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October 25th, 2015

10/25/2015

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1 John 2:18-23
John is warning the spiritual babies in Christ about false teachers because they are most vulnerable to confusion & deception. 

I. UNDERSTANDING THE “LAST HOUR”? (18)
The last hour means a time period that extends till God calls it 'the end'
Since Christ came into the world we have entered the "last hour”.
I believe every Christian since then has been living in the last days.
Anti-Christ (s) 
The word Christ means "anointed one. 
Before knowing who is anti-Christ we need to know who Christ is?
Christ is not the last name of Jesus – Before He became a man Christ is God - Christ with God – Christ is the Word of God – Christ is the Creator God.
Christ Jesus has the glorified body (resurrected body) of Jesus – takes it up with Him forever.
Paul writes as ‘Christ Jesus” in his letters since he was referring to resurrected Jesus.
The invisible God becomes visible in eternity in Christ Jesus.
Every believer is in His image (glorified body) – the Church is called ‘Body of Christ’.
Jesus Christ was limited to certain time period – Christ Jesus is timeless.
Who is anti-Christ?

It is basically refers to a principle of evil that is hostile and opposed to God.
That principle can be in human form and existed in every generation. 
Some thought He was only a mere man; others thought He was some kind of phantom. 
So John reaffirms that Jesus Christ was God in human flesh. 
The spirit of Antichrist has always been in the world in open opposition to Christ and made attempts to replace Him.
The anti-God force in the world has taken on many forms throughout the centuries, but there will be one great and final form as described in Revelation.
John says they belonged to the church before they wandered off from the reality of Jesus into a land of deception. (19)
Today we are seeing with our own eyes the damage done to Christianity by such Antichrist elements in our world – they are aggressive – they are relentless – they are purposeful.
II. KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH (20-21)
The only person depicted in scripture as the Holy One is Lord Jesus.
Christ gives the Holy Spirit to them as a believer’s ‘resident truth- teacher’.
Holy Spirit imparts all knowledge to the believer pertaining to spiritual truth.
John presents a picture of the Christian in contrast to the antichrists. 

False teachers depart from the fellowship, deny the faith, and try to deceive the faithful. 
Christians received the truth - remain faithful – receive the anointing of the Lord.
Knowing Truth is a Gift of the Holy Spirit through the anointing.
Today the church is interpreting the scriptures conveniently for homosexual agenda. 
Colossians 3:16a "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” 
III. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LIE? (22-23)
The biggest lie according to Bible is the one who denies the incarnation and the deity of Lord Jesus Christ. 
Today many cults, modernism and liberal thinking are based on this biggest lie.
Not only this lie denies the deity of Jesus but also deny God of the Bible, the Father.
Those who deny Christ is denying the Father.
Today many people believe in God but do not believe in Christ.
Their God is not the God of the Bible because Jesus Christ revealed God.
Whoever denies Christ's deity opposes the revelation that authenticates the credentials of the Messiah. 
Whoever acknowledges and believes in Lord Jesus believes in the Living God of the Bible.
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October 18th, 2015

10/18/2015

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1 John 2:15-17
Within these three verses, Apostle John clearly draws a contrast for our day to day life.
Life of a Christian believer entirely depends upon how he/she relates to God & the world.
I. CHOOSE OUR LOVE
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 
God created all that exist today, our planet earth with the solar system and the galaxies.
John is referring to another system in our world – an organized system under Satan who operates through unbelieving people
I have seen the terrible decay of world system as a result of depraved mind & perverted thinking.
How slowly and steadily wrong became right and right became wrong.
It is so painful to notice that such evil is just a normal behavior in today’s world.
It is so difficult & confusing for a believer to live in such an atmosphere of perversion.
John is saying simply choose your love.
A believer in the Lord can easily identify the places & people we need to stay away.
The Lord Jesus says in Matt 6:24 no one can serve two entities, God & world.
In this verse the Lord did not say you ‘should not’ but “you cannot” serve.
If the believer is enticed by the evil world system, 4 things can happen.
1. We compromise with Christian values
2. Our relationship with Lord Jesus Christ is broken – no more a true disciple.
3. We lose the love for the Lord Jesus or God.
4. Our priorities are mixed up.

That is why we need to choose our love. There is no middle ground here.
II. MAINTAIN OUR LOVE
16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 
Any love between people must be maintained sincerely and faithfully or it is lost.
It is especially true in our love for God the Father whom we don’t see because it’s spiritual.
Satan always tries to entice the believer from the love of the Father with all temptations.
Lust of the flesh often associated with sexual matters – strong desire or impulse.
“Flesh” refers to our fallen nature, which is not removed at salvation. 
This fallen nature includes all sexual sins - all activities of self-seeking, godless nature.
We are born with it – it remains with us until we die. 
God designed many natural desires & them in a boundary so that human can enjoy.
Lust of the eyes – desiring to possess things even a person.
This is a sinful desire of greed and covetousness – wanted to have what others have.
Pride of life is to control others or to feel proud of what we have.
The lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes refer to the desire to have what we do not have.
The boastful pride of life refers to sinful pride over what you do have. 
This relates to a desire to glory in ourselves and in our accomplishments
Such desires, temptations, and pride do not come from the Father but from Satan.
These desires should not be our way of life because they disrupt our love for the Father.
It’s just empty talk to say that we love God if we continue to love what is not from God.
So there is need in every believer’s life to maintain the love for God.
III. KINGDOM LOVE
17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
All such desires are momentary – they are here today – tomorrow they are gone.

God never created this world to be a permanent place for believers in the Lord.
In Matt 6:19-21 our Lord highlights this issue.
Not only is the world passing away, but also all the lusts with it.
If we are hooked up to the depraved world system, we will lose our place in heaven.
A believer must weigh everything in the light of his/her eternity.
Scripture says we are living in this world but we are not of this world.
We hold and possess things of this world with a light touch but not grasping tightly.
If we love this world our love for the Father is not possible (verse 15).
If we love the world our obedience to do His will is not possible (verse 17).
So loving the Father in verse 15 and doing the will of God in verse 17 are interconnected.
A clear promise is given to every believer that we will live forever even after we die.
We are kingdom people – possess kingdom love - have kingdom priorities – doing kingdom work – are kingdom bound.
Matt 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom & His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
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October 11th, 2015

10/11/2015

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John 8:1-12 
Here we see 3 principle characters: the Accusers, An adulterous woman, and Lord Jesus. 
I. THE ALLEGATION (3-4)
The Mosaic Law was very specific on sexual immorality. 
Adultery was technically a capital offense - the law demanded literal eyewitness testimony. 
How did these men “happen” to catch her “in the act?” We don’t know.
Very clear in Levi 20:10 or Deut 22:22, both man & woman caught in adultery must be stoned to death.
Adultery by definition requires two people – So where is the man?
II. THE TRAP (5&6)
They were sure and joyful that Lord Jesus was absolutely trapped and they got Him. 
Let’s look at this woman for a second.
1. She was guilty of adultery & caught in the act. 
2. She was publicly humiliated - exposed in front of everybody - she was embarrassed - shamed and discredited.
3. The Mosaic Law condemned her to death and awaiting execution by stoning.  

She had absolutely no hope and could not change her situation. 
She was standing before Lord Jesus, the ultimate judge of whole world.
III. THE WRITING
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 
This is the only time recorded in the Scriptures that Lord Jesus ever wrote anything in His earthly existence.
But we don’t know what He wrote.
IV. THE RESPONSE (7-11)
A. The Response of the Lord to the Accusers (7-8)
They were focusing on the outward behavior & action of the adulterous woman whereas Lord Jesus was pointing to the condition of their hearts.
B.  The Response of the Accusers (9)
They hung their heads in shame and disappeared one by one until no one was left but Lord Jesus and the woman alone.
They were caught in their own trap.
C. The response of the Lord to the Woman (10-11)
If anyone in the entire world who could have condemned her is Lord Jesus Christ.
In the recorded human history He was the only sinless person ever born to a woman.
Do you notice that there is no mention of repentance in the event?
I understand her repentance began from the moment the Lord challenged them to throw the first stone 
According to John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him (Jesus)” He came to save us but not to condemn.
Then Jesus said, “Go and sin no more” because the Lord is full of grace and truth.
What a beautiful picture of God’s grace in action.
CONCLUSION (12)
The woman caught in adultery is a picture of every person who receives forgiveness of sins through Lord Jesus Christ by faith.
The scripture says we are all guilty of sin stand condemned already in the sight of God.
John 3:18 Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (Jesus).
On that cross Jesus was wounded and shed His blood for everybody in the world.
The sinless Jesus became sin for us on the cross and freed us from our sin once for all.
Romans 8:1 “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.
This is amazing grace and wonderful love of God through Jesus Christ to everyone who believes in Him alone for forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life.
Those who believe & trust in Jesus Christ are not condemned anymore because their sins are forgiven once for all.
Only Jesus Christ can save us from our sins because He paid for them on the cross.
Are you willing to receive this amazing grace of forgiveness of your sin by faith?
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October 04th, 2015

10/4/2015

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1 John 2:1-6
Christian faith journey is entirely based on the person and works of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can only understand our faith in the Trinitarian nature of God because it is absolutely essential to the biblical faith.
God the Father is the source of all creation
God the Son, Christ became a man, lived, died, rose again and living today
God the Holy Spirit, our present help
I. CHRIST OUR ADVOCATE (1)

John recognized the sinful nature in every believer of the Lord Jesus during his time.
He was telling them that they don’t have to sin because they walk in the Lord’s light.
When people walk under His light cannot hide anything in their life.
He says even if we sin we have a Lawyer in heaven to plead for us before the Father.
This Lawyer is unlike earthly lawyers who are mostly crooks but a Righteous One.
The ascended Christ prays before Father God all the time for the sins we commit after 
We have to keep this in mind that we do sin and needs God’s forgiveness always.
Thus Christ becomes our Advocate to go between sinning believer and a holy God.
II. CHRIST OUR PROPITIATION (2)
Propitiation has a profound significance in Christian faith.
Propitiation means atonement 
In a secular meaning to atone means to make amends--to repair a wrong done. 
In biblical sense it means to remove guilt of human sin. 
The real and final atonement happened when Lord Jesus died for us on the cross.
Christ’s death on the cross is a universal offer whether people accept it or not.
It does not mean that everybody will be saved from sin.
Thus propitiation applies to only those who believe in Jesus by faith.
III. DO WE KNOW CHRIST? (3-5)
John was mainly focusing on two things: the talker and the walker.
The talker is the one who knows Jesus without any deeper relationship.
Unfortunately many believers in the Lord fall in this category.
The walker is the one who has the assurance as well as the obedience exercised.
Our salvation experience is determined by our knowledge of the Lord.
The important question is do we really know Lord Jesus Christ?
Assurance of salvation leads to the discipleship of the Lord.
Our obedience to the Lord gives us assurance of our salvation.
All who believe and put their faith in Him have to know that or understand seriously that they have to know Him personally.
Obedience is the key here.
When a person obeys His commands, he/she comes to know Lord Jesus intimately.
If we do not obey God’s commands, we can hardly have any confidence we know God through faith in Christ.
The life of an obedient disciple becomes a channel for God to express His redemptive love for others.
IV. CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE (6)
Those who believe in Lord Jesus must live like Him because He is our example.
In Phil 2:5 Apostle Paul talks about our attitude should be that of Christ Jesus.
Verses 6-8 describe Lord’s submission to the Father as He humbled Himself.
Christ was obedient to the Father, loved the lost so we are to imitate Christ.
So if we claim to live in Him, we have to live like Him which is a hard thing but we must try.
John Newton the converted slave-trader later became a minister of the Gospel.
He said, “I am not what I ought to be; but I am not what I once was. And it is by the grace of God that I am what I am.”
Are we different than we once were?
Is our life characterized by obedience to His word? 
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    Author

    Pastor John Sesham
    Abundant Grace Community Church, Hayward.

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