Cling to Christ, Not the World (1 John 2:12-17)

Luke 6:46–49 ““Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.””

what kind of house are you building with your life?

your decisions expose the priorities of your heart

a house built on worldly wisdom may be fun for a season

but is not lasting

and will be disastrous in the end

a house built on Christ may feel costly for a season

but brings great joy now

and will be glorious (and totally worth it) in the end

what kind of house are you building with your life?

worldly pursuits vs. pursuing Jesus

worldly pursuits

sports

CEO

power/fame

luxury

Jesus

knowing Him

making Him known

loving His church

living eternal life…now

do you live for today or eternity?

do your decisions look like you are on the 70-80 year plan

or on the 2 million year plan +???

do you decisions make sense for this life

or for the greater next life???

as Christians we live in this great tension

in the world

but just passing through

be careful which shiny thing you are chasing

diamonds and pearls

or a crown of righteousness

how can we live in this world and not be lured by all it has to offer?

Cling to Christ, Not the World

2:12-14 pew Bible # 1210

Christian, your standing in Christ is sure

aim is to give assurance to genuine Christians (know Christ)

and rob the counterfeit of false assurance (playing church)

Christ is your only hope in life and in death

do you believe that?

does that play out in your life?

physical age vs. spiritual maturity

middle road stance

while I think little children is referring to all of community in Christ

there are varying stages

we should all be growing

in a healthy church

we should have old and young people

we should have varying degrees of spiritual maturity

your sins are forgiven

little children (2:12)

in Christ, there are not varying levels of forgiveness

you can be sure your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake (Jesus)

the Father sent the Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (2:2; 4:10)

propitiation

Jesus endured the wrath of God for your sin so you don’t have to

that’s a BIG DEAL

all of your sins are forgiven

you know God

clear on why God (God-head; Trinity)

children—you know the Father (2:13)

fathers—you know him who is from the beginning (2:14)

1:1 — Word of Life (Jesus)

leery of people who talk about God and not Jesus

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

have known — perfect tense

completed action; continuing results

not one time act and then move on

but one time act (conversion) with ongoing implications (know Him more)

deepening communion

time in Word not ritual but growing relationship

open your Bible in the mornings

do not take this for granted

access to God’s Word

time in worship not ritual but opportunity to know God more

young men (2:13, 14)

those clearly in the battle of Christian living

justification (your sins are forgiven)

is followed by sanctification (growing in Christ)

you are strong

don’t want you to misunderstand

false assurance that YOU ARE STRONG

changed by Christ

then live life on your own?

Gal 3:2-3

no pulling yourself up by your boot straps

John says you are strong…

when the Word of God abides in you

Psalm 119:9

Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

your strength is not from within you

your strength comes from the power of the indwelling Word of God

which enables you to overcome Satan

strong because Word of God lives in you

YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR SATAN

1 John 4:4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

God the HS is far more powerful than Satan

God the HS is sensitive

can be quenched

can be grieved

when we are living in sin

strive to know Him more

strive to be in God’s will

flee from sin

knowing he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world

summary

is Christ your only hope?

have you been born again (transformed by Christ)?

lived one way, now live another?

all because of Jesus?

then your standing is sure

your status is monumental—you are a child of God

comfort and security for those in Christ

eternal life has begun the moment you trusted Christ

John switches from a description of the church made up of true Christians

and now describes the world

John is concerned with our standing in Christ

and our behavior to the world

Christian, do not have the love that God hates

2:15-17

do not love the world’s system

dominion of Satan is a system opposed to things of God

Satan

god of this world (2 Cor 4:4)

prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2)

world’s system is not compatible with things of God

hotbeds that are opposed to the things of God

secularization of America

Hollywood

LGBTQ

James 4:4

prior slide

tempted to live within the world’s system

fortunately John outlines what the world’s system is like (2:16)

desires of the flesh

desires/lusts/cravings

flesh — old nature

even though you have been transformed

you are tempted with fleshly desires

how you have been tempted in the past

will likely be ways you are still tempted in the present

ungodly desires of the flesh prevalent in America

power/fame/rich

have stuff to be seen

have stuff to be comfortable

stuff has you

tempted to live for…ME

desires of the eyes

“lust of the eyes”

tempted by the things we see…and now want (covetousness)

marketing campaigns aim to get you to see things that you didn’ t know existed

FB marketplace

may seem harmless

but consider what is going on in your soul

do the things of this world have a grip on you?

dangerous and harmful industry in the world’s system

pornography

God has designed you to desire the opposite sex

but the world’s system distorts that to desire them outside the covenant of marriage

do not buy the world’s system

God has a better plan for you

Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

fight

surround yourself with accountability

Covenant Eyes

pursue God’s way

pride of life

hardest of 3 to understand

pride or boasting

as though the things in life are what you have accomplished

boasting in what you do or have

you do

accomplishments

degree

business

job title

you have

materialism rampant in America

luxurious living

watch

car

home

pride in what you do or what you have

robs God of His glory

sets you in the world’s system with the world’s values

you cannot embrace the world’s system and love the Father at the same time

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (2:15)

Matthew 6:24

because there is no future in worldliness

this world is passing away

its days are numbered

clear ever since the coming of Jesus

new heavens and new earth

you do not want to align with the world’s system and all it has to offer

may feel great…for now

take courage in doing the will of God

a Christian’s assurance is not in a past action

but in a current obedience

w/o faith cannot please God (Heb 11:6)

not just about doing

but faith that results in works

while we don’t obey to be saved

we are saved to obey

Eph 2:8-10

Mark 3:35 “For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.””

doing the will of God

must include avoiding the love of the world

Romans 12:2

because there is a glorious future

Christian, your obedience is worth it

Luke 6:46-49

Cling to Christ, Not the World

“I Set My Hope on Jesus”

Though the world call me to leave my Lord I set my hope on Jesus Though it offer all its vain rewards I set my hope on Jesus Though this heart of mine is prone to stray Give me grace enough to finish ’Till I worship on that final day I set my hope on Jesus