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or The New Commandment

1 John 5: 1-12   |   Sermon Notes   |   17 June 2012

Introduction

Jewish Christians were first opposed by unbelieving Jews, then by Jews who said they believed. Members of this latter group are called “Judaizers,” and they were the false teachers whom the apostles condemn in their letters.

Not only did these men pervert the gospel by including adherence to the Law of Moses, they also failed to keep the commandments of Jesus. This was Pharisaism dressed up in Christianity, the old leaven carried into the new age. The Pharisees loved to control people, while they failed to control themselves. This is the context of John’s letters to Jewish Christians: despite their profession, these men would be exposed by their lack of of certain things in their character.

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Spreadsheets and Shackles by G. Tyler Fischer (mp3)

This sermon continues our emphasis during the Lenten season on spiritual discipline. Last week’s sermon by Mr. Miller focused us on helpful images that call us to our battle with the world, the flesh and the Devil, this text takes us toward one of great trenches of our daily warfare—the battle of our desires for things, for control of people and for cultural dominion. None of these items are evil in and of themselves—in fact they are good—but they can become idols and so enslave us.

The intro doesn’t do it justice. Like many others, Fischer puts his finger on a big reason for the church’s failure in the west. But he tackles it in a big picture context.