This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing 
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s 
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Since the beginning of time, 
there have been two families:  

the family of God
and the family of Satan.

And since Satan tricked Eve and then Cain killed Abel,
these two families have been at war.

John says his people are “born of God,” and 
“children of God,” and even the “seed of God”.

And at the same time, their enemies are
the “children of the devil''. And they act like it.

Their malice proves they’re spiritual descendants of
the one who “has been sinning since the beginning”.

Those born of the Devil are committed to the same 
“lawlessness” that Satan used to convince Eve  
and motivate Cain to kill his brother.

But those born of God make a habit of 
practicing righteousness and saying “no” to sin.

And even though those “of the devil” have hunted and 
murdered the children of God since the beginning of history,

John’s community doesn’t need to be 
surprised, alarmed, or stop loving one another.

As Genesis promised, Jesus has 
come to destroy the enemy’s plans.

John’s church is free to love 
their brothers and sisters  

despite the cost because they know 
that even death leads to resurrection.

[music]

In the face of severe persecution John wants
his disciples to be assured that God is on their side.

So, John takes their 
suffering and makes it bigger.

He blows it up to cosmic proportions and helps
his community see that God is already in the middle
of the war they’re fighting—and winning.

God has already sent his Son 
to take away lawlessness.

Jesus has already destroyed 
the works of the devil.

And like he promised Adam and 
Eve, he has crushed the snake.

So, if they abide in Jesus, they will 
never be shamed by their allegiance to him.

They can be confident, even in death, 
that their home is with him forever.

And John also helps his community see just how
thoroughly God has transformed them.

They are not like Cain plotting murder.

They are members of a new family.

Like children reborn, sin is no longer the 
defining pattern of their life—righteousness is.

And their love towards each other 
proves they’ve passed from death  

to life and are included in Jesus’ 
victory over evil and the grave.

If you’ve ever wondered 
which family you belong to,  

there is a God who is greater 
than your doubting heart.

He died to defeat evil and has 
risen to encourage us in death.

And he has filled and 
transformed us by his Spirit.

We don’t need to guess which 
family we belong to anymore.

God has seen the suffering of 
his family and come to rescue us!

And when we trust Jesus and love one another 
we can know we’re on the right side of the war.

May the Holy Spirit open your eyes to 
see the God who has made us his children.

And may you see Jesus as the one who 
has defeated the works of the evil one.