Are You Willing To Listen To The Lord? Series

Are You Willing to Listen to the Lord?

1 John 2:12-17

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Series: The First Epistle of John

(Prepared November 29, 2023)

MESSAGE:

*Have you ever tried to talk to somebody, and they just weren't willing to listen? Oh yeah. Almost all of us have been there, -- maybe many times. Frustrating, right? Annoying. But I'm afraid we do the same thing to God. I know I have. And that's a terrible thing, because it hurts God, and it hurts us too. We all need to listen to the Lord, because He wants to speak to every one of us.

1. AND IN THESE VERSES, GOD SPEAKS TO US FIRST ABOUT OUR LIFE.

*This letter speaks to all Christians, and he speaks about every stage of our life in Christ. We can see this truth in vs. 12-14, where John said:

12. I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

13. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father.

14. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

*There is a lot of repetition in these verses, and some people may think it's needless repetition. But God never does anything without a good reason. And God's got something to say to every single Christian in these verses. He hasn't left any of us out.

*In vs. 12 John was speaking to all Christians generally, just as he did at the beginning of this chapter, and here John said, "I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake." Calling his readers "little children" was a term of affection, but it also points us to the fact that when we believe in Jesus, when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are born again as spiritual babies into the Family of God

*We first find this truth in John chapter 3. There Jesus was speaking to a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, and in John 3:3-6 God's Word says:

3. Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.''

4. Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?''

5. Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

*In other words: "People who are only born naturally only have natural life. But people who are also spiritually born again by God's Holy Spirit have eternal life in the family of God.

*John 1:12-13 also speaks about this new spiritual birth that can only come by believing in Jesus. There God's Word says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

*So when John spoke to "little children" here in vs. 12, he was speaking to every born-again believer in Jesus Christ. Christians: We are all included. Nobody is left out. And again, John said, "I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake." John takes us right back to the cross, the wonderful cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Jesus died on the cross for our sake, Christians, and our sins are forgiven for His name's sake. (1)

*But you know how new babies are. They are messy. And babies have a lot to learn. Years ago, Chinese pastor and author Watchman Nee told about a new Christian who was having a hard struggle with sin. This young Christian went to see Pastor Nee, and the man was in deep distress. The Christian said, "No matter how much I pray, no matter how hard I try, I simply cannot seem to be faithful to my Lord. I think I'm losing my salvation!"

*I love what Pastor Nee then wisely told him, "Do you see this dog here? He is my dog. He is house-trained. He never makes a mess. He is obedient. He is a pure delight to me.