Choose What Lasts!

You Have a Choice…Choose What Lasts!

Text: 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. 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. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

(1Jo 2:15-17)

Intro: What are you living for? Recent poll: Christians “too busy” to pursue God

I. Incompatibility of World and God

a. What the “world” is not

i. John 3:16

ii. Things God made for us to enjoy

b. What is the “world”? – do not do the will of God

i. “What’s in it for me?!”

ii. “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back”

iii. “Eat, drink and be merry”

1. “tra la la…Live for today”

2. Days of Noah

iv. “If it feels good…do it!”

1. Loving pleasure more than God

2. Reveling (overeating, evil music, partying)

v. “Keeping up with the Joneses”

1. The bible calls this rivalry “emulation” (listed right there with idolatry and witchcraft)Gal. 5:20

vi. “I did it my way”

1. Book of Judges

c. The “things in the world”

i. Lust of the flesh

1. What pleases the senses

2. Sexual sin (soaps/Desperate Housewives)

3. Overeating

4. Drinking and drugs

ii. Lust of the eyes

1. Covetousness

2. Eyes full of adultery (even homosexual) (pornography)

iii. Pride of life

1. Mat. Henry – “lust of the ear” (applause)

2. Self-righteousness

3. Positions

4. Power

5. Beauty

6. Riches

7. Strength

d. Symptoms of a love of the world

i. Am I teaching by example that what the Bible teaches about the world’s perilous position is unreal

ii. Am I loved by the world?

The World Will Give You Up

A man said to D. L. Moody, "Now that I am converted, have I got to give up the world?" Mr. Moody answered, "No, you do not have to give up the world; if you have a good ringing testimony for the Son of God, the world will give you up pretty quick; they will not want you around."

1. Our words and behavior ought to reprove

2. We ought not value the things they value

3. Stranger and pilgrim mentality will alienate them from us

iii. Do I want approval from God more than men?

1. Fashion and practices blindly followed?

iv. Do I have respect of persons?

v. Time spent in vanity but proud of freedom from such and such vice?

vi. Have I sinned in order to get something worldly?

vii. How upset do I become over an earthly loss?

viii. Am I interested in giving to the church and poor?

ix. Do I remember to thank God for all that I have?

x. Am I seeking to be rich?

e. What is antithesis?

i. Oil and water/traveling opposite directions simultaneously

1. God is holy!

2. *turn to* And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1Jo 5:19)

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Phi 3:18-19)

Love in Deed and Truth

A young man spent an entire evening telling a girl how much he loved her. He said that he could not live without her; that he would go to the ends of the earth for her; yes, go through fire for her, or die for her. However, on leaving, he said, "I’ll see you tomorrow night if it doesn’t rain."

II. Emptiness of Loving the World

a. All material will be consumed

b. Vanity…all vanity

i. The way of the world is to enthrone self

ii. To love the world is to be spiritually impoverished

c. Nothing that lasts…discuss the nature of lust

i. Lusts fulfilled become insufficient…that lust left

ii. A new lust takes its place – like saltwater to thirsty

iii. A mirage…leaving nothing but a bitter memory

III. Endless life for those who love God

a. Relationships are what will last

i. Love for God endures

1. Will cure love of world

a. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus”

ii. So love the world…(love with God’s love)

1. World spirit will quench that love

b. Everything contrary to God will one day cease

i. Ps. 73 Asaph saw that the foolish and wicked prospered and envied until he realized their end

ii. Those who are wicked in a sense will not abide