We Are Family

Bethel Church Temple TX Podcast (Sermons)

We are Family
Series: Last Man Standing
March 17, 2024 Elwyn Johnston

1 John 3
Verse of the Week: “Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love other believers.” v. 10

1. Family provides identity
“God calls us His children, and that is what we are!” v. 1
“we are children of God” v. 2
“God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:6
“by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no
one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8 & 9

2. Family deals with tough issues
“Jesus appeared in order to take away our sins” v. 5
“The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” v. 8
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin” v. 9
“Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on
sinning, because they are children of God.” v. 9

3. Family means responsibilities
“Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love other believers.” v. 10
“everyone who has this hope fixed on Jesus purifies himself, just as He is pure.” v. 3
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the believers.” v. 14
“it has not yet been revealed what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him just as He is.” v. 2

4. Family gets favor
“Behold how great a love the Father has bestowed on us” v. 1
“may be able to comprehend with all God’s people what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge” Ephesians 3:18 & 19
“were by nature children of wrath” Ephesians 2:3
“put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God” Eph. 4:24
“Anyone who continues to live in Christ will not sin.” v. 6