Lessons For All Ages

intro

In the passage today God is teaching lessons on Love. What to love and what not to love. It is a wonderful and powerful teaching that truly defines the Christian as they live in this world.

He says:

1 John 2:8–11 AV

8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

The command is clear: we must love one another.

later he says:

1 John 2:15–17 AV

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

The command once again is clear: We must NOT love the world or the things in the world.

These are powerful lession for od’s children.

But it is not the content of the lession I want to minter on, its to whom this lession is addressed.

This lession on live is given to:

1 John 2:12–14 AV

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

“Little Children”, “Fathers” and “young men”.

There re different degrees of maturity amoung Christians. An while we are all the same based on our justification, we are not all the same based on our sanctification or spiritual experiance.

Now, The lession is the same to all; The little Children, the fathers and the Young Men are all iven the same lession and the same command: 1) Love oneanother, and 2) Love not the world.

This command and lession never chnages. The chriostian who is saved 1 day has this as his responsibility and the season beliiever has the same.

I as a pastor, have my christian walk defind by these two command of love and if you were saved yesterday they should define your walk as well.

So while the lession itself is the same for all degrees of christrains, the method to attain these victories is NOT.

While we all have the same goal, our level of maturiry requires different means of attainment.

And it is in this that i wish to minister.

So as we go through the text always remeber that the lession and desired outcome is the same for all, young hildre, fathers and young men.

but God gives each of these a different and personal motivation and means, depending on where trhey are in their spiritual walk.

1: Young Children

1 John 2:12–13 AV

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

Even the youngest of Christians have the greatest of blessings.

They sins are forgiven and they know the Father.

Forgiveness and intimacy with God are the end of our faith, attaind after a lifetimw of seeking, but they are the very begining.

The Little Children are those who are new to the faith, whios grasp of doctrine is still feeble and are still dependant on milk from the Word. Know that they have very little Spiritual or scriptual dexterity or skill, they are told to think on nothing more than their forgivness and they they through Jesus Christ has come to know the father and have peace in Him.

These two powerful truths are enough to motiveate anyone to love their brother and sister, and as they think on the Fathers love and holiness it will be suffiecint to drive all love of the world from thweir hearts.

2: Fathers

1 John 2:12–14 AV

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

God skips the middle group and goes straight to the end: he does this because that middle must lean all three lessions: they must be reminded of where they started when they were little children and they hear the nest lession, because one day they will become Fathers.

Once again the lession is the same: Love one another and do not love the word. And they must succseed because:

They have know Him that is from the beggining: Ie they have know him from the beggining.

Like they young children, they know him, they know him through the Word, but the fathers have an added grace, they have known Him from the beggining of their salvation till now.

They have years and years of expereince to encourage them.

They have recolection of God’s grace, patience, provision, goodness and coiuntless other experiences of God which the young do not have.

Deuteronomy 8:2 AV

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Isaiah 46:9 AV

9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

The Young Men

1 John 2:12–14 AV

12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

The Young Men are those in the iddle, where most christians fiundthemselves. they are not children - for they can discern good and evil AND are used to the meat of the Word.

The Command is the same: Love one another and do love the World.

And God says what aught to motivate us:

1: Because they have overcome the wicked one.

In what sense have they overcome the wicked one?

1: They have crucified the flesh with its lust and desires.

Galatians 5:24 AV

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

2: They have gone to great lengths to prevent the Devil from gaining a foothold.

Ephesians 4:27 AV

27 Neither give place to the devil.

3: They have often found good and godly outlets for the sexual desires.

1 Corinthians 7:9 AV

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

2: Because they are Strong

They are not strong in themselves, but in the Lord.

Ephesians 6:10 AV

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

They means that they have disciplined themselves in devotion to God. They pray, they Serve, they Fast, they do all things which bring them closer to God and they do them regulary.

3: Finally, Because the Word of God dwells in them.

The indweeliing Word, makes the Christian fruitful and powerful in Prayer.

John 15:7 AV

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Conclusion:

No matter where you are in your spirutal walk, weather you are young or mature or somwhere in the middle - we all have the same mission.

Use the resourses God has given you to live in Victory.