Alright, so we're reading from 1 John chapter 2 starting at verse 28 through to 310.
And now little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence
and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness
has been born of him.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God
and so we are.
The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared, but what
we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness.
Sin is lawlessness.
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins and in him there is no sin.
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning.
No one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Little children, let no one deceive you.
Whoever practices righteousness is righteous as he is righteous.
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil.
For the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning.
But God's seed abides in him and he cannot keep on sinning.
Because he has been born of God.
By this it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil.
Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God.
Nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Well good morning everyone.
Why don't we pray and ask God to help us as we meditate on his word this morning.
Heavenly Father please prepare our hearts to receive your word this morning.
Remove every distraction from our minds.
And please give us true thoughts.
Thoughts that will encourage and strengthen us in our faith.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
Well in the last couple of years my wife Jen has gone into gardening in a big way.
Some of you know this because she probably talks to you about her garden constantly.
And in fact the owner of an online business last year told Jen that she, this is a business selling seeds and tubers and the like.
Last year told Jen that she is her best customer.
I mean I don't know, I probably should feel a bit worried about that.
But our backyard is slowly being transformed.
So garden beds have gone in and lawn is disappearing.
The clothesline is under siege.
Like it is being besieged by garden beds and there are threats that it needs to be moved to a shadier part of the yard.
Because apparently flowers need sun more than laundry does.
I don't really get it.
For now there's sort of a line of demarcation at the 17th parallel.
Where you know the gardens, sort of a truce has been established, a temporary truce.
Garden beds are to the north and lawn to the south.
But I think the garden beds will start making incursions across that boundary soon.
It's, I mean, you look at our backyard and actually over summer there's been sort of splashes of colour everywhere from flowers.
But probably more green than other colours.
I think it's been a bad season apparently.
So she tells me.
But anyway, in any case, you look at our backyard and it tells a story, right?
The transformation of our backyard tells a story.
A gardener lives here.
Likewise, the transformation that takes place in the life of a Christian tells a story.
God lives here.
For any who are here this morning who are undecided about whether or not you want to be a Christian,
I hope you see in this passage some reasons why it's good.
And for those here today, many of us who are Christians already, who are believers,
well, you probably already know in theory that God's spirit is transforming you.
But sometimes we forget that, don't we?
Sometimes the change is so slow.
Sometimes it's punctuated by so many reversals that we begin to despair.
Is God really transforming me?
Well, this passage is given to encourage us.
In God's word today, we see three realities that utterly transform those who trust in Jesus.
Three realities that utterly transform those who trust in Jesus.
The reality of who you are, the reality of what you will be, and the reality of what Christ has done.
And we find those three realities in chapter 3, verses 1 to 6.
And that's where we're going to start.
And then afterwards, we're going to look just before and after those verses, the frame,
which kind of tells us why John was teaching us these things.
But first, we're going to occupy our minds with chapter 3, verses 1 to 6,
and those three life-transforming realities.
Now, I just want to say to the young people who are here today,
so if you're at school, young people here today,
if you can work out what these three things are and remember them,
come and tell me afterwards and I'll give you...
Well, actually, I won't give you a lolly because that's Don's...
I don't want to sort of tread on Don's territory.
I'll give you a high five, right?
So these are the three things to look out for.
Who are you?
What will you one day be?
And what has Christ done?
They're the three things I'm trying to remember, okay?
All right, first, the reality of who you are.
Look at chapter 2, verse 29.
Chapter 2, verse 29.
If you know that he is righteous,
you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness
has been born of him.
See what kind of love the Father has given to us
that we should be called children of God
and so we are.
The reason why the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Here, the word of God invites us to marvel
at the highest privilege of the Christian.
You know, think of what we might have been called.
We might have been called God's enemies.
Indeed, Romans chapter 5, verse 10 says
that we were God's enemies.
But no longer.
It's not God's pleasure or will
that we should be called his enemies.
We might be called God's creatures
and we are his creatures.
He's the maker.
We're his handiwork.
He's the potter.
We're the clay.
But it's not God's desire
that we should only be called his creatures.
We might be called God's servants
and we are.
He is the Lord.
It's his to command.
It's ours to obey.
It's his to lead.
It's ours to follow.
But it wasn't God's delight
that we should only be called his servants.
We might be called God's people
and we are.
Indeed, the Old Testament rarely reaches higher than that.
It's the goal of the promise to the patriarchs,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
It's the goal of the covenant established with Abraham
and established at Sinai, the Old Covenant,
that he should be our God and we should be his people.
But even that wasn't sufficient for the joy of God.
God's will and pleasure and delight and joy is that we should be called his children
and that we might call him our father.
And when God calls us his children,
it's no mere label awkwardly placed where it doesn't really belong.
So verse 1 says,
see what kind of love the father has given us
that we should be called children of God
and so we are.
The so we are there doesn't mean
so we are called his children.
It means so we are his children.
God calls us his children because we are his children.
Now this most profound and wondrous truth about you
is something the world can't perceive and can't comprehend.
See, the world does not know us, verse 1 says.
It can only be perceived by those who know God.
Because the world doesn't know God,
it doesn't recognise us.
It can't recognise us as God's children
because it doesn't recognise who God is.
But we know it because God promises it to us in the word.
For us, this honour,
for us, this place of security and privilege
privilege and intimate access,
we are God's children.
There's a famous series of photographs
of John F. Kennedy
when he's American president
and he's in the Oval Office
working at the desk,
the resolute desk.
Apparently that's what the president's desk is called.
That's a good name for a desk.
But he's in the Oval Office
at the president's desk
and there,
playing at his feet,
hiding under the desk,
is his son,
John Jr.
You know,
such is God the Father.
Such we are, rather,
to God the Father.
We are scions of the great king.
We are the cherished toddlers
of the emperor of heaven and earth.
What love is this?
What grace beyond measure?
May we never tire of hearing it.
Bilquis Sheath
was a prominent Pakistani Muslim woman
who became a Christian
on Christmas Eve 1966
and she went on to be an evangelist.
And she wrote a book
sharing her testimony
of how she became a Christian,
an autobiography,
and she called that book,
the title she gave it is,
I Dared to Call Him Father.
It's a privilege
she had never previously known.
Now, in some other parts
of the New Testament,
for example,
Paul's epistles,
we are God's children
by adoption.
He adopts us as his children.
Here, however,
in 1 John,
we are God's children
by birth,
by new birth.
We are,
verse 28,
born of him.
Sorry,
verse 29,
we are born of him.
And this new birth
is for all
who belong to Jesus.
As it says in John chapter 1,
John's Gospel,
that is,
chapter 1,
verses 12 and 13,
but to all who did receive him,
who believed in his name,
he gave the right
to become children of God,
who were born,
not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man,
but born of God.
For all who believe in Jesus,
this is the reality
of who you are.
You are a child of God.
And the further point
God's word makes here
is that this is a reality
which transforms you.
Look at verse 29 again.
If you know that he is righteous,
you may be sure
that everyone who practices righteousness
has been born of him.
See, there's a family likeness
which cannot but pass down
from the father to his children.
By nature and by nurture,
by genetics and by unconscious imitation,
children come to resemble their parents.
You know,
we see that in our earthly children.
I see it in my children.
Sometimes I wish I didn't.
But there's nothing to be regretted
in the family likeness
that passes from God the father
to the children who are born of him.
For that family likeness
is his righteousness.
If we know he is righteous,
you may be sure that
everyone who practices righteousness
has been born of him.
Once we're born again
as God's children,
it is inevitable
that we will come
to resemble our father.
If he's righteous,
then we shall learn
to do what's right.
You see that same idea
in chapter 3 verse 9.
Chapter 3 verse 9.
No one born of God
makes a practice of sinning
for God's seed abides in him
and he cannot keep on sinning
because he has been born of God.
Now on an initial reading,
I find that unsettling.
If I take just chapter 3 verse 9
out of context,
it doesn't comfort me,
it alarms me,
it terrifies me.
For I still do sin.
So does that mean
I'm not a child of God?
Does even a single sin
post-conversion
disqualify me
as one of God's children?
If that's the case,
then I would live
in a state of constant anxiety
and insecurity
and despair.
But in the context
of John's epistle here,
that can't be what it means
because back in chapter 1
verses 8 and 10,
and you can look at those
with me if you like,
chapter 1 verse 8 and 10,
John writes,
if we say we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins,
he's faithful and just
to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned,
we make him a liar
and his word is not in us.
So those verses in chapter 1
say both that all of us
have both a principle of sin
dwelling in us still,
as well as specific sins.
sins of which we're guilty.
So none of us are sinless
and perfect yet.
So if here in chapter 3
John isn't claiming
that the Christian
is already sinless,
then what is he saying?
He's talking about
what is the defining reality
of your life,
the defining quality
of your life,
your central
and controlling disposition.
And if you're a child of God,
and you are,
if you believe in Jesus,
if you're a child of God,
then sin will not define you.
Those God makes his children
in name,
he must also make his children
in nature.
He cannot
and will not
leave you as you are.
He takes us
from the house of sin
and we are born again
into the house
of his righteousness
with the stamp
of our Father's nature
upon us.
This then
is the first reality
that
utterly transforms
us.
The reality
of who we are.
We are children
of a righteous Father.
The second
reality
that transforms
all who trust
in Jesus
is the reality
of what you will be.
The reality
of what you will be.
Look at chapter 3
verses 2 and 3.
Beloved,
we are God's children
now
and what we will be
has not yet
appeared.
But we know
that when he appears
we will be like him
because we shall see him
as he is.
And everyone
who thus hopes
in him
purifies himself
as he is pure.
In verse 2
you'll see
there's a shift.
There's a shift
from talking about
what we already are
now we are
God's children
what we already are
to talking about
what we will
one day
be.
What we will be
has not yet
appeared
it says.
That is
what we will be
has not yet
been made manifest.
It's not yet
been revealed.
It's not yet
been made known.
Now certainly
it's not yet
been made known
to the world.
Now as you
walk down the street
or go to
Stockland,
Glendale
or
Westfield,
Qatar
or whatever it is
you shop
and walk through
the shopping centre
through Woolies,
you know
people aren't
they don't
stop and marvel
at you
as you walk
by and go
wow
this person
is an everlasting
splendour
to borrow a phrase
from C.S. Lewis.
I mean people
it's not yet revealed
what you will be
right
to the world
but
it's not even yet
fully revealed
to us.
It's not even
yet fully made
known to us
what we will be.
Do you know
you who are
mortal
what it will be
like when you're
clothed in
immortality?
Do you know
you with your
perishable body
what it will be
like when you
are raised
imperishable?
Do you
sown in
dishonour?
No
what it will
be when you
are raised
in glory?
There's a song
by Mercy Me
I Can Only
Imagine.
Do you know
the song?
It starts
like this
I can only
imagine
what it will
be like
and so it
is.
Now we can
imagine it
but we don't
fully see it
yet.
but one
thing we do
know
we know
that when
Christ
appears
we shall
be like
him
because we
shall see
him as he
is.
Is he
full of
compassion?
Then so
too will we
be.
Is he
gentle?
Then all
harshness will
flee from
us.
Is he
kind?
Then we
will outshine
Mother Teresa.
When we
see Jesus
as he
truly is
that vision
of his
infinite
glory and
goodness
will change
us in an
instant.
Because we
humans we're
worshipping
creatures.
We can't
help but find
things to
worship.
We're driven
by delight.
We lock
on to
things we
perceive as
good and
we pursue
them.
In the
garden Satan
deceived Eve
to sin
or rather
Satan
enticed
Eve to
sin by
deceiving
her.
By deceiving
her such
that she
came to
see the
world in
a different
place.
she came
to desire
the fruit
that God
had forbidden
to perceive
as good
what in
reality was
evil.
That's the
same with
us.
When we
sin it's
because we've
been seduced
by some
counterfeit
vision of
what is
good.
So you
tell a
lie.
Why do
you tell
a lie?
Because you
desire to
preserve your
reputation.
You want to
avoid embarrassment.
So you
lie about
something.
In that
moment you
can't see
that a
good name
is not
a good
name if
it's
false.
And your
disordered
desire leads
you to
sin.
Or you're
greedy.
You know
at a
shared meal
you take
too much
for yourself
disregarding
those who
are to
follow.
In that
moment you
can't see
that serving
others is
better than
serving
yourself.
That a
full heart
is better
than a
full belly.
Your
disordered
desire leads
you to
sin.
But when
we see
Jesus as
he is,
when we
behold
Christ in
all his
perfection,
when our
senses are
filled with
his supreme
goodness,
all those
little
deceptions to
which we're
prone in
the present,
they'll all
be exposed.
His light
will drive
out every
shadow.
when we
drink from
the fountain,
we'll
never return
to the
stagnant
pools.
When we
behold his
beauty,
we'll never
again desire
what is
hideous.
When we
delight in
the sun,
we will
never again
find pleasure
in an
idol.
There'll
come a
time when
you will
never have
to hold
your tongue
because
there'll
never be
anything
that provokes
you to
anger or
to speak
harshly.
There'll
come a
time when
you'll
never again
have to
look away
because
there'll
never be
anything to
tempt you
to impurity.
Everything
you see
will be
infused
with Christ.
And even
just knowing
that we
shall be
like him,
that has
an effect
on us
now.
That future
reaches back
into the
present and
awakens better
desires within
us.
See verse
three again?
And everyone
who thus
hopes in
him
purifies
himself as
he is
pure.
We don't
yet have
that full
unhindered
sight of
Christ and
what we
will be.
How will
we like
him?
But we
do have
his promise.
We do
have this
hope.
We
might not
see his
form but
we hear
his voice.
We might
not have
the vision
before our
eyes but
we at
least have
one for
our minds,
our imagination
and we're
drawn towards
it.
We're drawn
onwards.
We long
to be now
what we
will be
then.
And so
even now
that future
reaches back
and transforms
the present.
Everyone who
hopes thus
purifies himself
as he is
pure.
the more
we
contemplate
Christ
and the
reality of
what we
will be
the more
we become
like him
even now.
This then
is the
second reality
that transforms
us.
The reality
of what
we will
be.
We shall
be like
him or
we shall
see him
as he
is.
The third
reality that
transforms us
is the
reality of
what Christ
has done.
What Christ
has done.
Look at
three verses
four to six.
everyone who
makes a
practice of
sinning
also
practices
lawlessness.
Sin is
lawlessness.
You know
that he
appeared to
take away
sins and
in him
there is
no sin.
No one
who abides
in him
keeps on
sinning.
No one
who keeps
on sinning
has either
seen him
or known
him.
Verse
four gives
us a
definition
of sin
as John
is using
the word
in this
passage.
Sin is
lawlessness
John says.
Now John
is not just
talking about
particular
sins,
individual
sins,
he's talking
about the
root of
sin.
Sin is
lawlessness.
It's living
as an
outlaw.
It's
disregarding the
rule of
God's kingdom.
It's
disregarding the
commands of
our Lord.
heart.
It's the
heart that
says I'll
do it
my way.
I don't
care what
God says.
I don't
care what
anyone says.
I'll pay no
attention to
him.
Sin is
lawlessness.
It's
living as
a rebel.
Verse
five tells
us that
Christ
appeared in
order to
take away
our sins.
Christ's
coming,
Christ's
perfect life,
in him there
was no
sin,
Christ's
atoning death,
Christ's
resurrection to
new life,
all of
that is
with the
goal and
the outcome
that he
might take
away our
sins.
Now that
Christ takes
away our
sins means
in the first
instance that
it means that
he takes
away the
penalty of
our sins.
We are
truly and
completely
forgiven.
But it
also means
that he
takes away
our sins
themselves.
so long
as any
sin remains
in us,
as it
does in
the
present,
but so
long as
any sin
remains in
us,
there is
an aspect
of the
achievement
of the
cross that
has not
yet been
fully
realised.
Verse
six,
no one
who abides
in him
keeps on
sinning.
It's
impossible
to live
in,
to abide
in,
the one
who appeared
to take
away sins
and not
have your
sins taken
away.
If he
came to
take away
sins and
were in
him,
then he
will take
away our
sins.
Verse
eight says,
the reason
the son of
God appeared
was to
destroy the
works of
the devil.
It's
impossible to
be united
with the
one who
destroys the
works of
the devil
and not
have the
devil's
works
destroyed in
our
lives.
What
Christ has
already
done when
he first
appeared
must have
its full
outworking.
It must
have its
full effect.
The
achievement
of the
cross
cannot be
reversed.
What
Christ has
done
cannot be
undone.
Like a
domino chain,
if the
first domino
has fallen,
then the
rest must
follow.
If Christ
has taken
away your
sin,
then he
will take
away your
sin.
Anything
else is
unthinkable.
Jesus
didn't suffer
so that
sin might
be ignored.
He suffered
so that
sin might
be destroyed.
He didn't
die and
rise again
so that
sin might
be tolerated.
He died
and rose
so that
sin might
be uprooted.
And if
that's what
Christ has
done,
then the
power of
sin must
be shattered
in the
life of
the believer.
power.
Here
then are
three realities
that utterly
transform all
who believe
in Jesus.
The reality
of who
we are.
We are
children of
God.
The reality
of what
you will
be,
we will
be,
we will
be like
him.
And the
reality of
what Christ
has done.
He appeared
to take
away sin,
to destroy
the devil's
work.
And the
reason John
reminds his
readers of
these three
realities is
given in
the surrounding
frame.
So 2
verse 28,
3 verses 7
to 10.
We're going
to look at
that briefly.
Look at
chapter 2
verse 28.
And now
little children,
abide in
him,
remain in
him,
continue in
him,
and now
little children,
abide in
him so that
when he
appears,
we may
have
confidence
and not
shrink back
from him
in shame
at his
coming.
You could
summarise
verse 28
in this
way.
Be
Christ
now
that you
might be
Christ
then.
Be
Christ
now
that you
might be
Christ
then.
See,
this is
nothing less
than the
chief goal
of the
Christian.
If
Christ
is the
highest
treasure,
and he
is,
then the
goal of
the
non-Christian
is to
find
Christ,
and the
goal of
the
Christian
is to
keep
Christ.
If you
have
Christ,
then you
have all
that belongs
to Christ,
and since
all belongs
to Christ,
if you
have Christ,
you have
all.
Whatever
else happens
in life is
trivial compared
to this,
that you
are found
in Christ
when he
comes.
And the
way to
be found
in Christ
when he
comes is
to remain
in Christ
while you
wait.
For a
short time,
for a
short time
many years
ago, I
was attending
a congregation
of the
Chinese Christian
Church in
Milsons Point
in Sydney.
It was kind
of between
pastors,
and they're
sort of working
out what to
do as an
English-speaking
congregation,
and at
the time
they had
David Cook
coming and
sort of looking
after the
congregation and
preaching,
and David
Cook was the
principal of
Sydney Missionary
Bible College
at the time.
So I was
going along,
David Cook
was there,
and I
remember a
conversation
that took
place after
the church
service,
and David
Cook was
chatting with
a few
people,
and he
was talking
about how
he'd been
trying to
come up
with a
catchphrase,
like a
summary for
the New
Testament,
or really
for the
Bible.
I think
for the
New Testament
I think
it was,
a catchphrase
for the
New Testament,
so like a
slogan,
just a few
words,
a meme or
something if
you like we
might say
that captures
the message
of the
New Testament
in as few
words as
possible.
And so we
said,
look,
what have you
come up
with?
And he
said this
was his
proposal,
this is like
the New
Testament's
version of
just do it
for Nike
or something
like that,
right?
What is it
for the
New Testament?
This is
David Cook's
thought.
Come,
stay.
That's the
message of
the New
Testament.
Come,
stay.
Abide in
him.
Continue
in
him.
If you
want to
get to
Italy,
you must
get on
an airplane
and you
must remain
in the
airplane
until it
lands in
Rome.
There's no
point exiting
the plane
mid-flight.
That will
do you no
good.
Likewise,
Christian,
to arrive
at your
destination,
abide in
him.
Remain in
him.
The reason
this message
was so
urgent for
the believers
to whom
John wrote
is that
there were
many who
had not
continued in
him.
Many who
had not
remained.
Look at
chapter 2
verse 19.
Chapter 2
verse 19
where John
talks about
some of
these.
2 verse 19,
they went
out from
us,
but they
were not
of us.
For if they
had been
of us,
they would
have continued
with us,
but they
went out,
that it
might become
plain that
they all
are not
of us.
See,
there were
those who
hadn't
continued,
who hadn't
remained,
and what's
more,
those who
had departed
in John's
time,
those who
had departed
were influencing
those who
remained.
Those who
remained
were having
doubts.
Maybe they're
right.
Maybe I
should leave
too.
The same
is true
today.
I've been
a Christian
for almost
35 years.
But in
the last
few years,
more than
any time I
can remember,
there has
been a
chorus of
those who
have
departed
attempting
to influence
those who
remain.
Last year,
I was
listening to
a podcast.
I won't
tell you the
exact name
of the
podcast,
but let's
call the
podcast
Leaving
Church.
That's
close to
its name,
Leaving
Church.
And it
consists of
interviews with
people who
have walked
away from
church and
walked away
from Jesus.
And many
of the
stories are
tragic.
In some
cases,
it's
actually the
sin and
failings of
Christians in
the church
that is
largely to
blame for
people being
disillusioned and
leaving.
It's easy to
sympathise with
those who've
departed, to
see things from
their point of
view.
And they
want others to
depart too.
Each of the
episodes of that
podcast, the
host signs off
in this way,
keep leaving.
But God's
word for
first century
believers and
God's word for
21st century
believers is
abide in
him.
Continue
in
him.
And
God said to
them and he
said to us,
he says to
us, verse
seven, chapter
three, verse
seven, little
children, let
no one deceive
you.
Let no one
deceive you.
And so God
here in this
passage invites
us to compare
and to consider
these two
groups, those
who had
departed and
those who
remained.
And consider
where do you
see the power
that produces
godliness at
work?
Chapter
three, verse
seven, little
children, let
no one deceive
you.
Whoever
practices
righteousness is
righteous as
he is
righteous.
Whoever
makes a
practice of
sinning is
of the
devil.
Three, verse
ten, by
this it is
evident who
are the
children of
God and
who are the
children of
the devil.
Whoever
does not
practice
righteousness
is not
of God,
nor is
the one
who does
not love
his
brother.
If you're
tempted to
follow those
who abandon
Jesus, well
just consider
where do you
see the
power that
produces
godliness at
work?
Is it in
those who've
departed?
Or is
it in
those who
remain?
Is it in
those who
turn their
back on
Christ?
Or is
it among
those who
cling to
Jesus still?
You'll find
perfection in
neither place,
that there are
no perfect
people this
side of
Jesus'
return, but
you will
discern a
different power,
I believe,
at work in
each?
Where do
you see
malice and
spite and
vitriol?
And where
do you see
those who,
where do you
find those who
prize patience
and gentleness?
Where do you
see reckless
living and
coarse language?
And where
soberness and
wholesome speech?
Think,
where is the
power that
produces
godliness at
work?
You know, I
look around the
community of
those who
cling to
Christ and
I see the
power that
produces
godliness at
work.
I can think
back over the
course of my
35 years as a
Christian and
one of the
things that has
drawn me on
is in each
church I've
been, in each
place I've
been, to see
those who are
further along the
path and to
see how their
lives have been
transformed.
I think of
when I was in
high school,
Ruth Howard,
now Ruth
Flanagan, who
was a high
school teacher.
I was lost.
She was full of
kindness and the
joy of the
spirit, a life
transformed.
I think when I
was at
Willoughby,
Anglican Church,
of Paul
Bayliss, the
minister, a
humble man, a
man of faith, a
man who lived
on his knees
in prayer, and
of Sheila
Spencer, an
evangelist who
loved God's
word with a
heart for the
lost, lives
transformed.
At
Erinner, I
think of
Margaret Dodd,
a retired
woman who
we were meeting
in a high
school and
she'd come in
each morning and
clean the high
school toilets
for the sake
of the church.
And
Royce Warner,
in his final
years, who
could hardly see
anything before
his eyes and
yet he could
see heaven.
Lives
transformed.
At
Narenburn, I
think of Reg
Becker, faithful
until the end,
now with the
Lord.
When I've
preached this
message in other
churches, the
example I gave
at this point
was not from
churches I've
been at in the
past, but
from here.
You know,
someone here, I
won't name them
because I
think that would
probably embarrass
them, but you
know, you can
go and look it
up online if you
like.
But just think,
here among us,
right, even here
among us, consider
those who have
remained in Christ
50, 60
years, or even
more, the
senior brothers and
sisters among
us, who have
something better to
live for than the
fleeting pleasures of
this life, who have
endured hardship and
loss, who are sound in
speech and upright in
conduct, who serve with
what strength God gives
them as long as they
can, and who wait in
hope for Christ's return.
And just consider men
and women, brothers and
sisters, lives transformed
by the reality of who
they are, the reality of
what they will be, and
the reality of what
Christ has done.
And all that is just the
first fruits.
All that is just the
beginning of the
splendour which Christ is
working in us.
So if you're disheartened
about your progress in
godliness, if you're
discouraged at the
slowness of your
sanctification, continue
in him.
For you will bear your
father's likeness, and you
will be like your Lord, and
what Christ has done will
have its full effect in
you.
come, stay.
Will you pray with me?
Heavenly Father, what a
tremendous privilege, even
that, that we can call you
our father, and that we are
your children, born of you.
Lord, please do produce in
us the likeness of your
righteousness.
We thank you for sending
your son, Jesus Christ, for
the testimony we have of
him.
And thank you that we don't
only have testimony, but one
day we will see him face to
face.
We will see him as he is, and
in that moment, we will be
transformed.
And so purify us, even
now, make us more like our
Lord.
And we thank you for what
Christ has done through his
death and resurrection, that
he came to take away sins.
Well, Father, please take away
sin from our lives.
As we are completely
forgiven, so sanctify and
transform us.
Help us to cling to Jesus
throughout whatever ups and
downs and hardships life may
bring, and whatever
temptations, whatever
opposition, however often
those who have departed will
beckon to those who to remain,
follow us.
Help us to cling to Christ, to
abide in him, to remain in him,
until he comes.
We ask all of this in Jesus'
name.
Amen.