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Listen "Sermon | 1 John 5:6-13 | "Life In the Son" by Rev. Joseph Sanford at Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin, Indiana"
Episode Synopsis
Sermon | 1 John 5:6-13 | "Life In the Son" by Rev. Joseph Sanford at Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin, Indiana
Fullness of Life, Life with God, Living in the Kingdom, abiding in God’s Reign, God’s system, Eternal Life: the Gospels and this letter are clear—Life in the Son extends beyond death…but it doesn’t wait until death to begin.
This is our story.
Way back in Genesis, the struggle was whether we truly trusted God or not.
God wanted humanity to eat from the tree of Life.
We wanted to eat from a different tree.
The struggle has echoed its way through the entire story of the Bible.
We find the tree of life symbolized everywhere…
And the beckon from God to trust.
in the Tabernacle and Temple (the menorah)
In Revelation, Jesus stands among the menorah completing the tree of life.
Time and again we choose our own tree—to have control for ourselves.
He came to show us how we can die to our need to be in control.
We can turn away from a life where we want the say-so
We can repent from a life wanting to act as if we are gods.
Jesus confronted the worst of humanity and was hung…on the tree…the ultimate tree where humanity said, “NO” to God’s own Son.
We KNEW for ourselves.
The worst of our rebelliousness couldn’t even recognize God in the flesh standing in front of us.
And Jesus died by the very tree of good and bad—the tree which robbed humanity of life.
BUT…Jesus said that he WAS the vine—the tree—of life.
We could live in him and he in us…that we could find life.
We could receive from the fruit of Christ’s tree—his blood and body—to share IN HIM with all who choose to live in his name— “God delivers”
And now we have redemption through him.
We can say, “No” to having control and determining the rules and letting things not go the way we want cause us to miss out on the Life we can find in Jesus’ name.
This means things will not always go our way.
We are presented the choice every day: will we trust in God and be a part of the family of God without expectation…or will we long for the tree of knowledge of good and bad?
If you want to experience eternal life right here and now… then give up the tree of control.
And if you find yourself reaching for its fruit, stop and reflect on why it is so alluring to you.
Pray and ask, what am I afraid of that I feel I NEED control of others…
That I need control of my life…
That I cannot trust the family which God has given me…
That I cannot trust the call to LOVE—to give of myself…
That I cannot help but to complicate this simple life of building others up…
Spend time in prayer and conversation.
Spend time listening to where the Spirit is speaking—where two or three are gathered
Look for where you are seeing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
So many times we can recognize the OTHER tree when we see separation, frustration, division, impulsiveness, coldness, the desire to withdraw ourselves, mistrust, harsh attitude, and flaring tempers.
The need for control is NEVER…EVER…EVER…satisfied.
We were not created to be god.
If you are tempted to grasp for control, instead, be in conversation, BUT not to find confirmation for your desire for control,
Spend some time truly weighing what people in your church family have to say of differing perspectives.
We can only grow together—as a part of the family of God.
We can only grow as a part of the tree of life, the vine, the Son…as one of many branches of the tree of Life
Only when WE CHOOSE live life together in His name can we find Life in the Son.
Trusting in Jesus NURTURES eternal life in us and through us.
When we say, “NO” to the tree of judgment and control…
And, instead, “YES” to the way of love revealed to us in Jesus Christ…
The love that casts out fear and grants us true peace in our lives lived here in this world.
And when we truly trust in Jesus as our Messiah…
We find LIFE and all that God can offer us in the Son here and now…and forevermore.
Fullness of Life, Life with God, Living in the Kingdom, abiding in God’s Reign, God’s system, Eternal Life: the Gospels and this letter are clear—Life in the Son extends beyond death…but it doesn’t wait until death to begin.
This is our story.
Way back in Genesis, the struggle was whether we truly trusted God or not.
God wanted humanity to eat from the tree of Life.
We wanted to eat from a different tree.
The struggle has echoed its way through the entire story of the Bible.
We find the tree of life symbolized everywhere…
And the beckon from God to trust.
in the Tabernacle and Temple (the menorah)
In Revelation, Jesus stands among the menorah completing the tree of life.
Time and again we choose our own tree—to have control for ourselves.
He came to show us how we can die to our need to be in control.
We can turn away from a life where we want the say-so
We can repent from a life wanting to act as if we are gods.
Jesus confronted the worst of humanity and was hung…on the tree…the ultimate tree where humanity said, “NO” to God’s own Son.
We KNEW for ourselves.
The worst of our rebelliousness couldn’t even recognize God in the flesh standing in front of us.
And Jesus died by the very tree of good and bad—the tree which robbed humanity of life.
BUT…Jesus said that he WAS the vine—the tree—of life.
We could live in him and he in us…that we could find life.
We could receive from the fruit of Christ’s tree—his blood and body—to share IN HIM with all who choose to live in his name— “God delivers”
And now we have redemption through him.
We can say, “No” to having control and determining the rules and letting things not go the way we want cause us to miss out on the Life we can find in Jesus’ name.
This means things will not always go our way.
We are presented the choice every day: will we trust in God and be a part of the family of God without expectation…or will we long for the tree of knowledge of good and bad?
If you want to experience eternal life right here and now… then give up the tree of control.
And if you find yourself reaching for its fruit, stop and reflect on why it is so alluring to you.
Pray and ask, what am I afraid of that I feel I NEED control of others…
That I need control of my life…
That I cannot trust the family which God has given me…
That I cannot trust the call to LOVE—to give of myself…
That I cannot help but to complicate this simple life of building others up…
Spend time in prayer and conversation.
Spend time listening to where the Spirit is speaking—where two or three are gathered
Look for where you are seeing the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
So many times we can recognize the OTHER tree when we see separation, frustration, division, impulsiveness, coldness, the desire to withdraw ourselves, mistrust, harsh attitude, and flaring tempers.
The need for control is NEVER…EVER…EVER…satisfied.
We were not created to be god.
If you are tempted to grasp for control, instead, be in conversation, BUT not to find confirmation for your desire for control,
Spend some time truly weighing what people in your church family have to say of differing perspectives.
We can only grow together—as a part of the family of God.
We can only grow as a part of the tree of life, the vine, the Son…as one of many branches of the tree of Life
Only when WE CHOOSE live life together in His name can we find Life in the Son.
Trusting in Jesus NURTURES eternal life in us and through us.
When we say, “NO” to the tree of judgment and control…
And, instead, “YES” to the way of love revealed to us in Jesus Christ…
The love that casts out fear and grants us true peace in our lives lived here in this world.
And when we truly trust in Jesus as our Messiah…
We find LIFE and all that God can offer us in the Son here and now…and forevermore.
In God we trust