1 JOHN 2:12-17 GODS CHILDREN DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD2010 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 John 2:12-17 Gods Children Do Not Love The World

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2010.

Please excuse me if I use my raspy voice and if I talk too much here and there to help the service. I'm going to start talking a little bit with my throat, but this morning as we look at First John, we're continuing on. It's one of those areas where I wish sometimes we could just sit down and teach the whole thing because there's so much to learn from the context. And so I want to take a moment to remind you a little bit about where

Thank you.

I'm sure that we have an understanding that there's a way to verify that you're not just making the claim, but that there's a reality to that claim, and that you can check by your life whether or not the profession you make to know God is true. And so we make the claim to know God. John said that we saw last week the verification of that claim was true.

Whether or not we keep his word. And John built that relationship. That if you keep God's word. It's the verification. It's proof that you actually know God. But if you do not know God. Then you will not keep his word.

of your profession, you don't know God, and yet you don't keep his word, and your word, it proves to yourself, it proves to you that it's just a claim, it's just a profession, it's not the reality. And yet if you look at your life and you find how God is helping you and causing you to keep his word, you're walking in obedience to him, well then it's a verification that it's not just a fake claim, but that it is indeed a reality in your life. And I'm not going to claim that John

We claim to abide in God, to have that Jesus described in John chapter 15. Well, the proof that that is a reality, John chapter 15 says, and not just a claim, is that we will walk as Jesus walked. We can look at our lives and look and see if we walk and have characteristics of Jesus Christ in our life and in our lifestyle, in our life and in our life. Well, then we can know that we do abide in him. But if we don't claim that we abide in him,

we walk in the light, and nothing like Jesus is in front of us, well, then, the only reason that we've ourselves, and the deception that we've been caught up in, is removed, so that we understand where we stand, and these things to us as tools, so that we don't deceive ourselves, so that we make sure that we understand where we are with God, and we don't kill ourselves when the reality is much different than what we say.

The claim to be in the light. And we can claim to be in the light, but he says the proof of that claim is when we hate another as believers. If we hate other believers, if we don't love them as God loves them,

He says, well, when you're not walking in the light, you can make the claim all that you want, but the proof is in the reality of loving one another as believers. Now, I shared this with you last week, but I should share it again because it leads into this part of what John is sharing with us this morning. He doesn't give us these claims and these verifications and things in order for us to walk these claims and go around worrying about whether we're saved or not, and doubting

And maybe I'm not a Christian because I fall short and I stumble. And that's really not the purpose of what John is writing for here. He's not saying that in our life. Actually, as we go on now in verses 12 through 14, John is explaining, listen, I'm here to see you because I don't think you're saved. Not because I think you're miserable, miserable Christians. Not because I don't think you're saved. No, I'm writing these things to you because you are saved. Because you do have a relationship with God.

Because your sins have been forgiven. That's why I'm writing these things to you so that you can know where you stand with God. And that's very important. It's not about condemnation and casting doubt upon your standing with God. But it's about affirmation so that you can know that you don't have to be cast in doubt by the world around you. That you don't have to be freaked out about whether or not you know God. But that you can look

at your life and look at the evidence that are there, that are produced by a relationship with God. And know and have that confidence and that hope, that confidence and expectation of eternity. So as we go on now, verses 12 through 14, looking at this portion where John is writing these things to you because you are God's children. And that's important for us to know. You are a child of God. Look at verses 12 through 12. I write to you, little children, because you're sick.

Now, the word, the phrase little children, it's used as a term of affection. That a teacher would tell his disciples about little children. It's a term of affection or an act of endearment for those that a teacher was instructing or teaching or tutoring those believers in the days of that day.

to us believers as well by extending his attention. He's calling us little children. He's saying, listen, I love you guys and I'm sharing these things with you. I want you to be instructed and to know these things. He's referring to his whole audience as children of God. Or indeed, children of God. We will see as we head into the next chapter next week. In chapter 3, verse 1, John tells us to be whole. Stop and pay attention. Take a look.

What manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we can be called children of God. God calls us His children of children. He writes in the precious languages of children, in relationship to Him. This morning I want to remind you that you are a child of God. Amazing thing that is, that you are a child of God. You're precious to Him.

He's taken great steps and taken great measures to reach out to you with this love. By sending his son to Jesus Christ to die upon the face of Jesus Christ himself. Of child and father. That you might have this intimacy with him. Because of what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us upon the cross. You, Jesus Christ, are a child of God. You're special to him. And he loves you so dearly. John is writing these things to us in this class.

Not because we need to get saved, but because we are children of God. If you're born again, that's another matter. If you've never entered into the family of God, but we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then you need to get saved. You need to surrender your life to God. Repent and turn to Him. If you're making those claims that we studied last week and you think they're false, we need to get right with you. But John's intention here, his purpose is to remind us

You are a child of God. And so as a child of God, this is your future, right? This is who you are in Christ. And this is how your life ought to be. We are God's children. He's writing to us because we are his children. And he says, I write to you little children because your sins are forgiven you. Your sins are forgiven you. This is such an amazing statement. Of course we...

I'm comfortable with the idea, we're used to the idea, we're used to the idea of sins being forgiven. That's what relationship with Jesus, that's what the Jesus, that's what the cross, that's what Christianity is all about. But because it's so familiar to us, well, we run the risk of just taking it for granted and forgetting to realize what it means that our sins are forgiven. Forgiven, because it means to be sent away, sent away, or to be cast away. Your sins have been cast away. They've been sent away. How far?

I hope you know the answer. Psalm 103, verse 12. The east is from the west. So far has he removed our transgressions from us. And just kind of wait for the side so that God can come back and bring them up and say, you remember what you did? You remember what you did? You know, kind of like you do with a dog. You remember? Your sins have been cast away. Your sins have been cast away. How far is that? Well, if you don't know, here's some homework for you. Get a bike. Start riding east. Keep riding until you start going west. Don't do that. Don't do that.

It's the enemy. It's the enemy.

will come and try to try to revive and bring up those memories and those memories and those things that we things that we messed up messed up in the way that we blew it even our own selves we condemn ourselves and we lay upon ourselves upon ourselves the guilt the guilt that god has removed he's cast as far as east is from the west to make you not have to make you visible and keep invisible and keep reminding you about reminding you about your past failures your past failures he's removed he's removed your sins your sin from you from you

as far as the east as far as the east is from the west is from the west and check this out he says for his name for his name's sake he's forgiven you for his for his name's sake now what does that mean what does that mean well as well as well god has attached forgiveness to himself himself he's accomplished salvation for salvation for he's he's put himself he's put himself he's placed himself in a situation where a situation where he is he is required required to forgive those who come to him by faith in jesus christ

in a situation where he's obligated to forgive those who come to him by faith. He's down to forgiveness with his name. And it's for his name's sake that we've been forgiven. Remember what Peter said in the book of Acts? There's no other name given among men by which we must be saved. It's by the name of Jesus. We approach God by the name, by the work of Jesus' work there upon the cross that we come to Jesus and Jesus in the name of Jesus and reaching out to us. And he forgives us.

He has forgiven us for his name's sake. Now the only alternative, if God did not forgive them, it would be a denial of himself. He would be denying his own nature, which God cannot and will not and will never do. So we have this incredible surety of forgiveness coming to God through Jesus Christ. That he has forgiven us. We're his children. And he has forgiven us.

For his name's sake. Because he is God. And he is holy and pure. And just and right. We can count on him. We can know. We can believe him. That is the word. I send something cast from us. As far as the east goes from the west. And that's why Jesus was able to say in John chapter 6 verse 37. The one who comes to me. I will by no means cast out. Who comes to Jesus Christ. For his name's sake.

because you have known him who known him who is from the beginning because you have

first of all first of all he speaks he speaks to the fathers to the fathers now

This would be those who are spiritually mature. Those who have been around in the faith for a while. I know it says fathers, but it's not just speaking to men or to men who have physical, literal children, biological children. He's talking about those who are spiritually mature, have a great commission and have disciples. There's offspring. There's offspring.

They've ministered to people around them. They've led others in a relationship with Jesus Christ. They're those who have walked with God. Those who are mature in the faith. Listen, fathers. Those of you who are mature. Those of you who have made disciples. I'm writing to you because you have known him who is from the beginning. Now, the him who is from the beginning, of course, to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ.

From the beginning we saw that in the first part of chapter 1, here in this epistle, also referring back to the first chapter of the Gospel of John. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God. Revealed later on in the chapter, later on in the chapter, to be Jesus Christ, that the Word is Jesus. He was He, and He is God, and He is God.

John says, you have known him who is from the beginning. You've known Jesus Christ. You've had this deep relationship with Jesus Christ. The word know means to know by experience. You've spent a lot of time with Jesus. You've walked with him. You've had this relationship with Jesus Christ. You're spiritually mature. You've made disciples.

And John says, that's why I'm writing to you. Now get it. Now understand what he's saying here. Because great tendency to deflect when it comes to listening to and applying the word of God, don't we? Look at what the Bible says. We hear what the pastor is saying. Dodging bullets. Speaking of reasons why it doesn't apply to me. He's speaking to younger believers. I've been around for a lot longer. Oh, I'm not in that situation. I don't.

I don't make those coins, I don't make those coins, that we talked about last week, or the confessing of sin, confessing to God two weeks ago, I don't really struggle with sin anymore, I don't really struggle with sin anymore, yeah right, oh yeah right, all these excuses, all these excuses of why these things don't apply to us, but John says listen, those of you who are spiritually mature, spiritually mature, John says I know who you are, I know who you are, I know you're there, I know you're there, and that's why I'm writing to you these things, thanks.

the people and so you should exclude yourself from the application no i'm writing to you because i'm writing to you because i know you know you are spiritually mature you are you are believers you have known him who is from the beginning who is from the beginning you have that you have that relationship with jesus christ and you've made disciples and that's why and that's why i'm writing these things i'm writing these things to you to you well he also addresses the young addresses the young men he says i write to you because young men because you have overcome you have overcome the wicked one the wicked one and so he writes to you and so

It's referred to in the Mass, but not only speaking to those who are men or young men. He's speaking to those who are younger in the faith, men and women. He's speaking to you because you've overcome the wicked one. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome. You have overcome.

as we as we go in our relationship with god as we go through the process of walking with him there's many times there's many times we walk around in defeat in defeat we walk around we walk around feeling defeated because because we recognize recognize the issues and the issues and the things that we struggle with we look at our lives and we see man i'm not really that good at it christian christian why is it we tell ourselves man that's some serious issues to work on she's to work on here here

John says, listen, John says, listen, I'm writing to you, I'm writing to you, younger believers, younger believers, those of you who feel like that, because you've overcome the wicked one, the wicked one. You have overcome, overcome. By coming to Jesus Christ, to Jesus Christ, by walking with him, by walking with him, you have overcome, overcome. The war is won, is won. Back of the cross, the enemy, the enemy is defeated, you defeated. You have overcome, overcome. It's often been said, it's often been said that we fight, that we fight from victory, from victory, not for, not for victory, victory.

We have the victory. That's why we fight. We have overcome. That's why we struggle. That's why we push forward. We're not trying to get victory as if we were free, as if we were going to earn our salvation. But we have overcome. John says, you younger believers, you have overcome. I know where you're at. And that's why I'm writing this to you.

and think that I'm just talking to those who are more mature and have been around a while. And those are the ones that really need to apply these things. Those are the ones who really need to pay attention to this book. You say, no, I'm writing these things to you because you've overcome. I had you in mind as I wrote these things. You're the one I'm speaking to. And then he says the final group at the end of verse 13, he says, I write to you little children because you have known the Father.

So he addresses the little children. Now, it's a different word that he uses here for little children than what we saw in verse 12. Not a term of endearment for disciples as we saw before, but this little children means infants. Guys, this is immaturity. The life of an individual.

And so he says that also, right to you, little children, those who are young in the faith, immature, baby Christians, we might say, because you have known the Father. You've just started out, but you know God. I'm writing to you. John is covering the whole spectrum. Sharing with us, nobody is excluded from this. If you're a brand new believer in Jesus Christ, these are the things that I want you to know. That you're growing in the faith and growing in

You're a young believer. You're victorious. You've overcome the wicked one. These are the things I want you to know. If you've been a lot longer, you're a mature believer. You've made disciples. These are the things that I want you to know. These are the things that you need to pay attention to. These are the things that we need to pay attention to. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to pay attention to you. We need to

I

As you walk with Jesus, spiritual life gets simpler and simpler and simpler. Because the longer you walk with him, the fewer principles there are. I used to have notebooks full of principles concerning success and ministry and theology and family. But the more time that passes, the more I say, Jesus, you are my life. Not ministry, not theology, not success as a family, but just you. It starts out

We have this thirst to know him, this desire. We spend time in his word. We spend time in prayer. We have this fire to know God. And as we mature in the faith, we recognize it. It brings us back around to that same principle. What we started with, knowing God, is what we end with. It's about knowing Jesus Christ and walking in relationship with him.

a little bit of modifications in verse 14. He says, I have written to you fathers because you have known him who is from the beginning. I have written to you young men because you are strong and the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one. He addresses the fathers. Again, he addresses the young men. And he explains to the fathers, again, those who are spiritually mature. He says, listen, I've written to you because you have known him who is from the beginning. Repeating.

Exactly the same thing he said in verse 13. You've known Jesus Christ. That's why I've written to you. Again, don't exclude yourself. Don't deflect the words that I'm sharing. I had you in mind. I knew where you'd be in the spiritual walk, and that's why I wrote these things. It's about knowing Jesus Christ. That is the mentality of the mature. Paul also explained this in Philippians chapter 3.

Remember there where Paul says, listen, I count all things lost. I count it as rubbish that I may gain Christ. In verse 10 of Philippians 3, Paul says that I may know him. And the power of his resurrection. The fellowship of his sufferings. Being conformed to his death. Paul says it's about knowing Jesus. That's my life purpose. That's my drive. That's my drive. That's my goal. That's what I'm striving for. I want to know him. I want to know him.

He goes on in verse 15 of Philippians 3. He says, therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind. This is the mind, the mentality of the mature. Striving to know Jesus. John says to the mature, those who have been around, yeah, I know, yeah, I know. You've known him who's from the beginning. And that's why I'm writing these things to you.

And he addresses the young men. And he says, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, you have overcome the wicked one. He says, I've written to you because you're strong. You've got that strength of youth, that fire of a younger believer. And the word of God abides in you. That's where your strength really comes from. And you've overcome this. Jesus said in John chapter 8,

Abiding in the word of God, you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. You've been set free because you've been free, because you've been abiding in the word of God. You've been strengthened. Younger believer, he says, that's why I've written to you. It covers the whole spectrum. Whether you're a brand new believer, whether you've been around for a long time, and made disciples, or whether you're somewhere in between. John says, these are the things that I'm writing to you because you as a Christian, Christian,

the state of spiritual law that you're in right now. There's no one excluded. We all need to pay attention to the things that John has said already. We can go back and look at some of those things we want, but you can. But also about the things that he's going to say. Specifically, what he's going to say right now in verses 15-17. Where he's going to instruct us to not love the world. Do not love the world. Look at verse 15.

He says, 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. So who does this verse apply to? It applies to every believer. Who is John writing to as he says, do not love the world? He's writing to Christians, whether young in the faith or medium in the faith. He's writing to us as believers and saying,

Do not love the world.

the world system, that system that is governed not by God, but by the enemy. As we see later on in this book, chapter 5, verse 19, John explains that the whole world lies under the sway of the evil one, or the devil. And so we're to not love the world or the things in the world. He sets up these opposing things. He says if anyone loves the world, that the love of the Father is not in him. We see a lot of this in the book of John.

We saw already light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light and darkness. Light

So there's this love of God, there's this love of the world, and they're contrary to one another. They're at war with one another. As we spent the past few months going through the Truth Project on Sunday evenings, one of the main emphasis was the battle of worldviews. How the world around us, society around us, really at war with perspective on life and the issues of life. It's not just that we have different opinions.

It's not just that. You know, we feel differently about certain things. No, there's an all-out war that is taking place. There's a battle that is raging. The world's perspective is entirely the opposite to what God has said in his word. It's a battle of worldviews. And so we are to not love the world. Because that is an opposing force against loving God.

We go to Lake Perth.

One of the guys who was part of the YouTuber, one of the helpers of the YouTuber, Brad Cooley, he had a boat. It wasn't a big boat. It wasn't a big boat. And I don't remember exactly how big. I don't know how many people we fit in there. But we get the boat into the water and produce into the boat. Way over to capacity. And you can understand because the water level was about here. And an inch or two above it was the top of the boat.

Any kind of big wave, any kind of bad rocking of the boat, water would start to come in, come in, start splashing, start splashing inside the boat. And so we're trusting our readers, and our readers, and we're kind of out of nowhere, and just cuts us off, and cuts us off, and hideways, you know, the bedways, you know, to dodge this jet scare, so we don't run them over, and we're okay, we're okay. You understand that picture, that's not a picture, that fear of, fear of water start coming into the boat, that's not good, it's not good. It'll sink, it'll sink.

I share that with you because the Christian life is often compared to and related to a boat on water. And that we are in the world. The world is not to be in us. Just as a boat is in the water, but the water is not to be in the boat. We are in the world. We live in this world. We live in this world. The world is not to be in us. We're not to be filled with the things of the world. With that murky water. Like Lake Paris. Like Lake Paris.

He says, do not love the world. That's for the world to be in you. That's to fill your life. Fill your life with those things that are totally not of God. When he says, do not love the world, you need to understand. It could literally be translated, stop loving the world. The tendency for us is to love the world. We've grown up loving the world. It's our nature. It's part of our sinful nature. It's what society is trying to do.

It's about loving the world and appealing to our fleshly desires that we'll look at in the next verse. Lots of pressure around us. I mean, the world is right there. It wants to pour in, just pour in to sink our boat. We need to stop loving the world. We need to stop the pattern, the progression of loving the world that is so natural to us. You have been born again. You are a child of God. John says, that's why I'm ready to see you.

you are a child of god you've known you've known him your sins are forgiven your sins are forgiven so stop loving stop loving the world the world verse 16 16 all that is in the world in the world the lust of the flesh to the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and the pride of life is not is not of the father of the father but is of the world again john shows that there's contrast contrast the world is not i'm not father it's of the world the world

It's not of the Father. These things are not from God. These things are not of God. These things are of the world. It can be summed up in these three things that John lists here. Three things last. None of them have value. In fact, quite the contrary, these three things will destroy your life and leave you empty. And so as we look at these things, we need to understand these are the areas that God is really wanting to speak to us. These are the areas that we need to stop loving the world. These are the areas that

to me to correct us and to show us if we are filling our hearts in any of these areas. These three things, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life seem to correspond with what took place in the garden with Eve in Genesis chapter 3 for Jesus Christ. They're in the wilderness and they're in the wilderness in Luke chapter 4. So look

We'll look at those examples briefly just by mentioning them, but to help us get an idea of what these things are. What is this lust of the flesh that we're to stop doing, that we're to keep from for our hearts? The lust of the flesh speaks to us of, very simply, the appetites of our physical bodies. The appetites, desires, cravings of our bodies. The lust of the flesh.

there in the garden when the serpent the serpent was deceiving eve to her and what she was to her and what she was not to eat of not to eat of it tells us first tell this first in genesis 3 genesis 3 6 that's it but she saw she saw that it was good but it was good for food for food perhaps the stomach is crumbling it's crumbling you know it's kind of growing a little bit i'm hungry i'm hungry my body has my body has this craving my body has my body has this desire desire i want to i have appetites it has desire it has desires it has cravings it has cravings

Not just for food, but for all types of activities. It's the lust of the flesh. Those things that our body craves it. Our body screams and cries for those things that God has forbidden for us. Until she has this fruit in front of her. It's forbidden. That's a good need of it. But it's good for food. But I'm hungry. My body is craving it.

In a similar way, Jesus, after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, he's there in the wilderness and the devil is tempting him. In Luke chapter 4. The thing he brings to Jesus, the first temptation that is recorded there, Luke chapter 4 verse 3, he says, look, since you're the son of God, tell these stones to become bones to become bread. You're hungry. Your body has desires, it has cravings. Fulfill those cravings. Provide for yourself bread. Unless to the flesh.

now all around us the world the world floods our life our life the things things and the promise promise that they will that they will fulfill fulfill that lust that lust that's in your flesh that's in your flesh those desires desires that your body is crazy it's crazy not that you're not supposed to eat you're not supposed to eat you're not supposed to be you're not supposed to breathe breathe but that way but that way to keep to keep our bodies our bodies within the limits that god has finished that god has set

I

The world tries to convince us. This is what will satisfy you, but the reality is, it will not. It will leave you empty. And so the lust of the flesh is the first thing. Then he goes on to talk about the lust of the eyes. How is lust of the eyes? What's wrong about that? Well, are their eyes covetousness or covetousness or materialism? This is chapter 3, verse 6. Eve, she's 6. She didn't say, I can eat that. That sounds good. That sounds good. It was pleasant to the eyes. To the eyes. Like this. It looks nice. It looks nice. Yeah, I want a part of this. Yeah, I want a part of this. And I want it in my life. My life.

It was appearing to her visually. It was appealing to her eyes. In the same way, Satan took Jesus to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. He said, I'll give all of this to you. I'll give it to you. If you die, worship me. Appealing to his eyes. Look at what you could have. Look at what could be yours. Covetousness. I'll ask with the eyes again. The world around us.

provides provides quite a feast quite a feast for our eyes for our eyes

And it was desirable to make one wise. Oh, she desired it. For the wisdom. It was desirable. Oh, it's going to make me wise. Here we find the idea of self-promotion. Of arrogance. Of exaltation of self. As opposed to humping myself. But in Jesus, I respond to the temple. He says to the temple, he says to Jesus, do it yourself, Jesus.

Jesus

A kind of life. Appealing. All around for us. There are these pressures. The natural to us. We grow up in them. Dreams and desires. If you only look out for number one. If you only promote yourself. If you only fill yourself with success. And set your goals. And I'll see you at the top. And you'll be satisfied. The kind of life. These things are not of the Father. These things are of the world. They're not of God at all.

The lust of the eye is in the pride of life. And so John says, don't love the world. Showing our lives and allowing ourselves to be consumed with these things is loving the world. I like the way David Guzik expresses it. He says, love is expressed in time, attention, and expense. We are encouraged and persuaded to give our time, attention,

Now, we can't cover

all of the possibilities the possibilities of how these things how these things could be could be portrayed or fulfilled in our lives and that's why i say listen hey listen you're a believer you're a believer you're a child of god you're a child of god john says i know you're a believer i know i know whether you're young because you need to stop loving the world and so i ask you i ask you i encourage you encourage you take take some time some time maybe you don't need to take time maybe that's why you're speaking to you right now right now respond but take some time take some time allow god to speak to you

Are there areas in your life that you need to stop loving the world? We need to stop filling your heart with the murky water that's around you. Because those things are not of the Father. Those things are not of God. Instead of the lust of the flesh, present your numbers to God as instruments of righteousness. Romans chapter 6 verse 19. Instead of fulfilling the lust of the eyes,

Set your mind on things above. Set your eyes on things above. Set your focus on eternity. Don't be consumed with this world and what it has to offer. Instead of engaging in the pride of life, self-promotion, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

You can't.

Be full of the pride of life and serving others. Humbling yourself. We don't work together. So allow God to speak to you. And know Jerry is where maybe there's some misalignment happening. Where there's some playing around with the things of the world. Because John says, do not love the world or the things in the world.

Whoever loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Verse 17. And the world is passing away. And the rest of it. But he who does the will of God abides forever. The world is passing away. Another reason why we should not engage in the things of this world is because they're passing away. Those who consume their lives with the passing away are passing away fast.

And he says the one who does the will of God abides forever. If you consume your life with the things of God, he says you will abide forever. Do you want to abide forever? How much is it for a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? So let's say you pursue the lust of the flesh, and you pursue the lust of the eyes, and you pursue the part of life, and you pursue the part of life, and you get, you still end up empty, and miserable, and miserable. And you know what? We know that. We know that. Because that's why we came to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ.

Because we do it already. The world has nothing that satisfies us. The world is not what fulfills us. The world is not what compels us to love Jesus Christ. Believers, we need to be reminded to stop loving the world because it's all around us. Seeking to seduce us. To pull us astray. To cause us to engage in these areas that are not of God. With the false promises. They will fulfill and satisfy us.

the realities, they're passing away, they will not last, but the one who does the will of God abides forever, don't let that junk spill into your life, do not love the world, Lot is a good example for us, remember what happened with Lot, him and Abraham were splitting up, they were really blessed by God, and so they couldn't be together anymore because there was too much contention and difficulty and tension,

And gives him a choice, you know, whichever way you go, I'll go the other way. So they lift up his eyes. He sees the rest of the eyes. He sees this particular area. He says, ooh, I like that area. So he goes in that direction. And we know it leads him into trouble. He ends up in the area of Sodom and Gomorrah. All kinds of cars. He can read about the story. But later on, he's led out by the angels. He's told, flee to this other city because this place is going to be judged. The angels say, don't look back.

As Lot lifted up his eyes towards Sodom, when he and Abraham were splitting, Lot's wife probably learned and thought like Lot, looked up her eyes and looked back, longing, desiring, and was in demise. But that place was passing away. In the same way, this world is passing away. This is Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah is judged. This world is judged. This world is going to be judged. It's going to be judged. It's not going to last. It's not going to last.

If you lift up your eyes, if you pursue after the things of the world, it will be your demise. And so John says, listen, guys, you are the children of God. Your sins have been forgiven. You have a relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe. He's the one who can satisfy you. Don't fill your life with these other things that will not last and will just leave you miserable.

Do not love the world. One last thought. In John chapter 15, verse 18 and 19, Jesus explained that we should not be surprised if the world hates us. He says, if the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you. Because it's a battle of worldviews. The way that we see life according to the word of God is completely contrary to the view presented and pounded into us.

Every day in this world. He says, if you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, because I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. So don't be surprised if the world hates you. Because the world hates me. Because I'm not of this world. And I called you out of this world. And so the world's going to hate you. Just as the world has hated me.

i think a good question i think a good question for us to consider is does the world is does the world hate you hate you not this not this every person every person hates you that's not the point that's not the point not to make every person hate you okay hate you okay so people it seems like that's what their objective is but that's not your objective that's not your objective but people in people in general society society in general in general the world the world as a whole will hate you the world but if the world does not hate does not hate you if your direction your direction is not is not in direct direct opposition to the opposition to the rest of the world point are not contrary contrary

the world does not hate you you know him stop stop loving the world loving the world fill your life fill your life instead with the things instead with the things of god of god and stop and stop pursuing the things of doing the things that the world the world is convinced is convinced just going to satisfy it you know you know better those things are passing away they're passing away

but if you fill your life you fill your life with the things of god you will be satisfied

God, we thank you that our sins are forgiven. We thank you, Lord, that we have the victory. We thank you, God, that we know you and that we can pursue a relationship with you. God, I pray that you would help us to stop loving the things of this world. Lord, if there's an area that we are loving the world,

I pray, Lord, that you would reveal it to us, that we might repent. Lord, for those that you've already been speaking to them and showing them things, I pray, Lord, that you would help them to turn and to get right and to remove those things from their life. Lord, that they would replace those things with the things that you have created, that you have designed.

Lord, that do fulfill. And that do satisfy. We thank you, Lord, for loving us so much. That you give us this opportunity to know you. You give us the chance to have the hope of eternity with you. And Lord, you're working in us now. Because you love us so dearly. Because we're your children. I pray, Lord, that you continue to minister to our hearts. Show us, Lord. The things that you want to reveal.

Amen. Amen. Amen.