How have you been lately?
On the last Sunday of June, we received our last sermon of the 1 John series, “Life in His Light and Love.†John closed this letter with words of vital importance. He described the confident faith we have in Jesus.
This confident faith leads us to pray freely and delightfully, knowing that we have free access to the Father. This confident faith leads us to know who is for us and not fear who is against us. This confident faith leads us to worship the one true God by keeping ourselves from idols.
How is your prayer life? Have you freely approached and embraced our Heavenly Father through prayer? John says that we have that privilege in Christ. God shines His face upon us, because He turned His face away from His own Son on the cross.
Have you lived in fear lately? Fear of rejection? Exposure? Judgment? Failure? Temptation? Pain? Death? Have you feared the Evil One or the world? John says that we don’t have to fear, but instead we can be confident in Christ. There is nothing that will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, because He was the One who was separated on the cross for our sake.
How have you worshiped? We are worshiping beings. John Calvin labels the heart as an “idol factory,†because our hearts are prone to worship idols if we do not worship God. What has been the object of your worship lately? Idols or God? Creation or the Creator? Gifts or the Giver? Things that are finite or God who is infinite? Things that are fleeting or God who is eternal? John says that we are able to sacrifice our idols and live in worship, because Jesus was sacrificed on our behalf in His ultimate worship on the cross.
How has your life looked lately? Is it marked by confident faith? Is it marked by prayer and boldness? Is it marked by worship? If you’re like me, it is not. We need Him so desperately. Let us go to Him today. Let us run to our Father. Let us cling to Christ who was crucified for us.
Hope all of you can make it for worship on Sunday! See you then!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim