1. Of course there are other things that are certainties in this life - Sun will come up / ocean will be there ! Bulls win NBA / So on & so forth

Aa) There are some things in this life that you know you can be certain of !

2. Same is true in our spiritual lives /Things we need to be certain of !/ As Christians we need to be able to say WE KNOW - w/ confidence!

1. In fact, word "know" occurs 39 times in this short epistle & 8 times in this final chapter

2. In this last section of 1 John / John gives us several certainties we can build our lives on!/ We can say I know w/ confidence! / Taking notes jot down -

1. If Jesus is not the Son of God then He could not make atonement for our sins - So this is important thing to be certain about

2. But in Jesus’ day some thought Him to be a deceiver - a liar!

C) Others have tried to say that Jesus was just a good guy - good moral teacher

Cc) And in John’s day there was a certain false teaching making it’s way into the churches. Similar - New Age today

4. Teaching suggested that Jesus was just a normal man who at his baptism had "the Christ - anointing come upon Him"

1. This anointing or Christ consciousness as the New Agers might suggest stayed on Him until death on cross

5. These type of accusations bring up a good question / how can we be certain that Jesus is who He said He was ? God in the flesh & the only way to God ?

1. Now - the most certain proof that Jesus is exactly who He said He was is the Rez/ the fact that His tomb is empty ! Proofs it

F) But here in Chapt. 5 John refutes this false teaching by presenting 4 infallible witnesses to prove Jesus is God.

1. when all 3 persons of the godhead converged there at the Baptism of Jesus /

2. God the Son was being baptized - God the Father spoke "This is my beloved Son in whom well pleased"

1. God the Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove!

3. This was the inauguration of His public ministry by the Father / H. Spirit

1. so first - witness of Water / happened at His baptism

1. There the Father gave further witness!

B)Few days before His crucifixion - John 12:28 - during Passover week -Jesus said Father glorify thy name

1) Father spoke "I have both glorified my name & will again"

3. When Jesus was on the cross / supernatural darkness; earthquake; dead out of the grave; veil in temple ripped

1. caused centurion to respond "Truly this was the Son of God!" -

1. John 15:26 - "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

2. John 16:13,14 - "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come "He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

3. Now listen closely - H.S. job - the thing He delights in is - testifying of Jesus and bringing glory to Jesus

1. If He took form of dove today - descended into this Sanctuary and talked - He would say it’s Jesus - Look Him; Love Him; serve Him

4. Now I say this because in some Christian circles - so much attention give to HS

1. He is the focus! But John tells us in Ch. 15,16 His desire is to testify of Christ - point people to Christ - glorify Christ!

1. He bears witness through gifts given to believers - and most importantly through the Word!

2. In V.7 John says there are 3 who bear witness in Heaven - Father - (Word = Jesus) - Spirit bear witness in Heaven / these 3 are one

1. Now although V.7 - is a true statement most scholars believe it is not in original manuscripts -( added later manuscripts by over zealous scribe)

3. No Printing Press / hand copied - repeat /
4. Bible talks about Trinity Many places / - Gen.1 - Let us - compound unity - 3 who make one - yet the Bible also says that the Lord our God is one Lord !

1) Personally I think it fits beautifully in the context of what is said in v. 8,9

D) Note that Phrase : This is the Witness that God Has testified of His Son! When ? At the Baptism/ At the Cross / through the Spirit /and through the scriptures

1. Since we believe the witness of men /O.T. law required 3 witnesses / John says - witness of God is greater!

E) And God The Father has testified of Jesus God the Son!

But there is one more witness that John speaks of ! The 4^th - Witness - the believer Himself .10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

2. Note: He who believes in the Son has witness in himself

1. H.S. indwells believer /-( home in your heart! Cries Abba)

When He does - change - inside out!

3. Witness to the fact - God is at work in our Hearts ! Molding / Changing

4. My Dad - ( Radical Change - saved marriage - saved our Family) / Times in High School tempted to doubt "only Jesus could make that change!"

2. I experience work of God daily in my life! I know the voice of the spirit in me!

1. -1^st Jesus is source of eternal life! v.11 This is the testimony God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son!

B) The term eternal life can be translated age abiding life - not only speaks of a Quantity of life - live eternally / but also of Quality of life experience now !

3. Jesus is source of physical life: John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

1) Bible says He upholds all things by the Word of His power!

1. John 10:10 - "I have come … more abundantly"

2. Jesus said if any man is hungry or thirsty let him come to me ! Jesus Drew men to Himself / He doesn’t just promise bread - says I am the Bread of Life

1. not only opens door He says - I am the door; / Not only shows way - says I am the Way!

2. Know Jesus/ KNOW LIFE / No Jesus - no life!

3. Life in the 90’s has been aptly described as a grind / People try to see how much they can pack into their lives on a regular basis !

Cc) For some the extent of their life is will I make it through today's grind / Will I grind it out or will I get ground up!

D) Others life is waiting for the big event to happen where things change

D) Guys there is so much more to life than trying to make it through the grind / wondering if you will be ground up

1. It is not about waiting for your luck to change / Life is knowing

E) Know Jesus is the substance of our Life !

A) Talking assurance ? Do you know you have eternal life

2. Know your saved ? How Know ? Have you believed on the name of the Son of God ? Believe = Cling to trust in rely upon Him

1) Your trust is in Jesus is who said He was / Only one who could save Me !

1. The confidence we have is in Him! ( Not about Us)

1. Romans 8:1 "Therefore now no condemnation .. in Christ"

2. Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession .For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1. Horrible day - come to Him - In Jesus’ name - by His blood - access!

2. Come boldly - know I am going to be heard! I am welcome / be received !

1. Ask according to His will! He hears us / How do we know His will?

2. John 15:7 - Insight if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you will and it shall be done for you"

C) Gain a key insight I will discover what the Lord’s heart & will are for my life & for individual situations as I spend time w/ Him / time in His word!

1) Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in Lord - give you desires of heart!

D) Disciples / send away / sheep w/out shepherd! / Views people as lost - need of shepherd - (fed them) Hungry need of being fed

5. Another time - send children away - no suffer little children to come unto me!

6. Anyone causes little one to stumble better mill stone …

1. learned - Jesus loves kids

1. Plus James said /James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

B)Lack wisdom ask God will freely answer-! Question is are we willing to listen

Are we willing to wait for an answer ?

3. What a foolish person, we might say, but isn't this the way some of us pray? We tell the Lord all about our needs, but then fail to "hold the line."

1. As a result, we miss the joy of answered prayer and the thrill and reward of a persistent faith.

A) One of most damaging things in a church practice of spreading rumors & gossip

2. But if see a person in sin - what are you to do? Blast them - confront them! Get in face - "What are you doing" John says pray!

1. Pray open eyes / Pray sin make them puke / pray come to senses/ pray

C) It has been rightly said - "Prayer changes things" - and we looked at the importance of prayer a few studies ago

1. "Loving & praying" - how prayer changes us and them -

I read the story of a young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. "That depends," replied the foreman. "Let's see you fell this tree." The young man stepped forward and skillfully felled a great tree. the foreman was Impressed, said , "Start Monday!"

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by, and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, "You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today."

The Young man was Startled "I thought you paid on Friday." the foreman, "answered "Normally we do," but we're letting you go today because you've fallen behind. Our daily felling charts show that you've dropped from first place on Monday to last on Wednesday."

The young man objected "But I'm a hard worker,". "I arrive first, leave last, and even have worked through my coffee breaks!"

The foreman, sensing the boy's integrity thought for a minute and then asked, "Have you been sharpening your ax?"

The young man replied, "I've been working too hard to take the time." Problem

How about you? Have you been too busy, too hard at work to sharpen your ax?

Prayer is the hone that gives you that sharp edge. Without it, the more work you do, the duller you'll get.

" One Chief concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray."

There is so much power in prayer / What do if you see a brother or sister in sin ! Pray - Before you do or say anything else Pray !

1. What does that mean? Sin leading to death?/ Spiritual or physical? (to be honest I’m not sure what means)

2. I think could mean - physical - because we see that in scripture

1. Moses - sin - lead to physical death before entered promised land - pastored church all backslider except 2
2. Achan -
3. Nadab & Abiha - sons of Aaron the priest died because deliberately disobeyed the Lord

3. In N.T. we have example of Ananias & Sapphira!

1. Tim Zizikas

1. 1^st - all sin is destructive: The Christian who thinks he is going to flirt w/ sin is in for a rude awakening!

2. Math/ - Add - problems. Subtract joy. Multiply sorrows. Divide heart!

1. Sin brings death - your spiritual life will be devastated and your sin will find you out!

3. 2^nd thing: we can learn here is there might come a time when the Lord says don’t pray for that person any more!

1. Jer 7:16 ""Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.

4. Abraham w/ Sodom and Gomorrah stopped at 10 righteous!

1. 1^st know that a true Believer cannot live habitually in sin! V. 18a We know that whoever is born of God does not sin;
2. We have dealt w/ this already in Ch. 1, 2, & Ch. 3 / Reason is because the H.S. is in him / conviction !

1. Alarm - gossip don’t listen / movie don’t watch

3. Plus we are told that whom the Lord loves He Chastens ! Spank you / seek to make you miserable in that sin !

1. No conviction / no discipline / not saved ! That's simple !

2^nd thing Know who you belong to ! V.18b He who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

1. V.18b - He is capitalized & himself - really him

2. Read He who has been born or begotten of God (Jesus - God’s only begotten Son) Keeps him ( the believer) from the wicked one!

3. See the key isn’t keeping myself! It’s not holding on w/ all my might or - but realizing I’m in His hands!

4. Right away we are reminded of the picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd

5. John 17:12 "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

2 Tim 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

Jude 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

1. We know we belong to God - In Jesus’ hands - but we also know the world belongs to devil 3^rd thing know

4^th WE know that the Christian life is the real life ! Life that is true ! Because John says in v. 20 We know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

B) Back to v. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.