Amazing Favor: The Hope of Glory - 1 John 3:1-2

2:18When he appears, we will be like him. And so, all of this comes out of this ministry of the word, ministry of the Spirit that reveals to us Christ, and as we look upon Christ, we are transformed into his glory. Let me just read to you verses of 1 John 3, verses 1 and 2. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God, and such we are. For this reason, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared. As yet, what we will be. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him just as he is.

3:10Well, our passage this morning, I've entitled this message, The Amazing Favor. We've looked at transforming glory and now want to speak about the motive that drives it all, and it is this amazing favor, amazing favor of God. And that is our hope of glory. That that amazing favor does not change, that it will continue, and that it will accomplish its goal. Well, if you look back at verse 1, you notice that the first thing John calls our attention to is there's something to behold. See, you see that word, see, see, there's something to behold. Behold, see this thing. And in the Texas vernacular, we'd say it like this: y'all need to get a load of this. Pay attention to this. That's what John is saying. Get your think on this, get your mind and heart on this.

4:12And what is it? What is it that John wants us to see? Well, there is this amazing kind of love. What kind of love? See how great a love. The word here that's translated how great is only used a few times in the New Testament, but it also. Always speaks of something that is extraordinary. You remember in Matthew chapter 8, the disciples are on the boat, and Jesus calms the wind and the waves, and they say, This, what kind of a man is this? That even the wind and the waves obey him? What kind, from what country, from what world has this one come? It's the idea. That's extraordinary, extraordinary. It's out of this realm. Remember the angel Gabriel in Luke chapter 1 comes to Mary and says to Mary in verse 28, Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you. Now, what would you do if an angel all of a sudden appeared to you and said, Greetings, favored one? Well, you think, well, this is unusual, right? Well, that's what Mary does. Listen to what she says. But she was very perplexed at this statement and kept pondering, what kind of salutation is this? Where does this come from? This is of an unusual, extraordinary kind. And of course, Gabriel announces to her that you will bear a son. You have found favor with God.

5:46You will bear a son. The object to behold is love. Behold, this is what John is saying. Look back. Behold, what kind of love the Father has given kind of love? Kind of this agape love, this affection, this volitional love of the will. Behold, this love of the mind. Behold this love that will serve sacrificially. Behold, what wondrous kind of love. Behold the magnitude, the extraordinariness of this love. That's what John is calling his readers' attention to.

6:27The question is, certainly in John's mind, he's talking about something that is overwhelming, something that is breathtaking. Basically saying, behold this amazing love. That's what I want you to focus on, this love. But notice, the question is, to whom is this overwhelming love directed? Back at verse 1, John sees it as on us, on us, right? And who is the us referring to here? Well, John certainly includes himself, but he includes more than just himself. All who have born again, you look back at the end of verse 29, speaks about those who are born of him, right? How great the Father's love on us, those who are born of him. And who is born of him? The one who practices righteousness. Everyone who practices righteousness in verse 29 is born of him. In fact, this whole thought really begins in verse 28 as John is exhorting the church to abide in him. Abide in him. In Christ. Abide in him so that when he appears, that is, when he comes, you will have confidence and not shrink away. You see, the very presence of Christ is of such magnitude that it causes people to shrink away, run away. That's what happens when you're ashamed in the presence of a holy God. You don't have to say anything, you just flee, right? Because he is so holy and because of shame. That's what shame does. It causes people to flee, to run.

8:00And what John is saying is, you don't have to flee, you don't have to run, you don't have to. Behold, if you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. So he's saying, then he goes on to say, see how great a love the Father has bestowed on us. He goes on in chapter 9, the one who's righteous, or verse 9 of chapter 3, no one who is born of God practices sin because his seed abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious. Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. You see, the recipients of this amazing love, this amazing favor, are those who have been born of God. And we know them because God's seed remains in them, and they can't go on living the way they used to live. Because God has done something in their lives. And because of that, they have a hunger and a thirst for something else.

9:09But all those who are born of God possess this amazing favor of God. That's what John is saying. All who are born of God. Now, the question comes to us: Are you a Christian today? Are you a true Christian today? Then I want you to see what belongs to you. And if you are not a Christian today, I want you to see what does not belong to you, but can belong to you. But I'm tired of this foul spirit, the spirit of our age, that comes around and tells us to despair, or tells us that you're not worth anything, or tells you you're not valued, whatever it is that gets you down, because you, as a child of God, have this amazing favor. And I want to tell you what's yours.

10:15I want to proclaim to you what can be yours. Well, there are four elements of this amazing love in our text this morning, and I want you to see these four elements of this amazing favor so that you will abide in it. Four elements of this amazing favor. First of all, it is a gift. It is a gift. Look at verse 1. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us. He has given it. The Father, we could translate, behold, the Father has set his amazing love on us. Behold this. Let your mind, let your soul look upon this, think about this.

11:01This amazing love, it's not earned. This amazing favor is not earned. It's not purchased. It's not acquired by any other means. It is a gift. It's a gift from the Father to His children. It's not something that's for sale. And by the way, if it was for sale, none of us could afford it. Right? It's from another realm. It's extraordinary. It's something beyond anything that is possible. It is the most valuable thing. This amazing favor. It's a gift. It can't be bought.

11:36If it could be bought, it wouldn't be amazing. But the verb is in the perfect tense, in the active. It is something that is given and has been given to those who are born of him. It has been given. It's the greatest gift ever. And finally, Fact, as you work your way through the Old Testament, you notice that this is the very blessing that the priests were to proclaim on Israel. This is how they were to bless Israel. It tells us how we should pray for others as well. In Numbers chapter 6 and verse 22, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Go speak to Aaron and say to his son, This is how you are to bless Israel. So this is how Israel is to be blessed. And this is what you are to say. Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them these words: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you peace. So they shall invoke my name on the sons of Israel, and then I will bless them. Right? It's the prayer to have the smile of God upon your life. That's the way Aaron was to bless Israel. Should this not be our prayer as well for everyone that we pray for, ultimately? What is it that you ultimately want your kids to have? What is it ultimately that you want your friends to have? What is it ultimately that you want for others to have? That is the face of God smiling upon them, the favor of God. That is the greatest gift. Everything else is in another category, right?

13:27If I could give one thing away, right? Love for the favor of God to be upon every single individual in here, right? And David, you remember, as he in Psalm 31 is facing some very difficult times, he says this in verse 15, My times are in your hand. Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. Make your face to shine upon your servant. Save me in your loving kindness. You see, the smile of God upon a person is more valuable than anything. And I think anybody, regardless of even how they understand God intuitively, would agree with this. That ultimately it's the one being favored by God that has great treasure, right? Has a good go in earth, right?

14:22But it is the one gift. It is the one gift. It is an extremely valuable gift. It's the one gift I would want for my family, my friends, this church, for everybody. It's this. And as a side note, it's important to know that we are never called. You don't get any instruction in the scriptures at all about worshiping or idolizing those favored by the Lord. Maybe imitate, but you're not to worship or idolize those favored by the Lord. Like John does here, we are to marvel at the Goodness of God that he bestows such favor upon people. That's what's truly amazing. Behold, the kind of love that God, the Father, has put upon us. That is something to marvel about.

15:17Right? It was never intended that we should look upon Mary or any other great individual in Scripture and idolize them or worship them. or speak of them as something extraordinary. What is extraordinary is the kind of love that the Father gives upon his people, and he gives it to all of them. That is what's marvelous. That's what's extremely valuable. Such favor is not just for the heroes of the Bible, it's for everyone born of him. And that's what John wants us to get.

15:56It's a gift. Second element of amazing favor is it comes with the title, a very high title. Look at verse 3:1. See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us that we would be called children of God, and such we are. In other words, he's saying this. We are children, and we're called children of God. And the reason we're children of God, called the children of God, is why? Because we are the children of God. So that's why we're called as such. You see, the most amazing love comes. With this most amazing title. And this title, being the children of God, has several implications. It has implications for God and it has implications for us, right?

16:42I mean, as parents, right? There's implications for us having children, right? You can think about God and the responsibility that this implies for God. A parent does what? Bears the responsibility for the children, for their children, right? By causing us to be born again, guess what God does? He takes on the responsibility of the whole project. When God caused me to be born again, he took upon Himself the responsibility of my eternal well-being. He was responsible for dealing justly with my past, and He did so on the cross. He has the responsibility of dealing with me and my present, and He does so as He sits on the throne. And He has a responsibility for my future, right? Because that's what a father does, right? Has responsibility. There's also the implication of provision. Listen, God, as being the parent, has responsibility to provide for His children.

18:00Child comes into the world with a host of needs, right? Parents are responsible to provide, to guide, to strengthen, to prepare their children for life, right? Listen, even before a child is born, the parents will make provision so the baby comes into a world that has all it needs, right? You know, I think about getting a baby room ready. We've been through this gig several times, six times, a half dozen times, you know, and the planning. You know, our love is set upon the child before the child even comes into the world, right? And even before the child comes, we're thinking about getting the room ready, the clothes ready, a place where the baby can be washed and cleaned, sleep and eat, protected and grow, right? All that. All that. The parent is already thinking about that long before the child even comes into the world, right? At least a good parent is.

19:03And God does the same for His children. I was always impressed with just how much stuff these little kids take, right? I mean, you can put the whole baby in a shoebox, in a big shoebox, you know, maybe. You can put that, but man, the stuff that goes with them, right? The bedding, the clothes, the diaper bags, you know, everything. It's so much. And all of that, God has thought through. When he caused us to be born again, he knew that there would be some provisions that were necessary. So there's an implication for being the children of God. There's some implications for God in this endeavor. Also, think about an implication for God: He's responsible for the family resemblance. Okay? A birth child comes into a family bearing the family name. Right? Parents are responsible to pass on their culture, their morality, their dignity, of their family heritage, right? Whatever that may be. It's just the way it is. They're also responsible to clear the family name when this child who bears their name does that which is wrong, right? Well, same is true with God. Those born of him bear his name, and by so, they will share the family resemblance by the working of his grace. He has committed himself to that. Just as a parent, we commit ourselves to raising up the children in the way we think they ought to go, right?

20:46There's also another implication that bears upon God, and that is a parent bestows his favor upon a child simply because the child comes into being. Being, right? There is an automatic favor there simply because the child comes into being. There is a favor. So this title comes with some implications. God's amazing favor comes with this most amazing title, and it has implications for God, but it also has implications to us, right? Right? As being children of God, there are implications. You know, a child has a set of realities, right, simply by being a child, right? When you were born, you were born into a family, you were born into your time, in your place, and what came along with that were all the privileges associated with your family and all the responsibilities that went with it, right? Simply by being born. And that's just the way it is, right?

21:54We are born into a family, and with that comes privileges as well as responsibilities. One of the first responsibilities, duties, or not just duties, one of the first axioms of being a child is a child grows. That's what they do. And I've watched that too. I've been through that. I can measure it scientifically. They grow, right? And they grow quickly, right? A child grows, a child develops, a child matures. That's what they do. They grow up. And so also when a person is born again spiritually. A child doesn't always remain a child. There is a destination in mind. There's a maturity in mind.

22:39Also, an implication for relationship. You think about this. You know, the relationship never changes. We change. We never outgrow our parents, right? They're always our parents, right? No matter what confusion or whatever happens in this life, my father is always my father. The relationship never changes, and neither does God's favor. He's always father to those who are born again. But another implication for us is access. Access. You know, you can think about it today. Think about all of those who have access to the White House. Okay? I mean, there's some high titles in our society today. Who has access to the White House there in Washington?

23:30Well, Vice President, now that's a pretty high title, one of the highest in our land. Speaker of the House, wow, that's a high one. Secretary of State, that's another one. Attorney General, Secretary of Defense, all these, you know, and more. They have access to the White House. They have a privileged way in, and they can spend a lot of time in there, right, because of their title. Well, there's a title that has greater access than all of these. You know what that title is?

24:01The children of the president, right? The children of the president, they have greater access than all these state or public servants, right? Because they're children. And as a child, they have access. They live in the White House. They don't leave, right? I mean, could you have picture the Secretary of State having a bad dream and then running into the President's bedroom and crying? And will you pray for me? It's just been so bad, you know. But a child can do that, right? A whole different level of access that a child has. So the title, the lofty title of children of God, is a better title than the servant of God, even if that be cherubim or seraphim.

24:57You will have an amazing favor if you are born of God. It's also an implication of family resemblance. You know, a birth child does not choose his or her brothers or sisters, do you? They are granted. You see, there is a family resemblance by virtue of the fact that they are born into the family. Those who are born of God, we all have a striking family resemblance. It has nothing to do with our. Nationality, what country we're from, what status we're from, male, female, whatever. The status is in being born from above and the transformation that is taking place.

25:46But there's also an implication for favor upon us. You know, a birth child comes into the world with parental favor. That's just the way it is, at least under normal circumstances. He or she has favor simply because he or she comes into the world. So if you bear the lofty title of being a child of God, do not ever let the devil tempt you to despair. Even in the loneliest of times, this is the greatest title of all. And it's not just a title, this is what you really are. Amazing favor.

26:30Now go and interpret what's going on in your life in that light. And that's how John wants us seeing ourselves. You have an amazing favor. Therefore, abide in him. Be transformed into his image. And you will not shrink away at his coming. Well, amazing favor, it is a gift. It comes with the title. And third, it comes With the price. Look back at verse 1. For this reason, the world does not know us, because it did not know him. Because of this, because of this amazing favor, the world does not know us. Because it does not know him.

27:18Because of this amazing favor, we are children of God. And for this reason, the fact that the world does not know us is because it does not know God. Do not expect the world to celebrate your status as being a child of God. The reason is because they don't know God. And because they don't know God, they're not going to celebrate who you are. And sometimes they may even mistreat you. In fact, you see this on the opening pages of Genesis. It came about in the course of time in chapter 4 that Cain brought an offering to the Lord.

28:00And in verse 4, the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering, but for Cain and for his offering, he had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Why was he angry? Because there was favor on another. And it came about when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel and killed him. You see, the world does not know God, and so they're not going to reflect his energy. Image as they should. They are not seeing him, so they are not reflecting him. There is no family resemblance, and they're not going to treat you as family. They have no ability to recognize God or the children of God. And so they will not know you, they will not celebrate, and they may even mistreat you at times. And all this underscores what John's message is throughout this book: is that this world is simply not the home of the children of God. We are passing through.

29:07There is a price. We are distinct. This is not our home. And the world is not going to know us. So, four elements of amazing favorite. First, it is a gift. Second, it comes with the title. Third, it comes with the price. And four, it comes with the promise. Look at verse 2. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

29:44See, John makes it very clear that our hope just isn't in this life. There is a future for the children of God, a glorious future. If you look back, it's clear that the future hasn't been completely revealed. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared. Not yet been revealed. And here's John, and if anybody would have understood what we are going to be like, it would have been him. I mean, he walked with Christ. He was a disciple whom Jesus loved. He lived the longest. He got revelation. If anybody would have gotten it, it would have been John. He said, look, it hasn't been disclosed. Something too wonderful. Something too beyond.

30:32But he does say there are some elements that have been revealed. Look back. There are some elements that have been revealed about our future. In verse 2, John describes the what of our future, the when of our future, and the why of our future. Look at the what of our future. We will be like him. That's maybe unthinkable now, but it's a revealed reality. That's what the plain meaning of these words communicate. We will be like him. We will not be like him in his godness. We will not be God, but we will be like him in all those communable attributes.

31:22We will, and this is really all we need to know anyway, right? It doesn't really matter what specifically we'll be like, but we will. Be like him. And this is why we can abide in him. This is why we can continue to be transformed. This is why we don't have to shrink away from him because we will be like him. That's the what. We will be like him. We will truly reflect him. Now look back and look at the when of our future. And notice the words, when he appears. Speaking of his second coming, when he is revealed to the world, so we will be revealed for who we are, because we will be like him.

32:09Now I want you to see the why of our future. Look back and see the why of our future. And this is the truth. This truth that John is communicating here is really the center point of his theology. Why will we be like him? Why? Because we will see him as he is. See that? No more indirect reflection. We will see him as he is. And that's why we will be like him. You see, he is this contagious beauty. We're no longer going to see him in a mirror, as a reflection, in a mirror. We're going to see him face to face. We're going to have to have a A transformation of our faculties to be able to even take in who He is, eternal God. There's going to have to be a transformation, and that transformation happens as we see Him for who He is. There is a transforming glory about Him, a beauty so contagious that it actually transforms those who look upon Him. And that's the why of our future. We will see Him as He is, we will reflect Him perfectly, our transformation will be complete.

33:37And this is really what John's theology emphasizes. As I study John, as we're working our way through the Gospel of John and studying these letters of John and studying the Revelation of John, you start seeing some patterns. And this theology of John really emphasizes the transforming ministry of Jesus. There is something about John that is fixated on this transforming ministry of Jesus. You know, what's the first miracle that we came across in John's Gospel? Remember, it's in John chapter 2. It's the miracle of transforming the water into wine.

34:22It doesn't show up in any other gospel, right? And what a peculiar little, okay, so he did what? Until you understand. What's going on in John's mind? Jesus didn't just come to transform water into wine, he came to transform that which is common into something that is noble. He came to transform hearts of humanity, to take something from the common mass and turn it into something beautiful and noble. And he starts there. Remember, John chapter 3, he talks about being born again, Nicodemus. Being born again, you must be born again. This initial transforming work that launches the whole thing, the whole enterprise. And that transforming glory continues to completion until we shall, as children, grow up and truly be like him.

35:18So for John, he sees that Christ came to save, for sure. But he saves by transforming people. And he transforms people by revealing himself to people. He transforms people by revealing his beauty to people so that people can gaze upon his beauty so that they are transformed by that beauty. That's what he does. He transforms lives by being observed by those he reveals himself to. And that's the promise. So the elements of amazing favor, it is a gift. Gift. It comes with the title. It comes with the price. It comes with the promise.

36:05We have to ask ourselves this question. If you do not know Christ today, you can have this amazing favor. You know, one of the things we celebrated the Lord's table some months ago, and the lids of the elements were left off. And I remember looking up there and thinking, oh, those things should have gone back on. And then all of a sudden it hit me. No, I kind of like them off. Because you see all of this unused cups, all of this bread left broken. And it is sufficient for everyone. Amazing favor is available for all. It is sufficient for all. Come to the table. That is who we are, right? That is what this community is about, to encourage people, come to the table, come to the table. Amazing favor is for you. And for those of you who are born of God, listen, don't let anybody tell you any difference. Amazing favor is upon you. And interpret everything that goes on in your life through that lens. You are rich beyond imagination, such that John would say, Behold, how wonderful this is. An extraordinary gift. You are rich.

37:40Live as a child of the king, being transformed into the image of the king. And that's what John says in verse 3. And everyone who has this hope fixed on him purifies himself, just as he is pure. We don't purify ourselves by works righteousness. We purify ourselves by appropriating those things that God has already given for our cleansing. In John 11:55, Passover, the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover in order to purify themselves. So, this concept of going up to purify yourself is something that's in Scripture, in John's mind.

38:34But he's already said that we are cleansed by the blood of Christ. It is not something we do, that we can make happen. But the believer must appropriate the God-given means of cleansing from the moral defilement that comes upon us as we go through life, as the decisions we make. Right? The initial purification comes, rebirth. But then there must be a daily self-cleansing. We must continue to go to the cross. We must continue to confess our sins. We must continue to go and to set off those patterns of impure living. We want to be like him because we know we're going to be like him one day. We're going to see him for who he is. We are to abide in him. We don't want to shrink back at his coming. So we purify ourselves, not by works of righteousness, but by appropriating that which is given to us, the means for our transformation.

39:38Well, do you have the hope of glory? If so, you frequently will remind yourself of the cross. And the more intimate your fellowship with God becomes, the more aware of your need to cleanse yourself will become. As the more you see his holiness, the more you will be aware of your own sinfulness and need for cleansing. And that will draw you more to the cross, more under his favor. And you would understand it more deeply and be transformed.

40:14So remind yourself of the cross, confess your sins, seek the changes to any sinful patterns. One thought about amazing favor before we end. The good news of. About amazing favor is it never ends. It never ends. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you. Behold, what a wonderful love such as this. What kind of love? Something infinite, something so pure, so good, so full of self-sacrifice, so good of intentions of our well-being. Father, and to have this upon us is something too wonderful for us. Thank you for these words that you have reminded us with this morning that no matter what happens in our life, those of us who belong to you have your amazing favor. And in the ages to come, that will be clearly seen by all around. And Father, as we live and sojourn in this world, help us to ever look to you. And when we fall and when we stumble, Father, help us to remember that such you have made provision for our cleansing. You have made provision for us to be clean and holy and have our conscience clean before you because of your great sacrifice and your great love for us. Father, in every way, in every aspect of our being, draw us more and more to you. Show us Christ. Show us the Christ of Scripture that we may love. Him more and that we may be transformed more and more into his likeness. Thank you that there is such a beauty in this world.

42:12Help us to see in Jesus' name. Amen.