Walk this Way
This has always been our Lord's invitation to us. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (ESV) says, "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes or the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?" Micah 6:8 (ESV) says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."
It's not like God's way would cause us harm. It fact, it brings good into our lives! But tragically, this invitation is disregarded by many, perhaps even by most of us. Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV) says, "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. 'But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' " In Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV) Jesus says, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
What I want to do in this message is to contrast these two paths. One is a life-giving path. One brings much good in life. What does it look like to stay on this path, and walk in the way of God? The other path is easy, popular, and we come by it naturally. But unfortunately, it leads to destruction. What is the path God would have us walk? I think it's obvious.
I decided to call this sermon "Oops, I did it again." The lyric is sung by Brittany Spears. But I think the phrase reflects the flippant disregard people often have for whatever path they are on, or whatever manner of life they are living. Some have the attitude, "So what if I sin? So what if I offend God? So what if I damage myself, or damage others?"
Others, perhaps you, are not so flippant, and you want to know how to get back on track with God. And maybe you are saying, "Oops, I did it again. But what do I do about it? What do I do when I sin? How do I get back on the right path with God? How should I think and feel?"
Our text this morning is 1 John 1:5 through 1 John 2:2. John writes in 1 John 1:5-10 (ESV), "This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." Notice how John is comparing and contrasting two attitudes and approaches toward sin.
Then in 1 John 2:1-2 (ESV) he says, "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. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."
As I understand these verses, they are touching on three core ideas.
Our Greatest Delight is Walking with God
One of the first things these verses tell us is that God is light and that in him there is no darkness at all. 1 Timothy 6:15-16 (ESV) echoes a similar truth by saying that God is, "...the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen."
God is altogether different than us. So what do you suppose happens when light (God) collides with darkness (us)? John 1:9 (ESV) says, "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." In John 8:12 (ESV) Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." In John 3:19-21 (ESV) Jesus says, "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
The essence of having fellowship with the light is shedding, even hating, the darkness. But more than that, the only way to have fellowship with light is if God makes a way. So how does God make a way for people of darkness to shed that darkness?
Fellowship:
First, God gives us fellowship with one another. See 1 John 1:7. We easily get discouraged when everyone around us is walking one path, while we're trying to walk another. It's a great encouragement when we go to church or small group, and we're surrounded by like-minded people.
Forgiveness:
Second, God cleanses us by the blood of Jesus. See 1 John 1:7. Since the light exposes every sin, all of our sins must be washed away. Not just in baptism, but through confession and prayer. 1 John 1:9 (ESV) tells us, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This verse assures us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and he is just, to both forgive us and to purify us from our sin. You don't get baptized and then forget about sin. You get baptized and let God's grace shower you, so that you are Jesus-fully-clean. You got dirt behind your ears from listening to gossip and slander, so you wash it. Do you have a dirty mouth? Dirty feet? Dirty hands? Dirty conscience? When we live in fellowship with the light, we don't run, hide, or neglect spiritual hygiene. Instead, we get washed in the blood of Jesus.
Full Pardon:
1 John 2:1-2 promised that when we sin, Jesus becomes our advocate. He takes up our cause. He not only forgives us, but he defends us against any accusation before God. And Jesus' defense is that we are guiltless, not because we never sinned, but because he never sinned. And he died upon that cross, taking our punishment, and reconciling us to God. By his wounds we have been made whole.
Our greatest delight, then, is walking with God. God surrounds you with fellow sojourners, the Church. God cleanses you by the blood of Jesus Christ. And Jesus defends you against any charge levied against you.
What is the contrasting path?
Our Gravest Danger is Denying God
Now, apart from God there is darkness. See 1 John 1:6. And with the darkness there are many lies. Have you ever noticed how we glamorize sin in our culture? We never tell the truth about sin, or show the aftermath of sin. We only show the acts of sin and the passion behind sinning, but never its consequences. For darkness to flourish, the light has to be dimmed, the curtains drawn, and the word of God suppressed.
Notice what John says in 1 John 1:6 (ESV). "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." 1 John 1:8 (ESV) says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:10 (ESV) says, "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
Even worse, when we walk in darkness, there's no fellowship and no intimacy with God. There is no forgiveness, only guilt and shame. There is no advocate to defend our cause. There is no joy of salvation, only the bitterness and isolation of a life without God.
When God invites us into fellowship with himself, he provides the way and he gives what is needed. "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life." "In him was life, and that life was the light of men." But, "...men loved the darkness because their deeds were evil." Christ came to his own people, but his own did not receive him. Refer to John 1:1-18 for these statements.
Three Ways we Walk with God
We Practice the Truth.
God's word, his commandment, is the truth. I don't know about you, but I'm glad that God invites us to practice the truth. You've heard the old saying, "Practice makes perfect." There is a sense in which that is true for the Christian. As we practice the truth, we become more consistent, we grow in holiness, and we imitate God more perfectly. God's Holy Spirit sanctifies us.
But the fuller truth is that Jesus makes us perfect while we practice. His grace covers us while we practice, and often fail, to obey to his holy requirements. God doesn't give us his grace so that we can skip practice, or bypass his way altogether. He gives us grace to sustain us as we practice and to sustain us while we're on the journey.
We Confess the Truth.
Whenever we sin, God asks that we confess our sin to him immediately. The word confess means to speak with or agree with God, to agree with his word, with his Spirit, and with what Jesus has declared. When we confess, it triggers all sorts of good things to come upon us. God forgives us. Jesus' blood cleanses us. Jesus becomes our advocate and defender. The blood of Jesus purifies our heart and mind. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, and strengthens us for obedience. The whole key to victory over sin is confession. It's not just believing that Jesus forgives. It's asking for that forgiveness, receiving that forgiveness, and becoming victorious through that forgiveness.
Pride is when we tell ourselves, "I don't need forgiving. I don't need cleansing. I don't need purifying." You cannot have fellowship with the light while blatantly denying, or ignoring, what the light is revealing.
We Proclaim the Truth.
In 1 John 2:2 (ESV) John says, "He (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world." Salvation isn't just for us. God's grace, Jesus' sacrifice for sins, is for the whole world. God's desire is that not just us, but the whole world would know the great delight of walking according to the light.
Psalm 56:12-13 (ESV) says, "I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the life." Psalm 119:105 (ESV) tells us, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Read for yourselves Ephesians 5:1-14 (ESV) which gives practical instructions for the way that we should live in this world.
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.' "