Shepherding Loved Ones towards Joyful Assurance
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 10 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
As a pastor, we are not only studying the ever changing lives of our church family, but we are also studying of the ever changing culture. The changes in culture seem to have accelerated with the propagation of what has been called Critical Theory.
Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay wrote a book entitled Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity in which the authors trace the development of Postmodernism to Postmodernism Applied.
About Postmodernism, they admit that it is hard to define (21), but they characterize it by two principles: a knowledge principle and a political principle. The knowledge principle is (31) is probably what we are most familiar with: “Radical skepticism about whether objective knowledge or truth is obtainable and a commitment to cultural constructivism.”
If postmodernism says that objective truth is not obtainable, then what is Critical Theory. For this Pluckrose and Lindsay are helpful. They first say that (46-47)
“Theory refers to a specific set of beliefs, which posit that the world and our ability to gather knowledge about it work in accordance with the postmodern knowledge and postmodern political principle…[in addition] it [Theory] assumes that objective reality cannot be known, “truth is socially constructed through language…therefore Theory aims to critically examine discourses [ways of talking].”
Though there are elements of truth within Critical Theory, Theory intentionally creates instability about known reality. It is designed to cause uncertainty in order to change what is perceived to be a problem, be it gender binaries, colonialism, feminism...etc
So, as we pastor people who are swimming in this kind of worldview, and as we are trying to engage people who are regularly observing injustices, riots, economic depression...the furthest thing from our mind is complete joy. We just want sanity, and we want sanity for our church family.
When what we thought was certain is no longer a certainty how do even we respond?
This is why the letter of I John is so helpful. Though there were some teachers who had separated from the body of Christians, their teaching had created some uncertainty about Jesus Christ among the believers and so John sets out to give certainty by establishing and reaffirming truths that bring joyful assurance.
Listen to John’s own reasons for writing. I John 1:4, 2:1, 2:26, 5:13.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
John wants to give absolute truths that bring joyful assurance, but I don’t want you to overlook the formula that he uses to introduce these statements. He has written.
How can the message of John bring joyful assurance?
How can we, as pastors, love our church families in such a way that there is joyful certainty?
How can we shepherd our wives and children in such a way that there is absolute joyful certainty in the midst of narratives which are designed to create uncertainty?
Answer: The written, preserved testimony of Jesus must be our stable source for fullness of joy.
Listen to the inscripturated testimony of the witness (v. 1-4) I John 1:1-4
Listen to the inscripturated testimony of the witness (v. 1-4) I John 1:1-4
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
Joy & the Object of Witness
Joy & the Object of Witness
He begins with the object being witnessed - That which was from the beginning. Immediately John’s testimony connects with other portions of scripture which begin in similar ways, John 1:1, Genesis 1:1.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
What John is a witness of is eternally significant.
Application:
One of the wonders of the inscripturated testimony is that is challenges temporal perspectives. It calls us to consider changes all around us by looking to the unchanging One. Joyful assurance does not begin with figuring out modern narratives.
Joyful assurance begins with the Lord.
Joy in Apostolic Witness
Joy in Apostolic Witness
The Authority of the Witness
The Authority of the Witness
Secondly, John uses terminology that confirms that he is an eye, ear, and hand witness. John roots what he is saying in his apostolic authority. Today, we may not use the term witness. We may use the term experience. There is a problem here though. None of us have experienced this Person like John is describing, so how is this kind of experience possible? The answer is “in the scriptures.” Wright in his book The Mission of God’s people comments on this very passage and says,
“Well, we might think, this was clearly important to those first gospel missionaries of Jesus Christ. They could stand up and say, “We were there. We knew him. We saw him die. We saw him raised to life by God. We are witnesses of these things.” But we can’t say that. So what relevance has this point got to the mission of God’s people today? It is vitally important, for where did all that eyewitness testimony about Jesus end up? In the Bible, of course! In the New Testament documents that trace their origin and their authenticity back to those first eyewitnesses. [Wright, Christopher J. H.. The Mission of God's People (Biblical Theology for Life) (pp. 223-224). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.]
Joyful assurance is found in the testimony which has been inscripturated.
This is what we need, and this is what our churches need.
I John 1:2
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
John further emphasizes this witness testimony. Why? Later in the letter he will address the particular heresy that had caused this kind of uncertainty — a teaching that Jesus did not come in the flesh, that he only appeared to be in the flesh. Hence, he wants his readers to know with certainty that this Divine Person came bodily.
We mustn’t overlook all that is wrapped up in the term “witness”. Being a witness of this testimony is only possible through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Luke is especially helpful in reminds us how:
Jesus is the anointed One, of which the scriptures spoke
Jesus promised his followers they would be witnesses empowered from on high
This promise was fulfilled 10 days after Jesus’ ascension.
In other words, without the righteous life, substitutionary death, victorious Resurrection, and glorious ascension of Jesus, being a witness would not have been even possible — and John is claiming to bear this witness.
App:
This is tremendously comforting and helpful. The fact that God became human means that he can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He is the suitable Substitute being fully God and fully man. The certainty of this theology is absolutely crucial.
But there is more, he saves and equips his followers for ongoing witness.
Joyful assurance is found in the certainty of God having become fully human.
Joy in the Results of this Witness (I John 1:3)
Joy in the Results of this Witness (I John 1:3)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, John announces all of this so that they would enjoy fellowship with each other — a fellowship that is really with God in Christ.
What then are the results of John announcing the reality of Jesus and his witness? Fellowship.
Fellowship in biblical Christianity is centered on the truth of the Person of Jesus Christ. It is not this way in our world.
Intersectionality is a concept within Critical Race Theory (one type of Critical Theory), and it seeks to establish a grid by which to determine those most discriminated against
“Kimberle Crenshaw, a founder of critical race Theory and the progenitor of the concept of intersectionality…argues (123)…that…discrimination on grounds of race or gender is insufficient to deal with this problem or with the fact that a black woman, for instance, might experience unique forms of discrimination that neither white women nor black men face.”
This worldview makes peace, tranquility, joy to be a moving target because there are varying levels of potential discrimination and this could change with everyone.
This is why the message of I John is so refreshing because there is no moving target. Our fellowship with each other is truly in One — that is God through Christ.
Our joy is complete in the unchanging, written witness accounts of the whole Christ.
Conclusion:
This I John introduction lays the ground work for the rest of the letter, but it immediately makes us aware of truths about us and the people we serve:
You cannot separate joyful assurance from particular spoken truths of Christ. John 15:11
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
The kind of shepherding that the flock of God needs:
Rooted: Root your teaching and preaching in certain apostolic testimony of Jesus Christ.
Repetitious: Repeat often the need of Jesus Christ as our Substitute (by implication our utter sinfulness and source of power)
Resolute: Resolve that the complete truth of Jesus Christ is the basis of fellowship (by implication not dividing over lesser matters)
The written and preserved testimony of Jesus must be our stable source for fullness of joy.
Shepherding loved Ones towards joyful assurance is fundamentally based upon the testimony of Scripture.