Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God 1 John 1:1-9 I

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Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God 1 John 1:1-9 I.

Text – Read It A.

About the AUTHOR – John 1.

One of the 12 Apostles of the Lamb

2.

He was the ONE who lay on Jesus’ chest and would HEAR His HEARTBEAT

3.

The DISCIPLE to whom Jesus ENTRUSTED His Mother MARY

4.

He was the DISCIPLE whom Jesus LOVED

No SURPRISE that the THEME of this LETTER is FELLOWSHIP with GOD B.

Purpose of this LETTER (BTW - written mainly to church in Ephesus) 1.

To CORRECT false TEACHING that said SALVATION was MERELY an INTELLECTUAL DECISION

2.

You could ACCEPT SALVATION of Jesus and be ACCEPTABLE to GOD without CHANGING your LIFESTYLE

JOHN wrote the LETTER to make it CRYSTAL CLEAR that SALVATION is ALL ABOUT LIFESTYLE – ONE that REVOLVES around RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Jesus and ONE ANOTHER C.

Notice the FOUNDATION of the FELLOWSHIP RELATIONSHIP between Jesus and the Apostles of the Lamb Vs 1-3 1.

They were EYEWITNESSES

V 1 - What was from the beginning, what we have HEARD, what we have SEEN with OUR OWN EYES, what we BEHELD, and our HANDS HAVE HANDLED concerning the Word of Life

2.

a.

Handled – to TOUCH both PHYSICALLY and SPIRITUALLY

b.

Word – Jesus – The manifestation of GOD’S LIFE in the flesh

They KNEW His ORIGIN and PURPOSE

V 2 -And the life was manifested, and we have SEEN and BEAR WITNESS and PROCLAIM to o the eternal life, which was with the FATHER and was MANIFESTED to US a.

He CAME from the FATHER

Pater – God as the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all men and things, WATCHING over them with PATERNAL LOVE and CARE b.

He MANIFESTED to THEM

Manifested – made visible – not just the natural, but also the spiritual 3.

They wanted OTHERS to KNOW and HAVE FELLOWSHIP TOO!

V 3 – what we have seen and heard, we PROCLAIM to you also, that you also may HAVE FELLOWSHIP with US; and indeed, our FELLOWSHIP is with the FATHER, and WITH HIS SON Jesus Christ a.

Fellowship – koinonia – participation, communion, intimacy

We want you TO SEE HIM, TOUCH HIM, and EXPERIENCE HIM just like US!! D.

HERE IS the SIMPLISTIC MESSAGE of the GOSPEL and the HARVEST

The FATHER of the KINGDOM LOVES YOU and wants to MANIFEST HIMSELF to you and HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH YOU through HIS SON JESUS II.

Fellowship is a MATTER of the HEART, not the HEAD A.

V 5 - God is LIGHT - phos – the descriptor used to describe the pristine, dazzling brilliance of the ETERNAL nature and character of GOD HIMSELF – His GLORY!!

B.

it also speaks of the moral and spiritual LIGHT and KNOWLEDGE which ENLIGHTENS the HUMAN MIND and SOUL and SPIRIT with the IDEA of MORAL GOODNESS, PURITY, and HOLINESS and its CONSEQUENT REWARD and HAPPINESS

It is the LIGHT OF GOD that SHINES INTO the HUMAN HEART and SOUL to BEAR WITNESS of our STANDING in CHRIST as SONS and DAUGHTERS AND

It is the LIGHT of GOD that SHINES into the DARK ROOMS of our SOULS to REMOVE our FEAR, GUILT, SHAME, HIDDEN SINS, WOUNDS and TRAUMAS that have been TUCKED AWAY and USED by the TORMENTOR to EMBITTER US and to HOLD MANY HOSTAGE for DECADES Our LOVING FATHER will NOT ALLOW US to be BOUND by the HIDDEN THINGS that CONTINUALLY REMIND US that we are NOT WORTHY of a FATHER’S LOVE! III.

Fellowship is MADE AVAILABLE to ALL by GOD HIMSELF A.

He KNOWS that HIS CREATION (US) is PRONE to COMMIT SIN! 1.

Sin – harmartia – veering from the TRUTH; committing an ERROR Causing HARM by deviating from truth To ONESELF and to OTHERS

B.

2.

Willful, Habitual SIN born out of PURPOSEFUL, SELFISH DESIRE

3.

Ignorant sin – NO ONE is PERFECT and NEVER WILL BE in this LIFE

So, He MADE THE WAY to be CLEANSED and REMAIN in FELLOWSHIP

VS 7-9 - The blood of SON JESUS cleanses us from ALL sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we CONFESS our sins, he is FAITHFUL and RIGHTEOUS to FORGIVE Us our sins and to CLEANSE US from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS 1.

This is the LAW of GRACE – It is FUELED by Father’s LOVE

Billy Graham said it this way: The Bible is a revelation of the fact that God is love. Many people misunderstand the attribute of God’s nature which is love. “God is love” does not mean that everything is sweet, beautiful, and happy, and that God’s love could not possibly allow punishment for sin. When we preach justice, it is justice tempered with love. When we preach righteousness, it is righteousness founded on love. When we preach atonement, it is atonement planned by love, provided by love, given by love, finished by love, necessitated because of love. When we preach the resurrection of Christ, we are preaching the miracle

of love. When we preach the return of Christ, we are preaching the fulfillment of love. No matter what sin you have committed, or how terrible, dirty, or shameful it may be, God loves you. This love of God is immeasurable, unmistakable, and unending! IV.

Today’s MESSAGE is SIMPLE – Harvest is about LOVE and FELLOWSHIP A.

It COMES FROM the HEART of the FATHER

B.

It is MADE POSSIBLE by the SHED BLOOD of the SON

C.

It is DESCRIBED as the FATHER’S GLORIOUS LIGHT bidding you to come

D.

And it PROMISES you FREEDOM from DARKNESS and FREEDOM to LOVE YOURSELF and ONE ANOTHER Whosoever WILL may COME TODAY!