Grosey's Messages

Call To Worship  Psalm 1   Law Grace Reading: Ezekiel 36:22-29

Bible reading 1 John 3:4-10    Are You Slapping The Lord In The Face?

Benediction: 1 Corinthians 16:22-24  If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

 

Anything Goes, is a song by Cole Porter. It was revived by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga! 2014.  Celebrating Profanity and nudity it represents the moral relativism of our society today.  Porter wrote show tunes in 1915 sung by people like Frank Sinatra: Ive got you under my skin, Don't fence me in. I get a kick out of you.  After making it all he became drugged, drunk depressed and diseased.  The bible anticipated the decadent times like our present age. There were people in John's time who said, it doesn't matter how you live. Live it up. Get as much as you can while you can.

And some of these were in the church.   There is a lot of confusion then as now about the relationship between purifying ourselves, holiness, and our state as declared righteous by God.  Some people err to much on one side to say "Well you have to be holy or you are not getting to heaven."  They tend to deny justification by faith. That we are completely pardoned by what the Lord Jesus, God the Son did at the cross.  Others say "Well we now we are set right by God through what Jesus did, sin doesn't really matter that much!"   Well that is wrong too. Sin matters more now.

The appeal for holiness is always made in terms of doctrine.  Some want to say "Well doctrine doesn't matter that much anyway, what matters is love!"  I heard that this week at the Penrith Pastors Meeting.

For the apostle John,  holiness and love has everything to do with who Jesus is and what He came to do.  Holiness, purifying ourselves,  is an inevitable consequence of a true understanding of our position in Christ Jesus.  Holiness is a matter of working out what we claim to believe;  failure in practise does suggest a failure truly to understand the doctrine, and is an indication that there is something essentially and fundamentally wrong with one's view of Christ, and therefore something wrong of our view of the Christian life.

Now the particular failure with which he is concerned here is the failure really to understand the nature of sin.

John doesn't want us to regard sin lightly, dismissing it in some inadequate way as if it were something that really does not matter very much so long as one is a Christian. But John is careful to guard very strongly against that. He says, 'Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness' (v.4). 'You must be right, therefore,' says the Apostle, 'about this whole question of the real nature of sin, because if you are wrong there, you must be wrong on your doctrine of salvation, and then you are wrong everywhere.' And so his great emphasis at this point is that sin is lawlessness, the breaking of God's law, rebellion against God, disobedience, a failure to live our lives as God would have us live them.

That is the very essence of sin. It must not be thought of as just a sort of weakness or failure on our part; it must not be regarded as some sort of poor evolutionary bit of us which we have not yet evolved out of. No, John says It is the transgression of the law; it is disobedience to God and His holy will with respect to us. 'So if you fail to realise this,' says the Apostle in effect, 'then it does just show that you are muddled and confused in your thinking about the whole principle of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into this world. And it seems clear that your whole conception of salvation must be entirely false and erroneous'—and then he proceeds to deal with that.

'Man's essential trouble,' says the Apostle, 'is that he is guilty and condemned by the law of God. Sin was introduced into this world by the devil; the devil came at the very beginning and tempted man to disobey God. That is lawlessness: he tempted him to break God's holy law, and man in his folly listened to him and did so. That is a part of the work of the devil, and its effect has been to make us break the law of God and to render us guilty in the sight of God and His holy law. There we are, under the wrath of God, meriting and awaiting punishment. That is the position,' says John, 'so that if you do not view your sin in that way, then it is quite obvious that you cannot understand anything else because the Lord Jesus Christ was manifested, or appeared, in this world because of that.'

John makes two separate statements with regard to the object of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 'You know that he was manifested to take away our sins' (v.5), and 'For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil' (v.8). That is the whole purpose, and we must view His coming in the light of those two great statements.

John is going to raise a mirror to your life about the issue of sin in this passage! And how to keep clean from sin! In verses 4 through 10, of First John chapter 3, the Apostle John mentions the word sin ten times; ten different times in 7 verses.   We've all got to daily address the reflection of sin and our fallen predisposition to sin and the marring effects of sin.  There's no need hiding it . . . let's not redefine it . . . Let's expose it for what it is and then deal with it.

Calvin Coolidge was the president of the United States in 1923. He was known for being a man of few words – in fact, somewhat renowned for never using an unnecessary word. One Sunday morning, he returned from a church service and a white house staff member asked him what the preacher had preached about in his sermon that morning. "Coolidge replied with one word, "Sin!" The staff member waited for a little more information and when none came, he asked "Well, what did the preacher say about it?" Coolidge responded, "He was against it."

There are a number of definitions of sin by the way, in the Bible:  The devising of folly is sin (Proverbs 24:9);  All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17);  To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17);

It is the attack on God's justice, His very nature as sinless.  Jesus was without sin! But we all have sin!

John Bunyan said Sin is the dare of God's justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power, and the contempt of His love.

Sin then is repudiating – denying – disobeying – refusing to apply the standards holiness established by God.  The word John uses here for sin (hamartia) literally means to fail to hit the target – to miss the mark; which is primarily a classical Greek definition of the word. What's typically lost in that definition is the fact that throughout the New Testament, the word hamartia has the added characteristic of open rebellion – an attitude of hostility against the authority of God.

In other words, sin is wilful rebellion – it isn't an unfortunate choice or a mistaken accident – it is wilful, deliberate deviation from the target of God's righteous standard. That's what John means here when he writes, notice in verse 4, "sin is actually lawlessness." That is, sin is breaking the law of God.  Some folks wonder how close to the edge of the cliff they can go without falling over. Dumb isn't it? Some Christians wonder how far into sin they can fall and get away with it.  John is going to tell us that that is just plain dumb. Be against it!  Why should you be against sin?

5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin

Sin is a Slap in God's face about Christ's purpose in coming into the world. Sin is the rape of His mercy, Bunyan says.

He came to deliver us from sin. 3:4-6  Sin is the great enemy and problem of humanity and only God can rescue us and solve our problem. There is a universal truth John sets before us in v. 4: "Everyone (no exceptions) who makes a practice of sinning (pre. tense) also practices (pre. tense) lawlessness (Gr. anomian)". And, sin is lawlessness, rebellion, a defiant disregard and rejection of God's rightful rule as Lord over your life. In your practice of sin you rebel against your rightful King and say, "I hate your law." Sin is nothing less than personal treason against the Sovereign of the Universe. And it is not a onetime offense, it is the habit and settled disposition of your heart and your life. You are "an outlaw against God." And Jesus came into our world to deal with our sin problem!

5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin

Because our predicament was so great, a great rescue was required. We know this is why Christ came in the incarnation. This is why "he appeared to take away sins" (v. 5). Can't you hear John the Baptist at the Jordan River heralding to the top of his lungs, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). By his bloody death on the cross Jesus lifted up, removed and carried away our sins. The Son of God came to provide full and forever forgiveness of sins to all who trust in Him.   The contempt of His love!

Listen, one author wrote, if mankind's true need was education, God would have sent us a host of teachers;   If mankind's greatest need was advancement in technology, He would have sent us engineers and inventors;   If mankind's greatest need was sickness, He would have sent us medicine and a doctor;   If mankind's greatest need was finances, He would have sent us a financial planners and economists;   But our greatest problem is sin . . . so He sent us a Saviour.

He only could do what He did because He only is who He is: sinless. "In him there is no sin." Not even one! This is a consistent theme that resounds throughout the Bible. John, himself, has already taught us he is the righteous one (2:29) and the pure one (3:3). Now he affirms Jesus in the sinless one.

2 Corinthians 5:21  "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." The author of Hebrews agrees. In Hebrews 4:15 he tells us, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" and in Hebrews 7:25-26 he says, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens." And, Peter agrees because in 1 Peter 2:22 he writes, "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth." He came to save you from your sin, this also means separating you from your sins.

If you indulge in your sins, you are despising the Son of God who loved you and gave Himself for your sins. It is a slap in the face, a rebellious act, against Him who loved you and died to redeem you.

Redeeming you means getting you out of the bog of your sin.

Sin is a Slap in God's face in His very presence!

6 Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him.

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.    So what does John mean in verse 6 – No one who abides in Him sins.

John is referring to someone whose lifestyle is sinful. He isn't talking about big sins or little sins – he's describing someone who maintains ongoing, unrepentant, unremitting, unashamed sin.

SINNING DEMONSTRATES ALIENATION FROM THE INDWELLING CHRIST.

Remember last week we talked about being born again?

John 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

You received the Lord Jesus Christ into your life. You became a child of God. He came to reside and abide in you.   He abides in you!  How can you go on in some sins that you choose to go on in, when you have a holy guest living inside you?

God's Holy Spirit abides in you.  The Lord Jesus abides in you and you abide in Him!

Remember, if you are keeping close to Him, if you are holding His hand, there are sinful things you will not do! Sinful places you will not go! Sinful things you won't watch!

 SINNING DEMONSTRATES ALLEGIANCE TO THE ENEMY OF CHRIST (VV. 7-8) 

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.         Why would the Christian ever want to be involved in sinning – because in sinning, you are actually supporting the enemy of Christ; you are actually deferring to the enemy who delights to use our sin to bring:  dishonour to Christ and reproach to His name  and discredit to his gospel  and scandal to His church.  Someone openly rebelling against God is acting just like the devil openly rebelling in an attempt to overthrow God and reign in heaven, whereupon God removed him from heaven and his fallen angels with him. Which one are you going to demonstrate? Sin or the Saviour?

3. THE SAVIOUR'S POWER IN US WILL DESTROY SIN

8 … The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil's works. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God.     The slight of His power!
Born of God!  Born of God.   John 3: Jesus answered a Pharisee named Nicodemus "3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Evangelist George Whitefield was asked "why do you preach so often that you must be born again?" He replied, "Because you must be born again!"

 The new birth, being born again, being born from above (john 3) which the Lord Jesus promised. John draws attention to the new birth, to the doctrine of regeneration. Re means "again"; generate means "to be born." We are regenerated. We are born again. One of the distinguishing marks of the Christian is the new birth, that he has been converted, born again, regenerated.  What is regeneration? What does being born of God mean? The BF&M 2000 says, "Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour."  Regeneration is "a drastic act on fallen human nature by the Holy Spirit, leading to a change in the person's whole outlook. He can now be described as a new man who seeks, finds and follows God in Christ." (New Bible Dictionary p. 1005).  There is something supernatural that took place in me when I was saved: I was born again. It took place in you, and that seed is there, and it gives you a new nature. John teaches us this happens because "God's seed abides in him," in the believer. Without the new birth it is impossible for us to live like new people. Sin will dominate us. Satan will have his way with us. Hate and not love will fill our hearts.  However, as a result of the new birth, the Bible says we cannot "make a practicing of sinning" and we "cannot keep on sinning because we have been born of God."  He will pick me up and get me moving again in the right direction. I am destined to be like Jesus (3:2)! Neither sin nor Satan will have the last word.  These words humble me because if it were not for Christ, His atonement, His advocacy, His victory, I would forever be enslaved to Satan and sin. Any righteousness I do flows from the righteousness of Christ poured into my life by means of the new birth. Your Sin is a Slap in God's face about His powerful new birth.

4. THE SAVIOUR'S PRINCIPLE WILL DESTROY SIN    CONTEMPT FOR HIS LOVE.

10 This is how God's children—and the Devil's children—are made evident.  Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother.  11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another,  12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's were righteous.

Romans 13:8--"He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." The objective of the Christian life is to obey God and fulfill His will.

Galatians 5:14--"All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (cf. James 2:8). That states the simplicity of fulfilling the law through love.

Galatians 6:2--"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law."

Your Sin is a Slap in the Lord's face about love. Do you love Him? Do you love others? If you continue in your cherished sin, you have put someone else before the Lord who loved you. We love Him because He first loved us. Do you love Him or not?

Love makes all things easy.

A little secret.  I have always found mowing the lawn frustrating.  From  my grandmothers mower, aged 12 that just wound;t start.  TO a part time job that had a working mower locked in a garage, but the mower they left out for me just didn't work. To a mower in Glen Innes, where after hours of trying to make it go, I picked it up above my head to throw it down on the ground (as a deacon walked up).  When I mow the lawn, although I hate it, I remember that I love my wife Lorelle, and a mown lawn makes her happy. So mowing the lawn becomes easy.  And I am so glad growing season is over for another 6 months! And all the men said "Hallelujah!"

The theme of this book that we're studying  is blessed assurance. And one way that I can have that blessed assurance that I'm a child of God is that I know—I know—that God is delivering me day by day from sin. And I know that God is causing me day to day to live righteously. Oh, I haven't attained; I'm not already perfect. But I know that something has happened in my life. Has that happened in your life? Have you been saved? Has there been a time in your life when you knowingly, consciously, wilfully invited Jesus Christ into your heart? Has God forgiven your sins? Does God's Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God? (Romans 8:16) And are you now living as a child of God? Are you behaving the gospel that you say that you are believing? Are you? If so, you can have that blessed assurance that Jesus is yours.

 

John has just previously dealt with a rabbit hole chase over a guy named  Cerinthus: the Christ descended upon Jesus at baptism         John: this guy is an antichrist. Once they met up in a bathhouse, and 90 year old John went running out saying that the walls might fall in, because evil Cerinthus was in there. 2:22,23. 2 John 10-11

1.Enjoy The Thrill of Preoccupation  28 And now, little children, abide in Him  Keep the main thing the main thing. Best vs interesting.  2:29 abide to have confidence.

Abiding In His Word John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, abiding in teaching who He is what he did. (2:24,25)

Abiding in Righteousness 2:29

Abiding in His love. Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

2. Enjoy The Thrill of Exhilaration 3: 1
Behold: A Word Of Admiration the cross love Unique Undeserved
Behold: "Amazement bestowed upon us .. Permanently.

Behold: " Achievement children of God! Jn 1:10-12
Behold: " Attention Keep your eyes here!

3. Enjoy The Thrill of Anticipation 3:2      Carrie Breck wrote
Face to face with Christ my Saviour, Face to face what will it be?

When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me!

Only faintly now I see him With the darkened veil between

But a blessed day is coming When his glory shall be seen

The Body of B. Franklin, Printer; like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost; For it will, as he believ'd, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and amended By the Author.

Horatio Bonar: And when I see Him face to face What glory that will be

To Look upon my Saviour's scars And know they were for me.

4. Enjoy The Thrill of Purification 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 2Cor 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

 

John is going to raise a mirror to your life about the issue of sin in this passage! And how to keep clean from sin! In verses 4 through 10, of First John chapter 3, the Apostle John mentions the word sin ten times; ten different times in 7 verses.  He's basically going to make it clear that we've all got to daily address the reflection of sin and our fallen predisposition to sin and the marring effects of sin.  There's no need hiding it . . . let's not redefine it . . . Let's expose it for what it is and then deal with it.

Calvin Coolidge was the president of the United States in 1923. He was known for being a man of few words – in fact, somewhat renowned for never using an unnecessary word. One Sunday morning, he returned from a church service and a white house staff member asked him what the preacher had preached about in his sermon that morning. "Coolidge replied with one word, "Sin!" The staff member waited for a little more information and when none came, he asked "Well, what did the preacher say about it?" Coolidge responded, "He was against it."

There are a number of definitions of sin by the way, in the Bible:  The devising of folly is sin (Proverbs 24:9);  All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17);  To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17);

John Bunyan said Sin is the dare of God's justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power, and the contempt of His love.

Sin then is repudiating – denying – disobeying – refusing to apply the standards holiness established by God.  The word John uses here for sin (hamartia) literally means to fail to hit the target – to miss the mark; which is primarily a classical Greek definition of the word. What's typically lost in that definition is the fact that throughout the New Testament, the word hamartia has the added characteristic of open rebellion – an attitude of hostility against the authority of God.

In other words, sin is willful rebellion – it isn't an unfortunate choice or a mistaken accident – it is willful, deliberate deviation from the target of God's righteous standard.

That's what John means here when he writes, notice in verse 4, "sin is actually lawlessness." That is, sin is breaking the law of God.

Some folks wonder how close to the edge of the cliff they can go without falling over. Dumb isn't it? Some Christians wonder how far into sin they can fall and get away with it.  John is going to tell us that that is just plain dumb. Be against it!  Why should you be against sin?

1. The Saviour's Purpose Was To Destroy Sin Your Sin is a Slap in God's face about His purpose.

John has challenged us to live a life of righteousness (2:29) and purity (3:3) based upon or grounded in the promise of the 2nd coming of Christ. Now he gives the same challenge based upon his 1st coming (3:5, 8). John Stott puts it in proper perspective: "If Christ appeared first both to 'take away our sins' and to 'destroy the devil's work', and if, when he appears a second time, 'we shall see him' and, in consequence, 'we shall be like him', how can we possibly go on living in sin? To do so would be to deny the purpose of both his "appearing's."  Thus His "two comings" serve as theological, eschatological bookends to inspire and motivate us "to walk in the same way in which he walked" (2:6), to practice righteousness (2:29; 3:7, 10), to purify ourselves (3:3) and to love our brother (3:10) as we abide in Him (3:6, 9).

He came to deliver us from sin. 3:4-6

Sin is the great enemy and problem of humanity and only God can rescue us and solve our problem.

There is a universal truth John sets before us in v. 4: "Everyone (no exceptions) who makes a practice of sinning (pre. tense) also practices (pre. tense) lawlessness (Gr. anomian)". And, sin is lawlessness, rebellion, a defiant disregard and rejection of God's rightful rule as Lord over your life. In your practice of sin you rebel against your rightful King and say, "I hate your law." Sin is nothing less than personal treason against the Sovereign of the Universe. And it is not a onetime offense, it is the habit and settled disposition of your heart and your life. You are "an outlaw against God."

2. The Saviour's Presence Was To Destroy Sin   Your Sin is a Slap in God's face in His very presence!

5 You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him.

Because our predicament was so great, a great rescue was required. We know this is why Christ came in the incarnation. This is why "he appeared to take away sins" (v. 5). Can't you hear John the Baptist at the Jordan River heralding to the top of his lungs, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). By his bloody death on the cross Jesus lifted up, removed and carried away our sins. The Son of God came to provide full and forever forgiveness of sins to all who trust in Him.

Listen, one author wrote, if mankind's true need was education, God would have sent us a host of teachers;   If mankind's greatest need was advancement in technology, He would have sent us engineers and inventors;   If mankind's greatest need was sickness, He would have sent us medicine and a doctor;   If mankind's greatest need was finances, He would have sent us a financial planners and economists;   But our greatest problem is sin . . . so He sent us a Saviour.

He only could do what He did because He only is who He is: sinless. "In him there is no sin." Not even one! This is a consistent theme that resounds throughout the Bible. John, himself, has already taught us he is the righteous one (2:29) and the pure one (3:3). Now he affirms Jesus in the sinless one.

2 Corinthians 5:21  "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." The author of Hebrews agrees. In Hebrews 4:15 he tells us, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" and in Hebrews 7:25-26 he says, "Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens." And, Peter agrees because in 1 Peter 2:22 he writes, "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth."

He came to save you from your sin, this also means separating you from your sins.

3. The Saviours' Prominence Will Destroy Sin.  Your Sin is a Slap at the Saviour's Prominence in your life now.

6 Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him.

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.    So what does John mean in verse 6 – No one who abides in Him sins.

The answer is in the verb tense, used by John – he uses a present active participle – in other words, John is referring to someone whose lifestyle is sinful. He isn't talking about big sins or little sins – he's describing someone who maintains ongoing, unrepentant, unremitting, unashamed sin. Sinning demonstrates allegiance to the enemy of Christ (vv. 7-8)  Verse 7. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8. The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Why would the Christian ever want to be involved in sinning – because in sinning, you are actually supporting the enemy of Christ; you are actually deferring to the enemy who delights to use our sin to bring:  dishonour to Christ  and reproach to His name  and discredit to his gospel  and scandal to His church.

Someone openly rebelling against God is acting just like the devil openly rebelling in an attempt to overthrow God and reign in heaven, whereupon God removed him from heaven and his fallen angels with him. Which one are you going to make preeminient? Sin or the Saviour? We actually have, as one author put it, the urge not to sin. We still battle the urge to sin, but we now have a new urge not to sin – where'd that come from?!  The seed of God – Peter refers to as the word of God, implanted in our hearts – germinated and nurtured by the indwelling Holy Spirit within us as well, growing and developing this new nature – this new life – this new man. And that new nature wants to stay away from sinning. Why?  Because sinning:  Repudiates the righteous standard modeled by Christ; Depreciates the enormous sacrifice of Christ;  Indicates a lack of desire to walk with Christ;  Demonstrates allegiance to the enemy of Christ;  and Violates the internal life of Christ;

4. The Saviour's Power In Us Will Destroy Sin

8 The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil's works. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God.   
Born of God!  Born of God.  John 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 3: Jesus answered a Pharisee named Nicodemus "3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Evangelist George Whitefield was asked "why do you preach so often that you must be born again?" He replied, "Because you must be born again!"

 The new birth, being born again, being born from above (john 3) which the Lord Jesus promised. John draws attention to the new birth, to the doctrine of regeneration. Re means "again"; generate means "to be born." We are regenerated. We are born again. One of the distinguishing marks of the Christian is the new birth, that he has been converted, born again, regenerated.  What is regeneration? What does being born of God mean? The BF&M 2000 says, "Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour."  Regeneration is "a drastic act on fallen human nature by the Holy Spirit, leading to a change in the person's whole outlook. He can now be described as a new man who seeks, finds and follows God in Christ." (New Bible Dictionary p. 1005).

There is something supernatural that took place in me when I was saved: I was born again. It took place in you, and that seed is there, and it gives you a new nature.

John teaches us this happens because "God's seed abides in him," in the believer. Without the new birth it is impossible for us to live like new people. Sin will dominate us. Satan will have his way with us. Hate and not love will fill our hearts.  However, as a result of the new birth, the Bible says we cannot "make a practicing of sinning" and we "cannot keep on sinning because we have been born of God."  He will pick me up and get me moving again in the right direction. I am destined to be like Jesus (3:2)! Neither sin nor Satan will have the last word.

These words humble me because if it were not for Christ, His atonement, His advocacy, His victory, I would forever be enslaved to Satan and sin. Any righteousness I do flows from the righteousness of Christ poured into my life by means of the new birth.

Your Sin is a Slap in God's face about His powerful new birth.

5. The Saviour's Principle Will Destroy Sin love.

10 This is how God's children—and the Devil's children—are made evident.

Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother.
11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another,
12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's were righteous.

Romans 13:8--"He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." The objective of the Christian life is to obey God and fulfill His will.

Galatians 5:14--"All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (cf. James 2:8). That states the simplicity of fulfilling the law through love.

Galatians 6:2--"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law."

Your Sin is a Slap in the Lord's face about love. Do you love Him? Do you love others? If you continue in your cherished sin, you have put someone else before the Lord who loved you. We love Him because He first loved us. Do you love Him or not?

The theme of this book that we're studying  is blessed assurance. And one way that I can have that blessed assurance that I'm a child of God is that I know—I know—that God is delivering me day by day from sin. And I know that God is causing me day to day to live righteously. Oh, I haven't attained; I'm not already perfect. But I know that something has happened in my life. Has that happened in your life? Have you been saved? Has there been a time in your life when you knowingly, consciously, willfully invited Jesus Christ into your heart? Has God forgiven your sins? Does God's Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God? (Romans 8:16) And are you now living as a child of God? Are you behaving the gospel that you say that you are believing? Are you? If so, you can have that blessed assurance that Jesus is yours.

 

 

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

 

We can all go down the rabbit hole sometimes.  We get caught up in secondary issues and all our thoughts and feelings devolve into that hole. The term "going down the Rabbit hole" refers to the book by Lewis Carroll, 1865 classic, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In its opening chapter, "Down the Rabbit-Hole," Alice follows the White Rabbit into his burrow, which transports her to the strange, surreal, and nonsensical world of Wonderland.  The 1938 The Yale Law Journal: "It is the Rabbit-Hole down which we fell into the Law, and to him who has gone down it, no queer performance is strange." Over much of the 20th century, rabbit hole has been used to characterize bizarre and irrational experiences.  One can fall down the rabbit hole of government bureaucracy, healthcare, immigration, tax law, and anything related to red tape in government. Do you remember the Red Queen was being described as "She's one of the thorny kind."  "Off with your head" is about a current political debate about execution.  Don't go down the political hole or someone may say "off with your head!"

Going down the rabbit hole? I went down a wombat hole with my mate Malcolm as a 5 year old.. do you know what is at the bottom of a wombat hole? A cranky wombat or a brown snake.   We had a brown snake problem about 6 weeks ago. One popped up on our front verandah about 2 metres from me.  I thought about going under the house to chase that brown snake. I am sure I can manuevre under there in the 45 cm space.. maybe not.   That would be becoming obsessive about the brown snake.  Someone on facebook told about going to get a mower out of their shed, when they saw a tiger snake in the shed on the mower. The comments were, "tell it he can have it and go buy yourself another mower, and shed!" Another said "Burn the whole thing down, now!"   Well I guess those are obsessive over reactions. 

John has been dealing with a snake in the church, a fellow named Cerinthus.  In Cerinthus' interpretation, the Christ descended upon Jesus at baptism and guided him in ministry and the performing of miracles, but left him at the crucifixion. He maintained that Jesus was not born of a virgin, but was a mere man, the biological son of Mary and Joseph. He didn't believe on the trinity. Just that Jesus was the last Prophet of God that the people still didn't listen to.

And John, as we saw a couple of weeks ago, called him an antichrist.  He denied the Person of Jesus as God the Son.

1John 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Now, we can all get obsessive about antichrists.  So John now wants to balance us out by giving us an antidote to going down the rabbit hole of obsessive concentration on the negativity of the antichrist. He wants us to rejoice in who Jesus is, God's Son, who didn't mainly come to teach morality or politics, but who mainly came to die for our sins and give us eternal life.  Abiding in the teaching of Who Jesus is and what He came to do, that He is God's Son our Saviour, 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us --- eternal life.

1John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

John doesn't want us to be obsessive about Cerinthus and others heretical beliefs.  Don't get obsessed by them.  John had a young friend and disciple named Polycarp,Polycarp, the disciple of John the apostle tells of how once John and Cerinthus were in the same public bath house, it was sort of like an indoor swimming pool or hot tub, but a public one where you never knew who you might run into, and John saw Cerinthus: "As Cerinthus came in, John ran out without bathing and exclaimed, 'Let us flee lest the bath house should fall in, as long as Cerinthus, that enemy of truth, is within."  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11 nkjv).

Then 1 John 2 ends this way  28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

When He appears….. JESUS WILL APPEAR WITHOUT WARNING. It will happen suddenly.

The Bible was first translated from Greek to Latin. In the Latin Vulgate the word used for "caught up" is raptio, from which we get our English word rapture. Let's read about it in 1Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel's voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

The Apostle John warned the young believers to stay faithful and remain in Christ or they face the possibility of being ashamed when Jesus appears. That's a warning that we should take seriously. The word "ashamed" is a very graphic word that means to shrink away in fear.

Does the thought of Jesus' second coming make you shrink away in fear, in shame?

Warren Wiersbe wrote "Ashamed. Some Christians will be "ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). All believers are "accepted," but there is a difference between being "accepted" and being "acceptable." A disobedient child who goes out and gets dirty will be accepted when he comes home, but he will not be treated as though he were acceptable. "Therefore also we have as our ambition… to be pleasing to Him" (2 Cor. 5:9 nasb). A Christian who has not walked in fellowship with Christ in obedience, love, and truth will lose his rewards; and this will make him ashamed.

How can you not be ashamed, but joy filled when you think of His coming?  The real Christian life is thrilling.  Here is how not to go down the rabbit holes.

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming

How? Don't go down the rabbit hole of preoccupation about foolish little things. Be preoccupied with big things.  Who the Lord Jesus is and what He has come to do by dying for us.

And, "abiding in him", in Christ,  2:18-27.  Keeping the main thing the main thing is essential protection against false teaching. The word "abide" is a word of command and calls for consistent action. Remain in union and communion with Christ. Soak in the Saviour and the gospel message which you heard at the beginning of your Christian experience (v. 24).  Don't soak in other stuff that is not helpful.

And how do you keep the main thing the main thing? Be preoccupied with the fact that this same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Acts 1:11.

Christ is coming again. He will appear on this earth again officially and in full public display as King of kings and Lord over all lords. So "at His coming" (Gr. parousia), will you "have confidence" or "will you shrink from Him in shame?" Will you run toward Him as a child runs to a loving father or will draw back and attempt to hide from His glorious, regal coming?

The secret of confidence is to be abiding  in Him. Be preoccupied with Him.

Abiding in Him John 15:  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Abiding In His Word 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,   Be preoccupied with God's Word.  Do you read His Word each day?  Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee, David wrote in psalm 119:11

Abiding in Righteousness 1 John 2: 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Unholy behaviour would cause us shame. Let's say that there is some behaviour that you're involved in that is sin. That sin is not going to send you to hell if you're a Christian. If you are a Christian, every sin you've ever committed and every sin you'll ever commit has been put under the blood of Jesus, and you're forgiven. You don't have to confess your sins to go to heaven, but you must confess your sins, Christians, to stay clean before the Lord. And so let's say there's some sin, some habit, some filthy attitude that you're just holding on to. And you say, "Lord, I want to give it up." And then you take it back again and you say, "God, I'm going to stop this." And then you start it again the next week. You're fighting and you're fighting and you're fighting, but you don't have any victory over it.

I guess that would make us ashamed right?  The answer to that is abiding  in Him. Abiding in who He is and what He has come to do for you. It is

 Abiding in His love.   Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

How are you going to keep remembering , keep abiding in His love for you?  John tells us in the next verse!

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God;

Behold A Word Of Admiration For Love,  Undeserved Love, Unique love, Unselfish Love

Behold,… to look a the love of God to us is like looking into the sun trying to see the sun.  We can better see what the sun enlightens.   We can better see what the love of God enlightens. And it lights fair and square on the Saviour and the cross.  

Alexander Maclaren wrote "So we have to turn to the work of Christ, and especially to His death, if we would estimate the love of God. According to John's constant teaching, that is the great proof that God loves us. The most wonderful revelation to every heart of man of the depths of that Divine heart lies in the gift of Jesus Christ. The Apostle bids me 'behold what manner of love.' I turn to the Cross, and I see there a love which shrinks from no sacrifice, but gives 'Him up to death for us all.' I turn to the Cross, and I see there a love which is evoked by no lovableness on my part, but comes from the depth of His own Infinite Being, who loves because He must, and who must because He is God. I turn to the Cross, and I see there manifested a love which sighs for recognition, which desires nothing of me but the repayment of my poor affection, and longs to see its own likeness in me. And I see there a love that will not be put away by sinfulness, and short-comings, and evil, but pours its treasures on the unworthy, like sunshine on a dunghill. So, streaming through the darkness of eclipse, and speaking to me even in the awful silence in which the Son of Man died there for sin, I 'behold,' and I hear, the 'manner of love that the Father hath bestowed upon us,' stronger than death and sin, armed with all power, gentler than the fall of the dew, boundless and endless, in its measure measureless, in its quality transcendent — the love of God to me in Jesus Christ my Saviour."

And yes that love is bestowed upon 'us,' such creatures as we are. Out of the depths we cry to Him. Not only by the voice of our supplications, but even when we raise no call of- entreaty, our misery pleads with His merciful heart, and from the heights there comes upon our wretchedness and sin the rush of this great love, like a cataract, which sweeps away all our sins, and floods us with its own blessedness and joy. The more we know ourselves, the more wonderingly and thankfully shall we bow down our hearts before Him, as we measure His mercy by our unworthiness.

Behold Is A Word Of Amazement! This love is indeed amazing when one remembers the destitution of those loved. This love works visible, transforming results in the lives of its recipients. The perfect tense "has bestowed" (dedwken) marks the permanent gift; this lovegift corresponds to the permanent nature of the new birth (2:29).

Behold Is A Word Of Attention Keep beholding. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." What do you think about most? What dominates your mind? Whatever you think about the most is what you're becoming. We always move toward what we're focusing on. If you want to become like Christ, you think about Him. Fill your mind with the Word of God

Behold Is A Word of Achievement   That we should be called the sons of God!

'children of God,' John draws a clear distinction between 'the sons of God' and 'the world' of men who do not comprehend them, they don't even know God's sons when they see them. John says that all people are divided into two families — 'the children of God and the children of the devil.' There are two families in this world. Only two! Children of God and children of the devil.  And God by His love transfers us out of one family, into His own family.  'Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,'  'Every one that does righteousness is born of God,'  'Every one that loves is born of God,'  John 1:10 "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Have you ever looked at that great gift of love that God has given you on purpose to make you His child? If you have, has it made you one? Are you trusting to Jesus Christ, whom God has sent forth that we might receive the standing of sons in Him? Are you a child of God because a brother of that Saviour? Have you received the gift of a divine life through Him? My friend, remember the grim alternative! A child of God or a child of the devil!

'and such we are.'  Do you hear the joy in that? Hey You really are a child of God the moment you believe on the Lord Jesus.  He gives you a new name in His family. He changes your name from "GROSS!" To "GRACE!"  CHS

1Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: "I am elect - my election is of grace. I am redeemed - redemption is a mighty masterpiece of grace. I am called - called by grace. I am preserved - preserved by grace. And whatever there is in me which the Son of God can admire and which gives to my soul real comfort, must be all of grace, and of grace alone." Charles Spurgeon Beloved, we are God's children now  "Those who are 'beloved of the Lord must be the most happy and joyful people, to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth!"

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Many hymns remind us of the thrill of anticipation of the Lord Jesus' return.

Carrie Ellis Breck wrote  Face to face with Christ my Saviour, Face to face what will it be?

When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me!

Face to face shall I behold him  Far beyond the starry sky
Face to face in all his glory     I shall see him by and by

Only faintly now I see him  With the darkened veil between
But a blessed day is coming        When his glory shall be seen

Face to face, oh, blissful moment     Face to face, to see and know
Face to face with my Redeemer     Jesus Christ who loved me so

 

Horatio Bonar wrote: And when I see Him face to face What glory that will be

To Look upon my Saviour's scars And know they were for me.

 

Epitaph of Benjamin Franklin  newspaper eeditor found father of the US. The Body of B. Franklin, Printer; like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost; For it will, as he believ'd, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and amended By the Author.

 

I was travelling to PNG in 2019. Alongside sat a young lady about to go work on a catholic mission as a teacher for a a year.  She was so nervous in turbulence , that she asked panicked   "how often does one of these things crash?"  I said, "usually only once." She then asked, "but this plance to PNG has never gone down right?" Wrong question. Just the week before that very flight had crashed into the water near Port Moresby.  No one died!  Come to think of it why do they call the building the "terminal"; why do they have to say, "we're preparing to make our FINAL DESCENT..."?

There are many things that terrify us about the future and about the possibility of death.  But for the believer in Jesus there is only hope.

The Lord Jesus said      John 14: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4. Enjoy The Thrill of Purification

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

 

Notice the way of assimilation and transformation by beholding — 'If we see Him' we shall be 'like Him.'

2 Corinthians 3: 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Loving and thankful meditation upon the love of God, as manifested in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the consequent gift of the Holy Spirit, joined with the humble, thankful conviction that I am a child of God by His new birth, lies at the foundation of all vigorous and happy Christian life. Seeing that the Lord is one day going to return for you to take you to Himself.  How can a thing which you do not touch with your hands and see with your eyes produce any effect upon you, unless you think about it?

If he were really dear to you, you would think about him. The degree in which we think about Christ, and in Him behold the love of God, is a fairly accurate measure of the reality of our Christianity.

To keep that great sight before the eye of our minds takes effort. You will have to very determinedly look away from something else if, you are to see that heavenly love.

Look away from the things that are seen, so that you may gaze upon the things that are not seen, and the best of it, upon the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  that our best way of cleansing ourselves is by keeping firm hold of Jesus Christ and of the cleansing powers that lie in Him.

Keep close to Jesus Christ. You cannot sin as long as you hold His hand. You fellows, you wife cannot reach for her credit card of she is holding your hand. To have Him with you; — I mean by that to have the thoughts directed to Him, the love turning to Him, the will submitted to Him, Him consciously with us in the day's work. To have communion with Jesus Christ is like bringing an atmosphere round about us in which all evil will die.  Live in the conscious presence that He came yesterday died and rose again today and is coming back tomorrow and you won't have time to sin. You will purify yourselves.

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

The hope of being like Jesus Christ when 'we see Him as He is.' Hope will fight against one of the greatest of all the enemies of our efforts after purity. There is nothing that makes a perosn so down-hearted as the constant and bitter experience that it seems to be all of no use; that he is making so little progress; that with immense pains, like a snail creeping up a wall, he gets up, perhaps, an inch or two, and then all at once he drops down, and further down than he was before he started.  'Cheer up! "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."'

Is the hope of Heaven, of being like Christ, of His near return, something that stirs us every moment to self-surrender, self-cleansing, purification?

 

When I was in teachers' college I occasionally did the run between Wollongong and Sydney alone, so I would occasionally pick up hitchhikers. I picked up one guy.  After I sped up to slightly over the speed limit, I looked at him and out of the blue asked him, "Hey, are you are you ready to meet Jesus?" He must have thought I meant right then because his eyes got big and he reached for the doorhandle and said, "No, dude, I don't want to die!" I laughed and told him to settle down.  I shared the gospel with him until we got to Heathcote road where I dropped him off so he could hitchhike to Liverpool.

The following Sunday the pastor at church told us in a sermon about this funny thing that occurred to him. He picked up a guy hitchhiking on the Heathcote road, and asked him "are you prepared to meet Jesus?"  "This is the third time today I've been asked that question!"  My pastor said he wasn't much of a driver, and suggested he fasten his seat belt! 

 

 

Call to Worship: Psalm 98:1-9

Confession/Law/ Grace John 15:1-17, 1John 1:4-9

BIBLE READING: 1 John 2:28-3:3 The Christian Life is Thrilling

1. There is the Thrill of Preoccupation

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

2. There is the Thrill of Exhilaration

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God;

3. There is the Thrill of Anticipation

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

4. There is the Thrill of Purification

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Benediction      - Jude 24,25

Why is "abiding" important in the Christian life? How is abiding different from "getting saved"?

How do you think you will react when you first see Jesus revealed in all His glory? What are some things that might cause someone to be ashamed at His appearing?

What is a root/fruit argument and how is it important for the Christian life? What other passages of Scripture use similar logic?

How does knowing that all Christians are God's children affect your relationship with the following: (a) spouse, (b) parent/child, (c) church member, (d) the world?

What does it mean for the world to not know Christ? How will that affect our relationship with the world?