If you would please turn to the book of First John, chapter two. First John, chapter two, and this morning and tonight. We're going to be looking at verses 12 through 14. First John, chapter two, verse 12. The Apostle John writes, I'm writing to you little children. Because your sins are forgiven for his namesake. I'm writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I'm writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you are strong. And the Word of God abides in you. And you have overcome the evil one. Let's pray together. Father in Heaven, please help me now to preach Your Word. I thank You for Your presence here with us. I thank You that Your Son, our Lord and Savior, the Chief Shepherd of the sheep, the head of the church, I thank you that he walks in the midst of his churches. Lord, we need now the ministry, the working of your Holy Spirit in this place. And so, Lord, we ask you for this and look to you for this and thank you for this. Help me to teach and help us to listen in a way that is worship, in a way that acknowledges your worth and the worth of your Word, And Lord, let us not just be hearers today. But doers. Of your words that we will not be self deceived. But blessed in what we do. We ask you this in Jesus name. Amen. Well, today on this Father's Day, I want to speak to us from God's word on the subject of the family. But I want to talk to us today about a different kind of family. And I want to talk some today about fathers, but I want to talk to you about a different group of fathers. Because what John writes about in verses 12-14 is the spiritual family. He's talking about the church. And the fact that in the church, you have children and you have young men and you have fathers. I really believe I'm convinced the best thing that we'll ever do for our natural families is to help our natural families understand the family of God and understand their relationship to the family of God. We're living in a time when the focus seems to be on the family. I mean, if you tune in on Christian radio and preaching that goes on there, it's amazing the percentage of sermons that deal with marriage or deal with raising children or deal with something that has to do with the natural family. And yet when you look at the New Testament, what you find is it is not a book focused on the natural family, it's a book focused on the family of God, focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and focused on the church. And even when the Word of God addresses the natural family, when the Bible speaks to husbands or to wives or to children, isn't it amazing how the commands and the exhortations that are found given to the natural family all require a knowledge of how God has dealt with His church. For example, when husbands are addressed and told to love their wives, in what context are we exhorted to love our wives? As Christ, what? Loved the church and gave himself for it, for her. And as wives are exhorted and commanded in terms of their relationship to their husband, what's the context For their understanding, wives are to be subject unto their husbands as the church is unto the Lord. And even as children are commanded and exhorted to honor their parents, they're to honor their parents in the Lord. For this is right. And they're reminded that God has given this commandment, the first commandment with a promise. So even as children are taught how to relate to their parents. It's in light of this relationship to God and these promises that we have from God. We're to be a gospel people. We live our lives not focused on the natural relationships in and of themselves. We live our lives focused on the Lord Jesus Christ, his relationship to us as his church, our relationship to him as the church. And it's in light of understanding that spiritual family that we're best prepared to understand the natural family and to live out God's will in marriage and in the raising of our children. And so today, I want us to focus on the spiritual family and what we learn from it that will be applicable to our natural families. Now, where I want us to begin this morning is by and what we're going to do this morning and tonight is just basically ask four or five questions about these verses and and seek to answer them. Sometimes the best thing you'll do in Bible study is just ask some questions. And the first question I want us to think about this morning is what exactly is the Apostle John doing here? What's he doing here? Because when you read the book of First John, you find out that he's he is giving us a series of tests. By which we can examine ourselves and discover whether or not we're really in the faith. Throughout the book of First John, he gives us this comparison between those who say that they have fellowship with God and those who actually have fellowship with God. For example, look over to the first chapter for just a moment and you'll get a feel for this. First John. Chapter 1, look at verse 5, this is the message we've heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Notice, if we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we, what does the Bible say? We lie and do not practice the truth. But, if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we've not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. Chapter two, verse four, whoever says I know him. but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word in him, truly the love of God is perfected by this. We may be sure that we're in him. Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which you walk. This goes on throughout the book of First John. We hear what you say. But do you really have fellowship with God and here is how you can discern that here are some tests by which those who are believers can recognize that they truly have eternal life. So you have this teaching going on. Now in chapter 2 verses 1 through 6, you find out that a Christian is known by his relationship to the commandments of God in general. We are a people who are receptive to the Word of God. We are a people who long to obey the commands of God. Then in verses 7 down to verse 11, he points out the fact that a Christian is known especially by a relationship to one commandment, that is, to love the brethren. We can examine ourselves in light of that specific commandment, that we're to love one another, we're to love our brothers. Are you truly a believer or not? Well, do you love the church? Do you love God's people? Do you love your brothers? And then, beginning in verse 15 down to verse 17, He tells us we're tested by another view of love, and that is, do you love the world? This one's negative. It's positive if you love your brothers. It's negative if you love the world. In fact, he says that anyone who loves the world does not have the love of the Father in him. Do not love the world, he says in verse 15, or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. So a Christian is known by his love for his brethren, but also known by the fact that he or she does not love the world in the sense of the world system and all the lusts that characterize this present age. You're known by a love for God that shuns the love of the world. Now, in the midst of these arguments and these tests, you find verses 12 through 14 really forms a parenthesis, it's a break in the action, so to speak, And right in the midst of all of this instruction, he says, I'm writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his namesake. I'm writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I'm writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children. Because, you know, the father, I write to you fathers, because, you know, him who's from the beginning, I write to you young men, because you're strong and the word of God abides in you and you've overcome the evil one. Twice, John says, I'm writing, I've written and I'm writing to children twice, he says, I've written and I'm writing to young men twice, he addresses fathers. Right in the midst of this instruction, he takes a break and he gives us this information. Why? What is the purpose for this parenthesis? What is the purpose for this break in the action? What's he doing here? And who exactly is he speaking to when he speaks to children, young men, fathers? Who's he writing to? Some people have said that he's writing literally to children, young men and fathers. In a congregation like this one, the letter would be read. And so the children of the congregation would have this a reminder given to them, and the young men would have this reminder given to them, and the fathers would have this reminder given to them. I don't think that's what he's doing. In fact, I'm quite certain that's not what he's doing. The reason I say that, take a congregation like this one. Can we say that every child in this place has the forgiveness of their sins through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Can we say that every child in this place knows the Father? Or can we say that every young man in this place is strong in the Word of God and has overcome the wicked one? That every young man in this place is truly saved and has overcome the wicked one? Can we say that every father here this morning has known Him who is from the beginning? No, I don't think he's talking about literal children, young men and fathers. I think the vast majority of commentators, Bible students who've looked at this look at it correctly, John is using some imagery here. He's talking about people who truly have been saved, people who truly belong to the family of God. That's what this book is all about, to recognize that you have eternal life. And he's saying that in the church, in the midst of this spiritual family, you have people at different stages of development. Now, you have to be saved to be in the family. But once you're saved, realize that in the family of God, you have some people who are still very immature in their faith. They are children. You have people who have matured to some degree. They're like spiritual adolescents. And then you have people who are mature in the faith. They've walked with God for a long time and they are spiritual fathers. And so he's saying, I'm writing to the young ones in the faith. I'm writing to those who've matured some in the faith. I'm writing to those who are old in the faith. They are mature in the faith. They've walked with God now for some time. This is who I'm addressing. I think that's what he's doing here. He's taking a break here to identify the recipients of this letter, the audience for the instruction that he's giving. That's what he's doing. Now, that leads us, though, to the second question we want to answer. And this will spend the rest of our time this morning. There's some other questions we'll deal with tonight. But the second question is this. Why is he doing it? It's easy enough to identify what he's done, but why has he done it? Why do you do what he's doing here? I want to point out a few reasons I believe that he's done this. First of all, I believe this is a word of comfort. Anybody here read the book of First John, raise your hand, please. Would you agree it's a heavy hitting book? I mean, it is it is straight on, it is in your face, it is black and white truth. It's powerful. It's penetrating. It's asking you to examine whether you're saved or not. And if you receive this letter and you begin to read it, the first thing you might wonder is, John, Why are you writing this to us? Is it because you believe that we're not Christians? Is it because you think that we are not saved? And one of the reasons I believe that John inserts this is to say, far from this letter saying, I don't think that you're a believer, this letter is intended for believers. It's addressed to believers. In fact, notice how he emphasizes that down in verse 21, he says, I write to you not because you do not know the truth. But because you know it. And because no lie is of the truth. Or look down at verse 26, I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. I know you know the truth, but I also recognize there are people out there trying to deceive you. This doesn't mean that I lack confidence in you or in what God is going to do with you. Verse 27, but the anointing that you received from him abides in you and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and is no lie, just as it is taught, you abide in him. John says, I am exhorting you precisely because I know who you are. And I know what God has done in your life. And I also know the dangers you're facing. And I know that a letter like this will be used by God as a means to keep you where you need to be. I think about when this year when Reagan went into middle school, about a week or two in, I sat down with my son and I went through a whole list of things that concerned me. Now, son, you be sure that this is going on and you make sure that you don't forget who you are in the midst of that school and you stand up for Christ and for truth and make sure that you don't fall prey to this or fall prey to that. And his eyes and face said to me, Dad, do you not believe in me? Do you think that's not already in my heart? Do you think I don't want to live for the Lord? Oh, no, son. Listen, I know you do. And that's precisely why I'm giving you these warnings, because I know you and I know you'll give heed to these warnings. I know you'll listen to what your father's telling you. I know that you'll pay attention to these warnings that I'm giving you. And my prayer is that God would use those warnings to keep you safe. That's very much like what you have going on right here. And so one of the reasons why he would speak to them like this is to comfort them and to say to them, it's not that I doubt you. In fact, the only people who can receive what I'm saying, the only people who can understand what I'm saying, the only people who can apply what I'm saying are people who are already in the family. The children, the young men and the fathers. So don't think by this letter that I don't think you're in the family of God, just the opposite. Only the family of God can receive what I'm writing. It's a word of comfort. There's a second reason I believe he does it. It also is a word of context. The very fact that you would have this break is a warning. In and of itself, it's like, OK, we've got this instruction going on, but now wait a second, does this apply to you? We've got this instruction going on, but I want us to pause for a second and I want you to ask yourself, are you really in the family? This is written for believers. Look at 1 John 5, verse 13. You know this verse very well. 1 John 5, verse 13. I write these things. To which group? To you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. He's writing this to people who believe in the name of the Son of God. So let's pause for a second and ask, is that you? Are you really in the family of God, because If you're not, these things don't won't have any meaning to you. You can't understand them, much less can you practice. Will you be able to practice these things? You may be a child, you may just be an infant, you may be a newborn. You may be a young man, you may be a father. Are you in the faith? Think about it, you don't tell someone who's not a Christian to love the brethren. You don't tell someone who's not a Christian, chapter two, verse one, that they have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. You don't say that to someone who's not a Christian. You don't tell someone who's not a Christian not to love the world. They belong to the world. In other words, the first thing that you need is not to pick up Christian teaching. The first thing that you need is not to try to pick up some sort of Christian lifestyle. The first thing that you need is to belong to the family of God. You must be born again. You must become a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. And so before we go any further in this letter, let's just stop here and ask, do you belong to the family? Have you been saved? Do you understand church? I know you do. Do you understand that Christian instruction is only for Christian people? And that what people around you in this world need is not a new ethic or a new philosophy or a new way of living. They need life. They are spiritually dead and they must be made alive, and that life is found in God's Son and in Him alone. In fact, John is going to remind us of that in chapter 5, verse 12. He says, whoever has the Son has life. But whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. They don't need a new lifestyle, they need life. They don't need new life thinking, they need life. And that life is found only in Jesus, by faith in God's Son. He's writing these things to those who believe in the name of the Son of God so that they can recognize about themselves that they have eternal life, that life that comes from God and not only lasts forever, it is a completely different kind of life. It is spiritual life. Recognize that Christ is really in you, if indeed He is. So this is a word of comfort. This is also an important warning. It's a word of context. This instruction is only meant for Christian people. or for those whom the Lord will wake up from their deception through this letter and they'll recognize, you know what, I never have been saved. I don't belong to Christ. God will use this letter that way also. There's a third thing we can say about why he's done this. This is also a word of encouragement. It's a word of encouragement. This break in the action is to encourage them. You know, when you read those first two chapters, you might come away pretty discouraged about yourself. Do you ever read God's word and feel like it represents an impossible standard? Do you ever look into the word of God and then look at yourself and say, I am hopeless? I want to say, if you've never felt that way, then you haven't really considered the message of scripture very carefully. Because when you consider what sin is. And then it extends to your thoughts and your motives and to your attitudes. We could potentially become a very depressed people. Think about it, jealousy, what is it to be jealous of someone to sin? Envy. I envy them. I wish their life was my life. What is that according to Scripture? Sin. Rivalry. Do you have a rivalry with anybody? At work? At school? In your own family maybe? You find yourselves always their rival, always in competition. What is rivalry? It's a deed of the flesh. Anger. Strife. Resentment. You resent someone. Bitterness. Unwilling to forgive. Suspicion. You don't believe the best about people. You always believe the worst. Impatience. To be judgmental. To act as if and to think as if and to speak as if you are the final judge on other people's thoughts and motives and deeds. To be selfish. To live for yourself, to be rash in your judgments, to sort of jump ahead and not consider things from the standpoint of scripture and God's view of things. What are these things we're talking about? They are sins. And we could go on and on, couldn't we? Multiplied by millions. Now, listen, if you consider the New Testament and the Old Testament teaching a scripture apart from the truth of justification, You would be depressed. Which is why when he writes to these people, notice what he's reminding them of. I'm writing to you, little children, because your sins are what? They're forgiven. For his namesake, I'm writing to you fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. God is really your father. You really have a relationship with him. You've really been reconciled to him. You really have fellowship with God. I'm writing to you, young men, because you have overcome The evil one. We'll talk more about that in a moment. I write to you, children, because, you know, the father, I write to you fathers, because, you know, him who's from the beginning, I write to you, young men, because you're strong and the word of God abides in you and you've overcome the evil one. I want you to know what your position is. Yes, we're examining ourselves in the light of truth, and that is a penetrating examination and it is a a devastating examination, one that we could not Respond to positively and in a godly fashion, unless we have an understanding of our position, which is we have been justified, declared right in the sight of God on the basis of the finished work of his son. If indeed we've trusted in Christ, his shed blood is paid for all of our sins. His righteousness has been given to us as a gift. We are clothed in it, wrapped in it before the father. so that we are not striving for acceptance with God. We are living this life from the standpoint of an acceptance that's already known with God in the beloved. And so I'm not devastated by the self-examination. I realize God has given me in Christ the capacity to live out these truths that are given to us in the New Testament And I'm living them out from the standpoint of someone who already is right with God. Not based on my works, but based on Christ's work. Now I'm ready to pursue what is pleasing to my heavenly father. Not to gain his acceptance, but because I love him who has accepted me in his son. Is there anybody on the face of the earth who is capable of living out the truths found in the New Testament? Yes. Perfectly, no, no, that's glorification, but sanctification is God's people walking in God's truth, who has the capacity to do that, people whose sins have been forgiven and only those people. People who've been given the Holy Spirit. People who have an understanding of truth. People who really know the Father. People who have, get this, overcome the wicked one, who've been delivered, who've been set free, no longer slaves of Satan, no longer slaves of sin. Those people now have the capacity to live out these truths. Someone could read the letter of 1 John and say, is this possible? Is this possible? Yes, it is, because your sins have been forgiven, because you've overcome the wicked one, because you really know God. It is possible. So this is a word of comfort. I'm not writing this because I doubt that you're saved, but because I believe that you are. It's a word of context. Only those in the family of God can understand this message, receive it and live it. And you can receive it and you can live it if you're saved because your sins have been forgiven and you overcome the wicked one and you have a real relationship with God. In fact, He now lives in you. He dwells in you in the person of the Holy Spirit. So you have the capacity to live out this instruction. Which leads to a fourth reason. That you have this. Insertion here, and that is. It is also a word of accountability. It's a word of accountability. At the same time, it's a word of encouragement to us. You, believer, have the capacity to live out this instruction. It also calls us to account. If this life is possible for me, and it is, if I understand it properly, not in the way of perfectionism, not going to arrive until heaven, but if this life is possible for me, then it is also a life that I am accountable to live. That is, if I belong to the family of God, as John addresses them here, then I cannot plead that I am incapable of obeying the instruction. If I'm a child of God, I have the capacity in Christ. I have the capacity in truth in the Holy Spirit to obey this instruction. To say that I'm incapable is to say I'm not a child of God. Who does he write this to? Anybody in the family of God, listen, even the children. Even the babies, even the newborns in the family of God have been made altogether different creatures than they were before. Isn't that glorious that as soon as you are saved, what are you? Second Corinthians 517. You are a new creature. Behold, all things have passed away, all things have become new, and now you have this new capacity in Christ in the Holy Spirit to live out truth. Listen, not only do you have a new capacity, it is ensured that you will. It is impossible for someone who's a new creature. Not to have a life that has changed. It's impossible. Yes, we must strive to live it. Yes, we must be exhorted. Yes, at times we must be corrected and spanked. But everything God starts, he finishes. And he brings you into his family. Guess what? He's going to sanctify you. And he's going to glorify you. Let me show you something interesting. If you would go over to Romans chapter eight for just a moment. Romans chapter 8. And look at verse 28. Verses we know very well. But now notice something. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also did what? predestined them to be what? Conformed to the image of his son. Everyone whom the Lord has loved in the sense of salvation's love, everyone whom the Lord has purpose for salvation before time, he has also predestined them to be conformed to the image of his son. In order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers, verse 30, and those whom he predestined. He also called and those whom he called, he also, what's the next word, justified and those whom he justified, he also glorified. Can you tell me a word that's missing? You have foreknowledge, predestination, calling. Justification, glorification, what's missing? Sanctification. Why is it not there? Because that's not Paul's focus right now. You know what he's pointing out? You see this, by the way, at the end of chapter 8. What God starts, he finishes. That's why he's going to tell us nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not height, not depth, not breadth, not things made, not things unseen, not anything. That's one reason. His focus is eternal security. That's what he's teaching here. His focus is the assurance of the believer. But another reason I believe he doesn't mention it is because it's just, it's a given, it's going to happen. You've been predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, you will be glorified. You've been justified, you're going to be glorified. And everything in between is sure. What does this mean? It means that I can't plead that I'm helpless. God has given me everything I need. Thomas mentioned an offering this morning. We have received in Christ everything we need for life and godliness. A new life and all the riches that are found in Christ all belong to the believer. And that ensures that you will grow. You will grow. You will mature. You will be sanctified. And one day you will be glorified. And so don't act like you're helpless. in the Christian life. You're not. You are accountable to live what's found in the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit with a Christ-centered focus. We all are accountable to do that. Which leads to the last thing. It's a word of comfort. It's a word of context. It's a word of encouragement. It's a word of accountability is a fifth thing. This is also a word of recognition. There's something John wants us to recognize. We're going to focus on this more tonight. But you see it in these in these verses. Some very important things being taught in the way that he deals with this. This group of people. One thing that's recognized here is that the truth, the truth belongs to the whole family of God. You recognize that what he writes to children. Your sins are forgiven for his namesake. Can that also be said to fathers? Can it also be said to young men? What he says to young men, he says, you have overcome the wicked one. You have the word of God and you've overcome the word of God abides in you and you've overcome the wicked one. Can that be said to children in the faith? He doesn't say you will overcome the wicked one as if this is something that we learn to do and we overcome him. He says you have already done. You have overcome the wicked one in Christ, you see. Can that be said to the children? Yes. He says to the fathers, you know him who's from the beginning, can that be said to children? In fact, he does say to children, doesn't he? Down in verse. Thirteen in verse 13, I write to you, children, because you know the father. What can be said to one group can be said to the whole group. The truth belongs to the entire family of God. It's glorious that we don't have to have one service for children, one service for young men, and one service for fathers. Just teach the Word of God, because the truth applies to all of us. Which leads to a second recognition, and that is accountability belongs to the entire family of God. We're all accountable. You say, I haven't been saved very long. Well, you've overcome the wicked one, and you know him who is from the beginning. And all of your sins have been forgiven. That is, you're a new creature. And now, early on in your Christian life, walk in truth. You have the capacity to walk in truth. Yes, you need help and yes, you need encouragement, and we're going to talk about it tonight. God does deal with children different than fathers in some ways, but we are all accountable to walk in truth. And in terms of the truth belonging to the whole family, you never come to a point where you don't need teaching. Just because you're a father, doesn't mean that John's not writing to you because you already have it down, you see. I'm not writing to the fathers, just the children and the young men. Is that what John says? The whole family. We all need instruction. We all need to grow. We're all accountable. Which leads to a third recognition here, and that is What is the difference? As we advance in the Christian life, what is the difference between people who are at different stages in their maturity, what's the difference between a child and a young man and a father? It's not what we possess, we all possess the same riches in Christ, all the riches are ours in Christ Jesus, we all have the same stuff given to us by God, that's not the difference. The difference is what is emphasized in our lives by God in those different stages. When you first become a Christian, what is most impressed upon you? My sins have been forgiven. I have come to know God as my father in heaven. In fact, I ask you this way, what do you struggle with more early in your Christian life? What you struggle with is, am I really saved? Has God really saved me? Have my sins really been forgiven? Is God really my father? Do I really belong to this family? Children, that's emphasized to them. Then you begin to grow. And what you learn as you grow in the Christian life is it gets easier, right? What's the answer? No, it doesn't get easier, does it? The more you grow, the more you become aware of a battle. The more you become aware of sin. In you. And the struggles that you have. In your desire to obey God, you become aware of the fact there's this great battle raging. At times you may even struggle to the point you feel defeated. And so what has to be emphasized to you. In your spiritual adolescence, what has to be emphasized to you is you are you are no longer a slave to sin. And you're not a slave to say you have overcome the wicked one and you have in your possession that instrument from God that is necessary to live in the victory that's already yours, and it is the word of God. In other words, God now teaches you how to take his word and to apply it in your life in such a way that you're walking in the freedom that you already have in Christ. But it's still something you have to learn. Something God teaches you in your experience. And so in those years of growing, what you are most focused on, it seems, what's emphasized to you the most is there's this battle and how do I deal with the battle and What has God given me? What is my position really? Am I free or am I not? Yes, you are. And you have to know that. But then when you come into maturity, to the point of being called a father, what you learn is it's really just all about knowing Him. It's not that the other things stop. Are you grateful that your sins are forgiven? Of course. In fact, more grateful than you've ever been. Are you grateful that you just belong to the family of God more than you've ever been grateful in your life? The more you know about, the more you know God and the more you know of his truth, the more astounded you are at this thing called salvation. So you don't leave that behind. And are you still aware of a battle? Are you engaged in a battle every day? Yes, that never leaves. And do you need to be reminded that you are free and that you've overcome the wicked one in Christ? Yes. And do we still need to be reminded to take the sword, the spirit in hand in that battle to do battle with the word of God? Yes. But more and more, what you recognize. Is that it's all about knowing him. Christ, who is from the beginning, that I may know Him. That's what Paul said, that I may know Him. And that becomes your focus in everything in the Christian life that is most emphasized to you. It is about knowing Him. I think it was Spurgeon who said that, and he was commenting on this, he said that when you're a child, you know that your sins have been forgiven. When you become a young man, You know a great many things, a great many doctrines, and then when you become a father, you just know one thing. You know Jesus. He is central in all of your learning, in all of your living, in all of your doing. It's about knowing Him. We'll come back tonight. We'll pay attention to the apostles method here and what it teaches us. And then we're going to talk about what is the most important thing stressed here. And we're going to focus on what it means to be a spiritual father. What does it mean to be a spiritual father? We'll see that tonight. But let me close this morning by just asking you again, does this apply to you? Are you in the family? Have you been saved? Let's bow our heads together. Our Father in heaven, we thank you. for the truth as it is in Christ. We thank You for the good news that You love the world in this way, that You gave Your only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life, that in Him there is forgiveness of sins. All of our sins have been forgiven if we've trusted in Your Son. And You've set us free No longer slaves to sin and to the devil and to the world system, but we've been set free to serve you. And we know him who is from the beginning. And you're growing us in our knowledge of yourself. As you grow us in our knowledge of your son. And we thank you that you've given us the precious word that we have read this morning and hold in our hands and we declare that we may know You. Lord, we recognize it's the only way for us to know You. Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters this morning that we would have an insatiable desire to know Christ. We know Him, but that we might know Him more. Or let that be the driving passion of our lives. And I pray for men and women and young people in this place who do not yet know you. I pray that they would recognize that about themselves. That they may go to church or they may have some form of religion, but that they don't know you. Christianity is not about picking up an ethic or a lifestyle, but it's knowing you. It is life that's found in your son, that if we have your son, we have life. But if we don't have him, we don't have life. Lord, I pray they would recognize this. And be burdened over it to the point of sorrow and conviction. That they would run from their sins and embrace your son and believe in him for the forgiveness of their sins and a right standing with you. Lord, we recognize in these verses that we're growing and that we need to grow. Help us, Lord, as Your people to have a greater desire to grow. That we might not remain in childhood when we ought to be teachers. We ask You this in Jesus' name, Amen.