Why John Wrote
1 John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 4 viewsIt is true that each of the Bible writers were inpirited by the Holy Spirit to pen the books we have in the Bible. Perhaps that should be enough but John gives further reasons about the motivation of his book. Let's see why.
Notes
Transcript
One day, while my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me. He had jumped and then yelled "Hey Dad!" I became an instant circus act, catching him. We both fell to the ground. For a moment after I caught him I could hardly talk. When I found my voice again I gasped in exasperation: "Zac! Can you give me one good reason why you did that???"
He responded with remarkable calmness: "Sure...because you're my Dad." His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy. He could live life to the hilt because I could be trusted. Isn't this even more true for a Christian?
Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, Word Books Publisher, 1987, pp. 46-47.
Little Children
Little Children
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
Epistle is written to
little children:
9 times!
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.
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
… I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
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.
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.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
It appears that
“little children”
is his general audience.
He also refers to
the readers of epistle
as “beloved”
5 times.
τέκνον
τέκνον
The word τέκνον
is children.
John uses slightly
different word here:
τεκνίον
τεκνίον
What is the difference?
it is the diminutive
form of the word.
Duck vs. Duckling
Cat vs. Kitty
Dog vs. Doggy
Spanish
Libro (book) -> librito (small book).
mesa (table) -> mesita (small table).
Mamá (mom) -> mamita (mommy).
abuela (grandma) -> abuelita (dear grandma)
What lesson can be
learned from John’s choice
to call all of us little Children?
Here we sense the
affection in voice
of John the Elder
speaking to us.
That is why some versions
translate τεκνίον as:
“Dear Children.”
Your Sins Are Forgiven
Your Sins Are Forgiven
What does he say about
the "little children”
(us)
in verse 12?
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
What applies to
all believers,
regardless of age?
sins are forgiven...
This is perfect tense.
A Handbook on the First Letter of John 1 John 2:12
The perfect tense indicates a situation in the present that is the result of an event or act in the past.
We are currently
living an experience of
something that has
already been accomplished.
Our sins
are forgiven...
because they
have been forgiven...
Paul has many
famous lines.
One that he repeats frequently
is the phrase:
“Once for all”.
And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily... since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
What Christ has done
does not need to be
accomplished again.
The merits of the cross
continue in perpetuity
for any who believe.
You Know the Father
You Know the Father
Each group is given
two commendations.
I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
First,
they are encouraged
for having their sins forgiven.
Now they are commended
for knowing the Father.
John could have
said that the Children
are commended for
knowing Jesus.
But I believe that
the metaphor continues
best in this manner.
Who do the
little children know?
They know the Father.
John continues
this theme of
affection
intimacy.
Little Children
know their daddy.
Do you see God
as an affectionate Daddy?
Or as,
a stern disciplinarian?
Many people struggle
to see God
any differently than
they same their
earthly father.
If your dad was
affectionate and loving
You see God that way.
If your dad was
mostly firm and unaffectionate
you see God that way.
Charles Francis Adams, the 19th century political figure and diplomat, kept a diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!" The father thought he was wasting his time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time. The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing is to know one's ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly.
Silas Shotwell, in Homemade, September, 1987.
As Fathers,
we must be both
firm disciplinarian
caring daddy.
25% - 50% of all Americans Homes
Have no Father present!
Inner Cities - 80%!
Largest in the world!
The impact of Fathers
on our children is staggering.
Poverty: Children in father-absent homes are 4 times more likely to live in poverty.
Education: Children without fathers are 71% of high school dropouts.
Behavioral/Crime: Studies show 85% of youth in prison and 90% of homeless/runaway children are from fatherless homes.
Health: Fatherless children are twice as likely to suffer from mental health and behavioral problems, and twice as likely to commit suicide.
Teen Pregnancy: Girls are four times more likely to get pregnant as teenagers.
There's a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in a Madrid newspaper. The ad read: Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father. On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.
Bits & Pieces, October 15, 1992, p. 13.
Fathers have been
drastically underappreciated
in our society.
Every TV show
dad is an idiot.
mom is witty.
Men, you are needed.
Men, You are valued.
Men listen to me...
We can solve half of
all society’s problems
by being present leaders
God called us to be!
If you have no kids
in your home.
Find some kids
without a dad.
You are desperately needed.
A young man was to be sentenced to the penitentiary. The judge had known him from childhood, for he was well acquainted with his father--a famous legal scholar and the author of an exhaustive study entitled, "The Law of Trusts." "Do you remember your father?" asked the magistrate. "I remember him well, your honor," came the reply. Then trying to probe the offender's conscience, the judge said, "As you are about to be sentenced and as you think of your wonderful dad, what do you remember most clearly about him?" There was a pause. Then the judge received an answer he had not expected. "I remember when I went to him for advice. He looked up at me from the book he was writing and said, 'Run along, boy; I'm busy!' When I went to him for companionship, he turned me away, saying "Run along, son; this book must be finished!' Your honor, you remember him as a great lawyer. I remember him as a lost friend." The magistrate muttered to himself, "Alas! Finished the book, but lost the boy!"
Homemade, February, 1989.
To our kids
we somehow model
the picture of God
they grow up with.
I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
Men,
Let’s be
balanced fathers.
Mothers,
let us be
what God
called us to be.
It is different than you
That's good!
We compliment each other.
Fathers
Fathers
Speaking of Fathers...
John addresses them
directly now.
I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
This does suggest
two groups of people.
older vs. younger
mature vs. immature
leaders vs. disciples
Young men = everyone else.
How does John
commend the Fathers?
He says:
“you know Him.”
Same as children?
In fact,
I mentioned that
each group of people
Little children
Fathers
Young Men
commended twice.
The second commendations
toward the fathers
says the same thing:
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning...
Exact same commendation.
We have already
talked about this word
“to know”
γινώσκω
in previous sermons.
It means to know
someone or something
in a personal way.
In a experiential way.
The fathers
(and mothers)
of the body...
(patriarchs and matriarchs)
know God experientially.
Like a couple
that has been married
for 50 years.
Husband and wife can
finish each other’s sentences.
This reminds me of
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
To know Christ is
all that matters
in this life.
Sacrifice anything that
stands in the way.
God is calling
for more spiritual fathers.
For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
One startling bit of research conducted by the Christian Business Men's Committee found the following: When the father is an active believer, there is about a seventy-five percent likelihood that the children will also become active believers. But if only the mother is a believer, this likelihood is dramatically reduced to fifteen percent.
Keith Meyering, Discipleship Journal, issue #49, p. 41.
Back to key passage.
What about Young Men?
Young Men
Young Men
… I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one...
For what does God
commend the young men?
Because they
“overcome the evil one.”
This concept struck me.
For some reason
in my mind,
I thought he would have
spoken about the Fathers
as the overcomers...
I imagined the young men
just learning and trying
but not overcoming until
they are experienced “Fathers.”
Not so,
according to the passage.
In fact,
the verb tense
helps imply clarity.
Once again,
the verb is in the
perfect tense.
The perfect tense indicates
a situation in the present
that is the result of
an event or act in the past.
Notice the wording
English Standard Version Chapter 2
you have overcome
The meaning is clear.
Overcoming the evil one
is not a future experience.
Not: “you will overcome the evil one.”
John says clearly:
English Standard Version Chapter 2
“you have overcome the evil one”
It is not even simply
a present experience.
It is something that
has already happened
and continues to happen!
What an amazing
gift God is given
even to those who
are young in faith!
Though it may be true
that sanctification is
the work of a lifetime.
This passage seems to
also indicate that
victory in Christ
can also be a
present experience.
To me,
this is a huge promise
waiting to be claimed!
The next verse
seems to bear
reiterate and explain
this passage.
... I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Once again,
John addresses young men.
Once again,
they are affirmed for
having overcome the evil one.
But John adds
two more commendations:
...
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you...
Here John explains
how the young men
experience victory
over the evil one.
Firstly,
They were strong.
This spiritual strength
reminds me of
God commanding Joshua
to be courageous:
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Joshua was about to
got to war in Canaan.
The Young Men
in this christian walk
know that they
are at battle.
To all of us
but especially the young
(young in faith)
Be strong!
Fight for God!
It is interesting that
the verb tense of
overcoming is perfect
but the verb tense
of being strong
and abiding in the Word
are present tense.
In Greek,
the present tense denotes
ongoing or continuous action happening now
Example:
"I am losing."
You could rewrite
the verse to say:
I write to you, young men, because you are [staying] strong, and the word of God [continuously] abides in you, and you [have been overcoming] the evil one.
The Young men
have overcome
and continue to overcome.
Why?
Because they do
two things continuously:
stay strong
continuously abide in the word
Do you want victory
over Satan
brothers and sisters?
Here is the power
be strong
allow the word to abide in you.
John talks
frequently about
this idea of
abiding with the word.
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.
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
Jesus says,
speaking of Jewish leaders:
and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.
John is going back to
His major theme
in this book.
Being a Christian
is not about
intellectual knowledge.
If you know the teachings
but they don’t
“abide in you”
it is not enough.
How is it that teachings
of God’s word can
“abide in us”?
I believe there is
any easy way to tell.
A few days ago
I woke early to
Spend time in God’s Word.
Raluca kept interrupting
my devotional time.
I became very rude
asking her to
please say what she wants
and stop talking...
Clearly,
I missed the purpose of
devotional time
with my God.
If God’s word
abides in us
then it changes us
and we become
more like Him.
Appeal
Appeal
Experience forgiveness of sins.
Know the Father.
Know the one who is from the beginning.
Be an overcomer.
Stay Strong.
Allow God’s word to abide in you.
