1 John 2:28-3:3 The Christian Life Is Thrilling

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

 

We can all go down the rabbit hole sometimes.  We get caught up in secondary issues and all our thoughts and feelings devolve into that hole. The term "going down the Rabbit hole" refers to the book by Lewis Carroll, 1865 classic, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In its opening chapter, "Down the Rabbit-Hole," Alice follows the White Rabbit into his burrow, which transports her to the strange, surreal, and nonsensical world of Wonderland.  The 1938 The Yale Law Journal: "It is the Rabbit-Hole down which we fell into the Law, and to him who has gone down it, no queer performance is strange." Over much of the 20th century, rabbit hole has been used to characterize bizarre and irrational experiences.  One can fall down the rabbit hole of government bureaucracy, healthcare, immigration, tax law, and anything related to red tape in government. Do you remember the Red Queen was being described as "She's one of the thorny kind."  "Off with your head" is about a current political debate about execution.  Don't go down the political hole or someone may say "off with your head!"

Going down the rabbit hole? I went down a wombat hole with my mate Malcolm as a 5 year old.. do you know what is at the bottom of a wombat hole? A cranky wombat or a brown snake.   We had a brown snake problem about 6 weeks ago. One popped up on our front verandah about 2 metres from me.  I thought about going under the house to chase that brown snake. I am sure I can manuevre under there in the 45 cm space.. maybe not.   That would be becoming obsessive about the brown snake.  Someone on facebook told about going to get a mower out of their shed, when they saw a tiger snake in the shed on the mower. The comments were, "tell it he can have it and go buy yourself another mower, and shed!" Another said "Burn the whole thing down, now!"   Well I guess those are obsessive over reactions. 

John has been dealing with a snake in the church, a fellow named Cerinthus.  In Cerinthus' interpretation, the Christ descended upon Jesus at baptism and guided him in ministry and the performing of miracles, but left him at the crucifixion. He maintained that Jesus was not born of a virgin, but was a mere man, the biological son of Mary and Joseph. He didn't believe on the trinity. Just that Jesus was the last Prophet of God that the people still didn't listen to.

And John, as we saw a couple of weeks ago, called him an antichrist.  He denied the Person of Jesus as God the Son.

1John 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Now, we can all get obsessive about antichrists.  So John now wants to balance us out by giving us an antidote to going down the rabbit hole of obsessive concentration on the negativity of the antichrist. He wants us to rejoice in who Jesus is, God's Son, who didn't mainly come to teach morality or politics, but who mainly came to die for our sins and give us eternal life.  Abiding in the teaching of Who Jesus is and what He came to do, that He is God's Son our Saviour, 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us --- eternal life.

1John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

John doesn't want us to be obsessive about Cerinthus and others heretical beliefs.  Don't get obsessed by them.  John had a young friend and disciple named Polycarp,Polycarp, the disciple of John the apostle tells of how once John and Cerinthus were in the same public bath house, it was sort of like an indoor swimming pool or hot tub, but a public one where you never knew who you might run into, and John saw Cerinthus: "As Cerinthus came in, John ran out without bathing and exclaimed, 'Let us flee lest the bath house should fall in, as long as Cerinthus, that enemy of truth, is within."  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11 nkjv).

Then 1 John 2 ends this way  28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

When He appears….. JESUS WILL APPEAR WITHOUT WARNING. It will happen suddenly.

The Bible was first translated from Greek to Latin. In the Latin Vulgate the word used for "caught up" is raptio, from which we get our English word rapture. Let's read about it in 1Thessalonians 4:16: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel's voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

The Apostle John warned the young believers to stay faithful and remain in Christ or they face the possibility of being ashamed when Jesus appears. That's a warning that we should take seriously. The word "ashamed" is a very graphic word that means to shrink away in fear.

Does the thought of Jesus' second coming make you shrink away in fear, in shame?

Warren Wiersbe wrote "Ashamed. Some Christians will be "ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). All believers are "accepted," but there is a difference between being "accepted" and being "acceptable." A disobedient child who goes out and gets dirty will be accepted when he comes home, but he will not be treated as though he were acceptable. "Therefore also we have as our ambition… to be pleasing to Him" (2 Cor. 5:9 nasb). A Christian who has not walked in fellowship with Christ in obedience, love, and truth will lose his rewards; and this will make him ashamed.

How can you not be ashamed, but joy filled when you think of His coming?  The real Christian life is thrilling.  Here is how not to go down the rabbit holes.

1. Enjoy The Thrill of Preoccupation

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming

How? Don't go down the rabbit hole of preoccupation about foolish little things. Be preoccupied with big things.  Who the Lord Jesus is and what He has come to do by dying for us.

And, "abiding in him", in Christ,  2:18-27.  Keeping the main thing the main thing is essential protection against false teaching. The word "abide" is a word of command and calls for consistent action. Remain in union and communion with Christ. Soak in the Saviour and the gospel message which you heard at the beginning of your Christian experience (v. 24).  Don't soak in other stuff that is not helpful.

And how do you keep the main thing the main thing? Be preoccupied with the fact that this same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Acts 1:11.

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 "at His coming" (Gr. parousia), will you "have confidence" or "will you shrink from Him in shame?" Will you run toward Him as a child runs to a loving father or will draw back and attempt to hide from His glorious, regal coming?

The secret of confidence is to be abiding  in Him. Be preoccupied with Him.

Abiding in Him John 15:  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Abiding In His Word 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,   Be preoccupied with God's Word.  Do you read His Word each day?  Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee, David wrote in psalm 119:11

Abiding in Righteousness 1 John 2: 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Unholy behaviour would cause us shame. Let's say that there is some behaviour that you're involved in that is sin. That sin is not going to send you to hell if you're a Christian. If you are a Christian, every sin you've ever committed and every sin you'll ever commit has been put under the blood of Jesus, and you're forgiven. You don't have to confess your sins to go to heaven, but you must confess your sins, Christians, to stay clean before the Lord. And so let's say there's some sin, some habit, some filthy attitude that you're just holding on to. And you say, "Lord, I want to give it up." And then you take it back again and you say, "God, I'm going to stop this." And then you start it again the next week. You're fighting and you're fighting and you're fighting, but you don't have any victory over it.

I guess that would make us ashamed right?  The answer to that is abiding  in Him. Abiding in who He is and what He has come to do for you. It is

 Abiding in His love.   Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

How are you going to keep remembering , keep abiding in His love for you?  John tells us in the next verse!

2. Enjoy The Thrill of Exhilaration

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God;

Behold A Word Of Admiration For Love,  Undeserved Love, Unique love, Unselfish Love

Behold,… to look a the love of God to us is like looking into the sun trying to see the sun.  We can better see what the sun enlightens.   We can better see what the love of God enlightens. And it lights fair and square on the Saviour and the cross.  

Alexander Maclaren wrote "So we have to turn to the work of Christ, and especially to His death, if we would estimate the love of God. According to John's constant teaching, that is the great proof that God loves us. The most wonderful revelation to every heart of man of the depths of that Divine heart lies in the gift of Jesus Christ. The Apostle bids me 'behold what manner of love.' I turn to the Cross, and I see there a love which shrinks from no sacrifice, but gives 'Him up to death for us all.' I turn to the Cross, and I see there a love which is evoked by no lovableness on my part, but comes from the depth of His own Infinite Being, who loves because He must, and who must because He is God. I turn to the Cross, and I see there manifested a love which sighs for recognition, which desires nothing of me but the repayment of my poor affection, and longs to see its own likeness in me. And I see there a love that will not be put away by sinfulness, and short-comings, and evil, but pours its treasures on the unworthy, like sunshine on a dunghill. So, streaming through the darkness of eclipse, and speaking to me even in the awful silence in which the Son of Man died there for sin, I 'behold,' and I hear, the 'manner of love that the Father hath bestowed upon us,' stronger than death and sin, armed with all power, gentler than the fall of the dew, boundless and endless, in its measure measureless, in its quality transcendent — the love of God to me in Jesus Christ my Saviour."

And yes that love is bestowed upon 'us,' such creatures as we are. Out of the depths we cry to Him. Not only by the voice of our supplications, but even when we raise no call of- entreaty, our misery pleads with His merciful heart, and from the heights there comes upon our wretchedness and sin the rush of this great love, like a cataract, which sweeps away all our sins, and floods us with its own blessedness and joy. The more we know ourselves, the more wonderingly and thankfully shall we bow down our hearts before Him, as we measure His mercy by our unworthiness.

Behold Is A Word Of Amazement! This love is indeed amazing when one remembers the destitution of those loved. This love works visible, transforming results in the lives of its recipients. The perfect tense "has bestowed" (dedwken) marks the permanent gift; this lovegift corresponds to the permanent nature of the new birth (2:29).

Behold Is A Word Of Attention Keep beholding. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." What do you think about most? What dominates your mind? Whatever you think about the most is what you're becoming. We always move toward what we're focusing on. If you want to become like Christ, you think about Him. Fill your mind with the Word of God

Behold Is A Word of Achievement   That we should be called the sons of God!

'children of God,' John draws a clear distinction between 'the sons of God' and 'the world' of men who do not comprehend them, they don't even know God's sons when they see them. John says that all people are divided into two families — 'the children of God and the children of the devil.' There are two families in this world. Only two! Children of God and children of the devil.  And God by His love transfers us out of one family, into His own family.  'Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,'  'Every one that does righteousness is born of God,'  'Every one that loves is born of God,'  John 1:10 "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Have you ever looked at that great gift of love that God has given you on purpose to make you His child? If you have, has it made you one? Are you trusting to Jesus Christ, whom God has sent forth that we might receive the standing of sons in Him? Are you a child of God because a brother of that Saviour? Have you received the gift of a divine life through Him? My friend, remember the grim alternative! A child of God or a child of the devil!

'and such we are.'  Do you hear the joy in that? Hey You really are a child of God the moment you believe on the Lord Jesus.  He gives you a new name in His family. He changes your name from "GROSS!" To "GRACE!"  CHS

1Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: "I am elect - my election is of grace. I am redeemed - redemption is a mighty masterpiece of grace. I am called - called by grace. I am preserved - preserved by grace. And whatever there is in me which the Son of God can admire and which gives to my soul real comfort, must be all of grace, and of grace alone." Charles Spurgeon Beloved, we are God's children now  "Those who are 'beloved of the Lord must be the most happy and joyful people, to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth!"

3. Enjoy The Thrill of Anticipation

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Many hymns remind us of the thrill of anticipation of the Lord Jesus' return.

Carrie Ellis Breck wrote  Face to face with Christ my Saviour, Face to face what will it be?

When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me!

Face to face shall I behold him  Far beyond the starry sky
Face to face in all his glory     I shall see him by and by

Only faintly now I see him  With the darkened veil between
But a blessed day is coming        When his glory shall be seen

Face to face, oh, blissful moment     Face to face, to see and know
Face to face with my Redeemer     Jesus Christ who loved me so

 

Horatio Bonar wrote: And when I see Him face to face What glory that will be

To Look upon my Saviour's scars And know they were for me.

 

Epitaph of Benjamin Franklin  newspaper eeditor found father of the US. The Body of B. Franklin, Printer; like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost; For it will, as he believ'd, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and amended By the Author.

 

I was travelling to PNG in 2019. Alongside sat a young lady about to go work on a catholic mission as a teacher for a a year.  She was so nervous in turbulence , that she asked panicked   "how often does one of these things crash?"  I said, "usually only once." She then asked, "but this plance to PNG has never gone down right?" Wrong question. Just the week before that very flight had crashed into the water near Port Moresby.  No one died!  Come to think of it why do they call the building the "terminal"; why do they have to say, "we're preparing to make our FINAL DESCENT..."?

There are many things that terrify us about the future and about the possibility of death.  But for the believer in Jesus there is only hope.

The Lord Jesus said      John 14: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4. Enjoy The Thrill of Purification

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

 

Notice the way of assimilation and transformation by beholding — 'If we see Him' we shall be 'like Him.'

2 Corinthians 3: 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Loving and thankful meditation upon the love of God, as manifested in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the consequent gift of the Holy Spirit, joined with the humble, thankful conviction that I am a child of God by His new birth, lies at the foundation of all vigorous and happy Christian life. Seeing that the Lord is one day going to return for you to take you to Himself.  How can a thing which you do not touch with your hands and see with your eyes produce any effect upon you, unless you think about it?

If he were really dear to you, you would think about him. The degree in which we think about Christ, and in Him behold the love of God, is a fairly accurate measure of the reality of our Christianity.

To keep that great sight before the eye of our minds takes effort. You will have to very determinedly look away from something else if, you are to see that heavenly love.

Look away from the things that are seen, so that you may gaze upon the things that are not seen, and the best of it, upon the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  that our best way of cleansing ourselves is by keeping firm hold of Jesus Christ and of the cleansing powers that lie in Him.

Keep close to Jesus Christ. You cannot sin as long as you hold His hand. You fellows, you wife cannot reach for her credit card of she is holding your hand. To have Him with you; — I mean by that to have the thoughts directed to Him, the love turning to Him, the will submitted to Him, Him consciously with us in the day's work. To have communion with Jesus Christ is like bringing an atmosphere round about us in which all evil will die.  Live in the conscious presence that He came yesterday died and rose again today and is coming back tomorrow and you won't have time to sin. You will purify yourselves.

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

The hope of being like Jesus Christ when 'we see Him as He is.' Hope will fight against one of the greatest of all the enemies of our efforts after purity. There is nothing that makes a perosn so down-hearted as the constant and bitter experience that it seems to be all of no use; that he is making so little progress; that with immense pains, like a snail creeping up a wall, he gets up, perhaps, an inch or two, and then all at once he drops down, and further down than he was before he started.  'Cheer up! "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."'

Is the hope of Heaven, of being like Christ, of His near return, something that stirs us every moment to self-surrender, self-cleansing, purification?

 

When I was in teachers' college I occasionally did the run between Wollongong and Sydney alone, so I would occasionally pick up hitchhikers. I picked up one guy.  After I sped up to slightly over the speed limit, I looked at him and out of the blue asked him, "Hey, are you are you ready to meet Jesus?" He must have thought I meant right then because his eyes got big and he reached for the doorhandle and said, "No, dude, I don't want to die!" I laughed and told him to settle down.  I shared the gospel with him until we got to Heathcote road where I dropped him off so he could hitchhike to Liverpool.

The following Sunday the pastor at church told us in a sermon about this funny thing that occurred to him. He picked up a guy hitchhiking on the Heathcote road, and asked him "are you prepared to meet Jesus?"  "This is the third time today I've been asked that question!"  My pastor said he wasn't much of a driver, and suggested he fasten his seat belt! 

 

 

Call to Worship: Psalm 98:1-9

Confession/Law/ Grace John 15:1-17, 1John 1:4-9

BIBLE READING: 1 John 2:28-3:3 The Christian Life is Thrilling

1. There is the Thrill of Preoccupation

28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

2. There is the Thrill of Exhilaration

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.2 Beloved, now we are children of God;

3. There is the Thrill of Anticipation

and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

4. There is the Thrill of Purification

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Benediction      - Jude 24,25

Why is "abiding" important in the Christian life? How is abiding different from "getting saved"?

How do you think you will react when you first see Jesus revealed in all His glory? What are some things that might cause someone to be ashamed at His appearing?

What is a root/fruit argument and how is it important for the Christian life? What other passages of Scripture use similar logic?

How does knowing that all Christians are God's children affect your relationship with the following: (a) spouse, (b) parent/child, (c) church member, (d) the world?

What does it mean for the world to not know Christ? How will that affect our relationship with the world?

Why is it such a blessing to know that abiding believers will be conformed to Christ's image?