Remaining

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever. I. Introduction

I. Introduction

I. Introduction

II. The Believer and the World

A. “Do not love the world”

· Given as a command, not a suggestion

B. “love” = agapao, present imperative

1. “don’t be loving the world”

2. A present state of loving the world

3. There are times and seasons where the world catches our eye for a little while, and we ride the train – not what John is talking about

4. John is referring to the person who gets on board and engineers the train.

· He loves driving the train

· He lives to recruit passengers to get on board w/him

· The railroad tracks dictate the course of his life

· Everything about him speaks of the train

· He has a life dictated by the train’s schedule

· All his life items portray a love for the railroad

C. “if anyone loves the world (as a lifestyle), the love of the Father is not in him.”

1. “not” = absolutely in no way possible is it in him

2. The unbeliever is delighted with the world and it’s system.

They know of nothing any different

We have to remember that we too were just like that.

Whether we realized it or not, we too were mastered by the system of the world.

· “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

· “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,,a who is the image of God.· “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

3. Whether the unbeliever realizes it or not, they are mastered by the system of the world.

In their case, the god of this age (world) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, a who is the image of God.

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

D. We are missionaries to the world

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”

· There is a continual draw: How can we live in the world but not be of the world?

1. The Word of God – Delineates

2. The Spirit of God – Pulls us away from the desire of the world/empowers us

3. The Family of God – Encourages us to engage the world, gives us a community of relationship.

III. “for all that is in the world”

A. What he is not referring to:

1. People

2. Get out there among them

· Invite them to your house

· Go play with them

· Love on them

· Help feed them

· But don’t compromise the WOG or convictions.

B. “the desires of the flesh”

1. “desires” = epithumia (lust)

a. epi = extreme concentration upon something

o it is an intensifier

o You can’t get your mind off of it

o It compels you

o It’s your focus

b. thumos = desire, emotion, passion

The word in and of itself is not something bad.

God created us to be concentrated and focused on the things that God has put before us.

The object of the desire John points to is the “flesh”

Be honest, we all have desires of the flesh

C. “The desires of the eyes”

1. Our eyes feed the lust of the flesh

2. What do you enjoy looking at

· Your answer to that ? will tell you what’s going on inside.

Your answer to that ? will tell you what’s going on inside.

3. The more I gaze, the greater desire is awakened in me.

*

“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.”

“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.”

D. “pride in possessions” – Fed by the lust of the eyes but driven by pride

1. “Pride” = alazonia – thinking of oneself to be what he is not.

I’d like to buy him for what …

2. “possessions”, some translations “life”

word basically means life in it’s complete manifestation.

3. Bios = we get the word “biography”

o Refers to the duration, means and matter of life.

· It’s the passion to be able to boast or brag about what one has or has accomplished by their own abilities.

o Material

o Career

o Kids

o Ministry

o Education

· Dickie’s shirt w/patch

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (mammon).”

· Kid/Vo-Tek School?

· #1 question I’m asked as a pastor?

3. Pastor in Africa – greatest problem he faced?

· Greed fostered by pride

o Thathed roof, metal, clay = status determined by roof

o Whether rich or poor, cannot escape pride of life

o Atlanta Country Club – Porter

IV. Keep Focus

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 3

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief;,an on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.,K 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.,aq Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief;,an on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.,11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.,Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief;,an on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.,K 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.,aq Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

· Anchor your life on what is real, not on something that is passing away.