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I think you can hear me. You can hear me in the back. Yes. I'll try to speak a little louder. We, I have said, if you remember, that we were going to go for some of the cities to go for a speeder, and you might be wondering why the delay, but most of you will understand there's been some events, personally, my family, and also just events this last week out in Oklahoma, or from Wednesday to Friday, from the provincial council representing our diocese.
So we sort of delayed that beginning of that summer series will start next Sunday, not still until first year. But instead we've been going at least the last three weeks to John's first epistle.
of course, three weeks ago in first John chapter four, last week we were in first John chapter Today we're going to be in first John chapter two. We're kind of going backwards. But if you remember what I said last week, John repeats himself intentionally, not because he goes, die, and he's just doing what all the people do, but he's repeating himself intentionally be here, or because he's stressing the point, and he's intentionally belaboring the point.
And it may seem to you that these three weeks, I, as a preacher, he said, I'm belaboring the point as well. But it's intentionally, so keep that in mind, and do not disengagement, do not zoom out.
But it's also what the Apostle John, through the Holy Spirit, through the Holy Spirit, for us, as a sermon. One of the things that John is explaining, the point of his delivery, is that love, love is the thing that binds us together.
Love, is that as something as love with human together? Yes. Captain and Tennille. But, but if I didn't create that from Apostle John, when he's writing to the church, love is what shows that we belong to God, that we are his children.
And he's given us, in these last few sentences, I see answers to one of the most expensive questions things that any of us can ask.
How can I know that I truly belong to God? What is the most important traits of the Christian community? And remember again, I said in chapter 4, John rounded everything in the love of God.
God is love, he said to us. And he showed us that the proof that we have come to know him, that it's God, is that we love one another for his perfect love.
What does God's perfect love do? It drives out fear. It drives out even our fear. The fear that keeps us from loving. And last Sunday, chapter 3, John pressed that love down into the ordinary, everyday life of the believer.
Love not in word, in his soul, in his altar. Love not in word or talk alone. But we should love in deed and in truth.
The kind of love that gives us confidence before God. That's the kind of love that calls us to do. And this morning, when we turn back to chapter 2, to the foundation of those early chapters that we've gone through.
Here, John sets out the very text about which true fellowship with God may be known. He says, first, we have, sorry, in the early few, if we have the same apostle speaking to us, truly the same Holy Spirit, speaking the same message, running through the whole letter.
He says, You are truly God. Walk as Jesus walked. So, that's what he wants us to see. To truly know God is to walk as Jesus walked.
So, if we come to chapter 2, verse 3 to 14. I think that's on page 12 and 11 in the European Bible. Right there, or 14 in the European Bible.
You might need to open it along. As we come to these verses this morning, we're not hearing something new. We're just going deeper. That's what Paul wants us to do. He's repeating himself when he wants us to go deeper.
And we're going deeper to the roots beneath the fruit of love. Now, we've already been tasting this last two weeks. This week, John exposes the liars.
And he wants to give the people of God assurance that by ending us the second and third markers of the true fellowship, he will give us an assurance that we are truly in Christ and we will look in.
He gives the test of obedience in these verses. And he gives the test of love. And these truths, the test of obedience and the test of love, are the markers of those who are in the light and those who are against those who are in the darkness.
Remember what John was saying. God is the light. And in Him, there is no one, no darkness at all. So only those who walk in the light have a true claim to fellowship with God.
And so in verse 3-6 of chapter 2, he gives us this test of obedience. John writes against his tantrum peace. The language you can use to describe it as hypocrites.
Hypocrites, people who put masks on. The act is masquerading at followers of Jesus while they remain in darkness in reality. And he says, we have a high knowledge.
I mean, those people say, right? Those people say, we have a high knowledge that gives us a deeper intimacy with God. They pretend to be in the light, but they are actually in darkness.
And they claim the greater knowledge and the greater intimacy with God. They claim that we have the high gifts that show our spiritual superiority. And to all of these claims, that's actually what's going on in church in Ephesus as John writes to them.
Those who may be these claims, John said, the sign of knowing God, of true intimacy with God, is not the spirit in their lives. And what is the sign that John says is the sign of true intimacy with God?
Obedience. Obedience. Jesus says in John 14 verse 15, If you love me, you will obey what I command.
It's not spiritual greatness. It's not deeper knowledge that shows intimacy with God.
It's obedience. Obedience. Right world, assistance, obedience to His word. That's why the Apostle then writes, this is how we know that we have come to know Him.
If we keep His commandments. Obedience is a mark that Jesus is Lord over our lives in practice and under the theory.
Obedience is walking the walk, not just talking the talk. But obedience is out of vogue and outdated. As it seems to be among some of the people in the churches around the country.
It's more common today to hear people say, I feel the Holy Spirit saying this or that to me. Or, I sit in my heart by saying this or that.
While completely sidestep me. God's clear command in the Bible. Not even people here. Some may say, I'm going to go out with that girl.
Who's not a Christian? Sidestep me. God's clear command in the Bible.
Not even people here. Some may say, I'm going to move in with that boy or girl before we get married. I feel God's blessing in my heart about me.
I feel peace about me. Sidestep me. God's clear instruction in the Bible. Some may say, I feel God saying, I should leave my family.
To be with that other woman because we love each other. And God is love after all. Sidestep me. God's clear instruction in the Bible.
God's objective word in all the scripture runs directly. Turn to what we pray. He's saying in our hearts. When Jesus says, do not be a miracle to you, or could an unbeliever.
We choose to ignore that. When he says, keep the marriage fair pure and undeviled. We choose to ignore that. And we say we know him. We say we belong to him.
And yet, we ignore with both ignorance of his clear commandment in the Bible. Whoever says I know him, John tells us.
But not that does not keep his commandments. He's a liar. We do not have words as a prophet. And John says the truth. That is the truth of God.
It is not in such a precedent. The phrase there, does not keep, describes an ongoing disobedience.
The disobedience that says that this sin doesn't matter. It does not describe as somebody who is stumbling, who sins. But somebody who is ongoing, obstinate, pursuing unrepentance and disobedience.
Instead of turning back, confessing it and receiving God's forgiveness and repenting. And that's what he describes. So, when John says, God is not in such a precedent. He describes somebody that is living in an ongoing disobedience.
The kind of person that says that sin doesn't matter. The kind of person that streaks their sin under the rock. Or the kind of community of believers who streaks sins under the rock.
Or that says, it isn't a sin at all, giving evil sin. They may say something like this. I was made this way. And God loves me. And wants me to be happy.
Even when what is being embraced is a clear contradiction of God's revealed word. John is not saying that those who know God will need you.
And those who know God will lead perfect lives and never disobey. That's not what he is saying. But what he is saying is that there will be people who do not excuse the sin in their lives.
Who do not call evil good and good evil. Those who know God will be ruled by God's word. They will let the life of His word be healed and rule out the sin in their lives.
They will confess it. They will ask God's help to be free from it. Those are the people described in verse 5. Where the peace is worth. In Him, truly the love of God is perfected.
By this we know that we are in Him. How do you know you are in love? When you recognize your sin?
And you go and ignore it? When you sorrow over it and you come to God asking for forgiveness? Asking for repentance? Asking for forgiveness and assistance to keep you accountable?
So that you can continue to follow and resemble Christ? That is asking for you. And you are in love. Only those who obey God's command will escape Him and affect the relationship with Him.
And God's love, John tells us, is perfected. That is, made complete in such a person. Now, we are going to be careful with what John means by perfecting you.
John is not speaking of God's love for believers. He is not saying God is in love for you who are perfected. Because His love for us is already perfected. In the Son.
When God the Father looses you, He looses upon you with perfect love. Our ability, our inability to keep His love perfectly, does not make Him love us small or less.
God does not grade us at the scale of our obedience. That is a concrete thing. Not good evening. No. At least for me it is.
He grits us rather than the seal of Jesus' perfect obedience. So, I think John should be speaking here when it says God's love with respect of our love of God.
As we continue to obey Him. Our love for Him grows as we walk in obedience to His word. And we are, as we are ever more conforming to Jesus.
Walking in the same way in which you walk. As John says it in verse 6. As we abide, that is remaining in His word. God's love.
His love. Will continue to be perfected in us. We will love Him better. We will love Him more dearly. We will be closer to Him.
There will be great intimacy. John says the sign of that greater, deeper, growing love of God from us is to our continual obeying God.
John reminds us in verse 7 and 8 that to walk the way God walked is what we have been called to from the start. Beloved, He says to the church then and He says to the church now.
This is what you have been called to. Ever since you will fall from death to life. You will fall from the moment you receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. The love spoken of here is not really a new commandment.
John wants us to know. In both the Old Testament, by John the Leviticus 19 verse 18. And in the name, the law is summed up. Out.
Right? We said it in the summary below this one. The law of God, the whole law of God is summed up. By us loving God with all our hearts, all our soul and all our mind.
And loving our neighbor, not our self. That is the summary of the law and the prophets.
It is an old commandment, the Old Testament reminded us. It is from the beginning. You heard it from the moment you received the gospel. It is also, in verse 8, it is also a new commandment.
How can they be both old and new? How can Jesus give us the answer in verse 13 verse 34 where He himself calls us? Where He himself calls this commandment a new commandment. He says, a new commandment I give you.
Love one another just as I have loved you. You also are to love one another. That is what John Paul recalls in verse 8 when he says, It is also a new commandment.
In Jesus Christ, this old commandment that is written in the beginning of the 19th, In Jesus Christ, that old commandment had now been renewed. Because He alone fully obeyed the command to love God, to love neighbor.
And He showed us, in Him He shows us how we ought to do it. In a self-sacrificial way. So, He perfectly models love of neighbor by laying out his very life for us.
And then, through his sacrifice, He makes a pact by which we really begin to love God, and neighbor rightly. In the Bible, it is about the same.
So, I can't help but think of how this is modeled in God's instructions for us in the Bible.
Love your neighbor as yourself. Practicing your neighbor is the person next door. Who is your closest neighbor? Yes, your wife.
Yeah. Modeled by Christ. Christ perfectly models this. Love is right in church.
To God is, we are all to do the same. Lord God is the closest neighbor. Christ loves the church. So, obedience to this is in the ministry of God.
And Christ, by showing us effectively covenant through His death on the cross, He makes it possible for us to love God with our minds, by writing the law in our hearts, He is the light.
God has made His light shine in our hearts, in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. It is a new commandment because through Christ, we are actually being empowered to obey and to keep Him.
This is why I can say, dear ones, this new commandment is true in Him. Yes, we know that for the years without sin. Christ is without sin. But here is the second, the second true that John also talks about.
It is true in you too. If you are in Christ, this commandment is true in you too. We, the church, we live in that era where the true light is already shining.
Jesus, the true light has dawned and is coming in the flesh into the world. He shines now through the gathering of believers. He shines in you. You bear the light of Christ.
He shines in you and through you. And the light you reach the Lord and the prophets of Bilius shadow is not pointed through you to the world around.
This is the Christ in the world, the Lord of God is perfectly fulfilled. His light shines on us and the darkness cannot open us.
Because He has defeated the darkness. Now all we do at the church is we await the full eradication of darkness. The consummation of this kingdom of love that we already bear in us and among us.
So we are called to live in that light. Do not reach for the shadows. Live in the light. Verse 9 to 11, Apostogen gives us this test of love.
In the meantime, as God's light shines in us, Even though we are jars of clay. Even though we stumble and fall. We still walk and act against sin.
Yet it surpasses power. It's shown in us. And as that happens, How do we know that we have this light within us? How do we choose to know what is the test? John gives us the proof in verse 9 to 11.
At the same time, He shows us how to identify the counterfeit in the church. He says in verse 9, And whoever says He is in the light that He hates His brother, He is still in what?
He is darkness. Hate may seem like a very severe word. It might be easy to say, Well, I don't hate anyone. Maybe I have a strong dislike.
But I wouldn't call it hate. Well, um, um, Dear gentlemen, in English department, Um, um, Emily priests offer that help to come into.
He knows that some Christians think through true, Mature spirituality is found in being, And medically sealed off from other people. Do you know some people?
True spirituality, True mature Christianity is being sealed off from other people. A spiritual record, If not a spiritual one.
Right? They are not actually monks of the opening days when they live in Monterey, But there is a progress. But in their hearts, In their minds, In their emotions, They are closed up from others within the body of Christ.
They may come on Sunday mornings, But they don't share their lives with anyone. They don't open their lives with anyone. A spiritual record. And maybe even though I think that's a sign of Mature spirituality.
Imagine that in this way, They are saved from the inflection of those who may not believe us from me, Or as purely as they imagine themselves to be. But it seems to me, It is quite easy to be such a Christian.
A Christian that seals himself off. To be what another punitive calls. A selfish religionist. Who says, Who says he, Who, He should become more stupid by closing this up to others.
That's how this, this, this, um, How come it to describe it. It's easy to live that kind of person. But it is by sympathy and brotherhood, That the fire of personal Christianity is sent.
It is by coming close to one another. It is by living life together. That we grow in Christendority. In other words, The hatred described in verse 9, Need not be an active desire to harm.
Or to hate. It may just be a mere lack of active, A mere lack of active positive love for others. Removing yourself from others.
But sealing yourself away from others. The truth says, You will hate your brother or your sister. And you are walking with darkness.
So what is the proof, the test, That we are in the light, And have not wanted it to darkness. It is loving your brother and sister in the family of God. It is opening yourself up to them.
Confessing your sins to one another. Reason one another. Praying for one another. It is, that's what it looks like.
It is loving yourself. It resembles Christ's love for us. It is self-giving, self-sacrificial love. It is coming near. Having a ministry of presence.
Resembling our Lord. He didn't love us from a fall. But came near. To us. To all our burdens upon Himself.
He carried our shame. That's what it looks like. That family of God as well. Being in one another's friends. And I don't want you to panic.
When we say this is what true Christian love looks like. The greatest enemy of real love will come. What is the greatest enemy of true Christian love?
It is the kind of love we call my popular ex-souls. The greatest enemy of true Christian love is self-love. You hear it all the time don't you?
Self-love. It is a virtue today. But self-love is a given. What does Jesus say to us? Love your neighbor as what?
It is already a given that you love yourself. It is not something you have to actually work towards. And so it is. And some of the times self-love is the enemy of true love.
Because what is self-love? It is what I can not get. And what can I gain. And what can you give. It is never. I can not serve. But brothers and sisters. We are honored to ourselves. Self-love comes. All too easily in our holy nature. But we.
We are the new creation. And if we abide in the light. The holy spirit will be the enemy. It is never. It is never. Up next earth. The holy spirit will be the enemy. The loving that. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy.
And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. And I can't be the enemy. all too easily in our holy nature. But we, we are the new creation.
Give it in your hearts. And if we abide in the light, the Holy Spirit will continue to do what? To enable us to love as Christ is. He is the one who empowers us to love and adapt to love.
Self-giving. Light and love go together. You cannot separate them. That's what God wants us to see. As you will feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit through His work as His life is shown into your hearts.
Driving you to repentance and to seek forgiveness to one another. And as that happens, you ask God on this way as He sheds His right and broad to also increase your love that you may be giving to one another as well.
But John says, if you hate your brother, you are in darkness. You are not in color to be a doctor. And to say you are not in color to be a doctor, you are not in color to be a triumphant father, father, son, and holy spirit.
And in darkness, it is all too easy to stumble. Isn't it? The Greek word used for stumble there is standalone. From which we get our word scandal. It means to cause harm to a person.
Or even to cause central core into harm. And you can claim knowledge of blood even history to history. You can say, I know my Bible from front to back.
You can be well-versed in systematic historical theology when you can still be a standard. You can still be walking in darkness. You can be able to love to the God.
You can be able to obey a person for more things. You can be able to love and appreciate. Let's try to get even more practice this morning. John is saying that the light of God is the light of love.
Shining among those who abide in Christ. And he's saying to us that it turns into a place where God's light can be seen in the midst of this world's darkness.
If you actually feel like to see here is where the light of God shines in the midst of the world's darkness.
Not only in this world's darkness but in you should go up into the world. Jesus himself says I list everyone who knows that you are my disciples if you love one another we do not always be my disciples that we pray the sins of our Lord.
So if that is true what then does the world see when it reads us here at Holy Trinity? What does the world the world around it read? What does the world see when it reads you out in the world at your workplace with your underrated family and friends?
Do they see the light of Christ to your selfless love of neighbor? Do they even observe that love here among us towards one another?
For all of us who claim intimacy with God John says if you are not in the light then your claim is false and you are alive. Notice what John has done in these verses.
If we are to know whether the new commandment is in us whether we are indeed in the light and not in darkness if we are to know that truly we need one another.
I know it may feel a little awkward but it takes too much of a sentence I've actually been a few more. Look at the person to your right to your left look at them right there.
Okay, you may stop. God has given these people around you God has given them to you and God has given you to them so that even His sway is light and His glory in you as you love one another.
They are a gift to you and you will give to them from God and from His servant. Now how am I going to love that person? Next week behind me in front of me.
How? First by being here by being present by living in and with God's people you cannot love in the distance.
Love is an embodied thing. You need proximity in order to show love. And so the first thing you need to do is to participate in the life of the church in the life of your brother and sister to seek their well-being to ask after them when they are not here.
There are some there are community not here there are some people ask after them give them a call shoot them a text that's the first of proximity in love the first thing around you need present and what are discriminates in this world we don't have that here do you?
We're so holy and so perfect that we never discriminates just tell us what are discriminates in this world they will happen even when we dwell in the light there will be discriminated in this world the old self still tracking about in all of us but the new self the new creature that we've been made into is who we truly are so when there is disagreement what do we do?
Are we loved? We display the love of Christ by actively seeking reconciliation by refusing to harbor hatred and resentment in our hearts towards one another actively seeking reconciliation not saying I'm going to sit around and wait for him to be like there are his ways and continue no if you're going to run back by the other sister actively seeking reconciliation looks like going to them saying how was right telling them so that they can be reckoned and say if you're the one who's wrong then they're like asking about how to give this and then go into your brother's sister and say I am wrong you at least you give you and living in the life of Christ means that we freely freely forgive one another this is how we know we are in fellowship of the life by doing that Jesus says obeying is tremendous by loving one another this is the true test of first in faith obedience and love if we are honest if we are honest we struggle with this all the time don't we
I do because we do neither of these things perfectly we do not obey perfectly we do not love perfectly sometimes we don't even do it well we sin against God and Israel all the time that is why the old apostle's words beginning in verse 12 he heard listen to his assurance in verse 12 he says what I am writing to you religious children because your sins are forgiven for his name is sick I am writing to you fathers because you know him who is from the beginning I am writing to you young men because you are going to come be born so here is the assurance of God even as you salt in without school follow after him even as you don't obey perfectly and you don't love perfectly here is assurance that you are already loved perfectly amen true Christ and here is the warning you will love unconditionally that is the promise and the assurance the assurance of your salvation is that you said forgiven because of
Jesus right you know him Jesus who is from the beginning you are intelligent with him and in him you will overcome the evil one even the evil one that rages in your heart and in your mind sometimes you will overcome in Christ Jesus the darkness is fading away be encouraged you are in the light I write to you children because you know the father I write to you fathers because you know him who is from the beginning I will write to you young men because you are strong and the word of God applies with you and you overcome the evil you might see that young in his suffering but he wants to send us of our assurance in Christ that we live in obedience and love that is what is happening knowing the change and the second half the first half he says you is past tense the second is present sorry the first half is present the second is past tense and he saved you and right to give you confidence in your salvation that is already secured and finished but I'm also writing to assure you that as you walk in that saving field you will be a love from this point
I'm going to view this this aspect that you are making you he wants to know that our sins are forgiven in Christ he wants us to know that we have known by him from the beginning that we are the old pastor of the word of God he wants us to know what the evil want the devil that we are strong stronger than we love stronger than we may he wants us to know that the word of God bides in us we are no longer the devil we are free victory is yours so do not give up or give ground to the fading darkness rather spread the love of light and light of Christ as you abide in the light in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen