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sermon notes
Am I loving the wrong one? – Lesson 7
1 John 2:15–17 ESV “2:15 ¶ 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.
2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Choices, choices. We make choices every day. But some choices have greater impact than other ones. What is the most significant choice you have made in your life? Who you married? What you do for a living? Or who you serve?
Joshua placed a choice before the nation of Israel.
Joshua 24:1 ESV “¶ Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God.”
Joshua called all the leaders from the different tribes of Israel to come before the Lord. When they gathered, Joshua addressed them, beginning with this statement, “Thus says the Lord God, the God of Israel, long ago.” He gets their attention; the Lord is speaking to them. The Lord reminds the nation of Israel how He has preserved, lead, blessed, and provided for them throughout the years. Lord reminds them He gave them the land, the Promised Land. He gave them a land filled with vineyards, orchards, and houses they did not build.
Now, Joshua puts a decision before the leaders of the nation. They have a choice to make. A choice that will determine their future.
Choose who you will serve?
Joshua 24:14–15 ESV “24:14 ¶ “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
24:15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””
Joshua reminds them the choice is theirs to make, but, as far as his house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua warned the leaders of Israel if they turn away from the Lord, then consequences will follow. Joshua has made his choice for himself and his family.
Joshua warned the leaders of Israel if they turn away from the Lord, then consequences will follow.
John puts a choice before us today. We must choose who we love, the world, or the Lord. The choice is ours and so are the consequences.
Joshua 24:20–21 ESV “24:20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.”
24:21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.””
What are the choices?
1 John 2:15–17 ESV “2:15 ¶ 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.
2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Choice is simple: love the Lord or love the world. But, you cannot do both. You cannot love both the world and the Lord at the same time because they are opposite of each other. One who loves the world will reject the Lord and the one who loves the Lord will reject the world.
Jesus tells His disciples that you cannot love both money (things of the world) and the Lord at the same time.
Matthew 6:24 ESV “¶ “No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.”
So, we must make a choice. And with every choice, there are rewards and consequences. Rewards are the blessings from the choice, and the consequences are the results of the choice. If you choose the world, then you will receive both benefits and consequences. If you choose the Lord, then you will receive both benefits and consequences.
You must make the decision which one is right for me. You must decide.
What happens if one chooses the world?
Here is a young man faced with that decision.
Mark 10:17–25 ESV “10:17 ¶ And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
10:18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
10:19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”
10:20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”
10:21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
10:22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
10:23 ¶ And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
10:24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!
10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.””
The young man had great wealth, but he also had a desire for eternal life. He knew something was missing in his life, so he went to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
He wanted to be prepared for eternity. He realized there was life after death. So, he wanted to know what he had to do to insure he had eternal life.
Jesus responded with part of the 10 commandments dealing with others, like do not kill, do not commit adultery, etc. He affirmed he was a good, moral person and had not broken those commandments.
Then Jesus addressed the question of who he loved the most, his money or the Lord. Jesus’ question dealt with the commandments dealing with one’s relationship with the Lord.
Exodus 20:1–3 ESV “20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
When Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, the young man made the choice to continue worshipping and serving his wealth because, whether or not he realized it, money and possessions were his god.
What is the allurement of the world?
1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”
What does he mean by the world?
The world that John is speaking in this passage must be defined. Is John speaking about the same world that he stated in John 3:16? Should we not love the world how God loved the world? Is the world in John 3:16 and 1 John 2:15 the same world, with the same meaning?
The world mentioned in John 3:16 is readily understood as the people of the world. Jesus came to save the ones of the world, the ones born in the world. So, is this the same world that he is speaking about in 1 John 2:15?
The world John is speaking in about 1 John 2:15 is not the physical world, such as the trees, mountains, etc. The world John is speaking about is not the people.
The world John is speaking about is:
Present age – a person can love this world, the present life in the world that he does not look to eternity or the things of God. He is living and loving this present life – the physical things of the body and world. He has placed a greater love and emphasis on the present world than on God.
Possessions – a person can love the materialism of this world. He can spend all of his life to attain the material possessions of this world.
“The third use of the word kosmos in Scripture refers to the combined activities, affairs, advantages, and accumulated assets of the worldly men on the earth. The Bible calls all these “the things that are in the world” (I John 2:15), “this world’s goods (I John 3:17). This usage of kosmos is not limited to material things, but it includes abstract things which have spiritual and moral (or immoral) values.”1
Luke 12:15–21 ESV “12:15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
12:16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
12:17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’
12:18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
12:19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
12:20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
12:21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.””
Allurement of the body (flesh)
Lust of the flesh is fulfilling the desires of the physical body.
“Lust is the Greek word , evpiqumi’a epithumia {ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah} • from 1937; TDNT – 3:168,339; n f • AV – lust 31, concupiscence 3, desire 3, lust after 1; 38 • 1) desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust • For Synonyms see entry 58452”
James 4:2–3 ESV “4:2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
What is the difference between natural desire and lust? Every person has a natural desire to satisfy the needs of the body. When one is hungry, the natural desire is to eat. However, lust is when a person’s natural desire is turned into an intense desire to fulfill a need outside the guidelines God has ordained.
We usually associate lust with the sexual desire. David’s lust for Bathsheba is a picture of the difference between the natural desire for intimacy with his wife to being replaced with a lustful desire for a beautiful woman he saw. Lust is a choice a person makes. Lust is an intense desire. A person can desire or lust after many things. Lust is a strong desire to possess or experience outside the boundaries God has established.
There is a difference between having a desire and having lust. Desires of the body are natural. However, lustful desires are when the desire becomes an obsession to possess regardless of the consequences. Lust wants to be fulfilled and does not consider the consequences.
1 Corinthians 10:6 ESV “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.”
Galatians 5:16–17 ESV “5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
5:17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”
James 1:14–15 ESV “1:14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
1:15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
“Love can wait and worship endlessly; lust says, “I must have it at once.”3
When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he committed sins of both lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. His lust clouded his judgment because he lustfully hoped to fulfill the pleasures of the flesh.
Allurement of the eyes
Lust of the eyes is the desire to have all that one’s eyes see – unrestraint wanting.
It is mental, above the physical – desires of sight.
Eyes denote that which we long for or want
Summed up in two words:
1. Covetousness – desire to have that which someone else already has.
2. Materialism – to have worldly things. Not that things are evil, but it is evil when these things become the objects of our desires.
“Materialism – Definitions & Doctrines
Materialism can refer either to the simple preoccupation with the material world, as opposed to intellectual or spiritual concepts, or to the theory that physical matter is all there is. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter, without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. Materialism can also refer to a doctrine that material success and progress are the highest values in life. This doctrine appears to be prevalent in western society today. Materialism can also refer to the term, Cultural Materialism.”4
“Materialism’s goals and their end results:
- Acquisition of material goods (lust, envy, false comfort, idolatry)
- Self interests, (selfishness, no compassion, greed, denies eternal soul and the Creator)
- Accumulation, equivalent to success (no morals, no sense of right or wrong, preoccupation to money, jealousy, thievery)
- Voiding all faith and spiritual deity (hopelessness, unrepentant sin, despair, eternal death)
The opposite of theism (belief in God) is atheism, stating there is no god. Therefore, we can look at materialism as atheistic or antichrist in nature — materialism operated rampantly throughout the world, regardless of religious foundations. Increasingly, societies have become secular and humanistic in nature. Humanism denies any spiritual nature of mankind. Man has set himself and his material desires (his idols) above all else, including God.”5
Ephesians 5:5–7 ESV “5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
5:7 Therefore do not become partners with them;”
Colossians 3:5–7 ESV “3:5 ¶ Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
3:6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
3:7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.”
Allurement of the Ego
Pride of life is the desire for power, fame, and to satisfy the selfish ego. Pride is the sin that one is more important than all others. It places more value on oneself than anyone else, even the Lord.
Pride is the “Greek word avlazonei’a alazoneia {al-ad-zon-i’-a} • from 213; TDNT – 1:226,36; n f • AV – boasting 1, pride 1; 2 • 1) empty, braggart talk 2) an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights 3) an impious and empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthy things”6
Pride contains the following:
- Who you are
- What you are
- Your heritage
- Your ability – physical or mental
- Your resources, fame, power
- Your status
- Your wealth, etc.
Question: which one these do you consider the worse?
1. Sins of the flesh
2. Sins of the eyes
3. Pride of life
All are just as sinful as the next!
The greatest example of all three categories of sin.
Genesis 3:1–10 ESV “3:1 ¶ Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. ¶ He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
3:3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
3:8 ¶ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
3:9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
3:10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.””
Here is one of the simplest pictures of the allurement of the world and the consequences that follow.
Notice the allurement always begins with a lie, a falsehood. Satan lied to Eve that she would not die if she ate fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He lies to her by placing the allurement of what it will do for her if she will just eat.
Genesis 2:16–17 ESV “2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.””
This is the allurement of the world. Just take a little bite; it will not hurt you. It will make you better, wiser, stronger, and so much more. The world lies by focusing on the pleasure it will bring to the body, eyes, and one’s ego.
Eve fell into the trap set by Satan. She began looking at the tree differently. Instead of obedience, she reasoned with herself why she must partake of the forbidden fruit.
Genesis 3:6 “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
All three aspects of sin were present. Lust of the flesh because the fruit will taste good. Lust of the eyes because the fruit is a delight, looks great and pleasing to the sight. Pride of life because if I eat the fruit I will become wise, fill with pride of what I have become.
So she made a choice and ate. Sadly, she just didn’t eat the fruit herself. She brought some to her husband so he could eat. Sin does this. It affects more than just one individual but others as well.
Allurement of the world consequences
1 John 2:17 ESV “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Genesis 3:7 “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
3:8 ¶ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
3:9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
3:10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.””
A moment of pleasure cost Adam and Eve their covering of holiness. God clad them in holiness, but when they sinned, it left them naked. Sin broke their fellowship with the Lord. And fear entered their lives for the first time. They were afraid of the Lord and hid because of their sins.
Allurement of the world has an intense draw on individuals because it promises the instant gratification of the body, eyes, and ego. However, it never warns of the eternal consequences of separation from God.
World only promotes the pleasure and fulfillment, never the consequences.
Matthew 16:24–26 ESV “16:24 ¶ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
16:25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
16:26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
What are the blessings of loving the Lord?
Loving the Father is trusting in His Son for one’s salvation and obeying His word because of His Son and all His benefits toward me.
Psalm 68:19 ESV “¶ Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah”
Psalm 116:12 ESV “¶ What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?”
Romans 12:1–2 ESV “12:1 ¶ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
What are the benefits of knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour?
1. Eternal Life
2. Forgiven
3. Redeemed
4. Justified
5. Sanctified
6. New Family
7. God’s hand of protection, providence, etc.
8. Inheritance in eternity
9. New Body
10 Home in heaven
11. Joy and peace
12. Grace and mercy
13. And more than I can ever list. Many blessings we do not even know or realize.
What does it really mean for me to love the Father?
Luke 19:1–10 ESV 19:1 “He entered Jericho and was passing through.
Luke 19:2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
Luke 19:3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.
Luke 19:4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”
Luke 19:6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
Luke 19:7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”
Luke 19:9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Notice the transformation in the life of Zacchaeus. Before meeting Jesus, his life was about making money. People hated chief tax collectors in his day because they used their office to gain great wealth from the people. By overcharging their taxes, he could keep the extra money for himself.
Contrary to the rich young ruler, Zacchaeus changed from serving his wealth and possessions to serving the Lord. He readily gave half of his wealth to the poor and offered to pay anyone four times more if he cheated them. His life was transformed. His direction in life changed. Making money was no longer the goal of his life. Wealth was taking off the throne of his heart. Jesus became the Lord of his life.
Beauty of God’s grace
One of the greatest advice my father gave me concerning making decisions was, “Not every decision is sealed in concrete. You can choose again.” He was reminding me that some decisions, even though they carry consequences, are not always eternal. You can change your mind and your direction.
Just because a person has loved the world does not mean they have to continue loving the world, he can choose to love the Lord.
Many have fallen into the glittering trap the world offers. They yielded to the lustful desires of the flesh and the eyes. They have allowed their egos to direct them toward seeking fame and power. But, all is not lost because the Lord is merciful and waiting for the sinner to come home.
Luke 15:11–24 ESV “15:11 ¶ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.
15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.
15:13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
15:14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
15:15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
15:16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
15:17 ¶ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!
15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’
15:20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
15:21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
15:22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
15:23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”
The prodigal son is a beautiful picture of the grace and mercy of the Lord. Son, who rejected his father and left for the far country to spend his days in sinful activities, finally sees the futility of this world and comes home. He does not come home proud. He comes home humbly saying, “Father, I am not worthy to be called your son. Just let me be one of your servants.” The father embraces him, loves him, and restores him. He proudly proclaims my son, who was lost, has come home.
Maybe you have fallen into the trap of this world and finally realize the futility of it all. The Lord is waiting for you to come home. He wants you to come home. He desires for you to come home. His desire for you to come home is measured in the sacrifice His Son, Jesus Christ, made on the cross of Calvary.
Will you leave this world behind and follow Christ?
Things to Consider:
1. What is most important in my life? My wealth, possessions, pleasures, fame, power, or is serving the Lord the most important part of my life?
2. Do I realize love is a choice I make? Have I chosen to love the things of this world over loving the Lord?
1 http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/w/world.htm
2 Strong’s Concordance
3 Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)
4 https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/materialism.htm
5 https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/effects-of-materialism-faq.htm
6 Strong’s Concordance