Please turn with me to 1 John 2 - starting at verse 18.

Over the last few Sundays we have been looking at what?  Fellowship.  We’ve been seeing that fellowship is much deeper than what?  Relationship.  Fellowship is when we’re possessed by God and experience life in Jesus together.

We’ve been seeing that as we open our lives up to God - allow Him to deal with deep issues of our hearts - as we learn to live in obedience to Him - that God takes this odd assortment of people - us - coming from different generations and backgrounds and needs - God takes us and binds us together in true fellowship in His Son Jesus Christ.

This morning we’ve come to the peril of fellowship.

There was a guy who fell in love with an opera singer.  He hardly knew her since his only view of the singer was through binoculars from the third balcony.  But he was convinced he could live “happily ever after” married to a voice like that.  He scarcely noticed that she was considerably older than him.  He didn’t care that she walked with a limp.  Her mezzo-soprano voice would take them through whatever might come.  After a whirlwind romance and a hurry-up ceremony they were off for their honeymoon together.

As she began to prepare for their first night together this guy was watching and his chin dropped to his chest.  She plucked out her glass eye and plopped it into a container on the nightstand.  She pulled off her wig - ripped off false eyelashes - yanked out her dentures - unstrapped her artificial leg - and smiled at him as she slipped off her glasses that hid her hearing aid.  Stunned and horrified he cried, “For goodness sake, woman, sing, sing, SING!” (1)

People are not always what they seem.  We need to be careful.  This morning we’re coming to a section of First John - where John is warning us about a peril to fellowship - those who seem so Godly and yet are against Jesus and the fellowship we experience in the Church.

If you’re at 1 John 2 - let’s read verses 18 and 19 out loud together:  Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. 

There are a number of terms and ideas here that John is tossing around that we need to make sure we’re understanding. 

The first is the term “a last hour.”

A number of translations put the “the” there - “the last hour.”  But, in the original Greek there’s no “the” in the Greek - meaning a specific “hour.”  The phrase “the last hour” is actually “a last hour.” 

If we were to read through the New Testament we’d see that everything from Jesus’ first coming in the flesh to His return which is yet to come - all of that time in between is talked about as “the last days.”  John - by talking about “a last hour” - is talking about a part of those 2,000 plus years of “last days.”  An hour is part of a day.

John - by talking about an hour of that time - John is emphasizing the intensity - the stress - the immediacy of what was going on in his day.  But that intensity wasn’t unique just to when John was around.

We do this all the time.  We look at events in the Middle East - earthquakes and tsunamis in South Asia - society coming apart at the seams - moral degradation - America - and a world - that’s becoming more anti-Christian - and so on.  We look at the intensity of what’s going on and ask, “Is Jesus coming back soon? Is this the beginning of the end?  Is this the last hour?”

The point is that for every generation there’s an intensity - a repetition of sin - characteristics of life in a world in rebellion against God - events and actions - that remind us that Satan is at work against God and His people - remind us that Jesus will return and that we need to be living in readiness.  We live in a last hour.  We struggle against the same things John did.

Another term John uses is “antichrist.”

He writes that “antichrist - singular - is coming.”  And, that “antichrists - plural - have appeared.” 

The Bible teaches us that there will come a man - a singular antichrist - who will seek control of the world before the return of Jesus.  A singular antichrist that will seek to establish himself as god - in total opposition to Jesus.  That antichrist is yet to come - future history.

But characteristic of every age - even back in the first century when John was writing - characteristic of every age is that there are those who are working against Jesus Christ - antichrists - plural.

In the intensity of what is a last hour - in John’s day and in ours - there are those who are working against Jesus.

Then notice verse 19.  Where do these antichrists come from?  “They went out from us.”  That’s sobering.  “They weren’t really of us.  They were never really believers - never really had fellowship with Jesus and us.  If they had that fellowship they never would have left.  But, since they left we can see that they never really we’re one with us.”

People are not always what they seem.  Church history is littered with people who have spoken as Christians but are working against Jesus.  Would you agree with that?  Church history is littered with people who have spoken as Christians but are working against Jesus. 

For a moment - walk with me through Church history.

In the fourth century there were attempts to distort the truth - heresies were introduced - taught in the Church - doctrinal struggles over the nature of God - who Jesus really is.  Great Church councils came together to debate and discuss these issues - which were being taught by people claiming to be Christians.

In the 7th century Mohammed learned about Christianity from people who talked like Christians but had no clue as to who Jesus is.  Today Islam claims Jesus as a prophet but denies His deity.

At the end of the 10th century - in a way that was like what we saw at the turn of the millennium just 6 years ago - at the end of the 10th century there was a widespread expectation that Jesus would return in the year 1000.  The economy of the world was paralyzed by false teaching by those claiming to be Christians.

The Crusades - in the 11th century - the Crusades began with a heretical zeal that captured the emotion of the time.  A whole movement claiming to be Christian but distracting people from Jesus and the things of God.

In the 13th century there was the Inquisition and the consolidation of papal power in a manner that was decidedly antichrist.  The 15th century saw Martin Luther - and the reformers - rise up against the heresy that was rampant in the Church.

The 18th century saw the rise of German rationalism - teaching that claimed to be Christian - but denied the supernatural working of God - reduced the truth of the Gospel of Jesus to a lifeless - worthless - philosophy.

In the 19th century - especially here in America - there was an infestation of cults - Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the First Church of Christ - coma - Scientist, Unitarianism - led by antichrists like Joseph Smith, Charles Russell, Mary Baker Eddy - people that denied the truth of who Jesus really is. (2)

In the 20th century we found out that God is dead - unless of course we believe in the god of all religions.  Today - in this “last hour” - it doesn’t take much to imagine a one world religion.  A religion that has at its core - perhaps its single unifying belief - the ascendancy of humanity as our own god - and the inevitable denial of the truth of who Jesus Christ is.

Nothing new.  But an old lie that Satan continues to peddle through those who choose to deny the truth of Jesus Christ and to stand in opposition to God and His people.

Beginning in verse 20 - in contrast to the antichrists of this hour - in contrast John describes the true church of Jesus Christ.

Starting at verse 20 - let’s read out loud together verses 20 to 23.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.  I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.  Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.  Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

Go back and underline verse 20.  That contrast is powerful.  But you - in contrast to the antichrists - you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know - what?  The truth of who Jesus is.  How to come into fellowship with God - salvation and life in Him.  Praise God!  “I’m writing to you because you know the truth!”

Hang onto that.  If we know Jesus as our Savior we know the truth.  Know Jesus.  Know Truth.  We gotta try that.  Everyone over here you’ve go the “Know Jesus” part.  You all have the “Know Truth” part.

The antichrists lie - deny who Jesus is.  They don’t know God.  But you know the truth.  You confess who Jesus is.  You know Him.  You know God.  Praise God that we can be a part of a church where people know and love the Lord Jesus Christ and are seeking to live in obedience and a deepening relationship with Him.  Amen?

When we come to receive Jesus as our Savior - John writes - “the Holy One” - the Holy Spirit - enters into us - fills us - empowers us.  (Ephesians 3:16; 5:18)  Jesus said, “When the Helper - the Holy Spirit - comes...He will testify about Me.” (John 15:26)  “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth…” (John 16:13)

Think about that.  When we come to receive Jesus - God Himself enters into us.  Everywhere we go we have the living God as near to us as our heart.  God Himself creates that depth of fellowship - of intimacy with Him - within us.  God Himself teaches us to think His thoughts after Him - to understand life from His perspective.  We don’t need to depend on anyone else to teach us the truth - to hear His voice - to be reassured as we go through life.

Years ago - I was teaching a college Bible study at a church I was attending - down in LA.  One night I was teaching about the need to study the Bible for ourselves.

Prior to the study I’d prepared a Bible passage where I’d changed some of the words and phrases in the text - just slightly - so that the difference in wording was subtle - but the meaning became pure heresy.

That night the class was pretty typical - only one person brought her Bible.  Everyone sat there expecting me to tell them what to think.  I asked them to open their Bibles - even though only one person had one.  I told them where I’d be reading from.

Then I read the passage I’d “translated.”  No one said anything.  Then I started to teach from the passage.  At first I didn’t say anything too controversial.  But, I just kept adding to the deception as I went along.  After a long time - like 20 to 25 minutes into the study - finally one person said something like, “Excuse me, but what do you mean by that?”  It was the girl who had brought her Bible who asked the question.

When I explained what I’d been doing I told them that there was no way they should just blindly accept what I was teaching - without reading their Bibles and thinking on their own.

Remember Jim Jones?  1978?  912 members of the People’s Temple committing suicide?  Jeannie Mills - a former member of the Jim Jones cult and a survivor of the Jonestown, Guyana massacre - Jeannie Mills writes this:  “When you meet the friendliest people you have ever known, who introduce you to the most loving group of people you’ve encountered, and you find the leader to be the most inspired, caring, compassionate, and understanding person you have ever met....and all of this sounds to good to be true - it probably is too good to be true!” (3)

John warns, “They came from within.”  Remember the scene from Alien where the alien explodes out of the guy’s chest?  “They Came From Within.”  Wolves among the sheep. (Acts 20:29,30)  Weeds among the wheat. (Matthew 13:3-9,18-30)  Those who destroy fellowship.  Those who work against Jesus - working against the fellowship Jesus desires to create in us.

Please understand that there are people in the church who are not believers.  Praise God.  They're honestly seeking to understand about God.  That's different.  We need to welcome people who are looking for God's answers in their lives.

But, the people John is writing about aren't honestly seeking.  John writes about antichrists - people who are physically in the church, but spiritually on a completely different page.  They come with all kinds of suggestions and ideas and teachings and rabbit trails that lead people away from Jesus - and criticisms that cause dissentions - all of which Satan uses to destroy fellowship.

John writes:  “You know Jesus.  You know the truth.”  Don’t get sucked in by what someone else tells you to believe about God - no matter how good it may seem.  They’re lying to you.

How do we respond to this peril to fellowship?

Verse 24 - if you’re there - let’s read it out loud together:  As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning.  If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

Do you remember Calvin and Hobbes - the cartoon about a six year old boy and his toy tiger?  There’s a cartoon where Calvin says, “I am a great believer in the value of novelty.  I say anything new is good by definition.  It can shock, insult, or offend me as long as it doesn’t bore me.  If you can’t give me something new then repackage the old stuff so it looks new.  Novelty is all that matters.  I won’t pay attention if it’s not fresh and different.”

Hobbes, looking on reflectively, says, “I can see why timeless truth doesn’t sell well.”

Calvin:  “Give me a good flash in the pan any day.” (4)

The cults are full of former Baptists and Presbyterians and Catholics - Christians who’ve been picked off by teachings that sound novel - interesting - questions they were unable to answer - answers that seemed informed and helpful.  Churches have come apart over secondary issues by those pushing their petty points of doctrine.

All of which can be refuted by a solid testimony of life in the Son - God in the flesh - the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Would you agree with this?  There’s a difference between being “part of ” something and “abiding in” something.  People are part of the church.  Abiding is something deeper.

Do you remember what Jesus said about being the vine?  “Abide in Me, and I in you...I am the vine, you are the branches”  (John 15:4,5)

We can attach a branch to a vine.  Its “part of” the vine.  But the branch bears no fruit - has no life - it dies unless the vine abides in it and it in the vine.  The fullness of the vine must be in the branch - all that the vine is must come into the branch and the branch must receive it.

How do we respond to this peril of fellowship?  If we’re going to remain tight in our fellowship together we need to be passionate in our pursuit of Jesus Christ.  To let abide in us - remain - rattle around - soak into us - permeate us to the core - what we heard from the beginning - to abide in the Son and in the Father.

The peril is not the Mormons or the JW’s or the Jim Jones’ of the world.  Its not our Christian siblings who disagree with us.  The peril is that we will wander away from what we know to be true.  To be part of a religion rather than abide in Jesus.

The Message paraphrases verse 24 this way, “Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message.  Let it sink into your life.  If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father.”

John is calling us back to the basics - the foundations of what we know to be true.  The good news of who Jesus Christ is - His coming - His death and resurrection - salvation and life in Him.

Church - brothers and sisters - can we covenant together to encourage each other to remain in Jesus?  Who He is and who we are in Him?  Under submission to His Lordship over His Church - to hold each other accountable to stay in the word - to study together - pray together - worship together - serve together - that His life would be in us and together we would remain in Him.

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1. Charles R. Swindoll, Strike the Original Match
2. See the sermon by Ray Stedman, “The Nature of Heresy”
3. What About Those Dangerous Religious Groups? - Radio Bible Class Publication, 1986
4. Quoted by Steve Zeisler in his sermon, “Who is the Liar?”