I'd like to have you take your Bibles and turn with me to that portion of Scripture which we had read for our Scripture reading, 1 John 2, verse 28. This is part of our series on the epistle of 1 John. We've arrived at chapter 2, verse 28. And I'd like for you to follow along as I read verse 28. Now, little children, abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." Three words that begin with the letter A in verse 28 of 1 John chapter 2. Abide, appear, and ashamed. In stark contrast with that possibility of being ashamed at the coming of the Lord, we have chapter 4 and verse 17. It says, verse 17, Herein is our love made perfect that we may have, notice the word, not shame, or ashamed, but what is the word? Boldness! In the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." There was a consecrated Christian woman, a little old darling old lady that loved the Lord. She went to a small country store and there were several good-for-nothing young people that were doing nothing, just standing around making fun of people. This dear Christian older lady Her testimony was well known in the small community. She heard them making fun of her. Just like the prophet Elisha. You remember they made fun of him. Go up thou bald head! Making fun of him. Making fun of Elijah as well who had been resurrected and brought before the presence of the Lord without seeing death. Even so they were making fun of this older lady. They began ridiculing her. And they said, hey, we hear that you're expecting Jesus to come home soon. We hear that you're expecting Jesus to come soon. Do you really believe that stuff? Making fun of her. And she said, young man, I absolutely do. They responded, well, you better hurry up and get home. You better hurry up and get home and get ready because Jesus might get there before you do. And she said, I don't have to get ready. I stay ready. Isn't that the way it ought to be for a believer? We don't have to get ready. This business of get ready for the coming of the Lord, we ought to stay ready. You see, 1 John 2, verse 28 says, we ought to abide. That's the first A that we pointed out to you in 1 John. Now little children abide in Him. What does that word abide mean? Well, the word abide is the Greek word meno, which means to dwell or stay put. It's more than just being saved. It certainly includes being saved because he calls them children, doesn't he? In verse 28, now little children. He uses that word children, which is a word specifically addressed to people who are in the family of God. So if we're going to abide, certainly it means that we need to know Jesus Christ as our Savior. But abiding in the Lord is so much more than just knowing Him as our Savior. It means that no sin is unconfessed in our lives. No interests in our lives into which our Lord has not been brought. It means that we share in a life in which He cannot share in. In essence, abiding means seeking the Lordship of Christ in every area of our lives. I remember when I was in Winona Lake studying in seminary, I took a walk along Canal Street and I saw across the canal a figure that looked like a man who was vigorously pumping at a hand pump that was gushing water. And I was amazed because he kept on pumping and pumping and pumping, tirelessly pumping and pumping and pumping. I stood there for literally three or four minutes looking at this phenomenon, wondering how what appeared to be an older man was pumping this water tirelessly. Well, as I continued my walk and came a little bit closer, I found out that it was actually a wooden figure painted, just an excellent, beautiful job, life-size of a man pumped, but his arm had a hinge in it and it was attached to the pump, but there was a paddle moving and it was actually the flowing water that was moving the arm that was attached to the figure. And it wasn't the man that was doing the pumping. It was actually the water passing along that was moving the man. And I started thinking, you know, that's a beautiful picture of what it means to abide. The believer who abides in Christ actually has Christ's power flowing through him. So that all that he does in reality is not stemming from his ability or his power or his natural gifts, but it's actually the water of the Word and the Spirit of God flowing and empowering through that person. Now, we want to look at eight results of abiding in Christ. When we are abiding in Christ and we have placed our lives, our talents, our abilities, we've surrendered our interests, our goals, our aspirations, our needs, and we've given them over to the Lord, there are eight things that are going to result. And I'd like for that to form the basis of our study in the Word of God this morning. First of all, the Word of God says, little children, abide in him that when he shall appear, that's the word parousia referring to an event that we're going to be preaching about tonight, that is the rapture. The next prophetic event in the Lord's timetable for His church is the parousia, the appearance of Jesus Christ. And we're going to be raptured up into His presence. We are to keep ready. We are to stay ready, like the godly consecrated lady said. We are to continue serving the Lord until He comes for us. And notice, the result of abiding is that, number one, we can have confidence. Confidence. The word parousion, confidence, is the same word, get this, that was used in chapter 4 and verse 17 translated as boldness. It's the same word in the Greek. Confidence, chapter 2, verse 28. Boldness, chapter 4, verse 17 is the identical word. We can have confidence. We can know and be at peace in our hearts that whenever Jesus should come, we're going to be ready. Now, if there is a child that has done wrong, I've even seen this with pets. How many of you have a dog in your home? Now, how many of you have ever had dogs that were naughty? Yeah. And when they hear that key in the latch, did you ever notice that your pet little doggy got scarce? That dog in my house, masculine, always predominates. We've always had male dogs. So I always say he or the dog, he. But you'll find when you walk in, he's scarce. You wonder, where is he? Then all of a sudden, you see all kinds of evidences. I'll never forget the time we used to have a little dog at home, and we left him alone on a Saturday. We went to New York City sightseeing. Then we drove back the long distance, back to Long Island. And when we came back, we went through the kitchen, into our home, and we saw a 10-pound bag of flour just totally smashed on the kitchen floor. And our dog, which was a black Labrador, came out to meet us, and he looked as white as a ghost. And all I saw were two brown eyes. And let me tell you something, he was not happy when we appeared. He knew that he was going to get into trouble. Now, is that the same thing with your little poochie, you know? Yeah, they are afraid. That's the way we can be with the Lord. When we know that there are areas of our lives that are not right with God, it's so easy for us to lack that boldness, that confidence. That's the first thing we can have. We can have an expectation, a confidence. we can also not be ashamed the Word of God says when he shall appear we may have confidence number one but then look not be ashamed the word ashamed in the original language has the idea of shrinking back in other words you don't want to see how many of you heard about the the uh... abduction in uh... Lake Mary, the baby that was in the hospital. And when that officer found the lady on I-4, and it was not her baby, she had abducted the baby. But then when she was brought to the police station, and you have the Channel 9 cameras. You know, have you ever noticed how when people do wrong, they never want to face the camera? Have you ever noticed how they shrink away from the lens in shame? The Word of God says the Lord doesn't want us to be in that frame of reference, that we have to shrink back in shame at the coming of the Lord. The word ashamed means to shrink back, to sense guilt and disgrace, to feel embarrassment. You know, if we're not abiding in Christ, we're going to be ashamed when Jesus returns to earth. Now, turn to 1 John 3 and verse 19 and 20. There's a third characteristic of the believer that abides in Christ. Not only will he have a spirit of confidence, number one, and not sense shame, number two, but number three, a clear conscience. A clear conscience. In chapter 3 and verse 19, Notice what God's Word says. Hereby we know that we are of the truth. In other words, that we know Christ is our Savior, that we've wrapped our arms around the truth of God's Word, that we're following truth and not fables, that we're on our way to heaven. This is how we can know that we are of the truth. And it says here we can have assurance in our hearts That's just like confidence, isn't it? We can have assurance in our hearts before Him, before the Lord. Then it says in verse 20, if our heart condemns us. In other words, if we, ourselves, being sinners, know that there are areas in our lives that don't square with the obedient walk. If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts. He's more righteous than we are. And if we condemn ourselves, how much more the Lord who knows all things about us. So the Lord wants us to have a clear conscience. A critical, critical principle in God's Word here. And we need to keep that before us. The Apostle Paul made this statement before Governor Felix. It says here, herein, I'm reading from Acts 24, 16. You don't need to turn there, but you may want to mark that down regarding a clear conscience. Acts 24, 16. Herein do I exercise myself. That's where we get the word gymnasium from. You want to go to Gold's Gym or Lord's Gym? You want to get a good workout? The best workout is the spiritual workout first. Herein do I exercise myself to always have a good conscience void of offense towards God and man. So you have the vertical and the horizontal concept there. A clear conscience. When we abide in Christ, there will be certainly confidence anticipating the coming of the Lord. They'll not be that shame where we shrink back, and then there'll be a clear conscience in our hearts as well. Now, turn to Proverbs. This is an interesting concept. When we abide in Christ, there's going to be, number four, a boldness in service. A boldness in service. Look at Proverbs 28 and verse 1. Proverbs 28 and verse 1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth. Guilty conscience. Have you ever seen people walking around? Surveillance cameras are also good. I guess maybe this is a timely statement to make with Where's Waldo? But have you ever seen people that are nefariously doing things that they ought not to be. Perhaps they're shoplifting at a supermarket or a department store. And what do you see them do? You see them putting things in their pockets and looking around. And have you ever seen people that are always looking behind them, always antsy? about being discovered. And even when they may not be, they think that they may be. It's a terrible life to live when you're running from the law. Worse yet, when you're running from God. And it says here, the wicked flee when no man pursueth. There's the constant torment of being away from God. But notice, the righteous In contrast, they're as bold as a lion. Bold as a lion. Problems come, and you're ready to serve God. Because your feet have been shod with the preparation of the Gospel, your heart is right with God, and you are ready to do God's work. And there's no guilty conscience. There's boldness in service. and you're able to make decisions that are not based upon guilt. How critical it is that we exercise chapter 28, the righteous are as bold as a lion. We're living in a society, by the way, where you can't get enough police officers on the street. I don't care what your budget is. Verse 2 says, for the transgression of a land, many are the princes thereof. you know what that's saying the more corruption the bigger government has to be more law enforcement more security more surveillance cameras and you know what it still doesn't work because the problem resides in men's hearts and that's why we need repentance in our land the answer does not lie in bigger budgets so that we can get more patrol cars more political figures in the civil government, the answer is people getting right with God and God's blessing upon our nation again. Turn to 2 Timothy 2.15. Let's look at a fifth characteristic of abiding in the Lord. Abiding in Him. We have God's approval. 2 Timothy. Chapter 2, verse 15. Notice what God's word says. Study, and by the way, that doesn't mean taking out Bible dictionaries and concordances and, you know, all of your Greek lexicons and doing word studies. The word study means to procure diligently, to be consumed with. to seek something. Let me suggest to you that you can do all the word studies in the world, and if the Bible has become a textbook to you, your heart can be as cold as a dog's nose. The word study means to earnestly seek, to give yourself to. It isn't an academic thing. It's a heart thing. It's an abiding thing. Procure diligently to show yourself Approved unto God. You see, abiding means that we have the approval, the approbation of God in our lives. And the Lord wants us to do that. It says we can seek to be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. The Lord doesn't want us to be ashamed. He wants us to rightly divide the Word of Truth. And that's the language of a tentmaker. Recently, I came across a statement that was made to me. There was a leading Christian school that made this ludicrous statement. Biblical hermeneutics is of the devil. In any church that teaches seminary students, hermeneutics is of the devil. Well, some of you are saying, Herman, who's he? Let me step back. Hermeneutics is just a technical word for Bible interpretation. Okay? It comes from the Greek small g god Hermes, who was also called Mercury. His job was to deliver the message from Mount Olympus to the people. Hermeneutics is the study of Bible interpretation, studying the history, the grammar, the background of the passage. so that you can deliver God's message to your people. Now, to say that Bible interpretation is of the devil is for me to come to Francis here, who loves to make chicken soup for ailing Christians, and say, Francis, make all the chicken soup you want, but you know what? Don't put any ingredients in it. I think she'd be stumped by that, wouldn't she? How can you make chicken soup if you don't have ingredients? How can you interpret the Bible without biblical interpretation? And yet, these statements are made. The Word of God says we are to rightly divide the Word of Truth. That's the language, by the way, of a tent maker. When Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla, they learned to cut the canvas straight so that when they put the tent canvas together, they were able to sew it properly. And there was a nice seam that was watertight and properly constructed. And the Word of God says we are to apply God's Word that way to our hearts. To be approved of God. The result of abiding is that we have the approbation of God. Now, 1 John chapter 4 and verse 17. 1 John 4 and verse 17. When we abide, there's another characteristic that will be in our lives, and that will be this, faithfulness. Faithfulness in our stewardship. Faithfulness in our stewardship. Herein is our love made perfect or mature, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in the world. Do you see the analogy there? Elsewhere, Jesus said, as my Father has sent me, so send I you. If we're going to abide in the Lord, we're going to have to see that we have been sent by our Savior to represent Him before a lost and unbelieving world. As the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus has sent us. And it says, because as He is, so are we in the world. If we're going to abide in Him, we're going to be needing to be faithful in our stewardship. The story is told of a conversation between two little boys. One of the boys noticed that the other boy's grandmother was spending a lot of time reading the Bible. Every time they were over for Saturday at Grandma's house, Grandma always had her Bible open in front of the dining room table, reading the Scriptures. Well, the day came where the other little boy asked his friend, why does your grandma read the Bible so much? And the other little boy answered, well, I guess she's cramming for her final exams. No, she wasn't cramming, was she? The reason why we desire to regularly be in the Word of God and we anticipate it when we get up in the morning to be in the Word of God, to search the Word of God. When we get up, it's like meeting the Lord in the cool of the morning. We're able to spend time with Him, cast all other things aside and say, Lord, I want to receive my instructions first from You. Lord, I want to abide. It's not a matter of getting ready. We need to stay ready. Look at 2 Timothy 4 and verse 8. The seventh characteristic of abiding is found in 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8. We love his appearing. We love his appearing. Notice The Apostle Paul, at the end of his life, made this comment in verse 6. I am now ready to be offered, and indeed he was. He was going to fall under the hands of the cruel Roman Emperor Nero. I'm ready to be offered. The time of my departure is at hand. The word departure means to pull up stakes. Pull up the stakes and you're getting ready to move your tent. That's what he's saying. I've lived temporarily here on earth. I'm pulling up my stakes. I'm going on to better ground. And he says this, I've fought a good fight. I've finished my course. I've kept the faith. There's a man who's been abiding with the Lord. Who's sought to stay ready. Who is not ashamed. Who has a clear conscience. who's bold in service, who knows he has the approbation of God, who's been a faithful steward. And it says, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day. That's the judgment seat of Christ. And not to me only, but unto all them, notice, The seventh characteristic of an abiding life. We love his appearing to them who love his appearing. If Jesus were to come today, would you love his appearing or would you shrink back in shame? Turn in your Bibles to first Thessalonians, a couple of books back first Thessalonians for 18. When we abide in Christ, we can also have number eight, comfort in the midst of trials. Having spoken of the coming events of the rapture, which we're going to be looking at this evening, and its imminency, he says in verse 18, wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Please take the time to go home and read the parables. of Matthew 25, the faithful and the unfaithful stewards. Read the narrative of the one who buried his talents into the ground. Read about the faithful steward who received commendation, received coronation, received celebration, because he heard, well done, thou good. and faithful servant. But then take the time to look at Matthew 25 and verses 24 and 25 and see how there was the unfaithful servant who did not receive the commendation but in contrast the condemnation. I'd like to conclude our message this morning by relating a story from the Memoirs of Dr. Stephen Oldford. Many of you that are from the state of New York will recognize him as the former pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in New York City. Dr. Stephen Oldford. Dr. Oldford had the privilege after many, many years of leading his atheist brother to Christ. His brother had been an atheist, had been rebellious against the things of God. Dr. Olford had gone to college, gone to seminary, been a servant and a preacher of God. But he had the joy, Dr. Olford had the joy of leading his brother to Christ after many years. Well, the day came when Dr. Olford's brother had to go to the hospital. He found out that he had cancer. And it was a very swift, moving cancer. And without divine intervention, it would take his life. And it was common knowledge and it was clearly stated to him that he did not have long to live. So Dr. Alford went to see his brother to talk with him. His brother's name was Richard. And Stephen went to Richard and said, Richard, I want you to know that I know that you're saved. and that in the latter years of your life that you've received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. And I know that you don't need to be afraid to die. You don't have to be afraid to die. Richard Olford made this interesting statement. He said, Stephen, you don't understand. You just don't understand. I know I'm saved and I know I'm going to heaven when I die. It's not that I'm afraid to die. It's that I'm ashamed to die. You see, Richard had not lived his priorities as a believer. He did not love his appearing. He was not walking in obedience to the commands of his Savior, his Lord, his Master, His King. So as we would meditate upon this portion of Scripture, I would ask you this question. Do you have confidence in the prospect of the Lord's coming? That's step number one in abiding. We can have confidence. Number two, we need not be ashamed or shrink back. Number three, we can have a clear conscience. when we hear about the coming of the Lord. Number four, we can have boldness to get out and confront sin. We can have a boldness to attack the gates of hell, if need be, because we know we have the sure footing of a walk with God. Number five, we can know that we have the approval of God in our lives. Number six, we can be faithful in our stewardship. Number seven, we'll be loving His appearing. Number eight, we'll have comfort in the midst of trials. God wants His children to love His appearing. Let's bow our heads together. While our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, the Spirit of God is speaking to your heart about an area, a room of your life, a room of your heart house that needs to be surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. There's something that is causing that lack of peace, lack of confidence. They'll be ashamed. As Richard Alford made that statement, I'd be ashamed when the Lord would come for me, when I would stand before Him. Will you be willing to do now what you'll be glad you did when you stand before the Lord in eternity? Are you willing to let that go now? Are you willing to say, Lord Jesus, I surrender all to You? I'm willing to do that right now. I want to make You the Master and Lord of my life. Now, if you're here and you don't know Jesus as your Savior, that's what you need to do first. You need to make Him your Savior. You need to become a little child But I'm speaking to believers now, I believe most here are. Surrender all to Jesus Christ. Even your fear. Father in heaven, bless us now as we sing our closing hymn of invitation. Father, may we surrender all to you. That we might have boldness in the day of judgment. And may we, Lord, not be ashamed at your coming. Because Lord, we've stayed ready.