Elements City Church
Family Resemblance - 1 John 3:1-10
In this short, yet powerful book written by the the disciple John, we can prepare to be challenged to live out our faith in obedience towards God and love for others. Throughout the chapters, he implores his readers to "walk in the light" in a world that is increasingly dark. We trust God will whisper to each of us as we spend some time examining His truth and study 1 John together.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Welcome to church...
Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that tonight will be an encouragement to you! If you're new and want to get connected, we'd love to help you do so! Click the link below to fill out our Connection Card.
https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbJohn is going drive home an incredible truth that is ours as believers in Jesus and then an incredible reality it should introduce to us. We are children of God through faith in Jesus and we're invited to now bare a family resemblance of our heavenly Father because of that new given identity. (see 1 John 3:1-10)
‘See!’ what kind of love the Father has given us...
The force is that we need to take time to contemplate this love and allow its reality to sink down into the depths of our being. It is meant to take our breath away; to startle and amaze us so that we are left gasping, ‘What sort of love is this?’
The word John uses (potapos) originally meant ‘of what country?’
It is a word that expresses surprise in encountering something foreign, something we are not used to… this agape love is foreign to us and it is amazing!
In Christ — believers are as related to God as they will ever be…
We are his children through faith in Christ — AND THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!
The force is that we need to take time to contemplate this love and allow its reality to sink down into the depths of our being. It is meant to take our breath away; to startle and amaze us so that we are left gasping, ‘What sort of love is this?’
The word John uses (potapos) originally meant ‘of what country?’
It is a word that expresses surprise in encountering something foreign, something we are not used to… this agape love is foreign to us and it is amazing!
In Christ — believers are as related to God as they will ever be…
We are his children through faith in Christ — AND THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!
Quote:
"If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.”
-J. I. Packer, Knowing God, p. 182
"If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.”
-J. I. Packer, Knowing God, p. 182
The Elder John is unpacking a reality to those who have trusted in Jesus - he does more than just forgive your sins - he restores you relationally to the Father; and the Father also now manifests a new identity into you and I…
You are different at an identity level!
You are different at an identity level!
1 John 3:3
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
To “purify” means to be morally and ethically free from the corruption of sin. People can do this only through Christ’s Spirit in them because, as Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
This is an ongoing cleaning process, beginning at rebirth and continuing until the day Jesus returns.
The practice of recognizing our sin/brokenness and confession needs to be a natural rhythm within our lives…
This is an ongoing cleaning process, beginning at rebirth and continuing until the day Jesus returns.
The practice of recognizing our sin/brokenness and confession needs to be a natural rhythm within our lives…
So, do Christians sin or don’t they?
Experience tells every Christian that sin still has its hold. For true believers, however, deep inside their spirits, they aspire not to sin. This aspiration comes from the life of God within them. When they were “born again,” a new life was born inside (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Christians have this new life—they are born of God. (V.9)
They desire not to sin, and they fully renounce sin because sin is entirely incompatible with their new life.
Experience tells every Christian that sin still has its hold. For true believers, however, deep inside their spirits, they aspire not to sin. This aspiration comes from the life of God within them. When they were “born again,” a new life was born inside (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Christians have this new life—they are born of God. (V.9)
They desire not to sin, and they fully renounce sin because sin is entirely incompatible with their new life.
We’re to fight against sin - because Jesus came to destroy the work of the enemy.
In his book Finishing Strong, Steve Farrar sums up well the terrible price of sin: "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you're willing to pay."
In his book Finishing Strong, Steve Farrar sums up well the terrible price of sin: "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you're willing to pay."
In his book The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning writes these words:
When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged, I love and I hate… I am trusting and suspicious. I am honest and I still play games.
Can you relate?
Me too.
When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and I get discouraged, I love and I hate… I am trusting and suspicious. I am honest and I still play games.
Can you relate?
Me too.
Listen to these words from Book of Romans from the apostle Paul:
I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do …. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. (Rom. 7:14-15; 18-19).
I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do …. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. (Rom. 7:14-15; 18-19).
Here's how he ends that section:
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! -Romans 7:24-25
Jesus is our rescuer & redeemer - the reprogrammer of our souls to crave his ways more and more as we deepen our roots in Him. We will grow more and more in resemblance to our heavenly Father...
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! -Romans 7:24-25
Jesus is our rescuer & redeemer - the reprogrammer of our souls to crave his ways more and more as we deepen our roots in Him. We will grow more and more in resemblance to our heavenly Father...
Family Resemblance (Likeness) (3:4–10)
In this section of the epistle the author develops at greater length the responsibility that falls on the children of God.
It’s QUITE clear: he expects that the children of God will bear an undeniable resemblance to one whom they claim as their spiritual parent.
In this section of the epistle the author develops at greater length the responsibility that falls on the children of God.
It’s QUITE clear: he expects that the children of God will bear an undeniable resemblance to one whom they claim as their spiritual parent.
Gauging spiritual maturity…. Are you seeing more God's fruit in your life?
Q) Are your practices a better reflection of Him more this year, then 2 yrs ago? Is your heart a better reflection of his kinda heart?
(is the Fruit of the Spirit more evident within you? see Galatians 5:22-24)
Live this life as a child of God - that is what you are - whose you are!
How do we act as a child of God?
You are a child of God if you’ve trusted Jesus - you’re now redeemed royalty, so live into it more and more...
Q) Are your practices a better reflection of Him more this year, then 2 yrs ago? Is your heart a better reflection of his kinda heart?
(is the Fruit of the Spirit more evident within you? see Galatians 5:22-24)
Live this life as a child of God - that is what you are - whose you are!
How do we act as a child of God?
You are a child of God if you’ve trusted Jesus - you’re now redeemed royalty, so live into it more and more...
CLOSING THOUGHT:
We’re called to be the RESEMBLERS - resembling God and his nature — we’re not to be PRETENDERS
We’re called to be the RESEMBLERS - resembling God and his nature — we’re not to be PRETENDERS
Thank you to all of our financial partners!
Thank you for your tithes and offerings. They enable us to be the church in our city, and they help fuel the mission of Elements City Church. Our capacity to function as a church on a daily basis is directly impacted by your support, and we are so thankful for it! You can give online at the link below, or through the Elements app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/giveHave a blessed week ahead friends and we'll see you in Egroups and back for next weekend's service as we continue to look into 1 John together - Walking in the Light...
Remember: we're collecting bags of candy to stuff Easter Eggs for our Easter Family Festival on March 23rd - so please bring in some candy for the collection here in early March on Sundays. Thank you.
Remember: we're collecting bags of candy to stuff Easter Eggs for our Easter Family Festival on March 23rd - so please bring in some candy for the collection here in early March on Sundays. Thank you.