What We Know

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know

that you have eternal life.

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to

His will, He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests

that we have asked of Him.

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God

will give him life.

To those who commit sins that do not lead to death.

There is sin that leads to death.

I do not say that one should pray for that.

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was

born of God protects him and the evil one does not touch him.

We know that we are from God and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know

Him who is true and we are in Him who is true, in His Son, Jesus Christ.

He is the true God and eternal life.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

This is God's holy and authoritative word.

Heavenly Father, we pray that you will address us from your word as you always do.

That you would empower the preaching of your word by the Spirit of God.

That these truths that we are to live by might be impressed deeply upon us.

And that they might assure us that we belong to God, His family.

That it might shape the way we think, the way we feel, and the way we live.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

One issue that comes up consistently in pastoral counseling is assurance of salvation.

Christians, for one reason or another, feel unsure that they are truly saved and born again in Christ.

Sometimes they feel insecure because other Christians around them seem much more faith-filled or joyful or obedient.

Sometimes they feel that they don't know enough scripture.

Sometimes they are riddled with doubt because of others who are challenging or questioning their beliefs.

But God doesn't want us to be unassured or insecure regarding our eternal life in Christ.

And in this passage, John reminds us that as those who believe in the Son of God,

we can be assured of our eternal life in Him.

And this is actually the purpose of this entire letter.

John says in verse 13,

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,

that you may know that you have eternal life.

That's the purpose statement for this entire letter.

That you may know that you have eternal life.

We find a very similar purpose statement in John's gospel.

In John 20, 31.

These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,

and that by believing you may have life in His name.

So John wrote his gospel so that we might believe and have eternal life.

And John wrote 1 John, his letter,

so that we who believe might know that we have eternal life.

The purpose of the gospel was to persuade us.

And the purpose of the letter is to reassure us.

And in the rest of this passage, using a series of statements that begin with the phrase,

we know, he repeats that four times in verses 15, 18, 19 to 20.

We know, we know, we know.

John tells us several things that we may be assured of.

And the first is, we know God hears us in verses 14 to 17.

And then we know God protects us in verse 18.

We know that we belong to God in verse 19.

And we know that the Son of God has come in verses 20 to 21.

So let's first look at what we know.

I mean, that we know God hears us in verses 14 to 17.

It says in verse 14 and 15,

And this is the confidence that we have toward him,

that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask,

we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

He's speaking here of the confidence and boldness that we have toward God or in his presence.

An illustration from an earthly king's court might be helpful here for understanding what John is getting at.

In the book of Esther, when King Ahasuerus, at the incitation of evil Haman,

decrees that the Jews be annihilated,

Mordecai, a faithful man of God, asks Queen Esther,

who is a young cousin of his that he raised up like his own adopted daughter,

who has now become queen,

he asks Esther to intervene on behalf of God's people, the Jews.

But Esther, even though she is the treasured queen of the king,

she expresses her hesitation, her fear in Esther chapter 4 verse 11.

Esther 4:11

She says,

All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman

goes to the king inside the inner court without being called,

there is but one law to be put to death,

except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live.

But as for me, I have not been called to come into the king these 30 days.

But Mordecai implores her and Esther finally concedes.

And as she does that, she says this in chapter 4 verse 16 of Esther,

Go gather all the Jews to be found in Susa and hold a fast on my behalf.

And do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.

I and my young women will also fast as you do.

Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law.

And if I perish, I perish.

Thankfully, when Esther goes into the king's presence,

the king does extend the golden scepter to her, shows favor to her.

But note Esther's fear and reluctance.

Even though she is the beloved queen,

she must come to terms with her possible death sentence

before approaching the king without his summons.

It's hard for us to understand because we live in an egalitarian society

with unprecedented freedoms.

That is the United States of America.

And we live in a country where authority figures are widely distrusted

and frequently reviled or derided.

And so we have no idea what it's like to approach the throne room of a king.

The king is not a chummy buddy that you can text or call or visit whenever you wish.

You only come to the king when he summons you.

And yet, it says in verse 14,

that we may have confidence toward him, before God.

We may be frank with him.

We may be bold in his presence.

Why is that?

Because as verse 13 says,

we believe in the name of the Son of God and have eternal life.

Because we have been born again into his family through faith in Jesus Christ.

Apart from Jesus, we would have zero confidence to approach the king.

We are sinners.

We're rebels guilty of high treason.

We were God's enemies.

But as we sang this morning,

Before the throne of God above,

I have a strong and perfect plea.

A great high priest whose name is love,

whoever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hand.

My name is written on his heart.

I know that while in heaven he stands,

no tongue can bid me thence depart.

No tongue can bid me thence depart,

because Jesus intercedes for us at the right hand of God.

Because Jesus interposed his own blood

by dying on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

That means it's now our birthright

to be in the presence of the king.

It's really fascinating and delightful to observe children,

especially shy children,

when they are in the comfort of their own homes.

They may not speak a single word out in the public,

but in their own home,

when they're with their own parents,

they are loud,

they're bold,

they're confident,

they're insistent.

And why is that?

Because that's their father's house.

Because that is their birthright.

And so it is for every single Christian,

being in the presence of God,

being in the throne room of God,

that is our birthright.

So we are not ashamed.

We are not insecure.

We are not hesitant.

Instead,

we are bold,

direct,

and confident.

That's the exalted privilege we have.

That's what John's speaking of.

Earlier in chapter 3,

verses 21 to 23,

John spoke also of our confidence before God,

and that we are assured that we belong to God,

and that if we are assured in that way,

that whatever we ask,

we would receive from Him.

He's repeating the same idea here in verses 14 to 15,

that if we ask anything according to His will,

He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask,

we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.

This is the key to answer prayer.

If you want your prayers answered,

this is the key.

If you ask anything according to His will,

He hears us.

It's the same principle that Jesus taught us in Matthew 6, 9 to 13.

He told us to pray this way.

Our Father who is in heaven,

hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

That's the purpose of prayer,

that God's kingdom might come,

that His will might be done.

And if our prayers conform to the will of God,

then our prayers will, without fail,

be answered.

But if we pray for self-serving purposes,

then our prayers will not be answered.

James chapter 4 verse 3 tells us as much.

James 4:3

He says,

You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly

to spend it on your passions.

There are people who teach Christians to,

quote,

name it and claim it.

They contend that if you name what you want

and claim it in faith,

that it will be yours.

And that all unanswered prayers

are simply evidence of a lack of faith.

But that's a profoundly unbiblical idea.

Prayer of faith is not simply

asking for something you want,

regardless of what God's will is,

and believing that you will receive it

when you don't have any basis for that faith.

That's not what prayer of faith is.

John Owen describes it this way,

quote,

We are to pray for what God hath promised.

Our requests are to be regulated

by His promises and commands,

which are of the same extent.

Faith draws near with the promises

and so finds relief.

If we ask anything according to His will,

He hears us.

How do we know that we are praying

according to His will?

God has revealed His will to us

in His word.

So then when we pray

the commands and promises of Scripture,

we can rest assured that God hears us

and will answer us.

We know that we have the requests

that we have asked of Him.

This is something we know.

We can be assured of it.

There's a helpful resource

that another pastor in our denomination

who actually pastors in Toronto

named Tim Kerr wrote.

He wrote a book called

Take Words With You.

It's basically a compilation

and organization of

all the promises of Scripture

that we can pray.

And there's a free PDF link

that I posted on our chat group

that you can access

on Tim Chow's website.

And after giving us

this general assurance about prayer,

John applies this

to a specific instance

that he wants us to pray for

in verses 16 to 17.

This is something that we should pray for

and that God will answer.

It says,

If anyone sees his brother

committing a sin

not leading to death,

he shall ask

and God will give him life

to those who commit sins

that do not lead to death.

There is sin that leads to death.

I do not say that one should pray for that.

All wrongdoing is sin,

but there is sin that does not lead to death.

Sin that does not lead to death

that John is speaking of here

is sin that does not end

finally in death.

It's similar to what Jesus says

in John chapter 11 verse 4

John 11:4

regarding his friend Lazarus

who was deathly ill.

He said of him when he was sick,

This illness does not lead to death.

Well, it turns out that Lazarus did die,

but Jesus then raised him from the dead

so that his illness

did not finally end in death.

But there Jesus was speaking of physical death.

Here he's speaking of eternal death

because death is contrasted with life,

which in this letter

invariably refers to eternal life.

And so here's a curious thing.

According to Romans chapter 6 verse 23,

Romans 6:23

the wages of sin is death.

All sin leads to death

apart from the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

So then what does John mean

in verses 16 to 17

that all wrongdoing is sin,

but there is sin that does not lead to death.

This is sin for which forgiveness

has already been secured

by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

In chapter 1 verse 9,

John said,

If we confess our sins,

he's faithful and just

to forgive us our sins

and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.

The word unrighteousness

is the same word.

It's a translation,

different translation

of the same word

that is rendered here

as wrongdoing.

It's the sins that we confess

that we have

that security of forgiveness for

because of the atoning work

of Jesus Christ on the cross.

And so when we see

a fellow Christian

committing a sin

not leading to death,

we're to pray to God

for him or her.

And if we do,

God promises

that he will give

that brother or sister

who is sinning

life.

Even though John

in several places

in this letter

describes eternal life

as something that

Christians already possess

in Jesus Christ,

he also describes it,

for example,

in chapter 2 verse 25

as something that comes

to full fruition later.

There's an already

but not yet reality.

We already have this

in our possession

but it's consummated,

comes to full fruition

in the future.

And that's what

he's promising,

that God is promising here

when we pray

for a brother or sister

committing a sin

not leading to death,

God will give them

that eternal life

in the future.

And that means

our intercessory prayer

that is an integral part

of the work that God does

in the lives

of our brothers and sisters.

As James chapter 5

James 5:20

verse 20 puts it,

whoever brings back

a sinner from his wandering

will save his soul

from death

and will cover

a multitude of sins.

That's the power

of our prayer

on behalf

of our sinning

brothers and sisters.

We can be confident

that when we ask God

for this

that he will hear us

and we can know

that we have the request

that we have asked of him.

If you're a beginner

in bowling

like me,

you can use

bowling bumpers.

You guys have seen those?

They're basically

guardrails

that block

the gutters

so that the ball

can't go into the gutter.

It just bounces

back and forth

from the bumpers

and it makes sure

that it always,

the ball always gets

to the end

of the lane

and to hit the pins

like it's designed to.

And such is the effect

of our prayers

on behalf

of our wayward

brothers and sisters.

God has ordained

that by our prayers

for one another

that we would be

preserved

unto eternal life.

God has ordained

that we

stand guard

between fellow believers

and eternal death.

Our prayer

is a matter

of life

and death.

Are you praying

for one another?

This is the case

for sin

that does not

lead to death.

There is,

however,

sin that leads

to death.

And John says,

I do not say

that one should

pray for that.

The sin

unto death

for,

there is a sin

unto death

for which prayer

is no avail.

Throughout this letter,

John has been addressing

the doubt

and discourse

sown among

the believers

that he is writing to

by those who

had denied Christ

and seceded

from the church,

separated from the church.

And it's most likely

that sin

of the secessionists,

those who denied Christ

and separated themselves

from the church,

that John has in mind here

because he described them

this way in 1 John 2,

1 John 2:22

verse 22,

who is the liar,

but he who denies

that Jesus

is the Christ.

This is the Antichrist,

he who denies

the Father and the Son.

They were once

considered Christians,

part of the church,

the fellowship

of believers,

but they denied Christ

and left the church.

And so chapter 1,

verse 19 said,

they went out from us,

but they were not

of us,

for if they had been

of us,

they would have

continued with us,

but they went out

that it might become plain

that they all are

not of us.

This is the sin

that leads to death.

It's similar to the sin

of apostasy

described in Hebrews,

Hebrews 6:4–6

chapter 6,

verses 4 to 6.

Those who reject

Jesus Christ

after having experienced

the Holy Spirit

in some measure

cannot be restored

to repentance.

They cannot repent.

They do not repent.

Hence,

there is no forgiveness.

So John says,

I do not say

that one should pray

for that.

The first assurance

of verses 14 to 17

is that we know

God hears us.

And then in verse 18,

John gives us

the second assurance

that we know

God protects us.

But he who was born

of God,

he says,

we know that everyone

who has been born of God

does not keep on sinning,

but he who was born

of God protects him

and the evil one

does not touch him.

John's point isn't

that a true Christian

never struggles with

besetting sins

or habitual sins.

His point is

that a Christian

does not sin

in a general sense.

When you observe

the life of someone

who is truly converted,

someone who has been

born of God,

what is characteristic

of that person,

what defines that person,

is going to be faith

and obedience,

not sin.

This is why John said

in chapter 3,

verse 10,

by this it is evident

who are children of God

and who are the children

of devil.

Whoever does not

practice righteousness

is not of God,

nor is the one

who does not love

his brother.

A person's righteousness

or obedience to God

can serve as evidence

of a person's

genuine conversion

because everyone

who is truly born of God

has died to sin

and lives to Christ.

As 2 Corinthians 5, 17 says,

Therefore,

if anyone is in Christ,

he is a new creation.

The old has passed away.

Behold,

the new has come.

A true Christian

has made a decisive

break with sin

so that he no longer sins.

Not in an absolute sense,

but in a general sense.

What characterizes him,

what defines him,

is no longer unrighteousness,

but righteousness.

This is because

he who was born of God

protects him

and the evil one

does not touch him.

Notice the repetition

of the phrase

born of God here.

In the first instance,

it refers to

every Christian.

Every Christian

is born of God.

But in the second instance,

it refers to Christ.

Everyone who has been

born of God

does not sin,

but he

who was born of God

protects him.

That's referring to Jesus.

The original begotten one,

the son of God,

protects the children of God,

those who are born of God

by faith.

This shows that

there is a spiritual warfare

being waged right now

for our eternal souls.

But for those

who belong to God

through faith in Jesus,

they are safe

because the son of God,

the original begotten son,

he protects us

and keeps us

from the evil one.

The evil one

is a reference

to the devil

and the evil one,

he says,

does not touch us.

Continuing this theme,

John assures us

of another Christian verity

in verse 19.

We know

that we are from God

and the whole world

lies in the power

of the evil one.

In several places

of his gospel,

John describes the devil

as the ruler

of this world.

Even though

the devil

can only act

under God's

ultimate sovereignty,

Satan does exercise

a kind of rule

here in this sinful world.

And so it says

that the whole world

lies in the power

of the evil one.

But in contrast,

we are from God.

We are no longer

under the dominion

of the devil.

This is because

it's similar reality

that Paul speaks of

in Colossians.

Colossians 2:13–15

Chapter 2,

verses 13 to 15.

And you who are dead

in your trespasses

and the uncircumcision

of your flesh,

God made alive

together with him,

having forgiven us

all our trespasses

by canceling

the record of debt

that stood against us

with its legal demands.

This he set aside,

nailing it to the cross.

He disarmed the rulers

and authorities

and put them

to open shame

by triumphing over them

in him,

in Jesus.

Because we had all

sinned against God,

there was a record

of sin,

a debt

that stood up,

stood against us

with its legal demands.

And because we

deserved punishment,

Satan,

whose name means

the accuser,

had a claim on us,

had an argument

to make,

had a case to make

for our condemnation.

But because Jesus

died for our sins

and paid for the punishment

that we should have

deserved,

we deserved.

And having defeated

sin and death,

Jesus was raised

victoriously and ascended

to rule far above

that of the rulers

of the power

of this world.

Jesus silenced

the accuser.

He erased

every claim

he had on us.

He put his seal,

God's seal on us,

declaring that we

now belong to him.

That's who we are,

brothers and sisters.

We are not of this world,

whether we are from God.

So then are we,

we should ask ourselves,

are we living worldly lives

or godly lives?

Are we characterized

by the things

that God values

or the things

that the world values?

Is your mindset

on things that are above

compassionate hearts,

kindness,

humility,

meekness,

patience,

love,

or is your mindset

on things that are below?

Sexual immorality,

impurity,

covetousness,

idolatry.

We know

that we belong to God

and so we should

live like it.

And lastly,

John assures us

in verses 20 to 21

that we know

that the Son of God

has come.

He says in verse 20,

and we know

that the Son of God

has come

and has given us

understanding

so that we may know

Him who is true

and we are in Him

who is true

in His Son,

Jesus Christ.

He is the true God

and eternal life.

Jesus Christ,

God's one

and only Son,

took on human flesh

and came to earth.

He lived a life

of perfect obedience

and died

an atoning sacrifice

to cleanse us

from our sins

and then He was raised

to give us new life

and by doing this,

He gave us understanding

so that we may know

Him who is true.

He's talking about

God the Father.

We are in Him

who is true

in His Son,

Jesus Christ.

The one who is true

is the one

whose Son

is Jesus Christ.

the language

of being in Him

refers to the spiritual

mutual indwelling.

When we abide

in Jesus

through faith,

we abide in God

His Father.

Jesus Christ

then is the only way

to abide

in God,

to know

the one

who is true.

Some people claim

that we can

all come to know

God

in our own ways.

the various

philosophies

and religions

in the world

offer alternate ways

of knowing God.

But the Word of God

teaches us

that there is only

one way.

We know

that the Son of God

has come

and has given us

understanding

so that we may

know Him

who is true

and we are in Him

who is true

in His Son,

Jesus Christ.

We cannot

know God the Father

without knowing

God the Son.

Then John adds

that He is

the true God

in eternal life.

It's a bit ambiguous

what the referring

of the pronoun

He is here

could be God the Father,

He could be God the Father,

it could be Jesus.

But since the nearest

antecedent

is Jesus Christ

and since

in several places

of this letter

John has already

called Jesus

the Word of Life

and Eternal Life,

it seems likely

that John is referring

here to Jesus.

And if that's the case,

John begins

and ends his letter

with this startling

Christological statement

about the identity

of Jesus.

He began

in chapter 1

verses 1 to 2

by saying that

which was from the beginning

which we have heard,

the one,

the God who was

from the beginning,

the Word of Life,

he said that

that eternal life

is Jesus.

And then he concludes

his letter

also by reaffirming

who Jesus is.

He is

the true God

and eternal life.

John ends

his gospel,

begins and ends

his gospel similarly.

He says

in the beginning

of John chapter 1,

John 1 · chapter mention

in the beginning

was the Word

and the Word

was with God

and the Word

was God.

And he says

that no one

has ever seen God

but the only God

who is at the Father's side,

he has made him known.

And then he concludes

his gospel similarly

in John chapter 20

John 20:28

verse 28

through the lips

of Thomas

declaring Jesus

is my Lord

and my God.

This is a shocking statement

because remember

that Judaism

is a strictly

monotheistic religion.

And every faithful Jew

recited Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 6:4–5

chapter 6

verses 4 to 5

every single day

once in the morning,

once in the evening

that the Lord

our God

the Lord

is one.

This speaks

not only to

the uniqueness

of God

that there is

no one like him,

there is only one God

but also to the unity

of God

that he is undivided,

has no division

within himself.

And because

there is only one God,

God's people

were called

to undivided

allegiance to him.

And yet John,

a faithful Jew,

the beloved disciple

who was with Jesus

in the flesh

during his earthly ministry,

seemingly without

any hesitation,

affirms that God

the Father

is the true God

and that his Son

Jesus Christ

is the true God

and eternal life.

It's because

the only God,

the Father,

unmistakably

revealed Jesus

to us

and because

of the reality

of Christ's life,

death, and resurrection

which undeniably

proved

that Jesus

is the Son of God

that John,

like the other

New Testament writers,

make such an

unprecedented statement.

the Father

is not the Son

and the Son

is not the Father

and yet both persons

along with the Holy Spirit

are one

triune God.

The only way,

therefore,

to get to know

God the Father

is through the Son

and in the Holy Spirit.

And that's why

to deny that

Jesus Christ

is the Son of God

who came in the flesh,

to deny that

he is the one

who imparts eternal life

is tantamount

to idolatry.

That's the logic

of verse 21.

Little children,

keep yourselves

from idols.

One cannot rightly

believe in God

the Father

without being

in his Son,

Jesus Christ.

affirming a vague,

shapeless idea

of a supreme being

is not sufficient

for salvation.

We must be assured

of this,

that we know

that the Son of God

has come

and has given us

understanding

so that we may know

him who is true.

If you think about it,

if we were assured

in this truth

as John wants us to be,

don't you think

we would have

greater boldness

and urgency

in our witness

to our neighbors

about Jesus?

Do we really believe

that Jesus

is the only way,

the truth,

and the life?

That no one

comes to the Father

except through him?

Do we really believe

that all worship,

all religion

that deviate

from this truth

is idolatry?

Do we really believe

that we possess

the only hope

for eternal life?

and if people

are so frantically

trying to develop

a vaccine

to lessen

the chance

of physical death

from this pandemic,

should we not

urgently share

the only cure

for certain

eternal death?

Brothers and sisters,

we know

that the Son of God

has come

and has given us

understanding.

These are the

Christian verities,

the truth

that we can live by.

And John's approach

to reassuring

his wavering congregation

is really insightful

because he doesn't

ground our assurance

in our up and down

emotions,

but in the unchanging

theological

and ethical

truths of Scripture.

He doesn't ground

our assurance

in our subjective

experience of God,

but in the objective

reality of God

revealed in His Son,

Jesus Christ.

In one of the many

letters he wrote

during his lifetime,

C.S. Lewis also

reminds us of the

same truth.

Quote,

The presence of God

is not the same

as the sense

of the presence

of God.

The latter may be

due to the imagination.

The former may be

attended with no

sensible consolation.

The act which

engenders a child

ought to be

and usually is

attended by pleasure.

But it is not

the pleasure

that produces

the child.

Where there is

pleasure,

there may be

sterility.

Where there is

no pleasure,

the act might

be fertile.

And in the

spiritual marriage

of God

and the soul,

it is the same.

It is the

actual presence,

not the sensation

of the presence,

of the Holy Spirit

which begets

Christ in us.

the sense

of the presence

is a super

added gift

for which we

give thanks

when it comes.

You might

feel like

worshipping,

you might not

feel like

worshipping God

this morning.

Maybe you

haven't showered

or you didn't

have a chance

to make coffee

or you feel

groggy.

maybe you

feel crummy

from staying

home all week

and having

wasted

countless hours

on trivial

pursuits.

Maybe you

feel harried

from wrangling

your children

all day long

who have been

stir crazy.

Maybe you

feel like a

bad Christian

because of

your prayerless

days and

because your

Bible is

collecting dust.

Maybe you

don't feel

passionate enough,

you feel

insecure,

you don't feel

loving enough,

you don't feel

joyful enough.

But if you

are ever

looking inward

toward yourself,

you will

always be

insecure.

You will

always be

up and

down.

You must

fix your

gaze on

Jesus Christ,

the Son of

God,

and focus

on what

we know.

We know

God hears

us.

This is our

birthright.

When we

confess our

sins,

He forgives

us.

When we

pray for

our sinning

brothers and

sisters,

He brings

them back

and restores

them to

this path

of eternal

life.

We know

God protects

us.

He keeps

us from

sin.

He will

not let

the evil

one touch

us,

it says.

He will

not stand

to let

the evil

one chain

us to

his slavish

dominion

again.

We know

that we

belong to

God.

No matter

how you

feel,

we belong

to Him.

We are

not of

this world.

This is

not our

country.

When we

feel like

aliens and

foreigners here

in this world,

when we feel

marginalized or

even persecuted,

we hold

on to our

hope and

longing for

our fatherland,

for our

homeland,

because we

know we

belong to

God.

We know

that the

Son of God

has come

and has

given us

understanding.

We know

that we

have salvation

in Jesus'

name.

We know

that we

have come

to know

the true

God,

regardless

of what

your friends

say,

regardless

of what

the pundits

say,

regardless

of how

you feel,

we know

this is

the truth.

That's

how we

live as

Christians.

And it's

when we

live by

what we

rightly

know,

that the

right feelings

flow from

us,

the right

actions

follow from

us.

So,

brothers and

sisters,

that's my

prayer for you

this morning.

Be assured

this morning

of what

you know

in Jesus

Christ.

Amen.