Obedience the Evidence of Knowing Jesus

“Knowing Jesus Through Obedience”

1 John 2:1–6

INTRODUCTION:

The Nobel Prize-nominated Christian, Henry Shafer, a renowned chemist who teaches at the University of Georgia, shares the story of how he came to reject Christianity. Raised in a nominally Christian home and attending a mainline Presbyterian church, he once made a point during a kitchen discussion with his father about an ethical question by saying, "Look, Dad, the Bible says such and such."

And his dad responded by saying, "I know what the Bible says. It's wrong." At that moment, Henry Shafer decided that Christianity must be bunk because his dad claimed to be a Christian yet rejected the teachings of the Bible.

In God's mercy, He worked grace in Henry Shafer’s heart and brought him to saving faith in Christ later on. He then realized that it wasn’t that Christianity was bunk; it was that his father’s profession of faith was bunk. You see, if you believe in the Living God, you will trust His word; you will acknowledge it as your final rule of faith and practice. You won’t just do it in the abstract; you will do it where it hurts; you will do it even when it's hard to obey.

“Everyone says they know Jesus. But John asks: How can you be sure? The evidence is not in your words, but in your walk. The real proof is in your obedience.”

· Big idea: We know we belong to Jesus when we obey Him.

“Have you ever felt the fear of disappointing someone you deeply love? Perhaps a parent, a mentor, or a friend?

EXPLANATION:

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. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked—1 John 2:1–6 (ESV).

John affectionately calls his readers, “My little children.” This is an endearing word of a Papa to his grandchildren. This is not disrespect but love and affection of an old man to his followers.

John explains his purpose in 1 John 1:4: “We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”

But in 1 John 2:6, he says, “ I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.”

John wants us to live a different kind of life: a life of joy and obedience to Jesus.

But what happens when we are not joyful or still commit sins?

We need help.

I. Jesus is Our Advocate When We Sin

John’s pastoral heart: “I write these things to you so that you may not sin”—1 John 2:1.

For John, the goal is for us to stop sinning.

As a pastor, I understand that. I have seen the destruction of sin in people’s lives. I saw a young Christian teenage girl who joined the military and struggled with sin. A man who would marry her. After the engagement, she got pregnant. Her boyfriend went home and impregnated his old girlfriend. The young Christian girl, now pregnant, broke off the engagement. In her hurt, she turned to a woman. They had a lesbian relationship, and later, they got married. The woman divorced the young Christian woman. This young girl needed help. All along this road, was her life better or just more complicated?

But God, in His mercy, sent help.

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous—1 John 2:1.

· But when we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.

· The picture we have here depicts a courtroom. You are the defendant. Your life serves as the evidence. The evidence against you is overwhelming. Your sins are laid bare. The verdict is about to be announced—then someone steps forward to plead your case. There is one who intercedes for you to advocate on your behalf. He is more than a lawyer; He is your friend. His name is Jesus, the righteous one.

· Jesus defends us not based on our righteousness. Jesus knows we are guilty and deserve the penalty. We deserve to be eternally separated from God. However, because of Jesus’ righteousness, we are not condemned; we are spared the penalty.

· Just when the sentence is about to be pronounced, your advocate steps forward — not to plead your innocence, but to say, “I have already paid the penalty for this person.”

· Point: Jesus doesn’t argue we are innocent; He stands in our place with His own righteousness.

· When you sin, where do you instinctively turn — to your own efforts to “do better,” or to Jesus Christ, your Advocate?

· Jesus can be our advocate because he is also our atoning sacrifice.

II. Jesus is the Atoning Sacrifice for the World

· He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world—1 John 2:2

· John uses a big, confusing word, “propitiation.” Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.

· This word is only in the New Testament here and in 1 John 4:10.

· The Greeks and Romans used propitiation in this way: If you did something a god (little “g”) didn’t like, he or she would get angry and throw a temper tantrum. Their anger might manifest as an earthquake, a disease, or a thunderbolt. Therefore, you had to do something to soothe the wrath of the little “g” god. You offered a sacrifice, ranging from some vegetables to your child. Propitiation means to appease the wrath of the gods.

· In the Old Testament, unlike pagan gods, whose tirades reflect the fickleness of their human creators, Yahweh “expresses his wrath every day” because he is a righteous judge (Ps. 7:11). At the same time, God is merciful and not easily provoked to anger (Exod. 34:6; Ps. 103:8–9). God may choose to display his wrath within historical events, as seen in Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Ps. 95:10–11) or during the Babylonian exile (Lam. 2:21–22).

· But let’s not simply placate the idea that our sin doesn’t enrage God. God loves us and wants what is best for us. He knows the destructive nature of sin and how it enslaves people, putting them in bondage.

· ILLUSTRATION: When you love someone and see them entering a lifestyle of sin and addiction, doesn’t it upset you at some point? You know where that path leads. It leads to the land of foolishness. It leads to pain. It leads to bondage.

· However, when “propitiation” is used in the Old Testament, it is most closely connected to atonement, specifically the Day of Atonement, when sacrifices were made to cleanse the people of their sins.

· Ultimately, propitiation in the Bible is best understood to include both the cleansing and forgiveness of the sinner and the turning away of God’s anger.

· So God’s wrath is satisfied, and our sins are forgiven in the death of Jesus. God satisfies his wrath himself.

· He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. John is not talking about universalism; he is saying that anyone in the whole world can be forgiven and cleansed if they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

· Question: Do you live with the freedom that comes from knowing that Christ has fully atoned for your sin, or are you carrying the guilt that He has already paid for?

· TRANSITION: How do we know that we know Jesus as our advocate and atonement?

· “Many Christians live worried: ‘Am I truly saved?’ ‘Do I really know Jesus?’ God doesn’t want you living in uncertainty. Through His Word, He shows us the way to walk confidently — and it begins with trusting Jesus, your Advocate and Atonement, and is verified in how we live.

III. We Know We Know Jesus by Keeping His Commands

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected—1 John 2:3–5a (ESV)

· To “know” Jesus means more than head knowledge — it’s relational and transformational.

· When you answer Jesus’ call to “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men,” Jesus is inviting you to:

⁃ Follow him

⁃ Be Changed By Him

⁃ Join His mission

⁃ To know Jesus is to follow him (relationship), be changed by him, and to join His mission(transformation)

· True assurance isn’t just a feeling; it’s found in obedience.

· Obedience is evidence of knowing Him, not a condition for earning salvation.

· Does a passport make you a citizen? No. Having a passport proves your citizenship. It doesn’t make you a citizen; it shows that you are one.

· Obedience is like the passport — it doesn’t make you a Christian, but it proves that you know Christ.

· Point: Obedience is the evidence, not the cause, of a genuine relationship with Jesus.

· Warning: Mere profession (“I know Him”) without obedience is false (v. 4).

· Question: Is there an area of your life where you claim to know Jesus, but your obedience doesn’t reflect it?

· What command of Jesus do you find hardest to obey? Why might that be revealing about your heart?

· Not only can we know that we know Jesus, we can know that we are “in Jesus.”

IV. Abiding in Jesus Means Living as Jesus Lived

By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked—1 John 2:5b–6 (ESV).

“In Him”= “In Christ.”

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death—Romans 8:1–2 (ESV).

When you are in Christ-NO CONDEMNATION

When you are in Christ-SET FREE

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come—2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV).

When you are in Christ-NEW CREATION

By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked—1 John 2:5b–6 (ESV).

What does it mean to be in Christ Jesus?

· Being IN JESUS is ABIDING in Jesus

· “Abiding” speaks of a continual, close relationship.

· In ancient times, shepherds led their sheep to good pastures. The sheep followed closely, knowing that their safety and sustenance depended on their shepherd’s presence. Similarly, our walk with Jesus requires us to follow Him closely, abiding in His teachings and love to find true rest and direction in our lives. When we stray, we put ourselves at risk; but when we remain close, we thrive.

· When we abide in Christ, we walk in His ways — living like He lived.

Child Imitating a Parent (Walking as He Walked)

⁃ A little child naturally imitates their parent — how they walk, talk, act.

⁃ True children of God desire to walk like Jesus, not perfectly, but genuinely.

· Point: When we abide in Christ, we live like Jesus lived.

· Imitating Christ in love, holiness, humility, and obedience.

· If someone watched your life for a week, would they see a reflection of Jesus’ life? In what ways?

APPLICATION:

· Summary:

o Jesus is your Defender and Sacrifice.

o You can be sure you know Him if you obey Him.

o Assurance is found not in perfection, but in a life that walks after Christ.

· Invitation to Reflection:

o Am I trusting in Christ’s advocacy and atonement?

o Is my life marked by growing obedience to Jesus?

David Platt's book, Radical, challenges the modern caricature of Christianity and calls for a return to biblical Christianity. In the opening chapter, he begins by writing:

"I was confronted with a startling reality: Jesus actually spurned the things that my church culture said were most important. So what was I to do? I found myself faced with two big questions. The first was simple: Was I going to believe Jesus? Was I going to embrace Jesus even though he said radical things that drove the crowds away? The second question was more challenging. Was I going to obey Jesus? My biggest fear, even now, is that I will hear Jesus' words and walk away, content to settle for less than radical obedience to him."

Then, Platt concludes the chapter by writing:

"First, from the outset you need to commit to believe whatever Jesus says. As a Christian, it would be a grave mistake to come to Jesus and say, 'Let me hear what you have to say, and then I'll decide whether or not I like it.' If you approach Jesus this way, you will never truly hear what he has to say. You have to say yes to the words of Jesus before you even hear them. Then second, you need to commit to obey what you have heard. The gospel does not prompt you to mere reflection; the gospel requires a response. In the process of hearing Jesus, you are compelled to take an honest look at your life, your family, and your church and not just ask, 'What is he saying?' but also ask, 'What shall I do?'"

“Friend, you don’t have to carry your guilt another step. Jesus stands for you. He paid for you. And He calls you to walk with Him — not under fear, but in love. Come to Him. Trust Him. Obey Him.”

“Do you say you know Jesus? Then walk like He walked. If your life and His life look nothing alike, it’s time to ask: Do you really know Him at all? But the good news is — today, He invites you not to pretend, but to truly know and follow Him.”

COMMUNION:

“Because Jesus is your Advocate and your Atonement, you can walk in assurance today. Not because you’re perfect, but because He is. Obedience flows from hearts that are already loved. Live loved. Walk like Jesus. Know the joy of truly knowing Him.”

END OF SERVICE:

Thanks so much for being here with us today.

We believe you’re here for a reason. God has something specific he wants to say to you, no matter where you are. Our hope is that you leave today encouraged and closer to Him than ever before.

Let us know if we can help you in any way while you’re here with us today. Our prayer team will be up front to minister to you through God’s Word and prayer.

“Lord, thank You for being our Advocate and Atonement. Help us walk in Your ways, so that our lives may testify that we know You. Keep us abiding in You, growing in joyful obedience. Amen.”