Sermons From First John - Having Confidence At Christ's Coming (2:28-29)

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                      "THE FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN"

              Having Confidence At Christ's Coming (2:28-29)

INTRODUCTION

1. The time is coming when we shall have to stand before the judgment 
   seat of Christ
   a. God has ordained Christ to be the judge of the world - Jn 5:22, 
      26-27; Ac 17;30-31
   b. Therefore we must all appear before Christ - 2Co 5:10

2. Many people, if they think of the Day of Judgment at all, do so with
   great apprehension
   a. For some, it is probably for good reason they fear that Day, for 
      they know their lives are not right with God
   b. But there are some who fear the coming of that Day, who really 
      shouldn't, but can look forward to that day knowing they will 
      stand before Him with great boldness!
      
3. Indeed, John wrote his first epistle with the desire to help his 
   readers understand that they can have confidence before the Lord 
   when He comes...
   
   "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, 
   we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His 
   coming."  (1Jn 2:28)

4. In this study, I would like for us to take a close look at...
   a. John's goal for his "little children"
   b. John's solution for obtaining this goal

[We begin, then, by determining...]

I. JOHN'S GOAL FOR HIS "LITTLE CHILDREN"

   A. TO HAVE "CONFIDENCE" WHEN CHRIST APPEARS...
      1. The word for "confidence" is parrhesia, {par-rhay-see'-ah}
         a. It means "all out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness, 
            publicity; by impl. assurance:--bold, confidence"
         b. It is used elsewhere to describe:
            1) The boldness of Peter and John before the council - Ac 
               4:13
            2) The boldness of Paul's preaching - Ac 9:27
      2. Even now, in Christ we can have...
         a. "...boldness and access with confidence" to God - Ep 3:12
         b. Bold access to the throne of God for mercy and grace to 
            help - He 4:14-16
      3. Therefore it is John's goal that we have the same sort of 
         "boldness" and "confidence" at Christ's appearing that we have
         now!
         a. Just as we can now boldly approach God's throne of grace...
         b. ...so we can then stand with confidence before Christ's 
            throne of judgment!

   B. TO NOT BE "ASHAMED" WHEN HE COMES...
      1. The word here is aischunomai {ahee-skhoo'-nom-ahee}
         a. Which is from aischos (disfigurement, i.e. disgrace); to 
            feel shame (for oneself):--be ashamed
         b. It is used to describe the unjust steward's attitude toward
            begging - Lk 16:3
      2. To be "ashamed", then, is the opposite of having "boldness" 
         and "confidence"
      3. John does not want us to be ashamed of ourselves when Christ 
         comes again!

[To stand before Jesus at His coming, with confidence and no shame, 
that is John's goal for his "little children"!  Is that not the goal 
for ourselves as well?

How can we be sure that will be true of us?  Consider...]

II. JOHN'S SOLUTION FOR OBTAINING THIS GOAL

   A. "ABIDE IN HIM"
      1. Here is the key to having "confidence" at Christ's appearing
      2. This is the answer if we do not want to be "ashamed" at His 
         coming
      -- But how does one "abide in Christ"?

   B. ABIDING IN CHRIST...
      1. Involves letting His Word abide in us
         a. As John stated earlier - 1Jn 2:24
         b. And as explained by Jesus Himself - Jn 14:21,23; 15:10
      2. Letting His Word abide in us therefore involves two important 
         concepts:
         a. That we "know" His Word
         b. That we "keep" His Word
      3. I am persuaded that the lack of confidence many Christians 
         have is the result of not "knowing" the words of Jesus...
         a. It is akin to the apprehension many feel before taking a 
            test
            1) Not having properly studied the material, naturally they
               don't know it very well
            2) Whereas one who has mastered the material has confidence
               going into the test
         b. When brethren do not read and study God's word, the Bible, 
            it is understandable why they would be apprehensive about 
            being judged by it!
         c. But the solution to not knowing God's Word, and those of 
            His Son, is a simple one:  READ!
      4. It is not enough, though, to "know", we must also "keep" His 
         Word...
         a. We must be "doers" of the Word - cf. Mt 7:21, 24-27
         b. Only the one who "practices righteousness" is truly born of
            God and abiding in Jesus - cf. 1Jn 2:29
         c. But if you know what Jesus has actually taught, it is not 
            that "hard" to do what He says! - cf. 1Jn 5:3
         d. Add to this the promise of the cleansing power of Jesus' 
            blood when we sin (1Jn 1:9), we have every reason to 
            have "confidence"!

CONCLUSION

1. The story is told about a conversation between two little boys...
   
   One of the boys noticed that the other's grandmother spent a lot of
   time reading her Bible.  "Why does she read the Bible so much?" the
   boy asked his friend.  The other boy replied, "She is cramming for 
   her final exam!"

2. The more we "know", and the more we "keep" the words of our Lord, 
   the greater our confidence that we shall stand before our Lord on 
   that great Day of Judgment with all boldness!

3. As John says, "Abide in Him," which we have seen occurs when we 
   follow his earlier admonition:

   "Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the 
   beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you,
   you also will abide in the Son and in the Father."  (1Jn 2:24)

Are you letting the Word of God abide in you, so that you are truly 
abiding in the Son and in the Father?
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