5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of
God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child.
5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love
God and obey his commandments.
5:3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And
his commandments are not burdensome,
5:4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the
victory that conquers the world, our faith.
5:5 Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that
Jesus is the Son of God?
5:6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not
with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit
is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
I believe that I'm supposed to preach something this week on the
first 2 verses of this passage; that is, on being "children of God."
My sermons are for a hospital chapel service that is also on closed
circuit TV throughout the hospital. It may have to do with identity
kinds of things, I'm not sure (Like how we often identify ourselves
by our occupations - doctor, lawyer, housewife, preacher, etc) I
think the Psalm may play a part in it, also, with the joyful,
possibly child-like spirit which it communicates. I've just read the
postings on the Gospel lesson,though, and they seem so heavy, all
about the struggle to "abide," to "persevere," and the difficulty of
staying Christian after you become Christian. It makes me wonder if
I'm missing the point. Any thoughts out there about tying this
passage to the Psalm, or how the good news is about being a child of
God? Thanks everyone for ALL your thoughts and postings. Janice in
Ks.
This past week, my wife bought some graduation cards. The front
cover had this simple line: "Life is good."
I thought how wonderfully counter-cultural that sentiment was!
Cynicism and the mentality of being a victim seem to be the
preferred ideologies of our time. My wife is no pollyanna; she's
experienced some of the grim realities of life. Yet, she can affirm
truthfully that life is good.
I think this has to do with the centrality of Jesus in her life. The
"commandments" of Jesus, to believe in Him and to love Him and
neighbor, are't "burdensome" unless you regard your faith
relationship with Christ as some grim obligation to be endured. Not
every experience we have in life is wonderful. There are tragedies
we endure.
But life is good. I mean that first, in terms of the life that God
has given us in what Bruce Cockburn has called our "world of
wonders." I mean it also in terms of the new life in Christ that all
who believe in Jesus are given. We know to Whom we belong and how
the story is going to end...and it's good.
No wonder the psalmist says, "Sing to the Lord a new song!"
So, Janice, I don't think you're being naive or missing the point of
this passage at all!
RE: vs 4 & 5: this fits into the Peace theme that I am using this
week... We can conquer the world for God through love and faith, by
living our lives for God through the love of Christ and the power of
the Holy Spirit. Conquer, that is, in the sense of establishing a
common interest, a base of communication, a feeling of inclusiveness
and recognition of brotherhood; not conquering in the sense of beat
them, rule over them, force them to conform to our ideas and
traditions 'or else.'Sort of ties in with John 15 and with the last
part of John 14. I am using John 14, verses 24-27 as part of the
scripture reading. Rev Jan in CNY
I am struck by verses 4 & 5. When one thinks of conquerers images of
victory parades and vanquished opponants come to mind. But the
victory of the children of God is not celebrated or even seen by the
world. Our victory is faith. While the world may see our faith it
hardly sees it as victory. The spoils of our conquest are hidden.
While the world remains intoxicated with power and control the
children of God have obtained the true prize - faith in Christ. What
a wonderful paradox. What a wonderful picture of a life of faith! I
would appreciate other thoughts on this as I develop this idea for
Sunday. Jeff in Western NY
I am focusing on verse six as it deals with the water that is our
entrance into the community of faith and the blood that was shed for
us. I will tie all this in with our memorial day theme. I have many
World War II veterans in the congregation. so this verse fits very
well. Sermon Title: "Blood is thicker than water"
SunCityRev
I think it ironic that this passage falls over the Memorial Day
weekend. The conquerers image may be an opportunity for us to look
at what we have tried to do in our world as Christian conquerers. I
think I may take advantage of this passage to give words of
encouragement to members of some of our church organizations,
specifically the men's and women's organizations, whose members are
getting discouraged because they have been losing members for years.
It will be a time to point them to the heart of what they do: our
faith is the victory that will conquer the world. Sharon Joseph
Since Easter I have been preaching on the ways of "walking in the
light"--since God is light and 1 John started us with that
verse--God is light--no darkness in God. Many in my congregation
know the "darkness" in the world first hand right now and this has
been a healing series. Last week--I preached on courage and boldness
that comes with the assurrance of love from one another and this
week will go on with victory over the darkness of the world that
comes from our "exercise" of faith. The commentaries all talk about
the confusing issues of 1 John but I have found the lections gentle
and healing. Of course Im a child of the 60s and love is a topic I
enjoy exploring!! sjeks
Thanks to whoever posted the response to my question. Are you the
same person who posted that awesome sermon? Your thoughts are much
appreciated. And are on target for where I think I need to go.
Thanks. Janice in Ks.
Children of God is a greatly under- appreciated phrase. Most of us
pretty much take for granted what it means to be child of whoever
our parents are, like fish never considering water.
There is a wonderful scene in Tolstoy's War and Peace, where the
main character, Pierre who has just lamented to his best friend,
Prince Aundrey, how one of his greatest grievances is that his
father never married his mother and how his father could never quite
acknolwedge that Pierre was his son. On his death bed Pierre's
father tells his son that he loves him and gives him a document
acknolwedging him as his son and sole heir to his vast fortune (and
Title). Pierre suddenly becomes a responsible person who wants to
build schools and hospitals to improve the life of the serfs on his
vast estate.
I am also reminded of the Movie "Dave" where a character played by
Kevin Kline is a look a like for the president, then secretly fills
in as president for several months after the president has had a
stroke which unknown to the public is debilitating. Dave is
"playing" president without really feeling legitimate. Yet at one
point Dave does something bold, courageous and creative and
accomplishes something truly important. Reflecting on this later the
first lady says, "I don't think you were just "playing" president.
Most of us have doubts about our own worthiness or importance. Most
of us feel like we are not living up to what we want to be. The
gospel says that who we are deep inside is really more wonderful
than what is visible on the surface. Others doubt us and we look at
where we are and doubt ourselves. But this epistle says there is
wonderful proof. When we are loving, that is absolute proof that we
are children of God and that our spirit is God's spirit living in
us. Its like the document Pierre recieved proclaiming him legitimate
heir and the next Count Bezukoff.
Janice, when we are in the hospital it is one of those times when we
don't feel like we can do anything to be worthy of the love of God
or others. To simply love others as a gift with no strings attached
is the essential family trait. Like some secret password, it is the
sign by which we know for certain that we are children of God.
Sometimes when we are being cared for, we feel there i
