Sermon – “By This We Know”

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. ⁸ Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

⁹ He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

¹² I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
¹³ I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

A french, you know, that we have a high calling in the Lord. I don’t care what he is called you to do. We all, if we call ourselves christian by name, we have a high calling. We are called to live to a higher standard. And the passage that I’m going to read this morning reveal that we’re going to go to 1st john chapter 2. Last week I began 1st john chapter one. You know, I love god’s word. And if I had to pick out a book of the bible that I would call my favorite, i’d be hard pressed because there are so many I love the gospels, reveal jesus ministry and with disciples. And I love the old testament refills a history with patriarchs. You know, I would say maybe numbers i’m going crazy about, you know, read all that is, you know, the chronological order things. But 1st john, the epistles of john, I could say, I love them dearly, but I don’t know that I can say I love them more than others, but I love them dearly. And if I had use one word to describe the epistles of john, it would be assurance because I believe that we find such assurance of our faith in the pistols at jones. And I think you’ll see what I mean today. As we read through the scripture, go ahead and begin, i’ll read it and then have a prayer. I titled it by this we know and won’t have to read very far before you’ll understand what it is that we will know. First john to one through 17. My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father. Jesus christ, the righteous jesus christ righteousness. It is his righteous by which we are made, righteous men. And he himself is for propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know him. If we keep his commandments, he who says I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word. So his commandments are part of his word. whoever keeps his word truly the love of god is perfected in him. By this we know there is another by this we know by this we know that we are in him. So again, how do we know that we are in him? If we keep his commands, he says he abiding him on himself also to walk just as he walked. So my friends, we are to walk as jesus walked. We are to live as jesus lived here says robert red brethren, i write no new commandment to you. But an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment or right to you, which things is true in him and in you because the darkness is passing away. And the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now. If you are a believer and you have your Brother, you are in darkness. It doesn’t get any plainer than that. If you call yourself again, I’m saying you call yourself a christian and you hate your Brother. You better get on your knees and repent. I’ll get the and the soon. I’m going to preach the way through it, right. He who loves his brother, abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going. Because the darkness has blinded his eyes. I write to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake, i write to your fathers because you know him who was from the beginning. I write to you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one are right. You don’t children because you have known the father. I have written to you fathers because you have known him who has from the beginning. I have written to you young men because you are strong and a word of god abides in you. And you have overcome the wicked one. These next 3 verses are very key. Do not love the world or the things of the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the last of the flesh, the last of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but of the world. And the world is passing away and the last of it. But he who does the will of god, abides forever. May god add his blessings to the hearing and reign of his holy word. Let us pray. Most gracious, heavenly father, we again thank you for your amazing love. We thank you for your son, jesus christ. We thank you for your righteousness. father is not our own more, but it’s your righteousness in US father. We thank you for that. We thank you for the, the written word and lord, we thank you that we can use it to guide us and direct us and father. We thank you for your holy spirit and we invite your spirit to be present in this place. Today. We invite your spirit to be present over the air wages. This message goes out over the Internet and fall. We just pray that great things we done for your glory and for your honor. In jesus name. A man Or passage begins with John, referring to those that will be reading this message as little children and most likely that he is referring to convert that he had led to christ churches, maybe that he has started. So he’s referring to them as little children. They are his children in the Lord, but it also could be that John as well advanced in years by now we’ve heard that term before and he may refer to those younger than him as little children, you know, were brothers and sisters in christ and sons and daughters and christ, my little children, but I believe and know with all my heart that these letters are meant for all christians everywhere. So don’t believe that those words that I just spoke was only for those people back then. brothers, sisters, they are for us today. This word is for all time. So it is also for all christians everywhere to encourage us. As I said, is we get through the book of john the 1st or the 5th john to give us that assurance to guide us to comfort us. You know, these people in john’s day they had questions, they had concerns, that’s what this chapter is all about. They had concerns. So at the heart of this chapter, Or the context, whichever you would like to call it is how do we know for sure? How do we know for sure that we’re in right relationship with god? That’s what is the heart of this, because he’s answering the question. By this you will know by this you will know that you know him by this you will know that you are in him. They had questions, they had doubt. So he’s explain and here’s how you will know they were feeling guilty. They were feeling condemned because we have sin, right? We have sin. How. How do we know that we’re saved and we keep stumbling. John, we keep stumbling. We keep sending, we keep messing up. Does anybody here ever mess up? Come on now or it. I’ll be the 1st raise my hand. Right. We mess up sometimes. Don’t we? Are we still saved? Yes. They were having the same concern. They were needing reassurance. They were needing reassurance about their salvation. They had douse my friends. It’s still a common problem today. I have had many conversations with people over the years. They were christians and you’d ask, are you saved? Do you know today that you die? Do you know that you are saved? You live in eternity with god. Well, I hope so. Could be the response. I hope so. Well, I’ve been a good person, I believe, but I think so. I hope so. I think so, and all those common answers. So it’s still a problem today of people having that assurance of their salvation. How do we know, You know, salvation in a general sense is the preservation or deliverance from harm ruiner loss. That is what salvation is. So I’m going to jog your memories today of us older folks, the young folks will remember this because you were not around back in mid october of 1987. There was an event that happened that had many years around the nation, glued to the television sets. 18 month old jessica mcclure mcclure was rescued after being trapped for 58 hours in an abandoned well in Midland, texas. The drama unfolded on the morning of October, the 14th, when jessica fell through an 8 inch wide opening of an abandon, well was playing with other children and backyard over anne’s home for home daycare. After dropping 22 feet into the well. Little jessica became stuck. And over the next 2 and a half days crews of rescuers and mining experts work together with local volunteers around the clock. To drill a shaft parallel to the one that jessie was trapped in. And then to tunnel horizontally through the dense rock to connect to 2 shafts. A microphone was lowered into the well. So they could keep tabs on a little jessica, who they could hear her times crying. At other times they could hear humming. And sometimes she was singing throughout the ordeal. But on October 16th, a bandaged and dirty dirt covered little baby. Jessica was brought out of that. Well. She became known as baby jessica. But she was pulled to safety. bothers paramedic. So for a little baby. Jessica. Those crews of rescuers, mining experts and paramedics, they were herself ation where they not. They saved her from there, they were her salvation. By friends, salvation in the spiritual sense is the deliverance. It is the rescue from sin and the consequences thereof. Because roman 623. The 1st part says the wages of sin is death period. The wages of sin is death because of sin. We have death. The very 1st sin brought about death. animals are to be sacrificed to make the covering. But because of sin, they said you shall die. So the wages of sin is there. There is no way around it. But praise lord diverse doesn’t end there. Says but the gift of god is eternal life. In christ jesus, our lord, it is the gift of god. John said, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. He is instructing them to lead a holy life to keep themselves from sin. High calling to keep themselves from sin. The day the people in john’s, they dealt with the same things that people deal with the day. There is nothing new under the sun. You might think, well, things are so evil, wicked. The day I’m telling you they were evil and wicked. In john’s day, they dealt with the same things that we deal with today Versus 615 through 17. Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves a world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the last of the flesh. So let’s begin there. They dealt with that. The last was the last of the flesh, to desire this fleshly body to be, to experience all the joys and pleasures the world has to offer. Whether it be for an occasion, daughter, all that they dealt with, that we’re dealing with it today, the loss of the flesh to fulfill the desires of their specially body. The last of the eyes where the commandments are, hey, they’re all in there. The last of the eyes, we look at that which our neighbor has and we coveted By this, we know that we know him. If we keep his commandments right, don’t let the last of the I draw you away from the lower, but keep your eyes on him. The pride of life. We like to feel frail. Don’t. We want to feel important. We like to feel like we’re good. Maybe better than others. Don’t at pride. Bring you down. My friends. What did jesus doing? humbled himself. marsh disciples, feet. What if they walk as he walked? Let’s humble ourselves. Because all these, the last of the last last of the eyes, the product life, my friends is not of the father, but it is of the world. We’re, yes we’re in this world, we’re not to be of this world. Because the world is passing away. And the last of it, but he does a will of god, abides forever buys forever, my friends, there’s that gift, the promise. So it’s the same old, same old, same old stuff. There is nothing new. We live in a fallen world, and yes, my friends, evil is abundance. temptation is looking around every corner. But we as believers have overcome every temptation we can overcome every temptation known to man. With the help of the holy spirit. We can’t do it of ourselves, but with the holy spirit’s help, we can You know, not only in a passage from 1st john to day, but throughout the bible. The theme is very clear. Turn from sin, turn from sin and lead a holy life. Because our god is a holy god. First peter 113 through 16. They don’t have the extra scriptures today because I didn’t have all this figured out. Is there, therefore, girl up the loins of your mind? And care is going to Google as google. What’s definition of gerd. You know, I used to have a horse when I was a teenager, and you throw outside of wherever your horse and you had a leather strap that hung down you had to reach and grab it, pulled under and put it through these loops and sent it up tight, you had to grow up and poor tight. So when you got on it Well for one thing, so you could get on the horse without the saddle move. Right. And so that when you’re riding along that, yours upright, not off the horse, so you Good up them leather straps. That’s what it me, it’s a belt or a bond. So you gird up the loins of your mine. poor tight. Get a grip on it. Don’t just live willy nilly, but get a grip on your life. Give it to him a good up. The launch of your mind be sober. Don’t be drunk and be sober. Being in control of your life. Don’t give it to that bottle of whiskey. You be in control of your life with the help of the holy spirit. Be sober and rest your hope fully upon the Grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of jesus christ as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former last as in your ignorance, but as he who called you is wholly you also be wholly in all your conduct, so not just once in a while, but be wholly in all of your conduct. Because it is written be wholly for I am wholly be responsible. Take responsibility for your life. That’s a good word. Be responsible. Be responsible for your actions. Be responsible for the decision as you make. Be strong in the Lord. I better back up and say we should say lord, you guide indirect. Every action lord your guide and direct every decision surrender to him. Not our own because we like this body to feel good, right? We want to fulfill that loss of the flesh. And John chapter 8 will read the story where the scribes and pharisees brought to jesus a woman that was caught in the act of adultery. caught in the very act of adultery, we know that they brought him to g broader dejesus trying to find a way to trick him or trying to find a way, was there something that they could accuse him of. So they bring this woman card in adultery and they say teacher, we know that moses in the law says that this woman should be stone. But what do you say? What do you say should be done to her? Would jesus for a little bit acted like he didn’t even hear them? He just bent down. He starts writing on the ground with his finger. He put they keep pressing. lord, what do you say give us an answer on this. So finally stands up. And he says he who is without sin cast the 1st stone and he bent back down sort of riding on the ground again. Will they begin to leave from the oldest to the youngest. They all leave because a conviction came upon and they knew that each and every one of them had sin. So they all left. finally, jesus stands up. He says, woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you. She said no one lord. What did jesus say? Neither do I condemn you? But go and sin no more. He didn’t say go and continue in this same old lifestyle that you’ve been leading. But he says, now you go and send no more. There is no more that we read about this woman, but I believe she went in no more. And I believe that will meet her some day in a place called heaven. Because I believe that she put her face and the one who saved her that day from stoney, My friends go and say no more is what he tells us to do. But if we sin in his good word, if he, if we sin, we have an advocate with the father, jesus christ, the righteous. What is an advocate? An advocate is one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or dish court. The greek meaning of advocate is in assessor consoler. comforter. So he intercedes on behalf of those repents. Those are repetitive are since christ intercedes on our behalf. Every day we have an advocate and intercessor with the father pleading for us. You know, when jesus died and across he cried out, it is finished. My friends, the work of redemption is finished. It was finished that day upon the cross, the work of redemption is done. Jesus paid the penalty for sins for my sins your sins for the sins of all for all time. But when his work was completed, he didn’t ascend to heaven and sit back and probably feed up and say, well, let’s just wait till the end. Now he did not his role as the eternal shepherd of a children continues to day. He is interceding for you and for me we pray we pray through jesus praying his name, hebrews, 723 to 25 says also there were many priests because they were prevented by death from continuing. But he, speaking of jesus, because he continues for ever has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, he is also able to say to the uttermost, those who come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. Always. He is making intercession for us to day right now. This very moment, this very hour. He makes intercession for them. The one who saved us and also in romans 831235. What then shall we say to these things? If God is force who can be against us? hollow ya. He who did not spare is own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things. Who shall bring a charge against god’s elect? It is god who justifies who is he who condemns it is christ who died and furthermore is also risen. Who is even at the right hand of god who also makes intercession for us? Who shall separate us from the love of christ, shaw, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or pair or sword? No. You know, we may experience these things that he spoke of. We may experience famine. Are we going to stick with him? Are we going to trust in the Lord? We may experience persecution. We have not experienced a whole lot in this country, but I believe is common. We may not have experience, nakedness, repair Or sword. What are we going to trust in him? Yes he is it the right hand of god make an intercession for us. So if any of these things come against us, we just crowd to him and trust in him. Trust and obey. You know, we can pray for others. We pray for others and we have, they have knees, we pray for them. And our prayers are petition to the father on behalf of others. But yet his word is very clear. There was only one advocate, one true advocate, one true mediator. First timothy to 5. So there is one god and there is one media between god and man, and that is the man christ jesus. So we pray through jesus. Yes, we intercede the christ is the mediator. We prayed through him. So why would we need an advocate? Why do we need a mediator? What do you find yourself here in a natural realm and illegal by me? Because you’ve committed a crime, you’re going to need an advocate right? To plead your case before the judge. You see there is a controversy because laws have been broken. You broke that law. So therefore you need someone to represent you. If you broke that law, what jesus christ is the mediator who wants to undertakes the task of making peace to bring god a man back together. That’s what his mediation does to bring god a man back together. So jesus has brought mankind to stand upon new terms with god so that we are now not under the law as covenant, the covenant of works. But as a rule of life, we are under grace not under the covenant of innocence, but under a new covenant. He gave himself as a ransom, the death of christ was a ransom. It was a counter price. We deserved to have died. My friends, we deserve it. Everyone before so everyone apperson we deserved to die for our sins. But christ died for us to save us from death in hell. He gave himself a ransom voluntarily, a ransom for all, so that all mankind are put in a better condition than that of devils were put in a better condition with god. Jesus sacrificial death upon across a selfless act of redemption is as verse 2 said the propitiation for our sins. propitiation is defined as the act of making peace doing something pleasing for someone The word x p ation brings with it the prefix x e X which means out of or from. So espy ation means to remove something in a biblical sense. It’s taking away its removing guilt. It means pain, a ransom are offering on atonement. So it means paying the penalty for something. Right? So the active expiation removes the problem by paying it, right? So in order to satisfy that demand, so we know in the old testament, they offered that attorney sacrifice they had to pay for it, removed that problem. But on the other hand, propitiation has something to do with the object of expense she ation is get this all confusing. Right? propitiation has to do with bringing about a change in god’s attitude toward us. Ok to help bring out around. So ex fish asian pays the penalty. propitiation, heels that relationship. Let’s just put a maintenance terms. I know that’s all confusing, but it heals that relationship. god’s attitude towards mankind because we have sin, sir, restores that fellowship. It brings us back into right favor with god. That is what propitiation does Back to determine the test that we really know him determine if we really know him. There will be evidence in our lives that we are truly acquainted with god that we know him. Though he is, or a friend or passage, made it very clear by this we will know that we know him. If we keep his commandments, if we keep his commandments, how can we say that we know him and disobeys commandments? Is very clear. Jesus narrowed, you know, we think of the commandments, the 10 commandments. Do we keep them? You said what jesus narrative down the to. Well yes he did. Matthew 2234 through 40. But when affairs he heard that he had silence the sadducees. They gathered together, then one of them, a lawyer asked him a question, testing him. They’re always testing him one thing. And saying teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus said to him, this absolutely is number one. You shall love the Lord, your god with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the 1st and greatest commandment. I’ll add to this with all that is within you, right? That’s how much would love him. I know said don’t add to, but I think it’s ok with that with orders within. You were to love him. The 2nd is like it. You still love your neighbor as yourself on these 2 commandments. Hang all of all and the properties. My friends, if one keeps these 2, you keep the 10, right? Because if you love the Lord your god with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind and with all that is when you within you, as I said, then you’re going to be in right relationship with god. You’re going to follow the 10 commandments. I’m going to get to them. But if you love your neighbor as yourself, again, you’re going to keep the commandments result concerning your neighbor. So let’s turn to them. We have time. So let’s look at those are going to see how keep in those 2 Will keep the 10 exit chapter 20 beginning with verse 3. You shall have no other god before me. So if you love god, you’re not going to have other gods. You’re not going to set up for yourself. false gods. You shall not make for yourself a carved image. Any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, nor served them for I the Lord your god. M A jealous god. visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the 3rd and 4th generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands. To those who love me and keep my commandments. There it is right there. How the college tied. The 1st john. Those who loved me and keep my commandments, you shall not take the name of the Lord your god in vain. For lord will not hold him. gillis, who takes his name in vain. You love god, you will not take his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, keep it holy in 6 days you shall labor and do all your work. But the 7th day is the sabbath of the Lord. Your god. In it, you shall do no work. You nor your son or your daughter, nor your mail servant or your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who was within your gates. For in 6 days, the Lord made the heavens in the earth and the sea and all that is in them and rested the 7th day. Therefore, the Lord God bless the sabbath day and hallowed it. So we love, god will. As he said, narrow down to the to love god with all your heart, with all your soul know your mind, you’ll keep those. You’re not going to worship false god. You’re not going to make a car damage of anything, even in heaven to worship. It is invisible, god, Next honor your father and your mother. That your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your god is giving you. honor your father and your mother. Not paying attention. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant norris, female servant, nor his ox, nor donkey, nor anything. That is your neighbors. My friends. Let’s go with jesus to commandments. If you love your neighbor As yourself, you’re not going to steal from me. marya, you’re not going to covet his belongings. You’re not going to go after his wife. You’re not going to bear false witness. He didn’t change the thing ditty by giving a social commands. He didn’t change one of the 10. Matthew, 5 tales. He didn’t come to change it. He came to fill it, not one daughter once it will be changed. Keep his commandments by this. We know my friends, if not about the 10 commandments written on the stone. Now because there to be written here in our hearts by this we know that we know him. If we keep his commandments by this, we know that we are in him. When we keep his commandments, we will know that he is in US, and we are in him. We should the light ourself in him, the light or self in his law. We should find the light in that There are so many other passages we can go to. And isaiah, the Lord is pleased with those who delight themselves in his law delight themselves in him. serving him should not be a chore should not be a task, but it should be the light. I was just thinking earlier that, you know, there’s a lot of a lot of time, a lot of work, a lot of preparation involved in preparing for bible studies, a lot of time involved in preparing for messages. And I had to pray, lord, make it not be a chore. But lor, make it be the light for me, may be the light and that should be all of our prayers board in my service for you in my faithfulness to do my walk with you. Let it not be a sure, but let it be the light that serve him with joy and hope and peace in loving this in our hearts. That’s what they like. He delights in. So lord, make all of your ways of the light for me that I can be a delight to you can not be our prayer. A man.