Auburn SDA Church
Being Born Again
  • At the Cross

      • 1 John 2.28-29NKJV

      • 1 John 3.1-2NKJV

      • 1 John 3.3NKJV

  • When I was a child, my father brought home a twelve-year-old boy named Roger, whose parents had died from a drug overdose. There was no one to care for Roger, so my folks decided they would raise him as their own. At first it was difficult for Roger to adjust to his new home. Several times a day, I heard my parents saying to Roger, “No, no. That’s not how we behave in this family.” “No, no. You don’t have to scream or fight or hurt other people to get what you want.” “No, no, Roger, we expect you to show respect in this family.” In time, Roger began to change. Did he have to make those changes to become part of the family? No. He was part of the family by the grace of my father. But did he have to work hard because he was in the family? You bet he did. It was tough for Roger to change, and he had to work at it. But he was motivated by gratitude for the amazing love he had received. Do you have a lot of hard work to do now that the Spirit has adopted you into God’s family? Certainly. But not to become a son or a daughter of the heavenly Father. No, you make those changes because you are a son or daughter. And every time you start to revert back to the old addictions to sin, the Holy Spirit will say to you, “No, no. That’s not how we act in this family.”

    When He Appears

    1 John 2:28 ESV
    And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
    I covered the topic
    of abiding in Christ
    in last sermon.
    Confidence
    Assurance.
    parrēsia
    “freedom of speech”
    Ability to talk
    openly
    plainly
    boldly.
    Right to Remain Silent
    Presence of Lawyer
    “Off-Record”
    We may have confidence
    in what Christ has done
    and our surrender.
    John want us to:
    1 John 2:28 ESV
    not shrink from him in shame at his coming
    We can and should
    have confidence of
    our standing with God.
    Those who are not ready
    are ashamed.
    Their sins are not covered.
    Let us be clear,
    our confidence is not
    in our estimation of ourselves.
    Rather,
    In God’s covering grace.
    Confidence in His blood.
    “When He Appears”
    is referring to the 2nd coming.
    We can live a life
    of readiness for
    the 2nd Coming.
    And be confident.
    Ken shares how he was once on holiday in the south of France and saw a magnificent yacht moored in the harbour. She had a crew of twenty-four. He met the captain who was having coffee in the marina, and asked him about the yacht. He told him that every day the crew took her out to sea to check on safety procedures. Every day the yacht was cleaned to perfection. She was provisioned, and every day they were ready to sail. He then added, wistfully, “We have not seen or heard from the owner for nearly three years, but we are ready to set sail the moment he arrives, and I know he will turn up one day, I hope soon.” – This is how we should live, getting on with the job in hand, as well as we can, as we anticipate the return of Jesus.
    Ken Costa, God At Work, 2013, London: Alpha International, p.38
    But the next verse,
    adds further detail.

    Practicing Righteousness

    1 John 2:29 ESV
    If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
    I just finished say,
    our confidence is not
    in our righteousness.
    Nonetheless,
    John moves to that topic.
    John is clear,
    those who are preparing
    for Christ’s coming
    (abiding in Him)
    will be “practicing righteousness.”
    John reaffirms same concept
    few verses down:
    1 John 3:9 ESV
    No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
    It is interresting
    that the word “practice”
    is used here.
    Makes me think of
    certain professions.
    “Practicing Medicine’
    “Practicing Law”.
    It does not mean
    that they are beginners.
    It does not mean that
    they are goofing around.
    It does not mean that
    your case does not matter.
    Practicing means
    they are doing it.
    They are not just studying
    they concepts of medicine.
    They are living the life
    of a doctor/lawyer.
    And of course,
    they are still learning
    along that journey.
    WE are to
    “PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
    NOT PRACTICE SIN.
    The story is told about a stage coach company was hiring teamsters to drive its stage coaches through a mountainous area. The local office manager had advertised for the position and people began to apply for the job. As they were interviewed, the boss asked each applicant, “How close can you drive the team to the edge of the cliff as you round the mountain.” The first fellow replied that he was skilled enough that he could drive the stage coach within three feet of the edge of the cliff. The boss thanked him for his time and called in the next applicant.
    In the course of the interview, the boss asked the next man the same question. He replied that he could drive the team and coach within one foot of the edge of the cliff. He likewise was thanked for his time and the next applicant was called in. The boss asked this fellow the same question. He replied, “I would drive the coach as far from the edge of the cliff as I possibly could.” He got the job! This story clearly illustrates the biblical principle of separation. There is great wisdom in steering our kids as far from the edge of the world as possible.
    Gabriel Ruhl
    How can we not
    practice sin?
    Don’t see how close
    you can get to the edge.

    Born of God

    1 John 2:29 ESV
    If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
    So if we are
    born of God
    we practice righteousness.
    But how do I even become
    a child of God?
    It is tempting to think
    you become child of God
    by practicing righteousness.
    That is not what John teaches.
    John 1:12–13 ESV
    But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
    How can we
    become children of God?
    Receive God
    Believe God.
    Practicing righteousness
    comes as a result of
    time spent as son of God.
    So let’s focus on
    the sonship.
    not on the
    being good enough.
    “I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was...”
    —John Newton

    Adoption

    1 John 3:1 ESV
    See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
    1 John 3:2 ESV
    Beloved, we are God’s children now...
    What an amazing gift.
    God chooses to
    officially adopt us.
    We were originally
    the children of God.
    We were made in His image.
    At the fall,
    Satan wanted to adopt us.
    The truth is,
    some have accepted
    him as their father.
    Jesus was in a argument
    with some leading Jews
    and he said:
    John 8:44 ESV
    You are of your father the devil...
    A few verses prior:
    John 8:42 ESV
    Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God...
    It seems clear,
    we have two daddies
    vying for legal paternity.
    Both want to adopt us
    as their child.
    We get to choose.
    Foster Child
    passed from home to home.
    finally adopted...
    Child would
    likely carry baggage
    fear
    anxiety
    safety
    love
    security.

    Like Father, Like Son

    1 John 3:2 ESV
    Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
    As the old saying goes,
    the apple doesn’t fall
    from the tree.
    In the beginning,
    God created us
    “in His image.”
    As Sons and Daughters
    we were supposed to be
    “LIKE HIM.”
    How is it that
    a son is like his father?
    a daughter is like her mother?
    Simple,
    kids mimic their parents
    because they are
    with them all the time.
    Jesus wants us to
    be like Him
    when He returns.
    How can we?
    Spend time with Him.
    A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.
    This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
    Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind. "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it."
    This gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough."
    And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have
    not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"
    The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself."
    "Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend will now move the rock."

    Purity

    1 John 3:3 ESV
    And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    Let’s be careful here.
    We can’t purify ourselves
    without God’s help.
    Remember,
    We become like Daddy
    by time spent with Him.
    How do we purify ourselves?
    By becoming like Daddy.
    Spending that time.
    Pretty soon,
    we will appear
    very different
    than the world.
    At one time Mr P.T. Barnum, head of the great Barnum & Bailey Circus, invited Charles Haddon Spurgeon of London to speak in the large tent at his traveling circus. He made every concession to make the offer attractive to Spurgeon. Barnum would provide the musical talent, unless Spurgeon wished to provide his own. He would provide any equipment or manpower Spurgeon desired. Spurgeon could speak as long or as short as he wished. There was only one basic stipulation! Barnum Circus Association would take the gate receipts and pay Spurgeon one thousand dollars per lecture.
    This was a generous offer in Spurgeon’s day. Many would doubtless have said, “What a wonderful opportunity to reach people with the Gospel!” But not Spurgeon.
    Knowing it would be wrong to join hands with the world, he sent a reply to Mr. Barnum:
    Dear Mr. Barnum:
    Thank you for your kind invitation to lecture in your circus tents in America. You will find my answer in Acts 13:10.
    Very sincerely yours,
    Charles H. Spurgeon
    If Mr. Barnum looked up Acts 13:10, he found these words: “O full of all subtility and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?”
    It is sad that not all Christians have such convictions.
    Source: The Gold Mine, Lee Roberson

    Appeal

    Communion is about.
    Celebrating our relationship
    with our Daddy.
    And allowing Him
    to cleanse us
    and make us like Him.
    This happens through
    power of His blood:
    Forgiveness.
    And through time
    spent with Him:
    Sanctification.

      • 1 John 2:28NKJV

      • 1 John 2:28NKJV

      • 1 John 2:29NKJV

      • 1 John 3:9NKJV

      • 1 John 2:29NKJV

      • John 1:12–13NKJV

      • 1 John 3:1NKJV

      • 1 John 3:2NKJV

      • John 8:44NKJV

      • John 8:42NKJV

      • John 14:18NKJV

      • Romans 8:15NKJV

      • Ephesians 1:5NKJV

      • Galatians 4:4–5NKJV

      • 1 John 3:2NKJV

      • 1 John 3:3NKJV

  • Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
  • How Cheering Is the Christian's Hope
  • Hark! 'Tis the Shepherd's Voice I Hear
  • Baptize Us Anew
  • At the Cross

      • Revelation 1.18NKJV

      • 1 John 2.28-29NKJV

      • 1 John 3.1-2NKJV

      • 1 John 3.3NKJV

  • When I was a child, my father brought home a twelve-year-old boy named Roger, whose parents had died from a drug overdose. There was no one to care for Roger, so my folks decided they would raise him as their own. At first it was difficult for Roger to adjust to his new home. Several times a day, I heard my parents saying to Roger, “No, no. That’s not how we behave in this family.” “No, no. You don’t have to scream or fight or hurt other people to get what you want.” “No, no, Roger, we expect you to show respect in this family.” In time, Roger began to change. Did he have to make those changes to become part of the family? No. He was part of the family by the grace of my father. But did he have to work hard because he was in the family? You bet he did. It was tough for Roger to change, and he had to work at it. But he was motivated by gratitude for the amazing love he had received. Do you have a lot of hard work to do now that the Spirit has adopted you into God’s family? Certainly. But not to become a son or a daughter of the heavenly Father. No, you make those changes because you are a son or daughter. And every time you start to revert back to the old addictions to sin, the Holy Spirit will say to you, “No, no. That’s not how we act in this family.”

    When He Appears

    1 John 2:28 ESV
    And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
    I covered the topic
    of abiding in Christ
    in last sermon.
    Confidence
    Assurance.
    parrēsia
    “freedom of speech”
    Ability to talk
    openly
    plainly
    boldly.
    Right to Remain Silent
    Presence of Lawyer
    “Off-Record”
    We may have confidence
    in what Christ has done
    and our surrender.
    John want us to:
    1 John 2:28 ESV
    not shrink from him in shame at his coming
    We can and should
    have confidence of
    our standing with God.
    Those who are not ready
    are ashamed.
    Their sins are not covered.
    Let us be clear,
    our confidence is not
    in our estimation of ourselves.
    Rather,
    In God’s covering grace.
    Confidence in His blood.
    “When He Appears”
    is referring to the 2nd coming.
    We can live a life
    of readiness for
    the 2nd Coming.
    And be confident.
    Ken shares how he was once on holiday in the south of France and saw a magnificent yacht moored in the harbour. She had a crew of twenty-four. He met the captain who was having coffee in the marina, and asked him about the yacht. He told him that every day the crew took her out to sea to check on safety procedures. Every day the yacht was cleaned to perfection. She was provisioned, and every day they were ready to sail. He then added, wistfully, “We have not seen or heard from the owner for nearly three years, but we are ready to set sail the moment he arrives, and I know he will turn up one day, I hope soon.” – This is how we should live, getting on with the job in hand, as well as we can, as we anticipate the return of Jesus.
    Ken Costa, God At Work, 2013, London: Alpha International, p.38
    But the next verse,
    adds further detail.

    Practicing Righteousness

    1 John 2:29 ESV
    If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
    I just finished say,
    our confidence is not
    in our righteousness.
    Nonetheless,
    John moves to that topic.
    John is clear,
    those who are preparing
    for Christ’s coming
    (abiding in Him)
    will be “practicing righteousness.”
    John reaffirms same concept
    few verses down:
    1 John 3:9 ESV
    No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
    It is interresting
    that the word “practice”
    is used here.
    Makes me think of
    certain professions.
    “Practicing Medicine’
    “Practicing Law”.
    It does not mean
    that they are beginners.
    It does not mean that
    they are goofing around.
    It does not mean that
    your case does not matter.
    Practicing means
    they are doing it.
    They are not just studying
    they concepts of medicine.
    They are living the life
    of a doctor/lawyer.
    And of course,
    they are still learning
    along that journey.
    WE are to
    “PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
    NOT PRACTICE SIN.
    The story is told about a stage coach company was hiring teamsters to drive its stage coaches through a mountainous area. The local office manager had advertised for the position and people began to apply for the job. As they were interviewed, the boss asked each applicant, “How close can you drive the team to the edge of the cliff as you round the mountain.” The first fellow replied that he was skilled enough that he could drive the stage coach within three feet of the edge of the cliff. The boss thanked him for his time and called in the next applicant.
    In the course of the interview, the boss asked the next man the same question. He replied that he could drive the team and coach within one foot of the edge of the cliff. He likewise was thanked for his time and the next applicant was called in. The boss asked this fellow the same question. He replied, “I would drive the coach as far from the edge of the cliff as I possibly could.” He got the job! This story clearly illustrates the biblical principle of separation. There is great wisdom in steering our kids as far from the edge of the world as possible.
    Gabriel Ruhl
    How can we not
    practice sin?
    Don’t see how close
    you can get to the edge.

    Born of God

    1 John 2:29 ESV
    If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
    So if we are
    born of God
    we practice righteousness.
    But how do I even become
    a child of God?
    It is tempting to think
    you become child of God
    by practicing righteousness.
    That is not what John teaches.
    John 1:12–13 ESV
    But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
    How can we
    become children of God?
    Receive God
    Believe God.
    Practicing righteousness
    comes as a result of
    time spent as son of God.
    So let’s focus on
    the sonship.
    not on the
    being good enough.
    “I am not what I might be, I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I wish to be, I am not what I hope to be. But I thank God I am not what I once was...”
    —John Newton

    Adoption

    1 John 3:1 ESV
    See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
    1 John 3:2 ESV
    Beloved, we are God’s children now...
    What an amazing gift.
    God chooses to
    officially adopt us.
    We were originally
    the children of God.
    We were made in His image.
    At the fall,
    Satan wanted to adopt us.
    The truth is,
    some have accepted
    him as their father.
    Jesus was in a argument
    with some leading Jews
    and he said:
    John 8:44 ESV
    You are of your father the devil...
    A few verses prior:
    John 8:42 ESV
    Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God...
    It seems clear,
    we have two daddies
    vying for legal paternity.
    Both want to adopt us
    as their child.
    We get to choose.
    Foster Child
    passed from home to home.
    finally adopted...
    Child would
    likely carry baggage
    fear
    anxiety
    safety
    love
    security.

    Like Father, Like Son

    1 John 3:2 ESV
    Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
    As the old saying goes,
    the apple doesn’t fall
    from the tree.
    In the beginning,
    God created us
    “in His image.”
    As Sons and Daughters
    we were supposed to be
    “LIKE HIM.”
    How is it that
    a son is like his father?
    a daughter is like her mother?
    Simple,
    kids mimic their parents
    because they are
    with them all the time.
    Jesus wants us to
    be like Him
    when He returns.
    How can we?
    Spend time with Him.
    A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.
    This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.
    Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind. "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it."
    This gave the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough."
    And that is what he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have
    not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"
    The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself."
    "Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend will now move the rock."

    Purity

    1 John 3:3 ESV
    And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    Let’s be careful here.
    We can’t purify ourselves
    without God’s help.
    Remember,
    We become like Daddy
    by time spent with Him.
    How do we purify ourselves?
    By becoming like Daddy.
    Spending that time.
    Pretty soon,
    we will appear
    very different
    than the world.
    At one time Mr P.T. Barnum, head of the great Barnum & Bailey Circus, invited Charles Haddon Spurgeon of London to speak in the large tent at his traveling circus. He made every concession to make the offer attractive to Spurgeon. Barnum would provide the musical talent, unless Spurgeon wished to provide his own. He would provide any equipment or manpower Spurgeon desired. Spurgeon could speak as long or as short as he wished. There was only one basic stipulation! Barnum Circus Association would take the gate receipts and pay Spurgeon one thousand dollars per lecture.
    This was a generous offer in Spurgeon’s day. Many would doubtless have said, “What a wonderful opportunity to reach people with the Gospel!” But not Spurgeon.
    Knowing it would be wrong to join hands with the world, he sent a reply to Mr. Barnum:
    Dear Mr. Barnum:
    Thank you for your kind invitation to lecture in your circus tents in America. You will find my answer in Acts 13:10.
    Very sincerely yours,
    Charles H. Spurgeon
    If Mr. Barnum looked up Acts 13:10, he found these words: “O full of all subtility and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?”
    It is sad that not all Christians have such convictions.
    Source: The Gold Mine, Lee Roberson

    Appeal

    Communion is about.
    Celebrating our relationship
    with our Daddy.
    And allowing Him
    to cleanse us
    and make us like Him.
    This happens through
    power of His blood:
    Forgiveness.
    And through time
    spent with Him:
    Sanctification.

      • 1 John 2:28NKJV

      • 1 John 2:28NKJV

      • 1 John 2:29NKJV

      • 1 John 3:9NKJV

      • 1 John 2:29NKJV

      • John 1:12–13NKJV

      • 1 John 3:1NKJV

      • 1 John 3:2NKJV

      • John 8:44NKJV

      • John 8:42NKJV

      • John 14:18NKJV

      • Romans 8:15NKJV

      • Ephesians 1:5NKJV

      • Galatians 4:4–5NKJV

      • 1 John 3:2NKJV

      • 1 John 3:3NKJV

  • Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
  • When I am Afraid
  • Risen For Me
  • He Lives Again
  • Shining Brightly
  • Building Zion
  • Anytime, Anywhere
  • To Be His Child
  • Grateful Anyway
  • How I Love to Take a Walk
  • Stop and Smell the Roses
  • A Child's Prayer
Auburn SDA Church
29 members • 12 followers