Keep Away From Idols Series

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

Introduction: No Match For God

During the 1930s, a missionary in a primitive African village saw firsthand the conflict between the power of the kingdom of evil and the omnipotence of God.

According to author Calvin Miller, a witch doctor had warned the missionary that the tribal god would destroy his school. A bolt of lightning fulfilled his threat. Convinced that the voodoo spirit would not have the last word, the missionary publicly proclaimed that the God of the Bible would strike the witch doctor’s totem with lightning that night. To the utter amazement of the village people, that’s exactly what happened! They saw this as evidence of the superior power of the missionary’s God.

In the book of Exodus, Moses and Aaron could have been intimidated by Pharaoh’s magicians. Their demonic power was clearly evident when their rods became serpents. But God reassured His servants and reminded them of His superior power when Aaron’s rod-turned-serpent devoured the other serpents.

The power of Satan is demonstrated as he works through unbelief and false religious systems. But when we walk with God, we need not be afraid. The devil and all his forces are no match for God.

Source: Herbert Vander Lugt, Our Daily Bread

Thesis: The Power Of Christ Within You Is Greater Than The Power Of Evil Around You.

I. We Know We Are Born Of God 18

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

A. When Jesus Comes In It Shouldn’t Be A Secret!

1. We should be born again as Nicodemus was.

a. His salvation is recorded in John 3.

b. If John’s Gospel is chronological (and we have not reason to believe it is not) then Nicodemus was born of God at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus.

i. Let us say that Nicodemus was a slow starter.

ii. We see him just twice more in the Bible.

a. Once when he is shouted down by the Sanhedrin for defending Jesus.

b. And last when he brings 100 pounds of myrrh and aloe to anoint the body of Jesus.

2. But there is no doubt that Nicodemus was a disciple of Jesus Christ.

a. Like most of those early disciples it took the death/burial/resurrection of Christ to spur them into action.

b. Let me propose something to you:

i. Were there not 5,000 men (plus women and children) that Jesus fed?

ii. Were there not 4,000 men (plus women and children) that Jesus fed?

iii. If these were two entirely different groups, then there should have been at least 9,000 disciples of Christ at the time of His death (I think this unlikely)

iv. The Bible flatly states there were 120 Disciples of Christ on the day of Pentecost.

v. The church kind of got skinny, eh?

c. Let us chase a rabbit for 60 seconds.

i. If the church is the assembly (the people)…

ii. The people were assembled on the Day of Pentecost (that would be the church right?)

iii. How do some say the church was born on the day of Pentecost?

iv. May I suggest to you…

a. The church was in existence from the time Jesus called the first Apostles!

b. The church (assembly) (those 120 disciples) were EMPPOWERED on the day of Pentecost!

c. Proof?

1. The Holy Spirit fell!

2. The newly empowered Apostle Peter preached!

3. 3,000 souls were saved and ADDED to the church!

“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”

—Acts 2:41

3. It shouldn’t be a secret when we get saved!

B. When Jesus Comes In It Should Put An End To Willful Sin!

1. This Scripture has caused problems for individual believers and theologians alike.

a. Many theologians suggest that once a believer is saved HE IS INCAPABLE OF SIN.

b. To which I would answer, “Balderdash!”

c. There are two groups of sinners alive on the planet today: saved sinners and lost sinners.

2. Allow me to let Dr Alfred Barnes explain this far better than I ever could. *