Our summer sermon series "Thieves of Joy" followed 1 John into the topic of deceit on Father's Day.
There's nothing worse than feeling deceived, tricked, or misled - especially when it comes to core beliefs like "Who is God?"
That was exactly the plight of those John was writing too, and in today's information age, it often applies to us. With all of the ideas and experts that are out there, who's right? What's true? The journey to answer those questions can often leave us feeling like Woody from this toy story clip.
When truth is floating, joy is fleeting. And that kind of deception causes us to ask questions in light of the consequences we might face instead of the Christ we will certainly face.
We often water down our view of who God is, but the truth is that the depth of who God is can never be fully explored. He is three persons in one God each of whom are fully God with all power and authority, and yet, submissive to one another as they become one - the one God who saves us and sets us apart.
It is who God is that anoints and affirms truth in us as believers. He teaches us to remain in him and in relationship with one another.
Many times, we'll water down God to just one of the three; he is simply Jesus. He is simply the Spirit who indwells all believers today. He is the Father.
But the truth is, God is more than a father. He is everything we need for life and godliness. And he makes good on his promise of eternal life by first living in eternal relationship with himself.
In the words of the Doxology..
Praise God to whom all blessings flow!
Praise him all creatures here below.
Praise him above the heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen!
Listen to this sermon on our podcast, The Backpack, wherever you listen to podcasts.
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