Scripture: 1 John 2:4-6; 1 Corinthians 10:13 Series: 2020
An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:4-6 arguing that anyone can claim to be a Christian, but genuine faith is shown by holding to it and doing what one says (illustrated by the Seinfeld rental-car reservation bit). John generalizes sin as missing the mark; temptations differ by person and life stage, and 2020’s compounding challenges press on faith. The remedy is communal: we hold to Christ and are perfected in love together through 4th Day groups, Sunday school, and deep discipleship friendships.
Illustrations: seinfeld-rental-car-reservation, chocolate-cake-chips-salsa, 2020-compound-disasters
1 John 2:4-6 CEB “Seinfeld, i made a reservation for a midsize.” “Let me see here…(type, type, type) I’m sorry we don’t have a midsize available at the moment.” “I don’t understand. Do you have my reservation?” “Yes we do. Unfortunately, we ran out of cars.” “But the reservation keeps the car here. That’s why you have the reservation.” “I don’t think you do. If you did, I’d have a car. “See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don’t know how to hold the reservation and that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them.”
Anybody can claim to be a Christian, it is the holding to the faith that is the key. It is the doing the things you say you are going to do. John generalizes sin and missing the mark. This is helpful. In different periods, we are tempted by different things. What is tempting to me is not tempting to you and vice versa. The thing about temptation is that it is tempting. e.g. Chocolate Cake. e.g. Chips and Salsa
When we look at what John talks about here…In different periods of life, there are different challenges to doing the things of Jesus. There are different temptations that pull us from faith. Common expression…God never gives us more than we can we can handle. 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Life can be challenging. As well, how we understand life to be challenging changes. 2020 vs. any other year.
If there were a flood with a fire tornado followed by Thunder snow next week, Or if Covid combined with the flu to produce super flu,
We hold on to Christ together. We do the things of faith together. 4th Day groups. Sunday School. Discipleship relationships. Deep friendships. We hold faith together. We are perfected in love together in faith.