The Purifying Hope
1 John 2:28-3:3
August 18, 2002
This week was a wonderful week as we were able to visit the Smoky Mountains and see the beautiful creation of the Lord. We had a front row seat to the Smoky Mtns. We hiked up into the mountains and saw the large rock formations, the huge trees and forests. We got to see some beautiful water falls. During some of our hiking, we all got thirsty. We didn’t take any water with us. I told the kids how pure the water was in the mountain stream and that it was ok to drink it. It tasted gooood. I got to pondering on why the water up their was so much better than the water down in town. I came up with a couple of conclusions:
1. Because it had never been touched by humans.
2. Because it came from the fresh, clean mountain springs.
Then I related that to our Christian lives. Our hearts are not pure because they have entered into this world. They have been touched by human hands (so to speak) which is a sinful nature. We also decide, all on our own, that we want to live in the world where the “action” is. I don’t mean ‘in town’ but “in this world”. That’s not bad all the time, but if you continually live there, there will be consequences. The Bible says to live in the world and not of the world. Keep our eyes fixed on things above. To understand that as a child of God, we are citizens of heaven. So the visible proof of being a true Child of God is to live lives that bear fruit (produce good deeds). Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Today, there is a call for Christian living
1. John shares 3 incentives for living a Christ centered life.
2. These combine to make up a purifying hope.
Central to this hope is the return of Christ
1. John had recorded the Lord’s promise
a. John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
2. Later he wrote of it again in the Book of Revelation
3. His heart was tuned in to this truth
4. I have been asked the question, “Do you really believe Jesus is coming again”? Or “Are you sure there even IS a place called heaven?”
By nature, we have always longed for such a place. Whatever culture you stumble across, whatever time period of history, you will find some sort of belief in the afterlife. (Cherokee Indians believed in only one “great spirit”)
There is a longing to go to heaven. Like the little boy flying his kite and the kite was out of sight up in the clouds and someone asked him where it was and he pointed up to the sky. They asked him how he knew it was there if he couldn’t see it and he said, "I know it is there because I can feel it tug." We can know in a similar way that there is a Heaven, because we can feel the pull of it, the tug of it in our souls.
Why did John choose to live the pure life?
I. Because he Didn’t Want to be Ashamed
How we live now will directly affect how we stand before Christ when He returns.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
1. There is nothing more secure than the return of Christ.
a. The promise of Jesus
John 14:1-… I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
b. The promise of the angels
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
c.The promise of Paul
i. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (Read)
d. Be assured, Jesus is coming again!
2. Christ will come when we least expect it
a. Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
b. His return will happen in the moment.
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
3. Some will be ashamed
a. Some will be caught in acts of sin
b. Some will have minds full of evil thoughts
c. Some will be saying words that grieve the Lord.
4. John intended to live his life and not be ashamed of Christ at His coming.
5. Paul said the same thing as he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ”
II. He Appreciated His Position
1. There were two things John couldn’t’ find words to express
a. The love of God
b. That sinners are able to become the sons of God
i. John wrote: John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
2. A simple fisherman, a child of the most high God!!!
3. This high position made John very grateful.
a. He wanted to live a life worthy of his position.
b. He wanted to live like a child of the King.
4. He was ready for the rejection of the world.
5. Why? His main desire was to be just like Jesus.
6. His desire was to bear fruit for Christ and show others what Jesus meant to him.
Dwight L. Moody once brought a pew full of boys and girls from the street to a church he anticipated joining. The presence of Moody’s guests so disturbed the aristocratic church that when he presented himself for membership, the church board suggested Moody take a month to pray about his desire to join their church. A month later Moody was asked by the board, "Did you follow our suggestions?" Moody affirmed he had. "And what did the Lord say?" Mr. Moody said, "He told me not to feel bad about it, because he has been trying to get into this church himself for the last twenty-five years
III. He Anticipated a Personal Meeting with Christ
1. Why? Because then he would be just like Jesus
a. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
2. John daily wanted to live as close to Christ as possible.
a. He listened as Jesus said “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
b. Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple…
c. Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
3. He daily lived a life worthy of the high calling of Christ.
4. He longed to see Him
5. This hope kept him pure
How has the hope of the return of Christ changed you?
Has it made you want to live a pure life?
Are you ready for His return?
Do you, like John, long for a pure life?
The countdown is progressing
Now is the time to get ready for His return.
