yourself to love someone, you will fail!

a)       Only God can do this in you – Philippians 2:12-13

 

!

The Result:

!! We know that we have come to know Him (v.3)

What does it mean to know Christ?

To possess eternal life (John 17:3)

 

1.

The word know comes from the Greek gnosko which is to know by experience.

2.       The vast majority of Americans declare that they believe in God.

3.       Just knowing about or believing about God does not mean you possess eternal life

 

Many people are deceived into thinking they have eternal life.

1.

They declare that they know Him.

They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

(Titus 1:16 NKJV)

 

2.

Jesus said to the Pharisees in John 5:39

 

"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. (John 5:39 NKJV)

 

3.

This is one issue that you do not want to be deceived about, your eternal life.

4.       2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul tells us that we need to examine ourselves

 

! Obedience: What is it?—v.3

!! The real evidence of a true Christian is a changed life.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“Of what value is the grace I profess to receive if it does not dramatically change the way that I live?

If it doesn’t change the way that I live, it will never change my eternal destiny.”

A changed life begins with obedience to God.

This means:

1.

That you will have to stop doing certain things.

2.       Start doing other things.

We should pray to be taught obedience – Psalm 119:35; 143:10

 

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.

(Psalms 119:35 NKJV)