I John 2: 1-6

1. I John 2: 1-6 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

2. I John 2: 1-6 3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

3. I John 2: 1-6 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

4. Walking Like Jesus #1 1 John 2:1-6

5. Matthew Jackson

7. Isabelle ‘Izzy’ Jackson

9. 1 John 2:1-6 • My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

10. The Importance of Walking Like Jesus • Matthew 16:24 • 1 Peter 2:21 • Illustration: Soldiers crossing a mine field. • It is a measure of our discipleship. • A disciple is a follower.

11. Walking Like Jesus In His Incarnation (Birth). • He stepped out. • He stepped down. • He stepped in.

12. 1. He stepped out. • Philippians 2:5-7 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. • He left the most wonderful and most perfect place in all existence. • John 6:37-38 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

13. Amazing that God stepped out of heaven! • I can imagine any number of places I would not want to go. • Not everyone who is willing to go to Haiti, etc! • I can imagine a scenario where Jesus says to the Father: “What, you want me to go to earth? Have you seen what they have done to that place?”

14. When Jesus stepped out of heaven he did not forget who he was! • Parent to child going out into the world: Don’t forget… • Jesus never forgot who he was! • John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. • How different this is than the attitude of man: “It is my life, and I will do what I please!” • Matthew 4 – the temptations; Jesus never forget who he was.

15. Why would he step out of heaven? • John 6:38-39 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. • Why – because the ones who need help are not there. • We need to follow him to step out in purpose. • 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[c] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

16. 2. He stepped down. • Philippians 2:4-8 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant • Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ • Consider how earthly kings, royalty and the privileged live. • Not even a step down to being an earthly king. • His humble birth. • Message he brings – he cares about the lowely. • His humble life. John 13:3ff

17. His step down made him approachable. • He came as a little baby! Hardly anything more approachable than a baby or a little child. • Luke 2:8-19 shepherds approach the king of creation • Fault of some religious people is wearing their Christianity like a crown of superiority. • How do we step down? • School – what about those kids who sit alone? • What about the people in life who just need someone to care? • Question: Can we really step down?

18. 3. He stepped in. • John 1:1,14 The word made flesh. • He became one of us. • Lesson in mission work: Successful missionaries become one of those with whom he or she is in mission. • How successful are we at expecting the world to come into a church culture to be evangelized. • Philippians 2:7-8 being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! • Matthew 11:19 a friend of tax collectors and sinners • In the emerging culture, people need Christian friends

19. Following the steps of Jesus means that we will step into the lives of people. • May mean crossing some awkward barriers. • Unwritten rules about what we can and cannot talk about. • People who are hurting and who are searching need to hear about Jesus.

20. Walking Like Jesus In His Incarnation (Birth). • He stepped out. • He stepped down. • He stepped in.