DEAR FRIENDS…TEST THE SPIRITS (Outline)
1 JOHN 4:1-11 - May 1, 2005 - EASTER 6
INTRO: Today’s text talks about tests. As believers we are to put those entrusted with the message of salvation to the test. The message from God that men proclaim is to be just that – God’s message. The only way to know the difference between the message of God and the message of men is to test the truth of the words written, spoken, taught. Paul encouraged the believers in the region of Thessalonica to re-main faithful until the Lord’s coming on Judgment Day. This message from God is still very fitting to-day. "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil"(1 THESSALONIANS 5:21,22). It is this same message that John emphasizes in God’s word from today’s text.
DEAR FRIENDS…TEST THE SPIRITS.
I. Recognize the Spirit of God and
II. Listen to the Spirit of God.
I. RECOGNIZE THE SPIRIT OF GOD
A. Under divine inspiration, John wrote this letter to defend the believer against heresy, false teaching.
1. The heresy of the day taught that knowledge was god. In v. 1 John says to test the teachings.
2. Only the true teachings of God are valuable. There is an easy test described in verse 2.
B. Those teaching of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were teaching God’s divine wisdom.
1. V. 3 warns about those against Christ and his church. Their own government opposed Christ.
2. False teachers, the government stood in great opposition to this church of new believers.
C. Verse 4 reminded the believers God was greater than any of their enemies. God was with them.
1. The worldly are going to listen to the worldly. Verse 5. Believers have God’s word.
2. Verse 6. Purely by grace believers recognize God’s Spirit in God’s divine word of truth.
D. Today our government does not openly stand opposed to our worship and following Christ. We are blessed to have the great freedom of religion. Still, there are those oppose God’s word and Spirit more in other ways. Jesus warns of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). The false prophet does not come out openly and say he is a false prophet. Rather, false teachings creep in because people like to hear good things. Not many like to hear about sin. We do not particularly enjoy being re-minded of our own wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Until we see our own sinfulness we cannot appreciate God’s gospel of forgiveness. Worse than leaving out some Scriptural truths, some false teachers and prophets add their own teachings. "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them" (2 PETER 2:1). Dear friends, test the spirits.
E. The world around us tries to distract us from listening to the Lord. The devil and our own sinful flesh would often mislead us into trusting in ourselves and forgetting the importance of God’s salvation. These temptations are always present. Many try to ignore these temptations. Worse – so many in this world have made a heaven here on earth that eternal life seems to have little relevance at all. We, too, at times are so caught up in living in this world that our attention may be drawn away from seeking first God’s kingdom. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to de-struction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it"(MATTHEW 7:13,14). Dear friends, test the spirits.
F. Thankfully the Lord God almighty does not leave us on our own. We are given the weapons of God himself to defend against those who are against Christ. In the last chapter of Ephesians, Paul describes the weapons every believer is given to defeat the false spirits in this world. "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the hel-met of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"(EPHESIANS 6:16,17).
TRANS: DEAR FRIENDS…TEST THE SPIRITS. Recognize the Spirit of God.
II. LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
A. The wisdom of the world was not the god that believers needed. Worldly wisdom opposed Christ.
1. Worldly wisdom was only concerned about selfishness and self-love.
2. Not so with the wisdom of God! Verse 9 describes God’s sacrificial love for his church
B. This sacrificial love of God is the basis of Christian love – for God and for one another.
1. God’s love was first shown to the world that the world would know what love is. Verse 10.
2. In this love of God believers would recognize the Spirit of God.
C. Recognizing the Spirit of God in this love of God would also move believers to listen to God’s Spirit.
1. Verse 11 describes the overflowing love of God to believers and from believers to others.
2. In love and by acts of love for another is the way believers listen to the Spirit of God. Verse 7.
D. It sounds easy to recognize the Spirit of God and then listen to the Spirit of God. But why are so many in this world led astray by those who do not truly proclaim the Spirit of God? Again, people like to hear want they want to hear. Scripture explains: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teach-ers to say what their itching ears want to hear"(2 TIMOTHY 4:3). All too often, rather than recognize and listen to the Spirit of God man likes to go off on his own. Dear friends, test the spirits.
E. As believes in Christ we cannot take any credit for our faith. It is purely, simply out of God’s divine grace that any would come into the light of the knowledge of salvation. The gift of the Holy Spirit, sim-ply put, is faith. Christian faith is just that – God’s free gift to those who once were blinded by the dark-ness of sin. We rejoice. We are thankful. We are utterly amazed that God has made us his friends, chil-dren, beloved. Our Lord God has placed this responsibility of eternal salvation for sinful mankind upon his own shoulders. Jesus, before he ascended into heaven, promised "the Spirit of truth: The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you"(JOHN 14:17). Dear friends, listen to the Spirit of God who is alive and well in each one of us.
F. We live in a world that has much to offer. This world offers contentment, wealth, honor, glory, power, and comfort. Yet, all these things are not as important to the eternal benefits found in the forgiveness of sins. Nothing in this world is worth comparing to the great glory that is yet to be revealed in the lives of each believer. The Lord gives us encouragement to look beyond the worldliness of this earth. Today’s words from God remind us to listen to the Spirit of God. We do that by having a long-range focus. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"(HEBREWS 12:2).
CONC.: DEAR FRIENDS…TEST THE SPIRITS. There are many false spirits and false prophets and false teachers who take away from the truth of God’s word. We have been reminded today that the wis-dom of God is far superior to any earthly wisdom that can be discovered in this world. By God’s free grace, we are given the privilege and insight to test the spirits. In this testing of what is right and true we will recognize the Spirit of God. Recognizing the Spirit of God we will also listen to the Spirit of God. We listen and follow God’s Spirit because of his great love for us. Because of God’s great love for us we also listen to the Spirit of God by loving others. "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will"(ROMANS 12:2). DEAR FRIENDS…TEST THE SPIRITS by recognizing God’s Spirit, listening and then following the Spirit of God. Amen.
Pastor Timm O. Meyer
EASTER 6 readings (ILCW – A): ACTS 17:22-31; 1 PETER 3:15-22; JOHN 14:15-21
