Do Not Love The World Series

INTRO.- 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. What part of "no" do you not understand? Or better yet: What part of "do not" do you not understand? Who said those words? It’s probably not the person you thought it was.

The phrase got a wider audience when it was used as the title of a popular country music song in 1992 recorded by Lorrie Morgan:

What part of no don’t you understand?

To put it plain and simple

I’m not into one night stands

I’ll be glad to explain it

If it’s too hard to comprehend

So tell me what part of no

Don’t you understand?

There are other versions of this question, such as: NO MEANS NO! Or no thanks. Or no way, Hosea! Never. Nix. Not at all. Not on your life, etc.

15Do not love the world or anything in the world. What did John mean?

ILL.- Billy Graham is quoted as saying: "Our interests are in ourselves. We are preoccupied with material things. Our supreme god is technology. Our goddess is sex. Most of us are more interested in getting to the moon than getting to heaven. We are more dedicated to material security than to inward purity. We give much more thought to what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, and what we can do than what we are...."

He was right. We all have our worldly side or worldly desires that often capture our attention more than God or Christ.

II Timothy 4:10 "Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica."

If Demas fell in love with his world then we can do it too. In fact, I think it’s a whole lot easier today to fall in love with the things of this world than it was for Demas. WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH!

15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

God said clearly, "Don’t love the world. If you do, my love is not in you." Wow! When and where do we cross the fence from loving God to loving the world? God knows and we all need to find out.

PROP.- What is so bad about the world that we are told not to love it? Why is the world so evil?

1- The lust of the flesh

2- The lust of the eyes

3- The pride of life

I. THE LUST OF THE FLESH

16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

This worldly temptation deals with the fleshly appetites: food, sex, excess in various ways, etc.

ILL.- Jackson Brown Jr. (American author best-known for his book Life’s Little Instruction Book which was a New York Times bestseller) said: I’ve learned that if you give a pig and a boy everything they want, you’ll get a good pig and a bad boy.

If we got everything we wanted in this world, we’d be in trouble.

ILL.- A man said: While my wife and I were shopping at a mall kiosk, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was it worth the trouble you’re in?" This is just one temptation of this verse.

ILL.- Elaine and I enjoy watching TV’s DANCING WITH THE STARS. We have often commented on the dress of both the men and the women, but mainly the women and the lack thereof! Some of those professional female dancers don’t like to wear much clothing. I assume they think it enhances their dance, but in reality, it may only enhance the judges’ eye!

If we’re normal, we all can be tempted with the lust of the flesh. If we were put in the wrong place at the right time most of us would fall. We may be guilty anyway.

Matthew 5:27-28 "You have heard that it was said, ’Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

The lust of the flesh deals with others things too.

ILL.- Did you know there is a new Sonic drive-in on Parker road just down the street from my house? I know this probably does nothing for you but it does for me! They had a daily special while back which I liked very much. It’s a chicken strip basket with french fries, a cup of white cream gravy, a piece of toast, one delicious onion ring and a drink of your choice for only $4.31.