Knowing the True—Rejecting the False
1 John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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In 1937, a brilliant but deeply resentful Dutch artist named Han van Meegeren decided to seek revenge on the art world. Critics had dismissed his original work as unoriginal, so he set out to prove he could beat them at their own game. He spent years in secret, engineering the perfect forgery of a Johannes Vermeer—the legendary 17th-century master.
Van Meegeren didn’t just paint a copy; he engineered an illusion. He bought authentic 300-year-old canvases. He hand-ground raw lapis lazuli and white lead to recreate period-accurate paints. Crucially, he mixed his pigments with a primitive form of plastic called Bakelite, then literally baked the canvas in an oven to harden the paint and create the deep, webbed cracks that only centuries of time can produce.
He then took his creation, titled Christ at Emmaus, to Dr. Abraham Bredius, the world's leading authority on Vermeer.
Bredius was a man who had spent his entire life studying the genuine master. Yet, when he looked at this painting, his analytical mind and his deepest desires betrayed him. He was so desperate to discover a lost masterpiece that he bypassed his own instincts. Bredius stared right at a fraud and declared it to the world as "the masterpiece of Johannes Vermeer."
The counterfeit was so convincing that it fooled the top museums, chemical analysts, and eventually Nazi high-command official Hermann Göring, who traded 137 real, stolen masterworks just to possess one of van Meegeren’s fakes.
The world was entirely blinded. The deception only ended after World War II when van Meegeren was arrested for treason for selling Dutch national treasures to the Nazis. Facing the death penalty, he finally confessed the shocking truth to a courtroom that refused to believe him:
"The painting is not a Vermeer. I painted it myself."
To prove it, he had to paint another masterpiece right in front of guards while in his prison cell.
The Seduction of Surface Accuracy:
Van Meegeren’s fakes
succeeded because they
checked all the external boxes.
They had the
right age,
right canvas,
right chemicals.
In the same way,
the world offers us counterfeits
of peace and happiness
material success,
shallow validation,
temporary comfort.
They look exactly right
on the surface,
and they pass
the superficial tests
of our culture.
The Danger of Desperation:
Dr. Bredius was fooled
because he
wanted to be fooled.
His desire for
a grand discovery
blinded his judgment.
When our souls are
desperate for peace,
we will eagerly embrace
a false security
just because it promises
a quick fix.
We mistake the
emotional highs
of this world
for the genuine
presence of God.
The Ultimate Awakening:
The art world spent
millions on a lie,
only to find out
it was worthless plastic
baked in an oven.
When we build our lives
on counterfeit peace
or worldly security,
we will eventually face
a moment of awakening.
Only the genuine hand
of the True Master,
Jesus Christ,
offers a beauty and a peace
that can withstand
the test of eternity.
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Born of God
Born of God
We know that everyone who has been born of God...
It is common
among some Christians to ask
have you been born again?
What does it mean?
For John
the evidence that
we have been born again
is connected with our lifestyle.
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
What does it mean
to be born again?
These are people
who found the genuine
source of joy and truth.
Practice Righteousness
Not Practice Sin
Not Keep On Sinning
Love One Another
Loves Other Christians
Overcomes the World
To be born again,
means all this and more.
To be born again
does not just mean
you heard of God
and are thankful
for Christ’s sacrifice.
Being born again,
means that you
take some action
through His power
to live a life
Like Jesus.
Our keep passage
is clear.
If we are born again
we don’t:
Keep on Sinning
Keep on Sinning
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning...
If we are
born again,
we don’t continue
ways of world.
Sin is the counterfeit
temporary
fun
happiness
excitement.
But,
it leaves you feeling
more empty than before.
The problem is
the counterfeit of sin
is so pervasive
it has become normal.
I don’t know about you.
But I have noticed
evil tendency is
the default setting.
Software with Default Settings
Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS pre-set standard web browsers, media players, and file openers.
Web Browsers: Programs like Google Chrome or Safari set a default search engine (like Google) and a default downloads folder.
Office Programs: Word processors set standard font styles, text sizes, and margins for new documents.
Machines with Default Settings
Smartphones and Tablets: iPhones and Android devices come with a default screen brightness, ringtone, and sleep timer.
Printers and Routers: Network devices have preset factory configurations, such as a default administrator password or a standard print queue.
Home Appliances: Microwaves, washing machines, and coffee makers have standard preset cooking times, spin cycles, or brew strengths
We have a default setting.
That setting is sin.
Being a Christian
is like swimming up stream.
It take effort!
Being a Christian...
Being Born Again...
is choosing a different
way of life.
choosing the genuine.
According to John,
if you choose this
new default,
God Protects Him
God Protects Him
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him...
In order to be
born of God
and stop sinning
we must be protected.
By the way,
from this passage
it is not immediately obvious
who is doing the protecting.
Is God protecting me?
Am I protecting myself?
If the verse was saying
that we need to
protect ourselves
that would be a
reflexive verb
but it is not...
This verb is
active voice.
Passive voice means
you are the direct object.
Reflexive verbs
would have to
passive voice.
This verb is
active voice.
Therefore,
the one who does
the protecting here
is actually Jesus.
This takes the pressure
off us us to
protect ourselves.
Though we still
must make
wise choices.
Apocryphal Story
On a biting winter night in December 1862, a lonely Union soldier stood picket duty near a dark, silent forest. The moon was brilliant, casting long, eerie shadows across the snow and making him a perfectly illuminated target for the enemy.
Deep in those shadows, a Confederate sniper sat crouched, his breathing shallow. He raised his rifle, pressed the cold stock against his cheek, and aligned his sights perfectly with the Union soldier's chest. In that quiet, lethal moment, the sniper thought to himself, There is no escape for him. My bullet cannot miss.
The soldier on duty was terrified. He knew death could leap from the treeline at any second. To calm his racing heart and soothe his overwhelming loneliness, he began to sing. His voice trembled at first, but then grew steady, ringing out crystal clear into the freezing night air:"
Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare..."
In the brush, the sniper’s finger tightened on the trigger. But as the melody drifted through the trees, the words hit him like a physical blow. It was the exact hymn his own mother used to sing to him back home before the war tore his world apart.
The Union soldier kept singing, his voice filled with a desperate, childlike trust:"
We are Thine; do Thou befriend us, be the Guardian of our way...
"The sniper froze. Tears welled in his eyes as memories of love, faith, and family flooded his soul. A sudden, overwhelming sense of holy awe filled the woods. Powerless to pull the trigger, the sniper slowly lowered his rifle to the ground. He realized he could not kill a man who was speaking directly to the Almighty. God had woven a melody into the night air, creating an invisible, impenetrable shield around His trusting child.
Years later, the two men unexpectedly met at a gathering. As they shared their wartime experiences, the former sniper wept as he confessed to the old soldier, "I had you dead in my sights. But the Lord became your shield through that song."
The good new is
if God is protecting us.
And if we are
allowing Him to
Satan:
Does Not Touch
Does Not Touch
us
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Sometimes we may
put too much focus on
not doing evil.
Here it appears
the focus is not on
not doing evil
avoiding Satan
stopping sinning.
But Rather,
surrendering to
God’s protecting care.
Let’s do an experiment:
Don’t think about pink elephant.
We must spend more time
not avoiding evil
but practicing righteousness.
Next Verse:
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
What does it mean
that:
We are From God
We are From God
We know that we are from God...
To be from God
(some versions “of God”)
literally means to be
“out of God.”
Here are some other
verses from this book
that use the same phrase:
By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
John’s point is clear...
If we are
of God
from God
out of God
It should be obvious.
We can tell
who is from God
and who is not.
If we
practice righteousness
love our brothers
we are from God.
And if we are
from God then
we are not in:
Power of the Evil One
Power of the Evil One
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
The Whole World!
Satan is in control
of most of this world.
Following Satan
is the default setting.
Following him is
actually the counterfeit
but so many do it
it appears to be
the correct and genuine path.
There are few
who refuse to follow
a life of selfishness.
It is no wonder
that living for christ
feels like swimming upstream.
Swimming at river
keep away from kids
make them swim upstream.
Next Verse:
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
The bible declares
God has given us:
Understanding
Understanding
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding,
This word “UNDERSTANDING”
is the Greek word.
As you can see
the word can be translated
mind
understanding
thoughts.
Frequently,
the bible calls us to
have a certain mindset
or way of think.
I like 1 Pet 1:13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Having a mindset
is a choice.
When I get upset
It is hard for me
to choose to be happy.
Fighting with Wife.
Get Phone Call.
Pleasant - “Hello.”
Call is over
Find wife to
finish that argument!
Question:
Is it easy for us
to change our mindset?
YES AND NO!
Easy for phone.
Hard for Spouse...
Why?
What is happening?
I want to be liked.
Selfishness
I want to win fight.
Selfishness
If I surrender selfishness
I don’t have to
win the fight.
The Bible says:
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding...
God has given us
a healthy
a selfless
a pure
mindset.
We just have to
choose to put it on.
When we do
we will find:
Him Who Is True
Him Who Is True
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true...
We can know,
Him Who Is True.
If you translated it literally:
“The True One”
“The Genuine One.”
Satan is not a creator.
He is a manipulator.
God was once approached by a scientist who said, “Listen, God, we’ve decided we don’t need you anymore. These days we can clone people, transplant organs, and do all sorts of things that used to be considered miraculous.”
God replied, “Don’t need me huh? How about we put your theory to the test. Why don’t we have a competition to see who can make a human being.”
The scientist agrees, so God declares they should do it as he did in the good old days when he created Adam.
“Fine,” says the scientist as he bends down to scoop up a handful of dirt.
“Whoa!” says God, shaking his head in disapproval. “Not so fast. You get your own dirt.”
Satan is not
a creator.
But rather
a manipulator.
God makes truth.
Satan twists it.
God makes holy marriage.
Satan make counterfeit.
Adultery
Fornication
Homosexuality
God makes holy worship.
Satan makes counterfeit.
False Sabbath.
No day is holy.
Every day is holy.
Worship of the Beast.
God makes joy worship.
Satan makes counterfeit.
Drugs
Alcohol
Pornography.
Evil can only parody goodness,
it cannot invent
new forms of
real beauty and joy.
Our passage says:
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true...
Jesus is
the real deal
the genuine
path to lasting joy!
Let us not,
settle for a counterfeit.
The genuine leads to:
Eternal Life
Eternal Life
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Jesus is eternal life.
Eternal life is not
something we will get
after resurrection.
If we have Jesus
we have life!!!!
In Eden,
God created the
Tree of Life.
Those who continue
to eat from it
live forever.
Remember,
Tree of Life,
is not magic!
Yes, it is physical.
But More...
It is metaphorical.
Jesus is,
the tree of life.
This is why,
when Adam and Eve sinned,
they could not eat.
You cannot be
in sin
and
in Christ.
That is why Ellen White
could write:
Review and Herald January 26, 1897: The Christian Warfare
Christ is the source of our life, the source of our immortality. He is the tree of life, and to all who come to him he gives spiritual life.
Today,
let us choose life!
The Legend of the Fever Tree
The Crisis: A native explorer, burning with malaria, was separated from his group in the Andean wilderness. Shaking violently with fever and desperate with thirst, he crawled to a small pool of stagnant water trapped at the roots of a fallen Cinchona tree to drink his final draft.
The Bitter Drink: The water tasted terribly bitter because the roots of the tree had bled their chemicals into the pool. The man believed he had just poisoned himself, but having no other choice, he drank until his thirst was quenched and fell into a deep sleep.
The Miracle: The next morning, the man awoke to a miracle. The fever had completely broken. The very thing he thought would taste bitter and bring death actually restored his life. He returned to his village to share the news of the "Fever Tree" (Quinine), which eventually went on to save millions of lives worldwide.
The book of 1 John
seems to end
somewhat abruptly.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
John calls his readers
once again by
the endearing diminutive.
Little Children
Little Children
Then gives one
final warning:
Keep Yourselves From Idols
Keep Yourselves From Idols
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
John already talked about
getting truth
getting genuine
getting joy
getting life.
His final warning...
Avoid all that other stuff.
Satan knows that
if we really get
a taste for the
tree of life in our mouth
we won’t be controlled
by the desires of this world.
The Analogy to the Tree of Life
Hidden in Plain Sight: Just as the cure for a fatal blood disease was bound up in the wood of a specific tree, the cure for the spiritual curse of sin and death was bound up in Jesus, who hung upon a wooden tree.
You Must Partake: The medicine in the bark could not cure anyone from a distance. The dying man had to actually drink it and internalize it. Jesus said in John 6, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life." We must personally accept and internalize Him.
Bitter to Sweet: To the world, the message of the cross and total surrender to Jesus can seem bitter or restrictive at first. But when a dying soul actually tastes the fruit of this Tree, it brings ultimate healing, quenching our deepest spiritual thirst forever
Appeal
Appeal
Receive truth.
Receive joy.
Receive life.
Receive Jesus!
