We continue from where we left off last week on how the divine Shepherd ‘restores us when wandering, and brings us back into His way or into His sheepfold’. Sheep wander and get lost for many reasons, but mainly through carelessness or thoughtlessness. Be very watchful! Some of us get lost the same way by being careless and thoughtless with what we do and say. Like sheep we take a series of steps in life: some good and some bad or evil, none of these steps are seemingly important, but each one increasing our distance from the Shepherd without our knowing it. We go or wander away with the crowd to the shadows of the world, expecting to stay inwardly aloof while being outwardly near, which is the deceits. Soon, however, temptations confronts us which becomes seemingly too great for us to bear, then our divine resistance and our defenses crumbles under the temptations being eaten up by worldliness, and we begin to rationalize or ponder the issues especially in our minds until the very sin, which before we considered unthinkable, now becomes first bearable, and then inviting, later then wholly desirable. These are often the steps that lead us to sin and sinfulness in life! How many times have we said to ourselves: ‘But everybody does it –what’s the point of being different?’ Here lies the temptation or a series of neglects that takes place, for example: ‘I’m too busy now to have a Quiet Time –I’ll begin next week’ or: ‘This duty is urgent –but I’ll make sure it is done tomorrow.’ ‘Action turns into attitude, attitude turns into habit, and habit turns into character.’ And so it is built without our knowing that something wrong is happening to us! We are being built outside of God, outside of God’s standards, without the word of God molding our being, we are not being rightly transformed by the indwelling of the Spirit of God. A Christian once said to me: ‘I didn’t intend to get into this mess spiritually. I just let things slip, and now that I need my faith it seems to have gone.’ How easy it is to find ourselves in ‘no man’s land’, not because of deliberate intention, but through a series of inattentions and unawareness because either by being careless and thoughtless we are bereft of God or we are pretending godliness! ‘The descent to hell’, said someone, ‘is so gradual that many do not suspect the road they are following is a downward path.’ The little Islands of worldliness that lure us on will, unless we are careful, thoughtful and watchful, leave us lost and forlorn. Where we are left with only one thing: had I know, which the Igbos call Mmakwara! That comes last but too late.

Now let us read 1 John 2:1-17; 1 MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God's law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father–[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father's will in every purpose, thought, and action]. 2 And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world. 3 And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). 4 Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him. 5 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him: 6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself. 7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [the doctrine of salvation through Christ]. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness (moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light (the revelation of God in Christ) is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now. 10 Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin. 11 But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I am writing to you, little children, because for His name's sake your sins are forgiven [pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name]. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be aware of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]. I write to you, boys (lads), because you have come to know (recognize and be aware) of the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the Word of God is [always] abiding in you (in your hearts), and you have been victorious over the wicked one. 15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. 17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.

This sermon from these verses in John is unsurprisingly all about love! Firstly, the love of Christ for us. This love expressed in Lord Jesus laying down His life, taking upon Himself the righteous wrath of God for our sins, so that we might share in this loving Union and remains alive with Him in paradise. Secondly, we are called to imitate Lord Jesus’ sacrificial love, laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We do this by being together, praying for one another, being hospitable to each other, encouraging one another, forbearing for one another, using our gifts & talents to love and service one another, and caring/supporting one another. Finally, we are called to imitate the love of family perfected in the trinity; that union that binds the Father, Son and Holy Spirit together working and serving in harmony with one another. We all have love to bring one another whether young, old, male or female together. This should encourage us to be proactive in doing this within our Church community. So, what do you love most in the world? As Christians we should love God and our Church family. These things rather than pursuing love of things in the world will lead to true fulfillment and outworking of our purpose in life. Lord Jesus is shown in Scripture to have many different titles and many different roles. In the second chapter of First john we will be talking about a very specific and assuring role of Lord Jesus. 1 John 2:1, says: 1 MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God's law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father–[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father's will in every purpose, thought, and action]. Or 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. John is both a spiritual father figure and an intimate friend to the audience that he is writing to, demonstrated here. We also see one of the major reasons that he is writing this letter. That you may not sin. Today how many of us follow this divine advice and not sin? We just read it but we don’t allow it to rule our life or in other words, we do not practice it in our daily life! However, while saved people are still in the flesh and still in this world. Christians can sin and do sin. However, not ultimately and finally. Occasionally but not habitually. If and when any Christian does sin, We have an advocate with the Father, Lord Jesus Christ the Righteous. Does anyone know what an advocate is? It is someone who intercedes for someone else. Someone who steps in on someone else’s behalf and plead. Now I want to spend some time on this so that you all can understand how important Christ’s intercessory work is to us. Why is it important that Lord Jesus intercedes for us? Peter vs Judas I want to show you the impact of Christ’s intercessory work with showing you the stories of Peter and Judas, an illustration I read years ago and found very impactful. Pay attention to what happens. Luke 22:31–32, “31 Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan [a]has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain, 32 But I have prayed especially for you [Peter], that your [own] faith may not fail; and when you yourself have turned again, strengthen and establish your brethren. This is a wonderful passage to everyone that quite understands what happened to Simon Peter as our Lord Jesus was about to enter and when He entered His hours of temptation during His earthly ministry as Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Lord Jesus prayed for Peter. He interceded for Peter. He prayed that Peter would stay secure in his faith, though he will and had denied Lord Jesus. Peter told Him that he is ready to die for Lord Jesus. But Lord Jesus knowing what was about to take place said that before the rooster crows Peter will not just deny Lord Jesus 1 time, but 3 times. Let’s put a pin in that and see what happens to Judas. Lord Jesus is sitting around a table with His disciples and says by revealing tendency that one of His disciples (Judas to be precise) is going to betray Him. And all the disciples are freaking out and wondering who it is. John 13:26–27, says “26 Jesus answered, It is the one to whom I am going to give this morsel (bit) of food after I have dipped it. So when He had dipped the morsel of bread [into the dish], He gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27 Then after [he had taken] the bit of food, Satan entered into and took possession of [Judas]. Jesus said to him, What you are going to do, do [a]more swiftly than you seem to intend and [b]make quick work of it. 28 But nobody reclining at the table knew why He spoke to him or what He meant by telling him this.” This is the way revelation works, whenever it is given some times it is not understood but sooner it will begin to make sense for the wise which is why, whenever revelation is given try to accommodate it and make effort to understand it and do what it says! What you are going to do, do quickly, our Lord Jesus says to Judas. That is all that Lord Jesus said to Judas, That He later calls the Son of Destruction in chapter 13:18, 17:12, 6:70 and Ps 41:9 in His high priestly prayer. Judas betrayed Lord Jesus and fell away to fulfill the Scriptures and he stands as example of all those who will be lost despite the fact that they heard God’s Word and are very close and familiar with God and God’s Word, Lord Jesus did not pray for him Judas because the word of God Himself always come to pass. So Judas dies unredeemed, unprayed for, hanging himself guilt ridden in a field having sold out the Son of God for 30 pieces of silver. What happened to Peter? The one whom Lord Jesus prayed for? He did deny Lord Jesus 3 times, but his faith did not fail, and he did turn back returned to the Lord Jesus and then took the responsibility of strengthening his brothers and became the rock on which Christ built His Church, the mouthpiece at Pentecost and leading missionary journeys across the region. Both Men (Peter and Judas) betrayed Lord Jesus, but Lord Jesus only prayed for one of them Peter and Peter was redeemed and saved and restored back to the Lord and not lost and thus he Peter helped the Lord to strengthen the rest of his brethren’s faith in Lord Jesus. And we see the effect that it (Peter’s strengthening) had to the people of God. The hope we take in this strengthening is that Judas is the only one who will ever be lost. Today our Lord Jesus is interceding for every true believer in the same way He did for Peter many years ago. Read John 17 again and when you are acquainted with our Lord’s prayer then you will know falling into temptation does not mean you are lost because you still have a chance to repent and come back into the sheepfold of the our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the only place in Scripture that you are prayed for by Lord Jesus Himself. Then realize how crucial it is that Lord Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for His people. And now we have just covered the first verse in 1 John 2. This is going to be a long one. 1 John 2:2, “And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world.” So you see that Lord Jesus prayed for everybody in the world especially those who believe in His Name, which makes it very vital for us to know that true Belief in the Name of Lord Jesus is very important. The meaning of PROPITIATION is the act of gaining or regaining the favor or goodwill of someone or something. Propitiation means to Satisfy the wrath of God. So Lord Jesus has Satisfied the wrath of God for our sins. Not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world. Now this is a very important word to focus on that has been used in many meanings throughout the Bible. It can be used to represent the created physical world, every single person living in the world, all kinds of people, all that which is opposed to God this one is used later in this chapter, and so on. There are many different ways the word world is used in Scripture. This is why it is important for us to be attentive while reading our Bible so that we will know the different meaning of the use and application of words as explained in the verses! The most inconsistent one people like to read, this that our Lord God satisfied the wrath of God for the sins of every single person, man, woman and child living in the world. And that would be a great reading if it didn’t contradict so much Scripture in doing so. Firstly, if Lord Jesus death perfectly paid the price for every single person then every single person would go to heaven. Because every sin would be paid for, even the sin of unbelief. We look at passages like: John 17:9, “9I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You” When Lord Jesus is about to go to the cross, He is saying He is going for those that the Father has given Him, not everybody. A couple of these views of world could work here thou, but I’ll suggest reading it as all kinds of people. Jews and Gentiles. Men and women. Let’s look at another place where this word propitiation is used: Romans 3:25, “25 Whom God put forward [[a]before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.” We see here that there is a limit, a particular pattern used here. It is those who receive the propitiation by faith, having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God. We will even see particular pattern used throughout the rest of this chapter. We continue on. 1 John 2:3–6, “3 And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep (bear in mind, observe, practice) His teachings (precepts, commandments). 4 Whoever says, I know Him [I perceive, recognize, understand, and am acquainted with Him] but fails to keep and obey His commandments (teachings) is a liar, and the Truth [of the Gospel] is not in him. 5 But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him: 6 Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.” John here is just restating what Lord Jesus tells us, Lord Jesus says that if you love Me you will keep my commandments. John is saying that if you have any saving knowledge at all then you will keep His commandments. And if you do not then you are a liar. You don’t have the truth, you have not been illuminated by the Holy Spirit to walk this walk. But if you do, then the love that only comes from God is perfected, and you can know you are one of His precious elect. Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.

I want to give you guys an analogy so that hopefully you will start to get it. Let’s say that a personal baseball trainer has given each of His athletes a playco armboy that enables his athletes to throw a baseball 200mph. If you don’t know what that is, it is a contraption from regular show that gives the wearer super strength and it is usually concealed under a shirt. Everybody else has anchor arms from sponge bob. They are all show and no go because there is no real strength boost for sponge bob. Now here’s where it gets good, People with anchor arms claim that they can throw a baseball 200mph. So do the people with the playco armboy’s. But who will actually be able to throw the baseball 200 mph? The people who are actually the coaches athletes. In the same way, people that claim to be Christians and don’t walk the Christian life are not real Christians. They have not been born again. They don’t have the power of the Holy Spirit and intercessory prayer of Christ enabling them to live the Christian life. These people are in need of the true gospel. 1 John 2:7–8, “7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [the doctrine of salvation through Christ]. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness (moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light (the revelation of God in Christ) is already shining.” The old commandment is the word that you have heard, this word is the Gospel. The life death and resurrection and the command to repent and believe in this finished and perfect work. At the same time, there is a new commandment, it is new to them in that they have never heard it this way but it is none the less true in Christ and in them, believers. The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. With Christ’s atonement, the power of sin and death is defeated. It is passing away only to be finally abolished when Christ triumphantly returns. 1 John 2:9–11, “9 Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now. 10 Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin. 11 But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” Whoever says that he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. It does not matter if you say that you are in the light, you are in the darkness. This blinded by your hate and by your sin. You cannot hate a brother or sister in Christ and be a Christian. If Christ loved His Church and died for her, in spite of our failures and rebellion. You can love your fellow believer in spite of any wrong that they may have done to you. We must love because Christ first loved us. 1 John 2:12-17, “12 I am writing to you, little children, because for His name's sake your sins are forgiven [pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name]. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be aware of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]. I write to you, boys (lads), because you have come to know (recognize and be aware) of the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the Word of God is [always] abiding in you (in your hearts), and you have been victorious over the wicked one. 15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. 17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.” Children, fathers, and young men: In these couple of verses, John seems to directly address three audiences: the “dear children,” the “fathers,” and the “young men.” Most commentaries I’ve looked up seem to think that John is using them in a spiritual maturity sense, with the children being new believers and fathers being mature believers. What complicates things is that there is an overlap between the characteristics that John describes for each of the groups. He writes to the dear children because “[their] sins have been forgiven on account of His name”; wouldn’t this be true for the fathers and the young men as well? Another detail that seems to complicate things further is John’s use of the phrase “dear children” in the larger context of the letter. He always refers to the recipients as his “dear children.” Does that mean his letter is only addressed to the “dear children” he mentions in v. 12 and 14? That wouldn’t make sense, because he clearly addresses the other groups in this section as well. Yet another thing that complicates this section even further is that the “children” we read in v. 12 and 14 aren’t even the same word! The one in v. 12 is the Greek word teknion which means child as we know it – a small child. It’s also the one that’s used throughout the letter whenever John writes “dear children” (except in v. 18). The word used in v. 14 instead is paidion. I’m not super familiar with Greek so don’t quote me on this—but according to a couple of goggle search, the word seems to refer more to a child in a student-like position. This is sort of a side note, but another word we often translate into children is teknon (not teknion). This is the word that Paul often uses for “children of God” and it would probably be more accurately translated as “offspring.” Why John writes: Looking into the actual content of this section, John addresses each of the groups twice. What seems to be interesting is that John seems to repeat the “reason for writing” for each of the groups, except for the dear children. For the fathers, John writes “13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be aware of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]. I write to you, boys (lads), because you have come to know (recognize and be aware) of the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand) Him Who [has existed] from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the Word of God is [always] abiding in you (in your hearts), and you have been victorious over the wicked one.” (v. 13, 14), while for the young men, he writes “I am writing to you, young men, because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]. (v. 13, 14). It is important to note that while there are additional lines for the young men in v. 14, the larger idea seems to be the same—that they “because you have been victorious over the wicked [one]” The dear children that he addresses seems to instead portray two different ideas. The first one in v. 12 says that he is writing to them “12 I am writing to you, little children, because for His name's sake your sins are forgiven [pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name].” While the v. 14 one says that it is “because you have come to know (recognize, be conscious of, and understand)” I wonder if this is intentional and John is actually doing it to connect these two ideas, saying that they’re one and the same. It would follow after the pattern of the two other addressed groups with their repeated “reason for writing.” Maybe what John is trying to say is that “knowing the Father” equates to “having your sins forgiven on account of His name.” It would make sense as well, as in the gospel of John, this is what Lord Jesus has to say: John 14:7a, “7 If you had known Me [had learned to recognize Me], you would also have known My Father.”

To end off this sermon, we’re going to take a quick look at 1 John 2:15-17. Again, this is a direct follow up with what we’ve seen before. It’s the claim, but, correction format. The claim is a bit more implicit as it’s not directly stated, but the statements are very clear. • Claim: the Father’s love is in me (v. 15, “15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.”) • But: If anyone loves the world, the claim is not true (v. 15) • Therefore: do not love the things of the world but do the will of God (v. 17, “17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.”) Of course, quick disclaimer: John is not saying we have to hate everything in the world—he clarifies this in v. 16 where he refers to “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” He’s referring specifically to things that “do not come from the Father” (v. 16, “16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]”). That aside, what is the bigger focus of these couple of verses? Take a look at v. 17: “17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.” The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. If we read this and our conclusion is to start hating everything in the world, we’ve missed the point. It’s a call not to fall into sin, and v. 16 clarifies that. But the larger focus rests on that final verse: “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (v. 17). It’s not simply enough to not let ourselves fall into sin, but we must go even further, we must do the will of God. It is the people who do the will of God that will live forever. This is a call back to the themes we established early on. Throughout this entire letter, John stresses the importance of faith that is accompanied by obedience (and love), or as he says here, “doing the will of God.” As we finish these verses from 1 John 2:1-17, let us ask ourselves, what does doing the will of God look like for me right now? Maybe it’s getting back into your daily devotions. Maybe it’s trying to establish a daily routine of prayer. Maybe it’s reaching out to a brother or sister you haven’t seen in a couple of weeks (or months.) Maybe it’s even trying to get back on schedule for the P2C-Students blog series that you’d said you’d write. Maybe it’s all of the above. Or maybe you don’t even know yet. Whatever it is, let’s do it with the mindset that John has in that final verse—that the worldly things and desires that we love so much, good or bad, only last for a time. But, this work of God that we do let it lasts forever.