Transcript Slide 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.
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
We know that we have come to
know him if we keep his commands.
3
Whoever says, “I know him,” but
does not do what he commands is a
liar, and the truth is not in that
person.
4
I John 2: 1-6
But if anyone obeys his word, love
for God is truly made complete in
them. This is how we know we are in
him:
5
Whoever claims to live in him must
live as Jesus did.
6
Walking Like Jesus #1
1 John 2:1-6
Matthew
Jackson
Isabelle ‘Izzy’
Jackson
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.
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.
Walking Like Jesus In His Incarnation (Birth).
• He stepped out.
• He stepped down.
• He stepped in.
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.
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?”
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.
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.
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
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?
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
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.
Walking Like Jesus In His Incarnation (Birth).
• He stepped out.
• He stepped down.
• He stepped in.