The Christian Walk

THE CHRISTIAN WALK

Text: 1 John 1:7

INTRODUCTION

1. Read Text

2. The term "walk" is reference to the life we live

a. Enoch walked with God and was no more for God took him the Hebrew writer says

b. We talk about people in all "walks of life"

c. Walk is how we live and is determined by what guides us in life

3. So how do we walk?

a. We will discuss the steps we must follow in order to walk the Christian walk and be found in the light of God

b. These steps we take are to be guided by the Bible which is the lamp to our feet and light to our path

4. Let’s all determine the walk the Christian walk and be a blessing to others and be found living for Him when He returns

TRANSITION: Step one:

I. Practice stewardship (1 John 2 15-24)

A. 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad"

1. There will be an accounting at the day of judgment of how you handled the blessings of God in your life

2. The question is whether I have done as God desired with His gifts:

a. Of time

b. Of resources

c. Of health

3. How did I use the blessings of Jesus in my life?

B. After all, remember that as a Christian you are not even yours

1. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s"

2. We, as Christians, were bought with a price, that means we are not ours anymore

a. I buy a car, I determine how it gets used

b. Not its former owner and not the car

c. Neither should we determine what we do without God

C. Whatever you have that God did not create and give to you can be used as you wish, all other things must involve Christian stewardship, being used in His service

TRANSITION: Step two:

II. Master yourself (1 John 2:27-29)

A. Be in control of your own faculties, physical, mental, and emotional

1. Self-control is the summative point of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:23)

2. God wants you to be in control of you

B. Paul further preaches self-control

1. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, "And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified"

2. We all want to win the prize, that is why we compete

3. Winning takes self-control

4. Paul says that he buffets his body (Not buffet-ed) so that he would be like the message of God, working on self-control

C. Conduct yourself so that you are what God is building in the Bible

TRANSITION: Step three:

III. Love your neighbor as yourself (1 John 3:17)

A. The 2nd commandment like the first, Matthew 22:39, "And the second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"

1. The "lawyer" was testing Jesus to get Him to make a mistake

2. Instead we get the ultimate theology lesson on God’s love

3. Love God above all else

4. Love other people at least as much as you love yourself

B. If we don’t then we are murderers according to 1 John 3:15

1. And no murderer has eternal life in him

2. We want eternal life so we must love our neighbors

TRANSITION: Step 4:

IV. Behave respectfully (1 John 3:8)

A. 1 Corinthians 13:5, "[Love] does not behave rudely…"

1. That’s how live acts toward others

2. And we must have love to have eternal life

B. Rude behavior comes from a lack of love and concern for others

1. Coarse talk and harsh words hurt those who hear

2. Dirty jokes and malicious gossip tears other people down

3. Our job as Christians is to build others up in the most holy faith and rude behavior undermines that work

C. Rude and unbecoming behavior is sinful and destructive and walking in darkness not in the light of God

TRANSITION: Step 5:

V. Do not encourage others to sin (1 John 3:10)

A. Romans 14:20-21, "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak"