Walking in Truth

🙏 I. Welcome & Opening Prayer

!! Thank Congregation for Gift !!

Open in Prayer

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🌅 II. Introduction: The Call to Lifelong Commitment

Americans have a sad habit of not following through on long-term change...

NEW HOBBIES

NEW GOALS

=> FOR MANY,, CHANGE FREQUENTLY SEEMS to BE TEMPORARY

BIBLE in YEAR—TURNS INTO GENESIS in YEAR

JANUARY = GYM = FULL… FEBRUARY = EMPTY.

CHECK FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE for FITNESS STUFF THEN!

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BECAUSE of DIFFICULTY —TURNING to FADS… THIS WILL WORK...

GET in SHAPE? —EAT BETTER, MOVE MORE. —SIMPLE BUT DIFFICULT!

FAD DIETS:

Eating no carbs

Eating no meat

Eating nothing but meat...

NOW: TAKE THIS PILL/SUPPLEMENT

PEOPLE LONG for QUICK FIXES— FEW COMMIT to LIFELONG CHANGE. 😬

HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD CHANGE THEIR MEDICATION if THEY SIMPLY CHANGED THEIR LIFE? 🤔

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Jesus’ Call:

INTO THIS WORLD—STEPPED the LORD JESUS CHRIST… W/ CALL “FOLLOW ME”

STILL CALLS TODAY

Following Jesus was never meant to be a fad.

Wasn’t MEANT to BE SEASONAL…

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE — A WHOLE-LIFE, PERMANENT TRANSFORMATION

“COUNT the COST”

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=> IT WON’T BE EASY—ROAD of DISCIPLESHIP DOESN’T HAVE QUICK-FIXES

BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE WORTH IT.

📷 Focus: Today’s text:

celebrates faithfulness to that call

and further calls us to persevere in walking in truth and love.📷

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Transition: BEGIN-- READING PASSAGE...

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📜 III. Passage Reading – 2 John 1–6 (ESV)

2 John 1–6 (ESV)

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

this is God’s Word for us this morning...

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🏛️ IV. Book Background

I. Written by the Apostle John (“the elder”), likely the same author of 1 John and the Gospel of John.

SON of ZEBEDEE/BROTHER of JAMES

1/12 DISCIPLES

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II. 2 John = Possibly a cover letter accompanying 1 John as it circulated among the churches.

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III. Addressed to “the elect lady and her children” — symbolizing a local church and its members.

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IV. Similar Themes to 1 John:

TRUTH

LOVE

WARNING AGAINST FALSE TEACHING

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Transition: THAT SAID, LET’S DIVE…

LOOK W/ ME @ INTRODUCTION AGAIN,, V.1-3

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V. Passage Exposition:

✉️ Thought 1: Introductory Greetings (vv. 1–3)

2 John 1–3 (ESV)

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

Author:

ELDER—PROBABLY JOHN

Background: ALL GREEK MANUSCRIPTS INCLUDE JOHN’S NAME @ TOP.

**Disclaimer** GK: IOANNES… HB: YOCHANAN

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HERE INTRODUCED as “ELDER” — CHURCH OFFICE of PASTOR/OVERSEER...

SOME SAY JOHN the APOSTLE & JOHN the ELDER = DIFFERENT GUYS

NON-CONCLUSIVE: PETER in 1 PETER 5:1 SHOWS THAT ELDER & APOSTLE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

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Audience:

JOHN WRITES to “ELECT LADY” & CHILDREN

Meaning: LOCAL CONGREGATION & BELIEVERS.

CALLED OUT from WORLD—GOD’S PRIZED POSSESSION…

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Descriptor:

(v1B) JOHN LOVES “in the TRUTH” as DO ALL WHO KNOW the TRUTH

Truth and love are inseparable. ❤️‍🔥

True Biblical Love = Not just “Niceness” or “Tolerance”

C.C.: LIVE in WORLD—OBSESSED W/ TOLERANCE

YOU CAN BE ANYTHING BUT INTOLERANT

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Exhort: BELIEVER’S ALLEGIANCE = FIRST to CHRIST,, NOT OPINIONS of PEOPLE…

TRUTH CAN HURT

“SPEAK TRUTH in LOVE”

BUT FORSAKING TRUTH in NAME of LOVE ISN’T LOVING!

YOU CANNOT DIVORCE LOVE from TRUTH....

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C.C. ANOTHER PROBLEM: WORLD BELIEVES YOU CAN DEFINE YOUR OWN TRUTH…

CAN BELIEVE ANYTHING—AS LONG as IT DOESN’T OFFEND SOMEONE

🤔WHAT IF 2 PEOPLE HAVE CONTRADICTING “TRUTH” 🤔

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📷 Focus: CHRISTIAN MUST STAND RESOLUTE— ORIGIN of TRUTH is WITH GOD. 📷

ABSOLUTE TRUTH DOES EXIST!

🧭 All truth is God’s truth.💡

Whether gravity or mathematics, truth originates from God Himself.

NO WORLD—WHERE 2 + 2 DOESN’T EQUAL 4

YOUR TRUTH—YOU’RE a BIRD

GOD’S TRUTH—GRAVITY😅

ABSOLUTE TRUTH EXISTS & MUST EXIST FOR the WORLD to WORK!!

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(V.2.) love....BECAUSE—TRUTH ABIDES in US—& WILL BE WITH US FOREVER.

UNCHANGING GOD

UNCHANGING GOSPEL

UNCHANGING SAVIOR

Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

NO UPGRADE to JESUS!

TRUTH DOESN’T CHANGE BECAUSE GOD DOESN’T CHANGE💡

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(V.3.) THESE THINGS in MIND—JOHN OPENS W/ ASSURANCE:

GOD’S GRACE, MERCY & PEACE—WILL BE WITH US!

NOT JUST a PRAYER,, BUT a CONFIDENT ASSURANCE!

AS WE ABIDE in GOD’S TRUTH,,

WE RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSING & GOD’S PROMISE.

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Transition: POWERFUL OPENING,, TOPIC of TRUTH…

APOSTLE TRANSITIONS to WALKING in TRUTH…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 4...

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😊 Thought 2: A Pastor’s Rejoicing (v. 4)

2 John 4 (ESV)

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

BELIEVERS AMONGST “ELECT LADY” WALKING in TRUTH!

Important, background: DETRACTORS in JOHN’S COMMUNITY—PROPAGATING FALSE DOCTRINE

1 JOHN:

DENIED REALITY of SIN

DENIED ATONEMENT

NO SIN,, NO NEED for a SAVIOR....

1 JOHN 5—JESUS CAME BY WATER & BLOOD!

Focus: W/ THIS in MIND—GREAT CELEBRATION of THOSE WALKING in TRUTH 📷

WALKING in TRUE BELIEF—ALLEGIANCE to CHRIST

LIVING it OUT in LIVES— OBEYING GOD’S COMMANDS...

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Personal Reflection: AGREE W/ JOHN’S JOY…

REF: CONVERSATION W/ PASTOR ANDERSON (PASTOR @ G.C. 25-35 ISH YEARS AGO)

BAPTISM SERVICE PICTURES

SO MANY SAINTS FAITHFUL TO THIS DAY

BILL S. in the TANK,, STILL a ROCK HERE TODAY!

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WHAT a JOY! SEEING FAITHFUL BELIEVERS for DECADES!!🙌

STANDING FIRM on GOSPEL CONVICTIONS

REMAINING FAITHFUL to SAME CHURCH

LIVING for CHRIST

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Celebrating Faithfulness:

PEOPLE CELEBRATE— SOMEONE SAVED/BAPTIZED/ETC.

=> JESUS SAID THERE is MORE JOY in HEAVEN

=> DOESN’T MEAN THERE ISN’T JOY OVER FAITHFULNESS TOO…

WE SHOULD CELEBRATE GOD SAVING SINNERS

SHOULD LIKEWISE CELEBRATE GOD KEEPING SINNERS…

🎉FAITHFULNESS ISN’T FLASHY—

BUT in a WORLD FILLED W/ FADS & FALLOUT…

REMAINING TRUE to CHRIST FOR YRS UPON YRS is INSPIRATIONAL

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Transition: WALKING in TRUTH IN MIND…

APOSTLE WILL FURTHER CLARIFY WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 5

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💗 Thought 3: The Command from the Beginning — A Call to Love (v. 5)

2 John 5 (ESV)

5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

CHURCH—FAITHFUL in PAST

JOHN SPURS ON to CONTINUED FAITHFULNESS.

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Exhort: WE NEVER RETIRE from the CHRISTIAN LIFE

YOU NEVER “ARRIVE” KICK BACK & RELAX

NEVER SERVE ENOUGH, LOVE ENOUGH, PRAY ENOUGH, GIVE ENOUGH, STUDY SCRIPTURE ENOUGH YOU’RE GOOD to GO…

CHRISTIAN PURSUIT of CHRIST = LIFELONG

CHRISTIAN PURSUIT of CONFORMING to CHRIST = LIFELONG

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JOHN SAYS: YOU’RE DOING GOOD— KEEP GOING!

TO WALK in TRUTH is to WALK in LOVE… NOT JUST BELIEF, BUT BEHAVIOR!

John 13:35 (ESV)

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”📜

LOVE = ECHOED by PAUL, AUTHOR of HEBREWS, JAMES, ETC… 📜

LOVE = CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTAL

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🏀Basketball Illustration

MOST FUNDAMENTAL SKILL—DRIBBLING

TEAMS CAN LEARN FORMATIONS/PLAYS

CAN SHOOT from FAR AWAY

CAN DO CREATIVE DUNKS

=> YOU NEVER GRADUATE BEYOND DRIBBLING…NO MATTER HOW ADVANCED YOU BECOME.

CHRISTIAN LOVE = FUNDAMENTAL WE NEVER GROW BEYOND.💡

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SHOULD WE GROW in RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD in PRAYER? YES.

SHOULD WE GROW in KNOWLEDGE of GOD/THEOLOGY? YES.

BUT WE NEVER GRADUATE from OBEDIENCE BEING PROVEN THROUGH LOVE of OTHERS

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Power of Faithfulness to Local Church

👉BELIEVERS FAITHFULLY WALKING W/ CHRIST for YEARS

👉👉 ALSO WALKING FAITHFULLY TOGETHER for YEARS!

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GRASS GREENER, YOU STAYED HERE.

PROBLEM PEOPLE, YOU STAYED HERE.

PASTORS CAME & WENT, YOU STAYED HERE.

COMMITMENT to CHRIST & HIS PEOPLE, WHAT an INSPIRATION!

LOVING JESUS = OFTEN EASIER THAN LOVING HIS PEOPLE,, WE’RE a MESS!😬

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Summary: CHRISTIAN LIFE = BUILT UPON: GOD LOVED US, NOW WE LOVE in RETURN.

WHEN JESUS WAS ASKED,, MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT?:

Matthew 22:37–40 (ESV)

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

600+ COMMANDS SUMMED UP: LOVE GOD & LOVE PEOPLE.👀

ALL CHRISTIAN LIVING/ OBEDIENCE = DISPLAY of LOVE for GOD or HIS PEOPLE

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Transition: APOSTLE JOHN OFFERS a FINAL QUALIFIER TODAY:

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 6

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⚖️ Thought 4: Qualifying Love (v. 6)

2 John 6 (ESV)

6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

LOVE,, NOT a FEELING,, BUT OBEDIENCE

LOVE for OTHERS?

LOVE for GOD?

MAYBE BOTH...

To love God is to obey God,

and to obey God is to love others.

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CHRISTIAN = SPURRED ON TOWARDS WALKING in LOVE,, AS WALKING in TRUTH…

AGAIN,, JOHN DIDN’T SAY IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH to WALK in the PAST

BUT IT’S a LIFELONG JOURNEY to WALK in TRUTH & LOVE…

🌿 “Being a Christian isn’t a new year’s resolution; it’s a new life commitment.”

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On Ramp: MAYBE YOU’RE HERE TODAY—AND YOU DON’T WALK in the TRUTH…

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✝️ Gospel Invitation

SCRIPTURE DEFINES JESUS as the TRUTH

John 14:6 (ESV)

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

WALKING in the TRUTH = ALLEGIANCE to CHRIST,, WHO is the TRUTH & ALLEGIANCE to HIS GOSPEL…

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JESUS CHRIST = the DIFFERENCE.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAINT & SINNER is JESUS CHRIST

BELIEVERS = NEVER MORE DESERVING/WORTHY of GOD’S LOVE… SIMPLY FORGIVEN…

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WALK in TRUTH—

👉 BECAUSE of GRACE

WALK in LOVE—

👉 BECAUSE HE LOVED ME

👉 WALK in OBEDIENCE—

👉👉TO SHOWCASE MY LOVE for HIM

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SALVATION = WHOLLY of GRACE

Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

TO THOSE WHO ARE SAVED,, WE RESPOND W/ WORKS

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

🗝️CHRISTIAN ISN’T SAVED BY WORKS… BUT FOR WORKS...🗝️

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CHRISTIAN LIFE ISN’T EASY

👑👑JESUS is NOT JUST SAVIOR,, BUT HE’S LORD

C.E.O. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF of YOUR LIFE👑👑

THE NARROW GATE, CHRIST, LEADS to ETERNAL LIFE.

NARROW PATH = HARD

BROAD WAY = EASY

NARROW PATH IS WORTH IT—LEADS to ETERNAL LIFE W/ CHRIST… 🙌

Invitation: IF YOU’VE NEVER TRUSTED in CHRIST & BEGUN to WALK in the TRUTH—TODAY COULD BE YOUR DAY to BEGIN LIFE W/ CHRIST…

I’D LOVE to SPEAK W/ YOU AFTER SERVICE TODAY…

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Transition: FOR the REST of US—WHAT’S the SCRIPTURE TEACHING US TODAY?

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🌾VI. Application & Conclusion

Passage Idea: “We should rejoice in believers who consistently walk in the truth and love… and seek to emulate their example.”

This passage is both a celebration and a call:

LIFE W/ CHRIST = LIFELONG JOURNEY

JOHN : REJOICED GREATLY,, BELIEVERS WALKING in TRUTH...

I WANT to CELEBRATE the FAITHFULNESS of SOME of the SAINTS TODAY…

COMIGN to GRACE CHAPEL (YRS) STAND:

5 YRS

10 YRS

20 YRS

30 YRS

40 YRS

50 YRS+??

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THESE FOLKS = EXAMPLE of PERSEVERANCE…

💬 Faithfulness isn’t glamorous or flashy…but it glorifies God.

SOMETIMES CHURCHES = BUMMED OUT,, NO GROWTH (SALVATIONS, BAPTISMS, ETC.)

COUNT OUR BLESSING of WONDERFUL, FAITHFUL PEOPLE

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THAT BEING SAID—FOR ALL of US—IT’S NOT ENOUGH to LIVE for CHRIST YESTERDAY—WE MUST LIVE for HIM TODAY…

WE MUST BE RESOLUTE—UNTIL GLORY

📜 “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15)

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Conclusion:

Charge: IF WE ARE SERVING CHRIST—WE MUST BE in it FOR the LONG-HAUL…

Call:

LET US MAINTAIN OUR ALLEGIANCE to CHRIST & HIS GOSPEL

LET US PROVE THAT ALLEGIANCE THROUGH OBEDIENCE

BY LOVING ONE ANOTHER, AMEN?

🙏 Closing Prayer