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Introduction
- 1st – The Author…
- 1st – FISHERMAN…
- John was a fisherman – along with his brother James…
- They had a FISHING business along with Peter and his brother Andrew – Luke 5:10
- Not that they were very GOOD fisherman – they never seemed to catch fish…
- Both times we read about them fishing – they caught NOTHING – Luke 5:5 – John 21:3
- Because God had not called him to catch FISH – instead catch MEN!
- Luke 5:10 – “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”
- We are only going to be EFFECTIVE in life – when we become what God desires…
- When we use our GIFTS for His PURPOSES – we will have a life that is FULL!
- 2nd – DISCIPLE…
- John was one of the TWELVE disciples of Jesus…
- Listed FOUR times in the New Testament – Mark 3:13-19 / Luke 6:12-16 / Acts 1:13
- He was CHOSEN by Jesus to be see EVERYTHING – and go and tell EVERYONE!
- Mark 3:14 – “Then He appointed twelve [Apostles] – that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach…”
- The word APOSTLE – means to be sent out…
- Is a picture of an ambassador – a representative of God to the world…
- EVERYTHING we have SEEN Jesus do in our lives – we are called to go tell EVERYONE!
- II Corinthians 5:20 – “We are ambassadors for Christ…”
- 3rd – IMPATIENT…
- Jesus gave both James and John the names – the SONS of THUNDER – Mark 3:17
- Because when the SAMARITANS refused to let Jesus pass through their city…
- James and John wanted to call down FIRE on them like Elisha did – II Kings 1:1-15
- Luke 9:55-56 – “[Jesus] turned and rebuked them and said – You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For [I] did not come to destroy mens lives but to save them.”
- We need to remember – people who do not know Jesus – are NOT our ENEMIES…
- They are our MISSIONS field – they are the ones we are called to LOVE!
- 4th – PRIDEFUL
- When Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem for the FINAL time…
- Jesus told the DISCIPLES everything that would happen – Mark 10:32-34
- But James and John completely missed what Jesus SAID – He would be CRUCIFIED…
- And instead ASSUMED He was on His way to establish His KINGDOM – conquer the WORLD!
- Mark 10:37 – “Grant us that we may sit – one on Your right hand and the other on Your left…”
- Leadership in the church should not look like the leadership in the world…
- It is the opposite – a leader in the church does not tell others what to do…
- A leader is the one who lives his life to serve everyone else!
- Mark 10:43 – “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.”
- 5th – SPECIAL…
- John was one of the inner THREE: Peter – James – and John
- Jesus resurrects the little girl – Mark 5:37 – Mount of Transfiguration – Matthew 17:1
- Only they went with Jesus when He prayed in Gethsemane – Matthew 26:37
- This leads us to believe these disciples were SPECIAL – SUPER disciples…
- But they were NOT better than the rest – they were more TROUBLE…
- Jesus ALWAYS had these three with Him – because He was afraid to let them be alone!
- We may think that God only uses those with great gifts – ability…
- But God uses the FOOLISH – ignorant and unlearned FISHERMEN…
- Which is a HUGE encouragement – because that means He can use us – I Corinthians 1:27-29
- 6th – Full of the SPIRIT…
- John was there in the UPPER room on the day of Pentecost – Acts 1:13
- Which explains HOW – because John was FULL of the Holy Spirit…
- God was able to take a man who was IMPATIENT – PRIDEFUL – SPECIAL…
- Who could not even catch a FISH – and make him an APOSTLE!
- Being used by God is not a matter of EDUCATION – John had THREE years with Jesus…
- And yet the final words of the LORD – do NOTHING until the Spirit comes – Acts 1:4
- It also does NOT matter how many times we FAIL – or how recently [Peter]
- It is simply about being filled with the Spirit of God – then we have POWER!
- II Corinthians 4:7 – “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
- 7th – AUTHOR…
- John the APOSTLE – not the same as John the Baptist – wrote MANY books in the NT…
- He wrote the Gospel of John – as well as I – II – III John – and the book of Revelation!
- Because he wanted to make sure to tell EVERYONE about Jesus!
- 8th – ELDER…
- II John 1:1 – “The Elder…”
- ELDER [πρεσβύτερος] – speaking of someone who is OLDER – spiritually WISE…
- There are THREE words used to describe a LEADER in the church…
- These terms are used interchangeably in the New Testament…
- BISHOP – describes their RESPONSIBILITY – to PROTECT the people – I Timothy 3:1-7
- PASTOR [ποιμήν] – describes their PURPOSE – to TEACH the people – Ephesians 4:11
- ELDER – describes their EXPERIENCE – so they can LEAD the people – Acts 14:23
- God established LEADERS in the church – to establish order…
- Imagine a Sunday service were everyone was trying to share all at once…
- There would be chaos – and ministry cannot happen effectively in chaos!
- I Corinthians 14:33 – “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace… But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.”
- II John 1:1 – “The Elder…”
- 1st – FISHERMAN…
- 2nd – The Audience…
- 1st – ELECT lady…
- ELECT [ἐκλεκτός] – to be CHOSEN…
- Could refer to a TITLE [position in the church] – or our SALVATION – Colossians 3:12
- LADY [κυρία] – only found in II John – feminine form of [κύριος] – MASTER or Lord
- And her CHILDREN [τέκνον] a term used by teachers for their disciples – John 13:33
- FIRST view…
- This was a LADY – whose name was [κυρία] – who had a Bible study in her house…
- The CHILDREN – refer to her KIDS who attended the Bible study…
- This would explain why John makes reference to her SISTER – II John 1:13
- SECOND view…
- The LADY – refers to the CHURCH and the LEADERS [κύριος]
- The CHILDREN – refers to the CHURCH and the BELIEVERS [τέκνον]
- ELECT [ἐκλεκτός] – to be CHOSEN…
- 1st – ELECT lady…
- 3rd – The Theme…
- 1st – TRUTH and DECEPTION…
- The book of II John is broken up into TWO sections…
- II John 1:1-6 – Walking in the TRUTH
- II John 1:7-13 – Walking away from DECEPTION
- 2nd – LOVE…
- The word LOVE – is 62 time in – I – II – and III John
- LOVE [ἀγαπάω] – verb – to give unconditional LOVE…
- LOVE [ἀγάπη] – noun – to have unconditional LOVE…
- BELOVED [ἀγαπητός] – adjective – to receive unconditional LOVE!
- The way we know the difference between the TRUTH and DECEPTION…
- Is by obeying the COMMAND to LOVE!
- II John 1:5-6 – “Now I plead with you – Lady – not as though I wrote a new commandment to you – but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love – that we walk according to His commandments…”
- 1st – TRUTH and DECEPTION…
- 4th – The Location…
- 1st – EPHESUS…
- Although we do NOT know for certain – there are TWO possibilities…
- FIRST is the city of EPHESUS – in what is now modern day Turkey…
- A commonly held church tradition states John was the PASTOR there in his later years…
- The assumption is he would have written FOUR of the FIVE books there!
- 2nd – PATMOS…
- We do KNOW – John wrote the book of Revelation from Patmos – Revelation 1:9
- Again church tradition states John was exiled here by the Romans…
- While on the Island he received the VISION that is the final book of the Bible…
- It is possible he also wrote the GOSPEL and THREE letters while he was there!
- 1st – EPHESUS…
- 5th – The Time…
- Although we do NOT know the time – the best guess is between 95-100 A.D.
- There are TWO reasons given to help establish this timeline…
- FIRST – the writing of some of the early church fathers – Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria
- SECOND – the fact John calls himself OLD in his letters – II John 1:1 – III John 1:1
- ELDER [πρεσβύτερος] – speaking both of being MATURE in the LORD and OLD in years!
Walking in TRUTH…
- 1st – Knowing TRUTH… vs. 1-3
- 1st – Who is the TRUTH… vs. 1
- The Elder – to the elect lady and her children – whom I love in truth!
- It was TRUE [ἀλήθεια] – John LOVED [ἀγαπάω] both the LADY and her CHILDREN…
- That could either mean a SPECIFIC person [κυρία] and her KIDS…
- But more likely it was the CHURCH in general – and her LEADERS…
- Because John was NOT the only one who LOVED the LADY!
- And not only I – but also all those who have known the truth!
- [πᾶς] EVERYONE who has a RELATIONSHIP [γινώσκω] with THE [ὁ] TRUTH [ἀλήθεια]
- TRUTH is NOT an idea – it is a PERSON – it is Jesus Christ!
- John 14:6 – “Jesus said… I am the way – the truth [ἀληθινός] – and the life.”
- When we have a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus – we KNOW [perfect] the TRUTH…
- When we KNOW the TRUTH – we will LOVE [ἀγαπάω] the CHURCH and her LEADERS!
- The Elder – to the elect lady and her children – whom I love in truth!
- 2nd – Abide in the TRUTH… vs. 2
- [Through] the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever!
- WHY do we LOVE others who are in the CHURCH and her LEADERS…
- Through [διά] the TRUTH [Jesus] who is ABIDING [present] in us – John 15:4
- And Jesus is not just in us TODAY – He will be with us FOREVER!
- ABIDING…
- ABIDE [μένω] 120x in NT – a word that John REALLY liked – 68x in his FIVE books…
- ABIDE – means to CLING to something – and never let go!
- A person is NOT a CHRISTIAN – what they WEAR – where they are on SUNDAYS…
- What makes us a CHRISTIAN – is to have CHRIST abiding in us…
- And the PROOF we have Jesus – is we LOVE [ἀγαπάω] the CHURCH and her LEADERS…
- The ONLY way we can LOVE [ἀγαπάω] others is when Jesus LOVE overflows from us!
- I John 4:7 – “Beloved – let us love one another – for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
- [Through] the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever!
- 3rd – Grace from the TRUTH… vs. 3
- Grace – mercy – and peace will be with you [with] God the Father…
- GRACE [χάρις] – 156x in NT [important] – JUDGEMENT is getting what I DESERVE…
- But GRACE is getting what I do not deserve – a FREE gift from God!
- All of us are sinners – Romans 3:23 – all of us DESERVE judgment – Romans 6:23
- But God gave us GRACE – the GIFT of SALVATION – through the CROSS!
- 1st – Who is the TRUTH… vs. 1
- MERCY [ἔλεος] – 28x in NT – NOT getting what we DESERVE…
- Why does God not JUDGE the world TODAY – why does He WAIT…
- In His MERCY – and it takes A LOT [πολύς] – God wants to give HOPE!
- I Peter 1:3 – “Who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope!”
- PEACE [εἰρήνη] – 92x in NT – to STOP fighting – no more WAR…
- This is NOT peace from GOD – this is PEACE with [παρά] God…
- Because before we received GRACE – we were at WAR with God…
- We lived in certain expectation of Gods wrath and judgment…
- There was no PEACE in our lives – only the fear of death – and punishment!
- Hebrews 10:27 – “There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of Gods judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.”
- But the GRACE of God – that FORGAVE our sin – gave us PEACE with God…
- We are no longer at WAR – our SINS are gone – and we are now at REST!
- From the Lord Jesus Christ – the Son of the Father – in truth and love!
- Do NOT miss where GRACE – MERCY – and PEACE comes from…
- Lord [κύριος] – is His AUTHORITY – He is our MASTER…
- Jesus [יְהוֹשֻׁעַ] – is His NAME – Yahweh Shua – God is Salvation…
- Christ [Χριστός] or [מָשִׁיחַ] – is His TITLE – meaning the one called to REDEEMS us…
- Son – NOT speaking of His Birth – but the SECOND person of the TRINITY!
- The TRUTH is – ONLY Jesus who is GOD – can save us…
- There is NO other way to get to heaven – but to OBEY Him – Acts 4:12
- Because Jesus is the LOVE of God – who came down to REDEEM us!
- I John 4:10 – “This is love – not that we loved God – but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the [sacrifice] for our sins.”
Choosing to live in a way that others might be able to see the Love of God in us!
2nd – Walking in TRUTH… vs. 4-6
1st – Walking… vs. 4
I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth.
As a commandment we received from the Father!
The JOY [χαίρω] of John – could NOT be measured when he found…
CHILDREN [τέκνον] – believers in the CHURCH…
WALKING [περιπατέω] – to continually [present] LIVE their lives in TRUTH [ἀλήθεια]
Psalm 1:1 – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly – nor stands in the path of sinners – nor sits in the seat of the scornful.”
Do NOT miss the progression – WALK – STAND – SIT…
When we seek this WORLD – NOT the TRUTH – it STOPS our WALK with God…
We end up STANDING on the BROAD path – the way of destruction…
And in the END – we SIT – BITTER over how meaningless life is…
No wonder John REJOICED whenever he found BELIEVERS who were still WALKING in TRUTH!
2nd – The commandment… vs. 5
Now I plead with you – Lady – not as though I wrote a new commandment to you…
But that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another!
John wanted the CHURCH [lady] to continue WALKING according to the TRUTH…
NOW – to help them CONTINUE – he reminded them of an OLD [not new] command [singular]
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Going back to the BEGINNING [when the Law was given] – LOVE is not NEW…
LOVE has always been the MARK of someone who WALKED in the TRUTH…
But it is NOT enough to KNOW what the COMMAND is – we need to OBEY it!
3rd – Obedience… vs. 6
This is love – that we walk according to His commandments.
This is the commandment – as you have heard from the beginning – you should walk in it!
This is LOVE [ἀγάπη] – to WALK daily [present] according to the COMMANDMENTS [plural]
The same COMMANDMENT – we had from the beginning!
There are 613 COMMANDS in the LAW – 248 positive – and 365 negative…
Jesus was asked which COMMAND was the GREATEST – Matthew 22:36-40
FIRST – LOVE the LORD with all your heart – soul – mind – Deuteronomy 6:5
SECOND – LOVE your neighbor as yourself – Leviticus 19:18
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you – that you love [ἀγαπάω] one another. As I have loved [ἀγαπάω] you – that you also [ἀγαπάω] love one another.”
WALK in LOVE…
Ephesians 5:2 – “Walk in love – as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us.”
If we say we are the children of God – but we look and act just like the world – problem…
We can say all the right things to sound like a Christian – come to church every Sunday…
But it is not about what we SAY – it is about the ACTIONS from our lives…
If we are the children of God – then our lives should reflect that TRUTH…
We should be following after God – doing those things that show we are His KIDS!
Be CAREFUL…
We love our kids – we tend to be very protective on whom they hang out with.!
I Corinthians 15:33 – “Bad company corrupts good character.”
In the same way God wants us to be careful whom we spend time with…
If we hang out with the wrong crowd – we are going to be negatively influenced…
Be very careful where we go – who we are identified with…
Choose VERY wisely whom we spend time with – we will become just like them!
Be like Jesus…
Jesus lived a life filled with love – He loved us so much He died to save us…
As we spend time with Jesus – then we will begin to follow His example…
Not living a selfish self-centered life – but giving our lives as a sacrifice to God…
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