Abide
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Abide
Abide
As we turn to our text this morning 1 John 2:26 I want you to think about something. Why are you here this morning? Why does God want us to be here?
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
We see in Hebrews the same theme we have been see in 1 john. Do you remember from last week? John said it was the last hour. Do you remember what John meant by the last hour?
What is the last “C” of history we looked at last week? Consummation. That is we are awaiting the second coming of Jesus right? This is the “day” the author of Hebrews says we see drawling near.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Do you see in this passage the same message as Hebrews and the same message of 1 John and really the same message from all of Scripture. The battle of truth against lies?
Do you see it? verse 15 from His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. The sharp sword is the Word of GOd. It is truth and it will strike down the lies of the nations. Truth will triumph. Any one here grow tired of trying to discern truth in our culture?
Everything is fact check but the problem is they aren’t fact checking using the Word of God so what standard of truth are they using?
I just had a conversation last night with a good friend about how messed up our culture is.
20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
We really shouldn’t be surprised though, God warned us through His Word listen to In his second letter to Timothy, Paul says this
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
I know I have emphasized this reality a-lot in our study of 1 John because John emphasizes it.
So because the day of Jesus’ second coming is drawling near how are we to live?
We are called to come here this morning, not to check a box and say we went to church today out of duty, but according the author of hebrews, we are here this morning to stir one another on to love and good works. We are called to come here this morning and encourage each other.
Is that why you came? Did you come to encourage each other and stir others up to love one another and to encourage each other to do good works?
Someone might be saying wait Brad aren’t we here to worship The Lord? I would say absolutely and I think that part of that worship is you stir others up to love each other and to good works you are worshiping. We are all called to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost and dying world. Right? You have the cure to the worst problem that mankind has ever faced. Death and Hell. There is no greater tragedy in life, then a non-believer dying without bowing the knee to the Lordship of Jesus.
As we turn to our text, just keep in mind how important this battle for truth is. Eternity hangs in the balance.
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
So we see the struggle again, the world is trying to deceive us. Why? Because according to 1 John 5:19
19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
We are back to this same cosmic struggle between Good and Evil, truth and lies, God and Satan.
So what does John offer us as defense against the world and the deceitfulness of false teaching? He calls us in our text this morning to abide. He says the anointing that you received from him abides in you so Abide in what? In Jesus. What does that mean?
What is the anointing we received form Jesus?
26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Jesus promises to send us the Holy Spirit to abide in us.
Before we go any further, what does abide mean? Let’s look at the greek word translated abide.
You must grasp this concept of abiding in Jesus because we are in a battle. Listen to the words of Jesus.
6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Two very important points Jesus makes. First you must abide in Him or you will be thrown away like a branch that withers.
What happens when you cut flowers from there roots? They wither and die right? Jesus called Himself the true vine. If you do not abide in Him, Jesus says you will wither and die spiritually. Not only will you be worthless to spreading the Gospel, but you will be thrown into the fire, and burned. for all eternity. The stakes are high, aren’t they?
This is in comparison to abdinig in His word. Look with me at Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
So if you abide in Jesus, if you delight in His word. What are you like? A tree planted by streams of water. Can you picture this. the roots running deep and the winds of change and cultural pressure to conform can not sway this try because it’s planted in the word and on it it stands strong.
Isn’t that where we all want to be this morning? We wanted to be planted on the truths of His word so we are unmoveable. Amen?
Turning back to verse 27 of our text,
27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
What does it mean that you have no need that anyone should teach you?
I think it is saying you don’t need to turn to some one super spiritual to discern the truth. You have the same spirit that rose Jesus form the grave. You need to be in the Word and in prayer and the spirit will reveal truth.
28 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.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
You have to be careful because you can resist the Holy Spirit. You don’t want to resist the spirit you want to be in-tune with it right? Why? Why do you want to give your life to this book and prayer? We already covered the first reason because eternity hangs in the balance. But there is another reason. it is in verse 28. Jesus os coming again.
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
We know Jesus is coming again because He promised us that He was, So you want to be ready right? Remember from our New Testament reading. The bridegroom was late in coming and somewhere not prepared. Jesus told us,
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
We will not know the day or the hour. Could be this afternoon, next week, next year, 10 years, or 100 more years. We do not know. But John has a warning for us in our text this morning.
28 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.
You do not want to be caught unprepared. Have you ever had a surprise visitor when you were not prepared?
I remember a story David Platt told. He was getting his two young sons ready for a bath and the doorbell rang. He told his boys to stay put he would be right back.
You don’t want to shrink back when Jesus returns. Just like the bridegroom arriving at a Jewish wedding, we should be rejoicing at the second coming of Jesus. The closing question this morning are you reading for the return of Jesus or will you shrink back in shame? It is my prayer for everyone here including myself that we will work diligently today and every day the Lord blesses us with so will rejoice and be confident at Jesus’ second coming.
