Text: 1 John 1:1-2:2
Title: God’s Message to us
Introduction
There is an old story of a man who was walking at night and saw another man searching for something near a lamp post. Approaching, he asked the man what he was looking for, and the man without looking up, replied, “my watch.” The first man asked, “well, preciously, where were you standing when you dropped it? Continuing his search, the man pointed a finger in the distance and said, “over there some where”. Incredulous, the first man said, “well then sir, why are you looking for it here?” Finally looking up in frustration and meeting the first man’s gaze, the searcher replied testily, “Because the light is better here!”
Illustration found on Sermoncentral.com
Perhaps you are here today and have lost something. (Joy, fellowship, testimony, way, place, faith, passion, holiness…)
1.The greatest mistake we can make is to conceal our loss by…
a. living with our loss
“walking in the darkness” (v6)
b. lying about our loss
“if we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” (v6)
What causes someone to go on concealing their loss?
a. Pride (what will others think?)
b. Fear (what will others do?)
2.A better solution is to discover what is the cause of our loss
The truth about who’s really to blame
a.It is not my circumstances (the darkness is not to blame)
b.It is my condition (sin mentioned 9 times in our text)
In seeking to discover the cause of my loss we find Sin is living in us.
“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to do- what I hate.” (Rom. 7:14)
3.When I discover that the cause of my loss is my own condition I am to confess my sins.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (v9)
a.The word “confess” is to “agree with God.” We change our plea from innocent to guilty as charged.”
Otherwise we discover in verse 10 “if we claim we have not sinned we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
b. God will never force a confession from us. “If we…” (v9)
4.When I confess my sins God is faithful to forgive and purify from all unrighteousness
He is faithful = to win over, persuade…
5.When I confess my sins I also have someone who speaks to the Father in my defense – Jesus Christ. (1 John 2:1-2)
6.When I confess my sins I’m no longer controlled by sin (1 John 2:1)
“I write this to you so that you will not sin.”
Conclusion
God does not want us to be casual about sin or controlled by sin. God wants us to confess and be cleansed from sin.
If you are at a loss because of sin then come into the true light and receive your forgiveness and cleansing.
