CONFIDENCE IN A CHAOTIC WORLD
(Overcomers - October 3, 2021)
Series Big Idea: "Close fellowship with Christ silences the destructive beliefs and behaviors of this world"
Sermon Big Idea: "Everyone born of God overcomes the world"
Key Scripture (1 John 4:20-5:5)
There is a short account in one of John's epistles (3 John 9-10), in which the story is told about a man named Diotrephes. This man was possibly a leader at the church John was writing. The account is told that this man was selfish and self-seeking. We know this because John even said the man always loved to have first place among the brethren.
Diotrephes lived a life that was the exact opposite of the life of servant leadership Scripture teaches (Philippians 2:5-11). He was so self absorbed he didn’t want anyone, especially John, to question his leadership. This man unjustly accused John of things in the presence of the church with false accusations. Not only did he slander John, he defied other believers by putting them out of the church unjustly. A person like this is a prime example of someone who says they love God but hates his brothers and sisters.
(1 John 4:20-5:5)
20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother he has seen cannot love the God he has not seen. 21 And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother. 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. 2 This is how we know that we love God’s children when we love God and obey His commands. 3 For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, 4 because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. 5 And who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
If the man Diotrephes is the exact opposite of someone who is victorious in the Christian life, then what does a person look like who is an overcomer in the faith? That is the question John answers in the verses we have read. In these verses we can see three traits of a person who is an overcomer.
First - Saving Faith
The word "believes" has the idea of continuing in the faith. This is a mark of a true believer in Christ. Their salvation is not just based upon the mind and intellectual acceptance. Jesus is the object of their faith and when they place their faith in Him they are born again and will be an overcomer.
Second - Love
The person who is overcoming loves not only God but fellow believers as well. The point here is that even though we as Christians are part of a family, we don’t get to determine our other family members. God does that. We are called to accept and love them because they love God.
Third - Obedience
This word "obey" carries with it the idea of a continuing and constant obedience. Jesus confirmed this idea on at least three different occasions in the Gospel of John (John 8:31) (John 14:15, 21) (John 15:10). So this obedience John is talking about is all that Jesus ever said and commanded.
CONCLUSION
But be careful with the last trait. If we are not careful we can get legalistic and fall into what the man Diotrephes fell into. John says in verse 3 that "His commands are not burdensome." Man-made religious traditions are burdensome (Matthew 23:4). The commands of Jesus are the opposite. Jesus said in (Matthew 11:30) "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
John said "This is what love for God is." We can't separate the love of God from His commands. God's commands teach us how to do what is pleasing to God (Romans 12:1-2). Knowing God more and more makes our burden light and easy to carry (Matthew 11:30).
If we are born again in Christ, we are overcomers. Christ sets us free to love God and to live righteously among our brothers and sisters. This freedom is light compared to the weight of sin. Because Christians are connected with Christ, we have victory as Christ has victory! (Romans 8:37) (2 Corinthians 2:14). What is stopping you from placing ALL your faith in Christ today?
Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideals for this message, are inspired by:
Holman Christian Standard Bible
English Standard Version Bible
King James Version Bible
Christian Standard Bible
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Osborne, Grant, Philip W. Comfort. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 13: John and 1, 2, and 3 John. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2007. Print.
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Vincent, Marvin Richardson. Word Studies in the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887. Print.
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