What a Friend!
1 John 3 & 4

I John 1-5
“You know you’re a Christian if…”

10 EVIDENCES

1.You’re honest about your FAILURES.
I John 1:8-10

God the Father has LAVISHED His love on us!

GOD IS _______________.

JESUS IS _______________.

Here is the promise of the gospel and the message of the whole Bible: In Jesus Christ, we are given a friend who will always enjoy rather than refuse our presence. This is a companion whose embrace of us does not strengthen or weaken depending on how clean or unclean, how attractive or revolting, how faithful or fickle, we presently are. The friendliness of His heart for us subjectively is as fixed and stable as is the declaration of His justification of us objectively.

“Gentle & Lowly:
The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers”

by Dane Ortlund

Jesus’ crucifixion was God’s INITIAL EXPRESSION of love toward us.

1. When we receive God’s love, IT CHANGES US. It makes us able and eager to love others.

2. If we love one another, GOD LIVES IN US and His love is made complete in us.

The Holy Spirit is the ONGOING EXPRESSION of God’s desire to be with us.

Have you received Jesus’ offer of ADOPTION?

Have you received His offer of FRIENDSHIP?

“NEXT STEPS”

- Receive Jesus’ offer of adoption by trusting in His death for your forgiveness. (Consider writing out 1 John 4:9-10 on an index card & reading it aloud every day this week, receiving His offer by faith.)

- Receive Jesus offer of friendship by telling Him you're interested and then pursuing Him as you would pursue a friend. (Consider writing out John 14:23, 1 John 3:1 or 4:13 on an index card, reading it aloud every day this week, and personally asking Jesus to walk with you that day as a friend would.)

- As you receive God's personal love for you, watch love begin to flow more freely out of you and affecting your relationships in very positive ways.