Untitled Sermon

“Father, we thank you for giving us another opportunity to gather again for the reading and preaching of your word. We are so thankful for the ability to share in a Christian community such as this. We seek to magnify Jesus in this gathering today. We now ask that you would open our hearts to your word that we would be transformed by it today; that today, we may leave here knowing for sure if we are in the faith. We pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

(Scripture Passage) I ask that you turn with me to 1 John 2:1-6 (ESV)

(Rapport) While you are turning there, I wish to greet Dr. Lewis and my fellow preaching students. Through this unique opportunity of being a part of this class, we unit as one from all over the country. It is a pleasure to be a part of this class as we hone our preaching skills together.

(Reading) Now that you have found your place, I ask that you please stand if you can for the reading of our text.

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

Introduction

(Relevance) Have you ever been in a place that caused you to doubt your salvation? Have you ever been so burdened by your own sin that you believe there is no hope for you? God has given a message of assurance; we can know whether we are in the faith. One of the purposes John wrote his first epistle was to encourage his audience in their faith. He desired that the believers to whom he was writing would know if Jesus had saved them. John’s readers may have faced pressing opposition to the apostles’ teachings. Real doctrinal issues needed to be addressed among the readers of this epistle. John sought to give his readers the necessary tools to combat the opposition. Through this passage, I hope to show how we can stand against those things that test our faith; we can have true confidence in our salvation.

(Transition) Chapter two continues John’s argument that he began to build in chapter 1. However, John would not have his readers be unaware of the fundamental issues that faced the church; this brings us to our first point…

I. The Reality of our sin

(1 John 2:1a)

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin…”

(Exposition) John states that his purpose for writing was so that his readers refrain from sin; this is the apostle’s heart because he realizes that one’s confidence in their salvation is impacted by how one lives. John refers to his readers as his “little” or “dear children.” This term of endearment references John’s deep affection for his audience. John views the people to whom he was writing as his spiritual children who need guidance and direction from their spiritual father. John is concerned about the actions of those to whom he writes.

Though he hopes that we avoid sin, John recognizes that we need further instruction for when we do sin. (Corroboration) Chapter 1, verses 8 and 10 say that if we claim to be without sin, we fool ourselves and call God a liar. There is no question regarding the present reality of sin.

(Application) We must recognize the reality of the dangers of sin in our own lives. Some are more spiritually mature than we are, and they care deeply about our spiritual well-being; lean on those people to help guide you toward holiness.

(Illustration) Any good parent desires for their child to grow up knowing right from wrong. In the beginning stages of parenting, we primarily teach our kids those principles. As they get older, though, they know right from wrong and begin to learn the consequences of choosing wrong over right. We teach them how to make amends for their wrongs as well. We care about how they act and strive to teach them to do things rightly. But one of the most important things we do as parents is to teach them that our love for them has not changed despite their wrongdoing. We teach them they are not responsible for earning our favor or love. In the same way, as we do with our kids (though much better), God demonstrates his love for us. He shows us our sinfulness and what to do about it and proves His love to us.

(Transition) The stark reminder of personal sinfulness can be disheartening and will often be rejected. Most will agree that evil exists in the world, but a reminder of one’s sin allows one to begin asking the correct questions to mend the problem. John’s letter gives a beautiful reminder to those who are faced with their own sinfulness.

II. Our relationship to the savior

(1 John 2:1b-2)

“…we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

(Corroboration) From the first few pages of Genesis, we can see the impact sin has had on humanity’s relationship with God. In the first few narratives of Genesis, we see how the first man sinned against God and how that led to his expulsion from the garden of Eden. We see the first murder in the second generation of humanity. We see how the early civilizations were so corrupt that God had to punish them with a worldwide flood. And we see how man rejected God’s command to fill the earth, causing God to confuse their language so that they were forced to spread out. These stories are only the beginning of a long history of humanity being separated from God by sin. On our own, we no longer have open communion with God.

(Exposition) John reminds his audience of this sin, but he has not left them to wallow in their self-pity about their sinfulness. He reminds his audience of the beautiful truth of our relationship with God as Christians. God’s plan has always been to send One who would restore that brokenness and bring a people back to right relationship with Him. Jesus offered himself as the propitiation, or atoning sacrifice, for the sins that caused that separation.

(Illustration/Corroboration) The Old Testament sacrificial system was established as a picture of something greater to come. The nation of Israel’s sin was ceremoniously placed on the sacrificial lamb to take the punishment of death in place of the people. This satisfied God’s wrath toward the people for a time, but the following year, they would have to do it again. Christ’s death was the ultimate reality of that sacrificial system. He offered Himself ONCE for the sins of His people. No more ceremonial sacrifice is necessary for atonement.

(Exposition Cont.) Because Christ made that atoning sacrifice, He now has the right to stand as our advocate—(Illustration) Like a defense attorney—before the Father, our Judge. Christ is the only sacrifice in the whole world. (Corroboration) Revelation 7:9 says that he will save a people from every nation, tribe and people, and language.

(Application) John’s letter reminds us of God’s faithfulness despite our sinfulness. This reminder of Christ’s advocacy should drive us to appreciate our relationship with Him even more. When we realize that we have a righteous advocate who pleads our case before the Father, we ought to be humbled to know that His death is what earned Him that right. God’s wrath was poured out of His Son so that those who believe in Him might be saved. When confronted by your own sin, you can rest in knowing that Jesus has already taken the penalty of that sin. You can know that Christ has justified you before the Father. But this is only true if you have trusted Christ as your savior.

(Transition) The beauty of knowing that we have an advocate is comforting to Christians. However, Satan would not have us be confident in these truths. How can we know in our day-to-day lives that Christ is our advocate? Verses 3-6 address this very question with…

III. Our reassurance of salvation

(1 John 2:3-6)

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

(Explanation) The language of these verses indicates that John reminds us that we can have a current assurance of our previous salvation. When John says that “we have come to know Him,” his wording indicates a perfected action; this means that we have come to know God in the past, and the results are lasting into the present. John is reminding his readers that we can have a current assurance of our previous salvation.

John tells his readers that their current obedience (or disobedience) to the commands of God will be an indicator of their salvation. One whose life is marked by obedience has the daily reminder that God is working within them. If a person is genuinely saved, their outward actions will reflect the inward change.

John warns those who claim to be in the faith but their lives are marked by disobedience. This should cause every Christian to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith. If there is little sign of repentance, there should be little confidence in salvation. John says that God’s love is perfected in those who keep His word; this does not mean that Christians will always be perfect all the time, but it does mean that the marks of one’s life will point to a legitimate inward change.

(Illustration) Think about a married couple. All of us have seen the life changes that happen once a couple gets married. You can watch as two people learn what it means to operate as a single unit. If either of the newlyweds continues to act as though they are single and have no regard for the other person, there will be difficulties going forward. The Bible says that when a man and woman are married, they become one flesh; the only way this works is if they act like it. This life change that is supposed to happen within a marriage is a picture of the type of change that Christians should have when they are saved. Without that change, there is no confidence in salvation.

(Application) Let us regularly examine ourselves to see if we embody an inward regeneration. John says that if we are in Christ, we should walk as He walked. One of the most important for a Christian to do is to study the life of Jesus. How did He live life? How did He respond to opposition? What was His view on Scripture and the commands of God? The more we know about Jesus, the better we can embody His walk in our own lives. May we never grow complacent in our obedience to the words of God.

CONCLUSION

(Clarification) John has provided the necessary means for us to have confidence in the faith. John’s message in these verses is that the marks of a person’s life will indicate their position before God. A life marked by careful obedience is a good indicator of the inward change that follows conversion. A life marked by disobedience should cause concern for someone considering whether they are in the faith. John says that a Christian should walk as Christ has walked.

(Application) Have you tested yourself to see if you are in the faith? What marks your life; obedience or disobedience? Have you sought to walk as Jesus walked? Do your concerns align with God’s concerns? If you can answer these questions, you may better understand your standing before God.

(Invitation) The first and most important command of God you should concern yourself with today is to repent and believe! Have you submitted your life to the lordship of Christ? If you haven’t, I invite you today to accept the call to repentance hear and now. Do not go one more day questioning your standing before God. If you have not submitted to the lordship of Christ, no other amount of obedience will save you.

If you have submitted to Christ’s lordship, but some marks of your life cause you to question your faith, repent of those things and trust the Lord to deliver you TODAY. Do not allow Satan to sew any more doubt into your life. Be freed from the burden of doubt. Remove those marks of disobedience from your life and submit to the commands of God.