Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRO||

RECAP:

John is digressing to an encouragement and a exhortation (Argument or advice intended to incite hearers to action) This is a main thrust as to why he is writing.

Argument or advice intended to incite hearers to action

Being forgiven and enrolled into the fellowship of heaven, Christians must cease loving the world1 and its sins.

Encouragement:

Argument (Acts 2:40) or advice intended to incite hearers to action

Here john is not talking about actual age demographics he is speaking about the differing maturity levels of believers and where they are at in their own fellowship with God. ( do not allow the masculine terminology to obscure the application of what John says to the women and girls of the congregation as well.)

clearly like every family their is members of differing maturity which is great it means that they are growing and developing.

where a person is at on the spectrum is not good or bad it is how they are developing.

Some of us have only be walking with the Lord a short time which is great and look what is attributed to them

In neither case should we allow the masculine terminology to obscure the application of what John says to the women and girls of the congregation as well.)

clearly like every family their is members of differing maturity which is great it means that they are growing and developing.

where a person is at on the spectrum is not good or bad it is how they are developping.

Some of us have only be walking with the Lord a short time which is great and look what is attributed to them

1 John 2:

Little Children:

because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake & because you know the Father - their a beautiful simplicity in their fellowship - they know God as father and they understand that foundational truth their sins are forgiven.

- their is a sensere rejoicing in knowing Christ has forgiven them and they are in the family of God.

All God’s children know their Father and know that he has accepted them, in Christ -

(Jalen story)

All God’s children know their Father and know that he has accepted them, in Christ(Jalen story)

Fathers:

The identifying factor is this - you know him who is from the beginning.

Clearly all children are born have that experience - its the same with Christian maturity - we all have come to know God as father and the joy of forgiveness of sin - its the entry point and the truth remains true for all whole life - what makes them “fathers” is their increased knowledge of God by walking with him through the years and coming to know him more and more -

Time hurries on, but in all generations they find a refuge in him who from everlasting to everlasting is God (; cf. ).

They are already consciously living in eternity.

-

These are those who have matured in their faith and have become the adult or parental expression of mature believers - Leaders in the church using their knowledge to lead, grow, shepherd those younger in the faith - that they to may become mature

There is no route to Christian maturity other than a deepening knowledge of Christ, and those who know him love him.

For those of us who have moved along this path - how are we using the depth of knowledge?

Are we teaching those behind us?

Leading the way to knowing Christ more?

Or have become stagnate in our pursuit of God? God has put the fathers and mothers among us for a reason - to help us.

to help each other be those overcomes.

to find victory

(story of praying with fathers/mothers in the church - there is a maturity and assuredness in those who pray - Dave Froese, Dave Dirks, Burt Mannis, Ingrid druckle “God is good and Jesus is wonderful)

Young Men:

The distinguishing mark is: you have overcome the evil one, you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

They have grown to the next stage of Christian revelation, they are conforming their life more and more to Christ battling their sin through the power of God’s word that abides within them - meaning they rely on it, they know it, they hide it in their hearts doing what it says - thats obedience, self denial, and an intense reliance of the power of Christ.

Some of us here trying to take that step to becoming young men and women of faith or are in the midst of it - Keep pressing on - keep battling because the result are a beautiful maturity that then helps those who are making that step to.

How many brothers do I stand shoulder with in the pursuit of sanctification, prayer for the Lost, their is a camaraderie there that we need to become over comers - this is why love for one another is so important - thats why its written to many and not the individual.

John has been talking about having relationship with God through Christ -

being in Christ, being in the light ultimately being in Fellowship with God which means we Love God and not the World

Christian people have entered into a great inheritance in the forgiveness of sins, fellowship with God and the conquest of the evil one, but their temptations have not come to an end.

their is the growth of maturity and leaning to follow Christ more and more becoming more like him.

and here we find a very challenging command from John

THE WORLD

The word world has a few meanings through out scripture - its important to distinguish what is being meant here - for instance tells that God loves the world, so shouldn’t we?

So should we not love the world?

that because of the difference in meaning - It can mean God’s creation, life on earth, it can mean the human population - people, it can mean the current condition of humanity, how they operate in alienation and opposition to God or as Westcott puts it

“The life of human society as organized under the power of evil.”

John goes on to break down what it means in 3 portions 2 external 1 internal

And love is a fit subject for such commandment and prohibition because it is not an uncontrollable emotion but the steady devotion of the will

And love is a fit subject for such commandment and prohibition because it is not an uncontrollable emotion but the steady devotion of the will

and we have to decide between the two constantly regardless of how mature we are a christians - child, elder, or youthful

so John goes on to break down what is in the world in 3 portions - 2 external 1 internal

The lust of the flesh: is an external proposition designed to trigger a physiological response in our mind and body (Dr.

Karl Payne aka little KP)

When you read this definition of the lust of the flesh what do you think of?

lots of people think of sex, pornography, something illicit.

Maybe drugs, alcohol, etc.

These are very real and tangible examples of the desires or lusts of the flesh.

But its deeper than that.

Its anything that rules over us.

How many turn a blind eye and have allowed ourselves to become physiologically and compulsively hooked on something deemed social exceptable but has the same level of controlling effects?

Netflix binge watching?

Our phones we check just become it vibrates, or we are board.

Same with food and other consumables.

John is calling us to walk as Christ walked to be in fellowship with him and Paul in unity with this says that if we are controlled by the flesh we are not controlled by the spirit but this cannot be for those who say the know God

That was how I was with video games.

It numbed my soul and I became a slave to them in so many ways.

Through much repenting and relying on Christ my socially acceptable slavery has been broken.

- we must be sober minded when we look at our lives, be real about it and ask God to show us if we have been lulled into slavery - something the Lord revealed to me as I wrested through different things in my life and something I say to myself often is

be a slave to the nothing but the true master - Jesus Christ

Is there something in your life that rules you other than Christ?

Will you turn a blind eye or will you surrender to Christ?

The Lust of the eyes: focuses squarely upon our desires to have beautiful things, which we believe we must have for contentment.

(both lust of flesh and eyes are external solicitation to sin)

By this definition it pushes God out of the picture - the lust of the eyes see all the things we want or don’t have believe we need it.

It speaks to a lack of gratitude for Christ has given us - he is the definition of the fulness of life - yet the desire for more can override that in us and push us towards believing that God might be holding out on us as we see more things out in the world.

Which causes us to question God’s goodness.

This could show up in our lives by desires the right skin tone, hair, physic, jewelry, window shopping, scrolling amazon, 24 hour bid endlessly looking at all the things we wish we had.

Words like envy, jealousy, and covetousness describe it well.

Dr Karl Payne puts his finger on the pulse of it very well

“What is the real difference between a person who makes a lot of money and allows it control him and a person who hopes to make lots of money and allows this compulsion to control him?

Is either individual’s focus and passion seeking first the kingdom of God and doing his will?

- Greed - I need more, and envy - I want what you have, both fail to promote contentment.”

The Pride of life: Selfish Ambition

To understand this lets turn to parable of Jesus.

Here we see a man very successful from an earthly perspective - he got caught up in his achievements, his stuff, and making “it”.

Jesus’ eternal view point showed the man to be bankrupt though he had it all.

- the pride of stuff, experience, and status - all for what purpose?

Promoting self and loving self.

How many young men I have known who have put all their stock in their skill set, in their grades, in many other things but neglected what was truly valuable - they were not rich towards God.

(story of aunts view point of the kids - but because of God’s intervention)

Gods idea of success is different from the worlds.

Is ambition wrong?

no not at all but when it turns selfish their becomes an issue.

- the self serving ambition doesn’t consider God’s will in decision making, or consider God’s blessing in their movement.

They will pray about God’s will after they have made up their mind on the matter and are looking for his confirmation.