Sermon Tone Analysis

1 John 2:1-6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2001

The Abiding Life

 

One year the peaches were especially abundant.

The fruit was big and juicy, and it was one of the best crops in memory.

While harvesting the crop, a picker noticed a limb that had fallen from a tree.

It's fruit was rotten and shriveled.

Because the limb was detached from the tree, it was no longer producing the good fruit that it should.

The same is true of the Christian who ceases to abide in Christ, he too ceases to produce good fruit.

/What is abiding in Christ?   /

 

Introduction

 

Last week we saw the how honesty with God affects our fellowship.

In this passage John gives further details regarding /fellowship with God/.

For the first time John mentions the word */abide./*

It's one of John's favorite words and he uses it 23 times in this epistle.

The word */abide/* menw means */to dwell with, to stay, to continue, to remain, to indwell./*

/Abiding in Christ/ is an important key to fellowship with God.

Only Jesus Christ can provide the resources we need for the victorious Christian life.

*John 15:5* says: /I am the vine, you are the branches.

He who *abides* in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

/This morning we will see three important things about abiding in Christ.

They are, */Christ's Cleansing, Christ's Commands /*and*/ Christ - Like Conduct./*

/Firstly,/ Christ's Cleansing

 

/a.

Avoid Sin/

 

*1 John 2:1a:* /My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

/

/ /

*/Firstly,/* John deals with the negative matter of sin.

He makes it clear that Christians do not /have/ to sin.

I write these things unto you /that you may not sin/.

We can avoid sin through prayer and God's Word.

God makes it possible for us to overcome sin.

*1 Corinthians 10:13:* /No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

/

* *

*Psalm 119:11:* /Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You! / *Matthew 6:13:* /And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

/Yes, believers can overcome sin without pretense or hypocrisy.

The secret to victory over sin is found in *1 John 1:7* /we walk in the light./

To walk in the light means to be open and honest, to be sincere.

Paul prayed that his friends might be /sincere/ and without offense until the day of Jesus Christ.

/ /

Genuine Or Fake

/ /

The word /sincere/ comes from two Latin words, /sine/ and /cera/, which mean without wax.

It seems that in Roman days, some sculptors covered up their mistakes by filling the defects in their marble statues with wax, which was not readily visible — until the statue had been exposed to the hot sun awhile.

But more honest sculptors made certain that their customers knew that the statues they sold were /sine cera/ — without wax.

/ /

/b.

Advocate For Sinners/

 

*2:1b:*/ And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous./

John's desire was that believers might not sin and he encouraged us to do this.

/But what if they do?/

John foresaw this and gives an answer.

He assures us that if we sin there is a way to deal with it without losing our fellowship with God.

John tells us we have an /advocate/, a representative in heaven who will defend our case,/ once we have confessed our sin./

John refers to the believers defense attorney as Jesus Christ the Righteous.

He is an honest Lawyer who will present our case before God.

Illustration of a Crooked Lawyer who finds a loophole in the Law!

Today many criminals are prosecuted for shocking crimes.

To our horror many of these get off the charges.

/How do they do this?/

They pay a lot of money to a crooked lawyer who finds a loophole in the law.

They get off on a technicality even though everyone knows that  they are guilty.

But God's justice doesn't work this way.

Jesus doesn't deny our sins, but declares that the punishment for those sins has been paid for by Himself.

He is the righteous One.

Therefore God is satisfied that His holy law has been upheld.

/c.

Atonement For Sinners/

 

*1 John 2:2:* /And He Himself is the *propitiation* for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world./

The punishment that we should have received has been paid in full.

The Bible says this in *Romans 1:18:*/ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness./

On the cross He cried out *tetalisti,* /it is finished/,* paid in full!* Jesus Christ is Himself the */propitiation/* for our sins and also for those of the whole world.

The word */propitiation/* refers to the sacrifice made to remove God's wrath.

The punishment for sin according to the law was received by Christ.

Christ's sacrifice turned God's wrath into divine favor.

God the Father is satisfied that justice has been met.

His sacrifice is sufficient for the world's sins, but efficient only to believers.

Illustration Of Martin Luther

 

Martin Luther had a dream one night in which he stood before God.

Satan was there to accuse Luther.

When the books were opened the accuser pointed to sin after sin in his life.

Luther despaired.

Then he remembered the cross and, turning to the devil, he quoted *1 John 1:7,* /The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin./

Satan had no reply.

Because of Jesus Christ, sinners can be forgiven and stand before a holy God.

Jesus Christ has paid the debt of our sin on the cross.

The charges have been dealt with and God has declared us righteous.

Satan may charge us but Jesus Christ the Righteous One defends us and He never loses a case.

*Romans 8:33-34 *speaks of this*:* /Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect?

Shall God who justifies.

Who is he who condemns?

Shall Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

/

/ /

Application

/ /

*/Firstly,/* the abiding life means that we take sin seriously.

John encourages believers to avoid sin.

He wants them to overcome temptation by seeking God's help.

/Do you ask the Lord to deliver you from the Evil One each day?

Do you ask Him to strengthen you and reveal the way of escape?

Do you use God's Word to overcome temptation?/ John also assures us that should we sin Jesus Christ will represent us before the Father.

We only need to confess our sin and ask forgiveness.

/Do you avail yourself of Christ's cleansing?

Do you keep short accounts of your sin?

Or do you ignore them and allow them to ruin your fellowship with God? /John assures us that Christ's sacrifice satisfies the Father's justice./

Will you maintain your fellowship by avoiding sin with God's help and keeping short accounts if you do fall?/

/ /

/Secondly,/ Christ's Commands