Making Wise Investments Series

Our society is infatuated with extremes, there seems to be no common ground for living. I developed a model, Pathway to Recovery, that illustrates this dynamic. While at a bookstore, I observed a group of students. They were polls apart when discussing religious thought. I had made the comment to my wife, I would love to be in that conversation. She replied, You better not. I could not stay out of the conversation after observing a young lady become very anxious, she slammed a book closed, and angrily said, you are taking my faith away from me. I walked over to the table and excused myself and took a piece of paper and made a rough draft of a model I have continue to use. It illustrates how people often fail to listen to each other and seek to find the answer that is at the heart of our seeking answers to life’s most perplexing questions. John does that as he writes a very pastoral letter.

Harold Bryson tells of a young man who caught his attention during his sermon. Handsome, well-dressed, and he had the physique of an athlete. The young man’s deep interest in the sermon was very apparent.

At the end of the service the young man came to him, introduced himself and told him some facts about himself. A student at the university. He was a new Christian (Newcomer). While rejoicing with him the young man’s question stunned Bryson.

How do you expect me to cope with the world system in which I live? He explained:

My family gives little attention to the church.

Most of my fraternity friends are not Christians.

The world does not seem to respect Christ’s principles.

“Could you give me some help in coping with this world system?”

Three options came to his mind:

1. Escape the world and live a semi-monastic life,

2. Fight the opposition,

Live in the world but not of the world.

John turns from a descriptive position where he has set before us God’s vision for the church to a description of the church in the world.

1. John authenticates Jesus as the Son of God,

2. John writes “to make our joy complete,”

3. John calls for Christians to face reality concerning their lives, and

4. John draws attention to the developmental stages of believers.

In the text for this morning, John speaks about the way struggling believers are to cope with the world system in which they lived. These verses should “perk up” our ears, especially when considering the challenges of surviving and thriving in the world system in which we live. His message is a timely message for the Church today.

I would suggest that the primary focus of I John has to do with fellowship, primarily fellowship with God. Yet, he draws our attention to the fact that true fellowship with God has a strong correlation to how we relate to other believers and how we approach this thing called Christian maturity. If we struggle with maintaining fellowship with each other, we are ill prepared to link arms and serve Christ with integrity in the world.

Ray Stedman (“The Enemy Around,” p. 1) says, “Now, in a final word on the subject of maintaining fellowship, the apostle deals with the supreme peril to fellowship, and, therefore, the greatest peril to Christian maturity. Here is the great enemy of the Christian, the siren voice that seeks to lure us aside, trap us, delude us and ultimately to defeat us...”

There are many similarities between the world in which the young Christians lived and the society in which we live.

? They lived in a very hostile environment very much as we do. It is sad when that same hostility is brought into the church as many of us have witnessed.

? They lived in a society engrossed in paganism, such as our world.

? They lived in a world in which lust, greed, bribery, pleasures and disdain for human life were socially accepted.

? They lived in an environment where unpretentious living was disdained; in part, so do we (e.g., disdain for genuine, honest, ingenuous, innocent, naive, natural, real, simple, sincere, true)

The believers were having a very difficult time coping because of the pressure from the world system. Believers are called upon to live as God’s called, chosen and Spirit-filled persons. Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;

16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

17 Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.