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Sermon for August 6, 2006 Outline Title The New Commandment - Walk as Jesus Walked Introduction Text: 1 John 2:7-17 Central Idea of the Text: To continue the thought from 2:6 by specifying that because Christ is our Advocate (Wiper Out of sins) we can and should walk as He walked. Major Objective of the Text: Didactic/Action dual objective. Didactic - To teach people to how to walk like Jesus did. . Thesis (modern application of the text): We have an obligation to love one another as Jesus loved us, and we can do this because our sins are forgiven in His Name (2:12). Major Objective of the Sermon: Inspire the audience to continue allowing their attitude and thinking to become more like that of Jesus'. Explanations Applications Explanations/Applications by Illustration Summary Conclusion
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Welcome!
Our Old Testament reading today is Proverbs 16:20 Proverbs 16:20 "He who gives attention to the Word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord." Let's go to the Word!
Today we continue our investigation of 1st John.
In 1st John, several major themes are brought forth and the applications and uses of this epistle are made clear to us. Last time our text was 1 John 2:1-6 which said that Jesus is our Advocate and that anyone who claims to be a Christian but does not keep the commandments is a liar. The commandments being: Love God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength AND Love other people as much as you love yourself.
This week our text is 1 John 2:7-17 This is a continuation of thought from chapter 1. There are several valid ways to break down chapters 1 and 2 into manageable sections. We will do it as 1:1-10, 2:1-6 and for next week, 2:7-17, 2:18-28. So please read ahead for the next two Sundays. Focus on 2:7-28, and write down any ideas or thoughts that come to mind as you read. Bring your notes with you the next two weeks so that we can share with one another.
READ 2:7-17 The Old Commandment which you have had from the beginning...
Love one another as you love yourself,
The New Commandment. Walk as Jesus walked.
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates another person is still in darkness. If someone is walking in the light, there is nothing in them that will cause another person to stumble.
Why is it that we are able to walk as Jesus walked? Because He is our hilasmos and our paraklete.
The word is hilasmos, which is a noun describing someone who is 'wiper out' 'expiation'. In this case, John is describing Jesus as the 'Wiper Out' of our sins. The One who erases the record of our crimes.
As our paraklete and hilasmos, Advocate and Wiper Out, Jesus uses the fact that He paid the penalty for our sins to not only defend us, but to rebuke our accuser the Devil and to cleanse us. Hebrews 7:25 He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
2:15ff We can love the world or the Father, but one must take priority. Do we love the things of the world more than we love the Father?
These three things summarize what the world offers to us:
Lust of the flesh - sex Lust of the eyes - money Boastful Pride of life - power
The Father does not give us these things. In fact these are the things that lead us to destruction. Lust and pride are deadly emotions that seal off our minds. If we indulge ourselves long enough, Romans tells us, God will give us over to a depraved mind. We should be very afraid, terrified to reject our God by indulging in these areas. Jesus did not walk this path, and neither should we.
What is the alternative? Since God (2:16b) did not created these things - lust and boastful pride, what may we substitute?
Lust of the flesh - God calls us to be in loving, giving marriage for life. When we are not in a marriage we are to trust Him and be celibate. A lustful relationship is about being selfish. A loving relationship is about loving the other person as you love yourself.
Lust of the eyes - God calls us to put Him first, and let Him provide our needs through our job, and sometimes through other people. If we engage in lust of the eyes, we will seek more and more money so that we may buy what our eyes desire. If we put God first, especially with our tithes, then He changes our eyes that we see more clearly. We see that whatever we have comes from Him. He helps us replace lust of the eyes with a vision that sees His work all around us. We learn how to enjoy what we have. We learn how to desire the things that will truly help us, rather than just buying an abundance of toys. It's the principle of clutter vs. useful items. Clutter crowds us, but useful items are fun to use and we enjoy having them. God replaces lust of the eyes.
Boastful Pride of life - Power. God replaces our natural thirst for power with a knowledge of our true status before Him. We are convicted lawbreakers who have been forgiven and who now stand as His adopted sons and daughters. Walking as Jesus walked means we seek a different kind of power. A different kind of status. Jesus said if we really want to be considered important in the kingdom of heaven we must be willing to be the servant of everyone. God's power is made manifest, it is clearly seen by all, when we walk humbly. If we seek to be important in the eyes of mankind, we have to find ways to puff ourselves up. But, if we walk as Jesus walked, we remain humble and God lifts us up when and where He chooses so that His power can be seen.
This is why John tells us v17 that the world is passing away. We must be aware that our lives are short and that lust and boastful pride cannot last. These things are not from God. All human striving for money, sex and power is like a chasing after the wind (Solomon) Because the world and its desires are already passing away. What will remain? Who will live forever? Those who do the will of God. What is His will? That we believe in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Jesus Christ. That we believe Jesus was born of a virgin, died for our sins, and was raised to life on the third day. This belief, and ONLY this belief, will lead us to want to walk as Jesus walked, to love God more than anything else and to love other people as much as we love ourselves.
2:18-24 John now turns his attention to the spirit that denies that Jesus was God incarnate. This is the spirit of the Anti-Christ. Literally "against Christ"
No Christ. No Savior. No salvation. Therefore we are free to pursue lust and boastful pride without penalty. This is the core argument of the anti-Christ.
It was prophesied that lying spirits would come in the last hour and deny the Messiah. John reminds us this is not unexpected. In fact it is the presence of the spirit of anti-Christ that confirms we are in the last hour.
The word hour here is being used in the sense of sense of relative time. The Old Testament times were the first hours. New Testament time is the last hour. Characterisitcs of anti-Christs - They claim to be part of the church. They said John sent them. - True Christians have an anointing from the Holy Spirit to be able to know anti-Christs for who they are. This anointing is our God-given knowledge that Jesus is the Christ and there is no other.
- Anti-Christs try to separate God the Father and God the Son as being two entities. This is an attempt to deny that Jesus is God.
As for us, we keep ourselves from being fooled by not letting anyone deny that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, the Messiah. As long as what we know from God's Word abides in us, we will abide in the Father and the Son.
What does abide mean?
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. And he who is wise wins souls.
"Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, |
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