Truly God and Truly human.

Truly God and Truly human.

Question of the day:  What is the first thing you think of when you hear the name Jesus? 

Today we are starting the fourth chapter of 1 John. In this passage John is once again warning the churches. We will read verses 1-6.    

1 John 4:1-6

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

You all know that I have been on a journey to try to get healthy and stay healthy.  My weight has always been a struggle.  Because of searches I have done about health, my Facebook feed is full of videos and articles about weight loss and health.  I am amazed at the amount and the theories that are out there.  Some promote a fully vegetarian/vegan diet.  Anything animal will slowly kill you.  Then others suggest no grain, no legumes, very little fruit or no fruit, and lots of protein or fat.  There are still others that say you need to fast, others that it is because you have a leaky gut that you are fat...and tomatoes along with other foods are causing your gut to leak, so you need to take supplements.  Still others say it is all in the exercise. It goes on and on and on.  Just this week there was talk of a new drug that won't cause heart issues and helps you loose weight.  How does one decide.  All claim to have research, so how do we know.  

John is writing to the churches at a time when they were having a similar struggle.  There are becoming fewer and fewer alive who actually saw Jesus and experienced him. That is why John starts the book saying that this is being written by one who has seen, heard, touched Jesus.  Myths of every kind are becoming more and more popular and many are starting to question what is really the truth.  What is the right answer?

How are they supposed to know?

"Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God."

This is almost a review of chapter 3.  

How to have discernment about what is true isn't easy.  I am sure,  just like I have felt in trying to KNOW what is right to do with my health, at the time the churches were hearing so many different things and so many different views that they had the same overwhelming experience.  I am also certain that everyone who had a different view and  if something was working for them, they were convincing that their way was the right one.  

John is getting back to what is simple.  He just told us in chapter 3 that the Holy Spirit provides both healing and protection.  He told us that if we love the Lord and obey his command to acknowledge Him and love others, then we will be in Him and protected from getting caught up in what is wrong.

He is saying, to KNOW we MUST acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh.  

If we are not acknowledging Jesus as Lord we have a problem.  This is where it begins and where it ends!

Jesus is the answer.  Always.

Young children when asked questions during worship or children's story or in Sabbath School at a young age always answer Jesus.  No matter the question they answer Jesus.  How RIGHT they are!

Chris and I have attended the One Project for many years.  I know there is lots of controversy about it and we will NOT get into a debate about that.  However, it is fascinating to me that to focus on Jesus brought so much controversy.  Also, right now there are groups within the Adventist church that believe that the church is wrong in it's belief of the trinity.  We will also NOT get into that whole topic this morning.  

I do find it interesting though that maybe 10 years ago, I would not think this topic was relevant within the Adventist Church.  Today I think it is vital! Vital for the church.

Is this a message for us personally?

How do we make sure we are acknowledging Jesus as Lord?

In the next section of our reading today, is one of the most famous inspirational verses.  If you google this passage it comes up on Etsy.  You can buy mugs and t shirts all proclaiming 1 John 4:4.  You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Are we misusing this text? 

In context what is John saying here?

This is not a text intended to support the idea of prosperity gospel.  This is a text to remind us that we can rest in the knowledge that if we acknowledge Jesus as Lord that we have someone who has overcome and defeated all things evil and in Him we find our protection.  IN HIM!

This goes back to chapter 3.  If we are in Christ, He is in us and He has overcome the world.  We will find protection against false teachings.  

He also then warns us that the world won't understand us.  The world won't hear us.  

What does this mean and what can we learn from this point or take away and apply to our lives?

I think this is an incredible argument for not trying to argue points on Facebook!

Last week I had an interesting experience at work.  I was frustrated by a task I was asked to do and needing some more information so that I could complete it I went and talked to those in charge of the project.  I asked my question and they all three started answering me, but it wasn't answering my question.  They were telling me things I already knew.  So I tried my question a different way and they again started talking but no answering my question.  I was incredibly frustrated.  I tried again and still, nothing.  It was like they weren't hearing me at all. 

If we are supposed to be reaching the world and sharing the gospel and they won't even understand us what are we to do? 

Am I stretching what this passage is saying? 

I don't think so... next week John goes there. 

So what can we do, or what does John tell us that we are asked to do....

Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord and love one another.  

So if the world won't understand us, perhaps we are to demonstrate it.  Live it.  Maybe doing it is more important than saying it.  

What life application lessons can we take away this week?

How do we acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh?

KNOW LOVE.

LIVE LOVE.

SHARE LOVE.

Go and love well!