Truth Love and Lordship (Part B)

God is various means of giving us assurance of our salvation. John is hammering that out for us. God is saying through his apostles.

I want you not to be fretting over you being say.

Did I not demonstrate my love I want you to grab hold of this and understand that sin requires a heavy duty response and I have given it, and I don't want you to custody wake up and sell you of your blood is not working on my Zen always. I'm not forgiven. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher. Rick asked Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first John, please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue his study called truth, love, and Lordship as he teaches through first John chapter 3 love volunteers. That's what love does it volunteers when everybody is not stepping forward. Love steps forward. What would happen if Christ did not step forward for us what would happen if he did not say I volunteered to die for them, but he did willing those willing to volunteer our courageous takes courage to volunteer in love when Peter Rice. Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind be letting for this, Peter says, arm yourselves don't go away empty-handed. Be ready for loveless life entirely, but those that you know doesn't take much to throw us off the road.

Romans 12 I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God you present your bodies a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. See love volunteers present yourselves a sacrifice volunteer. It may not be called to give our lives and sacrifice to others in death. That is what we are called to serve in this life for others. That's what serving means serving means you are doing something that benefits others. David, the king, King David, when God had dealt with David on some of his sins and David was going to purchase land which would be the building of the temple. The plan of or Nan.

He was offered to have it for free, and David protested and this is what he said this is this is a good if are you owe Christina thinks the church should always be begging and haggling and trying to get the best deal you think the church is safe. How much is it I can afford it. I'll take it because I am not going to let you walk away from this transaction.

Thinking that God is begging that God is needy is fully prepared to meet the terms, so long as they are right first Chronicles 21 then David said to or Nan know.

But I will surely buy it for the full price for. I will not take what is yours for the Lord nor offer burnt offerings with that which cost me nothing profound. You see when this man David we could just love this guy, in spite of his messed socks. I want to be loved in spite of my mess ups and here David says I will not offer burnt offerings with that which cost me nothing. That's service that's volunteering to be Christ like. What is the cost. What is the cost of ministry, brothers, pastor, or any other type pain you get hurt. That's what it is best to Christian code cross of Christ as the emblem of pain-and-suffering unfairness. I don't mind so much suffering for something that is fair. We have a saying, fair enough. I make sense as I actually would that what about when you can live with it when the terms are not handed to you but it dictated to you. This is Christianity we have and this is what John is talking about.

We also also laid out alive, to seem so easy and print right until somebody got a sword to your throat. Verse 17 he continues with this teaching, he says, but whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him is a way to let out alive for each other and you're saying Amen brother. But yet you won't do what's necessary to act upon this love.

You won't volunteer of your resources. You will not sacrifice that which cost you something when you see somebody needs it, and it took about the proverbial mooch your Paul said if a man is not where he does not eat pretty powerful is a saying if you know maybe you cannot work for some reason or another thought hit health or something with those who opt to just be lazy and live off of other diseases started out that to get on the work. John is talking about Christians who see other Christians in need and can help them and to hunt and they want to go to church and say I love the brethren. Paul held the Corinthian believers accountable to their pledge to assist the Jerusalem Christians that were suffering and he writes about in second Corinthians 8, nine, his dog, so let me come there and you guys are ready to to own up to your own word, and he points to the Macedonians. He said they gave from their resources which they really didn't even have I tried to slow them down but they insisted on giving. Don't let me down this carafe. Luke's Gospel, Jesus of course told the story of the prodigal son not just extract this part says he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine eight and no one gave him anything to you.

Listening to that parable in your there to does that register doesn't ring a bell you say way, way bells are ringing alarms going off in my the person what I have been one of the people that's would've said to the prodigal son. I give you nothing convicting that's what it means to come to the truth to come to it in love to be under his Lordship, no guilt trip to feed the many starving souls of all the Third World countries that are out there with those late at your gate, that's a different story.

The one laid at your gate what you are doing that one. Jesus gave another parable of Lazarus the beggar, but there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores. Nobody wanted to touch him. If you've ever been to some of the big cities and you've seen homeless people, you know, there are often full of stench and sores and other things and you just want to touch you don't even want to go within their sphere and so here's Lazarus full of sores, who was laid at his gate. The rich man desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.

Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The dogs gave that man more care than the rich man. That's the point, you know, in those days there were no napkins, no they use to wipe their fingers and mouth bread and often times it would need to just talk it.

This man would've gladly feasted himself on someone's bread napkin, but he couldn't. Not even that was allowed to him. And so Jesus said who was laid at his gate. That's what John is talking about your brethren are in need. The one it's late at your gate on your heart, you have the year gate. The I gate the those things that get gain entrance to our soul to our heart that part of us that interacts with each other and therefore is Christians with the spirit alive. It interacts with God also whenever our soul is interacting with another human being. God is part of that discussion. That event not so with the unbeliever. His spirit is dead. His soul is alive. He can interact with people but God is in none of the stocks not the God of truth and certainly not the Lordship of God. Paul talks about that infusion.

Ephesians you who were dead in your spirit has been made alive question Christ and so we were alive. We are to be sensitive to the needs of those around us takes skill to learn how to minister effectively for others and you get this skill by making mistakes to catch is when some of us make mistakes, loving others, we can burn for we abandon we abandon the process we no longer want to try on doing that again. This is why I die for you again. I do have to, but I would swear a lot of people want to come to church there want to hear it. The content to sit home and judge those who do. James says don't save someone who's in need to part in peace be warm and filled but you not give but do not give them the things which are needed for the body. What is love profit. What is that so in this country were so many people have access to so many programs we don't find beggars everywhere, as in the ancient days and certain other places.

But still, God will bring in need, and laid at our gate and we are to be sensitive to those things. And if you've if you sent me. I fell there I have struggled with that go back to grace God is not saying you miserable, despicable, God is saying I love you and I know it's hard but I want to work with you on these all these things that I say to you, I want to work with you. I mean that.

Have you ever been kind and gentle to one of your children and you've enjoyed being kind and gentle to them why. Why can't God be that way with us what he is that with us. Maybe you've not had a kind and gentle parent and you wish you did what you do now God the father. Verse 18 my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth. Now he is aware of the Gnostic religious thought that promoted intellect and self-worth be like me. Be smart like me and you could have the pleasures of life. If you are is more in touch with your spiritual being they were chasing these high levels of spirituality and enlightenment and ignoring the needs of those around them were preoccupied with trying to eat and Johnny. He knew he had their number. This aspiration for spiritual death part from truth and love and Lordship of Christ which explains Gnosticism led to apathy for those in genuine need that no I got things to read the Epicureans you know they they were vainly said, enjoy life. That's a bummer. I don't go over there.

The Stoics would rigid suffering builds character.

While it does to a degree, but after a point, it starts to strip away spiritual love brings physical fruits. That's what John is saying because that's what Jesus taught him and believers are to re-center our lives. We as believers we are to re-center our lives on Christ likeness all the time. We need to kind with constantly getting calibrated we come under the word in your devotional time, maybe a word in season from another loving Christian or maybe on the sermon from a handsome pastor with an orange necktie on you know these things, God God ordained well, what would it be like if I had no attempts at humor. You probably saying nevermind give back to this verse 19. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. By this we know that we are of the truth by what happened, how to what is how I know I've got the truth just told us by love in action my love and in action not looking to justify loveless nests. Yeah, there are enemies and they need to be dealt with. I don't pray that God helps my enemies hurt me John again is keeping the central to the brethren is not opening the door for all of those objections that he would have to write another letter to deal with is keeping it central to those close to us in God's house who surprise us with their abrasiveness with some of the things they say with their moods. Don't you love Christian moods. I do.

We all have them. I'm not in the mood for your moods.

Truth when answered. It brings faith in that kind of faith leads to action.

God is various means of giving us assurance of our salvation and John is hammering that out for us. God is saying through his apostles. I want you not to be fretting over you being say. Did I not demonstrate my love I want you to grab hold of this and understand that sin requires a heavy duty response and I have given it, and I don't want you to custody wake up and sell you of your blood is now working on my Zen always. I'm not forgiven. I want you to grab it and so God is given us the word of God. The work of Christ and of course the witness of the Holy Spirit.

The word of God.

That alone loyally and although I walked to the valley of the shadow of death that's physical and spiritually can apply to both. How does the end, that beautiful song. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. You know you going to heaven. That's how the story ends. Yes, he has a table prepared prepared for him in the presence of his enemies's cup runs over. With the blessings of God. He recognizes that that's the word of God to us and then work of Christ is to cross and that witness of the Holy Spirit, something the Jesus that I'm not leaving you orphans. I'm going to give you the comforter, the Paraclete, the one who comes beside you to strengthen you not to club you to death or righteousness shoe unable to attain verse 24. The heart condemns us.

God is greater than our heart and knows all things feel guilt can lead us to truth it holds us none horn likes to be guilty. That's what conviction means conviction means you been convicted. The court is done with you.

Your guilty now what Luke's gospel chapter 18 is an example of guilt leading to truth, and the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast sink. God be merciful to me a sinner is because I can't get it right.

I'm collecting money from your people to give the wrong for the hair out of somebody else I'm hated by my own people. I'm stuck in this mess. He's not even able to look up these God just be merciful to me. Jesus said this about that man I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other that religious one for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he warms himself will be exalted only yourself in the presence of the of the Lord and he shall exalt you in due times as Peter I tell you, this man went down to his house justified. Remember, Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.

Don't don't don't Jesus on emergency, have mercy on me, and that's what Jesus did to him, gave him his site for and he took off his garments as he was approaching G throwing off those rags is coming to Christ, and so truth turns us gives us courage. Proverbs 28 one. The righteous are as bold as a lion were made righteous because of Jesus, not because of us. You pull it off. It's because of Jesus. If you get it right is because of him and yet he won't get it right with you without you. So we find our hearts full of fear. Sometimes full of pride full of anger and bitterness, resentment, resentment, you know I could've been. I was almost there, and then something came and snatched it away.

It's not fair then is lost may be tempted at times to even wonder if your Savior not how can I be saved and I got such pride. I'm looking out for me. I'm so selfish. How can I be saved and I have these urges or just filled with fear. I can't shut it off, let ourselves down our own expectations our own standards and principles we fail all of us. We realize that we betray the Lord that our heart is deceitful, God says. Then I are you talking about that way back there. Jeremiah Jeremiah 79.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked no man knows the heart except God. You mean my heart is desperately wicked. You mean Jeremiah that her heroic profit is part the heart. What is the heart.

The heart is the all of you is the soul. The spirit, the mind of feeling everything that makes you you that sell the Hebrews in the New Testament Greek writers use the word heart. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, strength at such times that we realize the heart is deceitful that I have a traitor within my own heart is comforting to know that God is greater in then my heart that God is bigger than my sin in Jesus Christ that our salvation does not depend upon how we feel. What is been done. Paul wrote to Timothy says if we are faithless, he remains faithful, God is not tarnished is not going to look to Jesse's not eager to club us over the head.

When we fail so he says, for if our hearts condemn us, as I just laid out the heart being deceitful.

If our hearts condemn us, God is greater home in the grace of that.

This is not to those who are careless or reckless by will, maybe by action, but not by will, God is greater than our heart knows all things he says here in verse 20 even when we are guilty.

God is greater. Psalm 34 verse 18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart saves such as have a contrite spirit that is the tax collector just talking about God be merciful to me. I'm not even worthy to look up to towards your throne mumbles out his desire for God to be merciful to him our hope in Christ keeps Hell up at night hoping in Christ disturbs Satan is what the world does not have the natural man does not have a hope in Christ and hell is quite fun with that water in which we experience salvation is fact faith and feeling the fact the truth, the word of God.

The faith produced by the work of Christ and of course that witness of the Holy Spirit fact comes first, and then the faith comes out of that as we do not want a faith that is not built on fact. The feelings of their there. That's the parade that comes later. But feelings are big thing in life we cannot ever undervalue. They can be wonderful and they can be. Or they can be a tyrant and people who are driven by their feelings are scary and hopefully we as Christians work to keep our feelings in check because once they start taking control. The tail wags the dog. I've never seen that happen, but I have imagined it. How about those things in life that entangle us before we even know what hit us. His salvation takes care of that. Incidentally, just as Peter. Peter was told before it happened. God said before the rooster crows three times you will betray me use this deny me, but that's what it was asked. David – Sampson asked Jacob ask Abraham as he is lying in fear saying she's my sister and yet these these men show up in the hall of faith they not in Hebrews 11. Even Sampson to me according to the scale of human judgment. The worst of them all, and yet there is a hero faith as it was more to his life than story gives us but the story does give us these terrible things about his life.

Psalm 51 after David committed that horrible crime with Bathsheba is permitted to write the 51st Psalm, which is Scripture which is every bit of the word of God flowing through him. God did not say that we find a perfect man to write this song as he would never have happened had it written oriented way for his son uses David and David says this and that 51st Psalm cast me not away from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Get back to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by your generous spirit. That's the grace of God see you read this letter of John and you just get slapped all around you begin to see what the Gnostics were threatening the very thing that we hold so dear in the lives of these believers. They were going after this all John writes gets his banner. He just hits it right now. If you say love people, but you don't love me with a needle of the kind of thing. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference rate cross reference is a ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you'd like to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com find a number of teachings from Pastor Rick available there. We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast you subscribe will be notified of new editions of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast apps. You can also follow the links@crossreferenceradio.com. We're glad we were able to spend time with you today to the next time to continue learning from the book of first John pastor I hear cross reference