Our Sermons

Bible Passage: 1 John 3:18-24
Pastor: Pastor Schlicht
Sermon Date:  May 2, 2021

Is it just me, or does it seem like kids keep getting younger and younger every year? Logically, that could mean I’m getting older, but I refuse to believe that. It struck me this past week as the confirmands practiced reading their essays. They sounded so mature as they talked about their faith and the love of God. But at the same time, they looked so young. They are not just kids anymore, but not adults yet either. They are pretty smart, but quite immature as well. As I think about our current society and what it means to be a committed follower of Christ today, I know that these young Christians will have their own unique challenges to faith. I know they already do have challenges. But, as much as we might wish, we can’t shelter them behind the walls of a Christian grade school forever. They’ve gotten too old. (And some of them are too tall.)

With these thoughts in my mind, I realized how perfect this section of 1 John 3 is for all of us here today. John starts out by addressing his congregation here as “Dear children”. The literal meaning of this word is “little children”. He is talking to people of all ages, but he says “little children”. He calls all of us “little children”. Because as old or as mature as we may think we have become, in God’s eyes we are all still his dear little children. As much as you want to protect and reassure the young Christians in your life, God wants even more, perfectly, to protect and reassure you of his love. That is John’s purpose in this text. And isn’t this our deepest prayer for the confirmands? Isn’t this what we all need? 

John starts out this section with a tender but strong encouragement that sets the whole thing up: “Dear children, let us love not only with word or with our tongue, but also in action and truth. (1 John 3:18) Christians are not just supposed to talk about love but also to practice it. A Christian proves their love not just by what they say, but primarily, by what they do.  As they say: Actions speak louder than words. And that is what Christian love is: It is an action that flows from the selfless love of Christ. Now, if you’re honest, you know that you need this encouragement. I know I do. Because none of us have loved like Christ. We all love well with warm words and good intentions, but struggle when it comes to action and truth.

This is the key to understanding this section.  Because after considering this type of perfectly selfless love, it isn’t odd to wonder, “Am I really God’s child if I don’t love like him? Am I really related to Jesus  if I don’t resemble him in the way I live?” Our failures can loom in front of us like a huge mountain, covering up any view of our salvation. All we think about is what we could have done but didn’t. What we should have done, but chose not to. And the result is that our own heart condemns us. This is a difficult situation. Christian people look over their lives and say, “Maybe I’m not saved. I have missed so many opportunities to love! I have been so self-centered. I should be much different than I am by now. Maybe God doesn’t forgive me, because my heart continues to condemn me.”  The Devil wants us to doubt the certainty of our status as God’s little children. And he will not stop reminding you of your heart’s logical accusations. Accusation leads to one of 3 things: confession, denial, or depression. And when you confess but the heart still condemns, what’s left? How do we deal with a condemning heart? 

John tells us: This is how we know that we are of the truth and how we will set our hearts at rest in his presence:  If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:19-20) When our hearts condemn us John says that we should remember that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. In other words, we should consider that God knows the very worst about us and yet he loves us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! The realization of our sinfulness has been an open book to God all along and he still died for us. Remind your heart that it is not more sensitive or offended at your sin than the holy Omnipotent God, and yet, his love took action, he made you his little child.  My friends, Jesus’ blood was shed for you. That is an objective fact. Whether you always feel like it or not, God proclaims you freely and fully forgiven! He knows more than your heart and he has more authority over you than your heart. Therefore, God can overcome a condemning heart. As John says, “God is greater than our hearts and he knows everything.” 

I’m reminded of when Jesus met his disciple Peter after his resurrection. It was the first time Jesus spoke to Peter in private after his shameful 3-time denial that he even was acquainted with Jesus. The Lord took Peter aside and they began to walk along the shore of the Sea of Tiberias. And then Jesus asked Peter (John 21:15), “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And though Peter said he did, Jesus asked him again. In fact, Jesus asked him three times just as Peter had denied him three times. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because Jesus had to ask three times. But note his reply the last time, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” In effect, Peter said, “Lord, you know me better than I know myself. I appeal to your knowledge. You know better than I do, how much I love you.” And Jesus then restored him as his disciple. 

That is the thrust of John’s point in our text: Appeal to God’s knowledge of you, over your own heart. If you have sinned, by all means, confess that sin and turn to God. But don’t allow yourself to go on in guilt and condemnation. As John said earlier in this letter: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Assurance is based on God’s love, God’s knowledge, God’s faithfulness, not your fickle heart or feelings. There is an important point of direction here. If we are ever doubting our salvation, we should stop thinking about ourselves, and focus on God. We need to stop looking down at our hearts and we need to look up at God.

I’m still a little sore about this, but when i played baseball in High School, my coach encouraged me to run track. And he was right, I couldn’t hit anything. But even I know that if you’re trying to hit a baseball, you don’t stare at your bat, you watch the ball. The same is true in faith. If you’re so focused on your faith, on what you are doing, you’ll miss what is supposed to be the object of your faith: What Jesus did for you! Faith is that bat in your hands, but Christ is the ball you want to hit, so keep your focus on him! If you are wondering if you are saved, don’t ask yourself if you really believe. Just look at the cross and see how much God loves you, regardless of how you feel. Faith will come around to meet him. 

Another illustration would be Noah on the Ark. Was Noah safe on the Ark? Certainly. But I imagine there may have been times when he was afraid for himself and his family as the ark was battered by the surging flood waters. Yet he wasn’t safe because of how he felt, he was safe because of the Ark. My friends, you don’t lose your salvation because you are afraid or have doubts. You are saved because Christ is your ark. Focus on the God who overcomes hearts and be certain of his love and your salvation. You. are. his. dear. little. child.

After giving this basis for assurance to the condemning heart, John goes on to speak of the blessings of assurance that come from a confident heart:  Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God. John will go on to talk about prayer and the reflection of Jesus’ love to others. In this context, both the access we have to God and the reflection of his characteristics speak about our close relationship with him as his children. We don’t approach God like a criminal speaking to a judge. But a child speaking to their father. I remember after the Superbowl, Tom Brady had about a thousand people and reporters who wanted a piece of him after the game, but who did he want to see first? His kids, his wife, his family. The same is true with God. You have an inside relationship with him. You don’t need a press pass, you’re his child. He came to find you and he wants you to come to him. He loves you, he cares for you, he protects you. He wants you to be assured of that today. 

And what better thing could you have than this assurance on this Confirmation Sunday? What better knowledge can parents have, that whatever this world throws at their children, that the Heavenly Father will always love and forgive them. That their eternal salvation is rock solid in Christ. It’s the assurance we all need. Hearts are fickle things. But God overcomes our hearts! No matter what comes next for you, the Almighty God is your father, and you are his dear little child. Now and forever.

Amen.