Truth, love & abiding.
John's epistles • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsHere in John's second epistle we continue the theme, "A christian life is to be a real life."
Notes
Transcript
1 The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,
2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received a commandment from the Father.
5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
Written to possible a woman who is hosting a house church at this time. John could also be writing to a lady and meaning through application that the children of faith have been found walking and abiding in Christ.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Responsibility from the church to the state:
Pray for the state- Herald for His coming newspaper. Pray earnestly.
Fulfill the moral responsibilities and functions in a christian spirit.
Exercise liberties in a church spirit
Love them like our neighbor ( John 13:34)
What does it look like to live an authentic Christian faith? You could probably ask ten different people and get ten different answers.
There have been many articles and emails being sent from christian organizations discussing authentic living of a christian.
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
We must know that we know the truth (1-3)
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
2. We must walk in the truth that we know. ( 4-6)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
3. We must abide in the truth ( 7-11)
John makes an interesting connection between love and obedience. ( 2 John 6)
The evidence of this salvation is love and obedience,, but love and obedience are strengthened as we grow in our knowledge of truth (John 7:17). The more we learn what truth is, the more we love Jesus Christ who is truth. Instead of living in a vicious circle, we live in a victorious circle, of love, truth and obedience.
24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
“We should walk in them”
Genuine love for God is shown through the obedience . Love and obedience are the result of the Holy Spirits work in the life of a believer.
In His book, “Spiritual Leadership, Henry Blackaby Notes this regarding obedience in conjunction with Love.:
A) Abraham Demonstrated His Faith Gen 22:1-3
B) Obeyed God Gen 22:16-18
C) Became a Friend of God. ( 2 Chronicles 20:7)
Various characteristics of God through this text:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Jude 1:24-25
The trinity is mentioned in 2 John 1:3
Grace, mercy and peace, all things we desire as believers are sourced from and by God.
Big idea:
John is writing during a time when false teachers are making their way into the churches. James, Paul and John all write about this issue. Gnosticism is taking place, where people felt that what they committed in the flesh was not counted against them. As one Pastor stated, we are perfect. Well, we are not. John is encouraging all believers to walk closer into His fellowship so that your joy may be full. As a church we must focus on a few main themes.
Love one another
Be real.
And walk humbly and closely with your God. A short account between each conversation. As mentioned in 1 John 2, the young men grew in the Lord through the Scriptures. It is time, we become what we read, and there is no option to not read the Holy Word of God. SO be careful to not fall for the imitation and artificial, idols are dead ( 1 John 5:21). Live a christian life that is real.
Live bait Vs Artificial bait
DO we have “tight lines” and rods bent over indicating that we are investing, feeding and drawing in various relationships towards God and His agenda?
For the sake of the unbelievers, your relationships, and your family, be real. A life that resembles a daily walk with Christ, is a live worth sharing and living. Be Holy for I am Holy.