February 12, 2012
Morning Service

John the apostle wrote to the believers of the church addressing two concerns:  He called out to them to rekindle the fire of living a devoted life and warned them against false teachers.

He hoped through his first hand testimony of Jesus that he could unite believers in fellowship with each other and into a deeper fellowship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Fellowship-=Relationship

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Chapter 2 introduced us to two words that describe what Jesus has done and is doing for us.

1Jo 2:1-2 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  (2)  And He is the propitiation concerning our sins, and not concerning ours only, but also concerning the sins of all the world. 

            Advocate (paraclete)-That is “one who comes along side” and in its active form it means helper, supporter, or one who will witness in someone’s favor.(stretcher bearer)

            Propitiation for our sins-Once we sin we need something to cleanse us from it and restore us to a right relationship with our Holy God.  Jesus’ work on the cross not only erased our past sins but our future ones as well.  It is God’s antidote for our sins.

1Jo 2:3-6   (3) And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments.  (4)  He who says, I have known Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  (5)  But whoever keeps His Word, truly in this one the love of God is perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.  (6)  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked.

            The Greeks were always searching for the intellectual understanding of God the “knowing” who He is.  They, however, ignored the fact that truly “knowing” (belonging) to God came with moral obligations.  IF…

John pointed out clearly that knowledge brings forth obedience (v 3).  To know God is to experience His love in Christ and to return that love with obedience.    

 He also explains that relationship brings forth imitation (v6).   Our relationship with Him brings us the greatest of privileges and also brings the greatest obligation.

What about us this morning?  Is our mindset daily one that seeks to follow God and deepen our relationship with Him?  John clearly states our lives must reflect what we believe.

1Jo 2:7-8 Brothers, I do not write a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the Word which you have heard from the beginning.  (8)  Again, I write a new commandment to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true Light now shines.

Love has been in God’s teaching from the very beginning (Lev 19:18).  Jesus however perfected what love truly is.  Love is a sacrificial giving of ourselves to God and our brothers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joh 15:12-17 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  (13)  No one has greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.  (14)  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  (15)  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.  (16)  You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.  (17)  These things I command you, that you love one another.

 

1Jo 2:9-11 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now.  (10)  He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no offense in him.  (11)  But he who hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because darkness has blinded his eyes.

            John paints a very vivid picture here with the light/dark and love/hate comparisons.  There are no neutral or gray areas.  We are either doing one or the other.  He speaks of our relationship with our brother (that is the people we rub shoulders with each day).  We must not show indifference to them, but place their needs as ours, their interests as ours, and thus creating a true fellowship (relationship) by which we can love them as Jesus loved us. (2:6)

            1Co 13:4-8  Love has patience, is kind; Love is not envious, is not vain, is not puffed up;  (5)  does not behave indecently, does not seek her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil.  (6)  Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth,  (7)  quietly covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  (8)  Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will be abolished; if tongues, they shall cease; if knowledge, it will be abolished.

 

1Jo 2:12-14 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.  (13)  I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.  (14)  I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

            John changes the tone with a lyrical praise that a shows a general progression of our walk with God.  Forgiveness of sin (v12), knowledge of God as Father (v13) conquest of the evil one (v13), the indwelling of the Word of God (v14).

 

1Jo 2:15-17 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, (16) because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  (17)  And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever.

            The world referenced here is not the physical world (earth) for God created it and it was “good,” or to all humans in general for He “so loved the world…”

            He is referring here to the evil ways of this world which are contrary God’s values (dictated by the “prince of this world”).   We place value (love) on things which draw us away from Him. (Light /Darkness)

                        Lust of the flesh-Live our life dominated by senses.  If it feels good, tastes good, it must be good.

                        Lust of the eyes-Living for things which the eye can see and having things that others would envy.

                        Pride of life-Living continuously with the idea of being bigger and better and doing more than anyone else. (Braggart)

 

Why do we continue to invest our time, money and effort into things that will pass away?

            “He who does the will of God abides forever.”