The One Thing That Cuts You Off From Hearing God

Jesus gives Revelation to produce faith and hope, not fear. John the apostle then writes 1 John 2:24-28 and presses one thing three times: remain in fellowship with Christ. The word abide means dwell, stay, keep close. John anchors this abiding to “what you have been taught from the beginning,” which is not a private starting point but the Living Word made flesh. The beginning is Christ himself, the Word who was with God and is God, and the apostolic witness to him.

The Holy Spirit in 1 John is the indwelling teacher, yet Jesus also gives apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The Spirit illuminates truth both in the secret place and through the gifts Christ appoints. The Bereans model the balance: receive with readiness, then search the Scriptures daily. James’ line, “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us,” shows that genuine guidance bears spiritual recognition. Ulterior motives dull discernment; purity of heart hears. The Spirit is a gentleman who must be welcomed. “Where the Spirit is Lord, there is liberty,” meaning when he is allowed to master the room, freedom follows. Weirdness does not attract him. Obedience does.

Paul’s warning to Galatia draws a boundary: even if an angel preaches another gospel, let him be accursed. Perverting grace happens two common ways. Legalism says grace must be earned by the law. License smuggles in permission to sin by calling it grace. True grace is God’s power that gives everything needed for a godly life and a new nature that actually wants to obey. Obedience does not purchase relationship; it protects fellowship.

John’s call to remain in fellowship is about courage at Christ’s return. Habitual sin erodes that fellowship, like a receiver missing the huddle and guessing the play. Staying near the huddle is the point. If sin is conceived and carried to term, it leads to death. But the aim here is simpler and nearer: keep the fellowship. Protect the closeness. Live ready so as not to shrink back in shame when he appears. Love for God and the fear of God guard that readiness. Abide in what was from the beginning. Welcome the Spirit as Lord. Refuse novelty that shifts the center. Let grace empower obedience, and stay in the huddle.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Remain in fellowship with Christ Abiding is not a mood but a practiced nearness that keeps courage alive for the day of his appearing. John ties confidence at Christ’s return to a present, ongoing fellowship that is guarded, not assumed. Intimacy is maintained by obedience, not manufactured by intensity. The more the heart stays near, the less it will shrink back in shame. [06:23]
• 2. Where the Spirit is Lord, liberty Freedom flows where the Spirit is actually allowed to lead, not where he is mentioned in passing. Control and programs can crowd him out, while yielded hearts make room for his mastery. The Spirit does not force his way; he is welcomed by surrendered authority. Liberty is the fruit of his Lordship, not human management. [09:14]
• 3. Grace empowers obedience, not license Grace is not a permission slip; it is divine power that gives a new nature and the capacity to obey. Legalism tries to earn grace, and license tries to neuter it, but both pervert the gospel. Real grace both forgives and forms, cleansing the past while training the present. The gospel keeps pardon and power together. [41:53]
• 4. Guard against novelty and perversion The truth “from the beginning” is the plumb line when clever distortions sound persuasive. A hunger for followers or fresh angles can pry the center off Christ and his Word. Receive with readiness, then verify with Scripture like the Bereans. The inward witness and the written Word stand watch together. [34:26]
• 5. Welcome the Spirit without weirdness The Spirit is not strange; people can be. Oddity does not attract him; obedience and purity do. Discernment learns to test impressions, check motives, and seek confirmation that “seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” The Spirit’s presence makes children safe to draw near, not anxious to pull away. [30:29]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:49] - Have you ever been wrong?
• [03:34] - John’s Patmos vision and purpose of Revelation
• [04:40] - Revelation produces faith, not fear
• [05:22] - 1 John 2:24-28 read aloud
• [06:55] - Abide means dwell and stay
• [09:14] - Where the Spirit is Lord, liberty
• [12:50] - Marketplace story of listening to the Spirit
• [16:31] - The Spirit teaches and the fivefold equips
• [21:21] - “Seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us”
• [25:28] - Ulterior motives block hearing God
• [29:26] - The Spirit is not weird, obedience attracts
• [31:57] - Obedience maintains fellowship, not earns relationship
• [33:57] - Stay with what was from the beginning
• [36:35] - Even an angel? Do not receive another gospel
• [38:24] - Two distortions of grace explained
• [41:53] - Grace is power to obey
• [49:51] - Speaking truth in love will cost
• [55:04] - Fellowship vs relationship and the huddle
• [57:14] - Courage at His return, no shrinking back

1. Three times in 1 John 2:24-28, believers are urged to "abide" or "remain" in fellowship with Christ. What specific reasons does John give for this command?
2. The sermon emphasized that "grace is power to obey, not permission to sin" ([41:53]). How does 2 Peter 1:3-4 (referenced in the sermon) support this idea?
3. What two common distortions of grace were highlighted in the sermon ([38:24]), and how do they contradict the gospel?

1. John ties abiding in Christ to having "confidence and not shrink from him in shame" at His return (1 John 2:28). Why might habitual sin erode this confidence, even if our relationship with God is secure?
2. The sermon stated, "Where the Spirit is Lord, there is liberty" ([09:14]). How does the Holy Spirit’s lordship differ from human control in producing true freedom?
3. The Bereans were commended for testing teachings against Scripture ([37:15]). Why is both readiness to receive truth and discernment necessary when evaluating spiritual guidance?

1. Abiding in Christ is described as a "practiced nearness." What daily habit could you strengthen (or start) to intentionally "stay in the huddle" with Jesus, like a football team staying connected to their quarterback ([55:04])?
2. Reflect on an area where you might resist the Holy Spirit’s leadership out of fear of "weirdness" or losing control. What practical step could you take to yield more fully to His guidance this week?
3. The sermon warned against teachings that "shift the center" away from Christ ([34:26]). How can you cultivate discernment when encountering new spiritual ideas or trends?
4. Share an example of how grace has empowered you to obey God in a specific struggle, rather than using it as an excuse to compromise. How did this deepen your fellowship with Him?
5. The marketplace leader in the sermon prioritized listening to the Spirit daily ([13:57]). What mundane or "insignificant" area of your life might God want to speak into if you invited His input more intentionally?