Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
Email Preach Him with Dr. Jim

COMPARING CHILDREN
1 John 3:10

INTRODUCTION:
Children do and say funny things. Recently I read this humorous story. "My parents were involved in a automobile accident. When I explained to my three year-old daughter that her grandpa had a accident in his car, she replied "Why didn't he just stop and use the potty?"

Because children are lovable and funny we like to compare our children. It is also fun to compare grandchildren. All grandparents carry a set of pictures they can bore you with. Your bored waiting to show your pictures.

The text for today compares children. Please follow as we look further at this text.
 
 
 

I.    COMPARING A CHILD'S FATHER.
 

II.    COMPARING A CHILD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
 

III.    COMPARING A CHILD'S LOVE.

A.    A CHILD CAN HAVE GOD FOR THEIR FATHER. v 10 a

        1. The Bible does not teach we are all God's Children.
                a. We must be born into the family.
John 3:3 (NASB) Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

1 Peter 1:23 (NASB) for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is,through the living and abiding word of God.
 

B.    A CHILD CAN HAVE THE DEVIL FOR THEIR FATHER. v 10 b

        1. The Bible makes a clear statement. Some are children of the Devil

Matthew 13:38 and the field is the world; and <as for> the good seed, these are the sons of the
kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil <one>;

Matthew 23:15 (NASB) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel
about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice
as much a son of hell as yourselves.

John 8:44 "You are of <your> [father the devil], and you want to do the desires of your father.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own <nature>;for he is a liar, and
the father of lies.

Acts 13:10 and said, "You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy
of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
 

ILLUSTRATION:
Glen Campbell gives his conversion testimony regularly. He suffered enslavement to drugs and alcohol until he acknowledged Jesus as Lord of his life.
 

APPLICATION:

Do you have a spiritual birthday? Everyone teenager and up must have a day they can call their day of spiritual birth.
 
 

A.    A CHILD CAN HAVE RIGHTEOUS ACTS. Gal. 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good
works, and glorify your [Father] who is in heaven.
 
 

B.    A CHILD CAN HAVE UNRIGHTEOUS ACTS.
John 8:44 "You are of <your> [father the devil], and you want to do the desires of your father.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own <nature>;for he is a liar, and
the father of lies.

Galatians 5:19-21 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity,
sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes,
dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I
forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God.
 

ILLUSTRATION:
Recently a woman called Madonna appeared as a guest on the David Letterman Show. I did not see her but I heard about her language and general vulgarity. A non church person told me about her and he was appalled,

The next night I turned on the show to see what if anything would be said concerning her behavior. David Letterman made several apologies.

Why did Madonna do what she did? She acted out a family resemblance to her father the devil. She is a filthy vulgar person because she is a child of the devil.
 

APPLICATION:

God's children act righteously. The devils kids act unrighteously. It really is that simple. Jesus expressed it this way:

Matthew 7:20 (NASB) "So then, you will know them by their fruits.
 
 

A. A CHILD CAN HAVE A godly LOVE. v 10 d

        1. This godly love include a Love for Christian Brothers.

        2. Their godly love will be prompted by the Spirit.
 

B. A CHILD CAN HAVE AN ungodly LOVE. v 10 d

        1. Their ungodly love will cause them to hate Christians.

        2. Their ungodly love will be prompted by the flesh. John 12:43
for they [loved the] approval of men rather than the approval of God. 2 Peter 2:15
forsaking the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the <son> of Beor,
who [loved the] wages of unrighteousness,

John 3:19
"And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men [loved the darkness] rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.

Matthew 5:16
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your
[Father] who is in heaven.
 

ILLUSTRATION:
A Harvard University study found that 6 of every 10 juvenile delinquents had fathers who drank to excess; many had mothers who did the same; 3 out of 4 lacked parental interest or discipline; and 4 out of 5 had parents who took no interest in their friends or amusements. Many wayward children came from broken homes, and few had religious training of any kind.
 

I. COMPARING A CHILD'S FATHER.
II. COMPARING A CHILD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
III. COMPARING A CHILD'S LOVE.