1 John 1 -10
(1:10) "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
(2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
(2:2) And He is the Pro-Pit-iation for our sins. And not ours only, but also for the sins of the world."
In this series that we are teaching, we have spoken much about the wages of sin...
We have spoken on the fact that we cannot deny sin…
We have talked about how we can’t deceive ourselves about sin…
That we can’t remove the spiritual mirror that God has placed in front of us…
That we have to confront what we are dealing with…
We have to deal with the issue of sin head on…
We have to take action, once and for all…
Because If somebody out there wants to be delivered from something…
If we are to begin a healing from some things
If we are going to remove burdens and problems from our situation…
We are going to have meet this issue of sin head on, face to face, nose to nose and get down to it….
You see, in order to remove some of the strongholds we are dealing with…
In order to get a break through from God…
And in order to see the Holy Spirit move in us in a way we haven’t yet experienced…
We are going to have to understand couple of things…
We are going to have to listen and comprehend the fact that:
(Roman 3:23) All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
And that when we sin, we distance ourselves from were God wants us…
The Bible says, (Psalm 14:3) they have all gone aside.
That "There is none that doeth good, no not one…"
You see, have to recognize that as much as we want to think purely, act purely, God has said that all people are sinners…
All are sinners…
And the reality is that although we put on a pretty good mask…
Although we can fool some of the people some of the time...
Althoguh we haven’t been caught this time...
You have been seeking a change in there lives…
You have been seeking renewal in your life…
You have been trying to overcome obstacles that just keep getting in your way…
Trying to eliminate a ball and chain from your situation…
If you’ve been trying to do this or know someone who is, we have a good start
Because if you know like I know, then you know that sin is much like a deep, dark, dreary, depressing, destructive tunnel…
Yes, and the deeper we walk in sin, the darker the tunnel gets…
The darker the tunnel gets, drearier our situation gets…
And the drearier our situation gets, the more depressing and destructive our lives can get…Amen!
So if you will, I’d like for you to consider these points because if we can agree on this point, we may be able to agree on another…
That being that in this dark, dreary, depressing, destructive behavior are the very same sins that will hold us back from what God is truly purposed in your life…
Those very same sins that keep us from realizing true prosperity…
Those very same sins that destroy the fabric of our families…
Those very same sins that keep darkness on our situations…
But saints of God… In spite of how dreary it looks…
In spite of the destruction that can take place…
In spite of how dark it may seem…
I want you to know today that: "God can be the light at the end of your tunnel"
"God can be your light at the end of the Tunnel"…
Now if you read this scripture with me again you will notice something very, very paternal taking place with John’s writings…
Something very loving…
Something even protective…
In fact, John is speaking to us as a Father might speak to his child…
And as a mother today might guide her daughter…Or how grandma and grandpa taught and protected the little ones they love…
Just like a parent, God, speaking through his apostle is reaching out to us so that we might listen.
Tell somebody its time to listen…
You see, sin in itself is described and illustrated most clearly by the imperfections of man…
In fact it is a medical, psychological and yes-biblical fact that man cannot help but sin…
Scientist have even determined through studies that although the human mind makes over 100 million mental transactions per day, that same human mind is incapable of focusing on purely good for more than just 30 or so seconds at a time…
Even Socrates said that "men know what is good, but do what is evil"
Yes it has been said "we are all like the moon, we all have a dark side we want no one else to see…"
And as we look at the scripture, we see John pleading with us by saying children, please don’t sin… please don’t
Sin separates, sin destroys, sin destructs… sin is a corruption in us. A corruption is not just at the surface of our flesh but is truly in the root of our being…
But in the next verse God lets us know that He has good news today…
He lets us know that if any man sin; we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous…
Pt I. Jesus is your Perfect Advocate
This brings me to my first point, which is that JESUS is our perfect advocate against sin…
He is our perfect advocate…
Now listen, what John is explaining to us here, is that although we are sinful by nature…
We should not sin…
Although we are sinful by nature… We should not sin…
You see the word sin comes from the Hebrew meaning a lapse or deviate from the norm…
When we sin….
We move away from the norm that God want in our lives.
We move away from the ideal that God has…
We move away from the purpose that God has and begin to walk down that dark tunnel of sin…
Down that tunnel of bondage.
That tunnel of alienation…
We deviate from God and walk down that dark tunnel of loneliness…or temptation, worry or fear…
And sin doesn’t care about your body… It doesn’t care about your health… It doesn’t care about your family… once it latches on
That virus works like a building block of trouble… Spreading and compounding as we hold on to it…
You know what I’m talking about…
The more you hold one to the sins we carry out, the sicker you get…The more you expose yourself to them the weaker you get…The more you embrace them, the darker it gets…
Sin can destroy, but God can be the light at the end of your tunnel
This reminds me of a story about two brothers who lived terrible, sinful lives…
They were very bad people. Had a terrible reputation in town…
Then one day, one of them died. And the living brother said to his Pastor,
"Pastor, I’d like for you to refer to my brother as a saint."
The Pastor said Son… Honestly I can’t do that. It just wouldn’t be right.
The brother said, Pastor, I wish you would. In fact, If you will I will give the church fifty thousand dollars."
The Pastor said, well, maybe I should think about it. I’ll call you back…
After a few hours, the Pastor called back and said, ok son, I’ll do it. I’ll do it…
Now a few days later at the funeral of the brother, the Pastor begins to address the congregation…
The Pastor stood up and said…
"We all know the reputations of the brothers…. He was a bad man… He was a scoundrel, dissolute and he was mean… He hurt people and was a very angry man…
"And compared to his brother, He was a saint"
The more you embrace sin the greater the darker the tunnel…
It only takes one pull of the one armed bandit…
It only takes one sip of the wine…
It only takes one lie…
It only takes one indiscretion…
And before you know it…
You are in the tunnel…
But God can be the Light at the end of your tunnel…
If you’ve been there somebody say amen…
If you’ve seen those situations enter your block… somebody say amen!
If you’ve seen the enemy circling your family members…Say Amen.
You’ve seen it in your home…
You’ve seen it in your friends…
You’ve seen it on your Job…
If you’ve seen it somebody say amen!
Because if you’ve been there like I’ve been there…
If you know it like I know it…
Then you know when you can see your right turning to wrong…
You know when you can see your up about to be down…
When you can see your good about to be bad…
But God wants you to know that in spite of what you’ve done…
In spite of where you’ve been…
In spite of what you think…
And in spite of whom you’ve seen…
You’ve have got the perfect advocate on your side…
You’ve got a perfect savior on your side…
You’ve got a perfect deliverer on your side…
You’ve got a perfect comforter on your side…
So when it gets dark and dreary…
When you get down and depressed…
When the devil wants you to self-destruct…
When you have to reach into the barrel of your soul for your next breath…
God will be your advocate…
God will be your helper…
God will be your lawyer…
God will be your doctor…
Your counselor…
Your comforter…
Your perfect provider, your deliverer, burden breaker, heart shaker, mind regulator… the alpha and the omega,
Oh taste and see…
Oh taste and see…
Oh taste and see that the Lord is God…
For (Psalm 23) The Lord is my shepherd… and I shall not want…
And though I walk through the shadow of death…
I will fear no evil…
For surely goodness and mercy will follow me in all the days of my life…
Surely God will be with me…
Surely God will bring me through this…
Surely God will comfort me…
God will strengthen me…
God will deliver me…
God will establish me…
God will prosper me…
God will guide me.
God will bind that devil in the name of Jesus…
And God will be the Light at the end of my tunnel…
Yes, God wants you to listen to Him when he speaks to you…
He wants you to hear him when He speaks to you…
He wants you to know that he is your light at the end of your tunnel…
God wants you to know that his is not only the perfect advocate for you…
But that He is positioned perfectly with God…
Jesus is positioned perfectly… on the right hand of God…
You see, this is important to you because of the issue of separation that has or is taking place between you and God…
You see, Because God is holy and perfect and man sinful and imperfect.
The only way we could be redeemed and reconciled with God is through a savior…
The only way we could be justified and seen as righteous in God’s eyes is through a redeemer…
God had to send someone who was perfect with God but walked with man…
Someone who is both Divine and Sinless… But because He is now a man… He can understand what you’ve gone through…
He understands the tears that you’ve had to shed…
He understands the pain that you’ve had to suffered…
He understands the confusion, the anger, and the problems…
He understands how people can act one way and end up being another… How friends can turn their back on you at the last minute… How parents can leave you when you need them most…
When it looks like you aren’t going to make it…
When your burdens get heavy…
When your problems multiply…
And even when nobody else will listen…
God understands… God understands…
He understands when everybody wants a piece of you…
When the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy…
When the accuser comes…
He says, (Matt 11:28) Come unto me all that are Labored and heavy laden and I will give you rest…
(John 14:1) Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me…
You’ve got to lay your burdens on the lord…
You’ve got to magnify Him while you’ve got the chance…
You’ve got to lift him up to the heavens…
You’ve got to exalt His name above all…
You’ve got to shout your way happy…
You’ve got to praise Him every chance you get…
You’ve got to shout hallelujah to His name…
You’ve got to tell yourself, I’ve got the power…
Power in thine hand…
Power in thine tongue…
Power of the Kingdom…
Power of the Holy Spirit…
Power from on high…
Power in your home…
Power on your job…
Power in your marriage…
Power in your relationship…
Holy Ghost power…
Power over lack…
Power over illness…
Power over Demons….
Power over finances…
Power over loss…
For all power was given to Him in heaven and on earth…
And for as many as received Him, He gave them POWER to become sons of God…Somebody give him a mighty hand of praise…
Saints, not only is Jesus a present advocate in that He is available to you today. Right now!
I know, I know… you may be struggling with sin in an area of your life and it is keeping you from were you want to be…
You want to know that Jesus is present right now…
You want to do something different… You need to make a change in your life…Help need help…
You’re tired of the same old job… You’re tired of doing the same old things…
You’re tired of going to the same old places…
You’re tired of all the battles and all the casualties…
You’re just tired…
And I want to tell you that whatever your situation is, God wants you to know that He is available right here. And Right Now…
And not only is he a present advocate for you right now
But He is also the Perfect advocate for you. Right Now..
He is the perfect advocate because of the fact that historically, geographically, and archeologically the Life of Jesus is found in over 5,000 ancient artifacts.
All bearing witness to his virgin birth, his sinless life, and his miracles over illness, disabilities, time and space…
His power over nature…
His ability to raise from the dead…
His own death, burial and resurrection…proving to as many as 500 witnesses that this was not just a man…But a man who is able to conquer death and make man perfect in the eyes of the Lord…
Yes Jesus is the perfect advocate for us…
The perfect helper…
The perfect defender…
But before we go home I want you to know that when it comes to sin…
Jesus is the perfect protector…
Come with me to the Book of Ephesians Chapter 6, verses 10 - 13…
Now in this passage of scripture, there is a three things you should take note of… Because God is talking to us when we read these scriptures…
You see, there is a warning, a brief description of the issue at hand, and a solution…
First of all Paul says to the church…Ephesians (6: 10) finally, my brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might…
Then he gives a warning. He says:
(6:11) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (This is the warning)
The Issue…
(6:12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places…(This is the issue)
And the Solution…
(6:13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (This is the solution)
I think the songwriter said after you’ve done all you could do…
Just stand…
Just stand…
We are confronted with the temptation to sin we have to heed the warning…
We are confronted with the temptation to sin we have to Understand the issue…
We are confronted but we have to grab the solution…
Now if you know this scripture you know that the term wrestle is a term to describe hand-to-hand combat…
It is emblematic of the devils trickery and deception when he is on the attack…
It is reflective of the war for your mind and actions that is taking place right here and right now…
The devil wants you lost…
He wants you misdirected…
He wants self-destruction…
But if you heed His warning… and He’ll protect..
If you understand His word… He’ll protect you…
If you grab the Hem of His Garment… He’ll protect you…
From hurt harm or danger He’ll protect you…
From the mighty storms of life He’ll protect you
Tell somebody He’ll protect you…
Because In the name of Jesus…
Every knee shall bow…
And every mouth will confess...
That Jesus is Lord...
I’m no longer bound…
No more pain
No turning back…
No more excuses…
God will deliver me…
God will help me…
God will bring me out…
God will carry me…
For there is one God…
And one mediator between God and men…
The man Jesus Christ…
For God is the light…
God is the light…
God is the light… at the end of your tunnel.
And in Him there is no darkness…
In the 2nd verse, the scriptures say that he Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not just ours but the sins of the whole world…
That word propitiation is a big word that simply means that He is the satisfaction of our sins…
It means that He is the appeasement of our sins…
It means that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, fully and completely satisfied God’s punishment for your sins and mine…
And that not through any righteousness of your own, but through a foreign righteousness that is Christ Jesus you are now made righteous in the eyes of the Lord…
You can now be justified in the eyes of the Lord…
You can now be made whole in the eyes of the Lord…
May God Bless you forever.
Amen...
Rev. Robert W. Parker
Southern Mission Missionary Baptist Church
St. Louis Mo.
314-521-3951
cwp240@aol.com for free audio version
Reverend John Mitchell Jr. Senior Pastor and Teacher
