Good evening. Last week we looked at the idea of love, and this week we are going to explore loving the world.
But first, what is the “world?”
To start tonight turn to the Gospel of John 17:13-19. This section in John’s gospel is parallel with a section in his first letter. Here in John 17:13-19 it says, “1”
From this section we see the Christians relationship to the world.
So, what do you think our relationship to the world should be?
Well from these verses I have found just three quick points about our relationship with the world. Point number one is that we are to be in the wold. Verse 15 again says, “1” Where is it that we find Jesus doing his ministry? It is important that we remain in the world, but do not become the world.
The second point that I see here is that the scene needs to be the church verses the world. in verses 15- 16 it says, “1” Jesus was not of the world, and we are not to be either. As Christians we are opposed to the things of this world, so we are against the world.
And the third point that I see here is that the church needs to be serving the world. I know that since we are supposed to be against the world, that it is odd to hear me say that we need to serve the world, but in verse 18 here it says, “1”
Jesus still spent time in serving the people of the world, in hopes that he may reach them for Christ. Taking into account Jesus’ prayer, what might be the problem if the church is not winning the world to Christ?
Ok, with that introduction we are ready to see what John writes in his letter of I John. Last Sunday we looked at two tests that show if we are on the right track spiritually. What were they again? (obedience and love)
Soon we will look at a third test, but in I John 2:12-17 the apostle backs off from his arguments for a moment, so that he can encourage his readers.
A group of first-graders had just completed a tour of a hospital, and the nurse who had directed them was asking for questions. Immediately a hand went up. “How come the people who work here are always washing their hands?” a little fellow asked. After the laughter had subsided, the nurse gave a wise answer:
“They are ‘always washing their hands for two reasons. First, they love health; and second, they hate germs.”
In more than one area of life, love and hate go hand in hand. A husband who loves his wife is certainly going to exercise a hatred for what would harm her. Psalms 97:10 says, “Let those who love the Lord, hate evil.” Or later in Romans 12:9 it says, “ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, and cling to what is good.”
John’s letter here has reminded us to exercise love—the right kind of love. But it does warn us that there is a wrong kind of love, a love that God hates. This is a love for what the Bible calls “the world.” Let’s go ahead and read I John 2:12-17. Here in I John 2:12-17 it says, “2”
The first thing that we come to is how John shows us three different levels of Spiritual Growth. First we see the “Little Children.” These are the new believers, they are babies in Christ. They still feed on the “milk of the word.” They know the father, and are growing to love Him.
Second we see the “Young Men.” These are those who have been Christians for awhile, and are experiencing daily battles in their Christian life. As it says in verse 14 they have overcome the evil one. They are further along the road to loving God than the ones in the “Little Children” stage.
The third group that John mentions are the “Fathers.” These are those who have a deeper relationship with the Lord. They know Him “Who has been from the beginning as it says in verses 13 and 14. God is not just their Heavenly Father, but they know Him as the Sovereign God of the universe … the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords … the Eternal God Who has unlimited power and might and majesty. They are the ones who truly love God.
Now the part that I want to focus on and end with this evening is verses 15-17. Could I get someone to read that for me again?
Verse 15 starts off by saying, “Do not love the world or anything in the world.” After reading that I feel that there are three good reasons for that. The first reason is because of what the world is. In verse 16 it says, “2”
The world is the opposite of what is godly. John tells us how Satan does this to us. Satan uses “lust” and “pride” to draw us away from loving God, and causes us to love the world. I don’t have to tell you how Satan uses the “flesh”, and the “eye”, and “pride” to tempt you to follow the world. He caters the temptation to your particular and individual weakness.
William Barclay says, "To be subject to the flesh’s desire is to judge everything in this world by purely material standards. It is to live a life dominated by the senses." That is exactly what Satan wants us to do, and that is why he tempts us with these things.
A senior student in a Christian college was known for his excellent grades and his effective Christian service. He was out preaching each weekend and God was using him to win the souls of many people and to challenge Christians. Then something happened: his testimony was no longer effective, his grades began to drop, and even his personality seemed to change. The president called him in. “There’s been a change in your life and your work,” the president said, “and I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”
The student was evasive for a time, but then he told the story. He was engaged to a lovely Christian girl and was planning to get married after graduation. He had been called to a fine church and was anxious to move his new bride into the parsonage and get started in the ministry full time there. “I’ve been so excited about it that I’ve even come to the place where I don’t want the Lord to come back!” he confessed. “And then the power dropped out of my life.” His plans—good and beautiful as they were—came between him and the Father. He lost his enjoyment of the Father’s love. He was placing his love in the things of this world.
John points out that the world system uses three devices to trap Christians: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
These same devices trapped Eve back in the Garden and they still trap us today. First we have The lust of the flesh. And this includes anything that appeals to man’s fallen nature. “The flesh” does not mean “the body.” Rather, it refers to the basic nature of a sinful man that makes him blind to spiritual truth.
The second device that the world uses to trap the Christian is called “the lust of the eyes.” We sometimes forget that the eyes can have an appetite too! Have you ever said yourself or heard someone else say, “Feast your eyes on this”? The lust of the eyes operates in a more refined way. We have television that depicts things that cause us to sin, there are so many ways that the world tries to trap us with the lust of the eyes.
The third device is the “pride of life”. God’s glory is rich and full; man’s glory is vain and empty. In fact, the Greek word for “pride” was used to describe a braggart who was trying to impress people with his importance. People have always tried to outdo others in their spending and their getting. The boastful pride of life motivates much of what such people do. Why is it that so many folks buy houses, cars, appliances, or wardrobes that they really cannot afford? Why do they fall to the “travel now, pay later” advertising and get themselves into hopeless debt taking vacations far beyond their means? Largely it is because they want to impress themselves and other people—because of their “pride of life.” They may want folks to notice how affluent or successful they are. They have a pride of life and want to be better than everyone else.
Because of these reasons, it is important that as Christians we should not love the world because of what the world is.
Second we should not love the world because of what the world does to us. In the second part of verse 15 it says, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” By loving the world it effects the way that we love God. This is where the BATTLE is. This is the EVIDENCE as to whether you are really saved or not … WHERE DO YOU STAND WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORLD?
The Bible uses the word “world” in various different ways:
o The physical planet … mountains, tree, grass, rivers, etc.
o The people on the planet … ALL or a special group of people.
o False religions, lifestyles and values in opposition to God … this is what John means by the “world” here in this chapter of I John.
Satan is the ruler of the “world”, and in John 12:31 it mentions that in a way. Here in John 12:31 it says, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” Satan is orchestrating the world of politics, entertainment, culture, and even religion in a rebellion against God.
NOW THAT’S NOT TO SAY that we aren’t to APPRECIATE some of the things in the “world” when it is talking about the planet. We LIVE in this world, and we can still appreciate God’s nature, use the things of this world for our pleasure, and enjoy the material and physical things of this “world”.
BUT – We aren’t to LIVE for the things of this “world” … we aren’t to LOVE the things of this “world”. We can possess THINGS … but THINGS are never to possess us. We are IN the world … but we are not to be OF the world. We are not to be CONFORMED to the world as it says in Romans 12:2.
But remember that You can’t love the “world”, and love God at the same time … they are opposed to each other. Either your love for the world will take the place of your love for God … or your love for God will take the place of your love for the “world”.
You can’t have both “loves” in the same heart. If a person SAYS he is a Christian, yet loves the “world”, he’s a LIAR … because the love of God isn’t in him.
In Matthew 6:24 it says, “No one can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.” You can’t travel down 2 roads at the same time.
A good example of this can be found in The Rich Young Ruler. As he came to Jesus and his heart was full of love for the “world”. Jesus told him to sell all that he had. BUT … he couldn’t give up his love-affair with the world, so he could fall in love with God. His desire for the world was so strong that he couldn’t let go of it. You can’t love the “world” and love God at the same time.
Verse 15, which says, "Stop loving this world", seems even more baffling when you remember that in the third chapter of the Gospel of John it says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son..." And that idea goes back to when I said that we need to still serve the world in order that we may gain new believers in Christ.
Finally the third reason that we should not love the world is because of where the world is going. In verses 16 and 17 it says, “2”
The world is set up for destruction and defeat. The things of this world will pass away. Judgment will come and this world is not going to do so well.
So what is the final result of following the “world”? The world isn’t getting “better and better” … it’s getting “worse and worse”! Someone once said that, “living for this world is like rearranging the furniture on the Titanic.” The Titanic IS going down. This world is doomed. You’d better jump ship. It does no good to spend all your time rearranging the furniture on the Titanic when you know that it is going down.
In closing tonight I have a few questions for you to think about and hopefully make changes in you life in needed.
Where do things fall in your list of priorities?
Does your relationship with God and other spiritual aspects of life take precedent over the things of this world?
Do you love the world more than you love God?
The downward steps and their consequences are illustrated in the life of Lot. First Lot looked toward Sodom. Then he pitched his tent toward Sodom in the well-watered plains of the Jordan. Then he moved into Sodom. And when the enemy captured Sodom, Lot was captured too. He was a believer, but he still had to suffer with the unbelieving sinners of that wicked city. And when God destroyed Sodom, everything Lot lived for went up in smoke!
Could I get someone to look up James 4:4?
Someone else find James 1:26?
If I could get someone to have ready I John 2:15?
Someone get Romans 12:2?
And someone else find I Corinthians 11:32?
It is a slippery Road and a downward spiral.
First it starts off as friendship with the world. In James 4:4 it says…
Then it moves to where you are spotted by the world. In James 1:26 it says…
After that it becomes a love for the world, and in I John 2:15 it says…
Then we move to the point that we become conformed to the world. However in Romans 12:2 it says…
Finally we see that it ends with being condemed with the world. It is in I Corinthians 11:32 where it says…
So, the choice is yours…to love the world of the Wicked One or to love the will of the Severing One.
Let’s pray |
