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amen all right this is the longest pulpit I've ever had in my life it's great though all right we're in 1st John we're actually going through 1st John on Sunday nights and Thursday nights so I'm gonna be going through 1st John the next couple of weeks until we're done here but we're in chapter 2 this evening and if I were to title this sermon it would be there are many Antichrists there are many Antichrists but before we get into the actual chapter let me just give you a couple of introductory statements regarding just the book of John period obviously we understand that the writer of 1st John is the Apostle John you say of course it says 1st John right there it has to be John but here's the thing his name is actually isn't isn't even mentioned in the book of 1st 2nd or 3rd John how do we know that John is the writer of these books well we know this because of the fact that the writing style of 1st John is very similar to the Gospel of John and what I mean by that is that when you read 1st John you'll see a lot of phrases a lot of terms a lot of of the same doctrines being reiterated in 1st John as we see in the Gospel of John you see a lot of talk about salvation believing trusting you know you see the contrast of light and darkness you see that you know we pass from death unto life you see a lot of the fact that you know he talks about fellowshipping with the Father you even see this concept of the children of the devil which is exactly what we saw in John chapter 8 when talking about the Pharisees being the children of the devil and so a lot of the same writing styles are found in each of these books and so that's why we know that the Apostle John is the writer now think about this because when you read the New Testament much of the New Testament is written by the Apostle Paul I mean you have about 14 books that the Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament which is a great portion of the New Testament you know you have James then you have Peter he gets two books you have Titus first and second Timothy are obviously written by Paul you have Jude for example you have Luke who wrote the book of Luke but he also wrote the book of Acts other than these guys the one who really has the most amount of books written in the New Testament is John because you have the Gospel of John yeah first second and third John and then you have the book of Revelation and the book of Revelation is a very much an important book in the New Testament it's it's pivotal it's foundational if you're gonna understand end times Bible prophecy so we see that John obviously is an important person in the New Testament and we see that God places an emphasis on him and his godliness obviously because he has five books in the New Testament here and then you know obviously when you read first John it's very easy to read is it not I mean you read it's very elementary it's very just kind of cookie on the bottom shelf and the reason for that is because when he writes his writing style is very simple to understand that's why when people first get saved we tell them to start reading where the book of John it's very simple to read very elementary and in fact I just finished reading first first second and third John in Greek and it's very simple to read I mean even in the Greek language is very simple to read very elementary and so we obviously as we obviously see that John is known for that according to what we saw now look at first John chapter 1 verse 10 let's look at the last verse of chapter 1 it says here if we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us and then he goes on into chapter 2 verse 1 it says my little children these things write unto you that you sin not if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous now the first thing I want you to notice that he says my little children now this obviously could be referring to actual little children in the church right but I think what this is actually referring to is he's speaking to people who he has won to the Lord because often in the Bible when you see the Apostle Paul talking about his son in the faith or the fact that he's begotten them in the gospel he often references people that he's gotten saved those who have been born again as those who he's led to the Lord and you see that in Galatians where he says you know that he's gonna travail in birth until Christ be formed in them he's referring to the fact that he's gonna teach them the truth about salvation until they get saved and so this could be referring to the fact that these are a group of people doesn't really say what church they're they're a part of who he's led to the Lord and he's telling them hey I'm writing these things to you what I just covered in chapter 1 that you sin not okay now a lot of people will try to take this verse and this phrase and say there you go since perfection that's why when you get saved we don't sin you know we're a new creature in Christ and you know we don't sin we don't commit any of these things but here's the thing it would literally contradict the entire chapter prior to what's being written here if you were to say hey once you get saved you don't sin because he just got finished saying in chapter 1 verse 10 if we say that we have not sin we make him a liar so it's like the balance is this recognize that we sin don't say that you don't because if you do you're deceiving yourselves and you try and make God a liar but if we sin you know obviously we have an advocate with the Father okay but the goal is to not sin not to be sinless perfected or you know have this perfection where it's just we know we don't sin at all but you know what our lives should not be characterized by blatant sin okay you know he says if we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us in verse number eight so what does he mean when he says that he sinned not well based upon first John 1 9 he's talking about unconfessing right you know our basically saying don't have unconfessed sin you know because he says in verse 9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness so obviously you know as we're going about our day or week we're gonna commit sin whether that's you know the sins of the mind sins of our words our actions whatever it may be we are breaking God's commandments because we are in this corruptible flesh that is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be the Bible tells us and so when that takes place God tells us hey you need to confess that sin because he's faithful and just to forgive us of that sin and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness so we need to make sure that confession of sin is a daily discipline that we do you know a daily discipline where we constantly confess our sins and so he's saying there hey don't sin but obviously if you sin you need to make sure that you confess it these things right into these sin not but this could also mean this make sure that sin doesn't rain in your mortal body you understand go to Romans chapter 6 if you would Romans chapter number 6 hold your place there in first John don't let sin rain in your mortal bodies now again we live in this corruptible flesh you know we have the old man still with us and it's impossible to cause the the old man not to sin because that's part of it the nature that's the old nature the sin nature is to commit sin so what is the answer well the Bible tells us that we need to walk in the spirit and he shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh doesn't mean that you will never do it because we still have that old nature but he's saying look the remedy so that you don't have sin raining over you is that you walk in the spirit or as John puts it walking in the light so walking in the light is synonymous with walking in the spirit because God is he's a spirit he's light as we walk in the new man we basically set ourselves up so that we're not committing these crazy sins that we see for example in first Corinthians chapter 5 you know because there are sins that you don't have to commit they don't have to reign over you such as fornication such as drunkenness such as extortion idolatry I mean these things are written are told that we shouldn't do these things you know railing in first Corinthians 5 and it's basically you know the Apostle Paul in first Corinthians 5 is saying look if you're involved in these things you can actually get excommunicated from the church you're like the leaven inside the bread that needs to be removed from the congregation because you're allowing this sin to go unfettered in the church and so that is proof there that we don't have to commit those sins you understand but I think what he's saying here also is just don't let sin reign in your mortal body look at Romans chapter 6 verse 7 verse number 11 it says likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it and the lust thereof neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God for sin shall not have dominion over you for you're not under the law but under grace so the commandment there is this hey live a holy life live a life that's pleasing unto the Lord don't let sin reign over you keep under your body bringing into subjectionless by any means when you have preached to others you yourself should be a castaway make sure that you are doing your best to confess your sins on a daily basis and not allowing yourself to get involved in sinful habits where it becomes a perpetual thing in your life and that destroys you via the consequences of that action or God's judgment upon your life and so that's why he says in 1st John hey these things I'm writing unto you they sin now live a holy life clean up your life repent of your sins you know get rid of those things in your life that are displeasing unto the Lord that you know are not right and look at the more you come to church the more you realize what is sinful right you know you come to church like man I didn't know for an occasion was bad I thought that was just like the normal thing in culture that people do and then you start hearing some preaching on fornication you're like whoa man I need to get married or break up or just you know just put that away from me just completely until I'm ready to get married or whatever you know or how about this it's like man I thought a little wine was okay for the stomach sake I thought drinking alcohol was okay when you realize that when the Bible talks about wine it's not I was referring to you know alcoholic beverage it's referring to like a juice for example God never says it's okay to drink alcoholic beverages strong drink as the Bible puts it and it's sinful to do that and then you hear about that you're like whoa I got to like put away wine for me you know and and wine coolers or whatever or whiskey or you know social drinking or whatever you know I got to put that away from me because apparently God says that's sinful and I should not be partaking in that at all you know you come to church and you have the best intentions but you know what you hear about idolatry and you're like oh man I have like the Virgin Mary for my grandma tucked away in my drawer somewhere I have this icon from like the Orthodox Church or whatever and apparently this is wrong I need to flee from idolatry and then you're like well pastor says I need to burn this and then pastor has you know idol burning Sunday we almost burn down the church but then we put your idols in there and then you know we live happily ever after but then you realize hey this is idolatry in fact I had a conversation with someone this week who you know was cleaning out their house of idols someone who's saved was cleaning up their house and be like man I didn't know this you know it's time to get rid of some idols in my house and so yeah these things right into you that you sin not that you don't commit idolatry you know that you don't rail that you're not involved in drunkenness you know and all these things for example you have a story in the Gospels where the woman is taking an adultery and then you know Jesus comes and he basically he stands up for her and then he says he basically tells her you know no man condemns me neither do I condemn thee go and sin no more now as he's saying like hey don't ever commit any kind of sin whatsoever you better be perfect that's not what he's saying what is in context of adultery he's telling them don't commit adultery anymore you know you did it this time you know she's forgiven but he's telling her go and sin no more and then he says you know whoever follows me has to walk in the light as I am in the light can't be in darkness and so we see that this is not referring to sinless perfection as some false prophets like to say this is just referring to the fact that we need to clean up our lives and look go back to 1st John chapter 2 if you wouldn't by the way if the commandment is to not let sin reign over us then the implication is that it can reign over us I mean think about that when people say well you know we shouldn't commit sin once we get saved then why are all these commandments in the Bible telling us not to sin if when we get saved batteries come included why is the Bible telling us to go purchase batteries I'll tell you why because you are gonna sin you are gonna do wrong you are gonna mess up you know and God knows that we have a sin nature well if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things that pass away behold all things that become new yeah I'm crucified with Christ but the difference is this is that you know once we put ourselves on the altar you know we're living sacrifice we jump off the altar and we sin we do wrong we're not perfect we're still waiting to with the redemptions of our body okay and so it's a constant battle with our old man and the new man walking in the spirit or walking in the flesh walking in darkness or walking in the light and so what is the solution look at verse number one again it says my little children these things right unto you that you sin not and if any man sin oh would you look at that you know isn't it funny how people want to point out they just want to take that one little verse you know that Romans 11 one right they want to take out that little phrase you sin not you sin I just completely neglect everything else he says that you sin not and if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous so though he's telling them don't sin he's basically saying but when you sin right we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous now why does he referring to him as an advocate one advocate could be basically someone who defends you right it's like a lawyer who defends you this is the only righteous lawyer there is right now let me read to you from Revelation 12 verse 10 says and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now has come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night we obviously know that Satan has many different titles names right it's Satan he's Lucifer he's that old serpent he's the devil but he's also known as the accuser of the brethren why because he comes to God day and night accusing us to God saying well look at all these sins that he's committing and you know he'll curse you to your face if you do this just constantly accusing us and we have an example of that in the Bible Joe you know where he came to God and he's telling him you know you could take this away from him he'll curse you to your face skin for skin and all these things but here's the thing is that Jesus is the opposite of that he's our advocate he's not our accuser and look anytime Jesus gets involved in this court case he always wins so when Satan comes to God and accuses us and rubs our past in our face and says look at all these things that he's done we have an advocate with the Father which is Jesus Christ the righteous and says why are you paid for that it's already paid in full yeah but if he's done this yeah but I paid for that too yeah but look did you see what he said here on this day on Wednesday and Jesus like I paid for all that already it's already paid for it's paid in full and then we win the court case amen and so he's saying look don't sin but when you do sin just know you have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he's always gonna defend you before the Father okay you know we'll never lose our salvation in other words you know God will never look at us and and see your sin and say well I'm just gonna take away his salvation I'm gonna condemn him to hell obviously there's consequences to sin and when you have unconfessed sin you don't make things right there's a punishment for that okay you know it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God and that is in context of safe people sinning against God look at verse number two says and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world now what does that word propitiation mean simply means like an atonement he atoned for our sin and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world now folks if a synonym to propitiation is atonement and he's saying that he atoned for our sin and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world you know what that does that debunks limited atonement by Calvinist right because Calvinists say well Jesus shed his blood but it's only for like a select few called the elect you know he didn't shed his blood for everyone else this is what's known as limited atonement his atonement was only limited to the elect okay save people or whatever those who were chosen for heaven and who are not condemned to help but that is obviously a false doctrine and it's easily debunked with his verse because he says look he's a perpetuation for our sins who's our sins save people and he says not for ours only though but also for the sins of the whole world so he made an atonement for us but he also made an atonement for everyone else and in fact the Bible tells us in 1st Timothy chapter 4 that we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men but especially of those that believe so here's the thing Jesus Christ is our Savior right we believed on him he's our Savior and he saved us from hell but did you know he's also the Savior of the whole world even though there's people out there that I've rejected him did you know that he's even the Savior of false prophets according to the Bible he's that he's even the Savior of false prophets because the Bible tells us in 2nd Peter chapter 2 that there are false prophets also among the brethren even as there shall be false teachers among you who privilege shall bring even denying the Lord God that what bought them now we often talk about hey you know the Lord bought us when we got saved we're purchased with his blood we are not our own but God kind of sees everything as being purchased it's already purchased and so the false prophets that doesn't mean that they're saved because they can't be saved right because they've denied the Lord God that bought them understand whereas us we didn't deny him we believed on him we trusted in him we received the free gift of salvation and he bought us and we basically accepted that but that basically shows us hey this limited atonement junk is stupid it's nonsensical to say oh he only died at for a certain amount of people well that individual is gonna have a rude awakening once they die you know they're gonna be like hey heaven feels a whole lot like hell that's weird I don't feel like the elect right now yeah and by the way you know that that guy that I was talking about in the beginning during the announcements he was a Calvinist okay so what we see here is that he's the propitiation for our sins not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world and it shows you that you know what for God so loved the world if he gave his only begotten Son you know everyone was bought would buy Jesus Christ blood he shed his blood for the entire world he's a savior of all men but especially of those that believe okay and thank God for that look at verse number three it says hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments now what is he talking about when he says this well what is this in context of not sinning because in chapter 1 if you remember look at chapter 1 verse 6 it says if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another in the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin so John is constantly trying to emphasize this fact hey walk in the light walk in the light get away from the darkness walk in the light have fellowship with God have fellowship with the brethren and then he goes through this whole spiel and this ordeal about not sinning and confessing your sin but then he says this hereby we do know him if we keep his commandments and what is the commandment don't sin so he's saying look if you're walking in the light what are you doing you're keeping his commandments and hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments you know what this tells me people who are out there like why I know Jesus he's my bro you know I can live however I want he's not gonna judge me you don't really know him you don't know nothing about him because to know God to you know if you love me the Bible says keep my commandments and the people who really know their God are those who actually read the Word of God they see his commandments and they what do they do they clean up their lives they seek to live a life that's pleasing unto them a holy life they cleanse their flesh from sin etc he says in verse number four he that saith I know I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him so mark it down someone is telling you that they know God they read God's Word as they're drinking a beer you're just like oh this guy's a liar you're lying that's a complete lie that's a fib you're lying because you're drinking a beer you're fornicating you're gambling you're living a life of sin you're saying that you know God okay it's not true verse 5 but whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him now what does that word perfected mean does that mean like without air perfected means complete so how do we complete our love for God by well first and foremost by keeping this commandments you know people have this notion that when we get saved oh we know God now it's not necessarily when we get saved it's because God knows us you know when we get saved God knows who we are we are known of God the Bible says that's why in Matthew chapter 7 the false prophet is thrown into into you know and to hell he says depart from me ye that work iniquity I never knew you he says I don't know you because I don't know you that's the basis of salvation you know we are accepted in the beloved when we get saved we're accepted in Christ God knows who we are and we obviously have to know God throughout a lifetime by reading his word memorizing it learning his commandments living a life that's pleasing unto him that's all we can know him go to go to John chapter 14 hold your place around first John I'm gonna continue reading in 1st John chapter 2 it says in verse number 6 he that saith he abideth in him odd himself also so to walk even as he walked so think about this okay John is saying if you really abide in Jesus you gotta walk the way he walks and what does he mean doesn't mean like you know you know the type of steps the physical way he walked cuz we don't know exactly how he was this is referring to the way he lived this is the first referring to the way he behaved this is referring to the way he honored his father the way he pleased God the way he preached but here's the thing you have a ton of people today Christians who you know they'll look at someone like me and what do they'll say well that's not like Jesus oh you got your church bomb cuz you deserve that cuz you're not like Jesus Oh God's punishing you cuz you're not Jesus wouldn't do that how do you know what in the world they crucified Jesus I just got my building blown up he actually like he got crucified because of what he preached and he literally said because I testify that their works are evil he says look people hate me because I testify of the works that their works are evil that's why they kill Jesus so what does that show us well in order for us to walk like Jesus walk we have to testify of the evil works of this world you know the sodomy the adultery the pedophilia all the works of darkness we need to reprove those things because that's what Jesus did so in order for us to walk like Jesus we have to preach like Jesus and you know people when they think about how Jesus preached all they want to do is talk about all the love that he talked about which is great but what about you know where he said you know if anybody offend one of these little ones that believe in me it better that a millstone were tied about his neck and he would drown in the depths of the sea yeah mafia style he's like if someone offends his little one you know violates a little child folks he said it would be better I think people don't catch that he says the millstone being tied about his neck and being drowned in the depths of the sea is actually better for him considering what I'm gonna do today hey we ought to walk the way Jesus walked that means preach like he preached be as bold as as bold as he was not hold anything back but today you know people have created a God in their own image who say well that's not my Jesus yeah apparently not you preach a different Jesus you preach a Jesus who's more closely related to God and the Jesus of the Bible this Jedi Master Gandhi who is like no hate none of these things it's like you obviously have not even read the book of Revelation because they always say oh that's Old Testament Old Testament folks the vast majority of wrath that we're gonna see in this world is actually in the New Testament in the book of Revelation you know read Revelation and read what God is gonna do to the wicked it doesn't even compare it you know the Old Testament pales in comparison to the judgment that he's gonna do in the New Testament folks even the flood in the Old Testament pales in comparison to when God's gonna baptize the world in fire think about that I mean his rapture for us it's considered you know we considered the second coming of Christ but to the world it's the day of the Lord it's when God wages war on this world oh but we want to stay away from that right well we need to walk the way Jesus walked and he just floated around everywhere no look at verse 21 of John 14 it says he that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest myself to him verse 22 verse 22 says Judas saith unto him not a scary Lord how is it that thou will manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world Jesus answered and said unto him if a man loved me he will keep my words and my father will love him we will come unto him and make our abode with him he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings and the word which he here is not mine but the father which sent me so what are we seeing here what we see here is that God is saying this if you love me you'll keep my words what does it mean to keep his words we're not ashamed of his words we don't try to make excuses for what the Bible says okay I was contacted yesterday by a person on Instagram who has a very large account like a hundred thousand followers or whatever this person you know is a conservative you know just you know believes in freedom of speech and First Amendment rights and all these things they're like hey I heard you got your church bomb I'd like to interview you and I'm just like you sure you want to interview me you know they're like yeah you know when I interview you and I'm like alright she's like send me a picture of you and you know post it we'll do the interview on Friday I'm like alright sounds good literally post it right some of you might have seen it on my Instagram she messaged me back she's like whoa you must have pissed off a lot of people she's like I'm getting messages like crazy like condemning me for like interviewing you and I'm just like yeah I people what do you always say you know they're saying all these things about you they're like they said that you said this about like homosexuals and stuff is that true well here's the thing if I wouldn't have walked as she's walking well they're just taking me out of context you know I love everyone you said what did you say I was like yeah it's all true yeah but they they said that you said this is this true I'm like yep it's exactly what I said I'm like this is what the Bible says and I said don't you believe in like in the First Amendment and stuff like that's you believe in that right like you're against cancer culture aren't you you know cuz that's what they are against the cancer oh yeah I just need a I'm just some you know people and then they said that they said you know a lot of people who sponsor me are threatening to like remove sponsors if I like if you if I get interviewed or you if you interview or if I interview you excuse me and I'm just like what do you want me to say you know like aren't these people like against cancer culture aren't these people for the First Amendment right aren't these people against people aren't these people against what they're doing like oh I'll contact you tomorrow you know I'll let you know so today she contacted me again she was just like you know I want to apologize but we're gonna have to postpone this you know and I and I and I messaged back and I said I said cancer culture at its finest I was like both sides huh I said you know and maybe shoot I think she was waiting for me to apologize well that's not really what I meant no I meant what I said and I said what I meant and like I said in that clip that they put in the news you know I'm not apologizing to anyone so you can you know threaten to remove sponsors and all these things and say all these well you know you know people told me they're like hey you're famous now I'm like no more like infamous more like infamous and so now it's just like but it shows you that these people who are in these conservative parties who claim to be Christians they don't really believe the Bible right you know they're dealing with pastors who actually walking like Jesus walked I mean do you think the the liberal fun center down the street would actually have Jesus himself come preach at that church no way if they haven't haven't preached John chapter 8 they would lose their minds they would cast them out of the temple and try to cast them down the hill headlong is what they would try to do you know walking the way Jesus walked is basically teaching what he taught on it with no shame and look folks never be ashamed of God's Word doesn't matter how controversial how offensive it is in 2021 doesn't matter how taboo or how offensive or how inflammatory they consider it to be don't bat an eye so this is what God because here's the thing when the second coming of Christ comes if you're ashamed of his words the Bible says that he will be ashamed of you and you know what when people try to make me ashamed of God's Word and try to corner me and John do you really believe this I always think about this my answer will determine what Jesus Christ will say when he sees me you say remember when you were ashamed of me and my words remember when they when they confronted you and they cornered you so do you really believe this and you just back down you're just ashamed of the words that I said shame no I rather him say hey I saw the news clip Fox 11 news you're not ashamed of my word I'm like I'm not you know his word is a delight into my soul it's the best thing ever it doesn't matter what people say walk as Jesus walked go back to 1st John but he's saying in John there in John chapter 14 he's basically saying look if you keep my words that me and my father will make our abode with you you know that's more important than anything else that's more important than any sponsor that you can get it's more important than any acceptance of any churches that you can get more important is that God is pleased with you and he says look if you're willing to keep my word I'll make my abode with you my father will make our we will make our abode with you we will abide with you like what about the baby but look what happened to your building yeah but at least God is abiding with us though lose everything as long as you know that God is with you it's the most important thing is that God is abiding with us look at verse number seven brother and I write no new commandment unto you but an old commandment which he had from the beginning the old commandment is the word which he have heard from the beginning again a new commandment I write unto you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is past and the true light now shineth now this could be somewhat of a contradiction you could see this like well I think it's an old commandment but then he said it's a new commandment so which one is it well here's the thing it's an old commandment in the sense of you know we know that we need to love our brethren right as ourselves but the reason it's new is because Jesus taught in John chapter 13 that we ought to love each other as he had loved us so his manifestation of his love was manifested when he came to this world and how did he express his love towards us by dying for us given his life for us he commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us the Bible says so how do we show our love for the brethren by being willing to give ourselves for our brethren and you know what that might not always be like literally dying and taking a bullet for you or something like that although we're who knows what might happen this year okay I gotta be careful what I say because when I told you he says hey don't call me unless the church blows up or something it actually happened and he's like hey you told me not to call you unless the church blows up the church blew up okay so you know I gotta be careful here go to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 hold your place there in John first John so he's saying that it's an old commandment but it's a new commandment as well it's an old commandment because we ought to love our brethren but it's a new commandment because it's it's the way he loved us John 13 you're in Philippians chapter 2 I'm reaching from John 13 verse 34 says a new commandment I've given to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you love that you also love one another by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have loved one to another and look this is how people can see from the outside if we're a tight-knit church if we love one another you know what I guarantee you the media I guarantee you the people the residents of Omani I guarantee you people who are just kind of whatever about the whole situation at least they're walking away saying this that church is tight-knit not one individual in that church has disbanded right they actually increased in the attendance they increase them and they're like you P in the comments they say you people are crazy in there because they hear like me making radical statements and people are like amen yeah that's right because they want to say that like my congregation is like brainwashed or something and like no they're just as crazy as I am they agree but here's the thing is they look at us and say wow they love each other I mean isn't coming here showing that we love each other's company coming out to wildom are you know all the way who knows I don't even know where I'm at I feel like that this is I feel like this is where I'm at or something like but you know it shows it shows they're like and look we have a full house you know why because we love one another we love God's Word and we love one another you understand and so look at Philippians chapter 2 verse 1 it says if there be any if there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill you my joy then you be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of and of one mind let nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind that each esteem other better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others and then he goes on to say let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus so what is the mind the mind is this is that we prefer one another okay and you know what you know these attacks from the outside are meant to you know by the one those who are attacking to cause us to fear to disband to get away from each other it actually had the opposite effect right because now we're closer to each other I love my church so much the more because of this whole situation you know I guarantee you my congregants love me more we love each other more we got each other's back we pray for each other more now it's more of a tight-knit family we prefer one another more now because of this and that's exactly what he wants so he's saying go back to first John chapter 2 he's saying hey make sure that you understand that part of walking in the light is loving your brother so it's not just keeping God's Commandments reading the Bible knowing doctrine having a deep understanding of those things you know it's about fleshing that out and loving your brother and as well okay and no it doesn't mean loving the sodomite people say oh they love your brother and he's not my brother he's not my brother when it says brother is referring to the fact that we are part of the family of God to save believers this is my brother this is my sister that's my brother that's my brother you know who are our mothers and sisters and brothers those who do the will of God the Bible okay and he's saying look part of walking in the light is that you need to love one another okay don't just you know oh I'm just here for the Bible I'm just here to hear learn doctrine and I just want to know eschatology and I'm just here for that no that's good and that's part of abiding in him but he also says you need to love your brother as well and by the way he says love him fervently that means with passion I'm not saying like just go out to people and just love you man I love you just shake people up and you know just like start issuing a holy kiss to every individual you see in the church and stuff fervently is just like you just prefer people more I mean you prefer your own brethren over yourself fervently and by the way I'm not saying you can't be like that okay if that's if that's your prerogative that's your the way you operate and you know more power to you just chill out a little bit all right you know loving your brethren fervently is thinking about your brother man I can't wait to go to church I want to see brother so-and-so I want to see miss so-and-so I can't wait to talk to so-and-so you know I want to I want a fellowship I love being around my brothers okay I don't know about you but I look forward to coming to church I love going to church okay and so that's what he's talking about there now look at verse 9 he says he that saith he's in the light and hated this brothers in darkness even until now he that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his brothers in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goes because that darkness hath blinded his eyes so we say look the person who says he's in the light and hates his brother pastor great is in darkness even until now so I say look if you're gonna say you're gonna walk in the light but your actions speak as though you hate your brethren you're a liar you're not really walking in the light you're walking in one of those black lights is what you're doing you know the purple lights or whatever that's the kind of light that you have because if you are gonna say you're gonna walk in the light then you do prefer your brethren you understand we'll get into hating your brother in the coming chapter but he but he's making that distinction between the light and the darkness good Ephesians chapter 5 what you place there again in first John go to Ephesians chapter 5 and really you can basically summarize your day your week your Christian life and these two categories are you walking in the light or are you walking in darkness you know and both of those encompass the entire Christian life or the entire fleshly life you know if you're walking in darkness that encompasses sin that encompasses being backslidden that encompasses you know not fellowshiping with your brethren if you're walking in the light that encompasses your Bible reading that encompasses your prayer life that encompasses your church attendance and encompasses a soul winning and encompasses everything that is righteous and holy and true look what it says in Ephesians chapter 5 verse number 6 it says let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience be not ye therefore partakers with them for ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord walkest children of light so what's the implication there it's possible for you to walk in darkness especially for the fact that prior to being in Christ you were darkness you were blinded Satan had blinded you he says for you were sometimes darkness but now you'd lie in the Lord walkest children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth what is that telling us you know if you really want to know if you're walking in the Spirit are you in goodness are you in righteousness are you in truth because the fruit of the Spirit is in all those things proving what is acceptable unto the Lord and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness look what it says but rather reprove them so God says it's not enough that you just don't walk in darkness you actually have to go out of your way to reprove it as well so it's not like well I'm just not gonna say I'm not even talk about those people and you know I'm just I'm just gonna you know not sin make sure I take care of my family no the Bible says you have to also reprove them it's a two-way street you got to make sure that you are have on the breastplate of righteousness but you're also wielding the sword of the Spirit right you're reproving the the works of darkness all these filthy things that our culture accepts it's not enough to just not partake in it God says I want you to fight it no God wants soldiers he doesn't want like that's wicked he's like he wants us to be out in the open and saying I don't commit those things and in fact it's wicked yeah and my name is pastor Bruce me I'm first works Baptist Church and this is where I'm at this is what I believe that's what he wants to reprove it for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret but all things are that are approved are made manifest by the light so can you really say you're the light of the world if you're not making manifest the works of darkness like oh yeah I'm walking in the light well what are you manifesting what are you reproving because the light makes manifest the works of darkness but all things that are approved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever does make manifest is light man I apparently our church was a burning and shining light in the city of Oman tea because we manifested the works of darkness to the point that they blew up our building look what it says in verse 14 wherefore he sayeth awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light so what is he saying oh you Christians out there who claim to be walking in the light but you're not reproving you're not making manifest the works of darkness you need to wake up wake up so sick and tired of this movement the woke movement people who think that they're woke they're not even saved and if they are saved they're always fighting the wrong battles what does God say to them awake thou that sleepest arrives from the dead and Christ shall give thee light not the Republican Party not the Constitution Christ shall give thee light he says see then that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil yeah the days are evil that's why we're redeeming them by how by soul winning by preaching God's Word by raising our children in the light by training them by loving our brethren fervently wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is so what is the will of God the will of God is for you to walk in the light as he is in the light and don't say that you're walking in the light and then you have your lights turned off is there a switch here yeah it's just like yeah no I'm the light of the world here you know it's like why don't you turn it on well you know I just don't like to rock the boat you know I just don't like to be too controversial it's just you know gotta have some discretion for us it's like no I'm turning I like this one right here just light it all up right a lot of people I mean you know let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven a light is not meant to be put under a bushel but a lot of people put under a bushel because they're afraid they're scared don't be ashamed he says in 1st Corinthians 15 35 awake to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame think about that go to Romans 13 Romans chapter 13 I must hasten look at Romans 13 verse 11 and that knowing the time that now is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation near than what we believed the night is far spent the days at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light let us walk honestly as in the day and not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lustre of that's synonymous with putting on the armor of light go back to 1st John chapter 2 so what is he saying hey walk in the light as he is in the light stay out of darkness part of walking in the light is reading the Bible fellowship with him was fellowshipping with your brethren loving them fervently but also making manifest the works of darkness don't be scared look at verse 12 I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake I write unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning I run into you young men because you have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little children because you have known the father I've written unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning I've written unto you young men because he are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the wicked one now what is something that we can learn from these a couple of verses right here well I think one of the main things that we can learn is that he you know obviously the Word of God is for every age range right because he's speaking to a church right and you know what who is he preaching to first little children by the way this is proof and this is this reinforces why we believe in a family integrated church because I'm not just preaching to the adults you know I'm preaching to the little kids to preaching to my son I'm preaching the Word of God to him I'm preaching the Word of God to Kyla I'm preaching the Word of God to brother Carrie's daughters to your sons to your daughters because church is for them too it's for the little children and John is like I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake oh no we should sing like these little colorful songs and give them cookies and teach them these little little lame songs or whatever and just be kind of really light on doctrine I don't see John doing that he's like I'm addressing the little children in the service he says I write unto you fathers because you have known him from the beginning talking to the dads I read unto you young men because you have overcome the wicked one I run into you little children because you have known the father so he's saying look dads you know God from the beginning little children your sins are forgiven you young men he says you've overcome the wicked one and that's powerful because you know what Satan is out to get the young man yeah why because young men have a lot have a lot of potential they have the potential they're in the the formative years that will either destroy their life or or build it for God okay you know they have strength they don't have a whole lot of wisdom but they have zeal they have strength and you know what if they don't redirect that towards the things of God the wicked one can overcome them through bad decisions to fornication through drugs through money through possessions through all these things and look I'm thankful that I got saved when I was 21 and you know what I spent my my 20s serving the Lord you know I spent my all my 20s from 21 and up obviously up until now serving God soul-winning reading my Bible while my friends and everyone who was out in the world was fornicating having children out of wedlock doing drugs and partying yeah there's times when you know what I spent Friday night reading my Bible and they spent Friday night partying it up but you know what they're regretting it now I'm not as a 35 year old I'm looking back when I was 22 and I'm thankful that I did that right and you know what you look at it statistically young men often ruin their lives in their 20s they make the worst decisions in their 20s they go they get into debt in their 20s they have children out of wedlock in their 20s he said well how can I avoid that we'll use your teenage years now to serve God you know don't chase the almighty dollar don't chase possessions and girls you know he should be doing is chasing the Lord seeking after God and I promise you when you reach your 20s you go into your 30s you will not regret it be strong young men overcome the wicked one you know hey congratulations by the way Jacob Jacob got he got engaged amen a young man who got engaged congratulations to you to Malaya hey that's great you show me a young man who's like this who's out in the world who has his head on straight who's in church on Thursday night he got engaged he has a job he's serving the Lord you don't see that out there you know I call this man a young man who's overcome the wicked one that's what needs to be happening folks I've written to you father's because you have known him from the beginning I've written to you young man because you're strong he says and the Word of God abideth in you so it's not just they have physical strength here they're strong because the Word of God abides in them well what gives strength is is the Word of God okay so this is a great proof that you know what he's preaching to a church that has all of these people and you know what you see this in the New Testament for example in Ephesians chapter 6 Paul the Apostle says children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right he's not telling us the parents that tell their children oh by the way Paul wrote us a letter son and he says he said it not me I'm just telling you right there he says children obey your parents you know no Paul is directing that message to them and he's saying Bruce obey mom Kyla obey dad obey your parents for this is right you want to live long on the earth you obey your parents folks I'm family integrated church is the best type of church there is because it shows you that God understands and he wants us to understand that the Word of God is not just for us it's for those who are young as well they need to hear the Bible preached unfiltered to get the Word of God and you know what often the children have more faith than we do we hear something we're just like yeah I believe Lord but helped out my non belief they hear and they're just like yeah God's gonna destroy them for sure they're just completely convinced of it okay but he addresses all the families there look go to Titus chapter 2 that'll be the last portion of scripture I'm gonna finish 1st John 2 on Sunday night because there's a lot of good stuff in here that I want to cover but just in this matter of you know children addressing children fathers you know he says fathers provoked not your children to anger lest they be discouraged so we see that John and Paul and all these other men they're constantly addressing people in the church and it's not like well you know we're gonna break up into Sunday school classes and nurseries and you know teach different messages wrong everyone stays in the service everyone gets the message and to further prove that look at Titus chapter 2 verse 1 Paul is instructing Titus and he says but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine that the aged men be sober grave temper sound in faith and charity and patience so he's saying when you preach this is what you need to tell to the older people verse 3 the aged women likewise that they be in behavior has become with holiness not false accusers not given too much wine teachers of good things by the way I mean this guy's got to be bold he's just like by the way age of women man you know this guy wasn't popular you know how old I am that they may teach the young women to be sober to love their husbands to love their children to be to be discreet chase Oh keepers at home oh man this is such a naughty word their phrase good obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed okay Fox News trying to make me look like I'm just some chauvinist pig or something like that oh he says that women are weak this is what the Bible says that they're weaker vessels read the Bible and here it says that if you don't do those things you're actually blaspheming the Word of God I know that goes against your feminist agenda out there world but who cares this is what God says and he says verse six young men likewise exhort to be sober minded and all things showing thyself a pattern of good works and doctrine showing uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned the heat that is of the contrary part may be a shame having no evil thing to say of you exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters and to please them well in all things not answering again so he's like hey when you preach you got to talk to the old men the older women you got to talk to the young men the young women you got to talk to the children hey preach to the employees preach to the bosses you got to preach to everyone you know what's high this is probably young he's like man like I'm young though like and that's why he says at the end of the chapter hey let no man despise thy youth you preach with authority and don't let anybody try to talk down on you because you're younger than them you're preaching with God's authority and God's Word okay so we'll finish there first John he's addressing them and then on Sunday night we're gonna go over the love of the world and of course the Antichrist who are the the Antichrist is gonna come and the fact that there are many Antichrists in this world let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much for your word what a powerful book first John is and so many great truths found within this epistle here Lord I pray God that you'd help us to continue to glean wisdom from it and and Lord help us to walk in the light as you are in the light and our world is so dark right now our country is very dark our state is dark the cities in this area are very dark Lord and but hey the the darker the night the brighter the light and we're not preaching anything different than churches that preach over thousands of years it's just that it's gotten darker in this world and therefore we shine brighter I pray that Lord you'd help us to continue to do so to walk in the light to love our brethren fervently and also to make manifest the works of darkness we love you so much Lord and we thank you bless service this coming Sunday and help us to continue to find a building Lord may you provide something for us and we love you so much Lord and we thank you pray these things in Jesus name amen