061: Dennis Bevans - Walk In The Light

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to the good Christian talks podcast. I’m Levi and I’m Chris. Thank you so much for joining us this week on this podcast. We select one taco week to help each one of us get the Bible in our daily news feed. We post at the start of each week for you to listen.

2. 0:30

   With a short intro before hand to kind of set the stage for the talk. You’re about to hear and now let’s hear more about this week’s talk.

3. 0:44

   This week. We’ll listen to the first class that was given by brother Dennis Bevins at the iPod Bible school this past year the same year is also the class that was given by brother Ben Brinckerhoff that we posted earlier this year. This is the first class in his series on the disciple whom Jesus loved John and this was actually the one that at Idyllwild I wasn’t able to listen to live.

4. 1:07

   So I was excited to be able to listen to this one and to share it with everyone apologies for this class being a little bit late. You can probably still hear To my voice a little bit. I got a cold and pretty much lost my voice for the better part of the week which makes recording ensure a little bit difficult.

5. 1:21

   But why don’t you get this one out in this first class brother Dennis is laying the groundwork for the class that he’s going to give for the entire week of Idlewild and spend some time kind of looking at the disciple John and how we interact with Christ through Christ’s Ministry and life. And then after Christ’s death and Resurrection, he’s laying a lot of the groundwork for a lot of the things that he is going to be using and referencing to through the rest of his series, but I thought this one was particularly good because one he’s he’s laying the ground work.

6. 1:51

   He’s doing an introduction which makes it really good for this format for the podcast because it is a good kind of stand-alone class, but also really is interesting for for digging into the rest of the classes in this series, but he also makes a point that he drives at throughout the rest of his series about how we approach each other when it comes to the fact that all of us have fallen short of the Lori and the example that was set by Christ and he makes a point that I found really powerful. It was a good reminder to myself just in the way that we all have different things that we struggle with and our own little corners of Darkness or sin that we’re struggling with a different points, but that’s different for every single person and the point that Dennis made kind of the latter part of his class.

7. 2:39

   He kind of went a little tangent for this one, but I think it was a good one was that we all know that none of us is perfect in every single one of us is struggling with something. We don’t always necessarily know what that thing is that you’re struggling with, but if we can all come to the table acknowledging that none of us has it all figured out and even though we don’t necessarily have to Reveal what we’re struggling with to every single person because it can sometimes be very personal thing. If we all come to the table every Sunday and we’re meeting together realizing that every single one of us is struggling with something you no longer have to feel that you’re struggling with that something by yourself and it was sort of a broader concept that even the subject of his class specifically, but it was one of those kind of profound little statements as he’s going through Kind of ties into it. You can tell he’s digging into it near the end of the class. So it was a really good one to listen to but it was just something that I felt was really encouraging. I know I’ve gone through it where you feel like you’re struggling with something that feels bigger than yourself and you’re trying to rely on God, but you know, sometimes you need to know that you’re not by yourself and the point that Dennis is making with his classes that and with his with his comments at the end of this class. Is that even though we might all be struggling with something different at different times?

8. 4:05

   And in different ways we’re all struggling to try to follow after the example of Christ and live up to the ideals that God has set before us together and I found that to be a really comforting way to view it. It’s he makes the point that it’s sometimes good to share with somebody that you have that trust and that relationship with that is something that is difficult to grow and develop with every single person as much as we strive for that ideal. So instead even if without revealing what you’re struggling with you just acknowledge that each person that you’re with is struggling with something.

9. 4:40

   There is a camaraderie and a fellowship in that sort of mutual struggle as we all strive to try to be more like Christ walk the path that leads to the kingdom really excited to share this class with you. I really enjoyed it the whole series. I’m almost done with the series in the series is great will be making sure to get that up on the extended talks. Later this week again apologies for it being a little bit later. Really you can actually hear me make the intro this time instead of there being nothing if I’d done it earlier in this week. So with that we’ll turn it over to brother Dennis for his first class on the disciple that Jesus loved. I hope some of you have come excited to look for some nuggets this morning.

10. 5:21

    I look at Bible study as panning for gold. There’s a lot of sloshing around and sometimes what you find is not all that useful and other times. It’s the how did I not know that 10 20 30 40 years ago and if you’re consistently reading and studying you find those moments and we’re going to pick up a couple of them this morning.

11. 5:41

    I love the idea that every time we crack open the pages of scripture. There’s I think we probably have read a dozen times that will be brand new. That’s what makes it exciting. So to get things started how many things did Jesus say from the tree you want to take a guess but we’re allowed to do group participation here, right?

12. 6:03

    Apparently no because that are all of you are in mime school. Yes. Okay. How many things did Jesus say from the tree seven very good. So if we look at the seven things that Jesus said from the tree this would be an entirely different class and we’re not going to do that. But I want to focus on the fourth one Behold. Thy mother in each of these Seven Things DJ Jesus was living a teaching moment.

13. 6:28

    He was giving a lesson that could be applied immediately and it’s recorded so you and I can hear Thousand Years Later get that same message in this fourth one. He was teaching the principle of adoption the concept of taking care of the Ecclesia during its darkest times in his absence. And for his sake specifically John was being entrusted by Jesus to take care of his mother Mary.

14. 6:56

    Let’s look at John 19. We’ll look that one up John Chapter 19, Verse 26 and 27. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he said unto his mother woman Behold. Thy son then saith he to the disciple Behold thy mother and from that hour that disciple took her into his own home. So let’s start with something really depressing. Imagine for a minute you were dying. It’s I know it’s depressing but think about if that’s too hard imagine you’re going on a long vacation. You’re going to be gone for a couple months. And if it’s easier to do this thinking of watching your pets versus watching your mother do what you have to do, but try to get yourself in the place where you are where Jesus was he knows what’s happening with him.

15. 7:49

    He has reconciled his own sacrifice and he is at one with his father mentally and spiritually. Wouldn’t you if you were him be concerned about but what happens to mom who I have always been there for.

16. 8:05

    If we think about it from that point it gets us a chance to see a little bit of what Jesus would have thought when he made these short little bursts and a reason all seven of them are short is when you’re a crucified you really are dying of Suffocation. That’s not blood loss short breath get it is just enough out to make your point. This is how Jesus saw his friend and his disciple John Mary was handpicked by God as a teenager to raise his son to Perfection here.

17. 8:37

    Jesus is handpicking John to take care of Mary in her old age John therefore by virtue of this decision becomes a surrogate family member to Jesus and therefore an example to all of us taking care of the needs of each other. It makes him extremely qualified to write this letter. We are going to consider it’s a good thing John wrote a few things because we can impair compare his words to history and we shall let’s look a little bit at John the Apostle.

18. 9:05

    So his name means Grace of yah, or Yaya has been gracious. He is called one of the sons of thunder and Mark 3 verse 17. We won’t look that one up. He was in business as a fisherman with his brother James as well as with Peter and Andrew and as such was among the first of the twelve called parents Zebedee and Salome. He witnessed some key things in the life of Jesus the resurrection of Jarius daughter.

19. 9:30

    For example, the Transfiguration of vision of Jesus in the Kingdom. The Olivet prophecy being explained the Last Supper The Garden of Gethsemane the crucifixion as we already noted and indeed the resurrection of Jesus. He and Peter had a history together at started even before the narrative began for us and it continued all the way till Peter’s death and approximately ad 67. Together they were noted for their Zeal and often times. We see Peter at the forefoot.

20. 10:00

    But John to was this way. We’ll look at one verse that shows that this is Luke 9 + 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as Elias did so here we see the sons of thunder getting closer.

21. 10:19

    They’re closer to their name and you can imagine nothing caps off a successful preaching effort, but better than electrocuting everyone who didn’t convert. I mean think think about that power at their hand. You don’t want to hear it. I’ve got a new message for you. Let’s look at verse 10. Sorry Mark 10 in Mark 10 versus 35 through 37.

22. 10:43

    James and John the sons of Zebedee came unto him saying Master we would that thou shouldst do for us whatsoever. We use as iron and he said unto them. What would you that I should do for you? He said Grant unto us that we may sit one on my right hand and one on my left and I Glory these flies are fun.

23. 11:00

    And I showered this morning. I there has to be somebody in this room. That didn’t work Camp. Why are they around me? All right, here here is right after Jesus tells them that he will eventually be scourged. And die before Rising again. But their focus is clearly not on him and his needs their focus is on them and their needs and that makes it very interesting to us because we focus on what we need and what we feel I’ve said this before many of you have heard it. I’m going to spit out a few things. You probably heard me say before but you know what the difference between major surgery and minor surgery is major surgery is when it happens to me minor surgery is when it happens to you. I know you had that little outpatient heart for surgery yesterday.

24. 11:50

    I had a pinky toe removed that little nail had hose terrible three days could barely walk because we think about us in our pain we tend to minimize the pain of others and so here we see John understanding this in himself because as he’s writing this as a much older more mature spiritually man.

25. 12:08

    He can learn some of the lessons that we’re going through now and this is a way of sharing with his family by putting our focus on ourselves. We miss the opportunity to see somebody else’s pain part of a collegial life is recognizing. My pain is not alone. Everyone in this room is suffering from something. I don’t know what it is.

26. 12:27

    I don’t need to know what it is. But I know that it’s true if we can acknowledge that we’re all going through something together. We are not going alone. So, of course in his youth Jesus now rebukes them and the other disciples and they were all of course the rest of the disciples were less than impressed, but it did not ruin their relationship and that’s important because it is very easy for us to have an Amo meant where one of us does something that the other ones not happy with if I have not disappointed you at some point in your life. Don’t worry.

27. 13:01

    It’s coming the same is also true the odds of you disappointing me or there if we spend any real time together the problem is That disappointment happens. What do we do with it? Do we hold on to that thing? That was 10 20 30 40 50 years ago. Like they couldn’t possibly have grown from that moment to or do we see it as an opportunity as a bump in the road to hurdle together that actually makes our relationship stronger.

28. 13:27

    In fact, John records some of the most beautiful stories of Jesus life that make all of those statements very emotional and very personal. A brief excerpt is quoted as taking out a John 21 will look at that one. Very briefly. This one is John getting to write about his dear friend Peter.

29. 13:48

    We’re all very familiar with this story. The story uses two different words for love this the Jesus says to Peter. Do you have a self-sacrificing love for me and Peter responds? You know, I have an affection for you and he says the same thing as second time and in the English, it looks like well, why is he irritated?

30. 14:06

    He didn’t want to answer Jesus question. Again. It has nothing to do with the question in English. It is all about the change in the third time the word appears in Greek the third time he says, It it verse 17. Is one of the most tender pieces for us to remember? He said unto him the third time Simon son of Jonah but lovest thou me and Peter was grieved because into he said unto him the third time lovest thou me this time. Jesus uses Peter word.

31. 14:37

    He doesn’t say do you have a self-sacrificing love for me? He knows the answer to that one. He now says you have an affection for me and it Grieves Peter because he knows it’s true. And the most important piece about that whole exchange is that Jesus loved Peter where Peter was he does? Not say to Peter what’s wrong with you? You have to have a self-sacrificing love. You’ve got to get there.

32. 15:03

    There’s he does not say that Peter does get there, but it’s years later. Imagine how different Peter would have been had Jesus not been able to love him in his weakness knowing he would grow into something far greater. John gets to record that not just about his friend but also he gets to record it about his Lord.

33. 15:30

    So it’s believed that the fourth gospel in the New Testament was the last one written most people believe it somewhere after ad 70, but well before the Apostle the Epistles were written which is around a D90 so it would explain why he does tackle some issues that the other three gospel writers don’t they’re difficult in nature and they were mature Topics in Jesus life. They were topics that none of them understood when it happened including John things like the prayer of John 17. The description of Jesus personal faith in chapter 18 or the belief system of chapter XX as well as the most detailed account of his death at the time. They happened all of the disciples were confused and they scattered but with experience and hindsight and of course the inspiration of God, it would have aided him in this task of recording those events for our benefit. John chapter 21 and verse 20

34. 16:31

    Peter turning about seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved following which also leaned on his breast at supper and said Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee. Throughout the book John refers to himself in the third person as the disciple whom Jesus loved and that’s the Greek word Agape. Oh, which is the verb form of the word Agape.

35. 16:51

    It’s the action word for self-sacrificing love it puts him in the middle of these sensitive and critical events, but he almost looks at it as an outsider and I think that’s because he’s writing as an outsider. He couldn’t have wrote these words if he’d stopped riding right after the started writing right after the crucifixion but looking back in his Shared State he’s able to see the love of Jesus towards him and towards all of them even in his most desperate time of need and though all of them were utterly undeserving of that love. We of course can relate that to ourselves. None of us comes to the table of the memorials and says you have had a pretty good week.

36. 17:33

    I haven’t messed up at all. No sin on me. We all come to the table humbled by some of the misery our life includes and just imagining for a moment us standing before the Judgment seat of our Lord and how surprising it will be to hear words that look past the sin. We know we brought to that table because he loved us at our weakest point. In fact, we could make an argument that we should start calling him the love disciple.

37. 18:04

    I’m not but we could the next couple verses close the gospel detail with us the start of a rumor that John would live until the coming of the Kingdom. Certainly that was fed by his experience history and tradition tells us that John was boiled in oil by Dimension, but he survived it that adds Credence to he’s not dying till Jesus comes back.

38. 18:28

    He was then exiled on the Of Patmos where he wrote the closing words of scripture and the final off sign off for Jesus himself in the apocalypse. So we’ll touch that briefly. We know that was written in 1896 and it provides the culmination of the work of Jesus in the Ecclesia and God in his calling out a people for his name loads of connections to Genesis.

39. 18:50

    It’s filled with references to the Tabernacle and the plagues of Exodus which will focus more on that towards the end of the week. The prophecy of Daniel becomes part 1 to the apocalypse. So John showing us an astounding depth of incredible knowledge as a servant of God and a student of his word and that’s how all of us wish to end.

40. 19:12

    Our days will end this series clearly seeing the influence on the Tabernacle in this letter one last comment before we dive into the Epistles. the very last verse of scripture the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all amen. Not only did John get the privilege to record the last word of Jesus and the closing comments of our father, but the last verse in scripture includes a play on his name.

41. 19:45

    The grace John of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. All right. Let’s start with the material you came here for that’s quite an introduction and I know that clocks wrong. I have to keep resetting my head.

42. 20:02

    Of the three Epistles. This one is the longest one in for good reason the other two are offshoots of this first one and they showed direct application to them. But the first is the Baseline so the second one is kind of picking out one thing here one thing there but they’re all built on the same comments. So the first epistle is really the truth in the Ecclesia, which is all of our charge to make sure the precious truth survives Our Generation to convey the concept of And studying our Bible.

43. 20:33

    It’s a critical thing to our community to make sure we are always reading and studying so that we make sure we stay on that path that leads to Life The Second Epistle is the truth in the home and truly. Our Ecclesia has are nothing more than a collection of smaller family. Ecclesia has that shelters from the outside world and comes together as a body. The third one is a truth in the individual is the truth in the individual and it speaks of our individual responsibility and Once in the community We Serve All In The Name of Jesus. So by the time John writes these he is the only surviving Apostle which makes him the highest living Authority on living a life in Christ.

44. 21:14

    And so we’ll start by dissenting his words. That which was from the beginning which you have heard and we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon in our hands have handled of the word of life. So we can notice some striking similarities to the opening of this verse to the original gospel account in John chapter 1 and verse 1 we all seek connection between this epistle and the gospel and there’s a lot of them will look up some some will just note as we move along but you can see that the Epistles were all building on what the gospel had laid as a foundation so in both cases, he’s going back to a foundation starting in John 1. And in first John one going really To the concept of God filling the Earth with his glory the path to the glory of God is through Jesus whom John heard John saw and John handled. He was an eyewitness to the word of life where the word was made flesh and dwelt or tabernacled among them and we beheld His Glory Full of Grace and Truth.

45. 22:20

    Here’s just a couple of excerpts from the gospel to connect this thought will start where he’s driving back as a jumping off point John 7 verse 16 Where Jesus said my Doctrine is not mine, but him that sent me we could probably all Quote second Timothy 3 and 16 that’ll save us a slide.

46. 22:39

    Why why is that so important that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works. So it’s not just the Assembly of information. We don’t read and study just so we can go. Okay. I’ve got one more note in my Bible one more Mark in my margin one more nugget to share.

47. 22:57

    Those are all good things. A reason we do it is it supposed to develop in US character that our works would be seen that the truth is changing all of us. We’re all vessels that are work in progress. So it’s not study to learn exclusively in Hyde is to study to learn and apply that we might grow. his chapter 5 verse 36 but I have greater witness than that of John for The Works, which the father has given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the father has sent me drop down to verse 39 search the scriptures for in them. You think you have eternal life and they are they which testify me.

48. 23:45

    So we’re thinking now of John the Baptist going back to chapter 1 if we would the concept to search the scriptures to let the scriptures be where we spend our time and energy that’s where the fruit is. Now when he makes reference to the word being handled, where does your mind go?

49. 24:06

    Where do we where does your mind go and talks about that we have seen upon looked upon and then our hands have handled. Who are you thinking of? Thomas somebody said I don’t know who it was. But thank you giving me some help Thomas our mind goes back to Thomas. In fact, that word is only used four times.

50. 24:24

    This is the last one. The first one is in reference to Thomas Luke 24 verse 39, John is the only one that records that event in detail and he calls out Thomas by name. None of us were eyewitnesses to the suffering of Jesus so we can all relate to that in some degree and as he’s writing this he’s writing to an audience that can relate to Thomas.

51. 24:49

    Verse 2 for the life was manifested that we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with us with us from the father and was manifested unto us. The word show in the RSV is proclaimed its the spirit of learning and sharing. John 17 and 3 says this is life eternal that they might Know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent and it’s part of a recorded prayer later in verse 21 that says that they may all be one as Thou Art father in me and I in thee this concept of unity of purpose and spirit. This is when we can all be one with the father and the son fulfilling that promise of filling the Earth with exploring.

52. 25:36

    It’s a stepping stone that we’re all trying to work towards. A verse 3 that which you have seen and heard declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ. This is the purpose of hearing seeing and sharing the whole purpose of that exercise is that we might enjoy Fellowship not just with each other. That’s the starting point we start with what we can see feel and handle but the real purpose of this Fellowship is to be with the father and the son that’s the whole point of this exercise the first use of this word is Acts chapter 2 it is worth looking at so we will Acts chapter 2 and verse 42 and they continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers, so we come full circle our role as we stated in the Ecclesia as to make sure the truth stays alive and we are attached to the apostles doctrine that they heard that they saw and they shared and that same thing now must live in our community. By the way, we treat each other.

53. 26:52

    It’s a two-part peace knowing the truth is only useful if it leads us. Live the truth. That is what Fellowship is. So logical question. How can we live the truth? How can we make sure the truth is alive in our lives and in our Ecclesia? What can we do to make sure that who I am represents in some smallest measure the journey my God is taking me on by learning his word and changing my life. I’m going to wear a bug zapper as a necklace. Tomorrow’s in case anybody’s wondering kesari first for these things write we unto you that your joy may be full the word you’re in.

54. 27:38

    The RSV is actually says our that our joy may be full. It’s not for any other reason that we read and study but to enjoy fellowship with each other and with the father to the fullest extent possible. So this then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no Darkness at all.

55. 28:03

    So he starts with a nice warm up and now we’re going to get to some me. So the message is a word that’s used 53 53 times in the New Testament. It’s not a rare word. All the others are translated promise. For example, eight of them are in Galatians 3 talking about the promises to Abraham a foundation of the new A minute. It’s a great tied to John chapter 1 again verse 4 in him was life.

56. 28:32

    And the life was the light of men. So God is light but light in and of itself is not enough. We must be able to use it blindness for example is not being able to see through the light. We have to properly Focus the light through our eye to our brain for that light to have any value to me.

57. 28:56

    This is a great tie to Genesis chapter 1 Let’s Have Some Fun. In Genesis chapter one in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth great. We know that verse verse 3 God said let there be light and there was light know that verse verse 16. God made two great lights a lesser light to Rule the Day a greater light to Rule the Day and the Lesser light to rule the night.

58. 29:18

    So we know this story we’ve talked about it. This is not new material, but I want us to focus in on this in the Hebrew the words change when we get to day 4 and I’m happy to have this conversation separately if you want to do it later. I’m not going to take too much time in this class. But in day for we have the source of the light is visible, but the sun was not created on day four. The Hebrew word is not create the word is appointed. And so the light of day one was still the Sun but it could not be seen it was not visible until the fourth day. So hold that thought for a minute. We’re going to focus on the brightest and most focal point in our universe.

59. 30:00

    It’s a constant without the And warmth of the sun there would be no life, but notice it includes something of this lesser light to rule the world in darkness the Moon. What do we know about the Moon? It has no light of its own essentially. It is a giant reflector in the sky. So when Jesus says if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the father it’s he was a reflection of the glory of God. We want to be the bride that seeks fellowship with those two greats like two great lights as a bride preparing to be one with Jesus.

60. 30:35

    We need to reflect that same glory of the father so that people can see in Us in some measure that same Glory that was seen in Him, but what gets in the way of you and I being a perfect reflector of the glory of God.

61. 30:52

    The world the Earth is what gets in the way now our lives are different and we said all of us is going through something and I don’t know what you’re going through. I don’t know if right now you’re a full moon and the reflection of God’s glory is shining bright in your life or if you’re that little thumbnail moon on by behind me where there is a little bit there, but it’s hard to see if you don’t know me very well. We all go through different points in our life where sometimes we’re on a spiritual high and it feels like everything.

62. 31:22

    Thing we read excites us every time we were with our brothers and sisters, we’re happy and then there’s other times when it’s a struggle to go to meeting when the readings feel like a burden but it’s something we have to do not something we look forward and want to do and maybe doesn’t happen to anybody else.

63. 31:39

    But I know that’s happened to me and the common denominator every time I felt my life was starting to get darker. It’s because the world had taken more than its fair share of my vision. It was an opportunity to look to not be able to see through to the glory of the father because I was a partial moon or maybe even it sometimes a full eclipse. So we get that reference we want to make sure we understand that’s what made Jesus a perfect reflection of his father. The world did not get in his way like it does for us did he know it was there absolutely was tempted in all points like as we are but he was able to maintain focus on preserving the light of the Father the exhortation to all of us that we continue to preserve that light.

64. 32:28

    Second Corinthians 4 verse 6 says for God who commanded the light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. There’s another crate section of verses in Chapter 2. So hold the thought we’ll talk about that one more tomorrow. First six if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness.

65. 32:57

    We lie and do not the truth the RSV ends at this way. We lie and do not live according to the truth. If the truth is not manifest in how we behave towards each other we effectively are lying about who we are darkness is according to the Flesh and the world around us.

66. 33:17

    We know the world has an impact minimizing that impact. Thank you minimizing that Impact is what’s important and how we do that is held by us working together when I might be struggling it’s good. If one of you is not and you can help pick me up because you never know that Cycles coming back and you might need that pick up when you’re struggling and I might be the one that can help lift you if we don’t have that attitude our life is an eclipse and our fellowship is useless. And therefore our Doctrine is voided. So it’s critical that Doctrine be the basis for fellow. Oh Ship but for it to be meaningful to our God we must live according to that doctrine of Truth this is not a new testament concept this is actually a very old testament concept, hold on I know what’s going to happen This is actually a very old testament concept.

67. 34:10

    Let’s turn to Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus chapter 19 and verse 2 speed under the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them. You shall be holy for I the Lord your God am Holy. Thank you. I’m good. Thank you very much. This is an exhortation to reflect the father. In fact, it’s repeated again in Leviticus 20 verse 7 and 20 verse 26.

68. 34:43

    That’s the Hebrew exclamation point say it a bunch of times. That means it’s important. The gospel says it in this way in John chapter 3 will pick up at verse 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and Men loved Darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil everyone that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest. His deeds should be reproved.

69. 35:06

    Proved but he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. So we have a choice to make the exhortation is to choose light to choose the light of Truth in reflecting the glory of the father as opposed to the darkness of the world our nature defaults to Darkness. We will not accidentally glorify the father just because that’s how good we are.

70. 35:33

    We will default to the world around us it Must be intentional and that’s why it’s such a focal point here in the in the epistle. Verse 7 is the crowning statement if we walk in light as he is the light we have Fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ. His son cleanses us from all sin.

71. 35:58

    That’s the if we get the choice, but if we choose right we not only enjoy Fellowship together, but we are covered by the blood of the Lamb the conditions of this cleaning or the next couple verses. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US.

72. 36:18

    It is amazing how much we think people will buy it if you sometimes catch yourself doing this it’s so easy to catch in other people so I know you’re going to get the comment but we do this all the time. We tell somebody a story we think they’ll believe and what you think I’ll believe is sometimes comical and what I think you might believe is sometimes comical you I think it was JPMorgan that said there’s two reasons a person would do or not.

73. 36:45

    Do a thing the real one can On the think sounds good. And we spin it away. We think might sound good like, you know, the veneer of my life looks pretty good. I it’s not like you’re miserable sinful life. I know better, you know better. I’m still trying to sell you that my life’s. Okay, if we think we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. We’re not really fooling anyone else because sin is nothing more than to miss the mark when we miss that Mark of perfection a perfect reflection of the father we have sinned. We all know Romans 6 Romans 3 puts it this way Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We even know the verse but yet we put on that show like we’re doing it just right to fool ourselves fools. No one else.

74. 37:39

    Whoops verse 9 if we confess our sins and here is the next if see there’s a choice instead of hiding them in pretending they’re not there and putting on the best display. I can if we confess them. He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Our God knows our sins. He knows we’re not righteous.

75. 38:04

    He knows we are a terrible reflection of his glory and yet he loves us. Anyways now he expects us to try to improve That reflection it’s not unconditional. But our God loves us and wants us to reflect him. He is faithful and just and that’s one of the most beautiful characteristics of our father one thing that we as human beings do not do very well this side of the Kingdom.

76. 38:30

    It’s that balance between mercy and judgment between Justice and love because we tend to lean one way or the other some of us are more loving and we sacrifice Judgment at times when we shouldn’t In others of us are more judgmental and we sacrifice the opportunities for loves love when we shouldn’t again a good reason that our God has called us together as a community because we’re all out of balance.

77. 38:57

    But if you’re out of balance this way and I’m out of balance this way. Guess what we’re balancing each other. That’s what the Ecclesia is designed for to cleanse us from our unrighteousness by working together through it improving our reflection of the glory of God. The Judgment of God is always righteous. We have confidence that it will always be righteous. We know it is the god that exists not the God we want it’s up to us to conform to what our God requires not to get him to conform.

78. 39:32

    What we think is right. We’ve got to make sure we put God in his right place and then submit to him hardest thing for all of us including Jesus to do the last thing he had to conquer was Total submission to the will of his father that we struggle with that should not be a surprise but our prayers like Jesus must be open and specific to our god in public.

79. 39:56

    They’re a little generic has to be but to our god. It’s not the generic forgive me for my sins. It’s the opportunity to be open and specific to our god to let him know that we know that we need his help. Oh, he knows we need we need we need his help. But we need to let him know that we need his help.

80. 40:18

    Our natural tendency is to fool each other and I believe even try to fool Our God in prayer and as delusional as that sound if you’re honest with yourself, you might be going might be a little guilt. That’s the little hand on the inside. Not the Hallelujah moment.

81. 40:36

    Grow cop put it this way. I love this verse in be transformed. I think it’s volume 1 that the Ecclesia is a hospital for Sinners. Not a museum for Saints. It’s an opportunity for us to look at each other. And I don’t recommend we change our normal greeting to high Center good to see you.

82. 40:54

    I’m not suggesting we do that but I recognize you’re going to be struggling with something and you know, I’m struggling with something to I don’t have to call it out as much as we can know and if we know that we’re struggling together, it lightens the burden of both of us and we’ll see that as a theme.

83. 41:12

    Is this begins to grow? There is no forgiveness without honesty honesty starts the Forgiveness process. How much do I allow to the world to interfere with my reflection of the glory of God the answer? That’s different for all of us honest reflection of where we are before. Our father is critical for us to forgive and we see this even in our own relationships when a relationship has a difficult time and I don’t care if it’s a friendship parent to child child to parent husband to wife brother to sister every relationship when it hits a difficult spot has the opportunity to be forever severed or to be repaired.

84. 41:59

    The time it takes to repair usually determines on how much better the relationship is if we have failed each other and we reconcile quickly and start building oftentimes that relationship gets stronger and when we delay that by years or decades, it doesn’t mean it cannot be repaired, but it’s harder and it’s harder to make that relationship anything like it was before but the quicker we are honest with ourselves and with each other and more importantly with our God the quicker we move. Some honesty to forgiveness and we have that chance to see it amongst ourselves.

85. 42:34

    So we know what it likes looked like on God’s end. The ability to forgive is there it is up to us to follow the prescription. It is not up to us to write the prescription Our God will grant the Forgiveness. He can cleanse us from our unrighteousness. It’s a matter of faith in practice that matters and so as we come towards the end of this first chapter we get some very interesting language that paints a great picture.

86. 43:08

    We say we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us and this word liar is a word only use 10 times in the New Testament seven of them are by John. So it’s one of the words that he focuses on and this really comes down to living the lie not recognizing my sin.

87. 43:28

    Oh, I can point yours out but – if I’m not capable of recognizing my sin and coming to your sin knowing I’m The Sinner R2 I am living a lie, that’s the danger to all of us individually and Ecclesia lie, and if we are living that lie, we’re making our God a liar because his word is not in us.

88. 43:54

    Let’s peek ahead to one verse later in this epistle because I think it’s appropriate to the context. This is chapter 4 verse 20. We’ll just look at it for a moment. We’ll get there in a couple days. But if a man say I love God and hateth his brother. He is a liar.

89. 44:11

    He puts it pretty clear for he that loveth not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen. We’ll go into it in more detail in a couple days. But I want to emphasize the demonstration of our love in how we treat each other is Paramount and living the truth human beings as we are it’s often more difficult when we disagree or don’t understand one another but it is pivotal to preserving the truth in the last day the love must be present.

90. 44:45

    But there’s more the world is watching us. God is awesome. But can’t his people sometimes be pretty miserable. We all can how many people have been killed in the name of God for the last few thousand years. They weren’t doing the work of God. They thought they were but the love was absent.

91. 45:05

    We cannot live the truth and make we have to live the truth or we make our God a liar to the world around us. It requires honest reflection. Loving Fellowship based on sound Doctrine letting the word live in our walk. We’ll only will not only show God’s glory to Those whom we meet but it’ll also declare the truthfulness of the father and what a wonderful and awesome responsibility.

92. 45:33

    That is But you and I are given the privilege and responsibility. To live the truth for the sake of the honesty of the heavenly father but alas, there’s no sign over us that declares. This one’s righteous. This one’s a walking representation of sin, but we don’t have that. Thankfully this side of the Judgment seat. We must have seen each other greater than ourselves. We preserve the love of God in our life in our attitude and we do that by how we work together.

93. 46:09

    I honestly believe that that is why God didn’t stop it Adam. He made more than one so that we could learn to love the unlovable because that’s what our God does for us on a daily basis. When I disappoint you and I deserve to lose some of your affection. what now you get to play is the role that God shares when you don’t deserve his and I think that’s why the Ecclesia is in existence so that we can work through these challenges learning to love the unlovable to preserve the faith because the alternative is to make God a liar and so with that I’ll let you think on this one for a moment. Thank you for listening to the good Kristoff and talks podcast Please Subscribe for new episodes and leave a review and apple podcast or whatever service you are listening from to help people find the show when they search for it. If you enjoyed this talk share it on social media. So other people can find it to for show notes and links to the talk that you just listen to visit our show page at anchor dot f m / G CT We want to encourage everyone to share their thoughts from the talk this week on Facebook or Instagram where we are at Food christadelphians talks or on Twitter where we are at GCT underscore podcast. If you know of a great talk, we want to know about it to send a suggestion to good christadelphians talks at gmail.com or message us on any of our social media platforms. Thank you for listening.

94. 47:58

    God bless and talk to you next week.