I John 2:5-6 (Part 1)

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“but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

THE STUDY:

          Today John is continuing with the understanding that we must match up our actions with what is coming from our mouths. John uses some words that I think are important in the understanding of what he is trying to get across to the reader. This first word is “keeps!” This is a powerful word when we look at its meaning. The Greek word is “tēreō” which means to guard, preserve, or hold fast to. In the Greek/English Lexicon it breaks words down by their various shades of meaning and shows the nuances in word meanings and explains difficult expressions and idiomatic usages of words, and even provides advice on how words might be translated under various conditions. A great tool to have while studying the word of God. It shows the word “keep” actually implies a sense of “obedience.” John is not going back to the aspect of “the Law” and legalism. He is implying something to the effect of obeying or guarding the word near to your heart. Something that would be so precious that you didn’t want to lose it.

          A great example of this is found in marriage ceremonies today. I stood before God, my future spouse, family, and friends and made a vow! In those vows I stated “I will love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her ….” We recite this word saying to all, who hear, we will hold fast to our wife. How do we hold fast? We do it by being obedient to the vow we made. We make this so precious that we guard it with our heart.

          John is saying to the reader that whoever holds fast to and obeys God’s word, holds it close to their heart and will obey it. John is not speaking to a group of people who didn’t know the word of God. He was addressing individuals who knew the word but didn’t give it the significance or made it so precious that they would do anything not to lose it.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

•          This word, “Keep” is very powerful when we look at the true meaning of it and how it is used in this passage. Let us remember the importance of our commitment to Christ. Let our words line up with our actions in displaying our love for Jesus.

•          Let us not forget how significant the word of God is in our lives. Let us not fall to the temptation of believing God only wants part of our devotion to Him. If we keep his commands we are holding fast to the fact that He wants all of us!

CONCLUSION:

           Ludwig Nommensen, a pioneer missionary to the Batak tribesmen, was told that he could stay for two years, during which time he studied the customs and traditions that ruled the people. At the end of that time the chief asked him if there was anything in the Christian religion that differed from the traditions of the Batak. “We, too, have laws that say we must not steal, nor take our neighbor’s wife, nor bear false witness,” the chief said.

The missionary answered quietly, “My Master gives the power to keep His laws.” The chief was startled. “Can you teach my people that?” he asked. “No, I cannot, but God can give them that power if they ask for it and listen to His Word.”

The missionary was permitted to stay another six months, during which time he taught just one thing—the power of God. There are now about 450,000 Batak Christians.

Let me encourage you today by saying, we can KEEP God’s word! But it is only by His power and strength, not ours. If you are feeling like you are about to let go and walk away because you just can't do it anymore, TRUST JESUS! Let him take over and see what happens. Hold fast to His word through His strength and power!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:4

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“Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,”

THE STUDY:

          This morning we need to take a step back and see what John is saying in this verse. In that days, John was addressing people who were claiming to “know” Jesus. Claiming it is one thing but when our actions, words, and motives don’t line up with what we claim we are misrepresenting Jesus. John may have been writing this in regard to the fact that the Gnostics, who claim to “Know” Jesus, were not following the teachings of Jesus.

          When we make a claim such as “I know him” and yet we do not keep his commandments we are negatively affecting ourselves and those who are watching us as well. John pulls out one of his big words to reveal who we really are when we do such a thing, “A LIAR!” We lie to ourselves as well as to others when we claim to know Jesus but we don’t follow his commandments.

          The word “liar” is used only ten times in the N.T. Seven times John uses this word (2 in the Gospel and 5 times in I John). John uses the same word to describe Satan as “father of lies” (John 8:44). We can sense that John is revealing to the readers the fact that if they “know Jesus” but yet they don’t keep his commandments then they are not of God but of evil. The word liar is defined as an attitude of opposition to God and the inclination toward what is worthless. It is not a matter of untrue or incorrect words, but rather of a person’s opposition to God.^[1]

The statement, ‘the truth is not in him’, is synonymous with ‘he is a liar’. Underlying this whole verse is the recognition that people can’t have an authentic relationship with God if they do not obey his commands.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

•         What needs to be understood concerning this passage of scripture is the fact that claiming one thing but yet doing the opposite is not only negatively affecting those who are being lied to but the liar as well.

•         We cannot have the peace of God dwelling inside of us if we are professing to “know him” but not keeping the commandments.

CONCLUSION:

          Let me leave you with this thought. Next to the one who does not pay his bill, the doctor’s most annoying patient is the one who refuses to follow orders. Recently it was estimated that between 16 to 90 percent of all patients leave half-empty pill bottles, cheat on diets, continue to smoke, or never return for checkups despite careful prescriptions and cautious advice. ^[2]

          I believe if these statistics were reversed we would have a healthier nation. However, what happens is we tell the doctor we have been or we are going to do all of the things recommended by him/her, yet we leave knowing we haven’t or we will adhere to the doctors recommendations.

          This is where the problem is with our walk with Jesus. We cannot look at His commandments as recommendations but directives. They are not suggestions but requirements. If we say we are doing them but yet we are not, WE ARE LIARS! Let us not be liars but obedient followers of Jesus Christ. This not only will positively affect us but those around us as well.

           

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Balz, H. R., & Schneider, G. (1990-). Vol. 3: Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament (499). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans.

^[2] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

I John 2:3

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I John 2:3

"And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments."

THE STUDY:

          For readers who wish to decide whether their experience of fellowship with God has led them really to know Him in a personal way, John gave a simple test: We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands.^[1] This morning I want to look at a couple of things. First thing that stands out to me is the word “Know!” This word is used 23 times by John in this Epistle. We find it used two times in this verse alone. The first “know” is found without any connection. It stands alone, but the second “know” is within a subordinate clause which is connected to the main clause. So, what does this mean?

• The first “know” is translated to mean “understand.”

• The second “know” is translated to mean to learn to know a person through direct personal experience, implying a continuity of relationship—‘to know, to become acquainted with, to be familiar with.’^[2]

This passage would read like this … [And by this we understand that we

have become acquainted with Jesus through a direct personal experience, if we keep his commandments.]

          John is implying to the reader that “WE KNOW!” We know that when we keep his commandments we are in fellowship with God.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• The first thing we can take with us is the fact that keeping God’s commandments (the ones written on our hearts now, not on tablet) are good signs. Signs that not only others can see but ones that we can see as well. I call these moments “measuring sticks.”  

• Secondly, I preach this from the pulpit, we know when we are out of God’s will and we know when we are in His will. My kids know when they are doing something they should not be doing. Why lie or try to hide it if you didn’t know I would not approve of it. We do the same thing with God.  

CONCLUSION:

          We have lived in a multitude of different houses during our ministry. We are raising kids and one of the things we have done is measure them as they grow. All of us have done this at one point in time in our lives. You stand straight with your back against the door frame. Your mom or dad takes a marker and puts a line were the top of your head is. You step away and they mark your age over the line. You can go back to that door frame and look at how you have grown over the years.

          The same can be said about our spiritual growth. We have moments in our lives (being tested, difficult times, heartaches, even blessings) that after we have come through it, we can see how far God has brought us. We see how much we have grown in the Lord. My prayer for you is that you come to know Jesus Christ. I hope these devotionals help you come to know Him in a more personable way.   

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1 Jn 2:3). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament : Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (327). New York: United Bible societies.

I John 2:2

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I John 2:2

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

THE STUDY:

Today we are in Verse 2 and what a verse it is! If any believer was to wonder on what grounds he might receive God’s mercy after he has failed, the answer is found in this verse. So adequate is Jesus Christ as God’s atoning Sacrifice that the effectiveness of His work extends not merely to the sins of believers themselves, but also to the sins of the whole world.

I cannot help but see two loving features Christ displays in verses 1 and 2; advocate and propitiation. We have already discussed the word advocate. Today I would like to expound on the word propitiation. This word is one that is used by many of the old scholars. It is a word that is rich in theology, however, in today’s language it doesn’t have the same punch as it once had in the past. Some of the newer translations use the phrase, “atoning sacrifice” so the reader may be able to understand this act of Christ better. The bottom line is, when it comes to Christ being the atoning sacrifice, it's for all who has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Not just for the believers but the entire world. This doesn’t mean we don’t have to do anything in regards to sin. We must confess our sin’s and ask for forgiveness of them and once we do, we are forgiven and cleansed from the guilt of them.

Propitiation is a similar word equivalent to the Septuagint translators render in Ex. 25:17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.” It means “covering,” and is used to describe the lid of the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 25:21; 30:6). This Greek word (hilasterion) came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitiation or reconciliation by blood. On the great day of atonement the high priest carried the blood of the sacrifice he offered for all the people within the veil and sprinkled with it the “mercy-seat,” and so made propitiation.^[1]

So we can conclude the fact that Christ not only goes to the Father on our behalf (Advocate), he paid the price for all of our sin’s, IN FULL (Propitiator)!

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We can walk away this morning knowing that if we were to tell God, I am not going to do it YOUR way but MY way this morning. We have an opportunity to come back and seek forgiveness because of this atoning sacrifice Christ paid for us all. All we have to do is turn back, ask for forgiveness, and accept this blessing Christ has provided for us.

CONCLUSION:

          I have preached a multitude of sermons and in one way or the other I have shared this illustration of our relationship with the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In this relationship Jesus is our intercessor to the Father. What does that look like?  When God looks down on earth He doesn’t see Rod Kincaid. He sees Jesus, the one whom I have asked into my heart and to forgive me of all my sins. I don’t want God to see ME, this creature who has not come into the fullness of His blessing (heaven) yet. I want him to see the one who paid it all for me and whom through I can have access to this wonderful place called heaven someday.

           This is why I do what I do! So that whoever I may come in contact with through my preaching, teaching, video blogs, devotional blogs, facebook, Twitter, or just cross paths with on the street, I might introduce them to the one who changed my life forever. My Advocate and propitiator to the creator of the universe, JESUS CHRIST! I hope that is why you do what you do as well.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Easton, M. (1996). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

I John 2:1 (Part 3)

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I John 2:1

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we are going to wrap up 2:1 by looking at the help that is offered by God concerning sin; Jesus Christ! I don’t think I need to go into detail with you concerning the actions and reasoning of the Son of God. I believe John 3:16 covers all of that. What I do want to talk to you about this morning is the word found in this passage, “advocate.” Almost all of the translations render this with one word, “advocate.” The NIV translates this word into a phrase, “…one who speaks to the Father in our defense.” 

          I have to admit, as I was looking at this passage I wanted to research the Greek word, paraklētos. The NIV translators felt a need to explain, with a more complete sentence, this word. I am not saying one translation is better than the other. What I am trying to comprehend is the word itself. When we look up this definition of the word it reads as such; legal adviser, advocate, counselor, or helper. In our pulpits today we hear many preachers talk about Jesus as our advocate. They are talking about someone who is our legal adviser before God. It would be so easy to translate this same meaning to this passage but I don’t see it that same way. I believe this passage is representing a more personable Jesus. Not as a legal advisor but as a friend.

Let me explain why I feel this way. This same word (paraklētos) can be found in John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever…” This is Jesus speaking and he is talking about the Holy Spirit. Jesus is referring to the fact that the Holy Spirit, just as He, is our helper. I feel the NIV got it right because only a friend would help another friend without any payment for service. Jesus is our advocate but He is our friend as well. He goes before the father not out of legal obligation but out of love for us. And, by the way, Jesus paid what we owed in FULL!

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• Today, my prayer is that we understand the motives of Jesus. John knew him best, of all human beings. He understood that Christ stands at the right hand of God, not out of prestige, power, or fame, but out of love for us. Just like Moses, who stood before God on the mountain tops and interceded for the people, he did it because he loved the people. Jesus does it because He loves us.

• Let us remember as spiritual leaders of today (at church, or in our homes) we need to intercede for the lost, the hurting, the battered, and the bruised. Present them to Christ and ask for the Holy Spirit to do what only he can do so that all may come to know the one true God.  

CONCLUSION:

          Let me share a story; Dr. Robert Oppenheimer, who supervised the creation of the first atomic bomb, appeared before a Congressional Committee. They inquired of him if there were any defense against the weapon. “Certainly,” the great physicist replied.  “And that is—” Dr. Oppenheimer looked over the hushed, expectant audience and said softly: “Peace.”

          In order to have peace in our hearts or in the hearts of our neighbors, friends, or family members, there must be an acceptance of someone who is willing to go before God as a friend and plead our case. That someone is JESUS CHRIST. Want peace? Try Jesus!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:1 (Part 2)

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I John 2:1 (Part 2)

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

THE STUDY:

          This morning we are going to look at the next section of this verse of scripture, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. Yesterday we talked about the phrase “My little children” and how this was a very intimate and personal statement. We see John go from the first person plural (We) to the first person singular (I). He then points back to the topic of discussion “SIN.” Most of the scholars translate it as “these things” but the Greek uses one word “ταῦτα” which means “this” referring back to verses 1:8, & 10.

          I have pondered on this passage all day and I have a thought concerning the mindset John may have been in when he pen’s this down. Being that John was the last living disciple at that time, he was respected as the authoritative figure of the Church of Jesus Christ. In Chapter One, we can get the feel of someone who is addressing their company, team, or church as a whole. But, in chapter two we get this picture of the meeting moved to a more intimate setting. All of this is brought on by the changing of tenses found in 2:1 compared to Chapter one as a whole.

          John is so bothered by the infiltration of this Gnostic movement, that he has called a meeting of all God’s people. At this point in his address, John is getting more personable with those who he is addressing. His heart is opened to them, like a modern-day pastor would be with a congregation who is dealing with an intrusion of evil. John’s message to the reader is so that they may not sin.

          If we would want a modern day illustration, picture the upcoming political season. We will hear so many politicians speak, using the first person plural (we); we can make a change, we can change Washington, and the list goes on. But when we see them in a more intimate setting you will hear them move from the first person plural to the first person singular (I); I believe, I have a plan, and the list goes on.

          John is not running for president but he is imploring the readers by addressing the overall issue (Gnosticism) and now moving into a more intimate setting to address the main issue (sin).  

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• Today, let us walk away with this understanding. Minimizing, or even discarding SIN is a recipe for disaster. The power of sin is so alarming to Jesus, John and the other disciples, that their passion is to warn others about it. Let us never think sin is something that can be toyed with, ignored, or removed from our world. Sin WILL remain in this world until Jesus comes back to gather His children.    

CONCLUSION:

I would like to leave you this morning with how man views sin compared to how God views it:

Man calls it an accident; God calls it an abomination.

Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.

Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice.

Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity.

Man calls it a mistake; God calls it a madness.

Man calls it a weakness; God calls it willfulness.

Tomorrow, we will address how we combat sin but for now let us respect the power of sin and flee from it.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

I John 2:1

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I John 2:1

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

THE STUDY:

          We are entering chapter 2 of John’s 1^st Epistle. I pray that God has been speaking to you during this time and you are developing a desire to dig deeper into His word.

          This passage is promoting one of the key essentials to our Christian heritage; Forgiveness of Sin! We will look, more in detail, at the later part of this passage tomorrow but today I am excited to reveal to you what God has shared with me concerning the phrase, “My little children.” To help better understand this phrase we need to know more about John in regards to this movement called Gnosticism. I will not be sharing any new information about the Gnostics but I do encourage you to do research on this group so you can have a better understanding of what John was dealing with.

          When John says, “My little children” he is not referring to them as a child per say but as someone who he has an intimate understanding and feeling toward them. Just as Jesus stated in John 13:33, Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ We have the sense of a very intimate moment between Jesus and His disciples. John uses the same phrase (little children) when he addresses the reader. This gives the reader a sense of a father speaking to his beloved children.

          I wondered why John used this phrase. The answer may be found in the fact that John was the last living disciple. He was viewed as the last charter member of the disciples and, with that, he was looked highly upon by the church of that day. With this position in mind we can now see why John calls them “My little children.” He does this with position and influence in mind. He was the last (so called) authoritative figure (disciples) and was very influential regarding the truth of the Word of God.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• First thing we can walk away with is the fact that there are still authoritative figures in the Church of Jesus Christ today. Those figures are called minister, pastors, elders or whatever the denomination chooses to call them. The scripture is very clear to the idea of needing and respecting leaders within the church. We can debate this fact of a need for leaders due to the fall of many prominent church leaders. This should not be a reason for God’s people to think they can do without leadership. Leaders have a responsibility to seek the face and guidance of the Holy Spirit. They will be held to this calling that God has on their life. The sheep, God has given these leaders, have a responsibility to follow and pray for their spiritual leader. This is what they will be held accountable for.

• Secondly, there is going to be times when you feel like John. He was very concerned for the church and, knowing that his time was coming to an end, felt a need to leave “his children” with some simple truths. He pin’s one of those truths in his gospel, Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Let us remember God is still in control.

CONCLUSION:

If there was one last thing I could share with my children before I left this world it would go something like what I found in the song “These Simple Truth” by Sidewalk Prophets:

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod