Growing in your fellowship with God and Others

Sermon Outline

1. Introduction (1Jn 1:3)
2. The Character/Nature of God as Revealer (1Jn 1:5)
   1. Notice he didn’t say Light is God.
   2. What does light do?
      1. Light illuminates things. Brings understanding, clarity, sense of perception.
      2. Light reduces stress and depression.
      3. Light causes growth.
   3. An allusion to God’s revealed identity and function in the world and not to an abstract definition.
   4. OT passages on God and Light (Ps 4:6; Hab 3:4, Gen 1:3; Isa 45:7, Isa 9:2; 60:1-3, Isa 51:4; Ps 36:10; 119:105; Prov 6:23, Isa 10:17, Ps 27:1; Isa 60:19-20, Ps 43:3)
   5. The Character/Nature of God has Ethical Implications for people
3. 3 Barriers to Fellowship with God and Others
   1. Persisting in known Sin (1Jn 1:6, Romans 6:1-2)
   2. Self-deception: Excusing away our sin (1Jn 1:8)
   3. Perfectionism: Denying all sin (1Jn 1:10)
   4. Consequences of these 3 is growing greater too!
4. Aids to Fellowshipping with God and Others
   1. Believing what God says
   2. Walking like Christ (1Jn 1:7)
      1. Jesus is the Light of the World (Jn 8:12)
      2. Walking in the light is described in many ways in 1Jn and Gospel of John. (1Jn 2:11, 4:7-8, 2:4-5, Jn 3:19-21, 12:46)
   3. Confessing Sin (1Jn 1:9)