Sermon Outline: 1 John 3:18-24
1 John 3:18-24
Conquering Condemnation
Pastor Jason Stewart
I. Introduction:
A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. As he came back to Grandma's back yard, he noticed her pet duck, and like a sniper quietly approached the duck, not really believing he would hit the duck of course, as he hadn’t hit anything he was aiming at all day. However, as this young sniper approached this poor unsuspecting duck, he took aim and let his rock fly. Wouldn’t you know it, the rock ended up hitting the duck right on the head, and as the duck fell dead, the little sniper panicked. He then desperately began trying to hide the dead duck before Grandma found out, and so he buried it in a nearby woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch that day, Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn't you, Johnny?" And she whispered to him, "Remember the duck!" So Johnny did the dishes. Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally smiled and said, "That's all taken care of Grandma. Johnny wants to do it." Again she whispered, "Remember the duck." So Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he could no longer stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he'd killed the duck. Grandma hugged him and said, "I know, Johnny. I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.”
How typical is this in our lives as well? How often do we allow our past mistakes to enslave us with guilt and fear, which cause us to live a defeated and joyless Christian life at times? (I think if we are honest with ourselves, all of us experience that to some degree at some point in time) and so This morning as we finish up 1 John 3, we are going to be looking at a message that deals with this very topic. And I believe this morning that those of you who struggle in your faith with the crippling effects of self-condemnation are going to be able to leave here knowing that you can Conquer the Condemnation that plagues your life.
II. Revelation/Application: Conquering Condemnation
a. We Conquer Condemnation: Through our Love for one another (3:18-19)
The type of love that God considers to be pleasing must go further than our words, and lead us into action. It is by loving one another in this manner that we can have assurance in our hearts before God. The word “deed” in the Greek is “ergo” or work. We are called to put our love to “work” for others (3:18). Jesus tells us that this is the only way we are able to “shine as lights” in the midst of a dark world (Matthew 5:16). It is not by our Bible knowledge, or our Christian heritage, but by how we lovingly serve others for Jesus. That is what separates us from everyone else guys!
When we love one another practically the Bible tells us that we will have “assurance” before God that we are doing what is right and pleasing to Him. I also want to point out that John says we “shall assure our hearts before Him.” What a wonderful reminder that everything we do in life is “before God” (3:19b). How we choose to be a blessing to others, and how we choose to ignore others. God sees it all. Isn’t it exciting to know that when Jesus comes back, there is an opportunity we have to be right in the middle of loving and serving someone?
- We Conquer Condemnation: Through God’s Greatness (3:20)
When the Bible says, “If our heart condemns us...” the Greek word for “condemn” is kataginosko. Kata means “against”, and ginosko is “personal knowledge” of someone or something. It is ginosko knowledge that enables someone to have a personal relationship with Jesus. They know Him and experience Him. And here it is “personal knowledge” of one’s own sin that at times can condemn us.
This passage has been interpreted throughout the years in 2 ways. The first way that some have interpreted this passage is by saying “the greatness of God” is a challenge to live better and not to bring comfort. Therefore they say that this verse is implying that because God knows all things, His condemnation upon our failures is greater than even our own self-condemnation. However, the main objection, as well as the most logical view upon this interpretation from 1 John 3:20, is that the emphatic purpose of this entire passage (3:19 – assure), as well as this entire chapter (3:1 – behold what manner of love), as well as this entire book (1:5 – joy may be full, and in 2:3 – that we may “know”), is that the believers hearts would be assured of their relationship with God, not be further wounded.
God’s desire is that His sheep would lie down in green pastures by calm waters. Not live in a state of panic and uncertainty about their shepherd. Jesus tells us in John 10:27-28; “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
Remember also, culturally speaking here, the purpose of John’s letter is to encourage and reassure believers of their salvation because the early-Gnostics were confusing them and misleading them. They were once again a group that taught salvation comes through experiencing the inner-light and it was causing God’s people to waver in their assurance. And on top of that here we see that there is an indication in this verse that they had a “personal knowledge of their own sin” that condemned them. John is reassuring them that if they are passing the Christian test – which is believing that Jesus is the Christ, and that they are loving one another in word and in deed, that even if they feel condemned at times in their heart, that God is greater than their heart and knows the truth about His kids. 2 Timothy 2:19 tells us that the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal. The Lord knows those who are His. And everyone who names the name of Christ departs from iniquity.
And so when looking at 1 John 3:20, I believe we can conclude that the Bible is telling us that even when we are walking right with God by loving one another, we will at times possibly battle against self-condemnation. Maybe its your past mistakes, or your current sins that are causing you to have a difficult time feeling loved by God. Isn’t it amazing that the only people who truly ever feel condemned in this life are usually Christians? This is the enemies’ great deception for sure. Causing Christians to feel condemned, while at the same time causing non-Christians to not care at all about it.
This verse is telling us that God knows us better than we know ourselves. Our feelings of assurance are not a certain guide to the security of our salvation. When in doubt our hearts are quick to say yes and amen to Satan who accuses us and our conscious day and night (Rev. 12:10). Because God does know all things including all of our imperfections and sin (1:10), we do not need to ever feel condemned if we trusting in Jesus and loving one another (cf. 3:23).
The Bible tells us in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...” 1 John 5:3-5, “this is how we overcome, our faith in Jesus”. Jesus tells us in John 8:31-32, “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed...”
- We Conquer Condemnation: Through our Faith (3:21-24)
We can Conquer Condemnation through our faith.
1. Faith in answered prayer, and trying to live lives that are pleasing to God (3:21-22).
2. Faith in Jesus Christ (3:23a), and our love for one another (3:23b)
3. Faith to follow the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (3:24), and guides us (Rom. 8:14) (The Spirit’s presence is not only spiritual, but it is also practical. Our conduct verifies His presence in our lives).
III. Conclusion: Conquering Condemnation
Last Thursday Pastor Nathan and I went to do a hospital visit together and while we were driving up and back we had a great time of fellowship together. We were talking about people who struggle with feeling like they will never “arrive” to where they would like to be as Christians, so that they can serve God better. And we both agreed that nobody will ever arrive to that place in this life, because we are not perfect yet. We then began talking about the Apostle Paul who next to Jesus is one of our most shining examples of what it means to be a Christian, and how in Philippians 3:12 he proclaims that he himself has not “attained” or is “perfect”. Meaning, Paul still had to deal with his sin nature as well. But the one thing Paul says he did, even though he had not “already attained, or had already been perfected”, the one thing Paul did was that he “pressed on... forgetting those things which are behind him and reaching forward to those things that are ahead” (Phil. 3:12-13). Paul said, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:14).
This is how we have to be as Christians! We are not perfect, and just like Paul, we will never be in a place where we have arrived. But the one thing that we have to do is “press on” with Jesus until that day where our time on earth is finished and we meet Him in heaven. That is what the Christian faith is all about! That is how we Conquer Condemnation!
