Lock In, Bro!
1 John: Pressing In • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Who here has heard of the phrase “lock in?” So, my brother was working at a Christian camp this past summer, and picked up this phrase. Lock in! And then it started at youth! Lock in!
Sheesh these kids and their new slang hey?
It essentially means to focus up, or get with the program! Often if we’re playing a game and someone’s distracted it’s “hey, lock in bro!”
So I’ve got a question for you… do you think the Bible ever gives us “lock in” moments?
Series Intro.
P. 743
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. 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.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Big Idea: Jesus-followers: Stay locked in—your identity’s in Him (Jesus).
John addresses the identity of his readers in Christ. Who are they? What does this mean? Then he goes on to warn against loving the world, for our identity in Christ is totally contrary to what the world offers us. Today, we’ll look at 2 tools for safe-guarding our identities in Christ.
The first tool is:
Remember Who You Are (In Christ)
Remember Who You Are (In Christ)
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
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. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. 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.
We’re going to encounter this phrase a lot in the next few verses: I write to you because…
How does John begins to describe his readers?
He uses the terms little children, fathers, and young men in a poetic sequence. You almost picture John sitting on a stool, making eye contact with the kids, then the young adults, and then the older men in the church.
That’s probably not quite right, but it does seem that John identifies groups here. So let’s see if we can apply this.
First, John addresses the “little children.” Who are these?
At the beginning of the chapter, John says
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.
Here we know he is writing to the whole church using a term of endearment. John loves this bunch he’s writing to! Similarly in John 13 33 we read:
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’
Here we have Jesus addressing the disciples, and calling them little children!
I will argue that “little children” is really the entire readership of this letter, of which we are a part. So let me use that term for a moment. Little children, John writes to you, because your sins have been forgiven, and you know the Father.
Wow!! Talk about identity! Here it is two-fold: We both have been forgiven for His name’s sake, and now have relationship with God our Father. Let’s zero in on the idea of being forgiven for His name’s sake:
Think about the power of a name for a second. If I walk into a government room in the States and begin ordering people around on my own authority, what will happen? Not much! But if I walk in with a letter from the president stating his wishes and in his name, what happens? Probably things get moving! But the president isn’t there… no but his name carries the necessary authority to get the job done. A name is powerful! Why? Because it carries the authority - the backing - of the person who holds that name. Now consider: how powerful is the Name of Jesus? Well, we have stories in the book of Acts where the apostles did miracles based on the power of Jesus’ Name!
Now, identity moment: you have been forgiven for His name’s sake! You and I have been bought and paid for at the expense of Christ’s body and blood. The debt has been paid - you are free! You are forgiven not on your own merit, but because of Christ, for His name’s sake. And now, you have restored relationship with the Father.
In John 14 7 we read:
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus is the image of the invisible God! To know Him is to know the Father! What does it mean then to know the Father?
1, 2, 3 John 3. Know Your Spiritual Status (2:12–14)
To know the Father is to be like the Father. Spiritual maturity moves us into a deeper and fuller knowledge of our God with the result being familial resemblance. Children should resemble their Father. John believes they will.
Through Christ’s sacrifice we are made right with God! The relationship that was broken way back at the beginning is healed. Now, forgiven and knowing the Father, we can grow in our likeness of Him. John believes that these people he writes to indeed have such a relationship, and this relationship will drastically shape their live for Jesus.
Now, to the fathers. Who are they? I will argue that these are the older, more mature believers in the church. (Although what John says could easily be applied to the whole church.) For John’s day, these might have even been the older Christians who remembered seeing Jesus alive.
So, what does John say to those who have been walking with Jesus 10, 20, 30, 40+ years?
I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
Maybe you’re thinking at this moment “whoopee, what does that mean?” Well, LOCK IN CHURCH! :)
Remember how John describes Jesus at the beginning of this letter:
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
Friends, you know the risen Lord! Perhaps for a first century reader, this would take them back to seeing Jesus with their own eyes. For us, it is again a reminder of whose we are, and whom we serve.
Christian, you might be here today, and weary. Perhaps you’ve battled and fought the good fight for many years. Sometimes that battle has been hard, but you’ve persevered. Now, maybe you’ve still got lots of steam, or maybe not. But don’t give up! You know the One who is from the beginning! You know Jesus, who said:
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Your identity is sure, so continue on in the faith, training the next generation, not giving up, and not laying down your sword and shield until the day God calls you home!
Now to the young men. Who are these? I will argue they are the younger believers - again this can be applied to the whole church too - certainly spiritually but maybe even physically too.
If you are a younger believer here - either in age or spiritually, John speaks to you and says the following:
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.
You are strong! The apostle Paul said:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
This is a call to all Christians, and to those of us younger here, it is a call to us as well! You are strong! Physically? Maybe. But we’re talking spiritually. How are you strong, or perhaps how do you become strong spiritually? By abiding in the Word!
Jesus said in John 15 7
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Do you know what is cool about this passage? Here in John 15 the word rhema is used for “word.” Rhema is a personalized word to you from God. In 1 John, it’s Logos. The Word of God as a whole. Therefore, Scripture needs to abide in you. You need to know it, meditate on it, and be in it. Ask God to turn logos (Scripture as a whole) into rhema (a personalized word from God) by speaking to you through the Word and applying it to your life. As God applies it to your life, you will have strength to stand for the fight!
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
This is how you become conquerors.
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
How did the Christians pictured in Revelation conquer in the midst of temptation, persecution, and trials? How did they overcome this world? By the blood of the Lamb and the word of the testimony!
Friends, we have a sword, which is God’s Word. We have a shield, which is faith. All around us is a spiritual battle - one which John will address in a few moments. You’re in the battle, whether you like it or not.
Pilgrim’s progress comes to mind. In this book, did you know that a character’s armour would become dull and rusted when that character refused to fight the good fight? Only when they fought did their armour - their sword, shield, and protection - become shiny again!
So, what condition is your armour in? Is it rusty, or shiny?
Jesus-followers: Stay locked in—your identity’s in Him.
To the young - but not excluding by any means the old - we are and can become strong in Christ through the Word abiding in us! When this happens, we do and can overcome the evil one. And so we remember Joshua 1 7
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
The first tool we have for staying locked into our identity with Christ is to remember who we are in Christ. Overcomers, strong, beloved, forgiven, saved, set free, becoming more like our Heavenly Father. Wow! What identity!
Now to a second tool, which will help us protect this identity:
Remember Whose Side You’re On
Remember Whose Side You’re On
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
John continues from his “purpose statements” for writing to admonish the churches dealing with a world that hates them and God. (NAC)
You might be thinking “Wow, that was dis-jointed.” And it might feel that way. First a poetic encouragement, and then we shift gears fast!
Really though, they work together. If you have that identity in Christ, then you cannot, must not, love this world and its temptations. Now to ask, what does John mean by “world?”
We read in:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Wait, so in John 3:16 God loves the world, but in 1 John 2 God’s love and love for the world are opposites? Moreover, didn’t God create our world, as we read in Genesis?
Oh the joys of context! It is true, God did create our world, and it is equally true that God loves our world. The question is what does “world” mean? World - or kosmos - in John 3 16 means the people in this world. All of humanity. There is no caveat here: God loves each and every one, and offers them the free gift of salvation - God’s mercy and grace - through faith in Jesus Christ.
But that does not mean God loves the evil of this world. That He hates. Sometimes this word kosmos - world - can denote the evil of this world. That is what John is getting at in 1 John 2:15. If we love the evil pleasures and fleeting treasures of this world, the love of the Father is not in us.
But wait! I thought we knew the Father! We just read that! Or at least, our more seasoned saints do… right!?! Great question, do you? Whose are you?
John is very aware of the spiritual battle that rages around us and in us. He is aware of the struggle we all have with sinful desires, even after giving our lives to Christ. So he is not shy to address this. We must know our enemy, know the lines, and be careful about not making nice with the other side.
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James even puts the word adultery - unfaithfulness to your spouse - on this potential two-faced loyalty. John is so black and white, a lot like James. Both of them are clear: you cannot serve two masters: Either you’re serving God, or the world. If you’re serving one, you cannot serve the other. Jesus said much the same:
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Jesus’ point was that the love of money and the love for God cannot walk hand in hand. They are two separate masters. And one is of this evil world. This leads well into verse 16: what does the world offer?
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
All of us have desires, and not all desires are bad.
Example 1: Most all of us were created with a sex drive. I think we all know that. That’s not a bad thing! Apart from helping initiate the propagation of our species, this drive - expressed properly in marriage - actually serves to bond two individuals into one flesh. Sexual intimacy is one of the highest forms of intimacy that can be had between a man and woman. Which is why it is reserved exclusively for marriage.
But how does this God-given desire get perverted? Sex outside of marriage, “friends with benefits,” pornography, masturbation, etc. How about even controlling our own desires? So often we struggle to take captive our thoughts, because we have not properly engaged our heart and minds to take control of and choose not to explore sexual thoughts about others around us. The world says “look to your heart’s content!” Jesus said, even looking at a woman lustfully is sin. So we see that the desire God has given us - that is properly expressed to our spouse alone - gets perverted. This lust both of our bodies and our eyes is very real.
How about another one:
Example 2: Being good at something. Most of us want to be good at something, right? It’s not about being the best - or it shouldn’t be - but about being competent in the work you were given or created to do. If you’re a farmer, you probably want to do a good job of that, or a blacksmith, or a teacher, or whatever. Especially if you feel you’re operating in the area God called you for, there’s a sense of fulfillment in doing your job well. We should respond with gratitude to that. That’s not bad!
But it gets perverted when we start going “hey, aren’t I great? I’ve done pretty well for myself!” So often we hear people say that they are self-made. They didn’t take hand-outs, they did it themselves! Yet within their speech is no hint of thanks to God who gave them all they have. Certainly there is no thought to who they should be serving - who even gave them life! Everything we have is from God! He is the Creator, and we are the created. He is Lord; we are not. So pride does us no favors before God’s throne. The world tempts us to pat ourselves on the back instead of hitting our knees in thanksgiving and gratitude for what God has given. Do you see the difference?
The desires that tempt our bodies, the desires that tempt our minds, and the pride that strokes our own ego through possessions, success and power are not from God. This world’s evil system - hell-bent on destroying you and rebelling against God - offers what looks sometimes so enticing. Possessions and influence, great - yet fleeting - pleasure for our bodies and minds, escape from reality, and the chance to do it all for me, me, me. Yet as Paul said,
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
The apostle Paul knew well the struggles of this world, yet he chose to discipline His body - keeping it in line so that the gospel would not be tarnished, and people would not be lead astray.
You and I must do the same. Because if we claim fellowship with God, we cannot be found sleeping around with the enemy. We must discipline ourselves and control our desires. We must follow how Scripture commands us to live. Is sex good? Yes! But ONLY in marriage! Is a healthy attitude toward work good? Yes! But that means there’s no place for pride. The bottom line is simply this:
Does it have eternal value? Working for the Lord at whatever God has given you to do has eternal value. Thanking God for His blessings has eternal value. Honoring marriage and the marriage bed has eternal value. Choosing healthy rhythms of rest and work has eternal value. Whatever you do, you need to ask, “does it have eternal value?”
Why must it have eternal value? Well…
And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
The things of this world - the temptations, seducing pleasures, and possessions are fading away.
The ancient Egyptians used to pack their burial sites full of items they thought the deceased would need in the afterlife. But I’ve got some news for you: 3000+ years after King Tut went to the afterlife, all his fancy gold whatevers were still sitting in that dusty pyramid, just waiting for someone to come along and stick them in a museum. Guess he didn’t get to take them with him after all!
What abides forever are those who do the will of God! And what is God’s will?
First salvation:
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Second, obedient followership:
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
We don’t earn a spot in heaven. Instead we put our faith - our trust - in Christ. And when we give our lives to him, He gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to fulfill Micah 6 8 - justice, kindness, and walking humbly with God.
So it becomes a simple question, where will you store your treasures? Here, or there? Make no mistake, sleeping with the enemy is adultery. You’re taken, and so am I. So guard yourselves. LOCK IN!
Jesus-followers: Stay locked in—your identity’s in Him.
Your identity is in Christ. So live like it! Protect it, cherish it, and remember who you are and who you serve!
Conclusion
Conclusion
Big Idea: Jesus-followers: Stay locked in—your identity’s in Him (Jesus).
We discussed 2 tools for this:
Remembering who we are in Christ: Overcomers, strong, beloved, forgiven, saved, set free, in right relationship with the Father and becoming more like Him. Wow!
Second, Remember whose you are (who you serve). If you claim friendship with God, you can’t be partying in Satan’s tent. So don’t get sucked into the desires of this world. They look great on the surface, but they will ruin you.
Stay the course: Overcome by the Word! You are the forgiven, the set free, and the loved. You know the Father, you know Christ who is from the beginning. Walk in that!
So, let’s get practical today. Two questions:
Do you need new identity today? Maybe you’ve spent your life with a tape playing inside telling you you’re not loved, you can’t be forgiven, you’re weak, or that God doesn’t want you. God says that you are forgiven, that you don’t have to be enough, because Jesus made a way. God says you can be and are strong in Him! And the Word declares that we are more than overcomers. God wants you.
Maybe you’re here today and you have felt conviction that you’ve been partying in the world’s camp. Maybe a desire of your flesh, a thirst of power, wealth, sex, pleasure, whatever, has taken root in your life. You can overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of the testimony of Scripture! But that starts with repentance. You need to turn away from that thing in your life and surrender it to God.
I want to invite anyone who would like to come to the altar today. If you need to repent, come up. If you need to receive new identity, come up. This might seem scary, or out of place, but physically getting up and coming before God in this way is powerful. Can we come into a time of prayer together and praise, and just worship God for what He has done and is doing?
Invite pianist up
The altar is open. Come up. Be prayed for, and let God speak to you. Let’s let the Holy Spirit move now in the next few moments. Just come before God.
