Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at the following scripture.
1 John 2:15-17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Love is an intense feeling of deep affection. The scriptures teach us that we are supposed to love each other. We are not supposed to love the things of this world. Love can certainly be misplaced.
Someone might love the brand new truck that they purchased and all they want to do is drive around town in it. Somebody else might like their brand new home or their jobs. This verse teaches us today to not love the world.
Let’s break this verse down this morning.
Love is a feeling of intense deep affection for something. When you are affectionate it means you have a fond attachment or devotion to something. The scriptures teach us that we are supposed to love each other. We are supposed to love God and we are supposed to love our neighbor.
Remember that a person is a living breathing soul. A new motorbike doesn’t have a soul neither does a brand new fishing boat.
We are supposed to love one another, not possesions.
A person may possess all kinds of riches and wealth but remember that these things are of the Earth.
The Lord Jesus taught a story that really defines love for the world.
Luke 12:16
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Matthew 6:24 – No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mammon is defined as material wealth or possessions that lead to a debasing influence in your life. What happens is you love your wealth more than people.
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
He says the love of money is the root of all evil. Think about what’s going to happen before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The end time Antichrist is going to try to deceive the entire world and will demand that people have a mark or else you cannot buy or sell.
1 John 3:17 – But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
In this world you have people who are very wealthy and people who are very poor. God has given certain people possessions to help those who are poor. The rich were supposed to help the poor in the church.
James 2:1-8
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
1 Timothy 6:17 – Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
Luke 6:24 – But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
A consolation is something that makes you feel good . When you feel down or bad about something a consolation is something that consoles you and makes you feel better. A lot of people feel that spending money consoles them.
1 Timothy 6:9 – But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
Luke 6:20 – And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [be ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
It’s not a sin to be poor . The Lord Jesus teaches that it is a blessing.
1 Timothy 6:18 – That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
People who have a lot of money or possessions in the church are supposed to help the poor in the church.
Matthew 6:19-21 – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Some people are so concerned with making extra money on a weekend that they skip church. They desire making time and a half or even double time on a holiday, so what they do is they skip God.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Each of us need to seek after God but we are not going to find Him if we are completely blinded by the things of this world. Lust is an intense desire for something. We’re supposed to love and care for others but some people will place that love on a brand-new pickup or a home.
Lust of the flesh has to do with fornication or adultery with another person. Lust of the eyes has to do with wanting what your neighbor possesses instead of being content with what God has given you. The pride of life is being very arrogant of the belongings and the possessions that you have.
The possessions that we have will remain here when we depart this Earth. There are numerous accounts in history of people who wanted to be buried with their Treasures.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Someday this Earth is going to be gone. Just like the world was destroyed in the flood, someday the Earth is going to be completely dissolved. The scriptures clearly teach that there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth. The Earth that we are presently on right now is going to be gone. All of the works that are in it will be burned up.
I think of this Earth as a hotel room, like temporary housing for a short time until we go home to be with God.
Both this world and it’s lusts are going to pass away. He that does God’s will abides forever.
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer we pray thy will be done.
Ephesians 5:17 be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
If you conform to something, it means to be similar. People who profess Christianity are not supposed to share similarities with people who live out in the world. To do so means that you’re becoming conformed to them! Christians are supposed to be different and transformed. Transformed means to change.
You need to change from hate to love. It means to change in your character and nature. It’s a process of conversion. It all begins with the renewing of our minds.
When you renew something, it means to restore.
Think about when you go to sleep at night and you wake up in the morning completely renewed. Renew means to make something new or to regenerate.
Think about having an old pair of shoes that you completely restored using some mink oil and die. When you’re finished they look like brand new! People in the world take an antique car and they will fix it up so it looks brand new again. That’s what it means to renew.
We are not supposed to be similar to this world. We are supposed to change our minds. You want to prove what is that acceptable and perfect will of God. When you prove something, you show by your actions. As a Christian you should have a desire to do God’s will perfectly in order to become pleasing unto him in all things. It requires a change of your heart and your mind. It requires a change of your thoughts and the patterns of the way that you live. God wants to take us to a new place. In order to do that we have to become new people. It requires a change of our hearts and our minds and our direction. We don’t want to conform to this world, but to become the person that God intended us to become.
Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing we will talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then,bye-bye everybody
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 