Hearts Desires

Heart Desires: 1 John 2:15-17

Introduction:

John’s Epistle is called a General Epistle, which, unlike Paul’s, was not written to a Church or person but to all Christians. He is writing to encourage them to safeguard themselves from false teachings that have become evident throughout the Church community. This false teaching was denying the incarnation of Jesus Christ. He wanted them to keep a watchful eye out for these false teachers who had gone away from them.

Imagine a young person spending countless hours on social media, seeking validation from strangers and chasing after the latest trends while neglecting their time with God. This obsession with worldly approval can lead to a spiritual emptiness, as the love of the world replaces the love of the Father.

Today, we live in a world that tells you to live your best life now. How many friends or followers you have determines your self-worth. We are told to love all the things of the world. Even in Christian circles, we have this mirage that a church needs to be growing physically to be considered healthy. Church bodies have started to love things of this world to the point that nobody can tell the difference between the church and the world.

Billy Graham said, “ Many of us have no appetite for spiritual things because we are absorbed in the sinful pleasure of this world. We have been eating too many of the devil’s delicacies.”

We are all influenced by the world we live in. We all want to have a new gadget or be liked and followed by people on social media. Who would not want that? This is how Satan tricks us and then divides us from reality and truth.

In the Bible, the rich young ruler approached Jesus, asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor. The young man walked away sad, unable to part with his wealth. This story poignantly illustrates the struggle with the love of worldly materials, appealing to adults and teens.

John gives us three realizations about our heart desires. The first is your love.

Body:

Division Statement 1

What a heart desires is what the believers love.

When we love the world and those things of the world, we do not have the love of the Father in us. All the authors of the Bible understood there were two loves a person had to struggle with. We are loving what the world and those of the world say to love, or love of the Father, and doing His will in our lives.

John uses the word Love three times in this verse. Each word derives from the word “agape” with three different meanings. First, we see “agapate,” an imperative 2-person plural verb (command). Another way it could be translated is, “Y’all do not love the world or the things of the world.”

John also gives us a “if…then” statement. If we love the world, then the love of the Father is not in us.

James 4:4, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world sets himself as an enemy of God.”

A teenager became obsessed with the latest gadgets and fashion trends, believing they would bring happiness. After acquiring them, however, the excitement faded quickly, leaving a sense of emptiness.

This world is full of lies. It tells you you are not good enough the way you are, you’re not pretty enough or smart enough, and you do not have what it takes. So, the next thing we do is buy things that will give us that social status. THIS IS A LIE STRAIGHT FROM SATAN’S MOUTH! God said He created us in His image, which means you are Good Enough in His Eyes to die for you!

Instead of hearing the truth from God, you listen to the lies and start to love the lie and the liar himself. We look for approval through worldly things. We look for social media to make us happy and to validate our lives. We invest in bad relationships to boost our self-confidence. We buy the next best thing only to have it outdated when we purchase it.

Imagine a person carrying around a heavy suitcase filled with worldly possessions everywhere they go. This person is always tripping over it, struggling to fit through doors, and constantly weighed down. Living for the world can feel like carrying around unnecessary baggage that holds you back from experiencing true freedom and joy in Christ.

We have seen how someone's love dictates their heart's desire. But when they pursue these desires, they will also focus on them.

When a believer's heart desires are their focus.

Listen to how John writes the next verse (16). He gives three scenarios of how the world lures you into the deception.

The expression tempted in all points means “in all areas.” First, John 2:16 states there are three areas of temptation: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

—the lust of the flesh: sensual desires.

1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul,”

Peter tells us this desire (lust) wages war against our soul. It captivates a person by appealing to their appetite for longing to be loved. We guard against this temptation by running to God and feeling His love.

The lust of the eyes. A craving for more. Listen to Solomon, who knows more about desiring.

Proverbs 27:20 “Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, So the eyes of man are never satisfied.”

Lastly, boastful pride in life. This is the desire for power or possessions. We see this in the world and the Church today.

John uses the word for Pride “άλαζονεἰα” This word is used here and one other time in the New Testament, James 4:16. It means boastfulness, pride, or arrogance. It comes from the root word “ἀλαζων,” which is braggart or boasting. We desire to brag about who we are, not who God is in us!

James 4:16 “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

Other sins are against God’s law, but pride is against God’s sovereignty.

Thomas Manton

Temptation of Eve (Genesis 3:4–6)

Temptation of Christ (Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13)

Temptation of the Church Today

Lust of the flesh The desire to fulfill pleasures, physical desires

The fruit looked delicious and would be good to eat.

Turn the stones into bread.

Take what is easier or more pleasurable rather than God’s best.

Lust of the eyes The constant craving for more

The fruit was a pleasure to look at.

Gain all the kingdoms of the world, as far as the eye can see.

Respond impulsively, without restraint or self-control.

The pride of life The desire for power or possessions

The fruit was desirable for gaining wisdom; Eve wanted to “be like God.”

Throw yourself down and the angels will come and rescue you for God will not allow you to be hurt.

Build a power base rather than seek to serve others.

In the biblical story of King Saul, we see a man consumed by the desire for status and power. His obsession led to his downfall, as he disobeyed God and ultimately lost everything he sought to gain through worldly means.

Where is your future going to be? This can be determined by where your love and focus are.

Where believer’s heart desires is their future.

Imagine a young man who spends all his time seeking approval from his peers. He dresses, talks, and behaves in ways that will gain their acceptance. But when he stands before God, none of that will matter. The worldly approval he sought would mean nothing in the light of God's judgment. Let's not waste our lives seeking approval that fades away, but instead seek the approval of the One who truly matters.

May I ask a question? Why do we work ourselves into the grave for things we never truly own? I own my car or my house. Do you? Try not to pay taxes and see how long you own that house. We work and seek approval for things that are of no earthly value. Yes, we need a place to live and something to drive. But we have become home and vehicle-poor. We cut what we give to God because we have overspent on things we do not need. It is because of PRIDE we have done these things.

2 Peter 2:18–19 “For speaking out arrogant words of vanity, they entice by sensual lusts of the flesh, those who barely escape from the ones who conducted themselves in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.”

These things are passing away!

Christ’s death is the turning of the ages. It reveals that this world is passing away and shows that all attachments to it are unimportant and vain.

David E. Garland

But those who do the will of the Father shall live forever.

In the Bible, we read about a man named Zacchaeus who had a life-changing encounter with Jesus. He was so moved by Jesus' love and acceptance that he decided to give half of his possessions to the poor and pay back four times the amount to anyone he had cheated. Zacchaeus' transformation is a powerful reminder that when we live for Christ, our actions and priorities change dramatically.

Application:

Our message and mission will become worldly when we start loving the world!

Reiteration

1. What a believer’s heart desires is their love.

2. When a believer's heart desires are their focus.

3. Where believer’s heart desires are their future.

1. Renew your mind, Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Do you constantly struggle with joy? If this is the case, there is a cure, and it's free. Do the will of the Father and have His love in your life. What is His will? Believe in His Son and live for Him.

2. Focus on Christ more than self. 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul,”

Your Social Status does not equal your Kingdom Status.You can have all the friends and influences in the world, but that won’t translate to being known in Heaven. Instead of seeking approval and worldly status, focus on God’s will and His status!

3. Live for God in everything we do. 1 John 2:8 “On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.”

We spend our entire life chasing after things that will soon pass away. We work at a company and work our way up in that company for one day to retire and for them to forget about us. Why? Because that is what the world says is correct. Keep yourself busy chasing after things that have no eternal impact so you won’t chase after things that will. You can either have eternity in the presence of God or cast out from Him. What you love and focus on is where your eternity will be spent.