Sermon Cloud

The semi-barbaric King of an ancient land utilized an unusual form of administering justice for offenders in his kingdom. The offender would be placed in an arena where his only way out would be to go through one of two doors. Behind one door was a beautiful woman hand-picked by the king and behind the other was a fierce tiger. The offender was then asked to pick one of the doors, without knowing what was behind it. If he picked the door with the woman behind it, then he was declared innocent but was also required to marry the woman, regardless of previous marital status. If he picked the door with the tiger behind it, though, then he was deemed guilty and the tiger would rip him to pieces.

One day the king found that his daughter, the princess, had taken a lover far beneath her station. The king could not allow this and so he threw the offender in prison and set a date for his trial in the arena. On the day of his trial the suitor looked to the princess for some indication of which door to pick. The princess, did, in fact, know which door concealed the woman and which one the tiger, but was faced with a conundrum. If she indicated the door with the tiger, then the man she loved would be killed on the spot; however, if she indicated the door with the lady, her lover would be forced to marry another woman and even though he would be alive she would never be with him again. Finally she does indicate a door, which the suitor then opens.

At this point the question is posed to the reader, "Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady?". The question is not answered, and is left as a thought experiment regarding human nature.

(Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady,_or_the_Tiger%3F)

· This is the wonderful morality tale that many of us read in probably 6^th, 7^th, or 8^th grade. Each class spent time asking which door the princess pointed her love towards.

o Did she want her lover to live but with another woman?

o Or could should not stand to see her lover with someone else so she chose the tiger?

· Let’s take those questions and ask them another way.

o Does the princess want life of the one she loves at the cost of dying to her self?

o Or does she want what she wants her way or no way at all?

· I think that is an appropriate question for anyone that is a follower of Christ.

o Do you want true life from God even if the cost of it comes at the death of yourself? Even if God is going to prune you until you are leafless twig?

o Or do you want to make your own way, choosing your own wisdom and as a result you damn anything that is different than your own will?

· We choose the latter all the time:

o We think we are the repositors of knowledge with plenty of wisdom for ourselves and for pretty much everyone else. This is proven to be true by the fact that we do not spend significant time with in prayer

o We don’t really think that God has wisdom for us. We like calling ourselves Christians, but we don’t like submitting to God truth. This is proven to be true by the fact that we do not spend significant time in the study of God’s scriptures.

· Well this week, we get to look at a very brief but powerful book of the Bible in 2 John. And John is going encourage the recipients of that letter as well as us to shut our mouths, bend our knees, put on our reading glasses, and pursue the wisdom of God in His scriptures.

And just like John, I’m going to encourage you to do the same thing. In fact, when this worship service is done, I’m not only going to encourage you to read the scriptures, I’m to encourage you to do the even harder but wise task of applying those scriptures to your life. Towards that end, let’s ask this question in today’s sermon and I’ll keep it incredibly simple:

· What is it going to take for you to begin a disciplined life of studying God’s word?

2 John 1:1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

· The first question we need to ask is, “Who is the elect lady?”

o This more than likely refers to a congregation than to an individual because in the Greek much of 2 John is written in the second-person plural.

o The word “church” in Greek is feminine in gender

o Typically the Greek word kyria (“lady”) referred to a social subunit in the Greek city-state.

o Verse 13 of 2 John suggests that John writes to one congregation from another, which he terms “your elect sister.”

· So this is a letter from John to a specific church that he loves greatly in the truth.

· That truth that causes John to love this church is the same truth that abides in the church and that will be with the church forever. That truth promises and delivers grace and mercy and peace from God the Father through Jesus Christ His son.

· Now that’s us isn’t it? We are not the dear elect lady that John is writing to but we are part of the dear elect lady – we are a local expression of the Bride of Christ.

· And I want to encourage you in the same fashion that John encouraged the dear elect lady.

o You need to be reminded that the truth of Jesus Christ resides in you and not going anywhere.

o The truths of scripture are eternal and are your gift from God.

· John mentioned that in 1 John when He talked about the testimony of Jesus burning brightly within our hearts. Last week we talked believing and praying those truths. Praying, “Dear God I know your truth is within me. Cause it to burn brightly.”

· This week I would add to the prayer, “Dear God, cause me to pursue your truth in your scriptures so that my hearts would resonate and burn with passion for your ever abiding truth.”

· Within that truth, John celebrates a few specific things. Look at verse 4…

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

· John rejoices that the children of the people of that church are walking in the truth because that is what God commanded and promised. God has always promised to covenantally work in the lives of the children of those who believe in Jesus Christ. And I want to take a moment to remind you of those truths as an encouragement.

o The promise to Abraham was that God would be a God to him and to his children. God would create a people for himself.

o The scriptures were intended to teach us and our children God’s will.

§ Deuteronomy 29:29 - 29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

o God has promised to bring the children of believers back when they stray.

§ Malachi 4:4-6 says Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse”

o God can work in the life of a child preparing him for great things.

§ 2 Timothy 3:14-17 - But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood [infancy] you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work

· If the promise that God is going to work among the children of believers, each of you who are parents have responsibility to teach your children.

o You have a responsibility to read the Bible and Bible stories to them.

o You have a responsibility to pray with your children.

o You have a responsibility to speak to your child’s heart and not just try to get them to do what you want them to do.

· To do that you need to be equipped with the abiding truth of scripture. You need to be constantly equipping yourself with that wisdom. If your kids are all grown, now more than ever do your kids need deep biblical wisdom from you to help them in their lives.

· In addition to leading your children well, you are to be obeying God’s commandments, specifically the commandment to love one another. In fact, the metaphor that John uses to describe the living out of these commandments is the metaphor of walking.

o Walking in this context gives the impression of the ongoing knowing, learning, and living out of God’s word.

o It is more than a “Oh, I shouldn’t do that” type obedience. Walking according to the commandments of God is a life enveloping, self-identifying lifestyle.

o You can’t walk in God’s commandments if you aren’t continually giving yourself over.

o To play on his analogy, if you aren’t preparing for the exercise of walking in the commandments of God, you are going to get injured – spiritually pull a hammy if you will.

o You will live a misguided life of misremembered biblical data or your heart will eventually just stray away from teachings you once held close.

· This preparing for the walking in the commandments of God is not just so we can teach our children or live lives of Godliness. Though those things are of first importance, walking in the commandments of scriptures also serve as a protection for your soul. Look at verse 7.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

· I’m going to be honest with you. There are preachers, writers, and church leaders out there who are amazingly gifted communicators but their teaching is utterly bereft of doctrinal faithfulness. And you need to be wise about your involvement or participation in their ministries.

· John makes it clear. There are deceivers who preach Christ but don’t believe in Christ as God incarnate, the Savior of sinners. Folks that tickle your ears or make large and showy claims about their ministries apart from a true teaching of Jesus and His gospel are not just poor teachers – they are deceivers and are of the spirit of anti-Jesus Christ. For example,

o If a teacher gives you any other hope of life with God outside of forgiveness of Jesus Christ, they are a deceiver and are of the Spirit of anti-Jesus Christ.

o If a teacher doesn’t believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man equal in power and substance with the other 3 persons of the Trinity, they are a deceiver and are of the Spirit of anti-Jesus Christ.

· Be wise be wary be vigilant. How do we do that you might say? John tells us in verse 8

· Watch yourselves around these teachers so that you do not lose what you have worked for which is a full reward. Two things we need to highlight here.

o If you are not guarding your heart with the truth of scriptures and not conforming your life in response to the written word, you are not watching yourself or your soul.

o If you are not actively and presently refreshing what you are already know of scripture with new and diligent study, you are being careless and placing yourself at risk of poor or even false teaching.

· Folks, ask yourself,

o When was the last time you opened a Bible on your own to read?”

o What weak excuses are you offering for not protecting your soul?

o When was the last time you read the scriptures on your own and learned something new?

o When was the last time you thought, “Oh this is going to be a tough day. I better start the day with some scripture to prepare for what God is calling me to today?”

· This is what you are called to as you are commanded to protect your heart and not lose your full reward?

· Even in a verse like this, diligent study is necessary to understand it. For example, what does it mean to “not lose what you have worked for and gain your full reward?”

· Well careful interpretation of that verse is found in being a good student and that is reading ahead for the context. Look at verse 9,10

o 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son

· The salvation and transformation and forgiveness of Jesus is so thoroughly complete that everyone who has experienced such things by the grace of God will ultimately continue and abide or live in the faithful witness and teaching of Jesus Christ.

· Those that have not experienced the salvation and transformation and forgiveness of Jesus may very well be among a church and perhaps even look like a Christian but they will not abide in the faithful witness and teaching of Jesus.

o As I look at all of you. Your salvation is demonstrated and evidenced in whether or not to the end you live out and abide in truth.

o You might like the crowd here. You may live out the mission of creating and engaging. You might even take the Lord’s Supper. But John is saying that if you walk away from the faithful belief and life of Christ, you were not of God.

· So my question to you all is this: how well do you protect yourself in doctrinal truth?

o I know some of you have been quite astute in your studies of scripture, but I would warn you not to rest on what you studied years ago. I can’t do that as your pastor. I can’t assume I learned everything I needed to know in seminary and neither should you assume that all you needed to learn you got back in the day.

o Some of you on the other hand have never prepared your hearts with the deep truths of scripture.

· The purpose here for learning greater depths of scripture is not say we can theologically bully people in arguments or so we can make ourselves feel better than people who don’t know as much as we do. That attitude is offensive and a stench in the nostrils of God.

· For all of you, John says here that there are consequences ifyou don’t dig deep into scripture:

o You can’t teach your children well

o Your teaching might be anti-Christ.

o You cannot protect your soul well.

· Folks, we have to take these warnings seriously. And one other thing before we move on. John says in verse 10 that we shouldn’t allow these teachers in our home which some of you have asked if that means we should not speak to Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses if they come to the door.

o If you are up to the theological challenge of teaching them, John would say go for it as would I.

o John’ warning is that we should not allow those folks to come into our homes to teach us. Do you see the distinction?

· Gang, the big question here is do you pursue great depths of understanding in the reading of and studying of scripture? Why or why not?

· John ends by saying

12 Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

· You hear in John’s voice a desire to engage people intimately not over parchment in that day or email or text in ours if you will.

· Folks let’s not lose the intimacy of having people sit at our table or over a meal in a restaurant. Let’s be about intimately engaging people with the truths of Christ. Truths that we have been equipped with through Bible study and prayer.

· I would encourage you, especially during this time of our CE Groups to ask, “What are intimate ways that you can engage people with the truth of Jesus Christ?”

· As we close this sermon, let me explain John’s point of our needing to know the depths God’s truth in as practical as a way possible. On my hands I have several scars.

o On my left thumb, there is a two inch scar from when I nearly cut my thumb with a boxcutter while working at a grocery store when I was sixteen.

o On my right middle finger, there is a scar where I nearly cut the end of my finger off in my college dorm room while trying to open a can of beanie weanies one-handed.

o On the top of my right hand, there is small scar from stitches used to close up a cut when my hand got caught in a filing cabinet.

o When its cold my right hand aches with pain from when I broken my right hand sliding into second base during a softball game.

o The right wrist was broken when I was 14 because I made the not so wise choice to hit a basketball with a baseball bat.

· It’s pretty amazing that I can still write much less play guitar with all that I’ve done to my hands. But here is the thing. I know what that pain is and learned a few lessons along the way because I endured both the injuries and the recovery process.

· I can tell you all day long what the pain was like, how much blood there was, and how long each injury took to recover and in some way, you are going to understand and maybe even be empathetic to what I’ve been through. You can tell others about it and maybe even warn them if you see them doing silly things like hitting basketballs with baseball bats.

o But you have not experienced those things for yourself.

· That unfortunately is the situation you are in if you have never pursued consistent deep theological study of the Bible or even if you have done before but not for a long time.

o You may have heard me or someone else teach scripture.

o You may have remembered a good bit, but how much of what you know comes from your own deep, personally and disciplined study of the word?

· The questions is what do you want? Do you want to be a person with first hand experience of God in the scriptures, quoting and know the word because you put the very personal and disciplined time in it takes to know the bible?

o Or do you want to know the Bible vicariously through other people?

o Maybe you don’t want to know it at all.

o Maybe you have been a critic or a judge of the Bible and the church and never even given the scriptures more than a proofreading glance.

· The point being is if you want to know Jesus well, if you want to grow in an understanding of and passion for Jesus, if you want to be equipped for God to use you for great things, then you must discipline your life and give yourself over to the study of scripture, even just the reading of it.

· Let’s move beyond a Sunday School or cursory knowledge of the scriptures. Let’s be people who pursue deep theological and biblical depth.

· Watch how God uses us if we do.