Please turn with me to 1 John 2 - starting at verse 25.

Over the last few Sundays we have been looking at what?  Fellowship.  We’ve been seeing that fellowship is much deeper than what?  Relationship.  We’ve been seeing that fellowship is much more than coming together for services or classes or social events.  Fellowship is being a community of those of have life in Jesus Christ - a community  that reflects the nature and activity of the triune God who dwells in perfect oneness.  Fellowship is when we’re possessed by God and experience life in Jesus together. 

This morning we’ve come to the forever of fellowship - the reality that we face eternity together.  That’s kind of a sobering thought.  Most of us in this room will be together forever.  Let that sink in and think about the people sitting around you.

Turn to the person next to you and say them, “We’re going to spend eternity together.”

Sven and Hulda - a Swedish couple - were Christians.  They sang in the choir - went to Sunday School every Sunday - prayed at every meal - went to all the church functions.  But, they couldn’t get along.  At home it was terrible - bickering - complaining - fussing.  After both of them had devotions one morning - separately of course - Hulda said to Sven, “You know, Sven, I been tinking.  I got de answer to dis hopeless problem we’re livin wit.  I think ve should pray for de Lord to take vun of us home to be wit Him.  And then, Sven, I could go live wit my sister.” (1)

We’re going to live together forever.  Here in 1 John 2 - the verses we’re going to look at this morning - John’s emphasis is on how our forever of fellowship can strengthen our fellowship today.

Look with me at what John writes - 1 John 2:25:  This is the promise which He Himself made to us:  eternal life.

Here in verse 25, John is giving us a description of the forever together that God promises us.

Many people read this verse and they emphasize the word eternal - like eternity is God’s promise to us.  But the emphasis here is “life.”  This is the promise which He Himself made to us:  eternal life.

Last October - at Family Camp - Travis - John - and I played 21.  Basketball - not cards.  Don’t go there.  Every man for themselves basketball.  As we played I’m convinced that Travis and John were making up the rules as we went along.  “The 3 point line is from behind the stump.  There’s no out of bounds.  Its Saturday after 5:00 so you only get one point per shot.”  They just kept making this stuff up to their advantage.  Anyway - they cheated and so I lost.

I said, “Well, let’s play two out of three games.”  And in the second game I beat them.  So, I started to walk away and they got upset.  “You said, ‘Let’s play two out of three games.”  Which I had.  Think about that.

I wasn't going to give them a chance to beat me again.  I’m 44 and my body isn’t in the same fine tuned athletic condition that it was just a few short years ago.  These guys are teenagers.

Do you ever have those times when your mind is saying, “You’re in your 20’s” and your body is reminding you you’re not?  They say aging is in the mind.  Well, the mind is in the body.

We live in a physical world and we’re very much aware that our bodies suffer from disease - decay - deformity - dementia - death.  But, while our  bodies are an integral part of who we are - we inhabit them - we live within them - who we are is not this body of flesh.  We’re spiritual beings - eternal beings - that live within our human bodies.

That’s why Jesus can say, “Do not fear those who can kill the body but are unable to kill the soul...” (Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4,5)  The soul goes on - even after the body is dead.

Dallas Willard says this, “We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God’s universe.” (2)

When we die - we go on.  Our eyes close to this life and open to eternity.

So, its important for us to understand that the promise of God is not eternity - but “life” in eternity.

The reason this promise of life is so great is because all of us are born spiritually dead - facing eternal death.

As parents the decisions we make - the things we do - the things we say - effect our children - emotionally - physically - spiritually.  They effect our grandchildren - our great grandchildren - for generations.  Each of us is product of the generations that have gone before us.  They have an effect on us.

The Bible tells us that we’re descendants of Adam.  When Adam sinned - disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit - it was as if each of us sinned right along with him.  Adam did it - and each of us suffers the effect of his sin.  There’s a curse on mankind.  We’re born into sin - sinners - facing eternity separated from God - eternal death. (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) 

If we die in our sins - we close our eyes in this world - and open them to eternal death - eternal separation from God - condemned - no hope.

The Apostle Paul writes in Romans:  “But, God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)  “The wages of sin - what get for being sinners - is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

John writes - in chapter 5 of 1 John:  “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life.” (1 John 5:11b,12a)

God promises eternal life to every one who receives Jesus as their Savior.  Isn’t that great?

Emphasis quality not just quantity.  Let’s say that together, “Its quality not just quantity.”  Life not just eternal. 

Do you remember Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country?  Another one of those films you have to see to be well rounded culturally.  Do you remember how the movie ended?  The Enterprise heading off to the “second star to the right and straight on till morning” - heading off into the unknown future.  We’re suppose to imagine the crew just aimlessly wandering forever through the stars - endlessly wearing their dated ‘80’s style Starfleet uniforms.  That’s boring.  Quantity of time without quality.

Talk about forever with God and many people wonder - what’s the point?  Well, its better than the alternative.  But, where’s the adventure?  Where’s the purpose and meaning?  After a few millennium won’t we run out of things to do?  It’ll get boring.  Where’s the quality?

Let’s be clear on this.  What God promises us is not just quantity of life - but quality of life.  Not just a lot of boring forever.  But a quality of life that we can’t even being to imagine today.

Fullness of life - lived out in our every situation - right now.  And, increasing fullness of life lived out forever.  The daily adventure of experiencing God’s solution to every problem.  And forever discovering God’s program for every opportunity.  Growth and fulfillment that goes on forever.  Life that just keeps getting better and better.

Life with God today is never boring.  The promise is that eternity together with Him will be the greatest of all adventures. 

In verse 26 - John gives us a warning about being misled about God’s promise.  1 John 2:26:  These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.

Do you remember the movie, “Its a Wonderful Life”?  Jimmy Stewart - Donna Reed?  Every year we watch this movie around Christmas.  For some reason this year we didn’t.

Do you remember the elderly angel - Clarence Oddbody - who’s trying to earn his wings?  According to the story, Clarence was a clock maker who died in the 1600’s and now he’s an angel second class.  At one point Clarence tells George Bailey, “Every time you hear a bell ring, it means that some angel’s just got his wings.”

That’s the Hollywood version of eternity.  People who die become angels that somehow come back to help others and in the process earn their way  up the ladder in heaven.  Its sad how many people actually believe that this goes on.

Too many times - at funerals - someone will say to me - about the deceased - “They’re an angel in heaven.  They’re watching over us now.”  The Bible doesn’t teach that.

“Touched By An Angel” - remember that?  Great program.  But the impression was given is that there’s a loving God who has his angels running around trying to correct people’s mistakes - and if we get things resolved down here we’re all going to heaven.

If we run the bases in the right direction - and don’t mess up too bad in the game - somehow when we get to home plate the umpire - God - will call us “safe!”

Its all relative and if God exists - or there is some higher plane of existence - then none of us have really done anything so bad that we won’t get there.  For those that take the time to think about God and what comes next - that’s the prevailing idea in our society.  The culture and society around us is diametrically opposed to what God tells us about eternity.

The Mormons have three spheres of future existence.  Basically, everyone gets in - someplace.  The best future is for those who earn it through obedience to the LDS cult.  The JW’s deny eternal torture and death.  Where one spends the future is earned by working for the JW’s.  The First Church of Christ - coma - Scientist claims that Hell is a lie.  That we need to practice “christian science” - working to divest ourselves of sin.

Cult after cult - religion after religion - teaching that we can earn our way into a better future.  All denying God’s grace.  Voices that Satan uses to distort, destroy, and deceive about what God has promised those who have fellowship with Him.  John is warning us - don’t be deceived.

Verse 27:  As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you - that is that when we come to trust in Jesus as our Savior - God the Holy Spirit chooses to come into us and remain in us - so, John writes - you have no need for anyone to teach you - we don’t need to seek out  some other source of teaching about what comes next.  Why?  Because - His anointing - the Holy Spirit - what we already have - teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie - its not a deception - its backed by the certainty of God’s word - His promise to us of life - and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

One of the more interesting booklets I own is called “Survival Under Atomic Attack”  It was produced in 1950 by the State of California to prepare Californians for the coming nuclear war.

Listen to a couple things the State of California - in 1950 - recommended we do to prepare for what was coming.  Quote:  “If you know you have time when an alert sounds, be sure to shut the doors and windows and pull down the shades.  This will help to keep out fire sparks.”  They also recommend - in order to prevent fire - quote:  “Don’t let trash pile up around your house and always keep it in covered containers.”  (3)

Imagine, “Honey, be sure to take out the trash.  There could be a nuclear war.”

Anybody whose ever seen pictures of nuclear explosions - vaporizing and blowing apart everything for miles around - realizes that these people didn’t have a clue about what was coming.

In our arrogance we think we can know what’s coming.  But, we don’t know.  We don’t know what will happen next week - tomorrow - this afternoon.  The only things we know with certainty that will happen is what God has told us in His word. 

That - we need to hang onto.  Everything we need to know about eternal life - forever fellowship with God and each other God has recorded for us right here in His Bible.  Abide in Him.  Hold onto what you know is true. 

John’s application of eternal life to forever fellowship comes in verse 28:  Now, little children, abide in Him - remain in your relationship with Jesus - keep trusting in what you know and so live - so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming - so that we not be ashamed at the way we lived our lives - but look forward to His coming.

Verse 29 is how we do that:  If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

Those who know God learn to act like God.  That’s not an ego thing.  Thinking we’re as righteous as God.  But, a reality - those who know God - who abide in Him - who have fellowship with Him - are learning to live life in conformity to the character of God.

Know God.  Act like God.  Try that with me.  “Know God.  Act like God.”

Let me try to put this very practically.  One of the areas where I struggle is patience.  I know that may be hard to believe.  But, I’m not a patient person.  Things don’t happen fast enough.  People can be a source of irritation.

After finally coming to a point of conviction on this - that I need to be a patient person - and after years of struggling to become a patient person - and praying, “God help me to be a patient person” - I finally gave up.  I realized that I can’t make myself be a patient person.  God has to do that.

So, a while back I started praying, “God cause me to be patient person.  Whatever it takes - whatever You need to do - I put my life in Your hands.  You cause the change in me.”

That takes trust - trusting God.  “God, do whatever You want with me.”  Please hear me when I say that I struggle with that trust as well.

There’s a fear that at some point - as I stumble around in sin and resist the work of God in my life - a fear that God is finally going to say, “You are so not worth all of this.  I am out of here.  You are on your own.”  Do you ever feel like that?

But God is worthy of our trust.

1 John 4:18 - John writing about how God loves us - John writes, “Perfect love casts out fear…”  Perfect love - commitment love.  God - knowing the depth of our sin and rejection against Him - God committing Himself to me - to us - with love that sends Jesus to the cross - opening the door to forever fellowship.

God said - Hebrews 13:5,6:  “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.”

God’s not going to say, “Enough.  I’m outta here.”

That’s the promise of eternal life.  “I will be there for you.  Forever fellowship.”

Know God.  What?  Act like God.

The Bible teaches us that what we’re doing here is developing the character to live in God’s world and to live with Him forever.  (Ephesians 2:4-10; Revelation 22:5)  And, God has given us each other to do that.  We’re to encourage and support and uplift and pray and admonish and serve and love and help each other to remain in Jesus - to abide in Him - to grow in Him.

That takes commitment that moves beyond the temporal - the getting my needs met today mentality that shackles American Christianity.  “If this church doesn’t meet my needs I’m out of here.  If someone says something to me or does something to me I’m out of here.”  Or finding a whole host of other reasons to cop out - drop out - and go AWOL from what God wants to do in us and through us if we would just trust Him and hang in there with each other.

God’s love - acting like God - means hanging in there with people who struggle with patience - and whole host of other sins and struggles.  It means being committed to each other for the long haul of eternity.  It means developing a trust in each other - because we know that our sibling in Jesus is going to be there for us - instead of against us - or not there at all.  Living together in the promise of the forever of fellowship.

If we’re going to be together forever why can’t we start now?

I’m going to ask you to do something that should make all of us uncomfortable.  Please stand and take the hand of the person next to you.  If you’re on an aisle - stretch across the aisle and take the hand of a person on the other side.  If you’re on the end of a row or with no one’s hand to hold reach up and connect with someone in front or behind you.

If you don’t want to take someone’s hand - that’s okay.  Please don’t fell like you have to do this because everyone is “suppose” to do this.  If someone doesn’t want to take your hand don’t take that as personal rejection.  Honesty, yes.  Rejection, no.

Now - listen to my words first then decide if you want make this commitment to the person you’re holding onto.  Don’t just say words because you feel you have to.  If you mean this - looking at the person next to you - share this with each other:  “I will not let you go.  I will be there for you.  I will trust you to be there for me.  Let’s live together in God’s forever fellowship.”

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