Jesus is Coming One Day, Live for Him Today

OCTOBER 21, 2020 STUDY NOTES I JOHN 2:28-29 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES JESUS IS COMING ONE DAY, LIVE FOR HIM TODAY INTRODUCTION The last two verses of chapter two present a brief-summary of chapter 2 They also serve as an introduction to chapter 3 Some Bible scholars include them in chapter 3 rather than chapter 2 But regardless of where you place these two verses the meaning and purpose is still the same Verse 28 contains the most important Biblical truth related to the return of Christ The same truth that you can find in any given passage of the N.T. presenting Jesus’ return Within the context of every N.T. verse, referring to the return of Christ, you find this truth And that truth is very simple, “Jesus is coming someday, live for Him today” Hope in the return of Jesus Christ will result in a dedicated life of purity, 1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. That is exactly what John is now telling us in this verse--ABIDING HOPE 1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. “And now” introduces something else that John wants to share with us It is not separate from what he has already said, but in addition to what he has said It is a summary of what has already been said Bringing all-of the previous truths that John has presented to this concluding truth Once again John uses the term, “Little children” (same term was used in verse 1 and 12) It is the term that identifies with all true believers, all those who are born-again They are identified as “little children” because of their spiritual birth, “little born ones” It is not the term that he used in-reference to a spiritual state of immaturity (vss. 13 & 18) In verse 13, the reference is to “little children” who need parental guidance and care “Little children” who have not grown up and need to be taught, they are still in an immature state They need training, education, instructions, and discipline in-order for them to grow spiritually In verse 28, John is speaking to every Christian regardless of their spiritual level of maturity Only those who are saved can obey what John tells us to do in this verse Only those who are saved can be prepared for the Second Coming of Jesus Only those who are saved can abide in him; “Abide” is the word that is so often used by John, He previously said in this chapter: Christians are to abide in Jesus and to walk even as He walked (vs.6) Abide in the light and love your brother (vs. 10) Abide in the Word of God and overcome the Devil (vs. 14) Do the will of God and abide forever (vs. 17) Abide in what you have learned about God and Christ (vs. 24) The Spirit of God abides in us and we abide “In-Christ” (vs. 27) Now in verse 28, John explains one of the most important reasons to “abide in Christ” The only way to be prepared for Jesus’ return someday is to live for Him today To be prepared for the Return of Christ you don’t have to: Know all of the answers to all of the present-day questions concerning His return You don’t have to understand all of the events that will take place when He returns You don’t have to put together the correct chronological order of those events But in-order to be prepared for the Return of Christ you must “abide in him” You must continue to abide in Him, your daily life must be constantly abiding in Christ Your life belongs to Christ, live your life in Christ, “Stay home” with Jesus John commands us to stay close to Jesus, to live in a close-knit relationship with Jesus John is once again telling us to “walk in the light,” 1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The light of Christ is to be our daily path of life Christians are to be “living” for the return of Jesus, Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Christians are to be “looking” for the return of Jesus, Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Every day of our life should be the day that is ready to meet Jesus So, what do we do today in-order to be ready for the return of Jesus? Jesus instructed the Apostles just before His ascension, Act 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: The Apostles knew that if Jesus was going to leave the earth, He must return to the earth They knew that there were promises to Israel that were yet to be fulfilled, Act 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Then Jesus told us what we don’t know, Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Then Jesus told us what we do know, Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Then Jesus ascended into Heaven, Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Two angels appeared to the Apostles while they were “looking toward heaven,” Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; The angels said, “Don’t just stand there,” Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. The point is, do what Jesus told us to do while we wait for Him to return from heaven In verse 8 Jesus said, “You shall be witnesses unto me” That is how you prepare for the return of Christ to the earth We are instructed to be faithful to the Church, Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. One reason you should be faithful to the Church is because “Jesus is Coming” We should all be encouraged and excited, we should be encouraging one another, Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: We must continue to “abide” in Jesus, your life belongs to Him, you belong to Jesus We are commanded to stay close to Jesus, live in a close-knit relationship with Jesus In chapter one, John called it fellowship, fellowship with God and with one another The purpose, the reason why, that, when he shall appear, Notice that it does not say “If,” but “when he shall appear” We are not sure of the time of His coming, but we are sure He is coming No doubt as to the fact of His coming, the question is when? Not “if” but when, a certainty Another question is, when He comes, are we going to be “abiding” in Him? Many will not be ready because many do not believe that Jesus is coming again Peter said there will be those who mock the return of Christ, 2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, Scoffers will be laughing and saying, “Where is He?” 2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. If the world only knew why Jesus has delayed His return, 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The longsuffering of God has a time period, the “Day of the Lord” will come, 2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. There is but one second coming of Christ, and when He comes, every eye will see Him, Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. His coming will not be a secret, the world will know who it is that they now see, Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: They will know that He is the “Lamb of God” who died for their sins They will also know that it is too late to receive Him as their Lord and be forgiven of their sins They will know that because they did not receive His as Savior, they now face His wrath, Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? We don’t know when Jesus is going to return, Mar 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. But John said you will be ready if “you abide in Him” and you will “have confidence” we may have confidence, John tells us what “we may have,” what we will have if we “abide in Him” “Abide in Him” today and you will “have confidence” when “He appears” For the lost world, the return of Christ will be a fearful experience, Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. For the Christian, the return of Christ will be an exciting experience, Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. John states two possible reactions of a Christian when Christ returns You may have confidence or be ashamed “Confidence” is a freedom, the freedom to speak, speak with boldness, to speak from the heart Here the thought is a confidence to stand before Jesus Christ and feel free to communicate Feel as free to talk to Jesus as you do your best friend, assurance because He is your best friend John uses the same word as a result of a clean heart, 1Jn 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. The joy of seeing Jesus when He comes will come from the joy of living for Jesus today A clean heart is a heart free from the guilt of sin and dwells in the faith and love of Christ, Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, John knew that his heart was accountable to God, 1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. Accountability unto God is not something to fear unless you are afraid to speak for Jesus today Freedom to speak with Jesus when He comes will come from the freedom to speak for Him now Peter and John prayed for boldness to speak for Jesus, Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, and not be ashamed To be free from shame, to be unashamed, to be free from guilt His appearance should not shock us into shame, you should not want to go hide in shame Why would that be true, why would you be ashamed when you meet Jesus face to face It could be because you are ashamed for someone to know that you are a Christian today, Mar 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. It could be because you are ashamed to speak for Jesus today Paul was in prison because he spoke for the Lord, but he was not ashamed to continue to speak, Php 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. Speak for Jesus today, live for Jesus today, and you will not be ashamed at “His Coming” before him at his coming. “Before Him” tells us that the day will come when we will stand face to face with Jesus There will be nothing between us, nothing standing in the way of a personal relationship That should be true today, keep a daily check on how you stand before Jesus, pray about it Holy Spirit let me see Jesus today, let me see self today, see myself in Christ, show me my Lord Make it a time of excitement today and it will not be a time of shame when He comes It is not to be a time of shame but a time of rejoicing, 1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? Live holy today and you will stand “unblameable in holiness” when Christ returns, 1Th 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Today is the day to get your heart right with God, Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Christians today must learn the meaning of righteousness and live righteous before Christ comes 1Jn 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. “If you know” identifies knowledge that is a sure thing, something fully understood “If you know” means that you have “full assurance” and are completely convinced Do you know that God is righteous? Jesus called Him the “Righteous Father,” Joh 17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. God is right in all that He has ever thought, in all that He has spoken and all that He has done One thing for sure, we know that God was right when He gave us His Son Do you know that Jesus is righteous? He is “Jesus Christ the righteous,” 1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Do you know that you can only be made righteous through Jesus Christ, 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Christians know that only through Christ can we stand right before God and in His sight Righteousness is right with God; being right in God’s sight Doing something in such a way that it pleases God; in accordance with God’s will The one who practices righteousness can only live righteous because of God Doing the will of God can only come from learning the will of God In Christ we can know what is right and can do what is right, but we must know Christ God has set us free from the dominion of sin, so that we can live a lifestyle of righteousness Everyone who practices righteousness does so because they are a child of God Do you know that because you are “made righteous” you should live unto righteousness, 1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Do you know that living a righteous life is the evidence of being made righteous John is telling us something that we can know because we personally know God You know about righteousness in others because you know of Christ righteousness in you You know that the one who practices righteousness can only live righteous because of Christ, Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Righteousness of the Christian is his manner of life, the life that he practices is the Christ-like life His daily conduct is according to the Word of God and the will of God and is pleasing to God, 1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. And it is the Spirit of God within us that teaches us what is right according to God The Spirit teaches us “Truth” and the truth makes known the lie, 1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. Everyone who practices righteousness does so because they have been “Born-Again” We are not born-again because we practice righteousness We practice righteousness because we have been born-again A righteous life is the evidence of being born-again The evidence of being a Christian is daily living for Christ, one who continues to live Christ-like John does not say that all Christians are living a righteous life, all are not If not, then there is no way for others to know that they are a Christian To be like Christ in deeds you must be like Christ in character To be Christ-like in character you must be Christ-like in nature The only way to be like Him in nature is to be born of God The evidence of the new nature is righteousness It is often said that you cannot really know if someone is saved or not But John said you know that the one that doeth righteousness is saved Living a righteous life before others is the only way they can know that we are born-again The evidence of the new nature is a life of righteousness Listen to the song