BECOMING A CREATURE OF HABIT PART 4
3 JOHN 1:11-14 DEAR FRIEND, DO NOT IMITATE WHAT IS EVIL BUT WHAT IS GOOD. ANYONE WHO DOES WHAT IS GOOD IS FROM GOD. ANYONE WHO DOES WHAT IS EVIL HAS NOT SEEN GOD. 12 DEMETRIUS IS WELL SPOKEN OF BY EVERYONE--AND EVEN BY THE TRUTH ITSELF. WE ALSO SPEAK WELL OF HIM, AND YOU KNOW THAT OUR TESTIMONY IS TRUE. 13 I HAVE MUCH TO WRITE YOU, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO DO SO WITH PEN AND INK. 14 I HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON, AND WE WILL TALK FACE TO FACE. PEACE TO YOU. THE FRIENDS HERE SEND THEIR GREETINGS. GREET THE FRIENDS THERE BY NAME.
INTRODUCTION: AS WE COME TO THE END OF THIS SERIES ON 3RD JOHN, WE HAVE ONE MORE HABIT THAT WE SHOULD SEEK TO EMBRACE.
SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE HABITS THAT HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON OUR WALK AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST. THESE HABITS HAVE BEEN:
GOSSIP
PRIDE
FELLOWSHIP
SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
TESTIMONY
THIS MORNING, WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO ONE LAST HABIT – THE HABIT OF IMITATION.
I. WHAT IS IMITATION ANYWAY?
a. JOHN IS ASKING GAIUS AS HIS FRIEND TO EMBRACE IMITATION
b. IMITATION IS IN OUR NATURE
i. FROM OUR VERY YOUNGEST OF YEARS, WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN IMITATION.
ii. WE SEE IT IN OUR CHILDREN
iii. WE SEE IT IN THE REQUESTS OF GOD HIMSELF – BE YE HOLY EVEN AS I AM HOLY
c. THE WORD HERE MEANS TO MIMIC OR TO PANTOMIME
i. TO BEHAVE AND ACT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE PERSON YOU ARE TRYING TO REPRESENT IS CLEARLY SEEN
d. THE HARDEST CHOICE IN WHO WE CHOSE TO IMITATE/FOLLOW
i. ACCORDING TO JOHN WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO FOLLOW THOSE WHO ARE GOOD AS OPPOSED TO THOSE WHO ARE EVIL
ii. JOHN ENCOURAGES GAIUS TO CHOOSE TO IMITATE GOOD
1. DEMETRIUS IS GIVEN AS AN EXAMPLE
a. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT HIM
b. PROBABLY CARRIED THIS LETTER FROM JOHN
c. HE IS PLACED AS THE OPPOSITE OF DIOTREPHES WHO JOHN CONSIDERED EVIL
i. GOSSIP
ii. PRIDE
II. JOHN’S CHOICE OF IMITATION
a. THE CHOICE TO IMITATE DIOTREPHES
i. JOHNS USES HIM AS THE EXAMPLE OF EVIL
ii. IT IS AN ACTION WE ARE TO STOP – STOP IMITATING THAT WHICH IS EVIL
iii. EVIL IS AN INTERESTING WORD, MEANING
1. BAD
2. DOES HARM
3. MISERABLE
4. MISERLY
5. NOISOME – OFFENSIVE SMELL
6. DISAGREEABLE
7. UNPLEASANT
iv. WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST, EVIL HAS A DEVASTATING EFFECT
1. THINK ABOUT HOW EVIL EFFECTS THE CHURCH
2. HURTS THE CHURCH, NOT HELPS
a. THE LOCAL FELLOWSHIP
b. THE COMMUNITY WITNESS
3. OFFENSIVE IN SMELL
a. DEAD THINGS SMELL
b. UNCLEAN THINGS SMELL
4. DISAGREEABLE
a. BREAKS UP THE UNITY OF THE LOCAL BODY
b. UNITY OF PURPOSE, NOT UNIFORMITY OF PERSON
b. THE CHOICE OF DEMETRIUS
i. JOHN USES DEMETRIOUS AS AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD
ii. THE MEANING OF THE WORD GOOD
1. EXCELLENT
2. DISTINGUISHED
3. THE BEST OF PERSONS
4. GOOD CHARACTER, DISPOSITION
iii. RELATED TO DEMETRIUS, GOOD SPECIFICALLY MEANT HIS CHARACTER – LOVE AND VIRTUE
iv. THE CHARACTER OF DEMETRIUS WAS
1. KNOWN TO OTHERS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME
2. WAS VERIFIED BY JOHN – WHOM GAIUS KNEW TO BE TRUTHFUL
3. AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TESTIMONY TO THE CHARACTER OF DEMETRIUS WAS HE WAS “WELL SPOKEN OF BY THE TRUTH ITSELF”
a. HIS LIFE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOSPEL
III. CHOOSING TO IMITATE GOOD – WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
i. IMITATION HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS
1. WE WERE CREATED IN THE LIKENESS AND IMAGE OF GOD
2. WERE ARE TO IMITATE GOD, NOT BE LIKE HIM – YOU WILL REMEMBER AFTER THE APPLE INCIDENT, THAT MAN WAS KICKED OUT OF THE GARDEN BECAUSE HE NOW KNEW GOOD AND EVIL – WHICH IN THIS CASE WAS AN ACT OF REBELLION AND SIN
ii. IMITATION IS BEING “GODLIKE” IN ACTIONS WHILE AVOIDING THE DESIRE TO ASPIRE TO BE GOD
1. WE ALL KNOW HOW THAT WORKED OUT AT THE TOWER OF BABEL!
2. YET WE ARE COMMANDED TO BE IMITATORS OF GOD -- EPHESIANS 5:1 (NIV) BE IMITATORS OF GOD, THEREFORE, AS DEARLY LOVED CHILDREN
3. HOW DO WE DO IT?
a. RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE HIS CHILDREN
ALTHOUGH WE CANNOT BE GOD, WE DO HAVE GOD’S DNA SO TO SPEAK
WE HAVE BEEN MADE IN HIS IMAGE
WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED FROM DEATH – SEPARATION FROM GOD TO LIFE – TOGETHER WITH GOD
WE CAN BE IMITATORS OF GOD BECAUSE WE ARE NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST
b. WE IMITATE GOD BY DOING GODLY THINGS – LIKE LOVING OTHERS
GOD IS THE VERY DEFINITION – THE PERSONIFICATION OF LOVE
SO, WHEN WE ACT LOVINGLY, WE ARE ACTING IN IMITATION OF THE PERSON OF GOD
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE IMITATION OF GOD, IE: LOVE IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT
PAUL SAYS IT THIS WAY -- EPHESIANS 5:2 AND LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE, JUST AS CHRIST LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US AS A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD.
THE WORD LIVE HERE MEANS TO WALK – MAKING DAILY CHOICES TO LOVE AS GOD LOVES
SOMETIMES THAT MEANS I ACT LOVINGLY EASILY AND AT OTHER TIMES IT IS AN ACT OF MY WILL. I DETERMINE THAT I WILL BE LOVING AND EXPRESS THAT LOVE TO OTHERS
c. WE IMITATE GOD BY AVOIDING IMMORALITY
EPHESIANS 5:3 (NIV) BUT AMONG YOU THERE MUST NOT BE EVEN A HINT OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY, OR OF ANY KIND OF IMPURITY, OR OF GREED, BECAUSE THESE ARE IMPROPER FOR GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE.
WHY? SIMPLY BECAUSE GOD SAYS THIS IS IMPROPER FOR GOD’S PEOPLE, WHO BY THE WAY ARE CALLED HOLY
HOLINESS AND IMPURITY AR MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE – CAN’T HAVE BOTH
LET ME STOP HERE FOR A MOMENT, AND SAY THIS – NO ONE IS CLEAN HERE. WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. THAT IS WHY WE NEEDED GOD TO REDEEM US. WE ALSO EVEN AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, STRUGGLE WITH SIN. THAT IS WHY JOHN REMINDS US ABOUT CONFESSION AND RESTORATION.
AT THE SAME TIME – IE: SAME LETTER, JOHN ALSO WARNS US TO BE AWARE THAT WALLOWING IN THE SAME MUD HOLE OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS A STRONG INDICATION THAT WE ARE NOT WHERE WE ARE TO BE AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, AND WE HAVE IN THE WORDS OF PAUL, KIND OF SKEWED THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD.
ROMANS 6:1-2 (NIV) WHAT SHALL WE SAY, THEN? SHALL WE GO ON SINNING SO THAT GRACE MAY INCREASE? 2 BY NO MEANS! WE DIED TO SIN; HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER?
d. WE IMITATE GOD BY KEEPING OUR MOUTHS CLEAN
EPHESIANS 5:4 (NIV) NOR SHOULD THERE BE OBSCENITY, FOOLISH TALK OR COARSE JOKING, WHICH ARE OUT OF PLACE, BUT RATHER THANKSGIVING.
OBSCENITY --ANY TALK THAT IS DEGRADING AND DISGRACEFUL, INCLUDING CURSING AND SAYING THE LORD’S NAME IN VAIN.
FOOLISH TALK – EMPTY WASTEFUL
CHRIST SAYS WE WILL BE JUDGED FOR EVERY IDLE WORD -- MATTHEW 12:36 BUT I TELL YOU THAT MEN WILL HAVE TO GIVE ACCOUNT ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR EVERY CARELESS WORD THEY HAVE SPOKEN.
SOLOMON TELLS US THAT TALKING FOOLISHLY LEADS TO MORE SIN -- PROVERBS 10:19 WHEN WORDS ARE MANY, SIN IS NOT ABSENT, BUT HE WHO HOLDS HIS TONGUE IS WISE.
e. WE IMITATE GOD BY REMEMBERING HIS WARNINGS
EPHESIANS 5:5-7 (NIV) FOR OF THIS YOU CAN BE SURE: NO IMMORAL, IMPURE OR GREEDY PERSON--SUCH A MAN IS AN IDOLATER--HAS ANY INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND OF GOD. 6 LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU WITH EMPTY WORDS, FOR BECAUSE OF SUCH THINGS GOD'S WRATH COMES ON THOSE WHO ARE DISOBEDIENT. 7 THEREFORE DO NOT BE PARTNERS WITH THEM.
NOTICE WHAT IS LOST HERE – INHERITANCE, WHAT IS THERE IN HEAVEN FOR US
IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT TO HEAVEN AND ARRIVE WITH NOTHING.
FAR WORSE THAN LOSING YOUR LUGGAGE ON A TRIP.
1 CORINTHIANS 3:12-15 (NIV) IF ANY MAN BUILDS ON THIS FOUNDATION USING GOLD, SILVER, COSTLY STONES, WOOD, HAY OR STRAW, 13 HIS WORK WILL BE SHOWN FOR WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE THE DAY WILL BRING IT TO LIGHT. IT WILL BE REVEALED WITH FIRE, AND THE FIRE WILL TEST THE QUALITY OF EACH MAN'S WORK. 14 IF WHAT HE HAS BUILT SURVIVES, HE WILL RECEIVE HIS REWARD. 15 IF IT IS BURNED UP, HE WILL SUFFER LOSS; HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, BUT ONLY AS ONE ESCAPING THROUGH THE FLAMES.
AS WE CLOSE THIS MORNING, THIS LAST HABIT OF BEING AN IMITATOR IS ENCOURAGED BY JOHN AND SHOULD BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO DEVELOP.
WHO SHOULD WE SEEK TO IMITATE – NONE OTHER THAN GOD HIMSELF. WE HAVE THE GENETICS, AND HE HAS GIVEN US THE MEANS.
AS WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO WITH WHAT HE HAS GIVEN US IS UP TO US.
THE END RESULT OF THAT CHOICE IS NOT SEEN HERE, BUT IN ETERNITY.
