Friday, May 27, 2011

PIPER AND WARREN

Love this dialogue between two "heavy hitters," John Piper and Rick Warren... This interview is largely focused on Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life" with a view towards doctrine.

I love hearing these two guys talk about doctrine in a way that reveals a deep passion for God's Word and doctrinal purity, and a deep love for one another.

We need more interviews and exchanges like this. This kind of dialogue grows the intellect and provides a great model for what civil debate and exchange can look like...

Enjoy...

Monday, May 23, 2011

QUOTES THAT MAKE ME THINK (5-23-11 Edition)

Quotes that have challenged me over the past few days...

"What would things look like if Satan really took control of a city? Over half a century ago, Presbyterian minister Donald Grey Barnhouse offered his own scenario in his weekly sermon that was also broadcast nationwide on CBS radio. Barnhouse speculated that if Satan took over Philadelphia (the city where Barnhouse pastored), all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, “Yes, sir” and “No ma’am,” and the churches would be full every Sunday…where Christ is not preached."Michael Horton, Christless Christianity


“The spouse of Christ cannot be adulterous; she is uncorrupted and pure. She knows one home; she guards with chaste modesty the sanctity of one couch. She keeps us for God. She appoints the sons whom she has born for the kingdom. Whoever is separated from the Church and is joined to an adulteress, is separated from the promises of the Church; nor can he who forsakes the Church of Christ attain to the rewards of Christ. He is a stranger; he is profane; he is an enemy. He can no longer have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother.” — Cyprian, Treatise on the Unity of the Church, 6.


"It's only a broken heart that will lead to a breakthrough faith." — Unknown


"I can honestly say that I've staked my life on an empty tomb. Everything I am, everything I own, everything I've done or hope to do hangs suspended on whether or not Jesus rose from the dead. The decision I made decades ago to put my trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is only as good as the tomb is empty. If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, my life is a sham. I've invested everything in, stake everything on, entrusted everything to the historical fact of the empty tomb of Jesus. If his body and bones are still buried somewhere in Palestine, or have long since disintegrated under the force of time and the laws of physics, nothing has meaning for me, nor do I have meaning for anything or anyone else." – Sam Storms, quoted by Adrian Warnock, Raised with Christ, page 31.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

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?

Light Test: PROOF OF LIFE - Part 2

May 15, 2011

Today's worship set list included the following items:

The Time Has Come, Hillsong United
Praise Is The Offering, Gateway Worship
With Everything, Hillsong

The band also covered two item numbers:

Lifegiver, Hyper Static Union
In The Light, Charlie Peacock and DC Talk

We also continued the series, PROOF OF LIFE based on the Letters of John with a message of 1 John 1:5 - 1 John 2:2. Here are the extended notes.


Light Test
PROOF OF LIFE – Part 2

May 15, 2011 • Chris Goins

John Ortberg has written an excellent book titled The Life You've Always Wanted. Ortberg begins that book with these words. See if you can relate.

“I am disappointed with myself. I am disappointed now so much with particular things I have done as with aspects of who I have become. I have a nagging sense that all is not as it should be.

“Some of this disappointment is trivial. I wouldn't have minded getting a more muscular physique. I can't do basic home repairs. So far I haven't shown much financial wizardry.

“Some of this disappointment is neurotic. Sometimes I am too concerned about what others think of me, even people I don't know.

“Some of this disappointment…is…the sour fruit of self-absorption.

“But some of this disappointment in myself runs deeper. When I look in on my children as they sleep at night, I think of the kind of father I want to be. I want to create moments of magic, I want them to remember laughing until the tears flow, I want to read to them and make the books come alive so they love to read, I want to have slow sweet talks with them as they're getting ready to close their eyes, I want to sing them awake in the morning. I want to chase fireflies with them, teach them to play tennis, have food fights, and hold them and pray for them in a way that makes them feel cherished…”


But Ortberg goes on to admit that at the end of the day, he doesn't end up doing the things he wanted to do.

[I'm disappointed.]

Ortberg continues.

"And it's not just my life as a father. I am disappointed also for my life as a husband, friend, neighbor, and human being in general. I think of the day I was born, when I carried the gift of promise, the gift given to all babies. I think of that little baby and what might have been: the ways I might have developed mind and body and spirit, the thoughts I might have had, the joy I might have created.

The next line carries the real "stinger."

"I am disappointed that I still love God so little and sin so much. I always had the idea as a child that adults were pretty much the people they wanted to be. Yet the truth is, I am embarrassingly sinful. I am capable of dismaying amounts of jealousy if someone succeeds more visibly than I do. I am disappointed at my ability to be small and petty. I cannot pray for very long without my mind drifting into a fantasy of angry revenge over some past slight I thought I had long since forgiven or some grandiose fantasy of achievement. I can convince people that I'm busy and productive and yet waste large amounts of time watching television…"

"These are just some of the disappointments. I have other ones, darker ones, that I'm not ready to commit to paper…

"Where does my disappointment come from? …my failure to be the person God had in mind when he created me."
— John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, pages 11-13.


“The glory of God is man fully alive.” — Saint Irenaeus


QUESTION: What does that kind of life look like?


1 John 1:1-2 (NLT), We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.


life – zoe: a) the absolute fullness of life, b) life in the absolute sense, life as a principle, life as God has it, c) life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous.


1 John 1:3-4, We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.


NOTES: John believes that it’s actually possible for people to experience ZOE LIFE… He believes it’s possible for us to experience…

• …a life that gets lived out in the context of a deep, authentic, life-giving relationship with God and with other people.

• …a life filled with supernatural, defiant, unstoppable joy even in the face of adversity.

• …a life so full and overflowing that you can’t possibly keep it to yourself… You’ve got to share it with someone else…



1 John 1:5-10 (NIV), This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.


1 John 2:1-2 (NIV), My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.


Four Realities:

1. Our biggest problems: darkness, denial and self-deception.


“One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that most people tend to think of sin, especially their own, as not much more than a parking infraction… But according to the Bible, sin is a lot more than just the violation of some impersonal, arbitrary, heavenly traffic regulation. It’s the breaking of a relationship, and even more, it is a rejection of God Himself – a repudiation of God’s rule, God’s care, God’s authority, and God’s right… It is the rebellion of the creature against His Creator.” Greg Gilbert, What is the Gospel? Pages 47-48

“Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God. Sin is seeking to become oneself, to get an identity, apart from [God].”Tim Keller, The Reason for God, page 162


NOTES: Most of us think of SIN as primarily “breaking rules” or “doing bad things.” But the very FIRST of the Ten Commandments is to “…have no other gods before me.” (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 5:7)

According to the Bible, the primary way to DEFINE SIN is not just in terms of doing BAD things, but making GOOD things into ULTIMATE THINGS.


Tim Keller writes, [sin is] “…seeking to establish a sense of self by making something else more central to your significance, purpose, and happiness than your RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD…” — Tim Keller, The Reason for God, page 162


Three False Claims (lies we believe):

“If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth” (v. 6).

The Lie: Sin is no big deal… I sin… So what?

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (v. 8).

The Lie: Sin isn’t really something I struggle with… I’m beyond that…

“If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and His word is not in us” (v. 10).

The Lie: We’re all basically decent and good… Sin isn’t really an issue…


Why Darkness Is So Dangerous:

• It wrecks our relationship with God.


"The essence of sin is not primarily the violation of laws, but it is a wrecked relationship with God." — Barbara Brown Taylor


• It sabotages our relationships with people (1 John 2:8-11).

“Sin turns us in on ourselves. Sin makes us shrink our lives to the narrow confines of our little self-defined world. Sin causes us to shrink our focus, motivation, and concern to the size of our own wants, needs, and feelings. Sin causes all of us to be way too self-aware and self-important. Sin causes us to be offended most by offenses against us and to be concerned most for what concerns us. Sin causes us to dream selfish dreams and to plan self-oriented plans. Because of sin, we really do love us, and we have a wonderful plan for our lives.

What all this means is that sin is essentially antisocial. We don’t really have time to love our spouse [friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner, employer, employee, etc.], in the purest sense of what that means, because we are too busy loving ourselves. What we actually want is for our spouse to love us as much as we love ourselves, and if our spouse is willing to do that, we will have a wonderful relationship. So we try to co-opt our spouse into a willing submission to the plans and purposes of our claustrophobic kingdom of one.”
Paul Tripp, What Did You Expect?, page 47

I have said this and will continue to return to it throughout this book: the big battles in marriage are not the ones you fight with your spouse. No, the big battles are the ones being fought in your heart. All of the horizontal skirmishes between a husband wife are the result of this deeper battle. Remember, there is still sin remaining in your heart, and the DNA of sin is selfishness. Since sin in its fundamental form is selfish, then sin is essentially antisocial. This means that you and I must recognize there is something that still lurks inside us that is destructive to marriage.” — Paul Tripp, What Did You Expect?, page 127


• Sin robs us of the defiant joy God intended.


2. Our great need: a life-changing understanding of God’s character.

“In these verses, John presents two crucial doctrinal tests to determine who is genuine: an accurate belief in the nature of God, and a genuine belief in the certainty of sin.” — John MacArthur, Commentary on 1, 2 and 3 John, page 22-260.


• God is light (1:5)!

- God is absolute truth (no fine print or hidden agendas).

- He is blazing holiness (without sin, darkness or imperfections).

• God is love (4:8)!



3. God’s ultimate solution: Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:7 (ESV), if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:9 (NIV), If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:1-2 (NIV), My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.


4. Our daily, life-long decision: walk in the light.

1 John 1:7 (ESV), if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

The Life You’ve Always Wanted: PROOF OF LIFE – Part 1

May 8, 2011

Today's worship set list included the following:

You, Hillsong
Forever Reign, Hillsong
I Will Exalt You, Hillsong

Chris Mileski and Shannon Johnson had a lot of fun with announcements and Mother's Day. The band blew away two item numbers:

Everybody, Ingrid Michaelson
Lifegiver, Hyper Static Union

We launched a brand new series on the Letters of John today titled, PROOF OF LIFE.

Extended message notes are included below. (Thanks to Mosaic for the really cool graphic...)


The Life You’ve Always Wanted
PROOF OF LIFE – Part 1

May 8, 2011 • Chris Goins

1 John 5:13 (NLT), I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

1 John 5:13 (AMP), I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God…, so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, eternal life.

1 John 1:1-4 (NLT), We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

1 John 1:2 (NLT), This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life.


NOTES: Don’t miss what John says in Verse 2… “I know what LIFE looks like… I’ve seen it up close and personal…”


1 John 1:4 (NLT), We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.


“The glory of God is man fully alive.” — Saint Irenaeus


NOTES: Listen to the way John describes Jesus in His gospel…


John 1:4 (NIV), In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 3:16; 6:35; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3-4; 20:31)

NOTES: According to John, the defining characteristic of Jesus’ life and ministry wasn’t His amazing miracles, transformational teaching or unconditional compassion…

John says, “When I saw Him… When I met Him… When I got up close and personal to Him… This is what I saw… This is what blew me away… In Him was LIFE, and that LIFE was the light of all mankind… That life was so powerful that it radiated light that illuminated the darkness, and the darkness could not overpower the light and life that was and is Jesus.”

When John writes, “In Him was LIFE…” He’s letting us know that everything else paled in comparison to the LIFE that just flowed out of Jesus… He’s saying, “I experienced something / someone who made everything else seem like LESS…”



life – zoe: a) life as a principle, b) the absolute fullness of life or life in the absolute sense, c) life as God has it, d) life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous.


NOTES: One of the over riding narratives of Scripture… A narrative that is so simple that sometimes it can seem almost simplistic, but it’s the narrative that THIS IS ALL ABOUT LIFE and DEATH… Not “life” and “death” and then “eternal life.”

No! This is all about “LIFE” – LIFE the way God intended it and DEATH – which is basically being a walk on cast member of The Walking Dead…

This has been one of the overriding narratives of Scripture since the beginning…



John 1:1-2 (NIV), In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning.

John 1:4 (NIV), In Him was life…


NOTES: In Genesis 2:7, the Bible begins in the key of life. It wraps up in the same key in Revelation 22.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20, This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, blessings and curses. Now CHOOSE LIFE, so that you and your children may LIVE 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him, for He is your LIFE and the length of your days…

NOTES: Life is the central theme in the writings of John. In fact, the word “life” gets used at least 36 times in the Gospel and 10 times in the Letter of 1 John.

John 1:4 (NIV), In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 3:16; 6:35; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3-4; 20:31)

John 3:16 (NIV), For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal LIFE.

In John 6:35 Jesus said that he was “the bread of life.”

In John 7:35 Jesus promised, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of LIVING WATER will flow from within them."

In John 11:25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the LIFE…”

In John 14:6 Jesus said that He alone is “…the way, the truth, and the LIFE…”

John 17:3 (NIV), …this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

John 20:31 (NIV0, But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 10:10 (AMP), The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).


The Life You’ve Always Wanted:

1. A life that gets lived out in the context of authentic, deep-level, life-giving relationships with God and people (1:3).

1 John 1:3 (NLT), We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.


2. A life rooted and grounded in objective truth (1:1-2a).

1 John 1:1-2 (NIV), That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched…


3. A life so full that you can’t possibly keep it to yourself. You’ve got to share it with someone else (1:2-3a).

1 John 1:2-3a (NLT), This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard…


4. A life filled with supernatural, defiant joy in the face of whatever life throws at you (1:4).

1 John 1:4 (NLT), We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.


“The glory of God is man fully alive.” — Saint Irenaeus