Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Gene A. Getz, in his book, The Measure of a Church, asks the question, "What is the measure of maturity in the church?"

And he lists what others believe are the measure of maturity:

An active church (involving people in meetings and programs)

A giving church (supporting the church and efforts financially)

A growing church (new people coming and staying)

A soul-winning church (leading unbelievers to faith and baptism)

A smooth-running church (efficient and orderly)

A missionary-minded church (supports missionaries around the world)

A Spirit-filled church (enthusiastic, emotional)

A big church (large attendance, with many programs)

However, YHWH used Paul to give us a different measure for maturity of the church.

Paul says that the church is mature when it functions like one body, where Jesus, the Christ, is the Head.

Spiritual maturation, both as one corporate body and as individuals, is the topic for our time here this morning

Transition:

And so on the subject of individual maturation, one preacher said it like this:

A little boy fell out of the bed in his sleep.

His father picked him up and put him back in bed.

He asked him, "Son, what happened?"

The little boy responded, "I fell asleep too close to where I got in."

This boy’s answer just might describe many Christians today...they have fallen asleep too close to where they got in.

They are not in danger of falling out of salvation...but they have made no spiritual progress since they were saved.

They have been saved but have stunted growth spiritually.

They are the Italians of the Christians: short and stubborn!

The Apostle John has rebuked the false teachers and those who walk in darkness.

Last week, we saw how some may even so deceive by their own sin that they might think that they are walking in the light.

This week, John gives some needed relief from the scary statements of last week.

John now pauses to reassure his readers that he is not questioning their salvation:

Scripture Reading:

All of the verbs in these verses (except “I am writing” or “I write”) are PERFECT TENSE, which speak of action in the past resulting in an ongoing state of being or that the result of this verb is affecting the present.

The emphasis of the perfect tense is not the past action so much as it is as such but the present “state of affairs” resulting from the past action—this technical grammar note will be important as we go through this together this morning.

John writes these verses to his readers here because he is sure of their salvation, their justification.

As the previous context addressed the false teachers, this context addresses the believer.

There are four different titles given to believers: “little children,” “children” “fathers,” and “young men.”

These three verses contain two sets of triplets that describe John’s readers as

little children τεκνίον - young elementary aged (v.12)

fathers πατήρ - aged, mature men (vv.

13-14) (our English word “father” come from this)

young men νεανίσκος - teens & 20s (vv.

13-14)

generic children παιδίον - probably older elementary (v.13)

These verses here are slightly poetic for the purpose of emphasis.

In some translation, these verses are even spaced as stanzas just as one would expect from a free verse poem.

The surrounding verses before and after our passage this morning have no poetic hint which support this literary change being there to grab our attention.

The term ‘children’ likely refers not to age, but was a term of endearment that John used for all those to whom he was writing.

Christ used the same words when speaking to his disciples (John 13:33).

Many had come to Jesus through John’s ministry, so he called them his own “children.”

This section does not fit smoothly with the verse divisions: there is an order that remains the same (children, fathers, young men), although exactly what is said of them changes.

This order repeats only twice with a verse division of three—in other words, I would have divided it by the two sets and only had two verses here.

order twice.

It is possible that we are not dealing with three actual different age groups but a literary device describing the settled condition of all Christians at differing stages of maturation.

There are four things listed that believers know:

that their sins are forgiven, v, 12;

that through Christ they have overcome the devil (v.

13);

that they “know” they have fellowship with both the Father (v.

14) and the Son (vv.

13–14); and

that they are strong in the Word of God (v.

15).

This list is expressed grammatically in (1) the phrase “I am writing to you” and (2) the six ὅτι (because); therefore, my outline is loosely based on the syntax of this passage.

Transition:

But although it is clear that John is placing the responsibility on the believer to understand and live in light of these encouraging truths, it is easy to read this passage and miss the work of Holy Spirit inside each of us, based on the finished work of our Savior

I. YHWH Has Forgiven (v.12)

(I am using the English Past Perfect tense here in my outline) First on the docket of what we ought to understand is forgiveness

These true followers had in common the fact that their sins were forgiven because of Jesus’ work and the Father’s love.

They had accepted the fact of their sinfulness, they also had confessed their sins, and now needed to meditate on how they had been forgiven because of Jesus’ death and payment on the cross.

“because” ὅτι is “because,” it gives the reason for his writing—affirmation and encouragement of salvation.

“your sins have been forgiven” Jesus’ ministry is mankind’s only hope for forgiveness (a present result of the past PERFECT PASSIVE INDICATIVE).

They are living in a state of forgiveness.

It is not a denial of sin, vv.1–2 makes it clear that his readers must have Jesus as intercession for their sins.

However, as in 1:9, he uses the plural noun, "sins’, which as we discussed months ago, points to specific acts of sin rather than just sin in a generic sense or our sin nature through Adam.

John is basically saying he knows that they are the ones who have confessed their sins and experienced their forgiveness and cleansing.

“for His name’s sake” In Hebrew understanding, the name equals the character and personality—You were named by who you were and how you acted.

Yes, Jesus died for us, but YHWH forgave based on His character, not ours.

They are forgiven, not because of their own righteousness, but through Jesus’ cleansing work.

That is what John means by saying “for His name’s sake.”

But why does he use “His name” instead of just saying “Jesus”?

It is likely because John is focusing his readers on the character of Christ more than His purpose.

The principle cause of their forgiveness is in the character of Christ, who gives it freely by being both our perfect sacrifice and our perfect Advocate.

Thus we see that John is emphasizing forgiveness of sins is dependent solely on Jesus.

Transition:

II.

YHWH is Being Known (v.13)

He has revealed Himself and us believer know that and must understand that to the point that it changes us!

In this verse John now moves to addressing his audience as “fathers” and “young men.” and then to “children”, but more in the general sense of the word children.

Fathers, then, describe the target readers as mature in their faith, these “fathers” know Christ, the one who is from the beginning, who is eternal.

They have a longer experience with their faith and have knowledge to a degree that matches their maturity.

Then moving to those title “young men/people”, the knowledge points out their acts/deeds: you have won your battle with Satan.

John is emphasizing here that really all Christians must understand that they are in a constant spiritual war zone and that they are daily at battle with the forces of Satan in this life.

In context, John could be referring to conquering the false teachers equates to the defeat of Satan.

If that inference is true, then we can see the Apostle Paul’s backing [[1 Timothy 4:1–2]]

“Him who has been from the beginning” The PRONOUNS in I John are very ambiguous and can refer to God the Father or God the Son.

In context this one refers to Jesus.

It is a statement of pre-existence and, thereby, His deity (cf.

John 1:1, 15; 3:13; 8:48–59; 17:5, 24; 2 Cor.

8:9; Phil.

2:6–7; Col. 1:17).

“the evil one” This is a reference to Satan, who is mentioned again in v. 14.

Verses 13 and 14 are parallel on this portion.

“I write to you, children”

*The verse split should have been here!

The Words of the Bible are inspired, not the divisions i.e. verses & chapters!