I was so afraid that Pat was
going to turn around and look at me. Let's take our Bibles
and turn with me to 1st John. 1st John chapter 2. 1st John chapter
2. I'd like to look at verses 24
to 29. Last time we looked at this passage
going through the book of 1 John. John had told the believers in
verse 21, he said, I've not written unto you because you know not
the truth, but because you know it. And that no lie is of the
truth. He said, I'm writing to you that
the Lord has given a heart. to believe, you that know that
God's Word is truth. There's no lie, no leaven. Little leaven, leaven's a whole
lump. No leaven in that. And he told them in verse 22,
he said, I'm writing to you to warn you about liars. Liars. Who is a liar? He that denieth
that Jesus is He's the Christ. He's Antichrist that denieth
the Father and the Son. What does that mean? Again, you
have to qualify, and it's safe to qualify everything in God's
Word. Even though we know it, we've
heard it, but we want to hear it again. Who is a liar but he
that denieth the Son? Now what that means is, Number
one, it calls Him, the Son, and the Father a liar that denies
what they say. What did the Holy Spirit say
concerning the Son? We quoted it last service. This
called His name Jesus, He shall save His people. To deny any part of that, to
deny that He has a people, that denies that He shall save. They say, are you saying it's
emphatic? I'm saying it's emphatic. John
6.37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, shall come
to me, shall. Does that mean it's a possibility? No. It means it's absolute. God's going to save His people
from their sin. He that denieth the Son. What does the Son say who He
died for? John 10, 15. I lay down my life for the sheep. And then told some Pharisees,
He said, you don't believe me because you're not my sheep.
That's John 10, 24. You don't believe me because
you're not my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. So to
deny the Son is to deny what He says is so. It's to contradict. That's what He says. Now here
again, it's not to deny that He actually exists. I've said
that so many times. Demons believe He exists. But
it's to call Him and to question, and to question and deny His
Word. He that denieth the Son hath
not the Father. He that acknowledgeth the Son
hath the Father. And then he says in verse 24,
let that, what? Let that truth Let that which
is established, let that gospel, let that therefore abide in you. That which has been revealed,
let it be steadfastly continuing in you. Let that place of the
gospel of God's free grace have permanent residency in your heart. A place of expectancy and confidence
and hope and joy and peace. Now what are we exhorted to let
abide in you? That which you've heard from
the beginning. Now from the beginning of Christ's
ministry when the Lord began to preach the gospel. Here, that's
right, the beginning of The ministry of the apostles that were sent
from the Lord to preach. You go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and confesses
that belief in baptism is obedient, shall be saved. But what about
the beginning of your life or my life in Christ. That which
you heard from the beginning, that which you heard. Heard it
not with just this. I heard the gospel before I ever
believed it the first time. I heard it with a natural ear.
I heard it the first time I ever heard the gospel. I thought that's
the most ridiculous message I've ever heard in my life. I thought
that's not fair. What do you mean God only shows
mercy to whom he'll show mercy? That's the greatest message of
hope because if he didn't do that, everybody's going to hell.
In Adam, all died but God. So when we talk about election,
I've heard people speak of the electing grace of God like that
it was some, you know, like an evil thing, election. That is
the greatest message that a sinner ever had, that God would show
mercy. The old carnal heart will say,
well, why doesn't He show mercy to everybody? I'm so glad the
Spirit of God moved upon the Apostle Paul to answer that question
in Romans 9. You know what he said? Who art
thou, old man, that replies against God? Who are you? Shall the thing
formed? Say to him that formed it, why
have you made me thus? We don't have any place to argue
with God. Remember, we were the first rebels.
We rebelled against Him. So John says, let that therefore
abide in you which you've heard from the beginning. If that which
you've heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also
shall continue in the Son. The Father, if, if, if, if, if
that which you've heard. Now, let me just say something
again that I've said before, and you've heard before, and
you believe before, and by the grace of God, believe it now.
That which the Lord does for us, is owing totally to His grace. Now, when He says, if that which
you've heard, keeping the gospel in our heart is not something
that you and I can do. I don't have the ability to keep
something remaining in me. How is it that anything remains
in any of us. Listen, we're kept by the power
of God through faith unto salvation. That will be revealed in the
last day. It will be proven and shown to be true. But John says,
if it does, meaning this, if God put it there, God will keep
it there. And if God keeps it there, that's
the evidence that the Lord has shown mercy. He's been merciful. He's been compassionate to you. The Lord said, John 10, 28, I
give His people, the sheep, I give unto them eternal life, and they
shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. Why? shall they never be lost,
because He's never going to let them go. I will not, I give them. So, this is the truth. This abiding
and remaining in Christ is that which the Lord has done for us. And we know it, and we admit
it. We're the first ones to admit. Look what he says, verse 25. This is the promise that He has
promised us, even eternal life. He has promised, and according
to that promise, He will finish the work. And it'll be evidenced
in God's people. They'll continue to believe.
They're going to struggle, yes they will struggle. They'll struggle
with themselves, they'll struggle with the world, they'll struggle
with the temptations and the wiles of the devil, but I'll
tell you what they won't do. They won't leave. They will not
leave. No believer, no believer in the
Lord Jesus Christ will ever leave the gospel. Why? Because God's
going to keep them. If someone leaves the gospel,
I'm not talking about now if somebody leaves and goes to another
place where the gospel is preached. That's not what I'm talking about.
I'm talking about they forsake it. They just say, you know,
I'm not listening to that anymore. I'm not listening to that anymore.
What does it evidence? Well, they went out from us because
they were not of us. For had they been of us, surely
they would have remained. They would have stayed. Why?
Because God would keep them. They're not going to leave. I
give them, they'll never perish. No man, not even themselves will
pluck them. Because I promise you again,
if I could leave, I'm out of here. I would leave. I would
leave in a heartbeat and you would too. Look at verse 26.
But the anointing which you've received of Him abideth in you. And you need not that any man
teach you, but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and
is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye
shall abide in him." You will stay. You will remain. Let me
read verse 26. I missed that. These things,
John said, I've written unto you concerning them that seduce
you. There's many. He's warned us
of liars. And I've told you before, do
you know why there's so many different denominations? Do you know why there's so many?
Have you ever thought about that? There's a lot of different thoughts,
and I'll come back, I'll come back in 27 just a second. There's
a lot of thoughts on ways that we've considered. But remember
the passage of scripture in Revelation chapter 12, Revelation chapter 12 answers
the reason for all false religion. Revelation 12, 13, when the dragon,
the devil, saw that he was cast into the earth, he persecuted
the woman, the church, which brought forth the man-child.
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she
might fly into the wilderness, into her place, place of security. We're in this world, but God
keeps us in this world. We're kept. Where she's nourished
for time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent.
That time and time and half a time, that is a definite number with
no revelation of what it is. There's a certain amount of time
this earth is going to be here. I've read men you know, they
give explanations and they go back to, you know, Nebuchadnezzar
was here and then Daniel and then they get this big long map
and it proves absolutely nothing. Why? Because nobody knows when
the earth is going to be over except the Lord. That's what
it means. But this time and time and half times, we're being kept
right now. Where are we being kept? Right
wherever God has put us in the place of nourishment. Now this
is what's happening right now. God's people are sitting here
being nourished because all they want to do is hear what God has
to say. Tell me about the bread of heaven. Tell me about life
in Christ. Tell me about the nourishment.
But what is happening concerning all of these other religions?
Verse 15, and the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood
after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away
of the flood. Now there is a flood of false
religion that comes out of the mouth of Satan and all of his
false preachers. Everybody, anybody that is not
preaching the gospel of God's grace is a liar. They're liars. They say, well Marvin, you're
just, you're hard. No, I'm just, all I'm doing is
reading it. Who is a liar that denies Christ? Who is a liar? That's what God
said. God said they're liars. So I'm just repeating what He
said. I believe it. I believe it. But I'm just saying
what the Lord has said. But all of these different religions, they're confusing. And God's
not the author of confusion. Have you ever noticed how consistent
the gospel is. When you hear it, you think,
you know, that's truth. And it's the same way. But you
go here, and you go here, and you go here, and you go here,
and this is all confusion. It's confusion. The serpent cast
out of his mouth water as a flood. And the earth, 16, helped the
woman. And the earth opened her mouth
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which kept the commandments of
God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." All of this false
religion that comes out, and it's lies. And John said, I'm
writing to you these things, verse 26, concerning them that
seduce you, try to. They're trying to seduce you
and lie to you. And the only reason that God's
people are not seduced spiritually is because God's keeping them,
abiding in Christ. But in verse 27, the anointing
which you've received of Him, that unction, that blessing,
that blessing from the Lord by the Spirit of God, That blessing,
that anointing that you've received, that blessing by the Holy Spirit
in regenerating and convicting and teaching, abiding mercy,
that teaching that you've received of Him, that abides in you. You that know Him, you know.
I'm kept here because He's keeping me here. The only reason I'm
sitting here listening to this, wanting to listen to this, is
because The Lord has given me a heart to listen to it. And
the scripture says, and you have need not that any man teach you.
Not that we don't need pastors and teachers, because we do.
But what he's saying is, you don't have a need that a man
teach you. Because a man, apart from Christ,
doesn't know anything. Man is the source of But what God, God's going to
teach His people through preachers that's going to preach according
to these words, this gospel. But He says, but as the same
anointing, that same blessing teaches you all things. This is what a believer knows.
All things. Does that mean a believer is
an infallible wealth of, you know, immeasurable information. No. I know in part, and I preach
in part, and I see through a glass darkly, and I'm sitting here
telling you everything I know, and everything I know is so little
concerning The vastness of this word, I know so little, but I'll
tell you what. I know all things concerning
life in Christ. What do you mean? I know He's
the way. I just told you everything I know about it. He is the truth. He's the life. I know that He's
the only way to God. He's the only truth that is set
forth, and life is only found in Him. I told you everything.
That's how much we know in this world. And now, 28 little children
abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence
and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. in closing. John was speaking
under divine inspiration. You know that. But let me tell
you what else he was doing. He was speaking from experience.
Hold your place right there and I'll wrap this up. John 21. Now
you turn to John 21 and I'm gonna... You remember You remember when the Lord was
risen from the dead, and He had appeared to His disciples before,
remember? Thomas wasn't there one time,
then the next time Thomas was there. Now this is the next time the
Lord is going to appear to them. Look at verse 21. Chapter 21
verse 1. After these things Jesus showed
himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And on
this wise he showed himself. Now this is the way he did it.
There were together Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael
of Cain of Galilee, sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.
And Simon Peter saith unto him, I go fishing, now I've told you
before. He wasn't saying, I'm just going
out to see if I can catch something this afternoon, kind of relax
a little bit. No. This is what he said, I quit. I quit. I'm going. I'm going back to
fishing. I'm getting out of this. I'm getting out of this ministry. I go fishing. They say unto him, we also go
with thee. And they went forth and entered
into a ship. Immediately that night they caught
nothing. Now, these disciples all determined
in their heart, I'm going back. I'm going back. I'm leaving him. Now this is what they said. Look
the words up if you don't believe me. Go look up the word go. I go a fishing. The Lord said
to his disciples, His disciples, when the multitudes didn't, he
said, will you go away also? Peter said, where are we going
to go? He said, I go fishing. And then the scripture says that
they didn't catch anything all night. And early that morning,
the Lord called to them off the seashore. And He says, children,
verse 5, have you any meat? And they said, no. Something happened. Look at verse
7. Therefore, that disciple whom
Jesus loved... That was John. John that wrote
what we were just looking at back here. That was John. The disciple whom Jesus loved
saith unto Peter, It's the Lord, Peter. It's the Lord. Now don't you
think for one second, buddy, John, Peter, and the other ones
that had just said the afternoon before, I quit. I quit. And whenever John saw the Lord,
and he told Peter, Peter, the Lord's looking at us. I think about that passage when
Peter denied the Lord. The Lord told him, you're going
to deny me three times before that rooster crows twice. Peter
said, I'll never, I'll never deny you. And that rooster crowed
that second time after Peter had denied him three times. And the scripture says, and the
Lord looked at him. My heart sinks now. I think about the Lord looking
at us. John said, back in 1 John 2.28,
he says, little children, and don't you think he ever got over
that experience when he joined up with Peter. He said, I'm going
with you Peter. I quit too. Obviously this ain't
working out. I'm going with you. And the next
morning, saw the Lord and knew it was the Lord and told Peter,
it's the Lord, Peter. He says, now little children,
abide in Him that when He shall appear, just like He did on that
seashore, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him
at His coming. Can you imagine the shame Lord, what in the world have
I done? What have I done? My friend,
I ask myself that. Marvin, what in the world are
you thinking? Abide in you, Lord, if you don't
keep me in you, I'm quitting. I'm quitting. But for the grace
of God, Remember old Jeremiah? Jeremiah said, I ain't preaching
this no more. I've preached this. I've been
preaching now for approaching 40 years. And all of the troubles and the trials and
the fighting and the backbiting, you know. And I think, I quit. I ain't doing this no more. I
am not doing this anymore. Jeremiah said, I purposed. I was not going to preach anymore,
but His Word was in me like fire in my bones, and I could not
quit. I couldn't quit. Abide in Him. Oh, that when He shall appear,
we'll have confidence. Not be ashamed if, verse 29,
if you know that He's righteous, if you know that He's God, that
He's righteous as God, yes, but that He as man is righteous,
the God-man. If you know that He's righteous,
you know that everyone that doeth righteousness, what is that? What do you mean, everyone that
doeth righteousness? Everyone that believes Him. What's the work of God? This is the work of God. That
you believe on the Son whom He sent. That's it. What is it? What is it? What is it to do
righteousness? This is my beloved Son in whom
I'm well pleased. You hear Him. That's to obey God. If I've ever
said anything that I need to hear, what must I do to work
the works of God when everything I do is tainted with sin? What
must I do? I'm such a failure. I'm so frail. I can't do it. I get mad. I get
my feelings hurt. Wait on the Lord. That's right. I forgot. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, thank you. I forgot. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. Lord, you commanded for me to
abide in you. Lord, help me. Abide me in you. Abide me in you. Lord, keep me. Search me, David said. See if there be any evil. Lord,
keep me from myself, for Christ's sake. Amen.