Love That Conquers The World (May 6, 2018)

LOVE THAT CONQUERS THE WORLD

Text: I John 5:1 - 6

1 John 5:1-6  (ESV) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.  (2)  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  (3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.  (4)  For everyone who has been born of God overcomes [conquers] the world. And this is the victory that has overcome [conquered] the world—our faith.  (5)  Who is it that overcomes [conquers] the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  (6)  This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

Who doesn’t like to win? How many of us have played games with a desire to win? We always think about some sort of competition when it comes to winning. No matter whether its sports or a chili cook-off there are always the first place winners and those who come in second place. Borrowing a line from the movie Top Gun, “there are no points for second place”. The Gospel is not about a competition. The Gospel is about becoming victorious over the things that hinder God’s plans---God’s will for our lives and our roles in winning others to Jesus Christ!

Competition is important, but it is not the most important thing. Consider the words of famous coach Lou Holtz about how to look at what it means to win. Lou Holtz writes, “I didn’t realize it at the time, but during those formative years [his childhood experiences in sports] I practiced what I would later learn was my WIN strategy for life. WIN is an acronym for “What important now?” …The WIN strategy is as applicable in time of prosperity as it is during a depression.” (Lou Holtz. Wins, Losses and Lessons. New York: William Morrow, 2006, p. 7). Overcoming and victory can only be a constant through our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as I John 5:4 testifies! How are we winning and advancing the kingdom of God in this world through our love, faith and witness?

UNVEILING

Are we as Christians enlightened and animated by our faith in God’s grace?

1) Autonomous? Does this passage of scripture not remind us that we are not living for ourselves? John 15:5 reminds us that autonomy equals death.

2) Awareness: Before we were born again---born of God and believed, we walked in darkness and stumbled but because we now believe we walk in the light of the day because of Jesus Christ---the light of the world (John 11:9,10 paraphrased).

3) Are we conquerors?: How can we conquer the world (I John 5:5) if we play by the rules of the world? The only thing that makes sense is that being “born of God” means that we are no longer citizens of this world, but citizens of the Kingdom of God. We succeed when allow God to abide in us as we also abide in Him referring back to what Jesus said about our ability to live how apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

4) Fruit: Have we passed from death to life (I John 3:14)? Do we practice love in deed and truth (I John 3:18)?

How can we win, conquer and overcome the world we live in today? Could it be that Lou Holtz was on to something with his WIN strategy? Remember Holtz said about winning? The way that he looked at winning is not about earning a national championship trophy. His view of winning jells well with our mission as Christians who are in the world but not of the world. Remember Holtz’s acronymn for winning? What’s Important Now? If there are things that are important to God’s kingdom now, then we do we sometimes play kick the can to the next generation with those things that we neglect?

SYMMETRY

What does symmetry mean for God’s Kingdom here on earth? How many of you have a ceiling fan at home? What happens if you take off one of the blades? It will spin out of balance---symmetry, rattling, wobbling and making noise. Our lives are like a ceiling fan missing a blade without obeying commandments.

How important is obeying God to our lives? Obedience gives us the needed balance.

1) Balance through obedience: Symmetry means balance. Symmetry means keeping God’s commandments as citizens of His kingdom here on earth as resident aliens. As I John 4:4 says “greater is God who is in us [abides] than he [satan] that is in the world”. If God abides in us and we abide in God then nothing in all the world will be able to separate us from the love God in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:39).