We start a new six-week series, “Salvation And Suffering” that will lead us up to Easter.

In this first Servant Song from Isaiah 42 we learn that God gives us his servant, to give us everything God knows we need. God commissions his servant to care for us, to covenant with us and to confirm for us that God is who He says He is and to confirm His promises to us.

John ends his letter reminding Christians that we have eternal life, that we can know certain things, especially assurance of saving faith. John emphasizes that a right understanding of God leads to a right living before God. Assurance will buttress our faith and keep us living for Christ. If we are in Christ He will help us persevere, protects us from the evil one, and carry us to eternal life. John closes by warning us to avoid idols—which are counterfeits that lead to death.

John uses repetition to establish the truth about Jesus that is the foundation of saving faith. This faith leads to love for God and love for His people. The one who has this faith in Jesus will obey God’s commands. In fact, God will empower the one with faith in Jesus to obey him and to overcome the world.

In this text, John teaches us that love is defined by God because it comes from God. God initiated love for us by sending Jesus Christ to be the propitiation for our sins, and that should cause us to worship. He reminds us that because we have received this love we ought to love others, not strictly out of obligation but out of a responsive and authentic love. May we love like Christ this week, and always that others may see His love made complete in us.

The purpose of this sermon is to teach into existence the reasons for small group ministry which will begin this winter.

All through the Bible we see that the normative state of all believers is to live in community with other believers. Christ as the head of the church has structured the church for members to be equipped and then build up His church into unity and faith. Ultimately, we are to walk in a sweet unity maintained by a diversity that Christ creates and empowers to cause the church to grow in love.

John pastorally guides his “Little Children”—that is, believers in his church to know they must test the spirits who represent two types of teaching. One teaching is true and from God, the other teaching is false and from the devil. The true teaching will always Biblically represent the Lord Jesus as having two natures, being fully human and fully divine and agree with all that Jesus taught and said. We too must assess according to Scripture everything we hear and are taught, then hold on to the true and reject the false.

In this text, John contrasts the difference between those who love and those who do not love. Because God elects us, adopts us and gives us His Spirit—we must have love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. To not have this brotherly love is cast doubt on whether we are abiding in Christ. Just as Christ met us in our deepest need, we are to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters and love them sacrificially.

John is in essence asking here, "Are you born of God?" John is giving an affectionate appeal to build our confidence that we are children of God. If you really are a child of God you will look characteristically like your Father—righteous. Because there is an incompatibility to live in habitual sin and claim to be born of God. If you are one who is living in sin go to the Advocate, Jesus Christ and confess your sin, turn from it and ask God to empower you to fight your sin and walk in righteousness.

How can you be sure if what you say you believe and who you say you know is legitimate? In this text John provides three ways to measure your profession and possession of faith. The true measure relates to your obedience, love, and doctrine.

The Apostle John wrote these verses to refute false teaching in his day. This teaches us the practical aspect of the faith—that to believe the gospel is to live the gospel and to live the gospel is to believe the gospel. You do this by walking in the light, as God is in the light, appropriating the gospel by confessing your sin constantly, fighting your sin, and living in and through Christ who is our righteous advocate.