The Light Of God/Yahweh Shines In Our Life!!! Shalom Brothers and Sisters, have you ever felt that you are in the dark alone, and afraid of what is going to happen next? We must not lose sight of our radical distinctiveness as salt and light in the world. We are change agents… In this dark world, we are called not to hide our light, but to let God/Yahweh’s light shine out from us with such brilliance that we bring glory to our Father/Abba in heaven… Today I want us to look at John; we can see that this is John’s passion too. He does not want the Believers under his care to fall prey to the corrupt darkness of the world and lose their bright light and distinctive flavor. In an effort to reassure these Believers, John exposed three claims by the false teachers who were trying to lead them astray. Fundamentally, these teachers claimed that their special knowledge and lack of sin brought them into intimate fellowship with God/Yahweh. John straight away contradicted each claim and declared that one of the identifying marks of a genuine Believer, is not the lack of sin, but the confession of their sin. Those who have true fellowship with God/Yahweh confess their sin and receive forgiveness and cleansing through Jesus Christ/Yeshua, our righteous advocate and atoning sacrifice!!! Today in this message, we will look at John taking an issue with two of these claims by the false teachers. They believed that enlightenment was more important than ethics and righteousness… They professed that they could have intimate fellowship with God/Yahweh and yet live in a way that was contrary to His character. John exposes their error and contradicts their claim, revealing two essential and identifying marks of those who have genuine fellowship with God/Yahweh!!! The passage from the Word of God/Yahweh for this claim that John will attack is from 1 John 2:3-6 and it reads like this; “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” The Claim Here: Fellowship with God/Yahweh is possible without obedience to Him!!! This claim by the false teachers is that fellowship with God/Yahweh is possible without obedience to Him. This is similar to a previous claim they made, that fellowship with God/Yahweh is possible while walking in the darkness. John emphasizes the point that those who claim to be in God/Yahweh’s light and yet reject obedience to Him are liars… The truth is not in them… John is not simply saying that someone who fails to obey God/Yahweh has missed the point, and that such people are seriously disconnected from God/Yahweh!!! Jesus/Yeshua said in Luke 6:43-44, 46; “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Just as you can tell a tree by its fruit, those who love Jesus/Yeshua and truly have fellowship with Him as Lord, bring forth the fruit of obedience in their life. Again as Jesus/Yeshua said in John 14:15, 21, 23-24; “If you love me, keep my commands... Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them... Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”” So, John says our love for God/Yahweh is truly made complete; it has reached its goal when it is expressed in obedience to Him. Our actions speak louder than our words… Our love reaches its full bloom, not in our pious or sentimental verbal expression, but in our obedience to God/Yahweh’s commands!!! What does that obedience look like? John holds up the earthly life of Jesus/Yeshua as a model to be imitated. He says; “Those who claim to know and live in God will behave like Jesus!!!” What does it mean to live as Jesus/Yeshua lived? How did He live at home, at work, with friends and enemies, or with neighbors and strangers? The gospels paint a vivid and detailed picture of Jesus/Yeshua. His obedience to His heavenly Father/Abba did not manifest itself in a rigid, narrow, harsh and dispassionate life, focused on conforming to rules and regulations. No!!! It resulted in an attractive life full of beauty, joy, courage, spontaneity and strength… His life expressed the life of His Father/Abba… As Jesus/Yeshua Himself said in John 5:19; “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” You see Jesus/Yeshua obeyed, not out of a sense of duty, but out of love for His heavenly Father/Abba!!! As Jesus/Yeshua imitated His Father/Abba, so too must we… The apostle Paul echoes what John is saying also in Ephesians 5:1-2 where he says; “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” To live like Jesus/Yeshua, is to live full of kindness, grace and humility, walking in the way of love and obedience to God/Yahweh!!! As we live and reflect on these Words, we must remember that John is writing to Believers who were being taught by false teachers, as many today do also, and that their faith was insufficient, and their fellowship with God/Yahweh inadequate, because they didn’t know enough. If only they had more information and deeper revelation, their Spiritual life would be on track, likewise today… John could not more disagree… Obedience, not knowledge, is the greater indicator of the nature of their fellowship with God/Yahweh!!! John’s intent is not to induce guilt about what they do not know, or shame them for times of disobedience, but to reassure them about the eternal and abundant life they have in Christ/Yeshua. They already know plenty about the things about God/Yahweh, and their light shines brightly when they obey what they already know… If you are feeling stuck and defeated in your Believers walk, pay attention to these Words from John!!! If you are feeling discouraged in your faith, and distant from God/Yahweh, don’t worry so much about downloading more sermons to listen to, but simply and faithfully, move forward in obedience to what you have already received from God/Yahweh!!! We are not saved by our good works, but as we look back and see the fruit of obedience in our life, we can rejoice that we are indeed children of God/Yahweh who know Him, love Him, live like Him and are loved by Him!!! The false teachers on the other hand cannot claim to know God/Yahweh and be in relationship Him, while at the same time rejecting obedience to Him. Their conduct reveals their claim to be a lie!!! Now John moves on to confront the next claim made by the false teachers in the next passage from the Word of God/Yahweh today in 1 John 3:7-11 where he now writes; “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” The Claim Here: Fellowship with God/Yahweh is possible without love for one another!!! The claim by the false teachers here is that fellowship with God/Yahweh is possible without love for one another. John of course says this is nonsense… The command to love one another comes from the very heart and mouth of God/Yahweh Himself. When Jesus/Yeshua was asked, which is the greatest commandment in the law, He replied what is written in Matthew 22:36-40; ““Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”” This is the kind of love that was seen in Jesus/Yeshua, and this old command has been made new, because He has made it possible for this love to be seen in us as well, by what is written now in John 15:5; “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This is how we live and love like Christ/Yeshua: we abide in Him and draw our life from Him!!! As a new day dawns… We are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh… God/Yahweh is doing a remarkable work in us, transforming us from the inside to the outside… Ephesians 5:8 tells us; “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” So once we were in darkness, but now we are light in the Lord… There is nothing in us to make us stumble… In Christ/Yeshua the old has gone and the new has come… We are completely new creatures!!! There is times that we still battle against our flesh, sin and the devil, the darkness is passing and the true light of the Spirit/Ruach is already shining forth from us, in Galatians 5:22-13 it says; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” My friends: To hate a fellow Believer therefore is to reveal a heart void of the presence and light of the Spirit/Ruach of God/Yahweh!!! Such people are blinded by their own darkness!!! They stumble around in their sin, hating one another and others!!! You have to notice there is no gray area… And there is no in-between; there is only love and hate… We both love and live in the light, or we hate and stumble in the darkness... We may believe that there are good reasons not to love a fellow Believer… Maybe he or she is difficult or has harmed or offended us in some way... But my friends, if we feed and nurse our hatred, instead of seeking reconciliation, healing and forgiveness, then we are walking in darkness and not in the light!!! John says that living in the light and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ/Yeshua, go hand-in-hand!!! Love for one another is to be so evident among us, that by it we are known to be followers of Jesus/Yeshua. John 13:34-35 says; “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” So what is the mark of a Believer? It is not a well-worn Bible, or a fish sticker on the bumper of your car, or a cross necklace around your neck even…. The fundamental identifying trait of a Believer is our love for one another!!! So what does this love look like? It is so much more than just a warm feeling in your heart… A clear indication of love in action can be seen in the various “one another” commands found in the Bible… These are not a… to-do list, but reveal many ways our obedience to God/Yahweh and love for one another, come to fruition… But how do we mature in love? And where do we express the love of God/Yahweh within us? The Word of God/Yahweh makes it clear, we grow in love as we abide in Christ/Yeshua and use the gifts He has given us… Each of us is handcrafted to love in our own special ways... God/Yahweh has given each of us Spiritual gifts to uniquely express our love for the Lord and each other… My friends the good news is: No one is left out!!! Paul said in Ephesians 4:11-13, 16; “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” What a privilege we have, that the various gifts of the body, are in unity through the Spirit/Ruach, not only build-up each other, but also reach out to the world in love as God/Yahweh shapes us and leads us into a Christ/Yeshua-centered life!!! The sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua on the cross is the greatest example of love the world has ever known!!! It is that kind of love that we, as the body of Christ/Yeshua must be known for!!! This kind of love is not a solitary emotion or experience, but is only expressed in relationship with others. Our Believers journey was never intended to be a solo experience. We are a family, and God/Yahweh made us for fellowship with Him and with each other!!! However there is as normal always hitches at work in our life. It has been revealed by a poll, unfortunately that the Americans are among the loneliest people in the world!!! In the midst of their busy lives, crowded workplaces and over committed schedules, they retreat into isolation and often feel alone. They come home from work, pull right into the garage and retreat to their kitchen and living room. For the most part, they don’t spend much time with their friends, and even less with their neighbors… But their isolation comes at a price. Though they might be acquainted with lots of people, just how many do they really know and how many truly know them? Yes, not inky in America though unfortunately we are all too busy worldwide, but I believe an even more fundamental reason that many of us don’t participate in community, is because we don’t want to reveal our true selves to others. We are afraid of rejection. But in the family of God/Yahweh, it is to be a community of love where we welcome and accept one another always and at anytime... We have no higher calling than to love one another and enter into all the mess and all the joy that comes with living as family of God/Yahweh!!! This loving and welcoming environment is the kind of community that the world craves for... Even again in the famous American Starbucks knows this… (Example): I once saw in an article, they have an employment card that reads; “When you work at Starbucks, you can make a difference in someone’s day by creating an environment where neighbors and friends can get together and reconnect while enjoying a great coffee experience.” Starbucks, is just a company whose primary commodity are coffee beans, and believes part of its corporate purpose is to create environments to connect people so meaningfully that it changes the quality of their lives… They understand that we all look for a place that nurtures connection with others… Their success has proven them right… In saying that I believe as a church of God/Yahweh, we can do far better than Starbucks and their coffee beans… Why? Because we have so much more to offer!!! A wonderful description of our Believers experience of oneness and fellowship, can be found in the early church of God/Yahweh, given in Acts 2:42-47 where it reads; “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” The life and love expressed and enjoyed in those homes break down the walls and became a witness to their unbelieving neighbors. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of awe, unity and praise. This is the kind of life and love we want to express as a church of God/Yahweh body. Our legacy will not be what happens inside this church of God/Yahweh building… It will be the light and love that you shine in your home, in your workplace, at your school and on the soccer fields and parks. The home churches described in Acts, became the life of the neighborhood. God/Yahweh was at work in their midst, Spiritual and numerical growth were evident. Who wouldn’t want to investigate and participate in a community of such joy, sincerity, intimacy, generosity and love? The warmth and glow of the Believers community should remind us of the way barbecue briquettes are constructed. When you put them together, the fire glows and they get hot. If you isolate one it cools off quickly, and it loses the fire. But when they stick together, there’s fire, because they feed off each other… Everyone is drawn to the warmth and the light of the fire… I believe God/Yahweh designed us to work much the same way!!! It is in my prayers that everyone in the body of Christ/Yeshua can be in a community where they can know and be known, love and be loved, a place where they can discover and use their Spiritual gifts, where they can reach out and shine their light into the world, bringing Glory to God/Yahweh!!! We should all remember the Words written in Matthew 5:14, 16 where it is written; “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” I know that God/Yahweh is already at work in many of you, drawing you away from isolation and into this kind of community. It is also my hope and prayer that as you hear the call to love one another in community, that the Lord will lay upon your heart a strong desire not only to participate in a small group, but to start and lead new ones. My friends, we are all called to follow the example of our Heavenly Father/Abba, to live like Jesus Christ/Yeshua, to love supremely, sacrificially and generously. This is not the kind of love the world gives, but the kind that comes from the presence of God/Yahweh within us and around us everyday... Our faith cannot be divorced from love... Jesus/Yeshua insists that it is our love in action, which makes such a powerful witness to the world of God/Yahweh’s Glory!!! (Example): I read once that a pastor living and having the church of God/Yahweh near to a beach, decided to get more attention by posting a sign... Which read; “Warning! Anyone using this beach may, at any moment, be surrounded by people who love you!!!” What a great example!!! This is the message we want to declare in word and deed to those within and outside the church of God/Yahweh: “You are loved here!!!” So from the message today, we can take to heart what we have learned from John about whom God/Yahweh is… who we are… and who we are to be!!! We are called, gifted and empowered to live and love as Jesus/Yeshua did… We worship, serve and are loved by a God/Yahweh, who is light that shines in our life!!! We are children of the light, indwelt by the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh, and given the wonderful opportunity and Blessing to be messengers of the good news!!! Each of us is a uniquely crafted vessel, pouring out God/Yahweh’s love upon one another and upon the world… What a privilege!!! Use it well!!! May the Lord Jesus Christ/Yeshua and God/Yahweh our heavenly Father/Abba, make your love increase and overflow for each other, and may your light shine so brilliantly that the world may see your good deeds and praise seeing that you are always working to give Blessings for your Father/Abba in heaven. Because of this they also see that: The Light Of God/Yahweh Shines In Our Life!!! To God/Yahweh be all the Glory now and forevermore… Amen!!! Be Blessed in the name and the shed blood of Christ Jesus/Yeshua and be That Light Of God/Yahweh that Shines In Our Life…Hallelujah, Amen!!! PastorJeff Walker
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 07:31:53 +0000