To Love or not.
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Reading 1 John 2:1-17
Reading 1 John 2:1-17
1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: 6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother or sister remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one. 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.
Summary: I John 2: 1-17
Summary: I John 2: 1-17
This really is a passage to all people, young, old, married, single groups and individuals.
Ladies you are not missed out - this is where we need to understand the cultural context of the time this was written.
This was written to all groups and to all ages.
The passage speaks of the surety we have in knowing Jesus love and it challenges us to love. That is the context of my message today are we going to Love or not. Today is Valentines day.
Some of you will have chosen to do something today perhaps send a card, buy flowers, make an extra effort to say I love you. Some of you will not have.
Everyday we make a similar decision - will we love or will we not.
St Valentine - getting the right idea.
St Valentine - getting the right idea.
Before we consider that further let’s confirm what we mean by love.
If we were to review the valentines day then we see Valentine associated with superficial love, sex, lust, and buried amongst all that for some there will be the concepts of devotion and romance love (eros) but that has not always been the case.
Valentine was historically associated with courtly love, service borne or of respectful love. Think chivalry and deeds done because of someones adoration and respect for another.
This depiction of love is both helpful in looking at the passage from 1 John and in understanding St Valentine.
Who St Valentine was is a little confusing but as best we can tell he was a priest or bishop in Rome and ministered to the persecuted Christian’s in the empire.
Picture
This picture depicts valentine ministering to believers in shall we say some trying times.
Legend has it that he was beaten and imprisoned for marrying christians and be headed, some sources suggest that he was imprisoned first and while in prison 46 members of the Guards’s family became christians.
Whether or not these accounts are fully accurate the picture we have of Valentine is not one of Mushy love but of John 15:13 love.
13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.
We see a man living the life, counting the cost, and loving those around him because 1 John 4:19
19 We love because he first loved us.
With that context in mind lets turn back to the passage in 1 John 2.
There are some key points I would like to draw out of the text.
1. "My little children"
2. "Our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ"
1 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
The source of our love is the Love of our Father. - Don’t replace this with human effort or compassion.
If you read through the Gospels you will find lots of occasions where Jesus encountered those that were: ill, possessed, disabled, downtrodden and despised. Go take a read through Matthew 9 making note of all the people Jesus met that you could easily hang a tag on that declares I am glad that is not me.
Through out the gospels a phrase reappears - “Jesus saw.” First, He sees the faith of a paralysed man and the friends who brought him to Jesus: “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven’” (v. 2b). Next, Jesus saw Matthew, the tax collector-turned-disciple: “‘Follow me,’ He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him” (v. 9). Then, in the midst of a crowd, a bleeding woman touches just His cloak and finds herself healed: “Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ He said, ‘your faith has healed you’” (v. 22). Finally, Jesus saw the crowd of people who had come to hear Him preach the Good News and receive healing. Verse 36 says, “When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like a sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus was constantly being pressed on every side by people who wanted something from Him. That had to have been exhausting. But, even in the midst of the crowd, Jesus saw individuals who were hurting and who needed not just healing in their bodies but in their souls, as well.
I think there’s something for us in this reminder that Jesus sees. He saw a hopeless woman, a hated tax collector, a paralysed man. He felt compassion for a crowd of distressed, dejected people. Jesus saw their cold, grey hardships, and He was not hard on them for feeling the way they did. He didn’t tell them to get a grip, or get a job,. Instead, He had compassion for them.
This compassion is found in the love of a Father God to each of us as His creation and as children adopted into his fatherhood.
In V5 John the writer of this passage. Identifies, that source of God’s love for him.
we need to do the same without this we can not love others. We can not carry out the call of the next six verses (6-11) without that source of love.
In these verses John makes it clear that we need to walk the walk not just talk the talk. That this is not something new but that the integrity of living a life that is reflective of the Father’s attitude to us is the same as obeying his commands and mirroring the lifestyle, attitudes and approaches of Jesus
The out pouring of this is that:
Lovers will show commitment in marriage and not just flit about - back to valenitne marrying chrstians
Husbands will love their wives - (Eph. 5:25)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her
Brothers will love sisters.
we are all brothers and sisters.
Flesh
Adoption - believers
creation. - all people
V10 makes it clear that this is not a optional extra of being a believer - it is fundamental
When we do this we are in the light. Who is the light? Jesus
(John 8: 12)
12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
When we love others we are operating in the likeness of Jesus, in accordance of the will of the Father.
How we Love reveals our walk with Jesus
3. How love shows in life (1 Cor. 13:4-7)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, 5 is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
a. Love is patient and kind
b. Love is not envious or proud
c. Love is consistent, not selfish or suspicious
d. Love is never glad when others are hurt
e. Love is pleased when truth triumphs
f. Love puts up with slights, insults, failures.
g. Love believes the best about others
Do we align with this list when we love? Do we love?
This is may mean changes...
1. John and his brother James had been fishermen
a. Worked with their father, Zebedee
b. They loved their father, the boats, the sea
2. Then one day John heard the call of Jesus (Mark 1:17-20)
17 “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat putting their nets in order. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
a. He had been mending nets
b. Now he would become a mender of men (Luke 5: 10)
10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people.”
Change can be a challenge it can take us on a difficult journey but when God is mandating that change we can be sure it is a change for good - but we need to trust in God.
This meme is doing the rounds and it is a bit twee, the sort of thing you would get on one of the 25 million greeting card sent on Valentines day. -but the truth behind the image is solid, when God wants us to give up one thing he generally has a better swap awaiting.
This is what is behind v 15-17
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.
a. Does not refer to people (John 3: 16)
16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
b. Does not refer to creation (Matt. 6:26-30)
26 Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?
Refers to the Christ-rejecting world system
-H.A.Ironside stated "that system that man has built up . . . in which he is trying to make himself happy without God."
What does man use to be happy without God, things, power, position, distractions -
John refuses to love "things" and reminds us that these things are passing away.
John encourages to trust in the One who is forever.
How do we do that?
By recognising that we are known by God who knows us and wants to be known by us.
To love a God that first loved us
To see people as He sees them and to love them
It’s generally a safe assumption that if I’m going through something difficult, I’m not the only one. Most people are dealing with something hard, whether we know it or not.
So, in this cold, dreary season, I want to remember to see people in their hurt and heartache.
I want to ask God to give me His eyes for people and a heart of compassion for those who are hurting.
I wonder if you too will join me in that request that we May we see like Jesus saw, and may our hearts be touched for the distressed and dejected.
it then comes down to the simple question of will I , will you love? will we transition like, John, a mender of men. (women, children) through the love that we have in Christ?