WHEN A CHRISTIAN SINS - I John 2:1-2
My Little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
This morning we saw how sin is to be dealt with in a believers life. We are not to deny sin as an issue nor are we to deny it as a problem(rename things we do with better labels) but we are to confess it(say the same thing about it as God says) and then He Who is faithful and just will cleanse us completely from all sin. ALL SIN cleansed by the BLOOD
CHARLES FINNEY: Great Evangelist of 1800’s was approached by a man before a church service. Asked that Finney would talk to him after church. Agreed. Deacons asked what man wanted…..you know who he is…that man is one of the worst men in the city…dare not go with him…hired killers…probably kill you….After service: you aren’t going are you…yes, I gave the man word.
Man met Finney and led him down the street, up an alley and into the back door of a building. Turned to lock door and told Finney to sit. Man walked behind a desk and pulled a gun out of the drawer and put it on desk. I heard you say something last night and I want to know if it is true or not. What did you hear me say? You said the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son can cleanse a man from all sin. Finney said, No, I didn’t say that, God’s Word says that. You don’t know me or what I have done.
1) You are behind a bar and we have an illegal gambling room: devices are fixed, taken last dollar from man and they committed suicide. God can forgive that? All I can say is that the Bible says, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin.
2) Not whole story: I own the bar, men come in and drink, wives come in rags and beg me not to sell them booze, I throw them out back into the streets and sell husbands booze until they run out of money and then kick them out. God can forgive a man like that. The blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse a man from all sin.
3) You don’t know the full story: This gun has killed several people who have gotten in my way. I have hired men to kill others. God can forgive me? All I can tell you is that the Bible says all sin.
4) Across street in big house I have a wife and a beautiful little child to whom I have been wicked and cruel and haven’t spoken a decent word to in 16 years
Finney stood up and grabbed the man and shook him. Listen to me, you have told me one of the most horrible stories I have ever heard and if it were up to me I dare say you would find no forgiveness but all I can tell you is that the Bible says that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.
That is all I wanted to know, he went over unlocked the door and said you can find your way home from here.
NEXT MORNING: Sun coming up man was walking from bar to his home. Wife was in kitchen cooking breakfast. Went upstairs. Mother told child, ’Go tell your daddy breakfast is ready. Ran halfway up and yelled, ’Daddy, mamma said breakfast is ready’ He answered, ’Sweetheart, tell your mommy daddy doesn’t want any breakfast this morning’. Ran down, ’Mommy daddy said he didn’t want any breakfast and he called me Sweetheart’…you must have misunderstood, go up and tell him again. Ran halfway up stairs….Daddy momma said breakfast is ready…..Come here honey.. Went to father and he picked her up and set her on his lap…began to tell her how much he loved her….mother came and stood in door and saw him holding daughter on lap for first time with tears coming down his cheek….come over here honey….I found out something last night that is the greatest thing I have ever heard and it is true: The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son cleanses a man from all sin. Closed the bar…began to be a benefactor to that community..a man changed by the power of Jesus Christ. HOW IS SUCH A WONDERFUL THING POSSIBLE.
This is the wonderful news we have to announce to the world because of what Jesus Christ has done. This morning we looked at our responsibility towards sin: confess it. Tonight we will look at what God had done with regard to sin. Two important title are given to Jesus in these verses: #1 Advocate #2 Propitiation
Jesus fulfills both these two roles with regard to our salvation. One is the basis of the argument while the other is the position by which one argues a case.
1) He is our PROPITIATION: means that by what He has done HE has satisfied God’s justice. God cannot close His eyes to sin. In His holiness He must judge sin but in His love He has given Jesus Christ to the world to be the Savior in Whom sin was judged. His finished work is the basis by which argument is made.
a) Same word used in Romans which is actually the term for MERCY SEAT. That upon which the sacrificial blood was shed. That one thing that divided sinful man and holy God. That one mediator between God and man
2) He is our ADVOCATE: term applied to a lawyer. Literally means ’one called alongside’. This means He represents us before God’s throne.
a) Word paraclete which is same word as used for Holy Spirit in John’s gospel and translated COMFORTER. The Holy Spirit is our comforter here on earth and Jesus is our comforter in heaven, before the throne.
Four things that are true about this wonderful Advocate we have:
We have a PRESENT ADVOCATE (1) My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins we have an Advocate
1. One of the purposes that John writes is that we might have victory over sin in our lives but in the event that we do sin John assures us about these four truths: #1 is that we have a PRESENT ADVOCATE.
a. John’s concern is as a father would have for his children:
b. Three reasons why a person might choose to obey
1) They have to 2) They need to 3) they want to
A slave obeys because he has to, an employee obeys because he needs a paycheck, but a Christian is to obey because he wants to please his heavenly Father.
2. John says we HAVE an Advocate: Right now, this moment, in the moment you sin, Jesus is there as our defense.
a. When we fail the devil runs to accuse us but Jesus is there to meet him.
1) Doesn’t say when we confess or even repent but when we sin. The case is based on what Jesus has done not us.
b. Jesus as our attorney knows everything about the case. Some lawyers don’t have all the facts but He knows all and still chooses to represent us because the case is rock solid. Not on what we have done but on the finished work of Christ.
We have a POSITIONED ADVOCATE We have an Advocate with the Father.
1. Jesus sits at God’s right hand. Always ready to make our case whenever needed.
We have a PERFECT ADVOCATE We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous…
1. One of the problems we run into is when we attempt to excuse our sins before God and become our own advocate. When we mess up we run to our own defense and tell Him why we are not to blame because of someone else or some circumstance. As long as we justify and excuse ourselves then He cannot be our Advocate.
HARRY IRONSIDE: One evening his young son did something wrong and was sent upstairs until he confessed he had done something wrong. About dinnertime the hungry boy called, ’Dad, if you think that I have done something wrong then I am sorry, can I come down now?’ ’That won’t do, no. Later he called again, ’Well, since you and mother both think I have done something wrong, I guess I have. Can I come down now’. No. Time passed and finally the boy came with tears in his eyes, ’Dad please forgive me. I know I have done wrong. Please forgive me.’ Then the lad came down and the fellowship was restored.
We have a PLEASING ADVOCATE (2) and He Himself is the Propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
1. Jesus is our Propitiation: He alone satisfies God’s holiness and justice that we might stand in His presence.
Zech 3:1-5 (1) Then he showed me, Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. (2) The Lord said to Satan, ’The Lord rebuke you, Satan!, Indeed the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?(One in mortal danger of perishing) (3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel.(man in sin, righteousness as filthy rags) (4) He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, ’Remove the filthy garments from him’. Again he said to him, ’See I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes’. (5) Then I said, ’Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by.
CONCLUSION
1. This is the hope we have to offer the world: propitiation…not for ours only but for the those sins of the whole world.
LUTHER: While Christ’s death is sufficient for every sin of every person who ever lived or ever will live, it becomes effectual only for those who confess their sin, accept the sacrifice, and embrace Christ as Lord and Savior.
