Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  (2) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed   what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

This letter was written by the Apostle John.

We know what is important to a writer of Scripture by repitition of phrases.  This is what God wants us to know.  The essential truth that we are NOW children of God describes our current position as believers in Christ Jesus and this fact should dominate our lives.  If we do not realize this we will not relate our trials and suffering to our relationship to God.  Jesus told the faithful that they will suffer because He had suffered.  If we did realize this our conduct would reflect this belief.

John is saying that when Jesus does return we will be like Him – this is our future hope.  It means we are not like that now.  Now we live in the flesh and we will not be perfectly sanctified in this life.  Our future as the faithful is certain based on the promises of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament.  This is true historical fact and not subjective reality.

Our behavior, our priority, must be based on our realtionship with God, not on our service – think of Mary and Martha where Martha served while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.  He said that Mary had chosen the better part and it would not be taken from her.  Mary chose being rather than doing – she embodied the great first commandment that we shall love the Lord God with all our heart, all our souls and all our minds and strength.

Why should God love us?  But he does and we know this because He gave his only Son to die for us.  We are not called as subjects but as children of God, fellow heirs with Christ Jesus.  This love is a gift and not earned and the faithful in Christ are the permanent recipients of this gift.  The means by which we are sons of God is accomplished.  It is not just a name, it is reality through Christ and is God’s plan from the beginning.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His servant, Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.  (14) But you denied the Holy One and the Just and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, (15) and killed the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

(17)”Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did your rulers.  (18) But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all his prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. (19) Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord

The book,  Acts of the Apostles, was written by Luke as a history of the early Church and serves as an eyewitness account of the spread of the Gospel from the day of Pentacost to the time of Paul’s house arrest in Rome – probably written between 61 AD to 64 AD.

Jesus had given the Apostles the great commission to preach in His name to all nations – (Matthew 28: 18-20). “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Today, our verses are from Chapter 3 of Acts. This Chapter opens with an account of healing of a lame man by Peter followed by Peter’s second sermon.  Peter and the Apostle John were on their way to the Temple In Jerusalem for their daily prayers. As they passed the afflicted man, lame from birth, he called out to them for alms.   This man  was known to all the Jews who passed by him for he was daily carried to a place near the Beautiful Gate which was nearby the Temple.  Instead of Alms, Peter fixed his eyes on the crippled man and, in the name of Jesus, he commanded him to rise and walk – and he did, “walking, leaping and praising God”.  All the people ran to the portico of Solomon at the Temple where they marveled at this – the people knew the man and knew it was a miracle.

Peter took the opportunity to preach his second sermon since receiving the power of the Holy Spirit.  Peter, who just a short time before had, in great fear, denied Christ Jesus three times, addressed the crowd of Jews claiming the miracle had happened through  the power of Jesus Christ. He spoke to the Jews using words and concepts they understood to proclaim the Gospel. He began by exalting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – promised by the prophets of the Old Testament.  He accused the Jews of disowning and denying Jesus – he denounced the Jews for choosing a murderer to be released over Jesus – a metaphor for choosing sin over life in Christ.  Peter proclaimed that Jesus was crucified for our salvation and was raised from the dead.  The denial of Jesus as Messiah not only showed the opposition of the Jews to God but was proof of the folly of this opposition:  God has a plan and will not be thwarted.

The Bible tells us that so powerful were the words of the Spirit through the office of Peter that 2000 Jews accepted Christ that day as Lord and Savior.  What a lesson for us to proclaim Christ and the Gospel – we are all commissioned to witness for our faith through the power of the Spirit.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.  (2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.  (3) For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome.  (4) For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. (5) Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This letter was written by the Apostle John and addresses the salvation of the faithful in Christ. This letter concerns NOT the way of salvation but rather evidence that we ARE saved.  All Christians must (should) wonder if we are authentic Christians – if we have true faith and have been reborn in Christ Jesus.

If we have truly been reborn and become the new man or woman, our transformation will be evident. Our belief will guide our behavior and signs of this behavior will be faith in the work of Christ Jesus, love for our fellow man and an increased And joyful living of a holy life.  A holy life is one that is lived for our spiritual growth, not for our temporal welfare – a drawing apart from the things of this world.   Faith is from God and John is saying that faith is a result of a new birth, not the cause of it. Faith is the evidence of a new birth – it has a clearly observable result, where the emphasis is not on our faith but on the object of our faith.

Love for God and His children is another sign of our rebirth. This love is a choice, not an  emotional  reaction.  It is not about feelings but about decisions.   We cannot divorce our love for God from love for His children – it is not relative not is it cultural.

John in today’s verses is all about signs and the third sign of true belief is we do not find Gods  commandments a burden. Living a holy life in this sinful world is not easy –  we have a sinful nature. But if we are saved truly in Christ we have already overcome the world. we have already turned to God. We are now free people in Christ and are no longer of this world.

Jesus tells us to be of good cheer – that He has overcome the world. In Christ we also will overcome the world and John writes to provide assurance of our salvation.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  (2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3) For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  (4) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

The letter to the Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul.  As is fitting for Easter Sunday,  our verses begin “if then you were raised with Christ”.  For the believers this could read SINCE then you were raised with Christ.  Paul is telling the Colossians and all who believe that with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, salvation happened.  We have been made right with God. The moment we became a believer we were risen with Christ.  In these verses, Paul writes:  raised with Christ…….where Christ is……hidden with Christ…..When Christ who is our life – the glorious point is clear:  Christ is everything.

Since the faithful are saved, they have the responsibility to continue seeking those things not of this world:  where our treasure is so shall our hearts be. Our faith will direct our actions and our behavior. We are to be a light to this world.

To contrast the life we are to lead, I want to quote C.S Lewis from his work, The Problem of pain where he concludes the end of those who do not seek God:  “I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful rebels to the end;  that the doors of hell are locked on the inside….In the long run the answer to all those who object to the doctrine of hell is itself a question:  What are you asking God to do?”  To wipe out their past sins and, at all costs, to give them a fresh start, smoothing every difficulty and offering every miraculous help?  But He has done so, on Calvary. To forgive them?  They will not be forgiven.  To leave them alone?  Alas, I am afraid that is what He does.”