1 John 3:1-3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Welcome to Getting ready for Sunday, a podcast of first Lutheran Church. Each week I introduced the readings for the upcoming Sunday with some notes and explanation so you can be ready for worship when you arrive. I look at the Old Testament, Psalm epistle and Gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday and offer a few notes and explanation. The Epistle reading for All Saints Day which we are celebrating on Sunday, November 5, is from First John chapter three, verses one through three. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And so we are, the reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who thus hopes in him, purifies himself as he is pure. Here hence the reading. This passage from First John chapter three is really dense in wonderful theology. So we're going to take a look at it verse by verse, let's begin with the first one. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And so we are. This passage tells us about the great love that we have through our, our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we have been adopted as children of God in our baptisms, that when God shows us he does said the same words that he said to his son, Jesus Christ, you are my beloved son with you, I am well pleased. And John reminds us that this, this choosing that God has done making us children of God is not something that happens in the future in eternal life in heaven or anything like that. It happens now, God has already given us this love in Jesus, the next verse, the reason why the world does not know us, is that it did not know Him. So John makes a transition here, he says, We are God's children. Why are we treated so poorly? Sometimes? Why are God's people not on top in everything? Why don't we always have great lives full of riches and happiness and wealth? It's very simple. The world does not know us. And he said, Well, wait a second, the world doesn't know us. How could it not know us? We are children of the God of all creation. Well, the world did not know Jesus. Right? The world rejected Jesus. He came preaching God's word, healing the people casting out demons doing everything right. And yet, the world rejected him and sent him to a cross to die there. The world doesn't know us, because it didn't know Jesus. John continues, Beloved, we are God's children now. And what we will be, has not yet appeared. So while we are God's children now, we also have a promise that we are something more than what we see in our flesh and blood. What we will be, has not yet appeared. This gives us the idea of well, sometimes what theologians call the now and the not yet. We are God's children now. And yet it's in a hidden way. Underneath the sinful flesh and blood that we have right now. There is a child of God in all its perfection, and yet it has not been fully manifest. It has not fully made known. We are waiting for the not yet of God's promises. And so he continues, but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. So the not yet is when he that is Jesus when Jesus appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. St. Paul calls Jesus's resurrection, the first fruits of those who come from the dead. And what that means is, is that Jesus is the beginning of the resurrection, so that he can be one of many brothers. So when Jesus returns we'll see him coming on the clouds with power and glory. We know that we who are God's people, will change and be like Him. Jesus will call the people out of their graves and their their lowly bodies that have have died and decayed will be transformed to be like his perfect body. And those of us who are alive our our living bodies that are lowly in a different way not decayed, but you know, injured and hurt and it will be transformed to be like his perfect body. On that day, the not yet will be now. And we hope in that promise, we hope that when we see Jesus, He will change us like that. And that is our sure and certain hope. And yet we live now, in the not yet God's promises is given to us. We have this this, we're children of God in a hidden way. And we hold on to the the gift that Jesus gives us. And so Jesus says, and everyone who thus hopes in him, purifies himself as he is pure. So all of us who have this hope, who look forward to the day of the resurrection, the day when Jesus returns, and reveals us as the perfect and pure children of God, we are purified, as He is pure. And God has given us certain and true means to do this through his means of grace. And he gives us baptism, Holy Communion, the proclamation of the Word, and confession and absolution. And I think John, In First John, he talks a lot about sending and receiving forgiveness. We say these words in church every Sunday, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And then we do the confession and absolution. And that is how God purifies us through his means of grace. When we say when the pastor says, I forgive your sins in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. This is how we maintain our hope, through the means of grace that God has given us. Well, that's it for this passage. We'll see you on Sunday. Bye
Transcribed by https://otter.ai