Abiding in Christ Means Christ Abides in you.

Introduction

Good morning everyone. As always it is a joy and delight to get see you all today and worship and share God’s word with you. Our scripture today will be 1st John 3:19-24 if you will all please go ahead and turn in your bibles there. In a little bit, just like we did last week, we will read together out loud from the screen, but I would like you to keep your bible’s open as well so that if you need to read a passage to help you understand during the sermon you can.

While you are doing that, I want you to consider a house, your house. You might even call this your home. You have probably heard and said the old adage that, “Home is where the heart is.” Which, if you want to roughly translate, means that your home is where you and all the things that matter most to you reside, like your family. In the same way that a person rejoices and is happy to be home (if it truly is home to you) it in turn has a way of living inside you of general thoughts and happiness. You look and think warmly upon home and in an instant to conjure a warm memory of home that calms you in a difficult situation. In a sense, yes you do abide in your home or house, but it abides within you too, it defines and shapes you. So, what abides in our hearts as believers? As followers of Christ. Well, it is Christ Himself, His heart, His desires fill our own and direct our own. If we abide with Him, then He abides within us as well. This is our main point in the sermon and title today that, Abiding in Christ Means Christ Abides in you. If you dwell with and in Him, then He is with you.

Scripture

Now, if you will all please rise for the reading of God’s word today, which is 1st John 3:19-24. We have only done this once before, but if you will please turn your attention to the screen above me, on the screen will be the text…. Please read along out loud with me as I read it. When I am done, I will finish with “this is the word of the Lord” and you will respond with “thanks be to God.” Before we begin though, let’s pray. Father God, You are great and mighty. We thank you for who You are and what You have done for us. You are our sword and our shield and our everlasting reward. You see us, You know us for every minute of our brief lives. We ask that you help us today, Father. Help us put anything aside that would keep us from hearing Your Word Father. Then, take this word and motivate us to move in a way that furthers Your kingdom. Open our hearts, our ears, our minds, and our hands so that we can receive whatever it is that You are trying to show us today Father. Your Word is truth, sanctify us with Your truth. It’s in these things that we ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious Name that we pray. Amen. 1stJohn 3:19-24, again please read out loud from the screen above me.19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,[d] and God[e] in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Context

We now begin the ending of a journey through the 3rd chapter of this letter together. In fact, with last week’s sermon we crossed the halfway mark on this letter together. I hope this doesn’t discourage you though, I hope this motivates you as this letter is one of the great points to visit and revisit for both new and older believers. In fact, it has many of the basics stated but then has a lifetime of layers that can be heard, understood, and applied to the Christian’s life. This is important, as we are to know and apply the Word of God in all parts of our lives. All parts, including the ones we probably haven’t even thought about yet. One thing is that God is King and Lord over all things, including difficult trials of your lives. Know this, God sees them, and He cares about you and how you are faring through them very much. Trust in Him.

Last week in our sermon, we learned about how God’s love is at the heart of our lives. This is to be the defining thing, the heart of the matter with us and in all things that have to do with us. We learned that we are to take God’s message of life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and know it and treasurer it and apply it everywhere. This reminds me of an old adage I’ve heard several times from multiple pastors and teachers. That is, “Knowledge without application is just information.” Let me say that again, “knowledge without application is just information.” God doesn’t call us to “just know” His word, He calls us to apply it and reflect on what it means in our lives and what that looks like put into action, then in turn put it into action. We then doubled down on this idea and spoke about how it is God that gives us life as believers as opposed to Satan who desires to give us a heart of sin and death as Cain had. We then revisited the most important information in the universe for mankind. That is, that God (Jesus Christ) laid down His life for us as a perfect sacrifice for our sin. In action, this should motivate and move us to love others to point of laying it all down as well, no matter the sacrifice or perceived insignificance that this person has. Remember Christ’s word’s when he said, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” His meaning here was that even the seemingly insignificant or unimportant have great importance to God.

I also want to remind you of the last verse in last week’s sermon, on which this entire passage seems to hang. This verse is from John and says, 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. Wiserbe said on this verse that, “To love “in tongue” is the opposite of to love “in truth.” It means to love insincerely. To love “in truth” means to love a person genuinely, from the heart and not just from the tongue.”[1]More simply put, we are to love others because God loves us so much, and if He is truly our Lord and our God, then we will follow His lead on this. So, with that in mind let’s move into this week’s text.

Message

Our first point and next slide is: Christ is Greater.

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

When first looking at this verse it may seem simple to understand. That if we do xyz, then we know that God is with us and we are with God. However, I want to remind you of the audience that John was writing. These were a confused sect of believers. Remember, these people had significantly false teachings around them and infiltrating their churches and fellowship. We talked about this before, it was the gnostic gospel teachers who stood opposed to God’s Word and Jesus’s divinity and even authenticity as savior. So to put it simply, the audience here was a confused one and one that John through this letter hoped to correct, point out, love, strengthen their belief in the true gospel of Jesus;That He was both fully man and fully divine and that He Jesus (God) came to the earth to be the perfect lamb of sacrifice to pay or atone for the sin of world, for all those that would confess Him as Lord and Savior who accept His free gift.

John here gives these people, the brethren who were on the right path and had not strayed but were a little confused assurance. He assures them here by pointing out their relationships with others is an indicator of your relationship with God. If you love the brethren then this is a key indicator that you love God, if you do not then you do not Love God as someone who loves a person also loves that person’s children and we (believers) are children of God.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, I don’t have any doubts and I’ve never denied Jesus. Well, do you remember a certain apostle that did this? Do you remember that just before Jesus’s death, one of His closest apostles (Peter) claimed with a brave heart and show that he would never deny Jesus, but then did three times before the rooster crowed that morning. Wow, I want to share with you another quote here about this section, “The Apostle Peter wept bitterly after he had denied his Lord, and no doubt he was filled with remorse and repentance for his sin. But Jesus knew that Peter had repented, and after His resurrection the Lord sent a special message (Mark 16:7) to Peter that must have assured the hot-headed fisherman that he was forgiven.” [2]

Even Peter needed assurance, as we all do. Know this, no matter what pain or doubt you have in you now, or later or in the past, God is greater than this. He cares about you and your struggle very much and wants to comfort you, all you have to do is lean into Him more. He knows this may or may not be hard, either way He is patient and is always waiting and calling for You because You are a beloved son or daughter to Him.

Another point and slide is: Christ changes us

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him

One thing to know about the word heart when it is translated from Hebrew and Greek it often means “your inner self” which we often call heart. This means a collection of several things including, our consciousness, our subconsciousness, our thought process, how we perceive things and how we react, and our conscience. Now, God can and often does work in these parts of our lives. We have to be careful here and not just blindly trust our “heart” which all too often Disney movies try to tell us to do. Rather, we need to compare our “heart” and see if it matches God’s Word and His will in our lives. Stott says on our conscience that, “our conscience is by no means infallible; its condemnation may often be unjust. We can, therefore, appeal from our conscience to God, who is greater and more knowledgeable. Indeed, he knows everything, including our secret motives and deepest resolves, and, it is implied, will be more merciful towards us than our own heart. His omniscience should relieve, not terrify, us (cf. Ps. 103:14; John 21:17). So, it is knowledge which alone can quieten the condemning heart, our own knowledge of our sincere love for others and supremely God’s knowledge of our thoughts and motives. The strongest calmer or medicine to our terror is trust in our all-knowing God.”[3]Also, keep in mind what we said earlier, Knowledge without Application is Just information. Take it and apply or else it just takes up head space.

You will recall that this letter in and of itself serves as a sort of corrective commentary on his Gospel, the Gospel of John and answered questions and corrected misinformation that the enemies of the church, the gnostic gospel teachers were teaching and confusing others with. A verse that John may have been touching on in this is found John 16:24 where Jesus says to his disciples about prayer that, Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. When we take on Jesus Christ, He changes us in heart, in mind, in attitude, in love, and in spirit. When we come in line with God, we know that we can come boldly before Him because our wants are the same as His, which stands opposed to what our flesh, our sin nature, our world wants from us. Seek the righteousness of God in all things which is always found in Christ.

A third point is Christ is God

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

Here it is right here beloved, plainly stated. Perhaps it is even a nail in the coffin of those who preach and lead against Christ. John says it clearly, here is the command, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another. Remember, these people were enduring false teaching much as we do almost everywhere today. It’s all around us and it was all around them. Here it is though, here is the truth. Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus Christ is God and we are to love Him and we are to love others as was Jesus’ command to us. The people doubted or questioned this even at this time, just mere decades after Christ’s sacrifice on the cross as the world today tends to deny thousands of years later. People even did it then in His time and to His (Jesus’) face. Listen to John 10:22-30 many of these words are written in red, which means these are direct quotes from Jesus from God Himself. 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Know this, anyone who is listening. Jesus is God. He said it. I and the Father are one. He Himself, Jesus, died so that, (He Himself God, the triune God ,God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit) so that we can experience full forgiveness from God’s wrath on sin and celebrate in fellowship, abide with Him, and worship Him for eternity. He did this willfully, because of His nature and His great love for you and mankind who is treasured possession of His. Brethren, believe in the name of Jesus and turn from anything that You are holding back from Him.

A fourth point is Christ does abide

24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,[d] and God[e] in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Once again, what were these commandments? They are to love God and Love people fully with truth and heart to back it up. Not to mention another proof of God of Christ Abiding in us, the Holy Spirit that seals us in our faith and is evidence of our faith because He only exists in believers. He cannot be deceived because He (the Holy Spirit) is God. So, if you are seeking confidence in God. If you want to enjoy a pure relationship with Him. If you want to be able to approach Him and see prayers answered, you have to be deep in the vine. Jesus here is the vine, we draw our strength from Christ and because of Him and what He does in us, we bear fruit. We bear spiritual fruit. If we separate ourselves from the vine, from Christ then we slowly wither until we are gone in spirit, in ministry, and usefulness to God’s kingdom.

Now, one thing to know that abiding in God, abiding in Christ is key to all of this. Abiding in Him then moves us to seek, know, understand, and apply these commands, to love God and Love people. Know that this is possible for all people, no matter the look, creed, manner, ethnicity or what have you, God can and does call all kinds of people to Him. The instant a sinner trusts Christ, he enters union with Christ; but maintaining communion is a moment-by-moment responsibility. So, so we live moment by moment in a continual repentance. That we preach the Gospel to ourselves daily because we need it daily. Abiding depends on our obeying His Word and keeping clean (John 15:3, 10).[4] Though we become saved in an instant as Christians (if you truly are a Christian who God abides in) then you seek Him often and always in Your life. Sure, we will have backslidden moments, but don’t despair in these, remember that a loving God is calling You and is trying to show you something about Himself and you in this time. Take it as an opportunity to grow in your faith, not despair. We have an assurance of and from God as God abides in us personally.

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, are you here assured in your faith? You should be and your God, if He is truly Your God He tells you that you should. He is the most powerful and most important being that there has or was or ever will be. Nothing can successfully stand opposed to Him. Many have tried and everyone have, has, or will fail. He is greater than anything we could ever know or see. He is alive and brings us life both at the same time. He see’s you, He knows you. He can discern what your thoughts are, what your intentions are. You can’t hide anything from Him. So why even try? Oh, but all too often we try. We try to hold something back from the brethren, we try to seem impenetrable and ever strong. You know, I had a very good pastor friend. Now, for some reason many pastors believe that they need to put on a brave face and act as though they don’t have needs or if they even want your help as brethren. This is wrong, and I have personally seen it fail every one of them that try this. But why is this? It’s because appearing always strong, relying on your own strength, being secretive or overly private is against God’s word. Don’t forget Paul’s words in 2nd Cor 12 which says, 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Yes, life is hard, and we will experience these things but amongst the brethren you are to always be safe in sharing, giving, receiving and giving aid. How can we serve you as our Lord commands if you don’t share or show a real need?

Isn’t it funny, that through all the bible the largest and most important characters outside of God all had problems and were usually the unassuming and unimportant person in the room. Yet somehow, we forget this all the time. The pastors and even other brethren that I have known that tried so hard to appear strong, really make themselves appear in desperate need to the mature believer. In fact, we are all in desperate need. Remember, Christ has turned the world upside down at His coming. The weak are now strong and the strong are now weak. Be brave enough to be served because your God is sufficient and is gladly the suffering servant for you. In our weakness, Christ’s/God’s power is made perfect and strong and glorious to behold and share with others.

Remember, if you abide in Christ, then Christ will abide in You. This is true for all the brethren, no exceptions. Your God loves you very much and is calling you to a deeper knowledge and relationship with Him, will You respond?

To others in this room. Perhaps you are not at this point yet. Maybe you are trying to wrap your mind around this whole “sin” thing and God and Jesus and forgiveness that we keep talking about. I hear you, I know. It seems very odd. It doesn’t seem to line up with anything that you have learned in your life. This is true, it doesn’t, it doesn’t make any worldly sense. This is because it is not a worldly message. It is a divine message, a royal decree that has been proclaimed and will continue to be proclaimed and be true though all of history. This is that God has provided the way for that thing that you can’t seem to quite put your finger on, which is the rebellion of sin away and be completely 100% forgiven of it and stand within His good pleasure and delight. No spite, no pushback, like it had never happened. Will you accept this today, will you accept that Jesus Christ died to pay for this debt and make Him the Lord of your life?

Let’s conclude. Brothers and sisters, I love you all. If you need talk or need prayer, I will be up here during our last song together. Let’s pray. Father God, thank you thank you thank you for who You are and what You have done to through and for us. Move us father in your love that translates to love of all of those around us. It’s in these things we ask and Jesus Christ’s Holy and Precious name that I pray. Amen.

[1]Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1996, p. 512. [2]Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1996, p. 513. [3]Stott, John R. W. The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary. InterVarsity Press, 1988, p. 148. [4]Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, 1996, p. 514.