God Lovers, Not World Lovers

MidFirst John chapter 2. Let's go back there. First John chapter 2 John is the aged apostle and the these are just a tenderness in the sweetness in his tone. Yet at times he can be quite clear and quite stern and quite to the point because his love for the truth always directed his emotions and his compassion. Notice that phrase is love of the truth, directed his emotions and his compassion. That's why we all want to be. As we look at in our world today and found emotions run amok up never seen a time when just feelings were everything and the feelings will have to be based on any facts. As I said in a sermon a week or so ago, the new mantra is if I feel it's real and I can judge you, and determined that your this or that or whatever. If I feel that that's the way you are so bizarre thing. Aren't you glad were people of the truth, and we don't function that way because this is just it, it can't ended a good place you know is Benjamin Franklin brother Matt told me before the service that time as he left the constitutional convention. They ask you what have you wrought he said we've developed a republic, if you can keep the point is this, this nation of every man gets a boat you know that had not occurred before they had come from Europe where everything was an absolute monarchy of church state had total control of everything you had no freedoms and liberties so they designed this Constitution for this new nation where man had liberties and he had freedoms but they said only a good and moral people and keep this when we lose our character and we lose our morality then then will have to be ruled by about control and and absolutism to keep some sort of sanity in the culture was pray the Lord's not ready for that list, for he gives us a revival in our land, but I will take some folks I'm not here to save America from here to build church.

I'm not here save America. I'm here to build church and by the way you build enough true churches. You do the best thing you can do to save America one Harvard history professor said, without the preaching of Protestant ministers that did notice the discovery of America.

And he's right. It was those early Pilgrims and Puritans who had a passion to go worship according to the Scriptures that really was the foundation stone that built our country well first John chapter 2 John continues to write and he says in verses 15 through 17 first John chapter 2 do not love the world nor the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world here characterizes it lust of flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the father but is from the world.

The world is passing away, and also its lust, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. I've entitled this godmothers not world lovers, God lovers not world lovers. Now when you're saved you can no longer be a world lover you can no longer love the world that does not mean you can't enjoy a lot of the things God's given us in the world to enjoy our Lord did that Jesus ate in the home of a wealthy Pharisees, and they probably fixed him a succulent meal and there's all indication he ate like anybody else and enjoyed it. He enjoyed that that bounty that God has given all of us to enjoy. Jesus enjoy dinner at Matthew's house we know Matthew the tax collector was very wealthy as he cheated and basically stole people from the money with exorbitant taxation. But Jesus cited his house. He was converted as you know, probably enjoyed lecturing in a fine meal. Zach ES the same way the eight executives. His house, the field, Peter spoke with fish.

He accepted the the woman's perfume that she anointed him with probably a year's wages.

The Bible says so.

There were times many times when our Lord showed that he enjoyed nice and good things that are in this world that's not loving the world God's given us these common grace gifts that we can enjoy and praise him for. That's the key. That's not a world lover that's enjoying some of things God's given us in the world. Now our first point will be in verse 15. Loving the world and the proper definition of loving the world is incompatible with loving the father loving the world is incompatible with loving the father to keep with our title world lovers are incompatible or inconsistent with God lovers. The word love in verse 15 do not love the world of the things in the world is that Greek word agape again but is used in a different way here.

Generally, agape's use of that unique love that only God has given to his children. He he birthed it in us supernaturally when we were safe cannot challenge you, young person listen to my voice to not you know I love you and I care for you cannot challenge you mom and dad cannot challenge you see your dog is there evidence of the new birth in the presence of agape love.

We know God's get out has given all mankind, a type of love and as Christians we have a love for all mankind.

That's why were enraged when we save file criminal injustice done to another human being because we love human beings made in the image of God. We stand against that but there is a different and separate and an even greater love.

God's given us for him and for one another and that's usually when the Greek word agape. If you but here he uses the agape and says don't agape the world and in the idea here is that's impossible.

Anyway, if you have agape, you can't love the world with that kind of devotion with that kind of embracing with that kind of intimacy with that kind of loyalty don't do that with the world though. In 16 incompatible in one since it's impossible for that to happen in the other way we can backslide and begin to embrace the world as if we agape, we held close and in embrace this world and the things of the world. I think it's likely that there were some in the church as John was writing to head again, at least outwardly to switch allegiances and were now giving too much attention to the things in the world. I think probably for most of these there, though those mentioned in first John 219. Because in first John 219 he'd Artie told them well that there there are those who went out from us, but they are not really up us. Had they been up us. They would've stayed with us, but they went out from us, that it might be shown that all are not really of us as a church matures, the number of those in the membership who are not really others get smaller and smaller and smaller. That's been our experience to be there every Everett to be the experience of every church that matures onward in God. These churches had not been around all that long, and I think they were still dealing with a lot of that.

So they have a lot in the church, perhaps, who were false professors and in their lifestyles they still look like they love the world and you had some true professors who fell into that lifestyle who did need to be there now.

One thing that this some loot the word world here I should say the word world here does not mean nature God made the world and all that is there in the Bible tells us that mean that to you can't enjoy the things that God's put out there that we called nature. It doesn't mean that we do not love humanity we know God's is God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son we have a love for all mankind that's always talking about the one person said, listen to this. If we love the world the way God loves it.

We would not love the world as we ought not to love it if we look at the way God loves it. We would not love it the way we all not to love it.

The world the word rather can't say those two together. The word world means to order are to arrangers what God saying, since sin has entered the world, and things are fallen and things are upside down now the world's become a corrupt place. It's arranged wrong. Now it's structured wrong now and there is no way we can love the God of order and truth in a world of now disorder and untruth.

That's what he say you can't embrace what the little worlds become now that CN has entered into. You can't love some people would call it this world system. Why, because now the world is structured. Now the world functions. According to a system that is anti-God.

God is no longer the center. God is no longer the foundation. Another times and civilizations. When countries like I think earlier in our country, Francis Schaeffer, the Christian philosophy would say early in American history. We had a Christian consensus in our country.

Not every single person was a Christian, but it was widely embrace that biblical truths were the way we need to function as a people. Now that's been radically rejected. Even in America where about the last to go. And now we are fully functioning fully being arranged and going along in a godless way and we can't love that it's all opposed to God this world system. The Bible tells us as temporary rulers.

Satan is the god of this world. Second Corinthians 44. The citizens are called the children of this world look 16 eight the spirit first printed step two is called the spirit of this world and this fallen world has its own wisdom. It's called the wisdom of the world. One guy was functioning on a church nominating committee for new pastor and and of the Mitch and demand that they want to consider calling us the new pastor and one woman spoke up and said we don't need to consider him because he is a thermometer instead of a thermostat he sees prone to this kind of go with whatever's going on around him. Instead of being consistent in his convictions and affecting others.

For God, what about you and have you slipped a little bit to where too often you're a thermometer and not a thermostat is a good point that shows that you're beginning to love the world too much blood on calling you names but I'm tell you it frustrates me, gives me a righteous indignation here. Some Christian Baptist Christian leaders commenting on the present situation and they are 100% pandering to the trend in the spirit of the day to the same with the Bible sentence, but if you can't love somebody and go along with them even if they're hurting and they're not stating the truth did you hear me yes compassion and yes kindness yes consideration if they gone through something. But you cannot love them and affirm them in error but you know what Southern Baptist been doing this for so long.

Every win that comes along every cultural trend. Every new fad to a degree so the bed to suggest body not been living too long. I watched it over and over again is just a new part of the circus every few years and we embrace and say this will help us reach people.

I see what it's if you go to if you ruin your churches and water them down and bring the world in to the church. This is the sad commentary. Unfortunately of too many who profess faith in Jesus Christ that is embracing and treasuring and putting their arms around the spirit of the agent of the world that is Satan controlled, not God centered. Listen to what Jesus prayed in John 1715 through 17 Jesus asked the heavenly father about his followers and says I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world, sanctify them, and truth.

Your word is truth, not asking to come out of the world, but keep him safe in it. They're not object, child of God, you're in the world but you are not of the world. Your of another world. Your of the world in outer space.

You're an alien down here Bible calls the strangers and aliens of your stranger than others, but were all strangers and aliens to a world that doesn't know God. Folks listen to me this world shouldn't understand us when we speak the way we see things from biblical specter. They'll think we're nuts they'll call you all kinds of nasal label you with all kinds of terrible labels why because were not of the world and we don't function according to the wisdom of the world right now. The wisdom of the world is all about emotion and I might add silly emotions.

A lot of what I'm saying this like childish silly drama wind I bought on the go there. My left open up go there so will go there love for the world and love for the father cannot exist side-by-side.

That's what he saying here don't love the world of the things of the world. If you do.

He continues verse 15 the love of the father is not in you. What I'm looking for. Met Matthew 624 no one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth will neither can you serve God in the world. Now you may struggle with loving the world you may struggle with embracing the world. Here's what I'll ask that you listen to pastor are you in the fight. I think last week in a Christian do this and be a Christian can Christian be involved in this and be a Christian and not first response is always well below are they fighting are they repenting are they struggling. They striving on the looking for help and accountability we all sin you have to get the Ratan run was seen in the global scene that's loving the world so loving the world is not loving the father, Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this.

If I had a brother who had been murdered. What you think of me if I daily consorted with the assassin who drove the dagger into my brothers art surely ought to must be an accomplice in the crime scene and murdered Christ and will you befriend to it. Sin pierced the heart of the incarnate God can you love scene that's the point. There's something in us that even in those weak moments when were embracing the things of the world. The anti-God things of the world. Not a nice meal are beautiful sunset are our thousand one good things out there on talk about when you're bracing what this world systems about something in you that says this makes me sick. I hate this and I hate me for liking it.

Your Puritan said the sins which my flesh loves.

I hate that make you got the agape and you did you hear that the sales that my flesh loves hate, hate me for liking. Well first of all John says these are incompatible. You can't embrace and go along with love for a godless world and so you love the heavenly father at the same time when secondly, a description of loving the world he he describes it and unfolds it here beginning in verse 16 for all that is in the world and this is something about a comprehensive outline, but not exhaustive in that they really overlap one another, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the father but is from the world. The main idea is these are things that are not from God. These are things that come out of our fallen flesh. These are things that are of the devil that there is proper enjoyment again.

Again, that's good.

Proper enjoyment is when you participate in something that's in this world, but God had forbidden the way. But what makes it proper is as you enjoy it you always sense a God word attitude about it.thank you for allowing this. Your God centered.

So there's a God word gratitude. Secondly, there's godly guidance. Another word you wouldn't get involved in something that's obviously violate Scripture against our Lord. You want to be God in the things that you do enjoy in the world by the word of God.

And then there's God.

God word praise for his wisdom, that is his wisdom that's given you a higher aim higher principle to live by kick I just is just amazing to me how people today they think that the federal government is this eternal source of endless.

I mislike the federal government will always have enough of other people's money are money and have any money they'll have our money the federal government can always have enough of our money to fix anything and everything come up against in life. Every situation there to bail me out. Where did we get that that's not what this country was founded on that new embracing of blood to the government for everything the government has become the new Sarah got father and for a lot of these feminist all they hate this might hate me if they heard me say it, the government has become the surrogate husband for the feminist that's who she looks to for perfection per protection per provision or care. She don't admit it but that's what she's doing. Looking to the government fix everything and new regulations. New laws that will hurt what's my point is that matter where you go, the spirit of the age and ungodly spirit is look to the secular authority to fix me.

You know we need in our country when it is time we had to get on our knees and we have nowhere to cry but to God. Nowhere to cry but to God. He may be taken as their brothers and sisters. I don't know where John here though outline something of an outline of what this loving the world looks like a personal thesis, the lust of the flesh in verse 16, I defined that this way, satisfying a God-given desire in an ungodly way satisfying a God-given desire in an ungodly way, whether it's food with her sleep enjoyment's sexuality and on and on we could go. It's a good thing.

It's a gift from God, but we fall into the spirit of the world we fall into the godless world and we become satisfying that in a dirty, ugly or shameful way, lust of the flesh, then he says, the lust of the eyes we desire the things that the world calls good we desire. The thing to type this makes you happy. With desire the things of the world's is all this will satisfy you because to our eyes. It looks good. That's nothing wrong to see something in sial would like to have better enjoy the habit. Here's what you say if it pleases God and glorifies God. God, that would be your will on take it or leave it. I try to function that women tenure score thousand. I generally try to function that way and I don't see how God usually works. Not all the time but usually when I don't have to have it, he gives it to me when he finally gets into.

I can honestly say if I don't have it hallelujah have got you, then he'll let me have it. You experience that God likes to do good things for his children, but he does not want us to replace him with the things of the world because that would be hurtful to us and of course this honoring to him. You see your eyes, the lust of the eyes, your eyes can have an appetite. You've heard someone say, feast your eyes on this feast your eyes on Jesus is what we should be doing. One scholar says this lust of the eyes may include or may be more so about the pleasures of the mind, the sophisticated intellectual pleasures.

The Romans and the Greeks live for these high polluting in an elitist type philosophers and philosophies and they were all godless. How much of our minds are carried away by television and computers and smart phones in the boastful pride of life. This is when a person brags our boast about deeds or possessions are done in this world. Don't be out of balance here.

The Bible does not teach that a Christian should accomplish things at the world applauds simple matter fact I want our young people to do well and I want them to take sale and I want them to become lawyers and politicians and and business owners. That's good, but from your heart.

You don't embrace it. The way Donald Trump would embrace it, you let your ego be the center of it. God's purposes and God's glory is what you look for even in your accomplishments that the world might applaud our president, though I agree with his policies and is at the oddest thing that God would give us a president that Bible believing Christians can agree with on so many points and is an absolute narcissist pride filled egomaniac is always antagonistic. He's not my hero. He drives me crazy. God help us with her choice. Somebody said what Christian should vote for the lesser of two evils. I don't about for the lesser of three books vote for the Democrat. And remember, you vote for who they have to answer to. Can you imagine who Joe Biden's got answer to even want to lose.

I mean bizarre was our disband police forces all the way down the line. This bizarre thing with Esther.

That's a talking make that choice. The other choice is to not vote for Donald Trump and actually do vote for by second choice. If you don't vote for him.

You actually have another gap in the third choice would be from is not my hero. You know it he's an interesting study because there's a lot to teach a young man about his determination discourages tenacity. He never quits. There's good qualities. And then he cancels them out with such bad qualities you can be strong what what what did they call Abraham Lincoln. He had steel velvet steel velvet. I'm still learning that myself. I will be too critical of leaders because I'm still being formed myself, but I don't know how got off on all that actually boastful pride of life. That's how got a phone.

Well anyway John is saying.

Have you let these things get you into a tracking of being a world lover set of God lover is a story about a duck. This duck was flying and migrating and autumn with his duck buddy's and as their flying over he saw farmer's barn down there to pond and some domesticated ups and he thought that looks fun and one of the heat he flew down there and he landed for a little while and he ate some of the corn the farmer throughout and swim around in the duck pond. There were some cutie ducks around their and then he he flew back to join the group got to thinking about that's pretty good down there so turn flew back to did migrate that unity stayed there and ate the corn hung out with the girl ducks in the pond had a big time whether migration season turned his buddies came flying over he heard them again and he rates his head deflected swings and he thought about it and thought no, I don't think I'll just stay right here next migration season came in this duck buddy Slover again on their migration back and he heard them again. He rates his head. He looked and he thought, you know, I'm getting so much weight down here this corners no active longitude with them next migration season. His duck buddies come flying over this time he raised his eyes, put his head down next migration season, he hears them flying over from that season on he never noticed them again.

He fell out and fell in love with another world.

No child of God can really do that but you can you fall down each and corn for a while, hang out with the guys at the pond for a while. Something in use changed. You don't fit the barnyard ducks anymore.

It's not who you are don't love the world.

John says the things in the world for the lust of the eyes of the lust of the flesh of the boastful pride of life, those things are not of God but don't fix you anymore.

The agape factor in you has made you different well actually the demise of the world. Verse 17 the demise of what he said about the way the world is passing away, and also its lust. What a statement.

Wow, what an encouragement that I have something in me that wants to be connected to God and God will never pass away. I have a change in me that makes me not want to be in and enslaved by entranced by and embracing the lust of the world because those things are going to pass alive but not God and his kingdom cannot pass away. What a gift that is what a gift that is is a child of God. Don't you realize what kind of immediacy is the person who who puts their all and something that cannot last, puts their everything in it.

Did you know that 19 civilizations have risen and fallen in the past 19 have risen and today there it's oblivion that they don't exist anymore. There's no reason to think that our civilization will stand in the person who passes at Jesus for the love of this world will reap a harvest of insecurity, instability, and ultimately total loss insecurity because when you love the world your trusting in something that can be taken away and insecurities. Anytime you trust in something that can be taken away again this entitlement culture that we developed where there is just free stuff free stuff free stuff and I like to see people who need things get help.

We all like to see people who generally need things get help. But it's it's gone beyond that now as if it's always going to be there.

It's not always going to be there unless your help is God. He's always will be there. Will it breeds insecurity at breach instability the world and all that is in the world is built on a foundation that is not eternal. It is not enduring the it's going to be all coming to an end.

I found this somewhere years ago as a certain kind of ants that have a passion for the sweet granular substance given off by the caterpillar of a large blue butterfly and these ants can be so addicted to this sweet secretion of this caterpillar.

They were capture the caterpillar and take the caterpillar back to their home. Their mound and keep her there so they can keep eating the sweet secretion was only one problem. The caterpillar loves at larva.

The caterpillar just devouring all the at larva with the adult ants don't care because they love the sweetness there intoxicated there entrapped by that's what loving the world is like. We bring the world in we embrace it and it starts devouring is always going to child of God. Would you pray God let me enjoy the world with praise to you, but don't let me love the world, let me enjoy this wonderful common grace you've given us.

But don't let me embrace it. Don't let me love it if about hope and that's like the ants bringing the caterpillar into their mound who devours their larva so many will live by this world and though think they're getting by some to be young people listen to my voice you you put God off you pushed got away. You haven't turned to Christ you haven't repented and you haven't believed on Christ and you think on this on to live it up.

I'm having fun it's going. Let's until you're acting like a fool.

This world will not satisfy you in this world will not last couple versus real quick would just read through them quickly. Second Peter 333 13 know this. First of all, that unless they mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lust is that not our world a bunch of mocking. They mock God. They mock God's truth. A mock what is right. They mock what is holy is a preacher said after they made gay marriage legal.

He said it might be legal but it's not righteous. It might be legal, but is not holy. Mocking that did that mocking God, he said that's what the last days will be like they'll come mocking, following after they are lust, worldly lust and say where is the promise of his coming versus Jesus, you guys keep talking about beverages since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation. When I maintain this, it escapes their notice, but that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water by water the same. What they don't even understand is the very ground. There standing on God breathed into existence.

Verse six through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. The words God has brought me into account before in a global sense and their fools are not sitting there for seven but by his word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire For the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. They say always just cotton. Why can't we live it up and be this way and enjoy everything you do. You're not going to do something I don't understand God's withheld judging the world because he has purpose is to destroy yet when he wants to know what you want, that's only reason it pleases him to have patience.

They think I'm telling you the haughty arrogance the proud elitism of so many in our David want to tell us this is writing this as best they don't know anything about with talk ungodly wisdom is what they have verse eight do not let this one fact escape your notice.

Beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years a thousand years like a day the Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. In the midst of their hardened grace and rejection disregard of God and we could rebellion against God, God still bursting with love and patience saying I don't wish for any to perish, love of God just keeps bursting out verse 10, the day the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up here child of God. Since these things will be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat, but according to his promise we are looking for a put in the definite article the new heavens and the new earth in which righteousness dwells. There something for the God lovers last forever.

It cannot perish. We will not pass away with this world and by the way, and I know there's a sense of truth in the phrase God hates the sin. But he loves center. But this text tells us that God will return to judge the ungodly center himself. You want to judge a sin, the ungodly center himself will be judged so as you look up at the world brothers and sisters, you think what looks like they're winning and is look.

Love looks like they're having their way was like godliness is abounding, you need to remind yourself that what you really ought half of those folks is Petey there blinded, and destruction is just around the corner when holy wrath is unleashed, and by the way, what were saying right now is a part of the wrath of God, but only a small part mental when God allows men to turn to themselves and their own devices. You know what what we have all of this social media in all of this Internet and every single thing that happens is it our face instantly anywhere in the world's you know what that is.

It's God's mirror basing. This is what your it's God's mirror that reflects back and shows us the total depravity of man. The total wickedness of man. I know to just of the day the people actually got on the Internet and made a living taking pictures of themselves. I didn't know that I mean the narcissism of that if you do that I'm on the city saying you're evil, but think about it. I mean really like everyone to see me look I'm cute today look on this look on that crazy thing. Self deprivation is, going out the window is not in Matthew 721 through 27 but everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Mel that they Lord Lord we not prophesy in your name in your name cast out demons in your name perform many miracles.

By the way, Satan can counterfeit all that verse 23 then I would declare to them, I never knew did you depart from it, you who practice lawlessness will Woodward for culture. I mean, actually it is a political strategy to produce lawlessness in our country right now is actually an intentional strategy.

God is on coming back to banish those who practice lawlessness. Verse 24 therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock in the rain fail, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slam against that house and get it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock and everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand in the rain fail in the floods came the winds blew and slam against that house, and it failed and great was his fall. The key understanding is he keeps saying this writer said it twice, act on these words of mine was a mean act on that he means embrace his truth that only his son, and you don't need to love this world, but you need to be a God lover.

Could you get me both can't be both. You're either God lover our world lover again. We can and we do enjoy the common grace gifts God's given us in this world, but for us.

This world is not the end.

These are gifts from God for us, but they do not compare to the joy of us knowing him. Is that true for you. Is that true for you. You enjoy the world, but it done compared to the gift of knowing him our flesh. In this sense, I don't mean our human flesh.

I mean our natural humanity are natural body in this body we enjoy pleasures that God allows. But love for God is first and foremost we enjoyed meeting the things the world lovers enjoy but we enjoy them in a totally different way and a God centered way grateful to him for them and knowing that they will pass away, but he'll still be there every time you enjoy something that's in the world that's passing away. Enjoy yet but be mindful this is just a reminder that this is going to last you know this thing. I love a good steak, elected a good steak. I love it. Good steak and every time I see one is not a day or two that I like to have another one because it done last, and then their turn.

I might have another one.

One day be so close to Jesus listen to me. We will never want for anything again. This was waiting for us when advantage God lovers have, I get the steak and Jesus.

They just get the steak in a good so much God loves his children, our eyes and our minds enjoy pleasing, even entertaining things that are not outside of God's moral standards. But we love these things different from the world lovers because we enjoy them in a God centered way, we find some joy in things like accomplishments and achievements in this world, even gaining material things that we enjoy them differently than world lovers. We love the God who gave us the ability to achieve and accomplish who enabled us to possess material things are enjoyment is God centered.

You see, the more we see Jesus. That's the key look to Jesus, the more we see Jesus, the more we love Jesus and the more we treasure Jesus and the more we disdain Satan centered, Satan -controlled following world with the songwriter say turn your eyes upon Jesus full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely in the light of his glory and grace. I charge you on this Sunday not search your heart. Are you a world lover or have you been saved had been born again and become a God lover