SERMON OUTLINE:
• Question #1: Who was "the elder"?
• Question #2: Who was "the chosen lady"?
• Question #3: What was the situation?
• Question #4: What is the Big Idea of this letter?
• Question #5: What is the message of 2 John?
• (5a). Knowing the truth but not practicing it (vs 1-6)
• (5b). Knowing the truth but not Defending it (vs 7-8 & 10-11)
• (5c). Going Beyond the truth yet not advancing (vs 9)
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A city executive was lost in the countryside,
• And his Sat-nav was not finding any satellite connection to help him.
• As he is driving down a narrow country lane,
• He sees a country bumpkin sitting on the fence chewing on a piece of straw.
• So, he stops his BMW next to him and asks,
• “Which way to the motorway?”
• The country bumpkin replies:
• “Motorway, I don’t know much about motorways, sorry I can’t help you!”
• So, he then asks him,
• “Which way to civilisation, the nearest city?”
• The country bumpkin replies:
• “Civilisation, the city, I don’t know much about all that!”
• The city executive says to him, “You don’t know, much do you?”
• The country bumpkin replies, “No! But I aint lost!”
• TRANSITION: As we start looking at 2 John,
• Like the country bumpkin there is a number of things we don’t know,
• But as we will shortly see. like hm there is an important truth we do know,
LET’S START BY ASKING THIS LETTER A FEW QUESTIONS:
Question #1: Who was "the elder" (vs 1a)?
Answer:
• The short answer is we don’t know!
• We can guess but nobody knows 100% who wrote the letter.
• That of course has not stopped people guessing,
• Whoever 'the elder' was we know two things:
• He was probably senior in years.
• He probably held a high office or was a leader in a local Church.
Ill:
• I say that because of that description, “the elder”
• The Greek word translated into English as 'elder' is 'pres-bu-teros' from which:
• We get the word 'presbytery', or 'presbyterian' from.
• Originally: It simply meant 'an old man',
• And it later came to mean, 'a person of high office' in the church.
• TRANSITION: Many people believe 'the elder' was the Apostle John:
• He was senior in years.
• John was viewed as a key leader of the early Church,
• More importantly,
• This letter has his fingerprints all over it,
• By that I mean you can recognise his language, style & teaching.
• When you compare it to the previous letter and the next one.
• They bear lots of similarities.
• More important than our guess work,
• The readers of the letter knew exactly who was writing to them!
• They were not confused by this simple description.
• The letter was originally for them and they knew exactly who this elder was.
Why the authors name was not specifically noted is a mystery, there are a few ideas:
• (a). Possibly the letter:
• Came in a bundle of letters addressed to the church,
• Making a more specific greeting unnecessary.
• (b). Another reason might be names were omitted:
• To protect the writer and reader from persecution,
• Should the letter fall into the wrong hands.
• (c). Most likely, the anonymous yet affectionate description used:
• Was itself, sufficient identification for the reader.
• ill: A modern church leader might sign a letter to his congregation, "Your Pastor".
Note: A bit of irony in the letter.
• There are only two names identified for us on the postcard:
• God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
• (These are found in verses 3, 7, 9.)
• And yet throughout the postcard there are lots of 'people' references, but no names:
• Verse 1: A lady mentioned.
• Verse 1: An elder mentioned.
• Verse 13: Her sisters mentioned.
• Verse 13: Her sisters kids mentioned.
• Verse 1: Her own kids mentioned.
• Lots of people, but ironically never any of their names!!!
• Question 1: Who was "the elder"?
• Answer: Possibly John the apostle.
Question #2: Who was "the chosen lady" (vs 1b)?
• Yes, you guessed it, someone else we have no idea who she was!
• The receiver of the letter is also unidentified.
• She has the mysterious description ‘The chosen lady’
As with ‘the elder’ people have also been guessing/researching who she was.
• (a). Some commentators have interpreted this name to be a reference to a local church,
• And interpret the expression "her children", as the members of that church.
• (b). For me, I go with the view this was an individual,
• Simply because of all the personal and individual references mentioned.
• e.g. verse 5, uses the term "Dear Lady",
• They had a word for church, why didn't or would not they use it?
• (Many of the New Testament letters start off with the words, “To the Church of…”)
• e.g. It refers in verse 10: to "Your house"*
• e.g. Verse 12: talks about speaking to her "Face to face".
• e.g. Verse 13: mentions her "Sisters children"
• These personal all suggesting to me, a literal woman.
• *For a moment go back to verse 10:
"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching,
do not take him into your house or welcome him".
• There are many examples in the New Testament,
• Where the Church met in a believer’s house.
• e.g. Philemon (vs 2b) is a great example of that,
• “to the church that meets in your home”
• e.g. Also, the apostle Paul on several occasions,
• Refers to the Church meeting in an individual’s home
• “Greet also the church that meets at their house.”
• (Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15)
Question #3: Why did he write it, what was the situation?
• Remember the early church was very different from what we have this morning.
• e.g. They did not meet in buildings like this one,
• They met in houses and public spaces.
• Unlike you and I they did not have a completed Bible,
• e.g. They had the Old Testament and maybe a gospel and an epistle/ letter or two.
Pause for a minute:
• If I was to remove half or even three quarters of your New Testament,
• How would you get on?
• How would your fellowship function?
• And don't forget their scriptures were not neatly printed and bound together in one book,
• If you could afford a parchment manuscript.
• It was an individual book not a complete Bible or New Testament.
• Their scriptures were not neatly divided up into chapters and verses.
• That didn't happen until,
• Stephen Langton in 1228 added chapters & Robert Estienne in 1503 added verses.
• The first Bible in English to use both chapters and verses was the Geneva Bible,
• The Bible of John Bunyan (1560).
Note: The problem for the early Church was twofold:
FIRST: THERE WERE GAPS IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING:
• As mentioned, they did not have all of the New Testament,
• So, to help them fill in the gaps,
• e.g. Who should lead the Church?
• e.g. What do they believe on certain theological issues.
• e.g. Think of the content contained in other letters (e.g. Romans & 1 Corinthians).
To help them in this period:
• God gifted certain gifted individuals with the gifts of prophecy and teaching.
• These people were able to bring some insight and clarity,
• On issues that the local Church was unsure of.
Ill:
• As you know I work as an itinerant evangelist in this area,
• I go from place to place preaching and teaching.
• We are not salaried,
• But our support comes from Churches and individuals that choose to help our ministry.
• (Website: www.gcurley.info)
• In New Testament times Christians ministered in a similar type of way,
• Not just evangelists but also itinerant prophets & preachers,
• Who would travel around an area and assist, give help to God's people:
Now these itinerant prophets and teachers went travelling around:
• They needed to stay somewhere,
• And because apps like ‘booking.com’ had yet to be invented,
• There was not even a Premier Inn or a Travel Lodge!!
• These itinerant prophets & preachers needed to have hospitality provided.
• There were inns but they could often be unsafe places,
• And they could also be places where drunkenness and prostitution took place.
• So, the simplest and best option was to stay in the home of a local Christian.
• That way you were safe and looked after.
SECOND: UNPRINCIPLED MEN - FALSE TEACHERS:
• According to verses 9-10 the privilege of hospitality,
• Was sometimes being abused by unprincipled men and false teachers.
• And this ‘Chosen lady’ was having a difficult time,
• She did not know who were the good guys are and who were the bad,
• Which prophets & teachers to accept into her home and, which to turn away.
• In her eagerness to show hospitality, she lost sight of discretion.
• She didn't have the right limits on her love, so that's why John wrote the letter.
Question #4: What is the Big Idea of this letter?
• This big idea could be stated in a few words; 'Make sure your love has limits'.
• That's the theme of 2nd John.
• Let me illustrate what I mean.
ill:
• We have probably all enjoyed a walk along a riverbank.
• As well as being picturesque,
• Rivers can help provide water for nearby the farmland.
• But at times rivers can flood,
• And we have seen on the news the damage caused when a river would leave its banks.
• It goes from beauty to destruction.
• TRANSITION: Think of love like that river.
• It has on one side the bank of truth
• And on the other side the bank of discernment,
• And it must never leave those banks, or it becomes destructive,
• e.g. to love wrong is to sin,
• When we lose our discernment, we weaken our faith rather than increase it,
• Love must be guarded by truth and discernment.
• And within those banks it is safe,
• Outside of them it can even be destructive.
• So, the theme of 2nd John can be stated in a few words.
• 'Make sure your love has limits'.
Note: Look at verse 1 and see how John emphasis those banks of "Love & Truth”.
“The elder,
To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I LOVE in the TRUTH – and not I only, but also all who know the TRUTH– “
• At the start of the letter the apostle John ("the elder"),
• States that his love for this lady is banked on all sides by truth:
• His love is proper, it is pure.
In that verse he sets the theme by linking both truth and love together.
• He again mentions truth in verse 2:
• "Because of the TRUTH, which lives in us and will be with us forever".
• And he mentions both words again in verse 3:
• Both "Truth and love" are linked together.
• John has obviously learnt the expression, “Repetition is a good teacher”
• He is making sure this lady and her kids don’t miss the point of his letter.
And after his opening remarks:
• The apostle John praises this woman for the way she has raised her children:
• Verse 4: "It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the TRUTH".
• Now, don’t miss that word, “Walk” in verse 4.
• The truth is never something intellectual, just a belief or an idea.
• Truth should be a motivating force in our lives,
• That shows itself in our actions and lifestyle.
• All the way through these opening verses:
• The apostle John is linking truth and love together,
• In fact, the word "Truth", appears five times in these four verses.
Question #5: What is the message of 2 John?
(a). Knowing the truth but not practicing it (vs 1-6)
• Remember this woman’s children were practicing the truth (vs 4).
• That expression, “Walking in the TRUTH".
• Carries the same idea of “Walking in the light" that he used in his first letter (1 John 1).
Christian love is not just an emotion, it is an act of the will:
• It is demonstrated not by words but by choices and actions.
• Verses 5-6:
“And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”
The apostle John nails it in verse 6 by defining exactly what love is:
• Love is, “Walking in obedience to his commands”
• Again, we have that link of truth and love,
• Remember in verse 4 the ladies’ children were “Walking in the TRUTH".
• And John says true love is walking in obedience to his commands.
• The ‘his’ of course is Jesus Christ,
• Who is mentioned in verse 3 as: "The Son of the Father”?
Ill:
• Now the apostle John goes back to Jesus to support his argument.
• He is referring to the words of Jesus in John chapter 13 verse 34.
"A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another".
Every Christian is called to walk in love and to practice love by practical actions.
• But at the same time, love is not blind and unquestioning,
• Our love is to be purposeful and deliberate,
• And at times it has to have limitations.
• We are called, "Walk in OBEDIENCE to his COMMANDS". (vs 6)
• Love and truth are Siamese twins which cannot be separated!!!
(B). Knowing the truth but not Defending it (vs 7-8&10-11)
• Quote: "Love is the hinge on which hospitality turns to open its door"
• But just as a door has hinges, it also has a lock!
• And love should never open up a door to a wolf,
• Even if it's dressed up in sheep's clothing.
We know that hospitality is important:
• So much so that there are 3 main passages, in the New Testament that deal with it.
• Romans chapter 12 verse 13. & 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 9. & Hebrews chapter 13 verse 2
• And all 3 passages hospitality is mentioned in the context of love!
• But because love and truth, are Siamese twins which cannot be separated,
• We must be discerning as we seek to demonstrate love.
Ill:
• I could give a £100 to a homeless man, that would be a loving gesture.
• But what if he wastes it on alcohol and drugs?
• That is not good.
• Or I could give £100 to the Salvation Army for their work among the homeless,
• For me that is love and truth, love and wisdom, love that is discerning.
Note: It seems he apostle John has raised the stakes in verse 7.
• He as moved on from itinerant Christian prophets & preachers,
• Who were sadly misusing their position,
• And taking advantage of this lady.
• To false teachers who were pretending to be genuine prophets & preachers,
• But of course, they were peddling false doctrine.
• The false doctrines that plagued the early Church was Gnosticism
• You will have encountered that in your studies of John’s fist letter.
• Any good commentary, Bible dictionary will explain what they believed.
• Basically, it's a wrong appreciation of Jesus Christ
• (His deity, his substitutional death on the cross and his resurrection).
The problem for this lady is that in her eagerness to be hospitable:
• She allowed into her home, false prophets & teachers.
• Without realizing it, she was aiding and abetting the enemy.
• In fact, John says in verse 11:
• Without realizing it, you are helping, sharing in his evil deeds.
• So, in verse 8 John gives a warning: "Watch yourselves" or "Be alert".
The apostle John’s advice is not complicated:
• "Continue in the teachings of Christ" (vs8).
• Christ's teachings are the foundation and central core of the Christian faith.
• Full of love & truth and we will never progress beyond them.
John's concluding thoughts (vs 12-13) are full of warmth and love.
• I like that last expression verse 12c:
• "So that our joy may be complete".
Question: Do you know who have no joy?
Answer:
• People in the cults.
• People caught up in false teachings.
• They are always intense, uptight, anxious (rarely seem to smile).
• Because they are having to work their way to heaven.
• They haven assurance or security; they could lose everything they believe tomorrow.
But the Christian is free from that type of pressure:
• We are safe and secure in Christ – that’s grace!
• Our joy is in him because we know him and seek to walk with him.
• So, don't run ahead or you might lose that.
• Rather run to him and delight yourself in him.
(c). Going Beyond the truth yet not advancing (vs 9)
“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son”
Note:
• An agnostic is someone who claims they do not know.
• A Gnostic is someone who claims they do know!
• False teachers always entice you something you don't have,
• i.e. You need this experience, or this teaching, or this…
• When in reality they take away from you what you ALREADY have.
• We lose our security, our confidence and our freedom if we embrace their ways.
The apostle John’s says, "Anyone who runs ahead" (vs 9).
• The KJB translates it, “Whoever transgresseth, and abideth not”
• To transgress is to go beyond the law.
• i.e. If you speed on the motorway and get you have transgressed the law.
• You thought you were benefitting by saving time,
• But in reality, you have lost out by being fined and with penalty points on your license.
• TRANSITION: We transgress when we go beyond God’s word.
• This book is truth that will guide us in love.
• So, the idea is of progressing, running ahead,
• Going beyond the limits of the word of God which is a false progression.
• John has reminded this lady in verse 6:
• "We walk in obedience to Christ's commands. As you heard from the beginning".
• We progress only as we walk in step with Christ,
• And we do that as we obey HIS commandments.
