Collide Week 4: Love What Matters

1 John 2:15-17

The world is full of things we can love at the expense of our relationship with Jesus. Success, money, status, or accomplishments can become the things we value above all else. We need to make the conscious decision to love what matters most in our lives by giving all of our time, energy, and affection to Jesus.

Think: The world around me wants to flood my mind with things that are temporary. The world defines them as important. However, I want my mind to be encapsulated completely in Christ.

Feel: The things of the world all promise to make me feel worthy and loved. Jesus is the only one who can give me my true identity, showing me that I am already fully loved.

Do: We have to make the decision each day, not just once a year, to love Jesus with our whole heart.

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15–17 NKJV

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 all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Introduction

We have come to the end of our series, “Collide.” So far, we laid the foundation of standing firm in our faith when the world attempts to convince us of a different value system. Next, we talked about the importance of allowing God to transform our minds, and from there, our lives. Last week, we spoke about receiving truth from God’s Word, while both holding onto it and sharing it with others.

Today, as we close out this series, I believe standing firm in our faith has to include a most important four-letter word: LOVE. We have to love what matters most.

Story Idea: Talk about a time when you made the decision to spend time with your spouse or another loved one. This decision required you to say “no” to something so you could spend quality time with the person (or people) that mattered most in your life.

Now similar to this story, the Bible talks seriously about the importance of choosing to spend time with God in order to grow in our love of God. Because as we do, we will be drawn closer to God rather than the things of this world. If you have a Bible with you, turn with me to 1 John 2:15-17. This is the apostle John writing, and here is what he has to say about this concept.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

John talks about a craving here in this passage. He says we are tempted to crave the things of this world. However, I believe the first step to loving what matters is ‘Correcting the Crave.”

Correct the Crave

We have already highlighted different worldly desires in this series, but John names cravings for us that have to do with our flesh. For example, he says things like “physical pleasure.” Maybe you can relate with this one immediately.

You know you are tempted to keep going back to the same website that fulfills you physically for about 5 minutes. Or, you are tempted to respond to a lustful feeling that comes your way every time you start scrolling through Instagram.

The desire for physical intimacy and connection are not wrong desires. However, John says we are often tempted to fulfill these desires in the wrong places.

He next lists out a craving for everything we see around us. Another way to say this would be the “lust of the eyes.” Many things in this world look glamorous to us at first glance. For you, maybe your desire is to be famous, to have many people know your name.

Story Idea: Talk about a time when you wanted to be famous or knew someone who wanted to be. Many of us in ministry have a shadow side of wanting to be celebritized for what we do.

I concluded that fame only looks glamorous before someone has it. Let’s look at Justin Bieber for instance. Although his fame has made him millions of dollars, he cannot even leave his house without being photographed and stormed by fans. This kind of lifestyle is not what it seems from our point of view, is it?

You see, God knows once we get things like fame, status, etc., they will not ultimately satisfy or fulfill us. But the good news is, they were never made to do that. There was only one thing made to satisfy our craving for deep abiding intimacy and connection… the love of God!

God wants to correct your crave.

He wants you to hunger after something more than this world could give you, and that’s His love. And, the way in which we find God’s love, is first by finding God.

Find God’s Favor

Elsewhere in 1 John, the Bible tells us that God IS Love! When we find God, we find true love. In the verse we read a few moments ago, we have to pay attention to how John ends this section. He says the things of the world, even the world itself, will one day pass away. To close out his teaching, John says, “but anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” I want us to let these words sink in for a moment.

Everything in this world, one day, will all pass away.

Illustration Idea: Find a way to creatively showcase this principle. Maybe get a small white board. Use an erasable marker to list out certain things of this world, some of which we have already discussed and named. After writing these down, get a permanent sharpie or marker, and write down “God’s Word.”

Luke 21:33 says, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Jesus says, one day heaven and earth will both pass away. BUT, God’s word will last forever. All throughout the Bible, God shows us how to live as He desires us to live. The things we are to say, the ways we are to act, and it all comes down to the love we are to show those around us.

The world’s love is what I like to call “conditional.” Conditional love basically means that you are only showing love to those who you believe deserve it. For instance, those who are in your family, maybe those who agree with you on certain topics, those who you would consider friends of yours.

But as soon as someone wrongs you, or says something rude to you, or causes you pain in some way, they are no longer worthy of love. At least, according to the world’s love.

God wants to rewrite the narrative of love. His love is “unconditional.” Here is how I know it is unconditional: none of us here today deserves to be loved by God. In Romans 3:23, Paul tells us we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

Even with this being true, God decided to show us love, grace, and mercy anyway, because we are His children. God had already made the decision to love you and me.

The only question left is: will we make the decision to love Him back?

It’s a daily decision

Many people believe once you pray the sinner’s prayer, and invite Jesus to be the king of your heart and your life, you are good to go. However, I want us to understand the decision to follow Christ with our lives has to be made every single day.

Because every day, we will be confronted with innumerable worldly temptations to give our lives to something else. John knew that we would be confronted with these. Jesus Himself knew we would be confronted with these. But He gave us His word as a guide. Here is the question we have to ask ourselves each day:

“Do the decisions I make align with the word of God?”

“Do my actions reflect I am a disciple of Christ?”

Conclusion:

God sent His one and only Son into the world to redeem the world. You could say that Jesus was sent on a collision course with the world. His desire, as we see in 2 Peter 3:9, is this; “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

But we so easily go astray and get distracted. The negative and lifeless messaging of the world is incessant, pervasive, and enticing.

But I believe we are able to make a conscious decision each day to say “no” to the things of this world, and say “yes” to the love of God and the things of God, we will be able to live the fruitful, and abundant life Jesus came to bring us. (John 10:10) If we will invest in the word, in the fellowship, in Christ-centered teaching, in prayer, etc… then we can renew our minds (Romans 12:2) with the things of the kingdom of God.

When you find that the world’s values collide with the kingdom’s values in your life, will you make the decision to choose the path of Christ?

What are some minor adjustments you can make in your life now that will have major consequences 1, 2, 5 years from now?

Daily time in the word Joining a small group Volunteering at church Spending time with a mentor Increasing accountability with others Cutting off destructive habits and tendencies

The list could go on and on.

The point is, there is space for you in the kingdom of God. Will you make space for the kingdom in you?

Let’s pray together.