Living In The Truth

Living in the Truth

2 John

Introduction

- 2 John is John’s second letter sent to Christians near Ephesus, in Asia

-- It is a letter of encouragement to Christians then, and now

-- It has one primary emphasis: We have a need to obey God’s commands

- John also touches on false teachers and heresy (often in his writings)

-- Based on the tone, it is obviously highly personal to someone well known

- Read 2 John 1-13

- Pray

∆ Point 1 – Greetings!

- John opens this letter with a salutation that seems very personal and close

-- Lots of discussion as to whether this is a family member or a church

-- EX: Calling the church a “she” would make this fit (like a ship)

-- There is a huge lack of personal greeting (see 3 John 1) in this letter

- Also, the word chosen does not normally apply to one person

-- We are all chosen as God’s people (term of summation; generalized)

-- It also suggests that this is a well-known entity within Christian circles

-- APP: No clear answer … my view: this is to a church that he knows well

- So, John is writing to a church he knows, to a people he cares deeply about

-- Their relationship is founded on truth (v1); and the truth is found only in God

-- John 14:6, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

- Additionally, love is based on truth – it is not propped up by lies and agendas

-- The truth is eternal, it is never-ending, and in that we find love and comfort

-- So to this church, to these people that he cared about, his message is simple:

-- v3, “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.”

- IMP: What an incredible wish that you could offer one another today!

- Challenge: If we lived more like this, and truly desired this … how much different would the world that surrounds us our world be?

- TRANS: From his greeting, John gets to the heart of the letter …

∆ Point 2 – Discipleship Matters

- Honest question: How do you feel when others around you succeed?

- When people that we mentor are walking in the truth, we should find joy

-- It starts of course with us actually mentoring other people (ex: “War Room”)

-- And from that when they succeed, we can rejoice and celebrate as well

- John celebrates those around him who are obeying God’s commands (v4)

-- He finds great joy that they are walking in the truth of God’s word

-- Do we find the same joy in those that we pour into and disciple?

- His reminding us of love here is critical for us to see (v5)

-- We need to love one another, willingly, because of what we have been given

-- Christ willingly loved us (to the point of death), which we should do as well

- RE: John heard these words for himself: John 15:12-13, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

-- APP: To John, this is a personal command, a central command of ministry

- Love is demonstrated through real world obedience (v6)

-- That we would obey and honor the One who has given all for us is critical

-- We must be willing to demonstrate this to those around us; for God’s glory

- Everything God has given us is to protect us … not to bring us harm

- When we walk in obedience to Him, we are honoring Him in everything

-- There is a link between love and obedience … and John brings that out here

- TRANS: So why is this reminder important, again, for the church?

∆ Point 3 – Follow the Truth

- There are, and will continue to be, deceivers who go out into the world (v7)

-- Their motives are simple: To distract you from God and look on them/yourself

- These people deny that Jesus has come in the flesh; so they deny God

-- It’s not just the Pharisees, but those who try to make God into what He isn’t

-- EX: “If you don’t share this post then you do not love God …”

-- Normally followed by bible verse out of context: “if you are ashamed of me...”

- While that example is relevant to today; it was happening then as well

-- John calls those who deny the Christ, and who He is, antichrists (against God)