Be Encouraged
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Intro
Have you ever had a multigenerational family portrait taken?
Sometimes people have them taken at weddings.
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I find it interesting to look at those types of family portraits.
You get to see all the generations of a family and imagine somewhat what they currently do.
Grandparents
You typically will see the patriarch of the family, Grandma and Grandpa in the center.
They have lived long and done the hard work of raising the family. They have walked and lived and now are able to enjoy the relationships with their children and grandchildren.
Getting together with them,
spending time with them,
dispensing advice to them.
They know what it is to live life and they have walked the walk. They no longer have the same needs as their kids or grandkids.
Adult Children
Then you have their kids. Younger. In their prime. They are working at raising their own families. They are the ones who are out
earning a living,
teaching their kids,
busy with the necessities of their life.
They have the energy and the strength that their parents used to have and are now using that energy and strength to raise up the next generation.
Grandkids
Then you have the grandkids. They are young and don’t yet do a lot of work, but they are enjoying the fruits of the labor that their grandparents have put in and that their parents are putting in.
They get to enjoy the love of their parents while they can be nurtured and grown in the safety of their family.
Each of these generations has different roles and needs during the various stages of life they find themselves in. Grandchildren, those that are younger, don’t have the same needs as their parents or their grandparents, just as those in their prime don’t have the same needs as those that are younger or those that are older.
Different needs at the various stages of life.
Transition
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Well, in the church, we find the same thing. Different needs at different stages of life.
This morning, we are continuing our series called Genuine Faith
and we are going to see that as John has just finished talking about begin honest about sin in our life, he then seeks to encourage the people, but he offers different encouragement to those at various stages of life.
Turn with me to 1 John 2:12-14.
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We are going to learn about how John encourages each group and find
how we might be encouraged at the stage we are in as well as
how we might encourage others at the stage they are in.
As we read this, you may notice that what we read is offset like poetry in your Bible.
And you will also notice that John seems to repeat himself.
What he is doing is writing in a poetic form using a type of writing that is known as parallelism that is often found in Hebrew poetry, such as the psalms. In that form, you will repeat what you just said in a different way or perhaps give a little further information and it is an emphatic way of stating something.
That is what John does in these verses.
As John has just finished talking about being honest with ourselves and with God about sin and some tests to see if we are in the faith, e turns to the church and offers them some encouragement at the stage of their Christian walk they happen to be in to help them be assured of their faith even as they are honest about their sin.
So read with me as we begin.
1 John 2:12-14
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12 I write to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
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 evil one.
I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Pray
Ok, we see John address what appears to be 3 types of individuals in this section, children, young men and fathers.
He is not actually talking to specifically children, young men, and fathers, but this is more addressed to people, both men and women, that happen to be at different stages of their Christian walk.
In the patriarchal society that they were in, it was not uncommon just to address things only to the men, but that was meant also for women.
In the church that John is writing to, much like any church that you will find today, you are going to have people that are at different places along their journey and people are going to need different things to encourage them.
So let’s take a look more specifically at
who John is speaking to and
how he encourages them
so we might be encouraged to.
First, we see John address children. Who are children?
Children are Newer Believers in Christ
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He addresses these newer believers in Christ to encourage them.
Now remember that John has just hit some hard truths about sin in our lives.
He told people you are still going to sin. Mature believers might understand this more and understand how their lives have changed in regards to sin, but newer believers could be discouraged by this.
So John wants to encourage these newer believers that even though they are going to sin and they need to take it seriously, it does not need to keep you chained to the past!
So he encourages these newer believers telling them
Your Sins are Forgiven
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1 John 2:12
12 I write to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
We all need to remember that Christ came so we would have forgiveness, but newer believers may be especially discouraged with their struggle with sin.
So, John encourages them and tells them that when we have truly received Christ as Savior, Your sins have been forgiven, you are no longer chained to the past sins you have committed. You are truly forgiven.
Apply
If you are a newer Christian here today, I want to encourage you and remind you, that even though you may be struggling with sin, your sins have been forgiven if you have trusted in Jesus as your Savior.
Your salvation was not earned by anything you have done, but given feely to you by the grace of God through faith in Jesus and His work.
Paul writes in
Ephesians 2:8-9
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8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
This means that you not only didn’t do anything to earn your salvation, but also having received it by Grace through faith, there is nothing you can do to lose your salvation once you have truly trusted in Jesus. He died for your sins, past, present and future and it is an entirely free gift.
But that doesn’t mean either that God is done with us after having saved us.
Philippians 1:6
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“he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
God continues to keep us and work in us, continually transforming those who have received Jesus.
Be encouraged that your sins have been forgiven.
Transition
But to these newer believers, he not only reminds them that their sins are forgiven,
but also that
You know the Father
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1 John 2: 13c
13c I write to you, dear children,
because you have known the Father.
You have entered into a love relationship with the Father just like someone who has been a Christian for many years longer than you.
He loves you and you have all the privileges that come with being in a relationship with the Father
You can expect God to guide you and lead you
When you do sin, you can expect God to convict you and discipline you because of your relationship with Him.
Hebrews 12:7-8
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7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
True children of God who know the Father, can expect to be corrected because of the Father’s love for them.
You can pray and expect God to answer.
In fact, I believe for new believers, that God shows special attention to them like we would a newborn baby, and in fact, answers prayers that to a more mature believer would seem somewhat superficial, but are an encouragement for them in their relationship with the Father. (my opinion)
If you are a newer Christian, be encouraged that even though you may still struggle with some sins, your sins are forgiven and you are in relationship with the Father.
Transition
John also addresses young men.
Who are the young men?
Young Men are Mature believers in Christ
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These mature believers that John addresses he reminds them of some of the things that have gone on in or are true of their lives.
He tells them to be encouraged because
You have overcome the evil one
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1 John 2:13b
I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one…
They have been tested and tempted and have overcome.
We should be encouraged when we overcome Satan’s attempts to lead us into sin.
It is going to be a struggle for us sometimes, but we need to be reminded of our overcoming so we can be encouraged and strengthened to overcome again.
Overcoming the temptations of Satan is an evidence of the Lord’s work in our lives, that we are no longer slaves to sin.
Be encouraged in that.
Transition
But John tells them not only to be encouraged because they have overcome the evil one, but be encouraged by how you overcome the evil one.
Be encouraged because
You are Strong
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1 John 2:14b
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
They have not overcome in their own strength, but their strength comes from the Lord, as they have persevered and faced trials and tests.
Paul, when he writes to the Corinthians, recognized that his own strength was nothing and that Christ’s power was the only thing that made him strong.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
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7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
When we have tests and trials, it forces us to rely on God’s grace and not on ourselves.
As we mature, we learn that we are not strong at all, and in fact we find strength when we know we are weak.
Mature believers are strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Be encouraged that the Lord provides you the strength necessary to overcome and to persevere.
Transition
But how does this strength come to us?
Well it comes from the Lord as
You Abide in the Word
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1 John 2:14b
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
It is through
abiding in the word,
reading it,
studying it,
living it,
that the Holy Spirit strengthens newer believers into mature believers.
Mature believers should be encouraged as they have grown in their knowledge of the word of God through abiding in His word.
This process begins with as a newer believer takes in pure spiritual milk, which is the gospel and the basics of the faith.
As we begin to read and digest what the gospel is and begin to take in some of the basics, we begin to grow up in our salvation.
This is just what Peter says in
1 Peter 2:2-3
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2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The author of Hebrews, when chastising those who should have been mature, said
Hebrews 5:12-14
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You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Mature believers are abiding in the word and living righteous lives. The word of God is abiding in them as study it and by their constant use of it.
And as they mature and God’s word lives in them, we see these mature and maturing believers sacrifice and take on roles of leading and serving in the various ministries and able to be used in training up the new believers in the faith so that they will one day be mature believers.
Mature believers have been tested and faced temptation and yet consistently are overcoming the evil one, they get their strength from the Lord by relying on his grace, and they are abiding in the word of God, feasting on it, moving from milk to the meat of Scripture and continually being strengthened in the Lord.
Transition
And as they continue on doing that, those mature believers will continue to the next stage of development, which John calls fathers.
Who are the fathers?
Fathers are Elder believers in Christ
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Those of you who are elders
have been walking with Christ for quite a while and
your life is a living testimony of God’s grace and work in and through you.
These elder believers in Christ are older in years and are probably diminishing in the physical strength they used to have when they were younger and serving the ministry more fully.
Sometimes these elder believers can be discouraged that they aren’t doing as much as they used to in the ministry.
So John writes to them as well to encourage them.
He says these elder Christians should be encouraged because
You Abide in Jesus
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John says the exact same thing twice to these elder Christians.
He says “you have known him who is from the beginning.” (1 John 2:13a, 14a)
They were abiding in their relationship with Christ, with him who is from the beginning.
Their life has shown it through their faithful ministry throughout the years.
They have borne fruit.
John 15:5
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If a man remains (abides) in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
These mature Christians have borne fruit through their Christian life.
What kind of fruit have they borne?
Well, one suggested by the term fathers would be that they have led others to the Lord. They have spiritual offspring, they are Spiritual parents, if you will.
Paul is such an elder Believer. Listen to what he writes to the Corinthians in
1 Corinthians 4:14-15
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14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
Paul led many of these Corinthians to the Lord and they are the fruit of his ministry there.
In times when it seemed nothing good could come out of a situation, these elder Believers have experienced Him who
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“works all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28).
They have seen the good that the Lord can do.
They have faithfully set an example over the years for their spiritual offspring and bask in the relationship with Christ.
These elder believers may not carry the load of ministry that those mature, younger believers do, but they are a source of wisdom and council that can be counted on as the ministry that has been often built upon their backs continues on.
And it is not as though you are done once you have reached this stage.
While your physical strength may be diminished, you are still a vital asset to the ministry of the church.
Apply
If you are an “elder” believer, your time devoted to prayer, your sacrifice of giving, your sacrifice of time and council to younger believers is vital to the church.
You abide in Jesus and your life has shown it! Be encouraged by that and be encouraged to continue to use the gifts you have in encouraging and helping the next generations.
Everyone here should strive to get to this stage of Christianity when we are truly living in and enjoying that abiding relationship with Christ.
Conclusion
No matter what stage of the Christian life you find yourself at today, be encouraged.
If you are a newer Christian, Be encouraged that
your sins have been forgiven and that
you are in a love relationship with the Father that you don’t deserve, but that He has been given to you by grace through faith.
If you are a mature Christian, be encouraged
where the Lord has brought you in overcoming the evil one many times and
in strengthening you in the Lord through your abiding in the word.
If you are an elder Christian, don’t be discouraged that you aren’t doing as much as you used to, but be encouraged to be able to see the church continue on in the hands of the spiritual offspring you have helped develop and be encouraged by the abiding relationship with Christ you have and the blessing that it is.
Whatever stage of life you find yourself at,
Whatever generation of believer you are, be encouraged, by the Lord and continue to ask for the strength to grow up in your salvation.
Saturday evening and 9:30am service end
I am going to close in prayer.
If you not yet a Christian, receive Christ today and begin a life as a child of the Lord so that you can be part of the generations of believers being used for eternal purposes and so that you might find true encouragement in Him.
If you are a Christian, be encouraged by where the Lord has you and what He is doing in you and what He has done in you and through you!
Let’s pray
