Share The Satisfying Truth

Everyone here wants a satisfying life.  But, you’re living in America where it is common to have a super-fast paced life-style.  So, to reach the satisfying goals you want to travel in comfort and style.  You probably own a vehicle that has AC, a Radio, and comfortable seats.  I also think you want your ride to look nice so you purchased a the most stylish, powerful and efficient vehicle you could afford.  After getting your car, filling it with gas and heading to your first destination (Kroger, Home Depot, or the department store) I would think you exited that vehicle with great satisfaction.  If you weren’t satisfied, then I would guess you would return that vehicle and start looking for another one.  We want satisfying cars, homes, sports, jobs, food and fun.

While our brains are also wired for satisfaction, sin can tempt us to achieve satisfaction at the expense of being dishonest, untruthful and lying.  When dissatisfaction is infected with sin it can grow to even ruin our relationship with God.  Then when our relationship with God is ruined, it places us under his condemnation.  There is an old word that speaks of exactly what Jesus did to restore our relationship with God and satisfy the demands of our sins—propitiation. Propitiation means “to make good some damage, restore some loss, to win the good favor of someone who has every right to be angry with you.” Let me paint the picture of propitiation for you.  Think of some neighborhood kids playing baseball in the street.  One of the kids hits a ball that breaks the neighbor’s window. The father of the boy goes over with the boy to the owner of the house and begs forgiveness for having caused the damage. He tells them that the repairman has been called who will replace the broken window. The neighbor accepts the apology and the whole ordeal ends with the neighbor lady bringing cookies out to the boys complimenting them for being truthful and their eagerness to fix the situation—that is an example of propitiation.  The Word of God before us proclaims the relationship we have with God for Jesus’ sake.  The message of Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us great satisfaction.  So, let’s be eager to hear this message and to

Share The Satisfying Truth

Admit your sins

John was inspired to write this letter to Christians who were being tempted to believe a lie that Jesus didn’t fully carry out their salvation.  The Holy Spirit used this letter to Share The Satisfying Truth.  The truth begins with Admitting Your Sins!  Sins in the Bible is often referred to as darkness.  John begins his teaching with a very simple statement. “⁵ This is the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light. In him there is no darkness at all.” We have sin and therefore we live in a sin-darkened world.  God is pure and without sin. God always stands in the light.  Look at God and you will see nothing in him that even resembles evil, sin or rebellion.  There is not even a hint of darkness in our holy, true God.  Since that is the case there are certain attitudes and actions we will want to avoid and others we will want to embrace.  John’s first example of admitting our sins is in verse 8 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I don’t think anyone here has even claimed, “I am not a sinner.” But, there is another thought here.  If we deny that we are sinning when Scripture has clearly said any ungodly thought, any bad word or deed goes against God’s Word and we say, “I know what the Bible says, but I’m not going to listen to it,” then we have lost the truth, that is, the truth of God’s Word telling us that we are sinners. The point is clear.  We need to Admit Our Sins or we are liars.

The second example is in verse 10 “If we say we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar, and his Word is not in us.”  Again, I’ve never heard someone here say, “I’m not a sinner,” but the fact is that admitting our sins is not part of our nature.  How would you react if I said in the liturgy, “Today we are not going to confess our sins silently from our hearts, but we’re going to confess our sins out loud to everyone!  Just think of the boy who broke the window.  What do you think his first reaction would be? Denial?  “Oh no!  I didn’t just break that window, did I?” Then comes fear, “Let’s run and hide!”  Adam and Eve tried that, but it didn’t work.  But, sin loves darkness.  You know that full well.  King David tried to hide his sin of adultery.  It didn’t work.  Judas tried to hide his betrayal with a kiss.  It didn’t work.  Ananias and Sapphira wanted to impress the people with a big offering.  They sold a piece of land and tried to deceive the apostles by saying they were giving the full price of their land as an offering, put they were lying.  “But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?” (Acts 5:3).  To say that we have not sinned when God has plainly said, “For all have sinned” then someone isn’t telling the truth.  God is not a liar.  Only those who claim they have not sinned, or claim that they have no need for a Savior are the liars.  Are you a liar?  Do your actions prove that you’re not a liar?

Appl: Praise God you know the Satisfying Truth!  We know God wants to satisfy our souls with the life-saving Truth of his Word.  Praise God!  But, we also know the devil will work hard to make us think we are not in need of the life-saving message. He will work hard to distract us with the cares and concerns of this world.  He will work hard to make us liars hiding in darkness.  When this happens may the Lord stop us in our denial and cause us to run back to the cross and empty tomb of Easter.  There we will discover the joy of knowing that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. There we will hear and learn the Satisfying truth!

It is good for us to listen to God’s warning to Admit our Sins. For when we realize our sins we will also realize our need for a Savior.  John tell us: “⁵ This is the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light. In him there is no darkness at all.  There is the answer for those who realize their lives have been clouded with the darkness of sin and separation from God.  Let us come before God and confess with King David, “O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you” (Ps 41:4). The Satisfying Truth begins here. The truth is that we are sinners.  The truth is that God knows every sinful thought, word and deed.  The truth is that we need to let our life be exposed by God’s holy light.  The truth is that we need his holy help.  Then comes the Satisfying Truth to all Who Admit Their Sins.  John proclaims the answer to those who admit their sin and trust in Jesus for their full and complete forgiveness, “⁷ But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”  Here is our hope for the broken hearted.  Here is our peace for troubled souls.  Here is the Satisfying Truth!  Jesus, God’s one and only Son purifies us from all sin!  He is the one who is the “propitiation” we need.  He offered himself to correct our destruction.  He paid his perfect life so we might have the penalty of all our sins paid in full!  He is the One who made it right with God.  So, we join John in recognizing the blessing for all who Admit Their Sins: “⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” May I compare this action to having a light switch turned on?  Before we Admitted Our Sins we were stuck in darkness, but Jesus’ forgiveness puts us under the beautiful forgiving light of the Lord God.  We praise God for Sharing This Satisfying Truth with us.  Now as God’s forgiven people we get to Share This Satisfying Truth as we

Walk in the Light of Christ

That boy who broke the window must have enjoyed a great feeling of relief when the father came to them and said, “Come on, I’ll take you over to their house so we can fix what you broke.”  His sin was recognized and now it would be dealt with. At that moment in his life I would think that no one had to tell the kids, “Don’t play ball there anymore.” They knew it.  They had been enlightened.

We too, have been enlightened.  When we realize our sin, confess it, and know how Jesus has dealt with it, we joyfully walk in the forgiveness he has won for us. Or do we?  You see, the Holy Spirit knows who we are.  We are God’s people walking in the light of his forgiveness with every bothersome sin nipping at our heels!  So, he writes: “My children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate before 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 whole world.”  There is God’s flashlight shining brightly on our lives.  It shines on us as sinners living in a sinful world, but it shines on us as forgiven sinners!  As forgiven sinners we get to walk in God’s light.  So, dear Christian Friends, walk in the light!  Live so that it is clear to everyone around you that you have rejected sinful life-styles and attitudes.  In doing so you will have the opportunity to share God’s Satisfying Truth with those around you.  How?  Well, if you are young and tempted to be mean to your friends at school, stop it.  Live in the Light of Christ.  Are you tempted to use your body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, to engage in sinful actions? Stop it.  Live in the Light of Christ.  Are you feeling guilty because you have not been reading your Bible and worshiping Jesus with joy and thankfulness? Stop it.  Live in the Light of Christ.

Conclusion:  I know sitting here right now it is your battle cry to say, “I want to live in the Light of Christ!”  Good. For as we reflect the Light of Christ in our lives we can have the blessed assurance of being in fellowship with God and the comfort of full and complete cleansing in the blood of Christ.

Yes, you will find some satisfaction with your car, your home, your job, your friends and your activities.  Great.  But, this is the Eternally Satisfying Truth You Have To Share: John is not telling us that we will live without sin.  He is telling us not to get trapped in sin and thereby break fellowship with God. He is telling us the Satisfying Truth—we have a claim of fellowship with God through our Savior’s work.  Of all the things that give us satisfaction in life, in Jesus we have our greatest need satisfied. In Jesus Christ we have fellowship with God.  Live in this Satisfying Truth and eagerly Share This Satisfying Truth with the people you know.  Amen.