Where There Is Root There Will Be Fruit

AWHERE THERE IS ROOT THERE WILL BE FRUIT@

1 JOHN 3:4-10

INTRO: ILL: IF I WAS TO GO TO AN APPLE TREE AND SAY TO YOU THIS LOOKS LIKE AN ORANGE TREE TO ME AND I WANT AN ORANGE SO I AM GOING TO PLUCK AN ORANGE FROM THAT TREE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ME? YOU CAN’T GET AN ORANGE FROM AN APPLE TREE. WHAT IF I INSISTED THAT THE TREE LOOKS LIKE AN ORANGE TREE, IT MUST BE? I COULD TRY TO CONVINCE YOU I WAS RIGHT? YOU MIGHT SAY, INSPECT THE FRUIT AND YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU CANNOT GET AN ORANGE FROM AN APPLE TREE, ONLY APPLES! YOU WOULD BE CORRECT. THE APPEARANCE OF THE TREE MAY BE SIMILAR BUT THE FRUIT WILL TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

I SUBMIT TO YOU THIS MORNING THAT WE CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A CHARGE BY THE BIBLE TO BE SPIRITUAL FRUIT INSPECT’S. WE ARE TOLD HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL FRUIT AND FLESHLY FRUIT THAT A PERSON MAY BEAR. JUDGE WHAT WE SEE AGAINST THE FRUIT THAT GODS WORD SAYS PEOPLE WILL BEAR. GAL 5:16-17 &19-24. ONE EXAMPLE, GOD HAS GIVEN THIS CHARGE FOR TWO REASONS,

1- WHO IS LOST - IS IT IMPORTANT FOR A CHRISTIAN TO KNOW WHO IS LOST? YES, WITNESS, MEMBERSHIP, UNITY, LOVE.

2 – WHO IS A THREAT (IN SIN) - IS IT WRONG FOR A CHRISTIAN TO ASSUME SUCH HIGH JUDGMENT? NO, ILL. THE ANTICHRISTS PRETEND TO BE SOMEONE ELSE, SO THEY CAN SPY, STEAL, OR DESTROY. 4:1-6 AND OTHERS DESCRIBES PRETENDERS. SEE THEM SO WE CAN REACH THEM AND BE PROTECTED FROM THEM. SOME ARE WOLVES IN SHEEP CLOTHING; OTHERS ARE JUST LOST IN THE DARK. EITHER WAY WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THEM. DOESN’T MEAN ANYONE WHO WE DISAGREE WITH, BUT THOSE THAT ARE AANTI (AGAINST) CHRIST. HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE THESE PEOPLE? BECOME A FRUIT INSPECTOR. 1 JOHN 3:4-10 THERE ARE THREE REVEALING WAYS.....

I. KNOW WHAT SIN IS V4-5

1. WHAT IS SIN? A ROOT REBELLION V4

A. 5:17 “ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN” WRONG

B. 1:8 “IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN” DEFILEMENT

C. 3:4 DEFIANCE OR REBELLION - ALAWLESSNESS

1. EMPHASIS NOT ON SINS - PLURAL - FRUIT

2. EMPHASIS IS ON SIN - ONE – ROOT

2. WHAT SIN IS NOT? FRUIT OF THINGS V5

A. V4 AEVERYONE WHO SINS BREAKS THE LAW;@ US B/C

V5 AHE APPEARED SO THAT HE MIGHT TAKE AWAY OUR SINS.A

1. JESUS CAME TO TAKE AWAY SINS FRUIT

B. V4 AIN FACT, SIN IS LAWLESSNESS.@ ROOT-REBEL

V5 "IN HIM IS NO SIN.@ US IN CHRIST = NO SIN ROOT NO SIN FRUIT,

HE TAKES AWAY FRUIT BY KILLING THE ROOT

SO WE SEE THAT SIN IS NOT THINGS BUT IT IS A HEART OR A ROOT OF REBELLION AND DEFIANCE AGAINST (ANTI) CHRIST.

SIN ROOT = SIN FRUIT WHAT A FRUIT INSPECTOR CAN SEE IS DENIAL OF JESUS AS LORD AND KING.

NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT SIN IS WE CAN....

II. KNOW HOW SIN WORKS V6-7

1. SIN WORKS IN THE MIND (ROOT OF US)

A. SINNERS MIND IS SIN AWHOEVER SINS HAS NEITHER SEEN HIM NOR KNOWN HIM (PRACTICING)....@

1. WHAT ONE PRACTICES (ROOT) IS WHAT WILL BE SEEN IN LIFE (FRUIT)

ILL. YOU ARE GOOD AT WHAT YOU PRACTICE. JACK NICHOLAS FAN, I WANT TO PLAY LIKE

YOU, NO YOU DON=T OR YOU WOULD COME

OUT HERE 10 HOURS A DAY EVERYDAY TO

PRACTICE.

CONTRAST THIS TO..

B. CHRISTIANS MIND IS RIGHTEOUSNESS V6 ABIDES

1. DOESN’T MEAN NO SIN, BUT PRACTICING SIN WHAT YOU PRACTICE IN YOUR MIND WILL DICTATE WHAT YOU WILL BECOME GOOD

AT. PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS V7

KNOW HOW SIN WORKS, ON THE MIND OUR ROOT. THEN….

2. SIN WORKS ON THE WILL (OUR FRUIT)

CONVINCE THE MIND THE WILL FOLLOWS

A. FOR US TO ASSERT OUR WILL AGAINST GODS WILL IS REBELLION, WHICH IS ROOT SIN.

ILL. CHILD STANDING IN REAR SEAT, DAD SAYS SIT TWICE, CHILD SAYS ADADDY I=M STILL STANDING ON THE INSIDE@ WAS SHE IN REBELLION OR OBEY? HER FRUIT OBEYED BUT HER ROOT WAS IN SIN!

B. ROOT IS WHAT MATTERS, FRUIT WILL FOLLOW.

ILL. CHRISTIANS REMOVE SINS FRUIT- IT GROWS BACK

ROOT IS SIN - FRUIT JESUS NO!

ROOT IS JESUS - FRUIT IS SIN NO!

ROOT IS JESUS - FRUIT WILL BE LIKE JESUS

SIN WORKS IN OUR MINDS, JESUS SETS US FREE FROM THAT SIN. V5 IF A PERSON CONTINUES TO SIN AND THEY KNOW IT V6 AWHOEVER SINS HAS NEITHER SEEN HIM NOR KNOWN HIM.” NOW WE HAVE LEARNED WHAT SIN IS, HOW SIN WORKS, NOW WE NEED TO....

III. KNOW HOW SIN LOOKS V7-10

1. SIMPLE CONTRAST V7 AND V8

A. V7 ONE WHO DOES RIGHT (GODS RIGHT) HAS JESUS

B. V8 ONE WHO DOES WRONG HAS THE DEVIL