Live for the Coming of Christ - 1 John 2:28-3:3

Introduction

Sometimes we have it in our minds that when Jesus ascended into heaven, He took a nap and He will come down here after the alarm goes off. We have it in our minds He’s not really doing anything now until He comes back at the resurrection of the dead. But that’s not entirely true. Jesus, as king and ruler of heaven and earth, comes spiritually and judges nations and churches. When John wrote this passage, he knew two important facts. First, John knew Jesus prophecy concerning his coming judgment against Jerusalem was about to happen. Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:34 that the temple will be destroyed within forty years. John knew the time was almost up. Second, John knew Jesus would one day return to earth bodily to judge the whole world and raise the dead.

It’s like my geometry teacher in high school. On test day, he walked the aisles making sure we weren’t cheating. He did this a bunch of times. But the final time he took all our tests from us for grading. Likewise, Jesus has ruled over heaven and earth since His ascension. He judges people, nations, and churches now, not just at the end. Think of how providentially certain nations of risen and fallen throughout history. Think of all the tyranny, injustice, and evil unveiled over the last 2 years. Jesus unveiled it. Jesus judges within history to remind us that He will one day judge all history. Jesus will resurrect His church at the end. Christians can bear the temporal judgment today because of the final judgment tomorrow.

The Passage

Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 2:28–3:3

Summary of the Passage

In these verses, John gives a pep talk for the coming of the Lord. Jesus is coming and John wants Christians to be ready. Like John, we know Jesus will judge this world’s sin and evil. Also, like John, we know Jesus will one day come to rid this world of sin and evil. Today’s passage helps us endure present visits of the Lord in light of His final coming. Because we are God’s children (v. 28), we approach Jesus confidently. Because we are His children, we live righteously (v.29). Because we are His children, the world ignores us like the world ignored Jesus (v. 1). Because we are Jesus’ people, the uncleanness of the world retreats at the purity of His coming vv.2-3).

Main Idea: As you look to Jesus for the end of the world, live like Jesus in the world.

You Become What You Worship

When women worship their beauty, eventually they look like the manikins who gave them their clothes. When men worship college football, eventually they look like the cold pizza on the coffee table. You become what you worship.

Jesus is righteous; so if we worship Jesus and live righteously, we prove we have been born of Him (1 John 2:19). Just like Mary proves she is my and Sydney’s daughter with her curly hair. So, being children of God comes with obvious benefits: confidence (2:28), righteousness (2:29), purity and hope (3:3). We become like Jesus by worshipping Him.

But for the children of God there also comes oppression and affliction. As Christians were waiting on Jesus to punish the Old Testament temple, the Jewish world bullied Christians. If we are children of God, the world will treat us like it does our father—acting like we don’t exist (1 John 3:1). Brothers and sisters, God is not campaigning for the world’s approval. He is not marketing for their admiration. He is their Lord and God. He doesn’t need the world’s approval. The world needs God’s approval.

 John gives us a reality check: the more faithfully we live as Christians, the less this world will accept us. The more we live for Christ, the more uncomfortable, uninterested, and unattracted the world becomes. The more we obey Jesus, the more the world will hate us. But here in lies the hope for the world because God doesn’t save the world on the world’s terms. Nowhere in John 3:16 does it say, “for the world so longed for, waited for, and looked for God that He sent His son.”

Elizabeth Holmes in the early 2000s created a company called Theranos, which promised to provide blood test results with just a small drop of blood. Magazines and news outlets spent years providing her good press. Walgreens even brokered a deal with her to provide millions of dollar’s worth of machines. The catch was, she never built the machine. Many churches create ministries to attract this lost world. You go out and see what people want, then you find a way to provide it. But that’s not the same thing as Christian ministry. Ministry via public poll is not Christian ministry. Modern churches desire crowds and approval while Jesus ran away from them (Mark 1:37-38). Modern churches rejoice because the world praises them. But Jesus said,

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11–12

This world does not need more coffee stations in church buildings, or more diversity on the church staff. This world is dying and going to hell. This world needs a proper diagnosis, which is their own sin. And they need a proper cure, which is the gospel of Christ. This world needs to hear less, “I’m with you where you are” and more “repent, and believe Jesus where you are.”

You become what you worship. If you truly worship Jesus, you will forsake the approval of the world so that the world will be saved, just like Jesus did.

Hope for the Coming of the Lord

It’s hard for us to wrap our heads around Jesus’ future coming because we haven’t yet wrapped our hearts around His present company. You see Jesus comes to meet His people each week.

In Revelation 1, John said he was in the spirit on Sunday, the Lord’s day (Revelation 1:10) and he saw the vision of Jesus standing among seven lampstands (Revelation 1:12-13). We know a few verses later, those lampstands are the seven churches Jesus wrote to in chapters 2 and 3 (Revelation 1:2). This is just one example of when the church gathers on Sunday to worship Jesus, He meets us. The presence of Jesus at the gathered church spiritually prepares us for His physical presence. We meet Jesus spiritually each week so we can prepare our hearts to meet Him physically one day.

In Revelation 2, we see another way Jesus comes and its not to construct but to condemn. In Revelation 2:5, Jesus tells the church at Ephesus to repent, or He will come and remove them from His spiritual blessing. Where Ephesus is now is deep within the Islamic state. Jesus eventually came and removed His blessing from them.

How to be ready for the coming of Christ? To be ready for the judgment of Christ, you must first be in the family of Christ. You must be born again (1 John 2:29). If you are born in the righteousness of Christ, you are righteous. We stick close to Jesus like an older brother.

The second thing we do to prepare for the judgment of Christ is to hope (1 John 3:3). When we hope correctly, we will grow in purity.

What causes Christians to grow spiritually isn’t guilt but hope.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near., Hebrews 10:23–25

Conclusion

When Jesus first appeared, He became like us. When He finally appears, Christians will be like Him. So, if you’re a Christian, who is your only hope in life and death? Jesus! So, live like Him and for Him. Bring hope into this world. Become what you worship.  

For non-Christians, what is your hope? On the last day, everyone will stand in front of God for judgement. The thing is, no one is perfect. Christians, however do not stand alone, they stand with Jesus who is perfect. If you turn from your sins, and trust in Jesus, He will stand with you.