1 John 2:18-27

Imagine with me that you’re in a long line of friends who are trying to jump over this deep ditch.

First guy is silly. Unprepared. Doesn’t even get a running start. He falls in. Saw that one coming.

Next guy not very athletic. Okay. Nobody really thought that guy was going to make it.

Next up is the really smart kid. He studies angles. He thinks. He grabs a stick and tries to propel himself over. Great try. Falls in the pit.

Next up the super wealthy kid. Not much good that’s going to do jumping over a pit, I suppose, but maybe his fancy shoes…those Reebok pumps that you could use and I swear they made you jump higher…he’s got one of those…or Air Jordans…I dunno. Well, he doesn’t make it either.

Next up is the really athletic kid. He’s going to make it. You know it. He gets a running start flies through the air…almost makes it…then comes up short.

The guy right before you…he’s super spiritual. He prays. Nobody else had prayed. He takes off. Goes through the air…is this guy going to make it....nope.

He also falls into the ditch. It’s now your turn…what are you thinking at this point? No way I’m going to make this jump. The smart kid, the athletic kid, the rich kid, even the spiritual kid, none of them made it.

Ever feel like this when it comes to following after Jesus? I mean consider a recent statistic that some 40 million Americans used to attend church and no longer do. That is roughly 16% of the US population.

And what we are finding is that this shift isn’t predominately leftward. One of the biggest pockets of dechurching is among conservative Bible belt people. It looks like people in Neosho. And this has been happening since the 1990s.

Let’s not even talk about those who are under the age of 30…If you’re a Christian under the age of 30 and attending church…you might feel pretty alone.

Am I going to make it? If everybody else is falling into this pit…what’s going to happen to me? Why would I be any different?

A similar situation is happening to the people that John writes to in 1 John. They were all fairly new in their faith. Then some of them shifted, heard some new theories about stuff, then started teaching some weird stuff.

We don’t know exactly what it is. It had to do with the person of Jesus…it had to do with the nature of sin…it was probably an early form of Gnosticism…(secret knowledge gets you over the pit…do what we tell you and you’ll make it).

And it left John’s people confused. Kind of like that kid who has seen so many people fall and wondering…how in the world am I going to make it?

Well, John writes this as a deep encouragement…it’s a pep talk…you’re GOING to make it…and here is why:

1 John 2:18–27 ESV

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Now, I know how we are wired…there are some things in here that might be a little confusing and so we latch onto these.

We hear the word “antichrist” and immediately start thinking end times prophecy stuff…and we start trying to fit this into the Left Behind series and all that we’ve heard about eschatology…and we end up missing what John is actually doing here in this passage.

He is saying, “it’s the last hour”. In other words that Christ could return at any point. At the time when John was writing there was really nothing historically…other than that God wanted you and I to be saved…that was standing in the way of Christ returning.

That’s really it. Just gathering all those who are going to be sheep. And so John is saying it’s the last hour and so just as Jesus told us there are going to be many antichrist.

Now if you look through your Bible you’ll find talk of the Antichrist....drum roll....how many times?

Well it’s only twice in this passage, once in chapter 4 and then in 2 John. That’s it. Yes, there is a reference to a Man of Lawlessness…yes, there is mention of a beast and such from Revelation…we’ve kind of tied all these into one composite…but if we’re being honest we don’t have much to go on…certainly not enough to write entire books.

What…or rather who is the antichrist?

David Hasselhoff…okay, kidding…but I actually saw an article on time attempting to argue that point. That’s what we do…we kind of lose our minds in trying to identify...

But really what it means is anyone or anything that either sets itself up AS the Christ…a false Christ…a false gospel…or who stands in direct opposition to the way of Christ.

This will rescue you.

This is the REAL good news.

And what John is seeing in his day is that many are leaving. Look at verse 19. They went out from us...

Now we tend to use this verse for those who have “fallen away”. And there is likely some truth there…but John is also doing something unique. In all other mentions of this Antichrist figure…or of antichrists…they seem to be from without. Watch out for those enemies out there...

But John is having them come from within. Just like there are many plants or flowers that are indiscernible from weeds in their early stages…so also here. They LOOK like they are part of us…but once they spring up…they depart from the gospel and lead other astray.

They get bored with the good news of the gospel and fly off into other things. I think it’s important for us to see that so often this might still look very Christian. But it’s something that is drawing our hope away from Christ.

And this can come in a million different forms. If this thing doesn’t happen…it’s all going to blow up…we’re in serious trouble. That is where we can sometimes find these false hopes.

What one thing do you most hope is in your future?

What is the one thing you most worry about losing?

What are you willing to sin to get?

What does my heart and mind gravitate towards? What is consuming my time?

Any of these can be false gods..false Christs that we run to…and that’s kinda scary…you have the world, the flesh, and the devil all pulling us in this direction…pulling us into that pit…no way I’m going to make that jump...

Now notice verse 20...

But you have been anointed by the Holy One.

What is John doing…he’s pressing into that fear that they have…and saying…YOU HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. You’re going to make it.

You have the Holy Spirit. Jesus has given you the Spirit…and He has assured us that the Spirit within us will lead us home.

Let’s think about this for just a moment what we’re tempted to do here. When you see a word like antichrist, or you hear about all the end times stuff…maybe even hear the sermon title...

Oh man, wouldn’t it be great if we knew the identity. Wouldn’t it be great if we knew how everything unfolds in the future? What are we doing here…we are saying that what I really need to make that jump…is knowledge…If we know what’s coming we can be prepared…

But what John is saying is…You have the Holy Spirit. Which leads me to say when we lose confidence in the work of the Spirit we get consumed by eschatological specifics.

If I have confidence in the Spirit’s work in my life I don’t need those details. And that is what John is saying…don’t worry about those leaving…don’t focus there…you have the Spirit.

He reiterates that in verse 21. I’m not trying to tell you something new. If you are in union with Christ you have the Spirit..and if you have the Spirit you have what you need to be led into all truth. There is no lie in the truth.

RYAN WITH FALSE TEACHER COMING TO YOUTH GROUP

In verse 22 we have a bit more information…who is the liar…it’s the one who denies the Father and the Son. That’s how you can tell.

What do you do with Jesus.

BRYAN CHAPELL.

Preach a sermon that a muslim or Jew can clap their hands to…you aren’t preaching a Christian sermon.

The lady who said…I don’t know if he’s saved or not..but he was a conservative, listened to talk radio…so I just kind of assumed.

Friends, that isn’t the gospel. Really anymore than saying...”He was a nice guy. Loved people around him. Always helped you out.” That doesn’t make you a follower of Jesus either. Unless it’s flowing out of that identity in Jesus.

You can’t deny Jesus and be a Christian.

Abide in Christ…eternal life. In verse 24-25 he is just reiterating what Jesus said about abiding in the vine. That’s how we make it. The Spirit keeps us in the vine...

So this isn’t some passivity. There is an active clinging to Christ, living the way of Jesus, following after Jesus.

We can see this more clearly in 27 and 28.

You need something special…you need something extra. If you really want to abide…if you really want eternal life…follow these steps. Do this…do that...

John is saying you don’t need that. He’s not saying we don’t need teachers within the church, this isn’t talking about go out in the woods—read your Bible, you just need you and the Spirit. That isn’t what John is meaning here.

He’s simply saying what you need is the Spirit…The Spirit is going to draw you into community. If it’s really the Spirit then you’re going to be looking at the one anothers...

Importance of life groups...

CONCLUSION

what do we do, then, with this passage? we be encouraged…if you have the Spirit you’re going to make that jump?

Why…the Spirit points to Christ who saves...

Hey…there is a bridge over there…maybe take that?

Not our effort.