62 Preaching/Teaching: 1 John 2:15-17

Who do you Love?

We must battle our flesh because the Fathers love is better

We must battle our flesh because sin is alive and well.

We must battle our flesh because we will live forever

1 John 2:15–17 NIV84

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Love of the father

Kareem dad riding on the bus with him after his terrible game

This was against the rules

Pat Riley was a rules guy

I was watching a documentary about the Lakers and Celtics and one of the years they were playing in the finals. Kareem who is one of the all time greats was at this time the oldest player in the league. He had a terrible game. He got absolutely ripped by the media and even his own coach. "He is over the hill. He needs to retire." He had a hard couple of days.

Now the Lakers were getting ready to take the bus to Boston Garden for the next game. Pat Riley the Lakers coach who was a stickler for the rules did not allow anyone to ride on the bus. No exceptions. Kareem comes walking in with his dad. Kareem is a seven foot man Coach can my dad ride to the game with me. Remember this is Pat Riley. But Pat made an exception. He said he needed to hear his fathers voice.

The rest was history Kareem absolutely dominated the next game.

I have a father who has loved and supported me every step of the way. When I was introduced to the Love of God it really wasn't not that hard for me to grasp the love of God because my dad loved me well even when I did not deserve it.

God loved us when were were his enemies and he sent his son Jesus to die for us. All we have to do is accept his gift. I did this when I was 18.

With everything going on in our world today I want you to know regardless of anything you have done, anything someone has done to you, if you have had a hard life or an easy life, that the Father loves you more than you could ever dream of and imagine.

As great as my father was, just like Kareem now I had access to my heavenly father. And when life is down we need him to ride with us.

Hopefully you have heard about the Love of God. But our call in life is to love God back.

Is your life marked by loving God?

Does your walk with God cost you anything, do you have to say no to anything?

Today I want to challenge you to actively love God?

1. We must actively love God because it is commanded (15).

15-He tells us what not to do and why not to do it!

1 John 2:15 NASB95

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2. We must actively love God because the world’s ways lead to destruction (16).

16-He tells us why it is hard to not love the world

1 John 2:16 NASB95

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

3. We must actively love God because we were made for eternity (17).

17-Contrasts why we should do it

1 John 2:17 NASB95

The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.