Advent Week 2: 1 John 3:8

REVIEW: We have begun our journey through the season of Advent. We learned last week that Advent means the coming or arrival of something significant. This starts the beginning of the church calendar, reveling around the life of Christ. We are walking through 5 statements. *Show Slide of series review

*ILL> This week we tackle the very “Un-Christmas” verse found in 1 John 3:8. On November 24th-December 2nd, I like many of you watched the TV and saw the horror of the riots in Fergeuson MO. After the jury decided to not indite the officer, Darren Wilson, in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. The city erupted in protest. The affects of this are still seen today in what has now been coined as, “The Ferguson affect” There was one image from this scene that went absolutely viral and it is this image (PIC) Police in full military gear directly underneath Christmas lights and the sign, “Seasons Greetings” It went viral for a number of reasons. The irony of burning cars, tear gas and basically, war underneath the sign that is suppose to represent peace, unity and safety seems so contradictory in this picture.

APP> But in all reality, according to the Apostle and this verse, this is actually an element of Christmas that we don’t normally think about. When Jesus Christ came, it was a mission an invasion of enemy territory. It is the fulfillment of what God promised in the garden:

• • • • “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and he offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 That word enmity means war and strife.
      • “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12

APP> This changes our view of the nativity scene, right?  When we think of it, it looks like this (PIC) But according to the Apostle John, in a spiritual sense it looked like this (PIC)

Big Idea> Christmas declares that the powers of darkness have been destroyed by the person of Jesus Christ.

CONTEXT> Today, with this verse as our guide I want to look at 3 main things. The enemy, the activity and the victory. Through this verse we are seeing a new aspect of Advent a new view of Christmas that should heighten our senses to the reality of the world around us.

1. The enemy.

• • • • “devil…” John uses the word devil 3 times in one verse. We see many words to describe the enemy. Lucifer, Satan is used 18x in the OT, 36x in the NT. He is NOT all powerful, he is NOT omnipresent, he is NOT all knowing.
      • We have a few spots in scripture where we get the back story for this created being. Ezekiel 28 teaches us that he was a created being, an angel of light. Isaiah 14 shows us the fall, that he desired to have Gods position. Revelation 12:9 teaches us that when he left heaven, he deceived 1/3 of the angels to take with him.
      • “And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Luke 10:18 29x in the gospels, 26 of them Jesus is speaking about Satan.

1. 1. The enemy is an accuser. Revelation 12:10
   2. The enemy is a murder. John 8:44a
   3. The enemy is a liar. John 8:44b
   4. The enemy is a thief. John 10:10
   5. The enemy is a tempter. Matthew 4:3

APP> Why is this important to understand? I think primarily there are 3 primary reasons:

• • • • • You must be aware.
        • You must arm yourself.
        • You can have assurance. “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every single square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counter- claimed by Satan.” – C.S. Lewis

2) The activity.

• • • • “the works of the devil..” John tells us what these works

are, namely sinning. He says that the enemy has been “sinning from the beginning”. Then he defines what sin is, “sin is lawlessness” . So is we summarize what John is saying here about the works of the enemy it is this:

APP> The activity of the enemy is to rebel against God. He does this two primary ways:

• • • Legalism- adding to God’s Word.
    • License- taking away from God’s Word.

3) The victory.

• • • “appeared.. to destroy the works..” Isn’t it interesting that John says that it is the incarnation.. not the resurrection that begins the battle? Why? If the enemy territory is this world, then Jesus enters into enemy territory to take out the enemy on its own turf!

*ILL> One of the images and phrases that the early church gave to Jesus Christ and they understanding of his life death and resurrection is the phrase, “Christus Victor” meaning Christ the Victor. (PIC)

• • “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Hebrew 2:14-15
  • “destroy the works..” the word destroy meaning to loose or free..literally to unbind. *ILL> Chains

APP> Christmas tells us that we don’t have to fight for freedom but rather that we fight from freedom.

Big Idea> Christmas declares that the powers of darkness have been destroyed by the person of Jesus Christ.

CLOSE> Now, what is the deal with these toy dragons?! Now that we have looked at this verse. I want to read to you another nativity story, one that isn’t as well known. Read Revelation 12:1-16

APP> Here is what I want you to do, I want you to place this toy dragon in your nativity scene at home to remind you:

Big Idea> Christmas declares that the powers of darkness have been destroyed by the person of Jesus Christ.