The Second Crisis
November 3, 2019
1 John Chapter One
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
I love this small book of 1st John. It has so much to say to us. I like how it begins. John dares you to call him a liar. He says what he is proclaiming to you he has heard with his own ears and seen with his own eyes and his hands have touched. He is an eyewitness. You have a choice immediately – believe him or not. Believe he is telling the truth or call him a liar. I choose to believe.
Then he states his purpose for sharing with you – so you may be a part of this. So you can be in fellowship and enjoy the joy. So you can come out of the darkness and into the light.
John tells us how to enter into to this fellowship and experience the joy of the Lord. We first must come to a place where we understand we are sinners. If we claim we are without sin; if we think we are okay and have not sinned – we deceive ourselves and make him out to be a liar. So the first step in entering into the Fellowship is to recognize we are sinners. The second step is to confess that fact. Who do we confess our sinfulness to? First, to ourselves. Secondly, to God. Thirdly, to the Fellowship of believers. James says,
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16a
This book of 1st John is a great book to lead someone to Christ. In the fifth chapter we are told we can KNOW we have eternal life. If we are in Christ – we have eternal life. But I don’t want to talk about salvation this morning – as important as it is. I want to go beyond this. Paul said,
“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God” Hebrews 6:1
I want to do that this morning. I want to go beyond salvation and on to purity. John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
I don’t know how many times I have used this verse to share the gospel with the lost. I encourage them to 1. Admit they are sinners, 2. Confess their sin to God. 3. Repent of any known sin in their life and 4. Believe.
But this verse does not stop at salvation. God does not stop at forgiveness
of sin. He wants to purify us from any unrighteousness. C.S. Lewis said God says,
“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.” ? C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
The salvation message is so very important. Don’t get me wrong. We must preach the gospel and preach it often – but if it is all we preach – we do our members a disservice. We need to go beyond the elementary things and grow deeper and more mature. We need to confess and experience forgiveness for our sins – then we need to go on to the deeper work of being purified and cleansed.
C. S. Lewis said,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” ? C.S. Lewis
So many churches almost convince people to not repent; not change. They say “God loves you just the way you are!” And it is true. They say, “You are saved by grace – not works!” And they are right. But like Lewis says, God does not love us because we are good. He makes us good because He loves us. He cleanses us from all unrighteousness because He loves us.
How does He do that? It certainly starts with salvation. After we confess our sin and try to walk the walk and talk the talk we find a problem. We are unable to do it. We are a slave to our sin nature. We know God’s will - but fail to do it. We know what sin is and we find ourselves doing it again and again. And this new experience is very painful, indeed. We are up and down like a roller coaster. Some people describe it as going through the fire. It is not an easy thing to be purified. It is not an easy thing to die to self. Lewis says,
“There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.' C. S. Lewis
Our relationship with God is progressive but it entails at least three crisis experience – probably many more – but at least three. First, the crisis experience of salvation where we confess our sins and are forgiven. Secondly, entire surrender to God, where we die to self and live to obey, and thirdly, when we receive our glorified bodies at death. In the first crisis experience of salvation we come to God seeking forgiveness of sin. In the second crisis experience of full surrender to God we come offering our wills; we come offering our all. We come, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, saying “Thy will be done.”
The disciples walked with Jesus. They knew Him – but they weren’t LIKE Him until after Pentecost. Jesus gave them power to serve then said to them,
“Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20
They were saved – but not sanctified. They were still carnal and selfish.
“Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.” Matthew 22:24
“When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.” Mark 10:41
After Jesus rose from the grave He gave the Apostles instruction to wait to go out and share the Gospel. Why? They weren’t ready. They weren’t filled with the Holy Spirit. Luke records,
“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:4-5, 8
The disciples needed that second crisis experience. Cornelius, the Roman centurion, was a godly man, but needed the Holy Spirit. And you need to come to a time in your life where you recognize your need for more power and are willing to surrender your will to receive it.
This relationship with God is voluntary all the way through. You are free to leave or end it any time you choose. God won’t force you to walk through the fire. God won’t force you to get up on the altar of sacrifice. God won’t force you to surrender to His will. He only invites. Listen to His invitation.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and 0approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
God invites. We are free to refuse and reject if that is our will. But God longs for us to freely love and follow and obey. He clearly warns it won’t always be easy. But He has a purpose in mind for us. He has a plan for your life. He wants to change us into His image. God says, “give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image”
The Word of God says, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
Do you understand what God is doing in your life? Every trial; every temptation He allows; every pain in your life is allowed for one purpose – to make you - transform you - into the image of Christ. And it often isn’t easy to die to self. It isn’t easy to become more self-controlled or kind, or gentle or loving or joyful. To become like Jesus – we have to surrender things that have become dear to us. It can be a painful process. But the rewards are eternal.
Would you take time this week to get alone with God and ask Him to examine you to see if there is any unclean thing or any unsurrendered area of your life? Ask Him to purify your heart. David prayed,
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit”
Psalm 51:10-12
May that be our prayer. May our desire be for a pure heart and a faithful spirit. May you experience the joy of your salvation.
