Life Test: PROOF OF LIFE - Part 3

May 22, 2011

Today's worship set included the following items:

Praise Is The Offering, Gateway Worship
Hosanna!, Hillsong United
Marvelous Light, Christy Nockels Version
Forever Reign, Hillsong
With Everything, Hillsong


Life Test
PROOF OF LIFE – Part 3
May 22, 2011 • Chris Goins

1 John 2:1-11 (NLT), My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a…brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.
10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.


Four Groups Of People Who “Make Up” The a2 Fam:

• Christians – Biblically Defined Believers.

• Non-Christians Who Think They Are Christians.

• Authentic Christians Who Lack Confidence.

• Non-Christians Who Know That They’re Non-Christians.


Three Goals For Every a2 Worship Experience:

• Increase assurance in the lives of believers.

• Tear away false assurances in the lives of people who think they have the “real thing,” but are holding on to a counterfeit.

• Share the simple message of the Gospel that describes how non-Christians can come to know Christ personally.


NOTES: The issue that John takes on in 1 John 2 is the issue of certainty or assurance


QUESTION: Suppose a person hangs out at a2 Church for the next five years… What do we expect? What do we think ought to happen in their life? What do we believe a person who is completely devoted to Jesus Christ ought to look like?


2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV), And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.


Illustration:
Check out the lyrics of this song penned by Gary S. Paxton in the 1970’s…

Evidence
Gary S. Paxton

If you were arrested
For being a Christian
Would there be enough evidence,
Hey, to help convict you?
If they took you in front
Of a panel of judges,
Could they find a staunch witness,
Hey, to help convict you?

Or would they find somebody who’s seen you in shadows
But they couldn’t reveal all the naked truth they know
Would the prosecution have the affidavits to hang you?
Or would the master suffer by your show?

If you were arrested
For being a Christian
Would there be enough evidence,
Hey, to help convict you?

If they took you in front
Of a panel of judges,
Could they find a good witness,
Hey, to help convict you?

Evidence, evidence, does your life show enough evidence?
Evidence, evidence, could they put you away?
Evidence, evidence, do you live enough of that evidence?
Evidence, evidence, what does your life say?

If they put you in prison
For being a Christian
Would they have enough evidence
Hey, to help confine you

If they gave you a chance
To obtain your freedom
Would you stand your faith
Or would you deny him

Would you cop a plea just to save you earthly body,
And let Satan win the soul Jesus bought to save?
Would the Prince of Darkness win you for his gallows,
Would the judgment day see God send you away?

If you were arrested
For being a Christian
Would there be enough evidence,
Hey, to help convict you?
If they took you in front
Of a panel of judges,
Could they find a good witness,
Hey, to help convict you?


How You Can Know That You Really Know God:

NOTES: John gives three tests or three proofs that can authenticate a person’s relationship with God…

1. The Trust Test: When you blow it and sin, you trust in, rely on and cling to what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

1 John 2:1-2 (NLT), My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin…

NOTES: According to John MacArthur, this sentence could actually be translated, “If anyone sins, and it will happen…”

1 John 2:1-2 (NLT), My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

QUESTION: Are you trusting in, relying upon, clinging to what Christ accomplished on the cross when He died for your sins, in your place? Have you bet the whole farm on grace?


2. The Life Test: Your attitudes, actions, life and character are progressively being transformed (vs. 3-6).

1 John 2:3-6 (NLT), And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.


“The Christian no longer loves sin; it is the object of his sternest horror. He no longer regards it as a mere trifle, plays with it, or talks of it with unconcern. He looks upon it as a deadly serpent whose very shadow is to be avoided… Sin is dejected in the Christian’s heart, though it is not ejected. Sin may enter the heart, and fight for dominion, but it cannot sit upon the throne… The head and the hands of the Dragon are broken, although the stump remains…” — Charles Spurgeon


John 14:15 (ESV), If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Galatians 5:22-24 (NLT), But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

2 Peter 1:4-7 (NLT), In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

2 Peter 1:10 (ESV), Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

QUESTION: Are you progressively becoming more and more like Jesus Christ? If the question, “What would Jesus do?” more than a slogan, are you living your as Jesus lived?


3. The Love Test: You find yourself growing in genuine and unconditional love for other people – even people who are unlovable (vs. 7-11).

1 John 2:7-11 (NLT), Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a…brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.
10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.


NOTES: The true indicator of spirituality is a growing ability to love God and other people!


Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT), “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”


A Definition for Love: “Love is willing self-sacrifice for the good of another that does not require reciprocation or that the person being loved is deserving.” — Paul Tripp, What Did You Expect?, page 188.


What Real Love Looks Like:
Adapted from Paul Tripp’s book, What Did You Expect?

• Love is being willing to have your life complicated by the needs and struggles of another person without impatience or anger…

• Love is actively fighting the temptation to be critical and judgmental, but instead looking for ways to encourage and praise…

• Love is the daily commitment to resist the needless moments of conflict that come from pointing out and responding to minor offenses…

• Love is being lovingly honest and humbly approachable in times of misunderstanding, and being more committed to unity and love than you are to winning, accusing or being right…

• Love is a daily commitment to admit your sin, weaknesses and failures and resisting the temptation to offer up excuses, shift the blame or rationalize your sin or mistakes…

• Love is being unwilling to do what’s wrong when you’ve been wronged, but looking for concrete and specific ways to overcome evil with good…

• Love is being willing to ask for forgiveness when you’ve blown it with a friend and always being committed to granting forgiveness when forgiveness is requested…

• Love is a commitment to say no to selfish instincts and to do everything within your ability to promote real unity, functional understanding and active love…

• Love is treating people with appreciation, respect and grace, even in those moments when they don’t seem to deserve it or are unwilling to reciprocate it…

• Love is being unwilling to make any personal decision or choice that would harm a relationship, hurt or wound a friend, and weaken a bond of trust…

• Love is refusing to be self-focused and demanding, but instead looking for specific ways to serve, support, and encourage another individual…

• Love is admitting to yourself, to others, and to God that you can’t love like this without God’s grace rescuing you, His love transforming you, and His Spirit empowering you…


QUESTION: Are you becoming a more loving person? Do you find yourself growing in unconditional love for the people in your world?