EBG Preken

Perspective changes everything.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The finality of death was a theme commonly discussed bij the Greek philosophers. Some believed that there might be some kind of afterlife, but it wasn’t anything to look forward to. Paul’s teaching on the Coming of the Lord, raised an important question… what about those Christians that died before His Parousia - His coming and presence among us. This question is the backdrop to one of the most comforting passages in Scripture.
Warren Wiersbe - a well-known Bible teacher - organized this passage around five R-words. I will use four of those words for the outline.

Revelation (13-15a)
Paul explains the danger of ignorance. God does not want us to be ignorant. That doesn’t mean He tells us everything, but He does tell us everything we need to know and we ought not to be ignorant of those things He has revealed to us.
Revelation gives us security to face the future and we ought to strive to understand what God has told us.

Resurrection (15-16)
Here is the beauty of what God has revealed to us: death is not final. Christ’s resurrection guarantees our resurrection. In Colossians we learn that our identity is irremovably united with Christ. This is why Paul holds on to the hope that to die is gain… death ushers us into Christ's presence. We will be changed according to 2 Corinthians 5.
The resurrection gives us hope and in fact ensures that we will in no way miss His Parousia. The dead in Christ rise first.

Rapture (17)
Then we who are alive will be caught up to meet Him I'm the air.
Many questions are raised by this text and debated by theologians. Is this the same event as the Day of the Lord or the Second coming? In say no, based on the hope that Jesus left His disciples in John 14. He was going to prepare a place for them, would return for them and then take them there. The clear expectation is to leave this world with Him, not have Him stay with us.
Secondly, when explaining the second coming Christ says in Matthew 24 that His coming will be like the days of Noah… all the ungodly are removed for the earth and the righteous remain. What is described here in 1 Thessalonians 4 is the catching up of the righteous into the clouds - the ungodly remain on Earth. This truth gives us great aniticipation.

Reunion (17-18)
And so shall we always be with Him. Wherever He is, we will be. We are the host dressed in white behind Him when He does come to establish His reign on earth. We will be reunited with our loved ones and we will enjoy being in His presence for all eternity.
This truth brings us great joy.

Paul tells his readers to encourage and strengthen one another with these words! And what an encouragement it is.

What God wants and I often don’t.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Perhaps the number one question among Christians of all ages is: “What does God want from me?” Our text this morning deals with this very issue.

The one thing God wants from you (2-3a)
God wants us to be holy. He said it in and Peter repeats it for the New Testament Church: Be holy, for I am holy. (cf. Leviticus 11:44-45 and 1 Peter 1:13-14) Your sanctification, as it reads in this text. This is a process of becoming more and more holy, rather than a state of being or status attained. The classic definition of holiness is: set apart for God.

The one thing the world wants from you (3b-6)
The world doesn’t want you to be different - it wants you to be just like everyone else. In fact there is the danger that lies in verse 5: acting just like other people that do not know God. When the world examines your life, does it find a person alien to their cultural norms and values or a person living for another life?

God’s call for your life (7-12)
Paul lays holiness and conformity next to each other and ties them to your calling. The word he picks here is enlightening, as it makes reference to their status as “called out ones”, which makes us think of the meaning of Church - ekklesia: the called out ones. We have been called out of this world and into His holiness.
Then he contrasts the sexual boundlessness of the first verses with a proper brother love (phileo), which they are already evidencing. You see, Christ said it: it is by your love for one another that they will recognize you. Brotherly love is something this world does not know.
Paul’s final exhortation brings us to look at our behavior, our speech, and our labor. All three should be under control and exemplary to the world. We ought always to remember the testimony we have before them that are without.

When good plans change.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

Plans change. Or plans get changed. Does this sound relatable? You were planning a good thing - a God thing - and looking forward to the ministry and blessing that would come. A missions trip, an evangelistic outreach, attending a conference, volunteering at a Christian organisation, ministering to someone’s need… it was some kind of good plan. Then all of your plans were thwarted. How did you respond?
Or maybe not so lofty… you made plans to be a better husband or a happier mommy. You decide to honor your parents. You bought that car, signed for that house, made a family decision to do the “right thing” --whatever that may be. And these good plans were interrupted. A week ago life seemed mapped out, you could connect the dots and God’s will seemed understandable. Until it didn’t. How do you respond?
Before our first date Heather and I had already discussed a myriad of significant issues. For instance: we had already settled that we wanted two or four kids and planned: “we’ll have two and if we like them… we’ll have four.” The reason was logistic… I grew up in a family of five and that always meant someone sat alone in amusement park rides. Hey - I was 19… that’s where my thinking was at. An even number was better - even good. Children are a heritage of the Lord.
We had our first two and we liked them, so we had another. The death-blow came when the surgeon informed us that it would be life-threatening to have another child. Due to complications Heather had all three children cesarean. It seemed as if a child had been taken away. Our good plans had been thwarted. And it was hard to accept as the Lord’s leading.
I am encouraged this morning to share such an episode from Paul’s life. Our text this morning gives us three keys in responding in a way that honors God.

#1 Take a humble step back 2:17-18, 3:10
Paul had a good plan. He wanted to go back to Thessalonica. This was a Church that was near and dear to his heart. Their reception of the gospel was unlike most places. This was his first major advance into Macedonia and he had felt a connection with these believers unlike any other. He had described them in lofty terms and praised them for their initial hearing and persevering. It must have been an incredible evangelistic endeavour. He calls them his joy and crown. Getting back to thessalonica to “complete what is lacking in their faith” was a good plan.
Satan had hindered him.
Wow. Satan had hindered him. The word meant to break up a road and was eventually used in a military sense to break through the enemy defenses. It was also used athletically to cut in front of another runner. The adversary had cut in front of Paul´s plans to stop them.
I learn a lot from Paul’s mentioning of Satan here. In Western Christianity we tend to over-emphasize Satan or under-emphasize Satan. Mostly due to the excesses of Charismatic Evangelicalism we tend to shy away from calling him out. But we have an adversary and he is actively working against the Church. It isn’t wrong to lay blame at his feet.
However, we are never in Scripture told to scold or reprimand Satan - in fact in Jude we are warned that not even the angels do that. And even more than that, we do not see a hint that Paul tries to go ahead with his plan despite Satan’s hindering. Instead he takes a humble second look at his plans.

#2 Look for God’s better plan 3:1-10
Paul’s plan A was to take the entire team of missionaries back to Thessalonica and to minister to them with the goals of (3:10) accomplishing what is lacking in their faith.
His plan B, however, is to send only Timothy to see how they are doing and strengthen their faith.
Paul wanted to go, but never actually did.
Paul humbly accepted that Satan’s hindering was lead of God to re-think his good plan.
You know, had Paul turned around, he would not have had his incredible opportunity to speak on the Areopagus in Athens as he waited for Timothy to return and he would not have met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth.
Sometimes God wants us to rethink our plans.
Timothy´s report is that their faith was stronger than Paul could have expected.

#3 Pray for that which you cannot change 3:11-13
In the final verses of chapter 3 we discover that Paul had not let his personal desire to go back to Thessalonica go. Here then is the final lesson… let God know in prayer. Pray for the things that you cannot change or influence. The content of His prayer is threefold and it is an incredible prayer for the Church that we ought to pray often.

Paul prays for…
… the possibility of a personal desire. He still wanted to God back and asks God to make a way. I like the contrary imagery compared to Satan´s work of breaking up the road.
… He prays for growth in breadth and depth. He prays for people to be added to their number and he prays that their love with deepen.
… He prays for the buttressing (literal meaning) of their hearts to stand unashamed in holiness before God at Christ’s return.
Paul is going to say much more about Christ’s return in this book, but what a statement pregnant with expectation and desire for the future.

Paul has submitted to God’s leading - despite the thwarting work of Satan in good plans. He humbly takes a step back, he looks for God’s better plan, and he prays for things He cannot change. And boy does he pray.

Gratitude and Sadness. Suffering and Reward.
1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

Paul returns to an introduction made in the opening verses of the first chapter. He is grateful. His gratitude was directed at the fruit among them in chapter 1, but here it is directed at the work of God through the message of God, which was received by them as the words of God. The connection with the preceding is clear: Paul’s ministry and message among them had been called into question and attacked by the Thessalonian synagogue. Paul is thankful for the simple acceptance that the believers evidenced.

The Received Word of God (13)
This first verse teaches us an important progression and understanding about the Word and message of God. His subject is the preaching of God’s Word (13a) and Paul describes its reception among the Thessalonians. He distinguishes two actions: their hearing (initial objective reception) and their accepting (subsequent personal welcoming). This makes an important point about the gospel: God has spoken and man has received it. What man chooses to do with that which they have received is an important question, which we will deal with next.
But God has spoken. He speaks through the words of men and His message is effective (energetic) in the heart of the believer to affect change.
I have heard too often the accusation that “not everyone has heard the message of salvation,” levied against the evangelist as if that is to make the message irrelevant. This simply will not do. God has spoken and His Word has been translated for everyone to read and study. The problem is not on God’s end - the problem is the hearer’s.
In Romans 10 Paul addresses this reception of God’s gospel: there is the sending of a preacher, the preaching, a hearing, a believing, and a resulting calling upon the Name of the Lord (10:11-13).

The Opposing Responses to God (13-16)
James speaks of receiving with meekness the engrafted Word of God (1:21) -- it is already present, but must yet be welcomed. Paul delineates two responses to the received Word of God in this text: welcoming it - as the Word of God. Paul even goes on to strengthen this with “which indeed it is.” (13) This Word of God works faith among those who believe. The verb chosen here is that of opening a door to welcome one into a home. God’s Word is received by all, but not everyone welcomes it into their home.
The other response is graphically attested by the opposing Jews. We will deal with verse 14, but at the end he introduces the Jews, who have not accepted the Word of God as the Word of God. The have levied against Paul that His message is man-made philosophy and motivated by greed and adulation.
Paul’s indictment is thorough, presented in five participles, beginning in the past and moving to the present:
- They killed the Lord Jesus,
- They killed the prophets,
- They persecute us,
- They do not please God, and
- They go against all people.
This has been the pattern of Israel throughout her history. They received God’s Word, but they did not welcome it into their hearts. They fashioned a religion, rather than forging personal faith.
Paul’s next word is key: they hinder. There is the second response. You can receive God’s Word and welcome it or you can receive God’s Word and hinder it.
God’s judgment of such hindering is apparent and here slated in a past tense to indicate its sureness. Hindering God’s received Word brings eternal doom. Not allowing God’s Word entrance into your heart leaves you unchanged and in fact turned against Him. The final eternal doom of all who oppose Him is sure. Hindering the effect of His Word leads to hell. Not a popular truth to hear today, but nonetheless true.
The choice, however, is our’s. How do we respond to the message He has already given us?
Welcoming it - giving you a glimpse into next week’s sermon - brings glory and reward (verse 19).

The Unavoidable Suffering for God (14-15a)
Paul points to the suffering the Thessalonian Church endures as a proof of God’s work in them. In fact he uses the term mimic. You are imitating the Churches in Judea - suffering is the expected pattern. Whenever God’s Word accumulates a believing remnant, Satan’s opposing work ramps up in the form of persecution and suffering.
In most of the world this is the pattern. It is here in the West that Satan’s tactic has been to lull the Church into a false sense of security and prosperity. The norm throughout all of human history is that the man of God suffers for the message of God.
These days are coming in the West - and in many ways are already here. The freedom to preach the Word of God as the Word of God and not man is vanishing. Pretty soon it will be hate speech to call sin sin.
So when suffering comes… how will you respond?

God has spoken.
You have heard.
Do you welcome it?
Or do you hinder it?
And will you suffer for it?

A good testimony and a shared soul
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

The first half of chapter two of 1 Thessalonians is more of a challenge to the preacher. Not that it is difficult to understand or preach, but that Paul defends his ministry among these believers and in doing so gives us insight into the kind of man, teacher and preacher Paul was. These a very personal words and as one writer puts it: “I am thankful for the accusations against Paul, for otherwise we may not have read this description of Paul’s ways of being with people. These verses teach me much about the man I want to be in this pulpit and among you.

A good Testimony (1-6)
Paul’s defense is masterful. Rather than an overt defense against the accusations, Paul appeals to shared experiences and calls the reader to remember what they know about him. Six times he says “you know” (verses 1, 2, 5, 9, 10 and 11).
One can only appeal to such shared experiences if you have a good testimony.
Paul often instructs leaders to have such a testimony. To be above reproach and friendly (cf. 1 Tim. 3).
The accusations against Paul are evident from his defense:
> He is teaching an incorrect theology
> He has impure motives for ministry
> He manipulates people into his traps
> He tries to please people
> He speaks with empty flattery
> He is aiming for your wallet
> He is living and ministering for people’s praise

I asked myself how I would have defended myself against such accusations and came to the conclusion that Paul’s defense is by far the best: let your life and way with people speak for itself.
But Paul not only appeals to his testimony among the believers in this Church, he also appeals to God’s testimony of him in verses 4-5 and 10. He calls God as a witness to their proper motives, way of life and call to ministry. Paul views this ministry as “God entrusting the gospel to him.” We are entrusted with God’s message, which is a sobering and awesome truth.

A Proper Behavior (7-11)
In his defense Paul exhibited a high level and quality of behavior among these believers. In Paul’s defense he calls them to remember how they behaved among them and lists seven behaviors:
> He invested despite the risk to his own life 2
> He was sincere in his doctrine, conviction and free from sexual perversion 3
> He was laboring for God’s approval not man’s 4, 6
> He was not concerned with financial gain 5
> He didn’t appeal to his authority, but was motherly 6-8
> He was above reproach in what he did 10
> He behaved like a father in guiding their walk 11-12

These seven behaviors are easily turned into questions, such as: am I willing to invest despite risk? Do I keep myself free from sexual perversion and do I labor for God’s approval? Am I motherly and fatherly and do I labor and toil deep into the night, so that God’s will may be accomplished among people?
Illustration about witnessing the different roles between father and mother with Willem and Saskia when Joas fell after Church and hurt himself. Willem tried to console him, but all the while his eyes were on Saskia. He wanted his mommy, because she’s the comforter. Moms just do that better than dads.
Paul is an example to us in his conviction and commitment to God.
Verse 8 is incredible. Not only sharing the gospel, but sharing our - and the text literally says - souls. It isn’t wrong to translate it life, but leaving the original word there gives us the extent of the sharing. There was a mingling of souls for the sake of the gospel. This gives us an impression of the impassioned way that Paul ministered to these believers. He loved them dearly.

A Growing Faith (11-12)
Paul finishes this passage with his vision for ministry. He acts like a mother and father to his children in the faith, but verse 11 draws our attention to what His goal in this parenting imagery is: to keep walking in a manner that is worthy of God - the King, who has called us into His own kingdom and glory. Walking worthy of your calling (cf. Eph. 4). Become who God wants you to be.

Again... this is a challenge to the preacher to consider what my aim is, how my behavior is among you and whether my testimony will stand the test of accusation. But not only for me, also for us all to consider. When sharing the gospel with my co-workers… do they just hear words or do they see a life that supports those words and a willingness to share and commit? What is your behavior among others and how will your reputation hold up?
These are significant questions and Paul teaches us that a good testimony, proper behavior and growing faith are essential to any kind of ministry.

Prayer and Preservation
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

This letter from Paul is written to encourage the Church. In his introduction he doesn’t even feel the need to underscore his apostleship, as he does in his letters to the Galatian, Philippian and Ephesian Churches. He simply introduces the letter as from “Paul, Silvanus and Timothy”. This letter does not contain major correction or reprimand like the Corinthian and Galatian letters. This letter does not center on theological discourse like the letter to the Romans. This is a letter of encouragement to a young Church that is doing things right. Paul acknowledges there is much they need to learn yet (2:10) and he encourages them to continue doing what they are already doing (5:11).

There is much that we can learn from this letter. As I was pondering what to study during the summer months, I really wanted to encourage you to continue to do what you are doing. Our Church has no need of correction or reprimand, there are no problems lurking and there is a welcoming atmosphere. Then 5:11 caught my attention: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. This summer we will delve into this letter and be reminded of some basic truths that encourage our faith, stimulate our love and strengthen our hope. We ought to resolve to continue as we are doing.

Paul offers his customary greeting, a hybrid of Greek (blessings to you) and Jewish (shalom) greeting, which drips with gospel truth: grace precedes peace and it is through grace that we have peace with God. This grace has come through Christ Jesus and God the Father.

BOUND TOGETHER IN PRAYER (1:2)
This letter is probably one of the first letters penned by Paul. The date of its writing is most likely 51 AD. In Acts 17 we read of Paul’s second Missionary Journey. A number of doors had closed in Asia Minor and Paul had a vision of a man calling until him to come over to Macedonia (modern Greece). Thessalonica was one of the first cities to be evangelized. It was a bustling city center in those days with an estimated 200.000 inhabitants. It was located on the major Roman trade route called the Via Egnatia that connected Rome with the East. It also was a prime harbor location, that offered a more quiet haven from weather. The city had been granted freedom to govern itself by the Roman empire and so it retained a Greek culture. There was a strong Jewish presence that became jealous at the successes of Paul and his companions. They instigated a riot in Thessalonica and ran them out of town. We are not sure how long Paul spent in Thessalonica, but it was shorter than he would have liked. The Church was young and would have to mature among a hostile city.
This is what lead to his exuberant declaration of continual prayer for these believers. He thinks of them often, remembers them fondly and prays for them a lot. I would simply like to pause here and encourage you in this spiritual discipline. Do you pray for one another? Can you describe it as continual? During the summer months we all end up going our separate ways wherever our vacations take us. Will you remain bound together in Prayer? Will you pray for each other as you travel? Will you remind your children to pray for the other kids in the Sunday School classes? Stay fervent and faithful in praying for one another.

EXEMPLARY IN GROWTH (1:3)
Paul remembers their spiritual growth. There is some debate as to the placement of “continually”. Does it belong with prayer (praying continually) or with remembering (continually think of). Since the thought belongs together, I’m not sure it matters per se. Since Paul often speaks of praying unceasingly, I place it with the preceding.
As Paul thinks of these young believers it is their rapid spiritual growth amid persecution that sticks in his mind. He combines his thoughts into a triad that will pop up more often in his letter: faith, hope and love.
He attaches these nouns to specific verbs that describe their nature.
Work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. I love this.
Paul agrees with James that Faith that does not result in works is dead and useless. It is because we believe that works, actions, doings should proceed. Not for salvation, but because of salvation. When we come to faith our lives change.
Love causes us to labor. The word here carries the idea of intense exertion to the point of weariness. Because of love we labor and toil for one another. Willing to work hard and invest in each other’s lives.
Hope produces steadfastness. It is the future expectation of Christ’s return that awakens in us a willingness to endure difficulties and persecution.
Someone has said: faith looks back at Christ’s sacrifice, love looks up for Christ’s approval, and hope looks forward to Christ’s return.
What is your plan to continue to develop and exercise your faith, hope and love this summer? It is a solemn reminder that life is lived under the watchful eye of God the Father.

CHOSEN IN LOVE (5-6)
The original strongly connects verse four with verse five. The verb `knowing` is placed in first position. It is verb in the perfect tense signifying completed action. This is something that they know, because it is already completed. He identifies them as beloved by God. Lovely words for a Church dear to Paul´s heart. They are beloved by God. This beloved status underscores their election. There is not a single more divisive theological term than this one. Honestly, this is due to some very wrong interpretive thoughts and the influence of philosophical thinking on Scripture. And because of this, a very dear and positive and encouraging truth of Scripture is stolen from the believer.
Their election of God is certain. Did you notice that? Paul knows it and he says they know it. That is how this doctrine of election is supposed to work. As you remember, which is what Paul is doing, he thinks back to when the gospel was preached and the affect it had on these people. They believed. The preaching was powerful, lead by the Spirit and thorough. And they believed it. But as you remember, you must also connect this verse with the preceding and as you look back on your life you look for the fruit of God’s work in your life… faith, hope and love… what has it produced?
Every single time Paul speaks of election in (cf. Eph. 1, Rom. 8) it is a source of encouragement to the believer. Why? Because as you hear the gospel and are convicted of sin, acknowledge your lost estate and throw yourself upon the mercy of God and the work of Christ on your behalf, you choose to accept His grace and you might think that your salvation was due to your acceptance. It is once you are saved and study Scripture you discover that you love, because He first loved you. His chose you. He elected you before the foundation of the earth… and it is encouraging the first time you fall into sin again, that you salvation is not lost, because it is His sovereign grace that keeps you saved. God’s loving choice to elect is a doctrine to be cherished not feared.
Where people go wrong is they philosophically start wondering if God then also chooses who will spend eternity in hell. And if these things are true… did we really have a free choice?
Scripture does not warrant this thinking… it simply gives us the security of knowing that in love God sovereignly chose us… and He will keep us.

Does your life show forth faith, hope, and love? Do others see your way of life and conclude: He is loved by God... you can see it!

Do I listen when Scripture warns?
Sermon series on biblical trustworthiness. Sermon 9

We’re going to finish this series by studying two very short letters today and next week. Perhaps you could call them “postcards from John.”
Second John taught us to be weary of false teachers. Do not just let anyone come into your home. Fulfill the command to love your neighbor, but don’t sacrifice truth in order to show love - love by its definition is obedience to the truth.

Third John takes us in the opposite direction and John writes perhaps his most personal letter. He names three men and employs kind, direct speech to commend two of these brothers and strongly reprimand the third. These three men are Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. The problem is between Gaius and Diotrephes and this letter brings home a problem that we still face in the Church: pride gets in the way of ministry.
I want to draw three lessons from the way John speaks to these three men.

ENCOURAGE BELOVED BROTHERS THAT WALK IN THE TRUTH (1-8)
He is addressed as “beloved”. He was loved by John and by others. He had a good reputation, which is required of anyone that serves the Church (1 Tim. 3:7). He had soaked up truth (“his truth”) like a sponge and made it his own. And here also Gaius is one of those that walked in truth. He was honest, trustworthy and someone you could count on. Even the traveling preachers had testified to Gaius’ love and service to them.
Gaius was one of those men that every Church should have. He turned the Church into a welcoming place, where strangers could feel at home.
Gaius teaches us how to balance truth and love and put deeds to our words. These are the men that we should encourage in ministry.

CONFRONT HAUGHTY BROTHERS THAT HINDER THE TRUTH (9-10)
What a contrast in the verses that follow. John doesn’t mince words and succinctly puts his finger on the sore spot in the Church. Diotrephes likes to be first. Now there is a fine indictment to many Church problems, isn’t it? He just wanted to be first. Never unlearned that childish behavior of thinking the world revolves around his wants and desires. The Church serves him! His name means “reared by Zeus” and somewhere along the way this man heard the gospel. Let’s not assume this man is unregenerate and in the Church… that could be, but perhaps this man just has a lot of growing to do… God is still at work… the Church put him in a place of authority before he was ready. Who knows? But he has a pride problem and it is not serving the Church well.
Where his problem is most notable is that he does not submit to authority. John has apparently written him a letter… it was confiscated and ignored. He even spoke evil of John and his traveling preachers. Now that’s a problem… he’s rejecting apostolic authority. This happens today all the time, by the way. We ignore the authority of what has been written to us. We don’t submit to what Scripture says. Sometimes preachers censor the Bible… some passages are just not so popular to the modern audience. “Let’s gloss over them.”
Diotrephes closed the Church doors to men of truth. Here is someone who is the opposite of the elect lady in 2 John. She opened her door to false teachers. Diotrephes closed the door to truth teachers. Strong words too, because apparently Diotrephes threw them out of the Church and anyone that stood against him.

John warns Gaius not to go along with Diotrephes. Don’t be influenced by him. Don’t let distrust slip into the Church. Men like Diotrephes are not needed in the Church.

WELCOME TRUSTWORTHY BROTHERS THAT PREACH THE TRUTH (11-12)
We don’t know much about Demetrius. He just had an excellent reputation and may have carried this letter from John to Gaius. Everyone speaks highly of his commitment to truth. The truth itself is a witness to this man… that means his doctrine and teaching is thoroughly Scriptural. John himself testifies to this man’s trustworthiness and commends him.

A threefold witness to this brother. May this be said of us… may the Truth testify of us.


This brings us to a conclusion that is very practical in the context of the Truth and our relationship to the Bible.
Second John teaches us that Truth must never be sacrificed on the altar of Love
Third John teaches us that Love must never be sacrificed on the altar of Truth.

My favorite part of these letters are the verbs that are attached to Truth:
Walk in truth
Love in truth
Correct in truth
Invest in truth

Jesus said it clearly: Thy Word is Truth. (John 17:17)

Do I listen when Scripture warns?
Sermon series on biblical trustworthiness. Sermon 8

We’re going to finish this series by studying two very short letters today and next week. Perhaps you could call them “postcards from John.”

These letters are succinct, but they are no less potent in their instruction and warning as the rest of Scripture. Second John is addressed to the “elect lady” and various interpretations have been suggested. Most think it is just a special way of referencing the Church. It could also be a reference to a woman - and since no husband is mentioned perhaps a widow - whom John knows. The words elect lady are Elekta Kuria… perhaps that is a woman’s name.
Third John is addressed to Gaius - clearly an individual (and elder) in the Church, so it seems likely that 2 John is written to an individual, but both are intended to be read to the Church.
2 John ends with John’s intention to visit in person, explaining that there is much he wants to communicate. Apparently everything else he wants to say can wait until a face-to-face meeting. What he has written in this letter could not wait.
The second half of the letter contains a warning and ends with a very practical admonition: If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. verse 10 It seems likely then that this is a widow who was hospitable to traveling preachers and opened her home to them. John may have been one of those preachers that has lodged with her. This letter warns against deceivers and how to deal with them and maintain the command to love one another.
This letter’s instruction is both timely and relevant and I’m looking forward to studying it together. Back to verse 1.

An Explanation of the new old commandment of Truth and Love 1-6
Reading the first six verses you will be struck by two words. And I think that is John’s point. Those words are Truth and Love. There is loving in the truth 1a, knowing the truth 1b, truth abiding in and with us 2, in truth we received grace, mercy, and peace 3, and walking in truth 4. Truth is an important subject for John and it should be to us as well.
The second word is just as significant to John: we love those who are in and know the truth 1-2, in love we received grace, mercy, and peace 3, loving one another is a new and old command 5, love is defined as walking according to His commandments 6.
Truth and love are presented as harmonious in 2 John and yet so often they are pitted against each other in practice. The Church has too often emphasized one at the expense of the other. John names two Churches in the second chapter of Revelation: Ephesus, which stood withstood false teaching (they knew the truth), but they lost their first love. Thyatira, on the other hand, was known for their love and good works, but they allowed false teaching to creep into the Church and lost Truth.
Today too many Churches sacrifice Truth on the altar of love. They have redefined Scripture to allow things that Scripture plainly teaches against.
John gives us a the very clear command: we are to love one another. This is not a new idea… The Old Testament taught us to love… love the Lord your God. Love your brother as yourself. That’s what Jesus quoted. Loving one another is not a new concept. But on the other hand… Jesus was a perfect representation of that love… and that was new. Mankind had never seen God’s love so clearly as when Jesus walked the earth and loved people unconditionally. So when Jesus commanded us to love one another - it was like a new commandment. It’s a new old command! We are to love one another.
Now verse 6 is great… because love is defined as obedience to His commands. Here is the balance that is taught in the first six verses: God’s truth teaches us to love one another. Loving one another is to obey God. We walk in truth and love those that walk in truth. We received love and truth from God. We delight in those that walk in truth and love them. It work, right? This is what we aim for.

A Warning against deceivers and a practical application. 7-11
The John gets real pointed: There are many deceivers in the world. Can we just pause there? Today’s evangelical emphasis on love completely ignores this fact: there are MANY deceivers. Not just a few. They don’t pop up here and there, every once in a while. No… there are many deceivers. What do they do? They don’t confess, they are antichrist, and they go too far in their doctrine.
I find that first one to be insightful. Deceivers aren’t always identified by what they do say… sometimes it’s what they don’t say… they don’t believe a key doctrine. The second is shocking… they work against that which Christ wants to accomplish… since Christ is working in the Church, they are working against the Church (see verse 8). Finally, they are described as going too far in their doctrinal thinking. They develop theologies and teachings that seem inventive, but are no longer orthodox. They teach a doctrine that has gone too far.
Now how do you deal with such teachers? Scripture teaches us to love one another and we’re to obey that command, right?
Not in this case… John says to avoid them, beware of them, and then very practically: don’t be hospitable to them. Close your door to them. Do not fellowship with them. Don’t even greet them. Wow… how is that love?
It is loving to show them their abandonment of truth...
Truth divides… Jesus said that. And truth is serious business.

So:
Love one another in accordance with the new old command
Know the truth in order to recognize the deceiver
Walk in truth in order to separate from the deceiver and antichrist