I want to begin this week by thanking everyone who reads the blog. I hope that it is a benefit to some. I know that one of the highlights of my week is writing out the sermon. I'm glad I can do this little thing to bring honor to the Lord.
We completed the second chapter of I John last week. We discussed the two ways John taught about abiding. Believers have the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit who leads us into the truth and keeps us from error. Believers are also called to abide in Christ. We must study God's Word and spend time in communion and prayer with the Lord.
We begin chapter 3 this week. Verse 1 is an interesting verse. John says, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we shall be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not."
There are two important ideas expressed in this verse. To being with, we as believers have received the abundance of the love of God so much so that we are sons of God.
Let's just look at the love of God for a moment. Whenever I think of the love God, I remember the fact that my sin separated me from God. My sin was an offense in the sight of a Holy God. Also, according to the Scriptures, not only were we dead in our trespasses and sins, we were also the enemies of God. We desired to fulfill the sinful lusts of the flesh and not fulfill the righteous requirements God set before us.
However, in spite of all of this, God still loved us with an everlasting love. He loved us so much that He wanted to deliver us from the burden of sin and have a relationship with Him.
In order to accomplish this, God the Father sent His Son Jesus to this earth. Jesus lived a holy and sinless life. He bore our sins in His body on the cross atoning for our sins. Then, Jesus rose from the grave conquering death, hell and the grave which were the consequences of sin.
Then, the Father offered unto sinners the free gift of salvation. Whoever would place their faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead would be forgiven of sin.
But, even more than that, the Father has accepted those who believe in Jesus to be sons and daughters of God.
Because of the Father's great love, we who were sinners have been brought from the lowest place to the position of being the children of the Almighty Sovereign King of the Universe.
Because those of us who believe our children of God, we no longer have a relationship with this sinful world. The world doesn't know us because it doesn't know the Lord.
The world system has rejected the light of the world, Jesus. John spoke about this in I John chapter 1. This world system doesn't want the light therefore it despises those who identify with Jesus. Of course, this is the way Jesus said that it would be. Jesus said if they hate you don't be surprised because they hated me first.
John moves on to say in verse 2, "Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."
Because we are the sons of God by faith in Jesus, Heaven is our eternal home. When someone dies who has placed their faith in Jesus, they go to Heaven and will be with Jesus for all eternity. Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for those who believed in Him so that we could be with Him forever.
When we die, we will see Jesus face to face. I can hardly wait. I long to see Jesus even today. I want to fall at Jesus' feet in adoration, praise and thanksgiving. He is my Lord. I love Him, and I want to be with Him throughout eternity.
When we see Jesus in Heaven, John says that we will be like Jesus. As the Bible says, we will receive a glorified body like unto Jesus' glorified body. We will lay aside this body that is often filled with pain for a body that will suffer no more. Once again, I can't wait. Since the early days of my life, I've been plagued with numerous health issues. However, a great day is coming when I will see Jesus and be delivered from all of these things.
Better yet, when we enter into the direct presence of Jesus, we will be fully delivered from sin. We will have the mind Christ. We will no longer be plagued by temptation. All of these old burdens will fly away when we see Jesus face to face.
What love. The Lord loves us so much. He calls everyone and anyone to come to the foot of the cross and yield their life to Him. Whosoever will may come and drink of the water of life.
This week, take some time to stop and meditate on all that Jesus did on the cross. Meditate on the greatness of the love of God.
Hopefully, as we do this, we will grow in our love for God which will move us to love others and tell them of the love of God we have experienced. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment