Members of a Community
John's Letters • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsOur relationship with Christ allows us to live in this world seperate from its evil.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Series Recap
this letter was written to the church at Ephesus about 75-80AD
this would be after the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem
about 10 years before John wrote the book of Revelation while being exiled on the island of Patmos
not week by week, but quick rundown of the first chapter and a half
God is light…
Believers have fellowship with him, meaning that we participate in this relationship with Him, and it is an intimate relationship
Today - Members of a Community
This is something that we want
not just believers, but nonbelievers as well
during Covid lockdown, depression went up, not because they were not aloud to leave their homes, but because of the lack of togetherness
maybe you are not a people person, you like to stay home, there is still a part of us that wants to be around people, maybe just to a little less extent
we have seen churches spring up in years past of nonbelievers, specifically because they see the benefit of the fellowship and friendships that they have
John is basically doing two things in the passage from today…
here is who you are and as such, here is how you should not live
I think this is very timely
our nation is so divided right now, I actually had one of my kids ask me, “Do you think that we will really have a civil war in our country?”
what makes me angry, what gets my blood pressure to rise, is that both sides of the political and sociological sides, use God and scripture when it is convenient
Our relationship with Christ allows us to live in this world separate from its evil
1 John 2:12-17 I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one. 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
PRAY!
A Remembrance of Our Relationship with Christ
A Remembrance of Our Relationship with Christ
1 John 2:12-14 I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.
Different age groups
is John talking to different age groups of the church
young people = children, old people = father and so on
I do not think so… if that was the case, is he saying that the young, do not know the one who is from the beginning
are the older ones not strong in their faith
I believe what we read in this section is more poetic
all the church, different levels of maturity
all one body
all applies to saved believers - he is not saying that these characteristics only apply to that group
The truth about the believer - less about who are those specific age groups more about the truth he is saying
sins are forgiven because of Jesus’ name
we are not saved because we are awesome
God did not save me because he needed a preacher and I could speak
I was a lot of work to get to this point
we are saved because the God of the universe came to this world as a man, lived a perfect life and died a sinners death
we are saved because God chose to give us mercy and grace
this is why Paul writes to the Romans in chapter 12 that we should live our lives as a living sacrifice
you know him who was from the beginning
he is speaking of Jesus
1 John 1:1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
v14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
know - ginosko - from last week
the church is made up of those that have an intimate relationship with Jesus
does this mean that if your relationship is not as intimate as one of the Elders you are not saved, no…
yes you must have a relationship with Jesus, but it grows more and more over time
as we get older and go through life, our relationship with him should grow more and more intimate
it is like a marriage, a couple grows more and more together the longer that they have been married
I believe that is why so many struggle in the beginning of their marriages, they want the intimacy of a couple that have been married for 50 years in year one
in the same way we must grow in our relationship with the Lord
conquered the evil one - satan
we have conquered the evil one through christ, by putting on his righteousness
that we are no longer slaves to sin, but free in Christ
Paul says we are more than conquerers
We did not do this by our own power, but by the power of God
by his word remaining in us
God’s word is our offensive weapon in our fight against the evil one
we see Jesus use it when tempted, and Adam and Eve not use it when they were tempted
Saved People, Save People, not Join Them
Saved People, Save People, not Join Them
1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
Two loves in verse 15
first - to take pleasure in -
do not take, or get your pleasure, your satisfaction from this world
it will always leave you wanting more
it is like listening to a politician tell you that this election is the most important in history
if you do not elect us this time the country will end
second - the unconditional love of God
if you seek satisfaction from this world, the unconditional love of Jesus is not in you
any part of the world, sports, politics, money, spouse, family, possessions
anything that we seek after that is not Jesus will leave us hungry, broken and lost
why would we want something other than God
because we believe the lies that we can be satisfied in something else
because we want to enjoy the sins of the world without the consequences of the world
because we want instant gratification not godly sanctification
because we want to be god ourselves
the same that Eve was tempted with… “You can be like God”
the same that Satan was kicked out of Heaven for in the first place
he wanted to be worshipped
he wanted the power
Defining the love of the world
lust = deep longing, a desire or passion
this isn’t something that we simply want, like what you would ask your kids for at Christmas
you always tell you kids something little, inexpensive easy to get
this is something that you are going to set out to get, you have to have it!
lust of the flesh
constant desire to make comfortable
we do not want to be hungry… I am not even sure that we know what that means in this country to really be hungry
we do not want to be uncomfortable…
we want climate control in our houses, our cars, tractors stores
we need comfortable seats in our vehicles, houses, churches
longing for luxury
lust of the eyes
seeing beauty and thinking that will satisfy
coveting
there is no end to what we covet
people, belongings, lifestyle (true or not)
pride of life
a desire to be loved, a desire to be important, a desire to be seen
we miss that everything that we want from the world is what we have in God
He sees us - El Roi
He proves His love for us that while we were still sinners Christ dies for us (Romans 5:8)
Jesus said that he would leave the 99 to find the 1, you
setting your social media account to look like everything that you do is awesome
like posting the perfect pictures of your kids on the first day of school
not the picture of you fighting with them on day two when they do not want to go back
None of this is new
Adam and Eve tempted in this way
it was good for food
good to look at
desirable for obtaining wisdom
Jesus
stones to bread
all the kingdoms
throw yourself down
How is this defeated, the word of God
Jesus used it
Adam and Eve did not
None of this is from God
God’s creation of the world is perfect, and the physical world cries out to the glory of God (Romans 1:20)
God’s creation groans because of our sin, waiting to be set free and made new (Romans 8:19-21)
Not the physical world, but the place we are at while we await Heaven
It is from our own evil desires
James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
Our world does not need another God (you) to fix it, yet we are always telling God what this world needs to be made the way that will be most satisfying to us
isn’t that how we pray for this world, to make it more comfortable for ourselves
All of this is passing away, except for the one who does the will of God
the will of the Father is for you to know the Son
Matthew 7:21-23
the test
Luke 8:11-15 parable of the soils explained
four places the seed was sown,
two places the seed sprouted but because of things of this world, they did not remain
to put a name with it, Demas
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings.
2 Timothy 4:10 Make every effort to come to me soon, 10 because Demas has deserted me, since he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.