March 24, 2019
Morning Service

We completed the letter of I John last week with our 11^th message on Sunday night.  This short book is packed with truth that is both encouraging and challenging.  John gave us the process to receive forgiveness when we sin (I Jn. 1:9) as well as to help us identify that sin in our lives (3:4).  He warned us of becoming too attached to this world, but to do the will of God and abide in Him (2:15-17).  He reminded us as well that we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us along our journey (2:27).  One of the greatest promise that he teaches us is that God does not look at us as servants or slaves, but as His children (3:1).  He warned us several times to be careful with the many false prophets that are in our world today.  He told us to “test the spirits whether they are of God” (4:1).  Loving our brothers has been a continual theme of this book (4:19-20) as well as displaying our love for God by keeping His commandments (5:3).  He stated his purpose for writing this letter in the final chapter (5:13):

1Jn 5:13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

            John encouraged us that our salvation is a “know so salvation.”  It is a relationship with our Creator and we can take confidence that we know Him and He knows us.  He also encourages us to “Continue to believe” as we walk our journey of life.  There is no place to quit, but we must continually seek to do His will as an act of our love for all He has done, is doing and will do in the future for us.  Keep on keeping on and stay the course and continue to believe.

            The Second Epistle of John follows right along with that same thought but can be summed up by what Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians:

1Co 10:12  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

            This could be the subtitle for both 2^nd and 3^rd John as he encourages those whom he wrote to continue along the path they are choosing to take.  This 2^nd letter reminds of some of the same issues John dealt with in his first epistle.  Review is a great way to learn and apply it to our lives.  This letter is believed to be written either with the first one or very shortly afterwards from Ephesus around the year 95AD.

2Jn 1:1-3  The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,  (2)  because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:  (3)  Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

            John here refers to himself as “The Elder” which could refer to his age as it is now nearly 60 years after he walked with Jesus.  He has addressed this letter to “the elect lady and her children” and that is believed to be certain local fellowship as we know the church is considered the “Bride of Christ.”  They were greatly loved and respected by “all those who have known the truth.”  It is very important for a church to be committed to speaking the truth of the gospel neither adding nor subtracting anything, but teaching the whole Word of God.  Churches today are “compromising” the truth to fit our changing society, but they forget this fact:

Heb. 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus does not change with the times and His message of truth doesn’t either.  Sin is the same then and as it is now.  A major denomination recently voted on whether to approve same sex marriages and allow those involved in that lifestyle to be in leadership.  It was only narrowly declined.  This church had no such issues that John wrote to.  Truth was the only way for them as it is for us.  I would much rather preach truth than tolerance.

 

            2Jn 1:4-6  I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.  (5)  And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.  (6)  This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

            John edifies these believers with an “attaboy” for the life they are living, but also with encouragement to not be satisfied and just dwell on their success.  It had to be very pleasing for him to see churches that were on the path the Apostles had pointed them to.  He pleads with them to continue to “love one another.”  This is not a new commandment as we can track this all the way back to Moses in Lev. 19:18, but it is a recurring message in John’s writings as well as throughout the New Testament.  Just as a good teacher stresses things that will be on test, a bell should go off in our mind that this is important to our walk with our Lord.  Love is the key to our whole relationship with God as well as with others.  It is meant to be the motivation for everything that we do.  Our Christian walk and love for God and our brothers is inseparable; you can’t have one without the other.  John now stresses another important point for us to follow.

 

            2Jn 1:7-11  For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  (8)  Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.  (9)  Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.  (10)  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;  (11)  for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

            John again warns us of the danger of false teachers and we must look to see if they are confessing that Jesus was fully God and fully man.  If they do not teach that then they are not from God.  He even further warns us not to have anything to do with these separating ourselves from them.  We are to do nothing that encourages these false teachings to continue.  Don’t dabble in their doctrine, but remove yourself from it and from those who teach it.  That helps to protect ourselves as well as to not show in any way that we approve of what they are doing.  Remember, even this act has to be done in love and never with a mean, condemning or judgmental attitude.  John now closes his letter with a hope to visit this church soon in person.    

 

 

2Jn 1:12-13  Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.  (13)  The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.

This letter is just a reminder again of things John feels are very important.  Love our bothers, keep God’s commands and stay away from false teachers.  These are all principles we can leave here today and focus on continuing to do and to be challenged to do them better.  There is no place to quit in our walk with the Lord, as we can always walk closer to Him.  Continue to believe and walk with the Lord.  As I quoted from Paul as we began this does sum up this letter pretty well:

 

1Co 10:12  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

 

Father grant us the determination to finish our walk with You strong, not walking slowing at the finish line but running at full speed.