Sermon Tone Analysis

A Life of Victory # 3

1 John 2: 1-6

As I studied this passage, I was reminded of the relationship John enjoyed with Christ.

He was part of the inner circle, one of three that were closest to Jesus.

I am convinced Jesus didn’t love those three more than the others, but they were privileged to experience events and activities the others missed.

John enjoyed a physical relationship with the Lord as he walked with Him and witnessed the many miracles He performed.

John was referred to as the one Jesus loved.

He was found at the last supper to be lying on His bosom.

He saw enough physical evidence to prove Jesus was the Christ, but I believe John’s spiritual relationship with Christ exceeded the physical encounters.

He witnessed the empty tomb, talked with the resurrected Lord, and was there as Jesus ascended back to the Father.

John was absolutely convinced Jesus was the Christ.

He knew the benefit of such a relationship and he wanted the church to experience it as well.

Keep in mind this epistle was written to the church at large.

We are thousands of years removed, but it bears application for our lives as well.

Just as those who received the actual letter penned by John’s hand, we would do well to heed it instruction.

We need to experience a fulfilling relationship with Christ as well.

John had written to them in hopes of providing necessary guidance on how to live victoriously in Christ, not bound by the burdens and consequences of sin.

He desired their focus to be upon the Lord and service to Him rather than on the lusts and desires of the flesh.

I want to discuss with you what it takes to live a life of Victory!

I.

The Cornerstone for A Life of Victory

Verses 1 and 2 give to us what exactly our cornerstone is And what that corner stone has to offer.

I think it would be safe to say that most everyone knows who the cornerstone of our faith is.

It is no other then Jesus Christ.

So what does John tell us about Jesus Christ our cornerstone.

A. Our Advocate

(1) – My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,...

Jesus is our Advocate.

He stands alongside us in order to help in any way possible.

The word advocate means helper, one who is called to come along side in a time of need.

This pictures a friend who offers comfort and help to one who is troubled or distressed.

It pictures a commander called upon to encourage and equip a discouraged troop.

It also pictures a lawyer who pleads our case before the judge.

Jesus is each of those to us.

When we sin and fail in the journey, we have an Advocate who stands with us and for us!

B. Our Acceptance

1b.

Jesus Christ the righteous.

We are accepted into the beloved, not because of our righteousness which are nothing but filthy rags, but because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

You are not accepted based on your life, your lineage or luxuries

Your are not accepted based on your giving or your grandmas prayer

You are not accepted based on what church you attend or what club you are a member of.

no!!!

you are accepted based only on His righteousness

When we sin and miss the mark, engaging in activity that ought to bring punishment, we stand righteous before God in Christ.

We are covered by His righteousness.

He fully satisfied the righteous demands of God and His righteousness is imputed to our account.

When God looks at the believer, He does not see the faults and failures present in our lives; He sees the righteousness of His dear Son!

C. Our Atonement

[2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus is also our propitiation.

This means He is “our sacrifice, our covering, the payment and appeasement for sin, fully satisfying the righteous demands of the Father.”

The word propitiation carries the idea of satisfaction.

Jesus Christ, by His bloody sacrifice on the cross, satisfied God’s holiness and turned away His righteous wrath from sinners.

The wrath that should have been poured out on sinners was poured out on Jesus.

The judgment that should have been experienced by sinners was experienced by Jesus.

The hell that should have been experienced by sinners was experienced by Jesus.

John reminds the church that the propitiation of Christ was not limited to just them.He was made a propitiation for the world.

As He offered Himself an atonement for sin, He appeased God for the sins of the world.

Why was Jesus made to be a propitation, Paul explains it in one verse, 2Cor.

5:19

This one verse would be hard to explain by the following individuals:

A feminist Delores Williams who claims to be a theologian, says “There is nothing divine in the blood of the cross.”

And an Episcopal bishop John Spong completely misses the mark when he says, “ Neither do I want a God who kills his own Son.

Then there is Steve Chalke who is in complete error when he said that the orthodox understanding of the cross is a form of cosmic child abuse, I quote, “a vengeful father punishing his son for offence he has not committed is a twisted version of events morally dubious and a huge barrier to faith.”

How wrong these individuals are.

They have no sense of there sin and have no sense of a loving God.

Daniel Akin in his expostion of 1John makes this statement

the work of atonement accomplished by Christ on the cross is where God’s holiness and God’s love meet, where God’s judgment and God’s mercy kiss.

Yes, it pleased the Father to crush His Son and put Him to grief (Isa 53:10), and it pleased the Father to highly exalt Him and bestow on Him “the name that is above every name” (Phil 2:9).

These things ought to comfort and challenge our hearts.

I am so glad that Christ was the ultimate sacrifice.

He was our atonement that satisfied God’s wrath.

I am glad salvation is offered to all who look to Christ by faith.

I am glad it wasn’t reserved for the Jews or for the elite in life.

I am glad there were no social or financial restrictions placed upon it.

Christ gave His life for the sins of the world.

He died so that all might be saved!

I am also glad that we are made righteous because of Christ and being made righteous we have an advocate.

One to go to court for us.

One to dispute our case for us.

Thank God we weren't left to defend ourselves.

II.

The Certainty That You Have The Victory

(3-4) – John also addresses the allegiance, or commitment, of believers.

Our relationship with the Lord, or lack thereof, will be evident in our lives.

Consider:

A. The Authenticity of your Conversion

(3) – And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Have you ever doubted your salvation?

Have you ever wondered if your relationship with the Lord was all it needed to be? Has someone asked you how we can know for sure we have been saved?

John knew of these questions and the uncertainty they create in our lives.

In this epistle John shares several assurances of our salvation.

This is one of those assurances.

He does not infer that we will live above sin, but there will be a continual desire in our hearts to live pleasing unto the Lord.

Our lives will be measured and dictated by the Word of God.

Doesnt Christ Himself say “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

John 14:15.

 This is an attribute that will reveal itself.

It will be evident in the lives of believers.

We will be known by living in obedience to the Word.