An Incarnational, Missional People
“Becoming Confident & Hopeful”
1 John 2:28-3:3
A few years ago Billy Graham was honored in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. Billy Graham is in his eighties and suffering from Parkinson’s disease. He agreed to respond briefly at the end of this great tribute from his hometown. His brother-in-law, Leighton Ford, described his response.
Billy Graham stepped to the podium. He briefly related an incident that had happened in the life of Albert Einstein. This great man, chosen by Time magazine as The Man of the 20th Century, was on a train. The conductor came to punch his ticket. The great scientist became quite flustered as he searched his pockets, his briefcase, and even the floor underneath his seat, to try to find the ticket. He couldn’t find it. The conductor responded, ’Dr. Einstein, we all know who you are. I believe you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it. I know who you are.’
The conductor continued up the aisle, only to glance back and see the renowned professor down on his hands and knees, looking under the seat, still fumbling with his pockets, frantically trying to find the ticket. The conductor came back and once again assured Dr. Einstein that he knew who he was, saying, ’Don’t worry, I don’t need to see the ticket.’ To which Einstein responded, ’I, too, know who I am. The problem is, I don’t know where I’m going. I need that ticket to remind me.’
With that, Billy Graham concluded by saying, ’See this suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit. It’s a very good suit. My children and my grandchildren are telling me that I’m not keeping my clothing as up-to-date as I used to. So I went out and bought this suit. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be alive. And, frankly, this is the suit in which I’m going to be buried. Thank you for honoring me this day. The final word I want to leave with you is this: One of these days I’m going to die. When I do, I want you to know, because of Jesus Christ, I not only know who I am, but I know where I’m going. I hope you do too!’ And he sat down."
(- As told by John A. Huffman, Jr., "God’s Promise for When You Confront Death," February 13, 2000, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, California.)
Today we’re studying a passage that begins in 1 John 2:28. As we read the text we will see that Billy Graham’s statement can also be true for you. It is possible for you to fully know who you are and where you are going for all eternity.
[read 1 John 2:28-3:3]
This is a letter written by a pastor to people that he loves in his church. Thus John refers to his church as “dear children”. The reason that John is writing is that these dear ones are being confused by some people that used to be in the church but have since left. These departed ones are now declaring some things about the Christian faith that are not true. When you believe or teach things that are not true to the Christian faith that is called heresy. People that speak heresy are called heretics.
One of the claims the heretics were making is that those who were still in the church didn’t really know God and have relationship with God. Therefore John addresses the heresy head on by declaring that his dear ones not only have relationship with God but they do so with confidence and without shame.
Recently a friend gave me a book by Michael Lewis entitled The Blind Side. It is a true story based in Memphis which is my hometown. The central character is a black athlete named Michael Oher (pronounced ’oar’). Oher now plays left tackle for the University of Mississippi and is a pre-season All American and predicted to be a great professional football player.
Michael Oher grew up in the 3rd poorest zip code in America, a ghetto area in Memphis. His father was killed in a crime related situation. His mother was a drug addict and non-factor in his life. Oher basically grew up carrying a garbage bag of his stuff from one friend’s house to another for years. He was parentless and homeless. He was also huge. By the time he was 15 he was 6’5” and weighed 350 pounds.
To make a long story short, Oher was discovered by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, a wealthy white family in Memphis, who took him into their home. He attended the same exclusive private school that the Tuohy’s daughter and son attended.
Oher was a giant of a man but afraid of everything. He never raised his head and looked anyone in the eye. He never answered a question or spoke to anyone. It was as if he tried to live an invisible life so that he wouldn’t be any trouble to anyone and he’d therefore have a place to sleep overnight.
But the Tuohy’s reached out to him, provided him a home, clothes, food, tutoring and involvement in sports. They then witnessed a transformation. This almost non-person began to receive the love of a family. He began to get an education for the first time. After playing one year of football he was identified by college scouts as the best high school lineman in the nation.
The longer Oher lived with the Tuohys as their son the more confident he grew in their home and in life. The Tuohys owned several Taco Bell restaurants in Memphis and they told Oher, “Any time you’re hungry just go into any of the stores you want and eat whatever you want.” One day Mrs. Tuohy received a telephone call from one of the stores. An employee said, “Mrs. Tuohy, sorry to bother you. But there is a very large black man here who claims that he is your son and that he is supposed to have his meal for free.”
Of course Mrs. Tuohy confirmed that Oher was indeed her “son”. Notice the shift in Michael Oher. He went from invisible non-person who would neither raise his head nor speak to claiming to be a son of a wealthy white family. That’s the kind of confidence that happens in you and me when we come to Christ.
We have no business even thinking about approaching God. We are sinful, broken, ugly people. But in His generosity, Jesus reached out to us and He has so saved us that He has made us sons and daughters of the God of the universe. Therefore, we confidently, boldly come into the presence of God as family. There is no shame that hinders our coming to God because we are forgiven of all of our sins.
Is that true for you? Have you received Christ into your life? Do you now follow Christ as a disciple and as a son (daughter) of God?
You say, “Well, I think I have but there are times when I feel very insecure in my relationship with God. I don’t feel confident.”
Then the next thing John says is just for you. John exhorts, “Continue in Him…” The word means to continue to abide or live with Christ.
You see, with the Micahel Oher story, you only find the transformation of a throw away kid into a beloved adopted son because Oher moved in and lived with the Tuohy family. If Oher had continued to live from house to house in the Memphis ghetto the transformation would never have taken place. He moved in and lived with his new family. Living with his new family changed his life and brought a confidence into his heart that affects all of life now.
I love the Jason Bourne stories. Jason Bourne is a fictional character created by Robert Ludlum in books and film. The first film, “The Bourne Identity”, is the intriguing story of what it is like when you forget who you are.
Jason Bourne is a highly trained, specialized agent of the US government who has tremendous ability to fight the enemy, to discern dangerous situations and to think strategically and overcome problems. But, Bourne has forgotten who he is. In one battle with a bad guy Bourne is shot and nearly drowns. The trauma causes him to have amnesia.
At one point Bourne questions who he is because he is sitting in a restaurant and he has observed every car in the parking lot, memorizing every license plate, and can close his eyes and tell you with detail about the appearance of every person sitting in the restaurant. He questions, “Who does this kind of thing?”
It’s a great question because the answer is relevant to his lost identity. The person “who does this kind of thing” is a secret agent.
When a bad guy attacks Bourne, Jason instinctively deflects the enemy’s blows and knocks out his opponent. When hearing a foreign language spoken across the room he not only understands but returns a comment and thereby discovers that he knows that language.
So, let me remind you about your “Born” identity. John tells us that we are children of God who have confidence in our relationship with God. John says that someday Jesus is going to return to this world to judge it and that we look forward to His return because we are without shame.
How did we become children of God, confident and without shame? John says you were born of God. This is something that John elaborates on in the Gospel he wrote. John says that just as you were born physically of a mother and father in this world, you must also be born spiritually of your heavenly Father. When you confess your sin to Christ, ask for His forgiveness and call upon Christ to save you from judgment, John says that is being “born again”. You have been adopted off of the ghetto streets of this world into God’s family.
Now, some wonder, “How do I know if I really have a relationship with God? How do I know that I’m forgiven and that I’ll go to heaven someday when I die? How do I know that I’ve really been born again?”
John says that you’ll know because your life is changed. You live differently. The Bible calls it righteousness. You live the right way. The “right way” was defined by how Jesus lived. So, you know that you are God’s son or daughter because you’re becoming like Jesus.
This is way more than morality or good behavior. Becoming like Jesus affects the way that you see this world, interact with people, and understand your life purpose.
I was visiting with a family at a hospital one time. The man’s elderly father had surgery. I went in to visit the couple and inquire about the father. They were very excited that the surgery had gone well and that the prognosis was good. After a few minutes I visited with the father and said a prayer with him. The minute I walked into the room with the father I noticed that he was animated and lively and giving off every signal of someone who was going to recover from this surgery and live several years.
However, at the same moment that I’m greeting him I hear an inaudible voice that I’ve learned to recognize as God speaking to me. It seemed as if God said, “He is not going to live. It is time for him to die.”
Wow. What do you do with that? Later I went back into the waiting room to visit again with the couple. I remarked how good the father looked and how glad I was that we got to say a prayer together. Then the man received a telephone call and I was standing alone with the wife and daughter-in-law of the patient. I said, “I don’t exactly know how to say this but I don’t think your father-in-law is going to be with us much longer. I know the surgery was a success and he looks great right now. I have an impression in my heart that he won’t be with us a lot longer. I’m only mentioning this to you so that you can support your husband right now.” Within a couple of days the father took a turn for the worse and died without leaving the hospital.
Here’s my point. Jesus is in the business of caring for people and touching their lives. I’m in His family. I’ve been born again. Therefore, I have a spiritual DNA in me now that operates in this world the way it did in Jesus. I see things and hear things from another perspective. And God calls upon me to be His agent. Jason Bourne was an agent of destruction. Christians are born agents of life and light.
Let’s be very clear. Christians don’t deserve being born into God’s family. We don’t deserve His forgiveness and His blessings. We don’t deserve being His agent and participating in miracles.
But God is generous and therefore “lavishes” (3:1) His love and blessing upon us. That says more about the generous nature of God than it does about who we are. God’s lavish.
And, this kind of thing doesn’t make sense to a lot of people around us. It is mysterious and it is extraordinary. John said, “People didn’t understand Jesus and they won’t always understand you.”
Conclusion:
A few years ago there was a phrase that was popularized by the TV game show, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” It has become a cultural catch phrase.
As you may remember, Regis Philbin would ask a contestant a question. The correct answer was worth a lot of money. The question would have a potential answer of “A”, “B”, “C”, or “D”. The contestant would pick “B” and Regis would ask, “Is that your final answer?”
Today you can hear that phrase used in many different contexts. “Do you want French fries or baked potato?”--“Is that your final answer?”
Apparently Americans grew to like the phrase. It implied opportunity to change your mind or have a second chance at a question. However, the time comes when the contestant has to give a final answer.
In Matthew 16 we’re told that Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples replied, “Some say that you’re Elijah. Others say that you’re Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” as if to ask, “Is that your final answer?”
Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Who do you say Jesus is? To say that Jesus is the Christ is to say, “Jesus is the anointed Messiah of God who alone can save me from my sins.” To say that Jesus is the Messiah is to say that there is none other who you will follow with all the allegiance of your heart. If Jesus doesn’t have the allegiance of your heart then something else or someone else does.
What’s your final answer?
