Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14 Series: 2020
An Evensong meditation on 1 John 2:12-14, addressed especially to young people (‘νεανίσκοι, you are strong’). John affirms believers not for who they will become but for who they already are: children who know the Father, parents who know Jesus, young people who are strong and have already conquered the evil one. The sermon detours through the ancient virtues of prudence (a practiced judgment of good and bad) and courage (fearing the right fear) as tools for discerning good advice from bad, then lands on John’s encouragement: the victory is already won in Christ, so the struggle continues but the war is not ours to win.
Illustrations: advice-for-the-graduate, ancient-virtue-prudence, fearlessness-versus-courage
October 25
People are going to give you a lot of advice. What to study, where to go to college, what to be when you grow up. Advice comes early.
In the reading for today, John writes to the young people, νεανίσκοι, you are strong. You are strong not because of who you will be but because of you are right now.
Little children, I write to you because you know the Father. Parents, I write to you because you have known the one who has existed from the beginning. Young people, I write to you because you are strong, the word of God remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one. 1 John 2:14
The graduate
How do we know the difference between good advice from bad advice?
The ancients talked about prudence. Prudence is judging the good and the bad. Prudence is not something you are born with. it is something you practice.
Another ancient virtue was courage. Fearlessness versus courage
Fearing the right fear.
And this gets us to the advice given by John in the passage for today. It is filled with encouragement. It is filled with offering advice not about tomorrow but today.
Children, you know the Father. Parents, you know Jesus. Young folks, you are strong. You have already conquered evil.
The battle is behind us. The war is already won. Christ has already won the victory. That doesn’t mean the struggle is over, but we don’t have to win the victory.
You know God, this is what John is saying. You already know God. You already know Jesus is the Son of God. You are strong.