Strangers Here: Scattered Throughout the World

For God so loved the world, mankind, He sent His Son into the world...

John 1:1-5, 9-14

John 1:10 world 2889 Kosmos - the created order - the circle on which we dwell, the abode of mankind

● The inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race

● Specifically, to make an appearance or come into existence among men - spoken of the light Jesus shone upon men

● To dwell among men

John 1:14 Dwelled, or took up His residence with us - as in a tent - to pitch or live in a tent, among us

● For the Christian - dwelling is in intimate communion with the resurrected Christ - even as He who Himself lived in unbroken communion with the Father during the days of His flesh (Jn 1:14)

John 17:6-26

In the world, not of the world

John 15:19 “If you were of, or belonged to, the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you are not of, do belong to, the world (I have chosen you out of the world). That is why the world hates you”

John 17:15 “my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

1John 5:19 “we know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.”

1Peter 1:1 “1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

“Simon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ”

● Peter, the reinstated shepherd commissioned to the work of shepherding the church (John 21; 1Peter 5)

● Clothed with humility

● Humble recognition of his position and posture before Jesus

○ A bond-slave - sees himself as one who

■ Belongs to another

■ Without any ownership rights of his own

■ This is a title used with the highest dignity - of believers who willingly live under Christ’s authority as His devoted followers

■ Seeing himself, first, as no different than any other believer - in value or stature

...and yet, sees his role and responsibility clearly

○ Apostle

“To God’s elect…” - 2Peter 1: “To those who have obtained a faith of equal privilege with, as precious as, ours…”

● Emphasizes equality among the saints

...exiles…”

● sojourning in a strange place; residing in a strange country; stranger; a foreigner, not attached to this place, but here for a time

○ As Jesus came and pitched a tent to dwell

○ So we now, pitch a tent

● Close beside the world

● An active relationship with those in and of the world

● Due to current circumstances as “earth bound”

● Left here on purpose - to minister - the gospel

scattered throughout…” - like seed by the sower

● Thoroughly scattered

● Distributed widely

1Peter 1:2 “...through sanctifying work of the Spirit…”

● Chosen from the world - a people of God’s own

● Set apart by the Spirit for the purpose - to love God and do what God does

● ...and that by Jesus - “Go!! Join Me, and go!”

1Peter 1:3-9 - Value: A faith as precious as ours

● Exuberance: The two sides of joy: Salvation and suffering

○ Joy of the Lord IS strength?

○ Why choose the word exuberance to describe what Peter is describing and exhorting?

● Jesus revealed: our testimony in trying times

○ Joy I’m suffering

○ Trusted outcome

○ Faithful Father

● The salvation of our souls: the hope that we have (later

1Peter 1:13 “...with minds that are alert and fully sober, set you hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus is revealed”

● Ready for action - girded - “tuck and run”

● Sober - not intoxicated - Eph 5:18

● Set your hope on Jesus’ grace - the expected outcome of your faith

● Set yourself apart as God has already set you apart!!

● Go, undeterred… shrewdly - wise as serpents, innocent as doves

1Peter 1:15-16 “15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.””

● different (unlike), other ("otherness"), holy; for the believer, 40 (hágios) means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world."

1Peter 1:22 “22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

● Purified yourself by loving God and obeying thus producing a sincere love

● Now love one another - deeply, from the heart

1Peter 1:23-25 this world will perish, and our bodies may perish, but God’s word endures forever - as will you - because it is God’s word planted in you that bears the fruit of righteousness…

● James 1:21 “...humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

● Ephesians 1:13 “And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit…”

Seed Scattered

Mark 4:1-20 - as the kingdom moves forward through us, by us

Acts 8:26-40 - as the kingdom moves forward through me

Peace: pursue peace

Harmony with self and God: 

• Be still and breathe, just breathe - Psalm 46:10

• Pray: exchange wishes with God and with and for others - Matt 6:9; Phil 4:4-8

• Reflect on what is good - Phil 4:8

• Rest in that goodness - Matt 11:29; Ps 116:7

• Go outside, move about, exercise your body, accomplish a task - find some satisfaction - Psalm 23; Rom 1:20; Ps 19:1

Harmony with Others: 

• Pray for them - James 5:16

• Write a note - 1Peter 5:12; 1Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11

• Contact them to say “hi”, encourage, laugh, and, if necessary, cry - Rom 12:15; Job 2:11; Ecc 3:4

• Bless them - true and sincere well wishing, happiness, and goodness - Rom 12:14; 1Pet 3:9

• Share with them - anything good - good news, good things, good stories, good jokes, good prayer requests, good answers to prayers… Romans 12:9-13

• Where necessary, forgive - forgive them… and allow yourself to be forgiven  - Matt 6:12

Seek peace and pursue, run after it, grab it, secure it and practice it - give yourself permission to realize and experience the peace of God, with God, that He has already made for with you, in you, for you - peace = friendship with God - John 15:15; Prov 22:11; 17:17 

Strangers Here: In the World, Not of the World

John 1:1-5, 9-14; 17:6-26; Hebrews 10:5-10; 1Peter 1

For God so loved the world, mankind, He sent His Son into the world...

John 1:1-5, 9-14

John 1:10 world 2889 Kosmos - the created order - the circle on which we dwell, the abode of mankind

● The inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race

● Specifically, to make an appearance or come into existence among men - spoken of the light Jesus shone upon men

● To dwell among men

John 1:14 Dwelled, or took up His residence with us - as in a tent - to pitch or live in a tent, among us

● For the Christian - dwelling is in intimate communion with the resurrected Christ - even as He who Himself lived in unbroken communion with the Father during the days of His flesh (Jn 1:14)

Jesus came by His own volition…

● Phil 2:5 “He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing…”

Hebrews 10:5-10

There was a conversation … and it sounded like this:

● Heb 10:5-7 “... ‘as He was coming into the world, Jesus said 'you did not want sacrifice and offering, but You prepared a body for Me. You did not delight in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.’ Then I said, ‘See - it is written about Me in the volume of the scroll - I have come to do Your will, God!’”

● Heb 10:8-10“You did not delight in burnt offerings… I have come to do your will”

○ He was and we are in Him, sanctified through/by loving obedience: Jesus sets aside the Law to establish a new way - His way - to lovingly, with honor, accomplish the Father’s will - this is what sanctified Jesus and us in Him

■ Purified by atoning for, or making reparation - to repair - our relationship with the Creator

■ Jesus desired this so much He was willing to pay for the repairs of this broken relationship…

What the Father longed for, and Jesus offered, and now we can bring, was the love of a sincere heart...

● Heb 10:22 “...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water…”

○ Sincere - real and true, veracious, genuine

● James 4:8 “Draw near to God, wand He will draw near to you”

We, once of this world, by faith no longer belong to this world, but we have been set apart… having been loved, turning to see and receive that love, our hearts now renewed, we draw near to God with sincere hearts, having once been an enemy, seeing God as one to be afraid of, God and His way now appeals to us, He and His way now sit well with our soul…

1John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything of the world”

● Worldly affairs; the whole circle of earthly good, riches, advantages, pleasures - though they be hollow, frail, and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ

James 4:4 “...don’t you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?”

● Friendly with those ways that bring peril, suffering and loss

● ...with the things and ways that stand against or distract from God

John 1:10 “...and though the world was created through Him, the world did not recognize Him”

● Know, recognize or perceive

● Acknowledge as God, creator and make, lover of mankind, savior

● As such, did not respect or honor

John 17:6-26

In the world, not of the world

John 15:19 “If you were of, or belonged to, the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you are not of, do belong to, the world (I have chosen you out of the world). That is why the world hates you”

John 17:15 “my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

1John 5:19 “we know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.”

1Peter 1:1 “1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout…”

● sojourning in a strange place; residing in a strange country; stranger; a foreigner - not attached to this place

○ As Jesus came and pitched a tent to dwell

○ So we now, pitch a tent

● Close beside the world

● An active relationship

● Due to current circumstances

● Left here on purpose - the minister

Scattered throughout - like seed by the sower

● Thoroughly scattered

● Distributed widely

1Peter 1:2 “...sanctifying work of the Spirit…”

● Chosen from the world - a people of God’s own

● Set apart by the Spirit for the purpose - to love God and do what God does

● ...and that by Jesus - “Go!! Join Me, and go!”

1Peter 1:13 “...with minds that are alert and fully sober, set you hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus is revealed”

● Ready for action - girded - “tuck and run”

● Sober - not intoxicated - Eph 5:18

● Set your hope on Jesus’ grace - the expected outcome of your faith

● Set yourself apart as God has already set you apart!!

● Go, undeterred… shrewdly - wise as serpents, innocent as doves

1Peter 1:22 “22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

● Purified yourself by loving God and obeying thus producing a sincere love

● Now love one another - deeply, from the heart

1Peter 1:23-25 this world will perish, and our bodies may perish, but God’s word endures forever - as will you - because it is God’s word planted in you that bears the fruit of righteousness…

● James 1:21 “...humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

● Ephesians 1:13 “And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit…”

Easter Service Notes: HE IS RISEN!!!

Colossians 1:3-14 

3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you f to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Honoring and celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and life, His and ours in His…

John 1:1414

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:15-21 - The Supremacy of the Son of God

15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of g your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation

Hebrews 1:3-4

3The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

And despite this radiant and divine glory, Jesus is… not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters

Heb 2:6-11

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,a son of man that you care for him?7You made them a little lower than the angels;you crowned them with glory and honor8and put everything under their feet.”In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.10In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

The Resurrection

Matthew 28:1-11

16-20 1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

As His siblings, adopted into His family, we now - having been made by Him co-heirs with Him in the kingdom, as He came to seek and save the lost, we now - we, who have put our trust in Him, are the lost found, and now we have the privilege of turning and finding those who are lost; we, having been in darkness, now seeing the light we bring the light of God’s kingdom to bear in this broken world -

2Cor 3:18; John 17:22; Rom 8:29

Glory to glory

We will reflect Jesus. One kernel of wheat falling to the ground produces many. Jesus, the one kernel. We are the next, the life of Christ in us, by the Spirit of GodWe now go around reflecting Him

2Cor 4:6 for God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ

Eph 1 - 5 times referring to God’s glory in His work with humanity; Eph 3 God’s glory being explicitly magnified by His grace to mankind - Our lives in Christ are (to) the glory of His grace - we are His glory.

When we live in grace, by grace, God’s grace is put on display for all to see - all of the heavenly powers and authorities

God has chosen to have the light of His glory to be most manifest in His grace toward us - that as sin increased, His grace increased - this to the consternation of any holy being watching, this to any evil being trying to thwart God’s work in sinful humanity - this is God’s glorious grace overcoming evil with good, or better stated, by His inherent goodness (2Peter 1)

We are, who have been made in His image, and not created in Christ Jesus, by grace, through faith, the living expression of God’s glory in and by His grace extended to us by His loving mercy, in us by His faithfulness, and through us by His the Spirit of His eternal wisdom and good pleasure

Matthew 28:16-20

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Closing prayer… from Eph 3:14-21; 4:1-6

Putting in the Effort: He has, now it's our turn. An introduction to every effort.

Last week we looked at the wisdom necessary to interpret and discern God’s intention within our happenings. This was for us to see that the reason we need to read the scriptures is to have the knowledge that God is working so that we can rejoice in Him and His work - even in the midst of the most difficult times - it is of the utmost importance for us to know this truth as it can change our perspective and perception of what’s going on around us. James 1:2-5 “but he must ask in faith”

But, the call to wisdom shows us that knowing the truth of His intentions, is not enough, it’s not. But, even more so, we need the wisdom to see God’s hand at work and then the faith and courage to join Him in the work He is (already) doing and what it all means.

Wisdom allows not just to know, but to know AND experience, close at hand, with Him, Him.

It is good to know that God is at work, but if we were to only “know” the truth of the fact that He is working, because we see in the word, that it says that that’s true... great…

We have to understand that to read the word is one thing, to engage with God through the word by His indwelling Spirit is another.

It is in this interaction of the “3 of us” that we actually meet and interact with Jesus allowing Him to impact our lives - mind, heart and spirit - in such a way as to experience Him, to hear His voice, to be affected by His grace, to grow in Him, wisdom, and experience His peace.

This does not just happen. It takes effort.

He’s put in the effort, the intentionality, time and persistence… consistency, the want and the willingness.

Now He asks us to do the same - to go from mere knowing about, to daily, getting to know, Him. “Yes, this takes faith… that of a mustard seed, Jesus said so”.

But, he also said two other things regarding that mustard seed:It was planted as part of a gardenIt would grow to be the largest of all garden plants Bonus info: He seemed to expect that seed to grow into what it was planted to be and do

Luke 17:1-6; Luke 13:18:21

What’s the point? The exhortation?

-Seeds in garden have everything in it to become what was intended by the Master gardener - so that work has been done by the Maker of the seed - trust that to be true

And that’s great, it really is, but...

-There’s work to be done - gardens don’t just happen - and we are the apprentice gardeners

God’s a gardener, He made us to be gardeners -

Genesis 1:29-31; 2:1-16

-Remember, the seed represents (my) the kingdom, my faith, God’s grace, not “me”

-God made and planted the seed, it is mine to join in the cultivating

And the truth of this seed, the kingdom, and its growing has to two truths in it:

-That It is so of the kingdom’s movement, that it began with one man, and then 12 and has now filled the world, and in the end, fill everything

-But, it is also so of us, in each one of us. That the kingdom in us grows, as our faith and grace in us grows and permeates us, we cannot contain it, it eventually leaks out of us, from our heart to the heart of another… and that is how the kingdom grows in us, through us

But again, this doesn’t just happen. The seed is planted by God, but there is work to be done - God’s work, with our hands - cultivating the garden, growing the kingdom.

So, as we make the effort to look for, listen to, seek out, and engage with God in word, prayer, service and fellowship, we begin to grow in wisdom, more able to see AND realize the meaning of the truth we read, we now begin to know.

Just as it is one thing to know something about someone, it is not until we have taken the time and made the effort to engage with them that we see the truth of the thing that we had heard and “knew” before, but now having seen it, having experienced it, we now know that what we knew about them, IS the truth, it was true of them.

Even if before we might believe what we had heard was true, it wasn’t really true until what? We saw it, experienced it, with them, for ourselves.

So it is with God, in Christ, by the Spirit, through the word. Don’t take my word for this! Come and see…

John 1:29; 41 “...where are you staying? Come and see, Jesus replied”

John 4:28-30; 39-42 the woman at the well knew about the messiah, the Christ, and knew to be looking, but, now that she had met Him…

-And the kingdom grew in her

-And into others…

James 1:5-6 5

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

What promotes the growth of our faith? What enables us to grow in confidence? What helps us grow in trust?

This is what Peter now is trying to express to us - he’s joining James in saying something “don’t just hear the word… make every effort to do it, experience it, experience Him - to cultivate with the Gardener, the garden of our relationship with the Gardener, Jesus… He did, He is, so can you!”

2Peter 1:1-14

If anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask… James 1:1-12; 1Kings 3:4; Eph 1:17; 1Cor 1:30; Proverbs 3

Luke 2:41, 52 “when Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee… and the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him…, ...Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” (Eph 4:11-16; 20-32; Rom 12: Phil 2:1-18; Col 3)

If anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask… 

Interpreting these times, learning to live in a way that is fruitful and effective.  Being confident in God’s using our current circumstances to grow us into what He desires.  Knowing what to do and how to do it, when to do it, when not to do it, and why and why not.  This all takes wisdom. Why wisdom? It is life. It is Jesus (Gen 2:8-9; Ps 51:6; Prov 2:1-6; 8:17; 15:3-4: 12:18; 1Cor 1:30; Rev 2:7)

Wisdom, why? Why wisdom?  What is it about wisdom that we should desire it?  If obedience is God’s love language, then wisdom is His instructions as to how to obey, how to love, both Him and others.  (Job 28; Prov 1:1-19; 2; 4; 8)

Proverbs 3:1-26,35

Where does wisdom start?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of… knowledge and wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov 1:7; 3:7; 9:10; 19:23; Ps 34; 111:10; Ecc 12:13; Isaiah 8:12-22; Micah 6:9)

Wisdom, first, that we would see God’s intentions in our lives, for our good and the good of those lives around us

That He, God, truly does “...in all things works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose…” that we would ”be conformed to the image of His Son… that He is for us…” and that in Jesus “...we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us…” and that nothing “...will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:28-39)

James 1:1-12; Romans 5:1-5

Hope...

We have a hope, not wishful thinking, but, a hope, and in fact, a living hope in Jesus....

So what then is hope? This hope has in it an air of certainty, an eager expectation and anticipation of what we are sure of, of what’s been promised, trusting the One who makes the promise. And living? That is the fervent life of God’s Spirit in us bubbling life. So this is a fervent life bubbling up in us by His Spirit, that awakens our soul’s spirit to an eager expectation of God’s working now and eternally in our lives bringing joy and confidence, or, hope.

So, have hope! Thankfully, not a hope we conjure up in our fragile and shaky hearts, but a true and living hope in God eternal, the One who loves us so, who is unchanging and sure - Our Father, through HIs Son, Jesus, by His life giving Spirit. Hope.

1Peter 1:3-9; Romans 5:1-5; Psalm 33:20-22; 102:25-28; Heb 1:12; James 1:17

Wisdom, second, that would act wisely

Trusting God’s truth: the Word and Spirit to guide and lead us.  To instruct and correct as we go. Not only for our sake, but for the sake of others. We must not underestimate the Holy Spirit's ability to make Himself known to us - He Who “...helps us in our weakness…” Who, when we no not what to pray  “...Himself intercedes for…” us. Rom 8:26-27

1Kings 3:5-15

Wisdom, third, that you would be held in high esteem by others 

For the purpose of pride?  No. But that others would see you, respect you, and honor you - and that, God in you as He has revealed Himself, Jesus, and come to you to seek your counsel, allowing you to share with them the reason for your wisdom and hope (1Sam 2:21,26; Prov 3:4; 8:35; 10:11, 21; 12:2; 13:15; 16:24; Luke 1:80; 2:41,52; James 3:17)

1Peter 1:1-7 (Rom 5:3-4) ; 1Peter 3:8-16

Coming to know God’s desire for us to experience all that He is, His person, His love, His mercy and grace - His presence… peace and rest, in Him.

Gathering online live at 9am on Sundays on our Facebook! Keep up to date with what's happening at Mosaic at mosaicmansfield.com/covid19.

John 6:29 - Work is to “believe”. What is it to believe, trust, entrust, be still and know, move forward in faith, allow oneself to be stopped or rerouted with wisdom

● Work: the works required and approved by God - and this for salvation, the establishment of the relationship as offered and afforded by God in faith

● Work: a work or worker who accomplishes something

● A Work: is is a deed (action) that carries out (completes) an inner desire (intension, purpose)

● In this case: believing, knowing, trusting, entrusting, following...

...THEN...

● Works: doing (obeying commands) - and this for cultivating and maintaining the relationship, making effective and productive, in and by the sanctifying power of the Spirit and Truth (with our cooperation)

That work is accomplished in us by God through faith, the works we do are those we do as we listen to our Father’s commands and obey them… because we believe!

● Believe: “I believe”, have faith in, trust in (growing to) entrust - more and more)

● Believe: being persuaded that this is true - leading to (faith), because it proceeds from, God’s in-birthing faith (2Peter 1:2)

John uses the word “believe” over 100 times in his gospel, which accounts for over half of the occurrences in the New Testament

Like any other relationship this takes...

● Time - with each other - He’s here waiting and wanting! (Rv 3:20; Mt 7:7; Lk 11:9; Jn 10:3)

● Attentiveness - engagement - mutual honor and respect (1Pe 3:12; Ne 1:1; Ps 18:6; 33:18; 34:15; 65; Job 36:7; Zech 13:9)

● Times - commitment and consistency in meeting (Is 1:18; 55:6; 65:24; Ps 23; Mt 11:28)

● Dialogue - Listening, listening, asking, and telling (Phil 4:4-8)

● Doing - engaging with one another in what you have discussed and decided upon

James 1:19-27 - instruction and encouragement

Phil 4:4-8 - doing what God’s way and wisdom demands

We cannot blame God for not guarding and guiding our hearts and minds - if we do not yield to and do what He instructs to do - in loving obedience to His love and wise and loving commands..

When we take into consideration that He has given us “everything we need for life and godliness” His instructions, His Spirit with Whom to fellowship, be instructed, encouraged, empowered by, and we do not utilize all that He is and gives, not knowing or doing what it is He, out of mercy, grace, kindness, love and wisdom says we have to do.

Jesus: the Light and Life; His Commands, the Expression of His Grace

Jesus is calling His followers to do just that, follow. As He has demonstrated His love to us, He now commands us to live in that love, by loving as He has (and still does). But, He has not left us alone to do this as we are able, but in fact, gives us everything we need to accomplish all He has created us to be and do (Eph 2:8-10) first loving us, then giving us His commands (Psalm 19; Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27; John 13:34; 14:15,23-24; 15:12,17; Matt 28:19), then empowering us with and by His Spirit (John 14:16-18,26; Eph 1:13-14; Phil 3:10; Titus 3:5; 2Peter 1:3).

It is by the Holy Spirit that we are kept and encouraged, then empowered and enabled to love Jesus and obey His commands (John 14:23), to be transformed in the attitude of our minds (Rom 12:2; Eph 4:23; Col 3:9-10) to live a life worthy (Eph 4:1), and to accomplish the good works of the kingdom (Phil 2:13; Heb 13:21) - bringing God glory and honor (Matt 5:16)

And this is knowing Jesus, not just knowing about Him, but truly, knowing Him. (2Pet 1)

Luke 6:39-49

Psalm 19

2Peter 1

Resting in the Knowledge of the Truth That We are Loved

Working to believe that God loves us, because He is love – and there we rest.

But, there is a do to be done – joining God in cultivating the “good tree, bearing the good fruit”: love as we've been loved: putting our hearts at rest: Luke 6:27-36; Romans 5:1-5; Luke 6:43-45; 1John

1John 3:1,16-24 - putting our heart at rest. 

The proof is in the “putting”... We put our hearts at rest in God, when we join Him, by His Spirit, in the cultivating of the “good tree”. Obedience is the expression of our love to God in growing trust of His Person and word,

…having been loved, receiving that love, learning to trust that love,

and in turn...

...having been loved by God, having His Spirit of love poured into us... (Rom 5:5)

...we now respond by loving God - in trusting and loving obedience to His commands…

...and the truth of God’s love in us is most tangibly manifest in our loving others…

3:21-24 “...when our heart condemns us…” our heart’s condemning us has to do with our consciences revealing to us where we have or have not lived out God’s commands in love, to love

1John 4:7-21 - by loving one another, we complete God’s love - this is the fruit of His love to us, in us, and through us - the resulting “good fruit” is like the completion of a circuit: as God loves us and His love dwells in us by the Spirit, as we then exercise that love, by loving (one) another, we complete the circuit. And this is Jesus in us, having loved us, (now) doing His work through us, with us, as we say “I love you” by cooperating with His Spirit in us, by obeying His commands… (overcoming our own self’s desires Gal 5)

1John 5:1-5 – putting our hearts at rest, building our confidence. What should we be looking for? 

What we will begin to see is progression – as we are works in progress, you know. That progression will be from…

1. First for salvation - victory with Jesus over sin and death - where we began with Jesus to where we are today

2. Second for continuing day-to-day of Christian living - where we were this morning to where we are by evening… that is, coming to love God, self and others as we love ourselves progressively – more and more.

“make the tree good and the fruit will be good…”

We bear “good fruit”, not because we are good on our own, but we bear good fruit, or do good, because Christ is good in us, so in Christ we are good, as God has worked to “make the tree good” (Matthew 12:33; Eph 2:8-10). So, all this good is of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to the glory of the Father! (Matthew 5:16; John 15:8; Rom 5:5-11; 1Peter 2:12)

And all of this builds our confidence. As we see God working on us and in us, and as we cooperate by yielding to His Spirit, submitting our will to His, placing our trusting (sometimes wobbly) faith in Him and work with Him who is in us, we begin to see God in action in us, and through us - accomplishing His purposes!

Seeing the fruit of this interaction builds our faith, assures us, and increases our hope - so the love of God pouring in and through us is further and continued evidence of the life of Christ in us. (Col 3:1-3, 12-17)

But, what happens if (and when) I blow it? Well, God will forgive us: 1John 1:8-10; 21-2

Lest we be confused – there is a difference between a believer committing a sin and one who “lives in sin”. 1John 3:7-10 “...the one who does right is righteous, just as He is righteous…” why? Because He has made us righteous. (Rom 4:24; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; 1Phil 3:9; 1Peter 2:24)

1John 3:7 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil” but… what if I sin? We will sin. We may even struggle with repeated or habitual temptation and sin, but the key here is “the struggle” with sin (as to not rejoice in our sin or the sin of others - Rom 1:32; 1Peter 2:8.) This “life of sin” John speaks of here is a matter of loving, embracing and celebrating wickedness (the opposite of “blessed are those who mourn” Matt 5:4) So, the idea of “No one born of God will continue to sin” has to do with a person’s heart’s affections being staid on sin and finding joy in their sinfulness. NOT “if you or I sin”. That is different.

For a child of God, or one who is righteous, to commit a sin, is for a believer in Jesus to fail to live out the righteousness (of Christ) that they have been made, disobeying the Spirit’s leading and guiding and “doing what I want” (Gal 5)... the mark of the believer being righteous in Jesus, but committing a sin, is the “heart condemning us” or our conscience convicting us, in light of the Spirit in us and God’s truth as expressed in His commands, telling us that we have disobeyed and sinned. (choosing to love one’s self and the desire of self over God and others)

But remember: “God is Greater than our hearts”!! Our “heart’s condemning” is the Holy Spirit in us calling to our heart to repent, or, come back to God and His way of love.

This is not in any way to condone sin or sweep it under the rug, but, in light of our humanity, to allow for sin’s presence in our lives and give us a way of restoration when our sin has grieved our God and Father, our savior, friend and brother - Jesus, and the Holy Spirit who is us. As well as those with whom we walk that we may have offended, hurt, and sinned against.

“This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, not is anyone who does not love their brother or sister”

1John 3:11-15 (Genesis 4; Prov 29:10; Heb 11:4)

there is a do to be done - cultivating the good tree: love as we've been loved: putting our hearts at rest

Luke 6:27-36; Romans 5:1-5; Luke 6:43-45; 1John

1John 3:1,16-24 - putting our heart at rest. 

The proof is in the “putting”... We put our hearts at rest in God, when we join Him, by His Spirit, in the cultivating of the “good tree”. Obedience is the expression of love, having been loved, and in turn having been loved by God, then having His Spirit of love poured into us, we now respond by loving God in trusting and loving obedience and this is most tangibly manifest in our loving others…

1 John 3:21-24 our heart’s condemning us has to do with our consciences revealing to us where we have or have not lived out God’s commands in love, to love - expressing the love and righteousness that He has made us to be in Jesus - the nature of His life and Spirit in us.

But, what happens if (and when) I blow it? Well, God will forgive us:

1John 4:7-21 - by loving one another, we complete God’s love - this is His love to us, in us, and through us - it is like a circuit - as God loves us and Jesus and His love dwells in us by the Spirit, as we then exercise that love, by loving another, we complete the circuit. And this is Jesus in us having loved us, (now) doing His work through us, with us, as we say the “I love you” by cooperating with His Spirit in us, by obeying His commands…

And His commands are not burdensome… Why? Because He doesn’t leave us alone to do this in our strength, remember (they are not burdensome because) “...God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5

1John 5:1-5 - what we should see is progression from where we began with Jesus to where we are today; where we were this morning to where we are by evening…

We bear “good fruit”, not because we are good on our own, but we bear good fruit, or do good, because in Christ we are good, because God has made the tree good (Matthew 12:33; Eph 2:8-10) and all this good is of Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to the glory of the Father! (Matthew 5:16; John 15:8; 1Peter 2:12)

And all of this builds our confidence. 

As we see God working on us and in us, and we cooperate as to yield to His Spirit, to submit our will to His, to place our trusting (sometimes wobbly) faith in Him and work with Him who is in us, we see God in action through us - accomplishing His purposes! And this builds our faith, it assures us, it increases our hope - as the love the pours in and through us is further and continued evidence of the life of Christ in us. (Col 3:1-3, 12-17)