1 John Ch2v18-27

work backwards and you'll come to 1 John.

So over the summer months we have different speakers, some from within the church here.

Connor is going to be speaking this morning.

And this passage from 1 John, over the last couple of years when Connor has been preaching,

he's been taking us through 1 John.

So if you want to know what he said before, you can look up on the church website and you

can listen back to some earlier talks on 1 John.

Today we're going to read from chapter 2, verse 18 to 27.

So let's read and hear God's word.

1 John, chapter 2, starting at verse 18.

1 John 2 · chapter mention

Dear children, this is the last hour.

And as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come.

This is how we know it is the last hour.

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.

For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us.

But their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it,

and because no lie comes from the truth.

Who is the liar?

It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.

Such a person is the Antichrist, denying the Father and the Son.

No one who denies the Son has the Father.

Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.

If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

And this is what he promised us.

Eternal life.

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you,

and you do not need anyone to teach you.

But as his anointing teaches you about all things,

and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit,

just as it is taught you, remain in him.

Connor, you want to come up and I'll pray for you?

Let me pray for Connor and for ourselves.

Father, thank you for Connor.

Thank you for his love for you.

Thank you for saving him.

Thank you for his gifts.

And we pray now that he would be a conduit of your grace to us today.

That you would aid him and help him by your Spirit.

And that we, in turn, would listen to the truth

and remain in the truth

and not walk away from it.

Help us then, we pray.

Amen.

Thank you, Connor.

Thank you, Connor.

Thank you.

Thanks, Johnny.

Well, not that your prayer wasn't excellent, Johnny,

but I'm going to pray again, if that's all right,

just as we start.

I was at a meeting, actually, with Johnny recently,

and I think he said something along the lines of,

if a Christian asks to pray, you're not allowed to say no.

So I am going to pray, if that's all right.

Father God, I thank you that you are here with us.

We ask for your help to listen, to pay attention,

and to try and get what you were trying to say to us.

Help us to see the majesty

and how important it is to be listening to your word.

In Jesus' name, amen.

It was a good reminder to put my phone on silent.

Bear Grylls.

I recently finished his autobiography.

I don't have one for everyone in the audience.

I'm not even sure I would recommend it.

I enjoyed it, but...

Bear Grylls is a former SAS agent,

professional adventurer, and a TV star.

It took him two attempts to successfully pass

the gruelling SAS selection tests.

He had always enjoyed mountaineering and climbing,

but he attempted the SAS selection

based solely off this enjoyment

and his own grit and determination.

Throughout the weeks ahead,

the instructors were constantly

trying to lead him away from his goal.

After an eight-hour hike,

when he was beaten down with everything,

they'd say something comforting like,

all you have to do is ring this bell.

You can go home for a hot meal and shower.

Well, he very nearly made it to the end,

but unfortunately fell at one of the final hurdles.

Himself and his friend,

who also got called around the same time,

then began training properly.

They now knew what was needed.

They were forewarned.

And they started training and preparing

to take the selection test again.

The next time the opportunity came around,

it was during the winter months,

and so it was even tougher conditions

and harder to pass the tests.

But because of the training

and the preparation they put in,

and despite the instruction,

or the instructors trying to lead them

in the wrong direction,

both friends passed the tests

and went on to reach their goal

of becoming SAS agents.

The passage that we're looking at today

is a letter written by the Apostle John

to churches that are experiencing false teaching.

These false teaching are trying to lead people away

from the eternal life found only in Jesus.

And as we go through our passage,

we'll see that John is saying,

if the churches train,

if they abide in the truth of the gospel,

then they'll be assured

of reaching their goal of eternal life.

So I've just told you

that John is writing this letter

to assure Christians of their salvation,

to assure them that what they know

as the truth is the truth.

But this passage begins with talking about

not only an antichrist,

but many antichrists.

What a way to assure people

that they're safe and secure.

Oh, you're having doubts?

Well, listen,

there's loads of people trying to deceive you.

There's loads of people

that are going to tell you different things

than that which you've heard.

Also, don't worry,

they look like they're one of us,

so it's going to be tough to determine

whether what they say is truth or lies.

Maybe John should have a quick chat

with Barnabas,

the son of encouragement,

because John really doesn't seem

to understand

what he's supposed to be doing here.

But John knows that being forewarned

is being forearmed.

He's not trying to tear people down.

He's not trying to discourage them

into thinking standing strong

in the faith is a mammoth task.

He's simply telling the believers

that this is the reality.

These antichrists will come

and they will try and mislead you.

And it's the same for the church today.

It's the same for us today.

There are people all around us.

There are antichrists all around

trying to say that Jesus is not the Christ.

They claim Jesus is not the God-man

that lived a perfect life for us,

the perfect life we couldn't.

They claim that his death on the cross

was not enough for us

to experience eternal life.

John is forewarning the church

that it will be attacked from all sides.

Well, before we go any further,

I think it would be helpful

to define what antichrist means.

It's a buzzword nowadays,

but also back in early church times.

We all might have our own ideas

of what it is.

But like many of us,

they would have heard of the antichrist

to come at the end of the age,

the one who will gain power

and persecute the people of God,

but who God will eventually judge

and whose dominion

will eventually be stripped from him.

However, we see in this passage

that many antichrists, plural,

are already in the world.

We're told exactly what to look for

in verse 22.

Who is the liar?

It is whoever denies

that Jesus is the Christ.

Such a person is the antichrist,

denying the Father and the Son.

So anyone that denies

that Jesus is fully God

is an antichrist

that's trying to deceive.

These false teachers

that we've read about

were denying the incarnation.

They were denying

the divinity of Jesus.

And John is putting a stop

to this strongly.

This is not acceptable.

Verse 23.

No one who denies the Son

has the Father.

Any of these teachers

that deny that Jesus is fully God

as well as fully man

does not have the Father

and will not experience eternal life.

If we follow this thinking

to its logical conclusion,

if you deny the divinity of Jesus,

then God has not sufficiently

taken care of sin.

Only God can deal with sin.

Jesus, being only human,

simply does not cut it.

And then no one

can experience forgiveness.

John is making crystal clear

to the church

that these people

do not belong to us.

verse 19.

They went out from us,

but they did not

really belong to us.

For if they had belonged to us,

they would have remained with us.

But their going

showed that none of them

belonged to us.

These people

who are teaching things

contrary to Jesus

being the Son of God,

God incarnate,

who came and died

in our place,

these people

are not brothers

in the faith.

Those who deny

that Jesus

is the only Savior,

the only way

to eternal life,

are liars

and do not belong

to the church of God.

Now this is not just

a message

for first century Christians.

There are many

that deny

that Jesus

is the God-man

that came down

from heaven

to save the world.

There are many

that deny

that Jesus

and only Jesus

can make a way

for us to reach

the goal

of eternal life.

Jesus was not

just a man

like Jehovah's Witnesses

claim.

Jesus was not

just one of many

prophets

like Islam claims.

We cannot work

our way to heaven

by being good

like Catholic doctrine

claims.

It's not a mystery

how to gain

eternal life

like agnosticism

claims.

Jesus is the way,

the truth,

and the life.

No one comes

to the Father

except through him.

No one

who denies

the Son

has the Father.

Do not

be deceived.

So John

is told us

that we're being

attacked

from outside

the church,

from the Antichrist

that are denying

that Jesus

is the Christ.

But John

is also told us

that we're being

attacked

from inside

the church

as many

of these Antichrists

went out

from the church.

Even though

they did not

ever truly belong

to the church,

they were still

in the church

initially.

And so it feels

like we're being

attacked

from inside

the church

as well.

Well,

believe it or not,

there are even

more warnings.

Just in case

I lose anyone,

I feel I should

give a bit of a spoiler.

There will be

good news.

Just hang in there

with me, okay?

We're being

attacked with

doubt and lies

from outside

the church,

we're being

attacked

from inside

the church,

and we're being

attacked

from inside

ourselves.

We're being

attacked

by our own

minds

and doubts.

Listen to all

the times that

John has to

remind us

that what we

have heard

is the truth

and that we

already know

the truth.

Verse 18,

as you have

heard that the

Antichrist is

coming,

even now

many Antichrists

have come.

Verse 20,

all of you

know the

truth.

Verse 21,

I do not

write to you

because you

do not

know the

truth,

but because

you do

know it.

Verse 24,

see that what

you have heard

from the

beginning

remains in

you.

Verse 25,

this is what

he promised

us,

eternal life,

reminding us

of the basics

of the

Christian faith.

Verse 27,

you do not

need anyone

to teach

you.

Talking about

these false

teachers.

And verse 27,

again,

that anointing

is real,

not counterfeit,

just as it

has taught

you,

remain in

him.

Seven,

that's a lot

of reminders

in a few

short verses.

John knows

that the

human condition

is to

doubt.

John knows

that when

met with

trials,

we start

doubting even

that which

we know

to be

true.

No one

is exempt

from these

doubts.

It's part

of living

in a

fallen world

as a

weak human.

Well,

I remember

when I was

10 or

11,

I got

kicked out

of a

summer

camp.

My mum,

disgusted

and embarrassed

no doubt,

took me home

and explained

my punishments,

one of them

being I had

to go to

bed early

for a

week.

My aunt

and uncle

were over

visiting from

England at

the time,

and I had

to go to

bed while

it was

still bright

outside.

I looked

longingly

out of my

window at

my siblings,

playing with

my aunt

and uncle

and eating

ice creams

while I

was stuck

in my

room,

alone,

with no

ice cream.

I knew

my parents

loved me,

but there

were serious

doubts

during those

days.

Knowing me

back then,

I probably

told mum

a couple

of times

I was a

lovely child

to have to

deal with.

An even

better teenager,

actually.

How could

they do

this to

me?

Why was

all this

unjust

suffering

happening

to me?

They must

not love

me.

Looking back

now as an

adult,

of course,

it's such a

small,

ridiculous thing

to have set

me off.

My parents'

years of

love and

care for

me almost

flew out

the window

instantly

because of

one simple

circumstance.

I'm convinced

that that's

what's going

to happen

to us

in eternity.

we're going

to look

back on

circumstances

in this

life that

are extremely

serious.

We're going

to look

back on

circumstances

that may

cause

extreme

hardship

and suffering

and we're

going to

realize that

they were

ridiculous

things to

ever make

us doubt

the love

of our

Father in

Heaven

that He

has spent

millennia

proving to

us.

But this

human condition

of doubt

is ingrained

in us

from an

extremely

young age

and this

particular

doubt that

I had

had absolutely

nothing to

do with my

parents who

were fantastic.

But one

small thing

happened and

all of a

sudden the

doubt crept

in.

Going back

to our

passage,

if we're

talking

specifically

about doubts

who Jesus

is, His

love for us

and what

He's done

for us,

experiencing

these doubts

does not

make you

less of a

Christian.

experiencing

these doubts

does not

mean that

you're not

saved and

does not

mean that

you're denying

Christ.

Just like

my doubt

didn't mean

that my

parents loved

me less

or I wasn't

really a

member of

the family.

John is

assuring all

of us that

these doubts

are normal.

These doubts

are prevalent,

yes, but

they're not

taking God

by surprise.

God does

not look down

on you when

you experience

these doubts.

But the

fact remains

that we're

being attacked

with lies

from all

sides, even

our own

minds.

So what

hope is

there for

us?

What hope

is there that

we'll finish

strong and

that we'll

have the

eternal life

that we

were promised

and that we

believed in

all those

years ago

when it

felt so real

to us,

when there

were no

doubts

present?

Well, the

first and

most important

hope we

have is

the Holy

Spirit.

Verse 27.

The

anointing

you receive

from him

remains in

you.

It's the

Holy Spirit

living in

us that

enables us

to remember

the truth

we know.

Like we've

said already,

we doubt

all the

time, but

the Holy

Spirit living

in us

never

doubts.

We doubt

all the

time, the

Holy Spirit

knows the

truth all

the time.

If we're

Christians, we

have the

power of

God, the

Holy Spirit

inside us

to remind

us of the

truth that

we know

deep down.

Verse 20.

But you

have an

anointing

from the

Holy One

and all

of you

know the

truth.

This isn't

speaking of

some special

anointing

that's given

to a

select few.

No, if

you have

accepted the

forgiveness

that Jesus

offers, then

you are

anointed with

the Holy

Spirit.

And one of

the Holy

Spirit's

primary

purposes is

reassuring us

when we

doubt.

He brings

to mind the

glorious truth

of God's

grace through

his son

Jesus.

He reminds

us of all

the miracles

that Jesus

did when he

was on this

earth to

prove his

deity and

his identity

so that

those doubts

can fly

from our

minds.

Yes,

Jesus is

God.

Yes,

he died

the punishment

that I

deserve.

Yes,

I am

forgiven.

And yes,

I will

experience

eternal

life.

God,

through the

Holy Spirit,

will never

let us

go.

He'll never

let us

forget the

wonderful

truths that

attracted us

to the

Christian faith

in the

first place.

No matter

what's going

on around

us or

what other

people are

trying to

tell us,

no matter

what even

our own

minds are

doubting,

the Holy

Spirit is

ever present

within us

to quash

those doubts

and quash

those false

teachers trying

to lead us

astray.

We have

nothing to

fear from

them.

Now,

it may seem

from all

we've said

that we're

sorted.

We're off

the hook.

Whenever

people come

to lead us

astray,

bam,

the Holy

Spirit steps

in,

leads us

in the

right direction.

Whenever

our own

minds are

trying to

deceive us,

bam,

the Holy

Spirit is

all over

it to

put our

minds back

in its

place.

Unfortunately,

this is not

quite the

case.

How can

the Holy

Spirit bring

something back

to our

minds if

it was

never there

in the

first place?

How can

the Holy

Spirit remind

us of

the truth

if we

never truly

knew

the truth?

It's our

job to

be studying

the truth

so that

when the

time comes

that we're

met with

false

teachers or

doubts,

we'll have

the resources

for the

Holy Spirit

to pull

upon to

lead us

in the

right direction.

Verse 24,

as for you,

see that what

you have heard

from the

beginning

remains in

you.

remains in

us.

We have

to be in

the word

of God

regularly so

we can

dispute the

false

teachers.

We have

to be

praying daily

to remain

close to

God.

We have

to go to

church and

listen to

sermons being

preached to

either remind us

of the truths

we know or

help us better

understand the

truths we've

heard.

As for you,

see that what

you have heard

from the

beginning remains

in you.

If it does,

you also will

remain in the

Son and in

the Father.

Ensuring that

the truth of

God's word

remains in

us ensures

that we

remain secure

in God the

Father,

God the

Son,

and God

the Holy

Spirit.

The Father

sent the

Son to

suffer the

punishment

that sin

deserves so

we don't

have to.

And the

Spirit then

ensures that

we never

forget this

simple truth

that we

can experience

eternal life.

We see all

three members

of the Trinity

at work in

this passage,

and they all

have their

roles to

play to

make sure

we make

it to

eternity.

What power

we have in

our corner,

rooting for

us,

helping us,

as we train

towards our

goal, as we

make the effort

on our part

to reach our

destination.

verse 27

says,

As for you,

the anointing

you receive

from him

remains in

you, and

you do not

need anyone

to teach

you.

But as

his anointing

teaches you

about all

things, and

as that

anointing is

real, not

counterfeit,

just as it

has taught

you, remain

in him.

As his

anointing

teaches you

about all

things.

In order for

the Holy Spirit

to teach

us, we

need to

listen and

pay attention.

I'm a

teacher.

I once

gave a

test to

one of

my maths

classes, and

upon receiving

her results,

one student

pipes up,

Sir, we

never did

any questions

in class,

like question

three.

How were we

expected to

answer that

if you

never taught

us?

That's so

unfair.

Well, it may

shock you to

learn that I

do make the

odd mistake,

so I

turned to

question

three,

trembling in

fear.

I was on

the verge of

tears, thinking

what a

horrible person

I am.

How could I

do this to

these poor

girls, as if

they don't have

enough to

worry about,

and here I

am, throwing

questions into

tests that we

haven't even

covered.

Well, upon

reading question

three, I

stared at the

SWAT in the

front row, and

was delighted to

see that she

wore the same

look of confusion

on her face, as

she too had

read question

three.

She knew what

I knew in

that moment.

I had not

done a

question like

question three

in class.

I had actually

done question

three in class a

few days

previous.

That exact

question I

went through as

a revision

question.

I made sure

the other

student was

adequately

embarrassed before

I moved on.

I explained

again about the

importance of

paying attention

in class.

I cannot

teach my

students if

they simply

don't listen

or pay

attention.

Well, in the

same way, the

Holy Spirit

cannot carry out

his task of

teaching us about

all things if

we don't listen

or pay attention.

God has spoken

and is speaking

to us through

his word, the

Bible.

If we're not

reading, studying,

meditating,

listening to the

words in the

Bible, then the

Holy Spirit, the

best teacher in

the world, cannot

teach us.

If we're not

growing in

knowledge and

hence growing in

love of God, we

can all too

easily be led

astray by false

teachers or even

by our own

doubts that crop

into our minds.

false teachers.

Maybe you're

thinking, I don't

have to deal with

false teachers, like

Jehovah's Witnesses

don't come to my

door, or maybe

you're not surrounded

by Muslims on a

daily basis, but

there is false

teaching going on

everywhere in this

world.

There's false

teaching going on

in the lunchroom

and work.

There's false

teaching going on

on social media.

There's false

teaching on our

TV screens.

There's false

teaching in our

sports clubs.

It may not

specifically be

denying that

Jesus is the

Christ, but it

is denying the

truth of

scripture.

No matter what

false teaching

we're met with,

the truth of

God's word is

the answer.

If we put the

time and effort

into reading our

Bible and

listening to what

God has to say,

then we're

guaranteed that

the Holy Spirit

will protect us

from the

Antichrists all

around.

verse 27

again.

As for you,

the anointing

you receive from

him remains in

you, and you

do not need

anyone to

teach you.

This is not

saying, by the

way, that we

can do it on

our own, far

from it.

We're made to

be in community

with other

believers like

we are now.

It's saying that

we will not fall

for the lies in

the world around

us.

These Antichrists,

whether from

outside or inside

the church or

even inside our

own minds,

they won't be

able to teach

us.

They will not

get through to

us if we're

filling our

hearts, minds,

and souls with

the words that

God wants us to

hear.

We will stand

strong till the

very end, and

we will meet our

Lord and Savior

Jesus.

We will get a

chance to thank

him to his face

for all he has

done, and we

will experience

eternal life with

the Father, the

Son, and the

Holy Spirit.

We're being

attacked from all

sides, yes, but

unfortunately for the

attackers, it's not

a fair fight at all.

The Lord God,

creator and

sustainer of the

whole universe, is

in our corner, is

even living in us to

ensure we overcome,

just like the Irish

overcame the world

championship, the

world champions

yesterday, we can

overcome as well.

All we need to do

is make certain that

the Holy Spirit has

the resources needed

for the fight.

We have to make

sure we're training

hard to reach our

end goal.

We have to fill our

hearts, minds, and

souls with the truth

of God's word, and

rely on God to do

the real hard work.

Let's pray.

Amen.

Father God, we

recognize that we

are weak.

We recognize that we

can easily be led

astray by false

teaching or even by

doubts in our own

minds.

But Lord, in the

week ahead, help us

to rely on the

power of your Holy

Spirit living within

us to remind us of

the truth that we

know.

Help us to be in

your word on a

daily basis, to

never take it for

granted that the

Holy Spirit, the

greatest teacher in

the world, can speak

to us any time that

we want.

All we need to do is

pick up the Bible and

talk to you.

Help us in the week

ahead to do just

that and to never

have those doubts

or never to allow

those doubts to

take over.

you have saved

us.

All we need to do

is accept the

forgiveness that

Jesus offers on the

cross and we can be

assured of gaining

eternal life.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you,

Connor.

In response, we're

going to sing

together, what gift

of grace is Jesus,

my Redeemer.

Let's stand together

as we sing.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.