Purify in Hope
Notes
Transcript
1 John 3:1-7
1 John 3:1-7
3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
1 John 1:7
1 John 1:7
From Easter through to Pentecost we are visiting 1 John. Last week our reading came from 1 John 1 - and I highlighted 1 John 1:7 -
7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
A reminder to us to:
1 - Turn the light on
2 - Have fellowship
3 - Be cleansed from sin
1 - Turn the light on
2 - Have fellowship
3 - Be cleansed from sin
Turn the light on: Pay attention to Jesus. Let Jesus be the benchmark by which you understand your faith. Follow Jesus, pray to Jesus, see the world through his eyes.
Have fellowship: Koinonia fellowship is not just friendship - it is partnership toward a specific purpose - the purpose following Jesus.
Be cleansed from sin: On one hand - don’t deny that you’re a sinner. On the other hand - receive this good news. Jesus can take away our sins.
This week we jump a chapter and go to 1 John 3:1-7 - and the key verse is 1 John 3:3
3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
But before we dig in to that I just want to give some background to the author of the book we’re reading and talking a bit about why he was writing.
John the Elder
John the Elder
Traditionally the author is held to be John the elder.
The same person who wrote the gospel of John - you notice that the language is quite similar.
An interesting thing about this John - the son of Zebedee - is how far he was from home. He had lived in Jerusalem - but around 67AD - before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans - he moved to Ephesus.
To give you an idea of where Ephesus is - it is on the Western side of modern Turkey.
So John is writing pastoral letters to churches in Ephesus - and probably exercising his ministry there.
And I’m guessing its not the easiest thing.
He is getting older.
He is one of the original apostles.
As 1 John 1:1 says:
1 We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
John is not passing on second hand information. He is an eye witness to the person and life of Jesus.
The words on the pages of our Bibles are words that someone who actually met Jesus, touched Jesus - ate with Jesus - wrote.
Someone who witnessed the healings - the resurrection - the exorcisms - the crucifixion.
One of Jesus’ original disciples.
Now ministering in a foreign place - in Ephesus. And its probably not the easiest thing to do.
He preaches and leads worship in a second language. In a foreign culture.
Not only is he an original witness of Jesus - in his writing he talks about Jesus a lot - and repeats a lot of what Jesus said - especially in the final speech of John’s gospel.
Even with John the Elder as their pastor - some are breaking away from the church and starting their own movements:
False Preachers
False Preachers
John writes:
1 John 2:18–19 (NRSV)
18 …so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us.
Anti-Christs
Anti-Christs
When we hear the word ‘antichrist’ we imagine something from the movies. A scary looking beast popping out of the sea and breathing fire.
But for John these ‘antichrists’ aren’t that.
They are preachers who have strayed from the message they first heard - about Jesus.
And become more interested I think in other ideas.
Jesus is difficult.
It would be easier to preach about something other than Jesus - maybe not look at Jesus and his teaching so much.
You often see people complaining that we should put Christ back in Christmas. But sometimes we need to put Christ back in Christianity - as we consider what it would mean to be more Christ like in our Christianity.
So - John seems to be talking about putting Christ back…
Put Christ Back in Christianity
Put Christ Back in Christianity
So John seems to intentionally remind us of a few Jesus central things… One of them - is that Jesus is a solution to our sin. And therefore - if we have a solution we should be more confident to face the problem.
An honest take on sin.
It is a reminder to us that we’re not as perfect as we’d like to pretend:
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
And 1 John 2:1-2
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;
2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
It is tempting to ignore our sin. It is so tempting to pretend that we’re ok just as we are - it is tempting to forget to check ourselves when we speak or act - or respond to our own desires.
But if I am honest about my sin - maybe I’ll be a bit more humble when I speak.
What is motivating me? My sin?
Before I act - what is motivating me? My sin?
Before I react - or post on Facebook? What has my sin got to do with this?
I might think I’m wonderful - but I’m not - and I can be OK with that because Jesus offers a solution to my sin.
More than our sin - John emphasises the solution to our sin:
9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Revision :)
Revision :)
John has reminded us to walk in the light of Jesus - to enter into fellowship - and to allow Jesus to cleanse us of our sin.
John is most likely an original disciple of Jesus - someone who touched his hands and saw his resurrection. That is who is writing these simple - and sometimes confusing words.
He is addressing a church wehre people have turned away from Christ - probably because Christ is a bit challenging.
But if we focus on Jesus we can be honest about our sin - because Jesus can take away our sins away - restoring us to God - making us ‘God’s Children’.
1 John 3:1-3
1 John 3:1-3
So what about that verse about purifying?
3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Well - we have to keep the rest of the book in mind… Focus on Jesus - working towards being more christ like. It is difficult. But Jesus makes it possible. And here we get to chapter 3:
First - we are God’s Children…
1 John 3:1 (NRSV)
1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.
As you read 1 John maybe you get overwhelmed by all the information and the many profound things he says.
You get so overwhelmed that when you get to this simple thing you don’t know what to do with it.
It is one of those verses where you should stop and be silent for a bit.
I love my children quite a lot.
And I love other people’s children too.
But I’m not sure I love any of them enough to call them my own.
You might say — O I love Gus like he was my own son :) But that would be quite a lot of love - I’d feel awkward.
But God has loved you with that sort of love -
…that you should be called children of God.
Second…
1 John 3:2 (NRSV)
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed.
John continues to remind us - ‘We are God’s children’ - but he also reminds us that there is room for improvement…
What we will be has not yet been revealed.
Don’t give up on yourself… God’s not finished with you yet.
1 John 3:2 (NRSV)
2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.
One thing that I haven’t mentioned from 1 John is how John expected the return of Jesus at any minute. Now 2000 something years later we’re not as expectant - but we need Jesus to come soon.
But John anticipated something that we also see in 1 Corinthians 15:52
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
And 1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 John 3:2 (NRSV)
2 …when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.
And I think this is the hope that 1 John 3:3 is talking about:
Purify in Hope
Purify in Hope
3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
The hope we have is the promise of seeing Christ - and being transformed into Christlike. The hope we have is the fulfilment of this promise - we are God’s children.
With realising that God loves you so much that you’ve become his child - with the promise that you will become Christlike is a new areaness that your not just a nobody.
You’re a somebody.
And like you do when guests are coming you start to clean up your life…
What do you do?
Well - verses 4-7 remind us that we stop sinning - we do what is right.
Thats not that easy - I’m good at sinning -
Well let me purify…
Back to 1 John 1:7 -
7 but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Turn on the Light (Walk in the Light)
Have Fellowship (Koinonia / Accountability)
Let Jesus Cleanse us (Blood of Jesus)