The Advocate

Your Bibles with you not turn with me first John chapter 2. Look at two verses are saved in verses one into my little children, I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

But if anyone does see, and we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world is heavenly father we come before your throne tonight to praise you and thank you for inspiring by the Holy Spirit. The apostle John to write these words that we have before us this evening. We thank you Lord for this great letter that was written to give Christians assurance and to help people who thought they were Christians to know what a true Christian is. We pray heavenly father tonight that you would do that for us in those of us Lord who do know you help us Lord that that we might have a deeper assurance that we might have a deeper understanding of our relationship and our fellowship with you. Help us Lord, that we might grow and in that assurance just day by day. I pray for those that might be here Lord that don't have assurance that father if if there is not a genuine conversion if they are has not been regeneration in the heart yet that Lord you might have mercy tonight and do a mighty work. Lord, that we as human beings can't do we as father that you got indirectness through this passage the nightly Jesus be uplifted by through it. His congregation be benefited by Jesus holy and wonderful and precious name we pray.

Amen.

You may be seated as we get into the second chapter of first John, it becomes very apparent that the one he was writing these words is not just a theologian but is also a pastor for what is he doing here he is, he is walking a tight rope. He is tried desperately to keep a balance for he knows that in Ephesus, where he lives there. People are claiming to be Christians who are legalist is a group of people are legalist they believe in a doctrine call sinless perfection.

They believe that in this life on this earth in this body. They are able to live above sin that they are able to defeat sin at every point the conqueror every foe to live their life as Christ lived.

He is and do it in perfection and then on the other hand to the other extreme is dealing with a group that we might call the licentious is dealing with people is that we believe in the gospel.

We believe that Jesus died on the cross and he rose in the day had so that's all that's necessary so we can pretty much live like we want to live do what we want to do and as long as we have believed in Christ, and we don't have to worry about our our fellowship with him or our relationship with him. John is having to deal with these two extremes and chapter 1 verse six that we looked at a few weeks ago and that verse. He's dealing with the licentious and he says this. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. In other words, if you think the true Christians can live like the devil and and that's fine that it doesn't matter that that's okay.

In God's sight. He said then think again for for when you became a Christian, you became a new creation old things passed away. All things become new. You became under a new creature that you want the same anymore. There was a change in your mind a change in your attitude change in your heart a change in your behavior and so head belief just had belief didn't cut it.

And when the legalist heard they is all that work. They were happy about that lesson right on John preach it brother you tell these people that they're headed for hail and tell them that they need to be living in sinless perfection is like we are.

So what did Jesus do, he moved over to them at our John, what did he do they move right over them, and in verse eight in verse 10.

What did he say he said if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we say that we have not sinned, and we make God a liar and his word is not in us.

That's a balancing act and John has done an amazing job and in laying out the set of truths for us. Let me ask you this one just quoted verse 10 of chapter 1 it says if we say that we have not sin. We make God a liar and the truth is not in us. Did you breathe a sigh of relief.

Did you say to yourself, you say that I I think we have a tendency to do that on this verse is wonderful because I know that I am a sinner. I know that those times, when I failed and I mess up and I do see an this verse tells me that true Christians do sin. Here's the danger and John knows it.

He says don't say actual to Lampley because the fact that you are not totally free from sin does not mean that you are free to sin.

John is quick to tell us that true Christians hate their sin and they do have a desire to fight it and overcome it. John is a pastor. He's well aware of how people think he knows what people are going to do with verses like he had written down in chapter 1 verse nine says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. How people use that is all well I'm a Christian, but I know that if I sin all I have to do is to confess it and then everything's okay so I'll go out now, get drunk tonight. I'll confess it tomorrow be all right or I'll go out have a fire tonight and but but tomorrow confess it is CNN and I'll move on everything a be fine.

John knows that that how much deceitful. Our hearts are and how to deal with it. So he attacks that kind of thinking in the first part of of first John chapter 2 the truth.

Truth is that I want to really get across tonight as we look at these two verses. The first is this Christians know who Christ is who commit verse one my little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

When John Wesley left home his mother. Susanna gave him a Bible in the flyleaf of of that Bible should written a little statement for him to take with them and that statement was was this sin will keep you from this book or this book will keep you from sin. The apostle John understood that truth there is power in the word of God power that will help us defend ourselves against the enemy and power to help us to to live a holy life. Let me stop here and say something with all my heart.

Let me encourage you to saturate your heart with the word of God. When Jesus praying for us. The high priestly and sensory prayer. He prayed, not only for the disciples, but he pray for those who would come to Christ later, and that includes us, and what did he say what did he ask God, he said, sanctify them in the truth for thy word is truth, and someone David said a Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly standards in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful for his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night brothers and sisters, I would encourage you to meditate on the word of God. Memorize the word of God study the word of God and the Lord will use that in your life to make you more and more like Christ is amazing how he does that sin will keep you from this book or this book will keep you from sin sin. Verse one. John says that there would be times when would you stumble and fall is true of every single one of us. There will be times when sin will defeat you in those times. Remember this truth. We have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and advocate, what is that mean will that the Greek word is Paraclete us and it means a lawyer, a comforter, one whose will stand beside us and advocate of this is the also the word that Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit and that shouldn't surprise us. For the Scripture teaches us that God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit are the same substance and essence. John is telling us that Jesus is our lawyer that Betty pleads our case before the father and any always wins because he paid our debt himself. Satan is virgin. The Scripture is the accuser of the brethren, and when we do wrong when we sin, he accuses us look these ungodly's unholy PAs committed sin is wronged you. God and what he says is true, and it within Jesus steps forward as our advocate and says yes this Christian is guilty.

He did sin but it's paid for with what with sinless, spotless blood. My blood says Jesus. Case closed and what can Satan do it. He can argue there's nothing that he can do. If your sin is paid for and the judge of this universe accepts the payment then then Satan has no recourse but to stop the accusing was stopped for a minute. Go back to chapter 1 verse four so we can meditate on one of the primary purposes for John writing this book and he says in verse four, these things have I written unto you, that your joy may be full. People read verse one of chapter 2 and absolutely rejoice. John says my little children, I am writing to you that you love it when he calls us as little children, little children are special tickle baby and put that baby in your arms.

Was that dictate as have John stalking us here is my little children, not you.

Smart Alec adults, but my little children that AAA says to those of you are real to those were fighting sin, to those that have not made a peace treaty with sin, to those who have not said to say and I surrender. I give up. I can't find it any longer. He says to those of you I love you is what he saying yes you'll stumble know you won't live seamlessly.

But when those times of stumbling in sin and failure, remember this truth. You have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous is interesting to me that the attribute that he uses here is not love or mercy or compassion but it's righteousness was that because if Jesus had not been righteous that it would matter how much love or compassion or mercy, had it wouldn't be enough because it took his perfect righteousness for him to be our substitute so that he could stand in our place and he could suffer are hail for us.

Jesus is the righteous one, perfectly righteous, perfectly holy and perfectly without sin, so we could stand by her side plead our case and win PA didn't have to find loopholes in our case they didn't have to do to convince the father that were pretty good people because were not. He said to the father. They are guilty, then since they are guilty. Don't look at them. Look at me and my righteousness is perfect, and I will stand in their place. So the first truth that John wants us to deal with is this Christ. Christians know who Christ is, he is our advocate and he is never lost a case why there's a second truth.

Christians trust what Christ did. Look at verse two and he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

This verse divides the real from the phony the truth from the lie, the genuine from the false asked the person on the street if he say that if he says yes, some say that asking what does it mean to be say the hill so it means to to believe in Jesus and also how did Jesus save you will Jesus save me, but because he was a great teacher and and and I'm following his teachings on how to be a good person and that makes me say or Jesus is our example and if I follow his example them and that means that I'm safe. No no no no.

Verse two explains it for himself is the propitiation for our sin. Propitiation is not a word to cheer every night on the 6 o'clock news is it that's not a word that you hear and in a high school classroom where a young boy young girl are talking together of the word propitiation done come up a whole lot but if you're Christian has not much greater word than the word propitiation. The Greek word. The Greek word here. Helios moss comes from the Greek word hillier stereo on and understand this you have to go back to the Old Testament in the Old Testament there was Ark of the covenant and Ark of the covenant was a box had a lid on its goal plated and on the top of that, Leo.

There were two cherubim that were that were sculptured and they were looking toward each other.

They had their wings up over there up over their head pointed toward each other and one day a year, the high priest would come in a would have a bolo of goat's blood in his hand. He would take the branch of his of dipping down into the goat's blood and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and the people sins for that particular year would be forgiven. Now what was what happened during that time it was a propitiation the wrath of God against RCN was being appeased. Now we talk a lot about being saved herein at Grace Church what we say from where when Jesus saves us he saves us from failed any he saves us from sin. He saves us from the devil, but primarily he saves us from God. What what we need to be saved from God because we have offended God's holiness. We have transgressed God's law.

We have come short of God's glory and that has to be dealt with. We thumbed our nose in God's face and God is so holy that that justice has got to be served. RCN must be punished is righteousness must be vindicated. That's why Jesus had to die on the cross he died is our propitiation.

He appeased the wrath of God's one of the primary reasons that Jesus had to die on the cross was to appease the wrath of God. There's a great story in first Samuel chapter 25 that I think makes a great statement about propitiation is a story of David and David is as marching his his troops through Israel and and they are tired and they need a place to stay at rest for a while. It and so they go to a particular piece of property belongs to a man. His name is Naipaul a word knave all the name Naipaul means full and that's exactly what this man was, but they went on his property and David's men went to Naipaul and and they ask him for permission to stay on their land for a while. Soleil balls land and that they might drink of the waters of his dreams and eat from the fruit of this tree and at they might just stay there in Reston and that that they can stay there for a while and and that's where they went. That's what they were. They were doing and what they were asking of Naipaul now knave all did because of what David had done for him did not have to worry about for protection anymore because David had run the Philistines out of the land. David had done a great work in the people. The landowners all over Israel were safe and they were protected because of what David's great work in warfare had done anything if they had gone to somebody else's land.

Most everybody.

The landowners would've said David please stay in our land. Put please comment and and just stay here and and will give you more than what you're asking.

We appreciate what you've done.

You've you protected our lives and you kept our daughters from getting molested David.

We appreciate what you have done is not what happened when eyeball became the Naipaul and said David would like for us to do to stay here for a little while one drink of your water and eat of your fruit trees and Naipaul acted like an immediate case or would you tell who is this David anyway. This is a crazy easy not to stay on my land he thinks is a big shot is a you tell David to get his sorry carcass off my land are, you have made a deal with and so the people went back to tonight ball of the men and they said to him, he went back to David and they said David you believe this guy is crazy. That is a day this man cursed you he called you all, names. He said to you to get off his land or you you left a deal with him and David flew hot me. David was mad the sauté will induce him to go beat him to death, he said.

By this time next week at mental be a week old ghost.

David was upset and then all of a sudden, this beautiful lady comes riding in a horse. Who is it snowballs wife Abigail and she comes in and she's got hurt her maids with her and they brought all this all this food at mentors their salads and there's fruit and there's pastries and there's all this mean that she's made and just a feast for David's men and she lays it out before them and then she said David I am Abigail on the wife of Naipaul.

He's a foolish man, he is spoken disrespectfully about you and I am so sorry for his ignorance and and I'm asking that you will take the us that the food that I'm giving you the things that I have made for you and your men and please don't go after my husband and kill him and demean yourself for a worthless fool like him. She said except my gifts and apology and spare his worthless life and David was touched.

I made her her godliness or wisdom and her humility just deeply touched David and his wrath was appeased and so what did he do, he backed off and said okay. For your sake. Abigail I will not, I will not go after Naipaul. I won't do anything to going. I will take his life.

I won't do it.

A week later knave. All was struck not by heart attack and died and David married Abigail amazing story, but the defusing of David's anger by Abigail, is a propitiation, and this is what Jesus did for us on the cross.

He doesn't say father Doug is not guilty here that Doug and his sins are not all that bad that Doug deserves another shot. Father just just let it go. Jesus didn't say that Jesus or Doug is like Naipaul's heart is wicked is seen as Blyton. He is not honored you is dishonored, you but forgiving. Not for his sake. But Jesus is for my sake and when the blood of Jesus was shed the death of Jesus on the cross was accomplished, the wrath of God was appeased. My sin was paid for completely completely so that God's anger against my sin could be diffused. Martyn Lloyd Jones of the following about propitiation is at the basis of his advocacy is all put in this one word per pitch year repatriation to potentiate means to render favorable to turn Ward one towards another was that I a favor and of pleasure and what we are told here is that Jesus Christ is our propitiation not only what he did not simply the blood that was shed, but that he himself is our propitiation. It means that he is the high priest in the offering and the old dispensation everything the high priesthood was outside himself, but Christ is his own offering.

He is the sacrifice and the high priest. Therefore, says John. He is not only the perpetuating sacrifice but the propitiation itself. Everything that is necessary to reconcile the center with God is in Jesus Christ. He is a prophet is a priest. He is King he is the sacrifice. It is his blood that is been shed and presented, and he is purify the heavenly tabernacle. It is all in him we need nothing else. We need no one else. He himself is the propitiation and because it is the son of God who is the propitiation we need have no fear about our sin.

We can say with John that he is enough therefore incite your adversary comes and tries to drive you to the depths of despair and dejection because you've fallen into sin. Turn upon him and say have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

He is the propitiation of my sin. I'm accepted by God. The fellowship is restored and I continue upon my way. Before we can move on is a question that we must ask who did Jesus die for. Who did Jesus die for. Did Jesus shed his blood for Hitler and the road, the Pharaoh of Egypt. All those were outside a covenant relationship with Christ. Did Jesus die for those that are in hell right now as we speak. Did Jesus die for them. If you read this verse out of context.

You might come up with that conclusion, for it says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and not for our sins. Only but also for those of the whole world.

If the Bible is inerrant and infallible, then there cannot be contradiction. There can be tension, but there can never be contradiction.

The Bible can't tell us one thing in the Gospel of Matthew and turn right around and refuted the book of Revelation, it cannot do this so so what do we have here are we supposed to do with this. What is the Bible teach did Jesus die indiscriminately for every person who ever lives to give everybody an option to trust God to trust Christ and believe or did Jesus die only for his own share a few verses of Scripture with you and then you tell me that Jesus died for John 1011 Jesus says I am the good shepherd.

I like that my life for the sheep not the sheep and the goats with the sheep. John chapter 10 verse 15 Jesus said I know the father and I like them.

I life of the sheep. John chapter 10 verse 20 8G Jesus said shepherd the church of our Paul said shepherd the church of God which is, he has purchased with his own blood. Ephesians 525 husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her. Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 of the angel Gabriel came to Joseph and say it and you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Who did Jesus die for Jesus died for his church.

Jesus died for his bride. Jesus died for his people. Jesus died for his own Jesus died for his sheep votes. He died for all those who know and loving. This is a doctrine called definite atonement. It's a glorious doctrine, the blood of Jesus Christ was shed not just to give us an option to believe the blood of Jesus was shed and applied to the heart that we would believe in the early church. There was already a controversy or dispute that was rising over this particular verse and what did John mean here that he meant that did he mean that that Jesus died for just the those that are he is or did he die for the whole world that he shed his blood for everyone. And what was the answer to that that dispute was already had already risen was a man one of the early church fathers name Irenaeus, who wrote a commentary on first John and he was dealing with this particular issue, and the man who had meant toward him as a man named Polycarp.

Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna.

Polycarp had been personally discipled by the apostle John, and so Irenaeus went the Polycarp in the ask him about this particular verse. He said you know what John meant and Polly and Polycarp told Irenaeus he said yes I know exactly what John met for EE. He shared this with me and he shared with him that Jesus that Jesus was not are that John was not teaching a universal atonement but that he was teaching something something different. He said this is what John was saying they were saying. I am a a Jewish Christian, and AA was saying, I am making this this particular statement that Jesus did not just dive for Jews who would believe in Christ but Jesus died for people from every tribe, kindred tongue and nation that would come to believe in Christ and what is that say it says that none of the blood of Jesus was wasted that every single drop of the blood of Jesus did exactly what it was intended to do the blood of Jesus is not just open up a potential to save people. The blood of Jesus Christ saves people Charles Spurgeon preps the greatest preacher since Peter and Paul will was adamant about this is know what Spurgeon said we are also told that we limit the atonement of Christ because we say that Christ has not made a satisfaction for all men were all men would be saved now replied of this is this, that, on the other hand, are opponents limited. We do not, they are many and say Christ died for all men asked them what they mean by that. Did Christ die so is to secure the salvation of all men. They cite no certainly not, we asked in the next question did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of any man in particular, the answer is no, they are obliged to admit this, if they are consistent. They say no, Christ is died that any man may be saved if and then follow certain conditions of salvation. Now who is this that limits the death of Christ. Why you you say that Christ did not die so is in in fallibility to secure the salvation of anybody. We beg your pardon when you say we limit Christ death we say no, my dear Sir, it is you that do it. We caught we say Christ so died that he infallibly secure the salvation of a multitude that no man can number who's in Christ death, not only may be saved but are saved must be saved and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved you are welcome to your atonement. You may keep it we will never announce hours for the sake of it. Once again, why did John write this letter so that your joy would be full and brothers and sisters. What greater joy can we have that to know this truth that Jesus is the propitiation for my sins that he is paid at all that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and I'm free from the debt that I would to God because of what Jesus did for me that blood did not just open up the potential for my salvation. That blood was applied to my heart and it brought about my salvation. So my hope is not in my willpower. My hope is not in my goodness, my hope is in the blood of Jesus Christ. Here's a question is that happen to you is Jesus Christ your propitiation. Is he your advocate. Do you know deep down in your no war that you belong to him and he belongs to you. If not in what you do if you can't birth yourself into the kingdom than what you do. I would say this if you are under conviction. If you're under under a burden of sin, then run to Christ in repentance and faith and put your trust in him and what he did for you on the cross and nothing else run to Christ. If that's where you are, what if you're not under conviction, then what should you do what is it doesn't bother you, then what should you do I would say this, I would pray to Christ and begged him to take that apathy out of your heart and put a burden in your heart to know God and to love him and to be saved for all of eternity. Spray heavenly father we come before your throne tonight to thank you and praise you that Jesus is our propitiation that he is our advocate that he is the one who stands beside us.

Our lawyer are advocate our counselor, our comforter, we praise you for him. Thank you. That is not just our counselor but is also our Savior, the one who is our propitiation, the one who appease the wrath of God against our terrible sin, because he loved us and and because he was willing to stand in our place and be our substitute and suffer our help for us.

Heavenly father I pray that you would help us, that we might get that message out to a lost and dying world, a world it does not understand this message and father, may we be free to share it.

May we be eager to share it. And may we see great fruit as we carry out the. The gospel commission. We love you Lord, thank you and praise you for your loving goodness to us and we assess prayer in your holy and precious name. Amen