Our Walk In This World 2 John

Adapted from a Steve Shepherd sermon

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/our-walk-in-this-world-steve-shepherd-sermon-on-christian-values-150915.asp

2 John 1:1 NET From the elder, to an elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth (and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth), 2 because of the truth that resides 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 Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 But now I ask

you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.

6 (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment,

just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers

have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh.

This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we

have worked for, but receive a full reward.

9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in this 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 and do not give him any greeting, 11 because the person

who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.

12 Though I have many other things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come visit you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The

children of your elect sister greet you.

“From the elder” The author is John the Apostle. Obvious similarities to 1st 2nd & 3rd John and the Gospel of John suggest that the same person

wrote all these books. The writer of this book identifies himself as the Elder as he does also in 3rd John . We presume his readers knew exactly who he was, and from the earliest times, Christians have understood

this was the Apostle John writing.

“to an elect lady and her children” Perhaps this was an individual Christian woman John wanted

to warn and encourage by this letter. Or, the term might be a symbolic way of addressing this

particular congregation.

John probably did not name himself, an elect lady and her children by name because this was

written during a time of persecution. Perhaps John didn't want to implicate anyone by name in a written letter. If the letter was intercepted and

the authorities knew who it was written to by name, it might mean death for those people.

“whom I love in truth (and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth), 2 because of the

truth that resides in us and will be with us forever.” Whoever an elect lady was, she was

loved by all who know the truth. If we know and love the truth, we will love those who also know and love the truth - the truth that resides in us

also lives in others who know the truth.

We see John quite focused on the idea of truth, as he was in all of his writings. He used the

word truth some thirty-seven times in his New Testament writings.

This shows what binds Christians together is not social compatibility or political compatibility or class compatibility. What binds us together is a common truth. This is why truth is important to

Christians.

John's salutation to his readers.Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from

God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Grace, mercy, and peace: John presents a slightly expanded version of the standard

greeting in New Testament letters. He didn't just wish these for his readers; he confidently

bestowed them by saying they will be with us from God the Father.

In truth and love: John can hardly write a verse without mentioning two of his favorite topics.

The grace, mercy, and peace God has for us are all given in truth and love. Apart from God's truth

and love, we can never really have grace, mercy, and peace.

The Son of the Father: The apostle still keeps in view the miraculous conception of Christ; a thing which the Gnostics absolutely denied; a doctrine

which is at the ground work of our salvation.We must remember Gnosticism was a terrible

problem when this letter was written. John continually warns his readers to stay away from

such lies.

How Is Your Walk In This WorldYou know it is time to resume running or at least

walking when...- You try to do a few pushups and discover that certain body parts refuse to leave the floor.- You get winded just saying the words "10 kilometer run".- You come to the conclusion that, if God really wanted you to touch your toes each morning, He would have put them somewhere around your knees.

-You analyze your body honestly and decide what you should develop first is your sense of humor.- You step on a talking scale and it says, "Come back when you are alone".

How’s your walk? Pretty crippled? Smooth? Fast? Slow? Obviously, there is more than one kind of walk. We can physically walk and that’s

good.

They say that walking is one of the best exercises there is for your heart and lungs.

Walking is healthy. Spiritual walking is also very healthy for a

person. Spiritual walking is the best yet!

Do you remember two men who walked with God?

Genesis 5:21 NET When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22

After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God for 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared

because God took him away.

I’ve always envied Enoch, not only because God took him so that he wouldn’t experience death, but also because of his close walk with

God. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT WALK? Can you imagine the communion, the fellowship, the

talks he had with God? No, it’s difficult because none of us have experienced anything like what

he had. Or so it seems.

In a sermon on “Enoch walked with God,” Dr. G. Campbell Morgan gave the following illustration:

A little child gave a beautiful explanation of walking with God. She went home from Sunday School, and the mother said, “Tell me what you

learned at Sunday school.”

And she said: “Don’t you know, Mother, one day they went for an extra long walk, and they

walked on and on, until God said to Enoch, ‘You are a long way from home; you had better just

come in and stay.’ And he went.”

What a great walk with God Enoch had! Why can’t we all walk with God like Enoch?

We don’t have to look far for the second man who walked with God. It was Enoch’s Great

Grandson Noah.Genesis 6:8 NET But Noah found favor in the

sight of the LORD. 9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a godly man; he was

blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God. God saved Noah from the deluge & made him the father of all mankind!

What was so special about Noah?

Genesis 6:22 NET And Noah did all that God commanded him — he did indeed.

Genesis 7:5 NET And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

Genesis 9:18 NET The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

(Now Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the sons of Noah, and from them the

whole earth was populated.

Why can’t we all walk with God like Enoch & Noah?

Deuteronomy 10:12 NET Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you except to

revere him, to obey all his commandments, to love him, to serve him with all your mind and

being, 13 and to keep the LORD's commandments and statutes that I am giving

you today for your own good?

Walk in His all ways. Yep, this is what we need to do. We need to put our heart and soul into

this walk.

John’s message is clear about the life we should live.

1- We must walk in obedience2- We must walk in love 3- We must walk in truth

WE MUST WALK IN OBEDIENCE

4 I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 But now I ask

you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.

6 (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment,

just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it.

“I have found some of your children living according to the truth” The truth is not every

person who claims Christ as their savior is living or walking in the truth or in obedience. Many

people believe the truth, but they don’t obey the truth of God’s Word. Some will obey but not all.

6 Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments. Obedience to His commands.

What a tall order!Do you like eating at buffets like Ryan’s buffet? Most people do. But do you eat everything on

the bar? I doubt it. I am sure you are somewhat selective as I am. For example, I like salad, but I

often bypass it for the real stuff, like meat and potatoes!

I AM SELECTIVE AND YOU ARE TOO.

What we do at the buffet we also do with God’s buffet of commands. His commands are many but we often pick and choose what we want to do instead of trying to do everything God has

commanded.

For example, here is a command that we are not very good to obey:

James 1:27 NET Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for

orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

“care for orphans” This congregation does support Christian Children’s Homes that care for

orphans.“care for…widows” There are some widows that could use our visits and calls. But I don’t think

we’re very good to obey this command.Some people say things like, “Well, I don’t like hospitals and nursing homes. The smell makes

me sick.” Or something similar.

Well, how do you think it makes those who live there feel? You ever eat with a person that has

no teeth so they have no way to chew anything? Do you know what kind of meal they get? All of their food is pureed. It’s hard to look at it and

smell it, but they have to eat it.

On my first day trip away from the hospital after my plane crash my friend who managed a Pizza Hut threw a pizza party for me. At that time my

mouth was still wired up so the bones could heal properly. They pureed a pizza, but wouldn’t serve it to me because they said it was too

disgusting. I ended up sucking chicken noodle soup through a straw.

We need to remember our widows in their affliction and loneliness.

Here’s another command that we prefer to overlook and not do.

James 1:26 NET If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so

deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

We don’t like to keep a tight rein on our tongues. We often just say whatever comes out, without

thinking if it might offend someone or not.James 3:5 NET So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze.

According to an annual report of the state-controlled match industry in France, “If all the

matches produced in France that year were laid end to end, they would stretch eight times the

distance between the earth and the moon.” That’s a lot of matches that produced a lot of

light. But it only takes one match to burn down a home or a forest. And it only takes a bitter

word to cut down and destroy a fellow-struggler’s reputation.

While we would never think of stealing a man’s transportation, some of us with an idle word

have, without knowing it, stolen his reputation.James 3:9 NET With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in

God's image. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not

be so, my brothers and sisters. 11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from

the same opening, does it?

When a person isn’t a Christian you can’t expect them to behave well. BUT WE SHOULD!

If we claim Christ as our Savior then we all need to heed the command and keep a tight rein on

our mouths! We need to be more careful in what we say and how we speak!

Should we go on? Should I select some more commands that perhaps we’re not too good

about obeying?

None of us claim perfection. Far from it, but we all should work at obeying the Lord the best we

can. It’s not easy but when we come across scriptures that are definite commands we should

work at them and ask for the Lord’s grace to obey Him. We must make a conscience effort to

walk in obedience to the Lord.

WE MUST WALK IN LOVE

5a,c But now I ask you, lady…that we love one another. 6 (Now this is love: that we walk

according to his commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the

beginning; thus you should walk in it.We must walk in love. What a big command! We

must love others! We must love one another!

Preacher Wayne Smith said in a sermon one time, “Lord, I know it’s wrong to hate anybody

but if it ever becomes right I’ve got the guy picked out!”

How about you? Do you have a person picked out? Is there someone out there you don’t like? There probably will always be some people that we don’t like. But we must overcome this and

love people.

And obviously, it’s hard to love someone that you don’t like. It’s much easier to demonstrate

love to someone who is nice, lovable, kind, and considerate. What did Jesus teach?

Matthew 5:43 NET "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor' (Lev 19:18) and

'hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may be like your Father in heaven,

since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the

tax collectors do the same, don't they? 47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don't they? 48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father

is perfect.

Jesus is not saying you can be perfect because you 'Love your neighbor.' Perfection is to be our goal! Jesus has set the standard for us to

aspire to. Daily we must reach for it.

We must walk in love toward others. We must demonstrate love as best we can toward all

people.

When the Moravian missionaries went to Greenland, they were unable during the first

year to make any impression whatsoever. Then came an awful epidemic of smallpox and

multitudes were stricken, so the missionaries went about among them ministering to their

bodies and souls in the Master’s name.

After that the way was clear. The people said, “You have nursed us in our sickness. You have

cared for us in distress. You have buried our dead. Now tell us of your religion.”

When you minister to people in their need you are loving them. Of course, there are all kinds of

ways of expressing love to others or demonstrating love: by speaking kindly,

commending good, doing a favor, having a listening ear, sharing in a person’s need, etc.

What do you do to love others? What can you do? What will you do?

Matthew 22:36 NET "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and

with all your mind.' (Deu 6:5)

38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor

as yourself.’ (Lev 19:18) 40 All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.“

This scripture is clear. If we walk with the Lord then we must love others.

WE MUST WALK IN TRUTH2 John 1:7 NET For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess

Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Watch out,

so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the

teaching of Christ does not have God.

The one who remains in this 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 and do not give him any greeting, 11 because the person who gives

him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.

The idea is walking in the truth of Christ. Many people do not continue in the faith of Christ or the teaching of Christ. There are many false

teachers in our world who don’t believe in the Christ of the Bible. They may believe in some kind of Christ, but not Jesus Christ, the Son of

the living God.

There are many “Gnostics” in the world today, but they’re known by different names now! John

gives a stern warning about how easy it is to share in their evil deeds. This is confusing! How

are we to “explain the way of God…more accurately.” (Acts 18:26) to them if we’re not to greet them or welcome them into our house?

During the first two centuries the gospel was taken from place to place by traveling

evangelists and teachers. Believers customarily took these missionaries into their homes and gave them provisions for their journey when

they left. Since false teachers also relied on this practice, 2 John was written to urge discernment

in supporting traveling teachers; otherwise, someone might unintentionally contribute to the

propagation of heresy rather than truth. (NIVSB)

John’s words sound severe, but he has not lost his love. We must consider these three points: 1. John is not talking about all error, but only error which masquerades as true Christianity.2. John is not talking about all who hold the

error which masquerades as true Christianity, but about those who teach those errors which

masquerade as true Christianity.

3. John is not talking about all teachers who err, but those who err in the most fundamental

truths, and those who are active in spreading those fundamental errors. (Guzik)

The truth of Christ is the truth of God! John 14:6 NET Jesus replied, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except

through me. We must believe it and preach it!

Brit Hume, the Fox news analyst, turned evangelist on a January 3, 2010 segment of Fox

News Sunday with panelists predicting the future for Tiger Woods after Woods’ notable

"transgressions.”Hume forecasted that Woods would recover as a golfer but...He, said, “Whether he can recover

as a person depends on his faith.

He’s said to be a Buddhist. I don’t think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption

that is offered by the Christian faith.So my message to Tiger would be, ‘Tiger, turn to

the Christian faith and you can make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.’”

The next night Bill O’Reilly interviewed Brit Hume in regard to what he said and he said

even more.The Factor invited Hume to elaborate on his

remarks: "Tiger Woods is someone I’ve always rooted for," Hume said, "as a golfer and as a

man. He is paying a frightful price and my sense is that he has basically lost his family.

He needs something that Christianity provides, which is redemption and forgiveness. Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something that he badly needs, and if he were to make a true conversion he would feel the extraordinary blessing. It would be a magnificent thing to

witness."

Hume added that reaction to his suggestion has run the gamut. "I got emails from people who

are believers like me and said, great, way to go. “I’ve also heard a lot of unfavorable comments from people who say I’m a pompous jerk who had no business mouthing off on the subject."

Hume went on to say that any time a person mentioned the name of Jesus Christ that “All

hell breaks loose!” WHY IS THIS? Because the world is in the power of the evil one and is

opposed to Jesus Christ!

I appreciate Brit Hume’s stand for Christ even though many people don’t like him and some

may even hate him for his stand.

This fits with the interview he had with The Hollywood Reporter when Hume retired from

Fox News in 2008. Asked what he’d like to do in his free time, Hume said enjoying his family

came first but then, he said: “I certainly want to pursue my faith more ardently than I have done. I’m not claiming it’s impossible to do when you

work in this business.

I was kind of a nominal Christian for the longest time. When my son died (by suicide in 1998), I

came to Christ in a way that was very meaningful to me. If a person is a Christian and tries to face up to the implications of what you say you believe, it’s a pretty big thing. If you do

it part time, you’re not really living it.” Praise the Lord for people like Brit Hume who are willing to speak on worldwide television

about Christ!

We believe, like Brit Hume, better than many. We believe the truth of Christ and must continue

to walk in this truth and spread this truth.John ends his short letter with these words.

12 Though I have many other things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come visit you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The

children of your elect sister greet you.

He is eager to tell them more, but in person so they could discuss things. The literal translation of face to face is “mouth to mouth.” Doesn’t that give the idea of discussing something? Talking

things through? As for “The children of your elect sister” commentators have various views.

Some think it refers to a deceased sisters offspring & others believe he refers to members

of a sister church. Understanding this will not affect our salvation through Jesus blood.

I’m a pilot. Someone says, “Oh, really? Take me up for a flight!” You’ve heard it said: We must

walk the talk. It’s the idea that we must live the faith that we claim to believe. Even though our

walk or life isn’t always perfect, WE MUST LIVE WHAT WE BELIEVE THE BEST WE CAN.

Our walk in Christ includes: obedience, demonstrating love, and spreading the truth of

the gospel!