• Galatians 5:19-21 – Drunkenness will prohibit one from going to heaven.
• I Corinthians 5:11
• I Corinthians 6:9-11 – Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God.
• Alcohol deceives many from the first drink.
• I Peter 4:3 – “Drinking parties” or social drinking condemned.
• The Texas Driving Handbook: “You cannot take one drink and be 100% sober. … If you’ve has even as little as one drink, then it’s wise to let someone else do the driving.”
• When is a person drunk?
  • A study showed that 0.05% alcohol in the blood doubles the changes of an accident.

• Introduction

  • Matthew 4:21

  • Acts 4:13 – John was a regular man, but he had been with Jesus.

  • Galatians 2:9

• John is an example of how evidence leads to faith.

  • John was present for many miraculous and important events with Jesus, including His transfiguration, crucifixion, the empty tomb, and seeing Jesus after His resurrection.

    • Mark 5:37-42; 9:2-4, 7-8; 14:32-35; John 13:23; 18:15-16; 19:26-27; 20:1-9, 19-23; 21:12-14

  • John 19:35; 20:30-31; 21:24-25 – John knew this was true!

  • Acts 4:19-20 – John could not stop speaking about what he’d seen.

  • I John 1:1-4 – John was convinced. Then he became a convincer.

• John matured over time, and so should we.

  • We should continue to improve our behavior over time.

Earlier:

Later:

Selfish (Mark 10:32-37, 44-45; 9:34)

Sacrificial (Acts 4:3; 5:18, 40; 12:2; Revelation 1:9)

Bossy (Luke 9:49-50)

Brotherly (III John 1:1-7, 9-10)

Hostile

Loving (Acts 8:14-15, 25; I John 2:1; 4:7; III John 1:4)

• Righteousness, continued:

  • The approval of the Lord

    • Proverbs 15:9, 29; 18:10; 21:3

  • God is trying to help us by instructing us in righteous living. He knows how we work and how we should live to have the best life.

  • What does the future hold?

    • Proverbs 10:24-25, 28, 30; 11:4-5, 18-19, 21, 23; 14:32

    • Wickedness brings punishment, but righteousness brings great reward (in eternity if not in this world).

• Money

  • Money is not moral or immoral on its own. It is our attitudes and actions with and about money that matter.

  • I Timothy 6:10, 17-19

  • Warnings about money

    • Stay away from Get-Rich-Quick schemes.

      • Proverbs 20:21; 21:5-6; 28:19-22

    • Don’t let greed corrupt your morals.

      • Proverbs 10:2; 11:18; 21:6

    • Don’t put your trust in money.

      • Proverbs 11:28; 23:4-5

      • Think of yourself as a steward of your money, rather than an owner.

      • Ecclesiastes 5:10-15

      • Luke 12:33

    • Beware of how money can change relationships.

      • Proverbs 14:20; 19:4, 7; 22:7, 26-27

• Hebrews 6:13-20

• Many people are skeptical of their ability to live righteously enough to be saved.

• Our salvation does not depend on living sinlessly!

• The greatest command is to love God. What is the greatest sin? Not loving God.

• Our salvation does not depend on being 100% doctrinally correct.

  • We are constantly striving to improve our understanding and knowledge.

• Romans 7:24-25

  • Our assurance is based on what Jesus has provided for us.

    • II Corinthians 13:4

    • Philippians 3:4-11

    • Romans 5:17

  • Our assurance is based on what the Holy Spirit has done for us.

    • Romans 8:5-16

  • Our assurance is based on what God has done.

    • Romans 8:28-39

    • Romans 8:31 – If God is on our side, no one can stand against us!

• I John 5:10-14 – Here is our confidence!