The text this evening is from the first epistle of John, the third chapter:
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 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.Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! And He is risen in love for you. Love is amazing. I remember when I realized that I was in love with Liz for the first time. We are both theologically astute people, and we came from different theological backgrounds that really mattered to us. I was studying to be a LCMS pastor and she had a strong Calvinist/Baptist background. One night, we were discussing theology because, since we had started dating, we knew that I wasn’t going to give up my theology. I know, it seems mean, but correct theology is always more important than anything else in the world. Liz and I knew that if we were going to make it as a couple, I would have to convince her of the Lutheran position. Well, I wasn’t succeeding at that that night. And, since our second date, I knew that I could marry this girl, that night we were arguing, I decided I definitely did want to marry her. I knew I loved her.
And it wasn’t just this feeling inside. Love isn’t just a warm and fuzzy wave that washes over you. Love for me that night, and love in reality, is a commitment. It’s a commitment. It’s to say that I will serve you for all time, all the time I am given. It’s to say I will fulfill this role. In our dating relationship, it’s to say, I want you as my wife so I can serve you as your husband. Love, in that way, the sacrifice for another through the commitment to serve, is amazing.
And that’s what John is talking about in the text. Well, he’s talking about more than the love I have for my wife. He’s talking about God’s love towards you. Not the feeling of love, not that God gets the squishy feels inside. But that God is committed that you should be His child. See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called His children? Do you see it?
He has given His only Son that you should be His own. He has so committed Himself to you that he would give all that He had to keep you. And His love is so deep for you that it will never end. It will never end. It will always be with you, for He will always be with you. He calls you His child. He has brought you into His family.
And now that you’re a part of that family, there are rules and responsibilities. Now that you are children of God, you must listen to Him as you would your own father. I mean, I don’t know. Maybe your earthly dad was pretty terrible, maybe he was great. Either way, your heavenly Father is greater than all fathers, and moreover, He is the reason anyone else could be called a father. Because of who He is and what He does and how He cares for you, every father on earth should model themselves after His work. I know they don’t always, but we do try.
But this is how it goes, right? You don’t want to upset your father, or because you love your father, or because you might rightly fear your father, you obey him. Daddy says jump, you say how high? But the reality, too, is that because this guy is your father, you’re involved in certain family traditions. You pray before your meals. You take turns on who puts the angel on top of the tree. You have an emergency fire drill put in place for every time your little sister spills her milk at dinner. And if you said no, I’m not doing that, you’d get grounded, set to your room, miss dinner.
How much more so when we go against what our Heavenly Father has told us? Our of His great love for you, He sent His Son to die for you, that you might be part of His family, and you’re just gonna sit there and say uh uh to Him? John has just warned us about antichrists who are to come, lest we should join their families. Instead, he points out that the entire world has joined after antichrist, but this is what separates us from the world. The world doesn’t get us because we don’t do things like the world. The world doesn’t know us because they reject their true father, and chase after a sugar daddy of sin. They reject us, they reject God, because we don’t look that special. We don’t look that different.
Yet, what is to come is greater. We are part of the family of God. It’s more than you just end up with Jesus’ nose, the Father’s hairline, and the Spirit’s eyes. You won’t just grow into those things. Instead, you will grow up into that which our Lord would give you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are the traditions of the Lord, the traditions of your family, the traditions of God Himself that He would pass on to you. And as we grow in faith, we grow in these things. What we are is not complete. By the Spirit’s power, we are growing in our sanctification, we are growing in our holiness. But, one day, and that day is coming, we will be fully sanctified and fully holy by His doing.
This is the problem, I suppose, that John sees. We’re supposed to be getting better, doing better, trying harder. This isn’t really by your own effort, this is what the Holy Spirit is giving to you. Would you reject it? John sees many doing such a thing. Not only are they not growing in their sanctification, they are persisting in their sin. He says they are practicing their sin, like one practices the piano. They want to be greater in it, more proficient at it. There’s no real repentance, there’s no recognition for what you are doing wrong, no desire to turn from your sins and look to Christ. There’s nothing, and that’s lawlessness. That’s telling God where to stick it. It’s spitting on the face of Jesus while looking at your heavenly Father, and tell Him you wish it was He that were dead. It’s despicable.
And sure, it may seem like no big deal, but you keep on doing it and it becomes an issue, doesn’t it? That’s what John’s saying. You keep practicing at sin, it’s a big deal. You are saying that you want to go after the ways of antichrist. And God the Father will let you. He doesn’t want you to. He’s not going to make you go that way. You choose for yourself.
But, let’s not forget what the Apostle John told us last week. “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is 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.”
If we lie about who our Father is, we belong to antichrist. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and our lives are forfeit to antichrist. If we say we have not sinned, we tell God He’s a liar, and it proves that God is not in us. Yet, if we confess our sins, if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship, one with another, and with God, whose blood sets us free from all sin. If you’re repenting, if you’re confessing your sins, God has promised and He has already freed you from that sin. You are not practicing your sin. You are not a child of darkness, you are a child of God.
See the great love that He has for you. He has committed to serve you. He sent His Son to die for you that you might have life forever. Every time He desires to serve you, He forgives your sin, He washes you clean, He gives you strength. That’s service, and that service is there because He is your family. He’s your family forever. And He gives to you all that He has, not stopping for anything, that you might have His righteousness. And you know this, you know it’s true, for our Jesus promised it to you. And Jesus’ promises are true, for He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord! Amen.
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