To Destroy the Works of the Devil

Keith Kneeshaw
Advent 2024  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  28:58
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Note: First ~15 minutes did not have sound, and were cut out of recording.

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Scripture Intro:

Why did Jesus come to earth?
Why did he break into this world?
Last Week, we looked at...
Jesus came to Give His Life
This week, Jesus came “To Destroy the Works of the Devil”
Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)
1 John 3:8 ESV
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.
Pray...

Intro:

Gentle Jesus meek and mild.
Think of the songs we sing at Christmas:
“City sidewalks, busy sidewalks.
Dressed in holiday style”
“Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile”
“Soon it will be Christmas Day”
Quite honestly, there is no time in our calendar that is anything close.
It’s really is an amazing time.
Away in a Manger
sounds like a lullaby
Silent Night
A peaceful, quiet night.
But think of the context that we sign those songs.
Matthew Henry:
“The devil has designed and endeavoured to ruin the work of God in this world. The Son of God has undertaken the holy war against him.”
Reminds me of the imagery in Revelation.
A pregnant woman, a baby boy to be born, and a dragon ready to destroy him.
Revelation 12:4 (ESV)
And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
Revelation 12:5–6 (ESV)
She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness...

The Defeat of Sin

In context of 1 John 3,
The works of the devil are explained.
1 John 3:8 ESV
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.
1 John 3:9 ESV
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.
The works of the devil are sin...
b/c he’s been sinning from the beginning.
Probably a reference to his fall from heaven and rebellion against God.
So, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.
“destroy”
To break, to untie, to unbind, to release, to free, to loosen
John 8:44 ESV
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Jesus describes Satan as;
murderer
liar
This is both who he is...
and a summary of what he does in this world.
“murderer from the beginning”
Jesus (Luke 10) - “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
We also know that Jesus said that Satan...
“comes only to steal and kill and destroy”

To Take Away Sins

“the reason the Son of God appeared...”
He arrival was for the purpose of destruction of the devil’s work.
“appeared” - points to his pre-existence.
And his appearing as a historical fact.
1 John 3:5 ESV
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
1 John 3:8 ESV
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.
“Whoever”
so the first look in terms of the work of the devil....
is at yourself.
Not at the world.
Not at all the bad stuff out there.
It’s a call to look internally.
Who are you living for?
Who do you desire to honor?
1 John 3:6 ESV
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:4 ESV
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
App. Matthew Henry - “Let not us serve or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy.”
App. Are you a little uncomfortable with the wording of this passage?
It sounds like John is teaching that Christians must be perfect.
(v. 9 helps us)
1 John 3:9 ESV
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.
Greek verb "commit sin" or "sin" in verse 9 implies continuous action.
"No one born of God is content to keep sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot be content to keep on sinning because he is born of God."
But the earlier part of the verses tell us John can’t mean perfection.
1 John 1:8 ESV
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:10 ESV
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

To Lead Us to Righteousness

1 John 3:9 ESV
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.
“born of God”
Born again.
John 10:10 ESV
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
New life in Christ is not merely getting forgiveness for sin.
It is getting a radical new nature.
New dispositions
New desires
1 John 3:7 ESV
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
From GotQuestions.org:
Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, and that guarantees our sanctification.

Recovery of Creation

Satan - “murderer from the beginning”
As a result, death is part of our experience of this world.
Death is the greatest effect of this broken world.

To Make Wrongs Right

Genesis 3:15 ESV
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Romans 16:20 ESV
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Very interesting passage about a women with a Disabling Spirit
Luke 13:10–11 ESV
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.
Jesus heals her and says, “you are freed from your disability.”
Religious rulers are indignant b/c Jesus healed on the Sabbath (basically he worked).
Jesus’ answer is fascinating...
Luke 13:16 ESV
And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
“loosed” - same word as our passage translated “destroy”.
This woman being unbound from Satan’s work is the evidence of the kingdom.
Albert Wolters comments,
“This healing was a confrontation of the liberating King with the enslaving usurper.” (Albert Wolters, Creation Regained)
This is why Jesus quotes from Isaiah in Luke 4 about himself
Luke 4:17 ESV
And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
Luke 4:18–19 ESV
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:20 ESV
And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

To Conquer Death

Hebrews 2:14–15 ESV
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
Revelation 21:1 ESV
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Revelation 21:2 ESV
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:3 ESV
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Revelation 21:4 ESV
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:5 ESV
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Close in Prayer

Closing Song:

“O Come O Come Emmanuel”
“And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here...
“free Thine own from Satan's tyranny...”

Benediction:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body
be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He who calls you is faithful;
he will surely do it.
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