Children are wonderful! Just this last week, we celebrated Mother’s Day, and enjoyed the children coming into our service to pass out carnations to all the ladies as we recognized and expressed appreciation for the mothers among us.
But sometimes, children, as cute as they are, can act ugly. It’s interesting to notice that you don’t have to teach a child to be selfish. Without even having to try to teach them, children just seem to naturally learn two words before any others: “no” and “mine!”
The Preschool Property Laws
1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it’s mine.
8. If I think it’s mine, it’s mine.
9. If it’s yours and I steal it, it’s mine.
10. If I saw it first, or last, makes no difference, it’s still mine.
The fact is that we are naturally selfish as human beings. The Scripture tells us that is an indication of our sinful nature. In fact, the choice that Adam and Eve made that plunged the entire human race under the condemnation of sin was the choice that said, “I can be like God.”
From that day until this, man has basically lived by the motto of “I can do my own thing,” “be my own boss,” “look out for number one.” And consequently, our world is in a mess.
The other evening, I was watched the republican presidential candidate debate. One of the candidates, Herman Cain, is the former chief executive of Godfather’s Pizza. He was asked how he hoped to compete, since he was the only person running who wasn’t a professional politician. His answer was “Washington is filled with professional politicians. How’s that working for you?”
The human race has basically been ruled by a passion to please themselves and God has asked, “How’s that working for you?” The fact is, loving for ourselves doesn’t produce very good results.
That’s part of the difference Jesus came to make in us. He came to make it possible, through our identification with His crucifixion and resurrection, to live life with a new passion - not to please ourselves, but to please God.
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)
What is it that motivates the Child of God to want to please God as opposed to pleasing himself? The fact of God’s love - “For Christ’s love compels us.” That’s what John tells us here.
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1. How this impacts our past – v. 1
John tells us WHY the Father has lavished His love on us - He has done this so that we should be called children of God. Elsewhere in this letter, John tells us HOW the Father has lavished His love on us - “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” - 1 John 3:16 (NIV) It is light of our Savior’s sacrifice that John exclaims “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us!”
Through the cross, the Father has embraced me! In Christ, He transferred my sin to His account, so I might become one of His children! Through the resurrection, the Father has empowered me! In Christ, He transforms me from the inside out, so I might live like one of His children! A beautiful picture is found in 1 Samuel 18:
“By the time David had finished reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David—an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David’s number-one advocate and friend. Saul received David into his own household that day, no more to return to the home of his father. Jonathan, out of his deep love for David, made a covenant with him. He formalized it with solemn gifts: his own royal robe and weapons—armor, sword, bow, and belt.” - 1 Samuel 18:1-5 (The Message)
We find David, dressed in his shepherd garb, being welcomed into Saul’s palace as one of his own children. That is what the Father has done for us. But we also find Jonathan, the King’s son, totally committing himself to David, becoming David’s advocate, making a covenant with David, and giving David his royal robes and weapons. This is a picture of what happened to us, through faith in Christ.
In Christ, the Father has embraced me as His Child. But also in Christ, the Father has empowered me to live as His Child, even as Jonathan, through his commitment of love, advocacy, covenant and provision, enabled David to not only live in Saul’s palace with His children, but to live in Saul’s palace like His children. The Father’s love has made it possible for us to live as his children and to live like His children.
Because of the Father’s love, expressed through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can now, through relationship with the Father through faith in Christ, live as children of the King. Which is why John says, that, like Jesus, we find the world isn’t that interested in us any more. We have passed from death to life; from poverty to wealth; from being outcasts to being royalty; from being children of Satan to being children of God.
2. How this impacts our future – v. 2
One day we’re going to be all that God saved us to be. I may not look like much right now, but wait till God gets done with me. God is going to perfect a work of grace in my life and in your life. We will one day be like Jesus is right now.
I often say, that I might not have achieved perfection, but at least I am headed in the right direction. While that is true, it also equally true that because I am headed in the right direction, one day I will receive perfection, because I will be like Jesus! What does this mean?
A. It means my character will be pure.
We have trouble with purity down here. That’s why we must constantly claim the promise of 1 John 1:9. But one day, I will need 1 John 1:9 no longer! One day, my character will be completely pure.
“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” - Revelation 21:27 (NIV)
B. It means my body will be glorious.
One day, we will have a glorified body like Jesus. When He appears, blind eyes will see Him, lame people will run to Him, and deaf ears will hear the sound of His coming! We will be made physically perfect!
C. It means my heart will be satisfied.
“As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” - Psalm 17:15 (NIV)
3. How this impacts our present – v. 3
By His love, God has purified our sinful past. By his love, He promises us a purified eternity. Now, in the present, in response to His love, we should seek to live a pure life.
Two different words are translated “pure” in the Bible. One refers to absolute purity in the sense that God is perfectly pure. The other refers to purity sustained through terrific temptation and trial. It is the latter emphasis which is intended here.
John reminds us that Jesus loved us so much that He maintained His purity while He walked this earth. In response to His love, we should seek to maintain our purity as we walk upon this earth. If we love Him, we should seek to live in such a way so as to not disappoint Him.
A young girl was out with some friends one night, far from home, and her friends suggested that they go to a questionable place. She hesitated for a moment and then said, “I think I had better not go.” one of her friends sarcastically said, “Why? Are you afraid that if your Father found out he might hurt you?” The girl replied, “No, I’m afraid that if my Father found out, I might hurt him.”
Conclusion: Just over the clouds there is a Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us so that we might be declared pure and acceptable in the sight of the Father. We ought to want to keep ourselves pure and clean for Him as we walk upon the earth, resisting temptation in an
effort to maintain personal purity; confessing sin whenever we do fail, so that we might be purified afresh. And, one day, we will be purified for all eternity!
Because of our Savior’s crucifixion and resurrection and the difference He has made in my life by His love for me - I can live with a new passion - not a passion like that which characterizes the rest of the world, a passion to please myself, but a passion that characterizes the world to come—a passion to please God!
