4/13/25 // 1 John 2:28-29 // Nikolas Tsamoutalidis
●About 2 months ago as I was preparing for my back to back messages on “Do Not Love The World”…the Lord placed the word URGENCY on my heart. That I initially kept to myself and then eventually started sharing it with my wife, family, friends, and now this morning to all of you. And my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will touch all of us to honestly examine ourselves and perhaps place an urgency in more of us…whether it is to go deeper with Jesus, repent and accept Jesus, mend a relationship, forgive someone, repent of a sin…I don’t know, but The Lord does…
●Casting Crowns the contemporary Christian band has a worship song with the title “Glorious Day” It came out in January 2011 and I remember singing this song in our car with my wife and kids when they were 10, 8, and 6. It was actually a Gospel hymn called “One Day” from a well known Presbyterian evangelist of the late 19th century named John Wilber Chapman (1859-1918). Casting Crowns popularized it once again as they reminded us of the wonderful drama of redemption, verse 5 brings the story to its climatic conclusion with these words concerning King Jesus:
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glories will shine;
Wonderful day, my Beloved One’s bringing;
My Savior this Jesus is mine!
Then the refrain:
Living, He loved me; Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming — Oh glorious day, oh glorious day, glorious day, Oh Glorious day!
●The glorious day is indeed coming and the Apostle John sees it as an awesome HOPE for the future and a powerful motivation for the present. Because I/You are going to be like HIM in the future for all eternity, such a promise has a wonderful transforming power in the present. MY FUTURE IMPACTS MY LIFE TODAY! Repeat: MY FUTURE OUGHT TO IMPACT MY LIFE TODAY!
●In 1 John 2:28-3:3, God’s Word tells us we are destined to look like, think like, talk like, act like, and be like Jesus (3:2). As God’s sons and daughters through the new birth (2:29-3:2), we have a future hope that in one sense cannot be put into words. John is so honest when he writes, “What we will be has not yet been revealed” (3:2). However, what we do know, as we abide in Jesus, is more than enough!
●John, as a loving spiritual father has given his “little children” (2:1,12,18,28) a number of words of challenge and encouragement up until this point in his letter. He has encouraged them to find full joy in fellowship with the Father and the Son (1:1-4). He has called them to walk in the light of God and stay close to Christ (1:5-2:2). They are to do this by obeying the Lord’s commands and loving others (2:3-11). They must also know their spiritual status and not be seduced by the world (2:12-17). Likewise, they must beware of the enemies of the faith who deny Jesus is the Messiah (2:18-27). Now in the present text he adds the exhortation to ABIDE in Christ and pursue a righteous life as they live in the HOPE of HIS coming (2:28-3:3). In other words, as Christians, what we are going to be ought to transform the way we live today! In fact, such a spiritual posture will result in many blessings. Because, blessings follow obedience which we will unpack shortly. Today, we will focus on two blessings that are promised to everyone who keeps on abiding in Christ.
●Main Idea: True followers of Jesus will have confidence when Christ returns because they have abided/meno(remained) in him.
●(2) Blessings – Blessing # 1: YOU WILL BE CONFIDENT AT HIS COMING/Blessing #2: YOU WILL BE CERTAIN YOU ARE HIS CHILD
●However, all throughout scripture we see that blessings following obedience.
●Scripture is clear on who will be bold and eager at the coming of Jesus and who is truly a child of God.
●Turn with me to 1 John 2:28-29. John has been pushing back in this letter against false religion. And not false religion in the name of other gods, but false religion in the name of Jesus. You can get the name of Jesus right, but get to the true doctrine and not just the true doctrine of Christ, the true application of that doctrine, the practice wrong. That’s what John is concerned about as he is in his 90’s as the last eyewitness who had seen Jesus when he was in his ministry on the earth before he ascended to the father. So John is writing that there are problems in the church, and there are people who claim the name of Christ and they do not live for Christ. Professing theology versus street level actual functional theology. They come to your gatherings, they sometimes even teach, but they are frauds. They do not know God and they have followers in a similar fashion of their foolishness. People that sit in the congregation that claim the name of Christ that do not know Christ and so this is a message that was not only important when it was written but this is a message for us in the here and now.
●We are going to look at 1 John 2:28-29. Read: And now, little children, abide/menete in him, so that when he appears/reveals himself (phanerōthē) we may have confidence parrēsian/BOLDNESS and not shrink from him in shame aischynthōmen/disgraced, dishonored, ashamed at his coming. It’s why Paul said in Romans 1:16: I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…Verse 29; If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure ginōskete: more than intellectual head knowledge. It’s intimate, relational, you know someone or something here in my heart/not just head knowledge. It’s the difference between I know basic math (point to my head) and I know my wife Rita (arete). You know God intimately and not just intellectual knowledge. You know God and not just know about God. that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. Gegennētai: new creation, born again. You resemble your Father who art in heaven. Perfect, never. But you resemble a family likeness to your savior Jesus; Christlikeness.
●And you can see that John is very concerned about who is born of HIM and who is not. And so we see that John is very very concerned that there is a genuine faith that is not only believed, but that is lived and that there is a great difference between those who claim Christ and do their own thing versus those who claim Christ and live in him. Confessional Theology (Identifying as a christian) vs. street level consistent Functional Theology (Bondservant, HE is my Lord, Savior, Boss of my life. I live to serve Him in all that I do)
●John again addresses his readers with the tender term “little children.” And he continues the theme of remaining or abiding in Christ, which was a key concern in 2:18-27 and an essential protection against false teaching. The word ABIDE in verse 28 is very important. The word abide (which John uses 20x in this letter alone) is also in other places not only in first John but other writings by John. In fact all five books that John writes have this idea of remaining with Christ, this great emphasis of staying with Christ.
●The Greek word for Abide is Menete which has a number of different meanings. It means physically to stay where you are. It means to live, to keep on keeping on. It can also mean to not change, to stay strong in one’s resolve, remain in common purpose with others. It means to stay present, not just physically but mentally and spiritually; to survive unchanged.
●Basically, most of these are nuances of the English word to “LIVE”. Where is my attention constantly directed, where I feel most at home and where I prefer to be. Who or what truly is my first love by how I live and not what I say with my lips?
●There’s a subtle flavor that using “abide”/”MENETE” gives us. It means not just to exist but to exist under adversity and unchanged. Of being unable to change one’s circumstances but clinging to Hope, clinging in life, continuing as things are, not knowing when or if they will ever change, but not letting the exterior circumstances change or touch you.
● It reminds me of this picture: a shipwrecked sailor, pounded by storm after storm, huddle on a small spit of rock, uncertain of rescue, physically endangered but with an internal peace – he is abiding on the Rock. But not just any rock. Psalm 62:7: “My God is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer; my God, my strength in whom I will trust.” Psalm 62:2: …my God is my fortress in whom I will trust.” Psalm 31:2,3: You are my rock and my fortress; let me be delivered by your name. For you are my rock and my fortress; and my God, I will trust in you.” Psalm 18:2: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 19:14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” This is what it means to ABIDE/MENO, these beautiful psalms assist us with understanding the meaning.
●Jesus asks his friends to be present with HIM in the garden. To endure the coming storm, to not let their minds be distracted, but to wait with HIM. Mark 14:34: Then HE said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful to death remain (MENO is the verb form/μείνατε is the second-person plural imperative of “menō,” meaning “remain, abide, stay”. It is a command or instruction directed to a group of people to remain or abide. ) and watch.” All that to say, “Meinete” is derived from “menō,” making “menō” the root verb and “meinete” its imperative form.
●The disciples did not manage to do so and they left HIM alone. They did not abide, MENETE, stay/remain in & with HIM. How about me? How about you? What is our living/abiding look like? Especially under adversity? You stay and remain somewhere in your mind and life? Where is that place? In the Lord, yourself, or something created that will never bring you lasting comfort.
●In 1 John 2:24 – Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. John tells us that if we let the Gospel that we have heard to live/ in us, if we give it our attention, if we allow it to have our energy, our focus, then we will live, remain, stay,abide/meno in Christ. We will endure, we will wait unchanged, we will be one with HIM, showing HIS love to others.
● Jesus is calling us to live with him, to stay with him and notice that it’s the opposite of leaving, it’s the opposite of abandoning. And John talked a lot about that.
●We continue w/verse 28 he says and now little children abide in him he’s saying stay with him don’t leave him for the things of the world
don’t leave him in your spiritual failure don’t leave him loving this present age look at verse 28 he says 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. God’s true children will have confidence when Christ returns. God’s true children will have confidence when Christ returns because they have abided with him, they have lived, remained, stayed/MENETE with him. God says that when Jesus comes again you don’t have to shrink away in fear, (disgraced, dishonored, ashamed) you can be bold and not afraid…that’s what we see is John’s concern here and that’s what true children of God are going to do.
●Salvation is solely the work and the gift of God; without question the only way that we can be saved is through Him. By grace we’ve been saved and it’s not as a result of works or our own merit there’s nothing that we can do to gain our salvation. ( Religion of human achievement vs. Religion of Divine Grace) It is a gift of God even faith being the gift of God. So salvation is solely the work/gift of God but it is proved by our abiding in Christ. So if we are saved we are going to abide/meno/live, remain, stay in him. We abide in him through faith, obedience and self-sacrifice. This is the example of the life of Christ, this is what Jesus did. He is obedient to the father and he trusts the father’s plan and he lays down his life. So as he stayed in the father. We are called to stay in the son and the father because the two are one.
John 15:1-11
●Let’s truly put an exclamation point on our understanding with this and turn to John chapter 15, specifically we will read verses 1-11. I will never forget when I finally became a born again believer beyond my ethnic religious identity. I began to sense God’s conviction on my life about the things of my life that were not in alignment. I began to see the truth of the word of God and the truth of the Gospel. I believed it in my head but I hadn’t really lived it in my heart ginōskete: knowing about head knowledge vs. knowing the Great Shepherd intimately, relationally as I needed to and I just remember that God was doing a work in me. God’s doing a work in some of you right now, maybe he’s doing it even in this message. For some of you it’s been months or it’s been years that God’s been doing a work in you. Well it was at that point, 3 years into being a true child of God that I came across John 15. I remember the context when I began meditating on John 15, but specifically verse 5. I would recite this verse over and over as I walked my dog around the block back in 2004 as my mother was battling stage 4 cancer and my mother was my hero and she did not have an easy life from the time she was a little girl till her death…57 years of endurance, perseverance, grit yet loved the Lord so much and people even till the end as the illness tried to strip her of her dignity…this chapter and verse comforted me so much and verse 5 was the first verse that I ever memorized. And I just saw what Jesus was calling me to do with my life, my personal faith, as a young father with a 2.5 year old and a 6 mos. old Look with me in John chapter 15 in verse 1, the fact that Jesus is calling to us as his disciples to abide/Menete in him to remain/live with him. Look at verse 1, Jesus says I am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser. This means the one who comes and prunes cares for the vines, takes care of all that is there. So here’s Jesus on the earth fulfilling the Father’s plan and He says I am the true vine, my Father is the vine dresser. Verse 2, Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes it so that it will hurt and bleed and eventually die. Is that why he prunes it? Of course not, he prunes it that it may what? So God is at work and sanctifying us. God is at work in changing us, He’s pruning us. If we are really his there’s a cutting that goes on there’s a testing that goes on. Notice here every branch that does bear fruit he prunes it that it may bear more fruit. Verse 3, Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Now he says in verse 4, Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine neither can you unless you abide in me. Verse 5, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. As a new believer that last phrase hit me. I started to realize he says at the end of verse 5 for apart from me you can do nothing. As a young believer I was frustrated because I struggled mightily to overcome my tongue, my impatience, to overcome my actions, to overcome my thoughts, my impulsivity at times. I was a pro in how to give people a piece of my mind and not peace of mind. And what I started to realize is that God didn’t call me to overcome those things, God called me to stand under the great fountain of HIS grace and the great fountain of HIS strength and to let him do it in me. And there’s a vast difference between those things; apart from him I can do nothing. Look at verse 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. Verse 7; If you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. Now this is being so in tune with God that you’re asking the things that God would have you ask and HE says there’s no limit to what I can and will do. Look at verse 8; By this my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and look what I’ve underlined and so prove to be my disciples. (In verse 8 by this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit so you will be my disciples. The disciple is the disciplined learner who follows his or her Lord into the future. I remember going to Greece in 1983 when I was a little kid. We visited my mother’s island Kefalonia (Corelli’s Mandolin w/ Nicolas Gage) and one day we were walking near this fig tree that was in someone’s yard. I remember trying to get a fig from the tree, and as I was doing this the resident in the house came running out yelling at me. As a 13 year old husky kid (remember that term) I was frequently hungry. And all I wanted was a few figs that were heavenly compared to the fake fig newtons. Anyways, a few days later there was a storm that blew through Kefalonia and the next day as we walked past that house with the mean old lady, one of the branches that was filled with figs was disconnected from the tree. And it was loaded with figs. And now I wanted them even more, but I listened and respected my mom and whimpered past this branch as I salivated past it. What do you suppose happened within two or three days? The branch died and the fruit went rotten. What a visual to remind us that according to the Bible apart from Christ we really aren’t anything. Jesus said that if you abide in me and my word abides in you, I’m the vine you’re the branches apart from me you can do nothing, that is nothing that’s really worth doing. The branch was detached from the fig tree, it could produce no further fruit, And the figs once they became rotten, became useless. And that’s what happens to me, you, us when you become disconnected from the vine, when you become disconnected from Christ you become rotten and useless and so we need to abide/Meno/Live, stay, remain in Christ. Look at verse 9; As the father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love. Verse 10; If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father’s commandments and abide in his love. (BLESSINGS FOLLOW OBEDIENCE; 2x repeat) Let’s read verse 11 out loud; These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. Isn’t that beautiful? You see he’s calling us to abide in him not because he just wants to make life hard, not just because he wants to know really see if we really believe and all of those things so much as it is that he has good things for us. He’s calling us to trust in him that our joy may be full.
●Some people are so afraid of what God is going to take away. My friend, Earth will simply never be your savior. When you ask the created things to do what they were not designed to do, you get short term fulfillment, so you have to go back again and again and again. And rather than leaving you satisfied, the created world leaves you addicted, in debt, fat, and whatever else it destructively does to dehumanize us. Hope that will never, ever disappoint us can only be found in one place. People can love and respect you, but they can’t give you life. Situations can make life easier, but they can’t give you life. Locations can bring some changes to your life, but they can’t give you life. Achievements can be temporarily satisfying, but they can’t give you life—heart changing, heart satisfying, life to the fullest and abundantly with true lasting HOPE is never found horizontally. It’s only ever found vertically, at the feet of the Messiah, the Savior and Lord, the ONE who is HOPE and the ONE who can only give life; JESUS. If some of you could just see what God will give, you will not worry about the things that he will take away because his gifts (His presence, comfort, & blessings) are so much greater than the unfulfilling created things that HE takes out of our hands. Earth and all of its creation is beautiful but will never satisfy. The creator of heaven and earth and all that is in it can only satisfy, created things point back to Him. So; we see once again this great calling of faith and obedience and self-sacrifice. And we see it again in Mark chapter 8. So, John 15 is this beautiful calling to abide/Meno, live, stay, and remain with him.
●Turn with me to Mark 8, verses 34-38. These verses challenge us because Jesus clarifies what total commitment looks like. Let’s read verses 34 through 38.
●What does it really mean to have total commitment? To be and do what Christ did. Because Jesus fulfilled all of this. Jesus went to the cross as he abided with the father. Join me as we study verse 34 in Mark chapter 8. And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross (Dietrich Bonhoeffer:“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”) if anyone would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. A call to Die to Self. Verse 35; for whoever would save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it.Verse 36: For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Verse 37; For what can a man give in return for his soul? Verse 38; For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him will the son of man also be ashamed when what when He comes in the glory of his Father and with the holy angels. Nothing has changed over the centuries since Jesus called those first disciples. He gives us the very same call. The question becomes, will we count the cost of following, no matter what he asks of us?
●Talking about our faith walk, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”
●In the attempt of many to make the gospel more palatable, we have watered it down to the point that it is sometimes barely recognizable. Bill Hull, in his book Conversion and Discipleship, talks about some of the incomplete gospels that the American church has created to get more people in the door. Those gospels include the forgiveness-only gospel without repentance, the gospel of the right/conservatism, the gospel of the left/liberalism, the consumer gospel/have it my way like Burger King, and the prosperity gospel/what’s in it for me. Each of these false and fake man made gospels, are gospels of accommodation that come straight from the pit of hell! And they all focus on some aspect that makes us feel good about our faith, but leaves out the obedience and commitment of discipleship. In the gospel Jesus preached, we are all called simply to follow him. Why, then, are many of us reluctant to live in obedience to that call? Why do we have such difficulty going all in with our faith … dying to self, and the cares of the world in order to follow Christ? The cost of discipleship is really a heart issue. Our hearts must be surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, declaring that Jesus is the King of the Universe. From that declaration, our hearts must be surrendered to the Word of God. We must understand that the kingdom of God often does not fit our expectations. We don’t get to make the calls, but instead, we choose to be obedient to the commands of Christ we find in the Word. Tough stuff for a people bent on getting our own way, and getting it in a hurry. We must learn to discern God’s will for our lives, a knowledge that can only come by sitting in his presence first and second sharing our lives with other brothers and sisters in proximity and not a sea of casual relationships where you are not known and you do not truly know “your brother and sister”. We must learn to practice patience as we wait on God’s perfect timing in all things. Hard stuff for a group of people who are accustomed to having many of our desires met instantly.
●Where are you on this? Are you in the drop the nets & follow Jesus club? Are you available when Christ calls? Do you have enough margin in your life to live in obedience to the call to discipleship in your life? Whose life are you investing in as you journey along your faith walk? Who are you allowing to pour into your life, helping you become more like Christ? Who have you opened your inner world to? I will speak for the men here; All men need a Jonathan like David had…
●What do you need to die to in order to serve Jesus with all you are? What stands in the way of your dedicated service to the Kingdom of God? Please don’t just listen to me, walk out, forget what I said and not take time today to examine yourself … be honest. What will God speak into your heart as you continue to draw closer to him. Make a plan to change some things in your life., because without a plan, you will not follow through.
●Jesus lovingly calls us to abide, stay with him and then in Mark, Jesus is showing us that obedience and self sacrifice will be tested in a fallen world. It will cost you something if you are a true child of God who abides/MENETE/lives/remains in Christ. And the blessing in all of this is that God’s true children will have confidence when Christ returns because they have abided or stayed with him. Therefore, true Christians will grow to anticipate with excitement Christ’s return and not fear it. I am praying that 1 John 2 verse 28 excites you more, that you see it differently now. And now, little children, abide/Meno/Live/Remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence (when he comes and that’s possible when you stay with him) and not (you’re not going to) shrink from Him in shame at His coming. So when he comes we can eagerly await this glorious day!
●Let’s turn to and look at Hebrews chapter 9 in verse 28. Let’s read this. So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, so in verse 28 he’s talking about when Christ came the first time to bear our sins and then watch this will appear a second time not to deal with sin but to save those who are (what?)eagerly waiting for Him.
●Christ’s true children that Abide/Meno, remain, stay in Him are looking forward to his return.
●Let’s turn to Titus chapter 2 verse 11 thru 13; For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and world worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, (and we do this because…) verse 13 waiting prosdechomai (προσδέχομαι): which translates into eagerness for our blessed hope, (and what’s our blessed hope?) of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ. So true followers of Jesus eagerly await Christ’s return and not fear it! They eagerly expect the return of Christ.
●The Titus 2 passage is so beautiful I want to read it again look at verse 11 it says for the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation for all people that means all nations all ethnos all people groups anybody on the earth can be saved verse 12 training us to renounce ungodliness in worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives (calling us to HOLINESS) in the present age in this present age of passing away, verse 13 because we are waiting for our blessed hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.
● So notice this, what we see in first John is that false believers because that’s what the big contrast is here, true believers versus false believers. False believers will live like the world, they’ll talk like the world, they’ll be entertained like the world, their sexuality will be like the world, their their values will be like the world, you won’t be able to tell the difference between them and the world. False believers will live like the world, they will desert the savior, they’re going to leave him, that’s what they do, they’re ashamed of him…and that’s what part of what we saw in verse 28 of 1 John 2 and in other passages, and they will ultimately cower in fear at his coming and they have good reason to because they’ve heard the gospel and then left it…Someone shared the Good News and they rejected it or were indifferent to it…which is what will bring judgment because you have no excuse…and so the beautiful picture of what God has for us is abide, Meno, remain, stay with Christ And this brings you assurance, which is confidence at the second coming of the Lord Jesus.
● John’s bottom line is this: Christ is coming again. He will appear on this earth again officially and in full public display as King of Kings and Lord over all lords. So, when he appears (Greek parousia), will you have boldness or will you be ashamed before him? Will you eagerly run toward HIM as a child runs to his loving father, or will you draw back and attempt to hide from HIS glorious, regal coming? Seriously reflect on what I just said, on your reaction to seeing Jesus at his second coming. Is there an URGENCY? Your reaction or lack of can be very revealing in terms of your spiritual status and health. He wants you to have confidence of a child jumping into the arms of a loving daddy. He doesn’t want you running to a closet or cave, hiding in shame.
●False believers will live like the world, desert the Savior, and cower in fear at HIS coming.
●Blessing # 1: YOU WILL BE CONFIDENT AT HIS COMING
●The first thing on the agenda on Judgement Day will be to separate HIS sheep from the goats. HE will not allow HIS righteous ones to be outnumbered with the transgressors. Instead, HE will call on HIS angels to gather HIS flock at HIS right hand.
●“Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:32-34)
●The Bible is very clear that those who have been abiding/MENO/living, staying, remaining in Christ and looking for HIS appearing will have boldness and confidence on that day: 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. (1 John 2:28)
●How can you and I have such boldness on the day of judgment — such joy and confidence? It comes only through knowing the Judge — as your friend, brother, redeemer-kinsman, Lord, high priest, propitiation, advocate, intercessor, the love of your heart — your very life! Amen?
●God’s true children practice righteousness as they abide in Christ
●Let’s read verse 29; If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
●Now the contrast to this is everyone who does not practice righteousness is not born of him which John says multiple other times in this very letter and Jesus said if you love me you will keep my commandments if you don’t keep my commandments you do not love me you do not know me
●Right here is the application of our faith with those who practice righteousness as they abide in Christ.
●Remember, John 15 is this whole idea of abiding/Meno/remaining in Jesus, Mark chapter 8 the idea of total commitment/cost, and Titus 2:12 Holiness – to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, and why? This connects to verse 29; it says if you know that he is righteous you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him
●Which is connected to Leviticus chapter 20 where we see that God tells his people to be holy because they are holy. Let’s look at verse 26 it says right there in Leviticus 20:26; You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy (why are we to be holy? because god’s holy!) and have separated you from the peoples, for that you should be mine. And this theme goes all throughout the Bible into the new testament and we see that in first Peter chapter 1 and verse 16. It’s quoted again from the old testament, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. Because THE LORD is HOLY. . So we are called to set ourselves apart/Holy(Agios)-Saint and practice righteousness.
●In Revelation 19:11-21 we have a full and majestic description of Christ’s second coming. In verse 11 it says: 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.
●“He judges and makes war in righteousness.”
●The coming King is also a righteous King. We already saw this in 1 John 2:1. And because HE is righteous, one thing is certain: EVERYONE WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHT HAS BEEN BORN OF HIM (1 John 2:29). And we have discussed this in previous sermons, there is only ONE who is perfect and it’s not any human being in this room or anywhere. The reference is knowingly and willfully living a sinful life and refusing to repent.
●John uses a root/fruit argument; he notes what we see before addressing why we see it. He tells us that the fruit of doing what is right reveals that in our roots (i.e. our hearts, we have been born again). Remember the fig tree in Kefalonia and detached branch visual that I shared…apart from me you can do nothing. It’s rotten, all is “σκύβαλα” (skubala)/dung as Paul declared in Philippians 3:8 …apart from knowing Christ.
●The new birth, being born again comes before new behavior. Being born of God has definite and abiding results. Therefore, children of God will grow to look like God their Father. Our practice, our life is proof of Our Father. The righteous Savior Jesus Christ produces righteous saints.
●Blessing # 2: YOU WILL BE CERTAIN YOU ARE HIS CHILD
●God’s True Children Abide in Christ & can have boldness and eagerness when He returns
●And because of this glorious truth; Brothers and sisters your future ought to impact your life today! Because when we see HIM, we shall be like HIM.
●Brothers & Sisters; Urgency. We should have urgency to share this blessed HOPE that we carry in and with us. Do you share this greatest gift with those who do not know or believe in this? May our Church, Seed Groups, all of our gatherings always be places of light, with no darkness allowed in. Let everyone and everything that enters here, that enters our home gatherings, be an open book, subject to the light of God’s Word. What could happen if a Godly company of believers takes on the Lord’s burden for a school, community, or family trapped in sin. Can you imagine that?
●Friends, Urgency for you as well. You will never get the freedom and long term satisfaction from ruling yourself. Ignoring God is never a pathway to blessing. You are not an independent human being with the right to live as you wish. God created us and we belong to Him. We don’t belong to ourselves. That is the lie of autonomy. If you’re a parent you know what I mean. It’s why your kids do not desire more of your correction and don’t always value your authority. Children want to believe that their lives belong to them and that they are the only authority that they need. We do not belong to ourselves. God created us, we belong to Him. Another lie is self-sufficiency, personal power nonsense that you think you have everything you need within yourself to be what you were created to be and to do what you were designed to do. WE WERE CREATED FOR DEPENDENCY-FIRST ON GOD AND THEN ON ONE ANOTHER IN A LOVING INTERDEPENDENT oCOMMUNITY. We need to be taught, encouraged, warned, strengthened, forgiven, healed, restored, counseled, loved, rebuked, and delivered—all things we can’t do for ourselves. Jesus call us to reject this messaging and lies of autonomy & self sufficiency that are all over the place. Jesus says come to me and I will give you rest. True freedom is only ever found when your heart is tied to Christ by His Grace. You become freed from trying to be what you can’t be and to do what you were not designed to do. For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only Son Jesus that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. And Jesus did this and does this not because of our own merit or goodness, but because of HIS AUTHORITY. Jesus loved us so much that he humbled himself and came to earth to live the life we could never live, and died the death that we deserved. He was mocked, beaten, tortured, an innocent spotless lamb that so many missed to see who HE was, God clothed in human flesh. Over 2,000 years ago they cried out”Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matthew 21:9) as Jesus entered Jerusalem, symbolizing his kingship and the people’s hope for salvation. “They took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” PERFECT & INNOCENT. Yet five days later they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”… because they did not abide, remain, stay, live in Him. They made a God in their own image and likeness, HE did not meet the expectations they created instead of seeing God’s plan before their eyes. How about you? Are you living for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit or like these finicky people for me, myself, and, I? They believed the false teachers and crucified him. And after being brutally tortured, mocked, beaten, spit on, and slowly murdered on a cross where he was slowly being suffocated breath by breath for hours as his arms and legs were sending shock waves of pain throughout his crucified bones and body as his blood poured out as his body shifted into total shock because of this drop in blood flow because it was being poured out for your sin, my sin, our sins… Jesus says in Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (who says that, but a Holy God) and at the 9th hour which is 3 pm Jesus cries out the words, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” (meaning “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”) found in Mark 15:34 and Matthew 27:46, quoting Psalm 22:1 and gave his last breath, yielding HIS spirit and HE was buried. While we were still sinners (and that means every single human that was every born) Christ died for us. However, because Jesus was and is the Great I AM, and on the 3rd day, the stone was removed, the tomb was empty Jesus rose on the third day and defeated hell, death, and the grave. And the word of God word says if you repent which means that you admit your sins, that you have been against God and His ways and confesses with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (you live for HIM and not yourself) and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. And not only are you forgiven, accepted, adopted, and redeemed into the family of God but then HE gives you the greatest gift, a divine deposit of HIS Holy Spirit to change you to be like Him and to give you the power to do the work HE calls you to do. Because where God guides, God provides. Nothing and no one else will ever satisfy you. And you get to live with the privilege of having HIS spirit in you. And HE is always in you, with you, and for you. The Great I AM is ALWAYS with you, you are never alone. Christ in you, the only Hope for humanity. If you have questions or want to speak with someone about this or for prayer we have elders that you can speak to and they can help you and guide you. Elders please raise your hands so folks know who to go to for prayer, conversation, whatever needs they may have.