work backwards and you'll come to 1 John.
So over the summer months we have different speakers, some from within the church here.
Connor is going to be speaking this morning.
And this passage from 1 John, over the last couple of years when Connor has been preaching,
he's been taking us through 1 John.
So if you want to know what he said before, you can look up on the church website and you
can listen back to some earlier talks on 1 John.
Today we're going to read from chapter 2, verse 18 to 27.
So let's read and hear God's word.
1 John, chapter 2, starting at verse 18.
Dear children, this is the last hour.
And as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come.
This is how we know it is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.
For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us.
But their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it,
and because no lie comes from the truth.
Who is the liar?
It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Such a person is the Antichrist, denying the Father and the Son.
No one who denies the Son has the Father.
Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.
If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.
And this is what he promised us.
Eternal life.
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you,
and you do not need anyone to teach you.
But as his anointing teaches you about all things,
and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit,
just as it is taught you, remain in him.
Connor, you want to come up and I'll pray for you?
Let me pray for Connor and for ourselves.
Father, thank you for Connor.
Thank you for his love for you.
Thank you for saving him.
Thank you for his gifts.
And we pray now that he would be a conduit of your grace to us today.
That you would aid him and help him by your Spirit.
And that we, in turn, would listen to the truth
and remain in the truth
and not walk away from it.
Help us then, we pray.
Amen.
Thank you, Connor.
Thank you.
Thanks, Johnny.
Well, not that your prayer wasn't excellent, Johnny,
but I'm going to pray again, if that's all right,
just as we start.
I was at a meeting, actually, with Johnny recently,
and I think he said something along the lines of,
if a Christian asks to pray, you're not allowed to say no.
So I am going to pray, if that's all right.
Father God, I thank you that you are here with us.
We ask for your help to listen, to pay attention,
and to try and get what you were trying to say to us.
Help us to see the majesty
and how important it is to be listening to your word.
In Jesus' name, amen.
It was a good reminder to put my phone on silent.
Bear Grylls.
I recently finished his autobiography.
I don't have one for everyone in the audience.
I'm not even sure I would recommend it.
I enjoyed it, but...
Bear Grylls is a former SAS agent,
professional adventurer, and a TV star.
It took him two attempts to successfully pass
the gruelling SAS selection tests.
He had always enjoyed mountaineering and climbing,
but he attempted the SAS selection
based solely off this enjoyment
and his own grit and determination.
Throughout the weeks ahead,
the instructors were constantly
trying to lead him away from his goal.
After an eight-hour hike,
when he was beaten down with everything,
they'd say something comforting like,
all you have to do is ring this bell.
You can go home for a hot meal and shower.
Well, he very nearly made it to the end,
but unfortunately fell at one of the final hurdles.
Himself and his friend,
who also got called around the same time,
then began training properly.
They now knew what was needed.
They were forewarned.
And they started training and preparing
to take the selection test again.
The next time the opportunity came around,
it was during the winter months,
and so it was even tougher conditions
and harder to pass the tests.
But because of the training
and the preparation they put in,
and despite the instruction,
or the instructors trying to lead them
in the wrong direction,
both friends passed the tests
and went on to reach their goal
of becoming SAS agents.
The passage that we're looking at today
is a letter written by the Apostle John
to churches that are experiencing false teaching.
These false teaching are trying to lead people away
from the eternal life found only in Jesus.
And as we go through our passage,
we'll see that John is saying,
if the churches train,
if they abide in the truth of the gospel,
then they'll be assured
of reaching their goal of eternal life.
So I've just told you
that John is writing this letter
to assure Christians of their salvation,
to assure them that what they know
as the truth is the truth.
But this passage begins with talking about
not only an antichrist,
but many antichrists.
What a way to assure people
that they're safe and secure.
Oh, you're having doubts?
Well, listen,
there's loads of people trying to deceive you.
There's loads of people
that are going to tell you different things
than that which you've heard.
Also, don't worry,
they look like they're one of us,
so it's going to be tough to determine
whether what they say is truth or lies.
Maybe John should have a quick chat
with Barnabas,
the son of encouragement,
because John really doesn't seem
to understand
what he's supposed to be doing here.
But John knows that being forewarned
is being forearmed.
He's not trying to tear people down.
He's not trying to discourage them
into thinking standing strong
in the faith is a mammoth task.
He's simply telling the believers
that this is the reality.
These antichrists will come
and they will try and mislead you.
And it's the same for the church today.
It's the same for us today.
There are people all around us.
There are antichrists all around
trying to say that Jesus is not the Christ.
They claim Jesus is not the God-man
that lived a perfect life for us,
the perfect life we couldn't.
They claim that his death on the cross
was not enough for us
to experience eternal life.
John is forewarning the church
that it will be attacked from all sides.
Well, before we go any further,
I think it would be helpful
to define what antichrist means.
It's a buzzword nowadays,
but also back in early church times.
We all might have our own ideas
of what it is.
But like many of us,
they would have heard of the antichrist
to come at the end of the age,
the one who will gain power
and persecute the people of God,
but who God will eventually judge
and whose dominion
will eventually be stripped from him.
However, we see in this passage
that many antichrists, plural,
are already in the world.
We're told exactly what to look for
in verse 22.
Who is the liar?
It is whoever denies
that Jesus is the Christ.
Such a person is the antichrist,
denying the Father and the Son.
So anyone that denies
that Jesus is fully God
is an antichrist
that's trying to deceive.
These false teachers
that we've read about
were denying the incarnation.
They were denying
the divinity of Jesus.
And John is putting a stop
to this strongly.
This is not acceptable.
Verse 23.
No one who denies the Son
has the Father.
Any of these teachers
that deny that Jesus is fully God
as well as fully man
does not have the Father
and will not experience eternal life.
If we follow this thinking
to its logical conclusion,
if you deny the divinity of Jesus,
then God has not sufficiently
taken care of sin.
Only God can deal with sin.
Jesus, being only human,
simply does not cut it.
And then no one
can experience forgiveness.
John is making crystal clear
to the church
that these people
do not belong to us.
verse 19.
They went out from us,
but they did not
really belong to us.
For if they had belonged to us,
they would have remained with us.
But their going
showed that none of them
belonged to us.
These people
who are teaching things
contrary to Jesus
being the Son of God,
God incarnate,
who came and died
in our place,
these people
are not brothers
in the faith.
Those who deny
that Jesus
is the only Savior,
the only way
to eternal life,
are liars
and do not belong
to the church of God.
Now this is not just
a message
for first century Christians.
There are many
that deny
that Jesus
is the God-man
that came down
from heaven
to save the world.
There are many
that deny
that Jesus
and only Jesus
can make a way
for us to reach
the goal
of eternal life.
Jesus was not
just a man
like Jehovah's Witnesses
claim.
Jesus was not
just one of many
prophets
like Islam claims.
We cannot work
our way to heaven
by being good
like Catholic doctrine
claims.
It's not a mystery
how to gain
eternal life
like agnosticism
claims.
Jesus is the way,
the truth,
and the life.
No one comes
to the Father
except through him.
No one
who denies
the Son
has the Father.
Do not
be deceived.
So John
is told us
that we're being
attacked
from outside
the church,
from the Antichrist
that are denying
that Jesus
is the Christ.
But John
is also told us
that we're being
attacked
from inside
the church
as many
of these Antichrists
went out
from the church.
Even though
they did not
ever truly belong
to the church,
they were still
in the church
initially.
And so it feels
like we're being
attacked
from inside
the church
as well.
Well,
believe it or not,
there are even
more warnings.
Just in case
I lose anyone,
I feel I should
give a bit of a spoiler.
There will be
good news.
Just hang in there
with me, okay?
We're being
attacked with
doubt and lies
from outside
the church,
we're being
attacked
from inside
the church,
and we're being
attacked
from inside
ourselves.
We're being
attacked
by our own
minds
and doubts.
Listen to all
the times that
John has to
remind us
that what we
have heard
is the truth
and that we
already know
the truth.
Verse 18,
as you have
heard that the
Antichrist is
coming,
even now
many Antichrists
have come.
Verse 20,
all of you
know the
truth.
Verse 21,
I do not
write to you
because you
do not
know the
truth,
but because
you do
know it.
Verse 24,
see that what
you have heard
from the
beginning
remains in
you.
Verse 25,
this is what
he promised
us,
eternal life,
reminding us
of the basics
of the
Christian faith.
Verse 27,
you do not
need anyone
to teach
you.
Talking about
these false
teachers.
And verse 27,
again,
that anointing
is real,
not counterfeit,
just as it
has taught
you,
remain in
him.
Seven,
that's a lot
of reminders
in a few
short verses.
John knows
that the
human condition
is to
doubt.
John knows
that when
met with
trials,
we start
doubting even
that which
we know
to be
true.
No one
is exempt
from these
doubts.
It's part
of living
in a
fallen world
as a
weak human.
Well,
I remember
when I was
10 or
11,
I got
kicked out
of a
summer
camp.
My mum,
disgusted
and embarrassed
no doubt,
took me home
and explained
my punishments,
one of them
being I had
to go to
bed early
for a
week.
My aunt
and uncle
were over
visiting from
England at
the time,
and I had
to go to
bed while
it was
still bright
outside.
I looked
longingly
out of my
window at
my siblings,
playing with
my aunt
and uncle
and eating
ice creams
while I
was stuck
in my
room,
alone,
with no
ice cream.
I knew
my parents
loved me,
but there
were serious
doubts
during those
days.
Knowing me
back then,
I probably
told mum
a couple
of times
I was a
lovely child
to have to
deal with.
An even
better teenager,
actually.
How could
they do
this to
me?
Why was
all this
unjust
suffering
happening
to me?
They must
not love
me.
Looking back
now as an
adult,
of course,
it's such a
small,
ridiculous thing
to have set
me off.
My parents'
years of
love and
care for
me almost
flew out
the window
instantly
because of
one simple
circumstance.
I'm convinced
that that's
what's going
to happen
to us
in eternity.
we're going
to look
back on
circumstances
in this
life that
are extremely
serious.
We're going
to look
back on
circumstances
that may
cause
extreme
hardship
and suffering
and we're
going to
realize that
they were
ridiculous
things to
ever make
us doubt
the love
of our
Father in
Heaven
that He
has spent
millennia
proving to
us.
But this
human condition
of doubt
is ingrained
in us
from an
extremely
young age
and this
particular
doubt that
I had
had absolutely
nothing to
do with my
parents who
were fantastic.
But one
small thing
happened and
all of a
sudden the
doubt crept
in.
Going back
to our
passage,
if we're
talking
specifically
about doubts
who Jesus
is, His
love for us
and what
He's done
for us,
experiencing
these doubts
does not
make you
less of a
Christian.
experiencing
these doubts
does not
mean that
you're not
saved and
does not
mean that
you're denying
Christ.
Just like
my doubt
didn't mean
that my
parents loved
me less
or I wasn't
really a
member of
the family.
John is
assuring all
of us that
these doubts
are normal.
These doubts
are prevalent,
yes, but
they're not
taking God
by surprise.
God does
not look down
on you when
you experience
these doubts.
But the
fact remains
that we're
being attacked
with lies
from all
sides, even
our own
minds.
So what
hope is
there for
us?
What hope
is there that
we'll finish
strong and
that we'll
have the
eternal life
that we
were promised
and that we
believed in
all those
years ago
when it
felt so real
to us,
when there
were no
doubts
present?
Well, the
first and
most important
hope we
have is
the Holy
Spirit.
Verse 27.
The
anointing
you receive
from him
remains in
you.
It's the
Holy Spirit
living in
us that
enables us
to remember
the truth
we know.
Like we've
said already,
we doubt
all the
time, but
the Holy
Spirit living
in us
never
doubts.
We doubt
all the
time, the
Holy Spirit
knows the
truth all
the time.
If we're
Christians, we
have the
power of
God, the
Holy Spirit
inside us
to remind
us of the
truth that
we know
deep down.
Verse 20.
But you
have an
anointing
from the
Holy One
and all
of you
know the
truth.
This isn't
speaking of
some special
anointing
that's given
to a
select few.
No, if
you have
accepted the
forgiveness
that Jesus
offers, then
you are
anointed with
the Holy
Spirit.
And one of
the Holy
Spirit's
primary
purposes is
reassuring us
when we
doubt.
He brings
to mind the
glorious truth
of God's
grace through
his son
Jesus.
He reminds
us of all
the miracles
that Jesus
did when he
was on this
earth to
prove his
deity and
his identity
so that
those doubts
can fly
from our
minds.
Yes,
Jesus is
God.
Yes,
he died
the punishment
that I
deserve.
Yes,
I am
forgiven.
And yes,
I will
experience
eternal
life.
God,
through the
Holy Spirit,
will never
let us
go.
He'll never
let us
forget the
wonderful
truths that
attracted us
to the
Christian faith
in the
first place.
No matter
what's going
on around
us or
what other
people are
trying to
tell us,
no matter
what even
our own
minds are
doubting,
the Holy
Spirit is
ever present
within us
to quash
those doubts
and quash
those false
teachers trying
to lead us
astray.
We have
nothing to
fear from
them.
Now,
it may seem
from all
we've said
that we're
sorted.
We're off
the hook.
Whenever
people come
to lead us
astray,
bam,
the Holy
Spirit steps
in,
leads us
in the
right direction.
Whenever
our own
minds are
trying to
deceive us,
bam,
the Holy
Spirit is
all over
it to
put our
minds back
in its
place.
Unfortunately,
this is not
quite the
case.
How can
the Holy
Spirit bring
something back
to our
minds if
it was
never there
in the
first place?
How can
the Holy
Spirit remind
us of
the truth
if we
never truly
knew
the truth?
It's our
job to
be studying
the truth
so that
when the
time comes
that we're
met with
false
teachers or
doubts,
we'll have
the resources
for the
Holy Spirit
to pull
upon to
lead us
in the
right direction.
Verse 24,
as for you,
see that what
you have heard
from the
beginning
remains in
you.
remains in
us.
We have
to be in
the word
of God
regularly so
we can
dispute the
false
teachers.
We have
to be
praying daily
to remain
close to
God.
We have
to go to
church and
listen to
sermons being
preached to
either remind us
of the truths
we know or
help us better
understand the
truths we've
heard.
As for you,
see that what
you have heard
from the
beginning remains
in you.
If it does,
you also will
remain in the
Son and in
the Father.
Ensuring that
the truth of
God's word
remains in
us ensures
that we
remain secure
in God the
Father,
God the
Son,
and God
the Holy
Spirit.
The Father
sent the
Son to
suffer the
punishment
that sin
deserves so
we don't
have to.
And the
Spirit then
ensures that
we never
forget this
simple truth
that we
can experience
eternal life.
We see all
three members
of the Trinity
at work in
this passage,
and they all
have their
roles to
play to
make sure
we make
it to
eternity.
What power
we have in
our corner,
rooting for
us,
helping us,
as we train
towards our
goal, as we
make the effort
on our part
to reach our
destination.
verse 27
says,
As for you,
the anointing
you receive
from him
remains in
you, and
you do not
need anyone
to teach
you.
But as
his anointing
teaches you
about all
things, and
as that
anointing is
real, not
counterfeit,
just as it
has taught
you, remain
in him.
As his
anointing
teaches you
about all
things.
In order for
the Holy Spirit
to teach
us, we
need to
listen and
pay attention.
I'm a
teacher.
I once
gave a
test to
one of
my maths
classes, and
upon receiving
her results,
one student
pipes up,
Sir, we
never did
any questions
in class,
like question
three.
How were we
expected to
answer that
if you
never taught
us?
That's so
unfair.
Well, it may
shock you to
learn that I
do make the
odd mistake,
so I
turned to
question
three,
trembling in
fear.
I was on
the verge of
tears, thinking
what a
horrible person
I am.
How could I
do this to
these poor
girls, as if
they don't have
enough to
worry about,
and here I
am, throwing
questions into
tests that we
haven't even
covered.
Well, upon
reading question
three, I
stared at the
SWAT in the
front row, and
was delighted to
see that she
wore the same
look of confusion
on her face, as
she too had
read question
three.
She knew what
I knew in
that moment.
I had not
done a
question like
question three
in class.
I had actually
done question
three in class a
few days
previous.
That exact
question I
went through as
a revision
question.
I made sure
the other
student was
adequately
embarrassed before
I moved on.
I explained
again about the
importance of
paying attention
in class.
I cannot
teach my
students if
they simply
don't listen
or pay
attention.
Well, in the
same way, the
Holy Spirit
cannot carry out
his task of
teaching us about
all things if
we don't listen
or pay attention.
God has spoken
and is speaking
to us through
his word, the
Bible.
If we're not
reading, studying,
meditating,
listening to the
words in the
Bible, then the
Holy Spirit, the
best teacher in
the world, cannot
teach us.
If we're not
growing in
knowledge and
hence growing in
love of God, we
can all too
easily be led
astray by false
teachers or even
by our own
doubts that crop
into our minds.
false teachers.
Maybe you're
thinking, I don't
have to deal with
false teachers, like
Jehovah's Witnesses
don't come to my
door, or maybe
you're not surrounded
by Muslims on a
daily basis, but
there is false
teaching going on
everywhere in this
world.
There's false
teaching going on
in the lunchroom
and work.
There's false
teaching going on
on social media.
There's false
teaching on our
TV screens.
There's false
teaching in our
sports clubs.
It may not
specifically be
denying that
Jesus is the
Christ, but it
is denying the
truth of
scripture.
No matter what
false teaching
we're met with,
the truth of
God's word is
the answer.
If we put the
time and effort
into reading our
Bible and
listening to what
God has to say,
then we're
guaranteed that
the Holy Spirit
will protect us
from the
Antichrists all
around.
verse 27
again.
As for you,
the anointing
you receive from
him remains in
you, and you
do not need
anyone to
teach you.
This is not
saying, by the
way, that we
can do it on
our own, far
from it.
We're made to
be in community
with other
believers like
we are now.
It's saying that
we will not fall
for the lies in
the world around
us.
These Antichrists,
whether from
outside or inside
the church or
even inside our
own minds,
they won't be
able to teach
us.
They will not
get through to
us if we're
filling our
hearts, minds,
and souls with
the words that
God wants us to
hear.
We will stand
strong till the
very end, and
we will meet our
Lord and Savior
Jesus.
We will get a
chance to thank
him to his face
for all he has
done, and we
will experience
eternal life with
the Father, the
Son, and the
Holy Spirit.
We're being
attacked from all
sides, yes, but
unfortunately for the
attackers, it's not
a fair fight at all.
The Lord God,
creator and
sustainer of the
whole universe, is
in our corner, is
even living in us to
ensure we overcome,
just like the Irish
overcame the world
championship, the
world champions
yesterday, we can
overcome as well.
All we need to do
is make certain that
the Holy Spirit has
the resources needed
for the fight.
We have to make
sure we're training
hard to reach our
end goal.
We have to fill our
hearts, minds, and
souls with the truth
of God's word, and
rely on God to do
the real hard work.
Let's pray.
Amen.
Father God, we
recognize that we
are weak.
We recognize that we
can easily be led
astray by false
teaching or even by
doubts in our own
minds.
But Lord, in the
week ahead, help us
to rely on the
power of your Holy
Spirit living within
us to remind us of
the truth that we
know.
Help us to be in
your word on a
daily basis, to
never take it for
granted that the
Holy Spirit, the
greatest teacher in
the world, can speak
to us any time that
we want.
All we need to do is
pick up the Bible and
talk to you.
Help us in the week
ahead to do just
that and to never
have those doubts
or never to allow
those doubts to
take over.
you have saved
us.
All we need to do
is accept the
forgiveness that
Jesus offers on the
cross and we can be
assured of gaining
eternal life.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Thank you,
Connor.
In response, we're
going to sing
together, what gift
of grace is Jesus,
my Redeemer.
Let's stand together
as we sing.
Amen.