2 John | Deceivers and Joy

INTRO

-Turn to 2 John as we finish up this book/letter today it is the perfect text when God aligns a text with what is happening here with honoring graduates. It’s like he is in control or something.

-John has reminded us to walk in truth, to walk in love, and now he shares why these are both things that we need to focus on. It is almost the heart behind the matter.

-Let’s pray!

SCRIPTURE

English Standard Version Chapter 1

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

-This was happening for john and it is still happening today. Many will try to pull you away from Jesus.

-Why not confess Jesus coming in the flesh?

The humanity of Jesus is important because:

1.It shows his representative obedience. Meaning, he obeyed God where we could not. He is the one who lived a perfect life because we could not.

2. It shows that He died in our place. Hebrews 2 talks about this perfectly when it talks about Jesus did not come to save angels, he came to save mankind, therefore he became man to save man.

3.It shows us that we can follow him. Jesus said, deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me. That wasn’t his marketing scheme. That was an invitaion. To follow Jesus. To love like he loves, forgive like he forgives, walk in the same mind as Christ Jesus… If he was not a human we would not be able to do this.

4. It shows us what is to come for us with resurrection. After Jesus died and was raised again, he didn’t come back as a Ghost. They thought it was a ghost, but he he came back he hugged them, talked to them, at fish with them. But he also walked through walls, lives forever, and we will live forever in resurrected bodies with no pai n, sickness, or grief anymore.

So why would this be important to you practically? Because you are in a war. The enemy wants you dead.

-Seniors, are you aware that this is the reality? It doesn’t matter where you go or what you are doing. The enemy wants to pull you away.

-Deceivers are just children of the enemy because he lies and decieves and has done that since the beginning John 8:44

English Standard Version Chapter 1

8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

What a massive statement

I want to give a small definition of what “watch yourselves” means from Vines expository dictionary

Watch yourself indicates greater vividness, expressing a more intent, earnest contemplation

-Watch yourself is the same warning Jesus gave his disciples when he started to talk about the end times. He said see that no one deceives you. he also calls us to stay awake. To keep watch. Why? because antichrists, the enemy wants you asleep. He wants you apathetic. He wants you in lazy boy christianity with heated seats.

-Watch yourself has a different feeling than your mom saying it when you go play basketball compared to a commander when you are going into war. This is John, a commander, telling us to watch ourselves as we go into war so that we

1. Don’t lose what we have worked for and 2. win a full reward.

-What reward? Where have we heard about rewards? Well done good and faithful servant.

-Does not have God? Wow, that sounds important! Whoever abides…stays, remains in, plants themself, takes up residence in the word.

-Challenge?

English Standard Version Chapter 1

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

-Don’t even say hi? What?

-Remember John is writing to a church, a group of people. Churches were in homes.

-What are we opening ourselves to through our phones? Are we opening ourselves to teaching that sounds really good, smooth talking, and yet all it is is lies.

What are you welcoming into your home?

-Not just your home, which is important. But what about the home of your heart, mind, will, and emotions?

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Final Greetings

12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

-Before the technology age that we have experienced, John already shows us that we human beings were made for face to face interaction. We are made for fellowship and relationship. Not just pent and paper. We are made to be in relationship with others so that our joy may be complete.

-But people don’t bring me joy. People are annoying and frustrating and difficult. But how are you called to disciple if you are not around people? How are you supposed to walk in the Spirit if you are never around other people? The very evidence of us walking in Christ is that we have brothers and sisters that we are doing life with. Sure, through text, but even more important, face to face.

-Challenge: Life group leaders are needed. Connection is needed. Be the leader, be the instigator and don’t expect it to go like a hallmark movie where everything is great. People will flake, people will disappoint you. Forgive them. If we are going to be a church that lives, loves and serves like Jesus, then we need to be in fellowship and connection with others.

Keep following Jesus who still is a man, watch out for deceivers, stay awake, abide in God’s word, watch what you are opening yourself up to, and be in fellowship!

-Pray for Spirit to fall! We can’t do this without him!