| Sermon Summary by PKD Lee |
We are all trapped in sins of various kinds. Some of us are unsuccessfully trying to gain victory over sin. Others have given in to sin and are seeing how to go around the laws God has laid down.
God is seen as the rule maker who makes our lives a misery with all the rules. John, in his epistle, says that God is the embodiment of love, and we being created in the image of God, are essentially dominated by love. But with the sin of Adam, that love is marred.
Competition and self-preservation has destroyed that love. Instead of love, we see politeness and culture controlling us rather than love.
Culture, law, politeness are essentially norms of how we are to show love to others. However, we often leave love out and do the actions as obedience to norms. This does not help in truly restoring relationships. Why did things go wrong? It was the sin of Adam that led to the fall of man and the break down of relationships in the world. So, how do we go back to the pre-fall conditions?
Being the embodiment of Love, God sent one of the members of the Trinity to become a man and to be a perfect atonement for the sin of mankind. We may not understand all that this involves, but we can understand the great love of God shown to us in this act. What does this mean for us? Does it mean that my relationship with God is secure and I do not need to worry about it? Is God the distant parent whom I cannot interact with?
No. He becomes a personal friend and makes us into His image again so that we love people and have great relationships. Competition and self-preservation drops away from us, as we have God with us and these things do not matter any longer. It is not our work but the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Our lives become one where we can take pride in as the number of people we bless grows. We have a satisfying and fulfilled life. We are amazed at how our life is going. Do you want to experience this?
Surrender your life to Jesus and turn away from the things of this world and seek the things of the kingdom of God. You will be blessed.