Author: Art Davison

WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR–1st JOHN 2:28

Art Davison JOHN'S EPISTLES 0 Comment
WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR
1st  JOHN 2:28
Introduction:

There are many glorious promises associated with God’s great promise that Christ Himself shall appear in person. When that happens there are several things that will happen that involves God’s children.

There will be some major changes after the Coming of the Lord, but our focus today is on what happens WHEN He comes for the believer.

I. WHEN JESUS FIRST APPEARED…

A. He appeared to put away sin, Hebrews 9:26, “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

1. God has prepare a kingdom for us from the foundation of the world, Matthew 25:34, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

2. The Lord Jesus has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself on the Cross, Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

B. He appeared to redeem a people unto Himself, Luke 1:68-69, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;”

1. He is the Horn (power) of our salvation, 1 Samuel 2:10, “The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

2. We have been delivered out of the hand of the enemy to serve Him, Luke 1:74, “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,”

II. WHEN JESUS APPEARS THE SECOND TIME…

A. Paul says, He shall appear without sin unto salvation, Hebrews 9:28, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

1. His first appearance He was the Lamb of God that bore upon himself the sins of the world, Leviticus 10:17, “Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?”

2. His second appearance will be to the salvation of all those that look for Him, John 14:3, “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.”

B. Paul says again, You also shall appear with Him in Glory, Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

1. He is our life now and in heaven, John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”

2. He is our Future.

a. We are to serve Him faithful until He comes, 1 Timothy 6:14, “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

b. There is a great reward for those that love His appearance, 2 Timothy 4:8, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

1) A crown of glory, 1 Peter 5:4, And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

2) We shall be like Him, 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.”

c. We will behold His face, Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

CONCLUSION

There is a sobering warning in our text relating to the soon Second Coming of the Lord. We should live so as not to be ashamed at His Coming.

1. Those who believe on Him will not be ashamed, Romans 9:33, “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

2. We who believe should continually abide in Him hour after hour.

a. Because our sins are forgiven, 1 John 2:12, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.”

b. Therefore we purify ourselves, 1 John 3:3, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVE US–1st. JOHN 4:19

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WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVE US
1st JOHN 4:19
Introduction:

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 the Apostle Paul sets forth the excellency of love, as the word “charity” there is rendered in the King James version. Charity better captures the biblical idea of love, for charity is love in action for the glory of God not a mere warm mushy feeling as we use the word today.

God’s love for us come from within Himself and not from anything we might do or have done in the past.

I. GOD’S LOVE FOR US IS THE PROPER GROUND OF LOVE

A. He love us first, 1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

1. God loved the world, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

2. God’s love was not set upon you for who or what you were, Deuteronomy 7:7, “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:”

3. God has loved us because He is rich in mercy, Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

B. Our state before God’s love appeared, Titus 3:3-4, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,”

1. We were deceived, Obadiah 3, “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?”

2. We lived in malice (spite, grudge, hatred) and envy, Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

3. We were dead in sins, Ephesians 2:5, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

II. GOD HAS CHOSEN TO LOVE US

A. You have not chosen me, John 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

1. He chose us when we were sinners, Romans 5:6-8, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. That He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, Ephesians 2:7, “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

3. God made salvation a gift, Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

a. Man cannot boast of himself, 1 Corinthians 1:29-31, “That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

b. He has saved us for His own purpose, 2 Timothy 1:9, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”

III. GOD HAS COMMANDED US TO LOVE OTHERS

A. If you love only those that love you, Matthew 5:46-47, “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?”

B. There is not reward for loving those that love you, Luke 6:36, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”

C. Love those who do not love you, Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

1. The Pharisees implied that their hatred was God’s means of judging their enemies, Psalm 139:21-22, “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.”

2. God commands us to help our enemies, Exodus 23:4-5, “If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. 5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.”

3. Our love for the lost demonstrates that we are God’s sons, 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.”

D. When Job prayed for those who had spitefully used him, God turned his captivity, Job 42:10,“And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”

CONCLUSION

It is a most difficult thing to love someone who has offended us or who has shown contempt for us. Just imagine how the Lord feels every time a sinner rejects His Word. Yet the Lord with great patience continues to offer salvation to that individual in Jesus Christ.

He love us when we were sinners and someone came to us with the truth even when we didn’t want to hear it. Can we do anything less?

THE STORY OF LOVE–1st. JOHN 4:7-21

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THE STORY OF LOVE
1st. JOHN 4:7-21

1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Introduction:

The story of Love began in eternity passed with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, John 17:24b, “for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” That love is seen throughout the Old Testament beginning with God’s dealings with Adam and continuing with the nation of Israel and on into the New Testament with the death of Jesus Christ.

The Story of Love is the story of the redemption of man and how God sent His only begotten Son to die on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of mankind. That story has not ended yet. God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, continues to work through His Word in the hearts of men and women to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let us consider what the Scriptures say about that story of love.

I. “WHOM HAVING NOT SEEN, YE LOVE.”

1 Peter 1:8, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

A. “Believing,” John 20:29, “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

1. Thomas had seen the Lord and believed.

2. We have not seen the Lord, but we have heard and have trusted Him, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. “

B. If you know Him, you love Him, John 8:42, “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.”

C. You keep His commandments because you love Him, John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

II. WHAT MANNER OF LOVE IS THIS?

1 John 3:1, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

A. It is the love of our heavenly Father that has been bestowed upon us.

1. By faith in Jesus Christ, 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. We are called “the sons of God,” Romans 9:25, “As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.”

B. The Father has caused us to know the love of Christ; Ephesians 3:18-19, “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

III. “WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.”

A. Not that we loved God, 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”

B. But because the LORD loved us, v. 10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins; Deuteronomy 7:7-8a, “The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you…”

1. You are no different than other sinners.

2. He just loved you as a sinner, Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

3. Because of His love He is rich in mercy, Ephesians 2:4, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,”

C. Because He loved us, He sent his Son to be the propitiation (the means of appeasing) for our sins, 1 John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

CONCLUSION

The love of God for the sinner moved Him to send Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, to die as the propitiation for our sins.

Now we stand in the love of God as His sons by faith in Jesus Christ. If you do not know Christ as your Saviour, you do not know the love of God the Father. Since Jesus is “the way” to heaven you will never see God. John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

THE MARKS OF THE RIGHTEOUS–1st JOHN 2:18-29

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THE MARKS OF THE RIGHTEOUS
1st John 2:18-29
Introduction:

What are we looking for in the believer? What marks him as a strong, determined and faithful Christian is a society that has disdain for him? God has given us some marks to look for in the faithful believer. They are not hard to find because they stand out so that everyone can see them.

I. A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER IN CHRIST.

A. Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.” John 3:3, 5-6 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

B. Works don’t impress the Lord, Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

II. HE KNOWS THE TRUTH.

A. The truth makes us free, John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

1. The preaching of the truth, 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

a. It is foolishness to the fool (“them that parish”).

b. It is life to the wise (“but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”).

2. The Believing of the Truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”

B. There is no lie in the truth and the believer knows it, 1 John 2:21, “I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

1. God cannot lie, Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”

2. The believer trusts the Lord, that is, he has faith, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

3. He has believed the report, Romans 10:16, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”

III. HE THAT DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS.

A. The “eyes” have it, 1 John 2:15-16, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1. The average professing Christian today cannot be distinguished from the world.

2. Separation is a foreign word to him, 2 Corinthians 16:16-18, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

IV. HE THAT ABIDES.

A. He stays when others leave, 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

1. Because he is a born-again believer, 1 John 2:29, “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”

2. He is not seduced by the world, 1 John 2:26-27, “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

B. He is constant and firm is his service, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.”

C. He is rooted and established in Christ, Colossians 2:6-7, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

CONCLUSION

It is not difficult to see the mark of a faith Christian. We have mentioned some here, but there are more yet. I trust that these marks are seen in your life as a professed believer in Jesus Christ.

MOURN FOR THERE ARE FEW MOURNERS–JAMES 4:1-10

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MOURN FOR THERE ARE FEW MOURNERS
James 4:1-10

Introduction:

I want you to consider what is happening as we approach the end times. We are in the last days before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are many signs that make us aware of the times. Among those is the change attitude toward the Word of God and His people.

Looking to the Word of God we see what God says about these changes and what they are. These changes ought to make us mourn for what is happening.

I. FOR THE REMOVING OF LANDMARKS

A. They have changed the bounds that God has set, Proverbs 22:28, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.”

1. God has set our boundaries in His Word, Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

2. God has set these boundaries for our good, Deuteronomy 6:2-3, “That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3- Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.”

B. The wrath of God will fall on those who remove the landmarks, Hosea 5:10, “The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.”

1. God’s wrath will swallow them up, Psalm 21:9, “Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.”

2. He that adds to or takes from the Word of God will suffer God’s wrath, Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19- And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

II. MOURN FOR THE CONTEMPT FOR AUTHORITY.

A. Men are spitting in the face of authority today, Proverbs 18:3, “When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.”

1. The wicked, Proverbs 20:6, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?”

2. The reproach those that stand for the truth, 1 Peter 4:4, 14, “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

B. They make the Word of God ineffective, Mark 7:13, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”

1. They corrupt the Word of God, 2 Corinthians 2:17, “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”

2. The handle the Word of God deceitfully, 2 Corinthians 4:2, “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

III. MOURN FOR THE PROFANENESS OF THE LAND

A. America is like the man in the gospel who had “a spirit of an unclean devil”, Luke 4:33, “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34-Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.”

B. There appears to be no repentance in the land, Romans 2:4-5, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5- But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”

IV. MOURN THAT THERE ARE SO FEW MOURNERS

A. God’s people seem to be in a slumber, Isaiah 29:10-11, “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11- And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:”

B. The world continues getting worse as it was in the days of Noah, Genesis 6:5, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

C. Even some churches are unconcerned, Revelation 3:15-16, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16- So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

CONCLUSION

Are we concerned that things are changing and that the Gospel is not being preached. Do we pray that God will use us to reach those that we love – our family, our friends or those that we work with?

Perhaps all we think about is ourselves and our pleasure and peace. God help us to mourn for the lost and pray that God will use us for His glory.