FHBC Sermon Notes

Scripture: 1 John 2:28-43
Fathers Day: A look at the greatest Father that has been or ever will be.

Intro
Once again God lines up the scriptures we are studying to the day we are at. Awesome. We have such distorted examples or fatherhood. Stereotypes like the "deadbeat" dad, that never gives or tries, who is absent and checked out. Or perhaps the "idiot" father: the one who is clumsy, considered silly and unwise, dominated by a strong willed wife.
So many times we project these ideas upon God. The thought that God made the world, with all its suffering and sin, and then checked out, only to perhaps come back later to fix things.

1. The measure of the Father's love is reflected in our new spiritual birth. (2:29-3:2)
John in astonished at the wonder of the love that God gives. It is a love so foreign from the flawed broken earthly love that we usually know, that it seems of another world.
It is God's love that makes us children. V.29. All that practice righteousness are born of Him. Why does he do this? Why makes us his children? Because it is his good pleasure, his righteous desire to do so.
Because we have a new birth, we have a new identity: Children of God. We are not his children by nature, but because of his love, he has transformed us, transplanted our hearts and desire to be of his nature.
So let us pause and meditate on the greatness of God's love. God's love is steadfast, "the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever". Let us not be content to treat God's love is like our own, to often flyng with the fleetingness of our feelings.

2. The measure of the Father's love is reflected in the future glory that awaits us. (3:2)
Yet there is more that awaits us. We know that to be his children is to be with him in this future glory. What is this like? We do not fully yet know, but John let us know these two things. That we will be Iike him. That we may be conformed to the image of Jesus. Dayenu. It would have been enough that he makes us simply worshipers, or children. But He seeks to make us like our Lord. The second promise, is that in that we shall know Him fully. More than some far off deity, more than even our earthly spouses, friends and family.

3. The measure of the Father's love is reflected in the daily sanctification to which he has called us. (2:28-29; 3:3)
In Christ, as the Spirit works in us, he gives us the strength to overcome the pattern of sin that we have followed in our lives. Our lives become patterns of righteousness, through the power of the Spirit.