Sermon 1-20-2013

1 John

2:3-6

Do you want what God Wants?

VS 3-6

Do you want what God wants??? (The Theological Check)

Obedience Confirms Our Standing in God

VS 3

·         If you knew who God was, you would obey him.

·         Some of you hear command, you go, “I don’t like that word.” It’s a beautiful word.

·         A loving, gracious God who gives you a command is choosing what is in your best interests.

o   I’ll tell you what. When Jesus Christ died for my sins that was in my best interest not his.

·         When God does things for us, it’s because he’s a loving and good God, and he’s not a mean, vindictive boss who sits up in the sky hashing out orders.

·         To know him involves a personal relationship that transforms practical behavior.

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. This is what it says, our Heavenly Father says this is the way it is and we obey. We obey because We love him. He’s good. He’s great. We love our heavenly Father. We do what he says.

We obey him, and sometimes, the heavenly Father tells you to do things you don’t understand, but we read in the Scripture and it says to love. It says to forgive. It says to confess. It says to be patient. I trust Him, it Doesn’t make any sense to me, but I know God is wiser and kinder than I am. So I’m gonna trust Him here. I’m gonna trust Dad.”

What kind of knowledge of Christ has power to always produce obedience to Christ? Read VS 4

Judas knew Christ. Lots of unbelieving scholars today know more about Christ than many Christians. There must be a different kind of knowledge than this merely factual knowledge.

Matthew 11:27 (ESV) All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

·         A disobedient life is the denial and shame of fake religious knowledge, and shows that there is neither religion nor honesty in them. (MH)

·         To know him involves a personal relationship that transforms practical behavior.

·         I know him. Of course, I know him.” But does not do what he commands is what? A liar.

·         People who love God and obey what he has to say in Scripture are Christians.

·         People who don’t and still claim to be Christians, they’re liars.

·          Some of you are saying, “Don’t judge me.” God just did.

·         Our disobedience displays our lack of trust in the love God has for us. And it shows that we do not know God. (JP)

Isn't it ironic that today people say, "If you know the love of God, you don't have to worry when you go on in sin." But John says here, "If you know the love of God, you won't be able to go on in sin." Because if you really believe the love that God has for you, then all his commandments will be the loving counsel of an all-wise Father.

So knowing God produces obedience because God is love. If you turn away from the commandments of God because you think you will find more happiness in disobedience, then you do not believe that God is love. You don't know him. Knowing him as a God of love must result in obedience to his commandments.

This might be a big revelation for you, some of you should be greatly encouraged saying, “You know what? I do love God, and I want to do what he says because I trust him. This is an encouragement.” Some of you walked in here struggling saying, “I’m not sure I’m a Christian.” What’s in your heart? Only you know your heart, you and God. I don’t know it. In your heart, you’re thinking, “Man, I want to know the Bible better so I can know what the God says so I can do what God says because I love the Lord.” That’s a Christian.

Read VS 5

•              Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

•              When you walk in Disobedience you are always struggling with God

•              Like a kid who is always struggling with their parents, Its always stressful and never fun

•              People who open the Scriptures, obey the Lord, they grow in loving relationship with God.

•              They love God more because they get to see the consistency and the goodness of God in their life through his commands.

•              The More we walk in the light and expose our sin and get corrected by God, the more joy we have

•              You can’t judge people buy where they are you must find out where they have come from

Do you know that if you trust the Father and obey his commands, your loving relationship with him will grow because he can move beyond just disciplining you all the time, spanking the defiant, disobeying child, and he can move on to just hanging out with his kid.

God wants a great loving relationship with you, He wants to spend time with his Kids! If you love God you will obey his commands, you will, you just will. If you love God you will love what he loves and hate what he hates. And God hates sin so you will get in God’s word, you will hang with Gods people and you will learn what God wants from you.