Loving The World Series

Falling In Love Again—Loving The World

2/20/2011 Judges 15:19-20 1 John 2:15-17

We are in our final message on “Falling In Love Again.” I began with “Loving The Saints,” Pastor Kellie with “Loving The Lord”, Pastor Toby with “Loving The Saints” and I end the series with “Loving The World.” It does not matter how old we are or how young we are, love is going to produce some struggles in all of us. We have seen that true love, always is going to produce an action on our part or on God’s part. We also know that love has the power to excite something within us whenever it is still stored inside of us.

Sometimes things or people we have walked away from whom we once loved, can have a subtle pull back on our lives. I can remember when it was a love affair for me to walk in the doors of Micro Center when I was in love with technology and computers. Walking in there no longer has the same affect on me since a sermon I preached entitled, “what I owe me” and I realize I had been slave to the newest and latest computer gadgets.

I can also remember getting a phone call about 15 years ago from an old girl friend that I had been engaged to. For a moment I was captivated to think she had called me after all those years. We talked about past family members and friends. Then she said, “I know you’re a pastor, so I was wondering if I could call you to get some counseling on a regular basis.” I knew in that moment, this was actually a call from the world to return to something I needed to avoid at all cost. “I told her my wife is also a pastor, and she would do a much better job of counseling with you.” I never heard from that person again.

Very few married people want to have on old girlfriend or boyfriend calling to talk to their spouse. It’s not always they don’t trust their spouse, they don’t trust the motive of the person calling. They suspect the person is trying to re-ignite a flame that was once inside of you . The devil is always seeking to reignite a flame or start of flame burning in our hearts for something we should not pursue or go after, even though at the time it looks like something innocent.

I wish I could say, I have handled all of the calls of the world to come back to me in that fashion, but I have not. There are two key passages in the bible that talks to us about the world. We find in Romans 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If you love the world, love for the Father[a] is not in you. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and their boasting about what they have and do—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

What does the bible mean when it warns us against conforming to the pattern of this world or falling in love with the world. First I want to point out, when the bible says do not do something, then know that it is only natural for us to do it given the right circumstances. As a matter of fact, we will be able to do it without even thinking about it, and not even be aware that it is happening to us.

The world is the system of things around us. The things which get our attention. The things that says “try me” and “do this”. The world offers us fast, easy fixes for almost anything we want. The world offers us endless fun without having to consider the cost. The world offers us religions where we can pick and choose which parts we want to obey and still be right with God.

The world tells us to serve God, but not too much, and don’t tell anybody that you do and accept everyone’s views as equal. The world says make all the money you can and blow it on yourself. Give God a little donation every now and then, but don’t even think about tithing. The world offers us endless distractions with entertainment, advertisements, ways of thinking, alternate lifestyles, beauty competitions, sporting events, political wars and a whole lot more.