Essentials for Living in God’s Light (1 John 1:5–2:14)

Did you know there are people who have literally won the lottery but have never picked up their prize? While it isn’t the norm, it does happen. In fact, the largest unclaimed prize in Ontario is $5-million from a LOTTO 6/49 draw in 2005. What a waste! Can you imagine winning a life-altering amount of money but never cashing-in?  Tragically, this is exactly how many Christians live their lives. Believers in Jesus are sitting on a ticket worth more than millions. This is a prize that goes beyond the future afterlife we’re guaranteed by virtue of our faith in Christ and includes the potential for a present abundant life (see John 10:10), one marked by peace, joy, maturity, liberty, purity, and intimacy. Yet many Christians never show-up to collect, leaving this life-altering prize unclaimed and unapplied. What a waste!  Well, God doesn’t want that for his children and today we’re going to be reminded of what we’re to do to cash-in and what God has done to make us eligible.