“The Apple Don’t Fall Far”
I John 3:1-8
This is the third Sunday of Easter. Our observance of this season lasts until Ascension Sunday. We are still in the “He is risen!” focus.
As the reading from St. Luke’s Gospel (24:38-48) revealed, this is the time between that faithful and glorious Resurrection morning and Ascension. A time when the risen Lord spent teaching the apostles, and others, the fullness of the Gospel.
And while we must not reduce the glorious Gospel to less than what it is-that being the intervening of God on behalf of fallen humanity through the person of His son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This was done as an expression of His love for us so as to grant us forgiveness; to redeem us and grant new life to all who repent and believe this Good News and then learn to live out all the meaning of this- I think that without taking away any of these truths we can confidently say that the Gospel is about “hope and change.”
Doesn’t that phrase sound strangely familiar? Kind of like a recent political campaign theme. The difference is-and it is an eternal one-is that God in Christ is the only one who brings true hope and real righteous change. All the hope humanity is able to give, and all the change it can muster is a rehashing of the same old same old. It is ever a hope that is bound to this world. Its limitations and lack of vision. The change that is promised is just one failed solution for another. From government to economies; from personal fulfillment to ultimate pleasure, all fall short of the mark.
This is because, as St. John puts it, “…the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” And as long as the devil has power you can bet your bottom dollar that he’s constantly seeking to enslave us by one means or another. He’ll use any means available. From governments, whether they be democracies, dictatorships, socialism etc. The devil knows that the human heart is easily persuaded and easily corrupted. He’ll dangle any type of carrot in our face to lead us into deeper and darker bondage. Be it worldly wealth, power, fear, security, immorality etc.
Now I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. The question is, “Have you bought the lie?” Have you wandered around lost in the dark for so long that you no longer even believe that you are in the dark? If so it means that you’re lost. So lost that you believe you’re free, righteous and in no need of the Gospel. We see a picture of this in John 8 where Jesus invites His listeners to be free by embracing the truth yet because of their sin they were blinded and unable to see God, His son or the truth. In fact Jesus said that they were of their father the devil because of their unwillingness to hear the truth.
See, one of the works of the devil is to convince us that we are free. The deception of Eve found in Genesis 3 was accomplished by the devil when he convinced her that as long as she obeyed God she could never be free. He told her that freedom is found by disobeying God so as to be like God. This is a lie of course. That being that as long as we can choose we are free. But let me ask you this, “If the only thing you can choose is that which keeps you in bondage how are you free?”
Let me illustrate this. If your only choices of food are chips and soda how are you going to get healthy? Now they taste good. Greasy chips washed down with a Coke are a real temptation for me. But they do not benefit the body. There is no nutrition for the body. It is the same with sin. It may carry with it a “passing pleasure” but has no benefit to the health of the soul. In fact sin-like junk food does to the body-sin also slowly destroys the soul. First weakening it then killing it.
Death is what the devil deals in. He may promise life but the devil is a liar and with those lies he keeps the world in darkness as he shoves souls over the edge to their death.
Now if you take some time and do a study in St. John’s writings’ you’ll see a contrast between God and Satan. For instance, John uses the words darkness, lie, hatred, death and division to describe the devil’s work. Then John uses the words light, truth, love, fellowship and life to describe God and His works. This contrast is as clear as a church bell ringing on a cold crisp morning.
Now listen because here is true hope. Look at 1 John 3:8 and rejoice that Christ came to destroy the works of the devil. This is nothing less than the liberation of humanity! Jesus said concerning this in John’s gospel the 8th chapter in verses 31-32 and 36, “If you abide in My word you are truly a disciple of mine, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free…If therefore the
Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed.”
It is the Truth, as revealed in Jesus Christ that is destroying the works of the devil. Truth, light and love are liberating and uniting as John teaches us.
But it is the devil that desires to enslave and destroy humanity. We must understand that all sin is lawlessness as John says in verse 4. John is speaking as a pastor here as he cuts to the chase. No philosophizing here; no attempt at arguing shades of gray. Sin is, at its core, rebellion against God. And it has serious consequences. Namely the disintegrating of the soul that results in death. Here is the wrath of God revealed.
Listen very carefully now as we apply this to current events. This is why homosexuality is wrong. It is not only contrary to nature and nature’s God (good enough reasons) but it is also destructive to the soul. It-like any other sin-leads into a deeper darkness and a delusional mindset that calls evil good and good evil. This is the sad state of our Supreme Court, many law makers, and a host of others. They believe that they are doing well but in reality by attempting to legitimize the sin of homosexuality they are just opening wider the door to destruction and encouraging these misguided folks to walk through. And what is to be found? Death. See no amount of legal or religious make-up can hide homosexuality’s unnaturalness or ungodliness. It is lawless at its core.
Now remember that this just doesn’t apply to homosexuality but also to all other sins such as greed, pride, fornication and adultery etc.
Again, the world in its foolish darkened rebellion against God, truly believes its doing good when in reality it is promoting evil. Thus it offers no hope of freedom. No hope of forgiveness. No love, light or life.
“But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us; even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together in Christ, ( by grace you have been saved)” writes St. Paul. God has destroyed Satan’s power. God in Christ has taken the keys of death and Hades and is now setting the captives free.
Look how John puts it in 1 John 3:1-2. God has lavished His love on us and has made us His children. By His love and grace He has given us hope of true eternal change. Hope in Christ brings about the adoption of us into God’s family thus setting us free from Satan’s tyranny. And now that we have been born of God (born-again), and are in a new family with a new “heavenly” father we have hope. And not just for the future but also for the here-and-now.
In 3:2 we are told that we will be like Him-this is to come. But in verses 3 we are assured that with our hope fixed on Christ we are being changed. Purified as John puts it. Looking to the perfect-the pure-we begin, or have begun, shedding the works of the devil. These are characterized by disobedience, hatred and sin.
You know the chorus;
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of this world will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
He is our northern star. Fix your eyes, set your affections upon Him, and you’ll discover true and freeing change. A change that doesn’t begin with the government or your neighbor, but the change will begin with you. It is within our hearts and lives that this change will be brought about as a result of our hope in Jesus.
See real hope and change are not found in the old corrupt worldly ways that John says is passing away. Sinful hearts will always make sinful decisions but real hope and change are found in Christ.
Thus Jesus told His disciples then and us now that we, as His followers, are to be witnesses to this Good News. Witnesses to the fact that sins can be forgiven and new life began.
Let me leave you with this challenge. You’ve heard the saying, “The apple don’t fall far from the tree.” Well what type of fruit are you producing? If you’re a child of God; if God is your Father then you’ll be bearing the fruit of righteousness and love. A life that walks in truth and does right by your neighbor.
But if you’re not a child of God and thus still enslaved by your sin and the devil it will be characterized by lawlessness shown by enmity and lovelessness. And if this describes you there is hope for change. And this hope is found by repenting and placing your hope in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.