ABIDE IN HIM
1 John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
When we use the word ABIDE what comes to mind?
What does it mean to abide in Him?
A picture comes to my mind about when I think about this.
I used to picture someone starting their devotion time in the morning
Bible Open
Birds chirping
Coffee steaming
sunlight beaming
…and you just stay all day.
While those make cool posts on Social Media, that’s not really the picture here.
Let’s be honest…I’d be stressed out if I had to sit for too long.
In our text this evening, the Word uses is “meh-noh”
remain, stay, reside, dwell - in a given place / state / relation
(not in your favorite chair…but hang on to that for later)
ABIDING
ABIDING
In the Old Testament, the worshipers, expressing themselves in the psalms, saw the importance and knew the intimacy of abiding in God, even though they had an incomplete picture of it during that time.
The Psalmist paints a picture of a refuge… in Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91 goes on to describe layers of protection from God for His children.
Then it paints this picture of those who are “abiding and hidden” in the LORD (even for a moment in these OT passages).
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Even the Psalmists knew there was something special about this Creator - the God of the Universe that would draw near to His creation and allow fellowship.
Israel doesn't get to abide for very long historically speaking.
The tabernacle Moved with them as they wandered through the wilderness, making their way to the promised land.
Then David wants to build a temple so that God can have a dwelling place among men. By the way, we see that all throughout the Old Testament, God longing to be with his people.
The temple is built by David’s son, Solomon.
There is a sense of a distinct presence of God that the priest gets to interface with until the 400 years of silence.
Then, Jesus comes to make his dwelling place among us.
“The WORD becomes flesh to “DWELL AMONG US”
dwell / tabernacle / abide
HALLELUJAH! WHAT A PROMISE, RIGHT?
We thank God for the incarnation…God “condescending” to get low.
He comes to fulfill all those OT promises about the Messiah.
BUT what of the people that God was giving an opportunity to?
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
BUT WAIT - THANK GOD…JESUS CHRIST CAME FOR THE WHOLE WORLD!
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
SO CHRIST HAS MADE A WAY FOR US TO BE SAVED!
CHRIST IS THE WAY…HE IS OUR SALVATION!
AND WE ARE SAVED…
NOT JUST TO
ESCAPE HELL!
MAKE IT INTO HEAVEN!
BUT TO…
LIVE AS TROPHIES OF GOD’S AMAZING GRACE
NOT BY “DOING STUFF”…BUT BY ABIDING IN HIM!
WE ARE SAVED TO “ABIDE”
WE PRODUCE FRUIT WHEN WE ABIDE
WE SHARE THE GOSPEL AS WE ABIDE
WE MAKE DISCIPLES AS WE ABIDE
WE WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS WE ABIDE
The Bible shows us where John broached this topic already. As he records the words of Jesus in John 15…PLEASE TURN THERE WITH ME NOW…
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
You are called to abide in Christ. Abide in God’s love!
Abiding in Christ means a constant receiving of His Spirit, a life of unreserved surrender to His service.
Ellen Gould White
The disciple who abides in Jesus is the will of God, and his apparently free choices are God’s fore-ordained decrees.
Oswald Chambers
NOW THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE FRAMEWORK FOR ABIDING…Let’s look at our text through that lens:
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1. We are CONFIDENT CHILDREN (28-29)
1. We are CONFIDENT CHILDREN (28-29)
As God’s children, we LONG for His return.
We don’t look at the end of all things with fear or dread.
we don’t view DEATH that way, we know the STING of death is gone…God has fixed all that
in the same way you and I (AS WE ABIDE IN HIM) will be longing more and more for Christ’s return.
WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE LOVER OF OUR SOULS
WE FIX OUR EYES ON HIM BECAUSE OF THIS
WE PRAY WITHOUT CEASING BECAUSE OF THIS
GOD IS WORTHY - WE ARE NEEDY - WE LONG TO BE WITH HIM!
—CONFIDENCE
There are lots of videos online about how to walk confidently as a man or as a woman. Lots of them are common sense things like:
don’t look down when you walk
don’t slouch your shoulders
don’t put your hands in your pockets
…normal stuff you’d expect to see.
The confidence that the Bible is speaking of here is different.
This is an overflow of our walking in the light - fellowshiping with God and with one another.
We are confident that He is our advocate / that our debt has been paid / confident that the adoption process will one day be completed and we will forever be in His presence!
We are NOT arrogant that we are escaping judgment and many are NOT.
4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
"Christians should be the boldest people in the world; not cocky and sure of ourselves, but sure of Him." (Tozer)
There is a confidence in our POSITION. But there is also a confidence in our PRACTICE!
It is easy enough to be superficially attracted to Jesus, but the test is “abiding.” It is only those who continue who are genuine disciples.
Leon Morris
Look at verse 29 again
29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
THE OVERFLOW OF OUR ABIDING DRIVES US TO RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT POINTS TO GOD!
This righteousness is evidence of the new birth, not the cause of it
Because we’re God’s children…we ABIDE IN HIM!
Because we ABIDE…WE HAVE A CONFIDENCE that is difficult to explain in natural terms.
Confident in our position & practice.
Let’s look at our next passage this morning:
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2. We are CARED FOR AS CHILDREN (3:1)
2. We are CARED FOR AS CHILDREN (3:1)
WHAT A VERSE!
WHAT A GOD!
WHAT LOVE!
What kind of LOVE? This is NOT:
a sentimental kind of love
a loose kind of love
an unjust kind of love
an improper kind of love
(also) not an EXPLAINABLE kind of love
What kind of LOVE?
a holy love
a delightful love
a life-giving love
a resurrecting love
a giving love
“God loves us; not because we are loveable but because he is love; not because he needs to receive but because he delights to give.” C. S. Lewis
a free but costly love
a boundless love
My dear brother or sister, we don’t have time to exhaust the KINDS or TYPES or EXPRESSIONS of the way God loves you!
He loves you!
He loves you!
He loves you!
In the dark of night when you feel all alone, remember God loves you.
In the heat of battle when you’re fighting for your life, remember He has PUT HIS LOVE ON YOU!
The meaning of this verb (didomi / pr. dih-doe-mee) coupled with the tense John uses suggests that this gift of love
cannot be earned,
it cannot be bought, or
and it cannot be withdrawn.
This is not a love that you and I deserve. This love is a gift.
God reaches down to us, unlovely though we are in the midst of our sins -
“while we were still sinners sinning sinful sins…God lovingly loved us with LOVE!”
HE LOVES US WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE.
HE HAS ADOPTED US AND CALLED US CHILDREN.
Notice the phrase, “AND SO WE ARE!”
WE ARE HIS CHILDREN…THE WORLD IS NOT!
WE ARE HIS CHILDREN NOW…BUT THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN NOW!
Let’s look at our final 2 verses this morning..
2 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.
3.We are CALLED OUT AS CHILDREN OF GOD (3:2-3)
3.We are CALLED OUT AS CHILDREN OF GOD (3:2-3)
We are God’s children NOW.
BUT we are NOT YET perfected!
He who boasts of being perfect is perfect in folly.
Charles Spurgeon
BUT ONE DAY…WE SHALL BE CHANGED!
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
WE LONG FOR THAT DAY!
WE WILL NOT ONLY BE FREE FROM THE THINGS THAT CAUSE US SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND MENTAL PAIN - WE WILL BE LIKE JESUS!
WE SHALL SEE JESUS!
“Abide in me says Jesus.
Cling to me.
Stick fast to me.
Live the life of close and intimate communion with me.
Get nearer to me.
Roll every burden on me.
Cast your whole weight on me.
Never let go your hold on me for a moment…”
Be GROUNDED in me.
(J. C. Ryle)
AND IF WE ARE ABIDING…CLINGING, CLOSE, NEARER, NEVER LETTING GO…
WE WILL ACTIVELY SUBMIT TO THE WORD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PURIFY US!
1 John 3:2 is the very definition of Christian hope, and 1 John 3:3 is the natural response to that hope
CONCLUSION
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO ABIDE IN JESUS!
Are you walking confidently in Him this morning?
Then you’ll desire and pursue purity.
Are you eager for His return…living so that you’re loving and serving well when He calls.
Then you’ll desire and pursue purity.
Are you comforted by HIS LOVE?
Do you know that God loves you in every fiber of your being?
Does that FILL YOU…AND OVERFLOW THROUGH YOU TO OTHERS?
Then you’ll desire and pursue purity.
Are you living like you’ve been called out from the world to remind them of Jesus?
Are you loving like you’ve been called…
Are you serving like you’ve been called…
Are you spending your time and money like you’ve been called…
IF SO…Then you’ll be walking in the LIGHT; marked by HOPE (not in things or promises…but in CHRIST)
IF you’re abiding…you’re hoping, then you’re a peculiar person in this world…because YOU’LL PURSUE PURITY!