Tag: Believer

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James Sermon

Believers’ Daily Lifestyle: James 2:8-13

Introduction:

Good morning church, It’s a blessing to see all of you.

As we all know we are going through the book of James under the theme “Faith in action”

Last Sunday we have meditate together James 2:1-7, on Favouritism or Partiality.

Today we shall continue our study from James 2:8-13,

Before we enter to our text, let me remind you the purpose of writing this letter.

James wrote this letter to a believers in exile. They have been forced to leave their homes and settle among strangers. As followers of Jesus, they do not find their lives to be easy. Instead, they find themselves facing a variety of trials and these tempt them to doubt God’s faithfulness and ability to continue to bless them.

James wrote this letter to remind them of who God is and how He can enable them to rejoice when they encounter these trials because they test their trust in Him. And a trust that has been tested or purified leads in the end to one being “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.(1:2-4)”

In chapter 2 James has been dealing with behaviour towards our fellow men. He is condemning attitudes and behaviour based on worldly standards. In the first part of chapter 2 James tackles favouritism. Now he examines this behaviour in direct relationship to God’s law.

James 2:8-13.

  • Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
  • But if you favour some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
  1. For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
  2. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
  3. So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
  4. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

I would like to entitle my sermon as “Believers daily lifestyle”  Under these topic I would like to give 4 vital Believers daily lifestyle to all of you.

I know many of us are conscious with our health, If you want to stay healthy and fit, you need to eat right kind of diet and exercise daily. In the same way James is offering us this morning four daily lifestyle which will help us to live out our purpose for God’s glory.

First lifestyle

1.  Love your neighbour as you love yourself (8-9)

  • Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
  • But if you favour some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

James is saying obeying royal law, i.e. loving your neighbour as yourself is good,

We know this is second greatest commandment given by Christ. “Love your neighbour as you love yourself”

Verse 9 reminds us, our last Sunday sermon that is, if we show favouritism or partiality it is sin and breaking the law.

Every one of us should be very careful with sin of favouritism, James reminds us that instead we should love our neighbour as ourselves.

Who are our neighbours?

Our neighbours are people who are around us, it can be family members, friends, coworkers, house neighbours, people whom you encounter in daily basis.

All people whom you meet in your life is your neighbour.

Loving our neighbour can be in many different ways, I will like to give few ways.

Loving your neighbour means.

  1. Loving them as Christ love us. (love one another as i have love you) 1.Showing grace as christ shown His grace to us.
  2. Acting with compassion
  3. Looking out for wellbeing, Philippians 2:4 it says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” 4.Serving the people around you. 5.Speaking kindly to your neighbour 6.Sharing in joys and sorrow. (Romans 12:15). “rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn”

7.Means forgiving them, 8.Showing no partiality,

  • Most importantly pointing them to our Redeemer, introducing to our Lord Jesus, and giving them a living hope.
  • Sharing your life story, sharing your identity in Christ, Hope in Christ
  • Inviting friends and neighbour to the church, the list can still go on and on…

Illustration:

It was in my 8 standard one of my neighbour invite me for a bible study which was conducted by evangelical union, My life was completely change as I start journeying with these beautiful godly friends. I was just one time invitation that change my life.

Within no time we form a small group in our own school, and start inviting students for prayer meeting and bible study.

Our number grew bigger and bigger, many young students join us, many received Christ as their Lord and saviour.

I believe this is the true example of loving our neighbour.

Just because of one friend invitation, my life was change, in the same manner we keep inviting friends over and over again, we continue doing this great work through out our high school days.

Church the greatest gift you can ever give to someone is leading your family or friends, neighbours, coworkers to Christ.

Showing them life meaning, life purpose and life destiny.

Application:

Are we loving our neighbours? How are we loving our neighbours? When was the last time you loved your neighbour?

Church lets make use of every moment to love our neighbour.

We know, practically loving our neighbour is not an easy steps,

But lets ask Holy Spirit to help us, so that God will change our heart and We can practically apply in our daily life.

Second lifestyle

2.      Repenting our sins daily (10-11),

  1. For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
  2. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

If we have committed sin, small sin or big sin, it is Sin before God. This two verse remind me of mankind wickedness and sinful heart and our continual needs of repentance for our daily sins.

Church in some way or the other way we all have committed sins, we have broken the law.

We have deceive ourselves, we have sin against God, we have broke God’s heart.

All of us are equally guilty of sin, none are perfect. All of us are fully depending on God’s grace and mercy.

Romans 3:23.“All have sin and fall short of the glory of God”

Jeremiah 17:9.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Genesis 6:5.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Seeing our heart conditioned we should repent our sins to God daily.

we have broken the law of God, -We have committed sin We desperately need God’s forgiveness all the time.

As one of the pastor of this church, I am not only telling you to repent but all pastors and leaders of this church should be the chief repenters.

A.W Pink says

“The christian who has stopped repenting has stooped growing”

Illustration: Church

We dispose Kitchen trash on a daily basis, right, What, if, we don’t throw the trash for a week or a month, someone like to try that, the whole room will stink and the stinking smell will make all of us sick right,

In the same way, we should repent our sin on daily basis,

Remember church Sin is like a cancer, it can destroy us and make our life miserable.

Let us repent our sins and wash with the blood of Christ daily.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

Application:

Are you repenting your sin on daily basis?

Isaac watts a hymn writer and Church minister says

“There is no repentance in the grave” Third lifestyle

3.      Be careful how you live, U will give your life account someday. (12).

12 So whatever you SAY or whatever you DO, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

Be careful with your words you will give account someday. Proverbs 18:21

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. (let us use wisely)

Matthew 12:36

But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Colossians 4:6.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Be careful of whatever you DO you will give account someday. 1 Cor. 15:58.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.

You will be judge by law of liberty, which is the law of Christ.

John MacArthur

“The gospel is the law of liberty because it frees those who place their faith in Jesus Christ from bondage, judgement, and punishment of sin and brings them ultimately to eternal freedom and glory”

In Romans 6:6-11, Apostle Paul clearly remind, How God will judge all of us.

  • God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
  • To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honour and immortality,

he will give eternal life.

  • But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
  • There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
  • but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Illustration:

Apostle Paul after serving God his entire life just before he was beheaded by Romans soldier, he said to his spiritual son Timothy in 2 Tim.4:7-8.

  • I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
  • Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Application:

Church Our life is short on this earth, we are closer to death everyday. Are you ready to meet our Lord Jesus?

If you happen to die today, and if you are going to stand before our living God to give your life account, How will your story look like?

What have you done for the Lord so far? 2x Finally here is our fourth lifestyle-

4.      Be Merciful to all people. (13).

13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

Church being merciful to all people should be our character.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaims, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt.5:7).

The good news for every child of God in Christ is that God’s mercy toward us will triumph over His judgment of us (Romans 8:1). Our sins may argue against us, but Christ is our loving Advocate who argues for us and prevents us from receiving the judgment we deserve. We, in turn, should display God’s type of mercy toward others.

Ephesian 2

1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

  • But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

We are saved because of God’s mercy

Titus 3:5

  • He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

1Peter 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Application:

Church lets be merciful to all people around us as our heavenly Father has shown mercy unto you.

Conclusion:

Church we have meditate together 4 very vital points under the topic

“Believers daily lifestyle” the first lifestyle is

  1. Love your neighbour as you love yourself.

Remember God love us with His unconditional love and send His only Son Jesus to die for our sin, and bible says if we confess our sin and place our faith in Christ Jesus, He will forgive all our sins and give us eternal life.

Church we have received Christ love in our heart,

This is the best time for us to share Christ love to our neighbour. Love your neighbours.

2.        Repenting our sins daily.

Remember church Sin is like a cancer, it can destroy us and make our life miserable.

Let us repent our sins and wash with the blood of Christ daily.

3.        Be careful how you live, you will give your life account someday.

Our life is very short, we are closer to death each day, let us make use of every opportunity to serve our living God,

One day He will reward us for all the good works we have done.

4.        Be merciful to all people around you.

Finally, let us be merciful to all people around us, God has shown abundant mercy in our life, its time for us to show God mercy to all people around us.

Let us be a channel of blessing to all people.

Final prayer.

Thank you everyone for your kind attention. God Bless You

Categories
1 Thessalonians Sermon

An Exemplary believer- 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Good morning church,

I am delighted to see all of you this morning, I wanna say thank you so much for taking out your time, may the Lord bless all of us as we come together and listen to His living word.

I know we all our going through hard time, difficulties and challenges, I pray that we all will be encourage as we spend time together in God’s presence.

we shall continue with our book study from 1 Thessalonian.3.

Before we go ahead shall we look to God in prayer.

         Shall we open our bible to 1 Thessalonica 3:6-13.

6. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encourage about you because of your faith.

8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

9. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.

12. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

13. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.

The text is about Paul sending Timothy to check out the condition of Thessalonian believers, as we know Paul didn’t spend much time with Them because of persecution. He was concern and curious about them. Timothy brings good news that they are growing in faith and growing in love.

I would like to entitle my sermon as “An Exemplary believer”

We shall see 4 very important points from the above text.

  1. An exemplary believer has a genuine faith that produces fruit. (6) (8) (10)

6. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your FAITH and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

8. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Thessalonian believer’s faith was a genuine faith that bear much fruit, we see Christlike example that has spread everywhere.

When we read Thessalonica chapter 1, we know that they were idol worshipper but when Paul and his team brought good news they turn from idol and serve the true living God.

1 Thessalonian 1: 6,7,8.

6. you became imitators of us and of the Lord, in spite of severe suffering, you welcome the message with the joy given by the Holy spirit.

7. And so you became a Model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

8. The Lord message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything about it.

They became example for many people, they were bearing fruit, they received the gospel, they didn’t keep it, but they spread out and multiply in every part of the world, their Faith was a genuine and living faith.

How is our faith in God today?

You know church a faith that doesn’t produce fruit is a dead faith. we may know so many things about the bible but if we don’t put into action it is a dead faith.

James 2:26 says “Faith without work is dead.”

Jesus said, in Matthew 7:20, “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

It means the kind of fruit you are bearing will prove who you are, A real believer or fake believer.

Are we bearing fruit in our life? Are we putting our faith into action?

Illustration: Let’s see Abraham genuine faith .

God says to Abraham, leave your country, your people, your father household and go to the place where I have prepared. Abraham didn’t ask even 1 question why and where?

He doesn’t know how his future will look like,

By faith he obeys God and leave his country, that is genuine faith with action.

Abraham have faith in God, even though he doesn’t see it, He Obey God and he exercise his faith practically, as a result we see Abraham genuine faith produce fruit.

What if Abraham didn’t believe God or obey God, he will never see all the blessings and promises.

Illustration: You know, Jesus didn’t perform miracles in Nazareth because of their unbelief,

Matthew 13:58. Let this thing shouldn’t happen to our family, our society or our nation.

Let’s have faith in God.

Application

Let’s have:

Faith in Gods healing – that He will heal this terrible corona pandemic.

Faith in God’s providence – that he will supply all our needs.

Faith in God’s Protection – that as He protect the nation Israel from the hand of Pharaoh, He will protect us from all disease, harm and evil.

Faith in God’s Character – that He is good and makes no mistakes.

Faith in God’s Word – that it is true no matter what happen.

Faith in God’s Plan – that He has the best plan for our life.

Faith in God’s presence – that he is with us in the darkest moments of life.

Faith in God’s power – that He can deliver us from every Temptation.

  • An exemplary believer has genuine love that leads to action. (6) (12)

(Genuine love leads to action because love is action)

(6) But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love.  12. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

Thessalonians believers have genuine love to God and to one another.

They have proved their love with their action.

Bible says the greatest commandment is

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Matthew 22:37-39.

We see Thessalonians believers love God and they are loving each other.

Illustration: Christ Display the perfect example of Genuine love that leads to action.

The dead of Christ on the cross was the greatest act of love,

His sacrifice brings the forgiveness of sins, Redemption from slavery of sin, reconciliation to the Father, it brings peace and joy to mankind, it brings eternal hope and it grant us eternal life.

Apostle Paul explain clearly in 1 Cor. 13:1-8. What genuine love look like?

1.If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8.Love never fails.

Application:

Church let our love for God and love for others be a genuine love with action.

The world is desperately in need of God’s love, let us shine Christlike example in our everyday life. Let us not forget that Christ Love is the greatest weapon.

With Christ Love we can change the world; we can bring peace in the world.

With Christ love we can bring forgiveness and reconciliation.

with Christ love we can build up broken family, broken relationship, broken society

 broken nation and broken world.

As the world is going through tough time, let us take this as an opportunity to spread God’s love to all people around us.

Together we can change the world with Christ love, together we can bring glory to God by loving Him and by loving one another.

  1. An exemplary believer are source of encouragement and source of joy to others.

(7) (9)

7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encourage about you because of your faith.

9.How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

Thessalonian believers were living a genuine Christian life, their faith in the Lord was a source of encouragement and source of joy to Paul and his teammate.

Illustration: (Christmas eve).

It was Christmas morning, A lady name Lily work at coffee shop in the Airport,

one guy was on his way home to celebrate Christmas eve with his family after his long tiresome work. Lily politely talk with the guy and wishes him. “saying “may you and your family have an extraordinary Christmas holiday, May you all have a wonderful time together.

And when you get back to airport, I would like to hear all the fun and love about your family

They didn’t know each other; he was surprise to see her kindness.

He left the coffee shop, after some time he return, Lily say, is there anything wrong with the coffee he says no, no, He ask, what make you connect so well.

Lily reply, I am not just serving coffee, I am pouring happiness in people’s lives.

We are living in a busy world, many people are living with work pressure, many people are having hard time, many people are struggling in different areas of life.

Even these days all people around the world are experiencing the pain of Covid-19.

As a believer we can be a source of encouragement and source of Joy to many people around the world. Let’s be like lily pouring happiness in the lives of others.

Application:

  • Let our life be a channel of blessing for all the people whom we meet.
  • Always look out for an opportunity to pour out your happiness in people lives.
  • Always be ready to encourage other with smile, with helping hand, with the word of God,
  • Always show your love and kindness to all the people.
  • A little love, a little kindness a little encouragement can bring great joy in the lives of people around us.
  1. An exemplary Believer live a holy life that pleases God. (13)

13. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.

This verse is a loving prayer of Paul for Thessalonians believers, Paul want them to be blameless and holy before God.

The root meaning of holy is to Set apart, to separate, to cut.

It means to set apart or separate from sins, from all evil or sinful activities in this world.

1 Peter 1:15,16 says

15.“But like the holy one who call you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.

16. Because it is written “You shall be holy for I am Holy.”

Illustration: You know Daniel and friends were offer Babylonian pleasure, but they said no

“we won’t defile our heart with the king choice food” they set apart themselves from all evil pagans’ activities. Let us be bold enough like Daniel and friends and say No to all sinful activities. They drew a line; a boundary and they never cross the boundary that is an example living a holy life.

Joseph was tempted by Potiphar wife to sleep with her, Joseph reply “how could I do this great evil and sin against God.” He ran from the temptation.

This is great example for all of us, we have to run like joseph.

2 Corinthians 6: 14-17.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

15. What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

16. What agreement is there between the temple of God and Idols? For we are the temple of the Living God. As God has said:

“I will live with them and walk with them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

It means God does not want us to live like unbelievers, he didn’t want us to walk like them, they are wicked and unredeemed, and they are living in a Darkness.

He reminds us that we belong to Him, we are bought with a price, we are temple of God, and Holy Spirit dwell in us. As a result, we should keep our heart Holy and live a blameless life.

Application:

Church, are we maintaining our life holy before God?

If our every thought and every action done in secret and public are recorded and display in big TV screen how it will look like?

I think we will be ashamed to look our evil thought, our lustful thought our sinful thought and sinful action before God. We will be ashamed.

Remember church God has purchased us with His blood.

He didn’t want us to live the same old sinful life, He want us to be Holy and blameless before Him. For He is holy God.

Romans 12: 1-2 says.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship.

2. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Conclusion:

Beloved church let our life be a living example like Thessalonian believers in this broken world,

Let our love for Jesus, our faith in Jesus be spread from here to all over the world like Thessalonian believers.

Let us be the light in the mountain where everyone can see.

Let our genuine faith produce many fruits,

Let our genuine love leads to action,

Let our life be a source of encouragement and source of joy to all people around us.

Let our life be holy and blameless before God, till we meet Christ.

Categories
Philippians Sermon

Believers Journey in Christ: Philippians 4:10-13

10. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:10-13

Topic: Believers Journey in Christ.
Previous Sunday we learnt about always rejoicing and being gentle in spirit, we learnt to not be anxious but live a prayer life, peace of God will guard you.

Last Sunday – We are to think and live on the things which are True, Honourable, Right, pure, lovely admirable.

Today we shall see 3 principles under the text we have just read.

1. Be a channel of blessing. (10)
                    10. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. Illustration: Philippians believers.

My story at train station. William Pettegrew missionary to Manipur.

Julie: You may not meet the same person twice in your life, make use of every opportunity and be a blessing to all people you met.

“Be careful how you live; you may be the only some people ever read.” Williams J Toms.

Application:
Quotation of Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offence (wrong doing or crime), let me bring pardon.
 Where there is discord (Disunity), let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair (No hope), let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.

Be a channel of blessing for someone everyday, let us be a channel of blessing this coming year our family, church, work place, wherever we are.

Matthew 10:42.
 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.

2. Be content with God provision. (11,12)
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

 Illustration: Paul life. (Gal. 2:20) Paul live his life for God.

George muller and his wife sell all they possess and live their life contented under God’s loving provision. (If He don’t supply Gods name will be dishonour).

David “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Psalm 37: 25. (He will supply all your need Phil. 4:19)

# Adam and Eve, Lucifer fall. (Discontentment bring destruction, pain & suffering)
# Israelite in wilderness (Complaint, Grumble to God) Result God was not happy.

1 Timothy 6:6-11.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Some result of discontent life.

1)It destroy our present joy
2) It make us restless
3) it makes our life complex and confuse
4) leads to Complain and grumble in life (Israelite)
5) It leads to anxiety.
6) It lead to covetousness.

Lesson from King Agur Proverb 30:7-9.
“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal,     
and so dishonor the name of my God.


Lesson from Asaph Psalm 73:25-26.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart     
and my portion forever.

Solution:
1) Never compare your life with others (the grass is always greener on the other side)
2) Count Gods blessing in your life.
3) Remember Gods sovereign will in your life. (you gave & you take away blessed be your name) Job.

Application: Are you content with your life?

Remember church If God is all we have we have all our need, Let us all be content with the provision of God in our daily life.

3. Be confident with God strength.
(13) “I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength.”

Remember the context.

Paul is in Jail and He is saying he can face and endure all the challenges in life by Christ strength.

We will face hardship, persecution and challenges in life but remember we can do all things through Christ who strengthen me.

John 15: 5 “ I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Illustration: Israelite were defeated by Ai because God was not with them. If you try to fight any battle without Gods strength you will always be defeated. You will face all hardship and shame.

Illustration:
1. Author Life.
2. King David
3. Daniel Proverb 3:5-6.  Trust in the LORD with all your heart.

“The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer. My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ~ Psalms 18:2

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? ~ Psalms 27:1

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him. Psalms 28:7

Application:
 Would you trust yourself or would you put your confidence on God?

Let us learn from the life of Apostle Paul and Daniel, David. With God all things are possible

Categories
1 John Sermon

Gospel Repentance – 1 John 1:5-10

Today’s sermon is part of a series called ‘Gospel Renewal’. Last two Sundays we covered topics on Prayer & Humility. And today we’re going to talk about Repentance.

Through these sermon series, I believe we are discovering how to consistently live all of life under the influence of the gospel. And as we do that one of our greatest needs in gospel-centered living is to understand repentance accurately and biblically.

Firstly, I want to begin by defining the word Repentance, because it seems many of us have a different understanding of the word.

The word Repentance in Greek is the word ‘metanoia’, and ‘metanoia’ essentially means ‘change in mind’.

The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action.

It’s like leaving your home to go to the market, instead on the way, you change your mind and decide to walk towards the mall.

It is impossible to truly change your mind without that causing a change in action.

That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8).

A person who has truly repented of his sin and exercised faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life .

The passage I want us all to look at today is 1 John 1:5-10

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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 cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

First of all, remember, John is writing this letter to the believers in Ephesus. What John is saying is that when you talk about having fellowship with God & practicing the truth, you need a ‘change of mind’. You need to Repent.

Here’s what he is saying…

If we say we have fellowship with God while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

As we hear these words of John, and think about the application in our lives, let me give you a mental image of where our Christian is with regards to this particular situation that John is talking about.

When we were born in this world, we were born sinful and wicked. And no matter how cute and pretty the new born babies look, the truth is, their heart is disconnected from God.

The reason we are born sinful is because as humans, when we were first created by God in His image to worship Him – We were given the freedom to choose the right thing, we misused our freedom and willfully chose what was against God.

Our disobedience not only disconnected us from having a healthy relationship with God, but it also invited his wrath and anger. And since we were all born out of the first humans Adam and Eve, we all inherit their sinful nature, and a broken relationship with our creator God & are worthy of his wrath and anger.

Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death – which is what we deserved

John 3:16 – But God so loved the us that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 3:24 – all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:24 – but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus came to earth and lived the perfect life in our place, took the penalty of our sins and paid the price on the cross, and in return gave his righteousness to us.

He took our dirty unrighteous garments and gave us his righteous garments.

Now when God looks at us, he is looking through the filter of His son, claims us back from the world, embraces us and calls us his own.

Brother & sisters, when we are confronted with this truth, there is a transformation that happens in our heart. For the first time we truly repent of our sins, believe in the gospel & eventually make a public declaration of our faith through Baptism.

Do not be mistaken – When this happens, God forgives all our past, present & future sins. We stand justified before him forever.

He says nothing can separate us from his love – neither physical death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

But, a lot of people think that we only repent of our sins & believe in the gospel once for all and there is no need to repent & believe again and again.

People who think that way forget that even thought our soul is set free from eternal condemnation, we still continue to live in our flesh and in this corrupt world. Our bodies are trapped here until we die or until Jesus returns.

We also forget that as we continue to grow in our faith, there are two things happens in our heart & mind. We grow in the awareness of God’s holiness and we grow in the awareness of our sinfulness.

And if we don’t walk in daily repentance, we can go into two different directions. Let me explain.

When we focus only on the Holiness of God, we easily get into a performance mode. And when we only grow in realization of our sinfulness, we get into a pretending mode. And both these places are harmful for us.

They stop us from experiencing a spirit filled Christian life.

In our passage today, John is talking to believers who are bent towards the pretending mode. People who are pretending to have fellowship with God and walking in the light but are in darkness and unwilling to admit that they are drowning in sin.

Listen carefully as I read the passage again.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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 cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

And here’s the solutions John offers

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

To bridge the gap between God’s holiness and Our sinfulness, the only way we can do it is when we live a lifestyle of repentance by confessing our sins to God & believing in the Gospel.

Here’s what happens when we do that daily. We grow in appreciation of what Christ has done for us on the cross. Our heart grows bigger and bigger each day.

God performs chemotherapy on us, killing the bad cells of our sinful nature and producing new ones. Changing our stony heart into a heart of flesh.

Biblical repentance frees us from our own devices and makes a way for the power of the gospel to bear fruit in our lives.

We never stop needing to repent and believe.

And as we do that, there are two reasons they happen. The first is, we express the genuineness of their faith. The second reason is, we maintain a close relationship with the Father in heaven.

Amen

Finally, as I close, let me highlight three things about repentance one gain.

  1. As Christians, we don’t repent daily because we fall off and become unbeliever again as we sin. The first time when we truly repented of our sins, he fully accepted and has given the entry pass to his Kingdom.
  2. As Christians, we repent so that we daily grow in appreciation of what Christ has done for us on the cross.
  3. We repent and confess our sins because we have the confidence that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.