- Great Things
- Canyons
- You Keep Hope Alive
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teachingnotes
- All Scripture is from CSB (Christian Standard Bible) unless otherwise noted.
Encouraging Words to Different Maturity Levels
Children Forgiven
When we REALLY BELIEVE that our sins have been fully forgiven, our lives will be transformed! Remember the story of the loving Father and prodigal son? Look at the Father’s response to the son’s return home!
Luke 15:21–24 …’Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father told his servants, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
Oh how that son must have felt! Guilty…yet FORGIVEN!!!! Unworthy…yet CELEBRATED!!!!
Fathers Know Jesus
The longer your relationship lasts with a friend or a spouse, the better you know them. So too, those who have walked with Jesus for a long time, know His heart and start to act/react as He would. (The apostle Paul writes that followers of Jesus are being comforted into the image of Jesus - see Rom 8:29).
Young Men Defeat the Devil
These young men are no longer children in the faith, but not yet fathers in the faith, but they are maturing, passionate followers of Jesus who submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7), and are prepared to stand against the devil’s schemes (Eph 6:11) by living in faith, speaking the truth, and trusting what Jesus says.
🔍Revelation mentions those who stand in the face of the Devil’s deception of the world.
Much of this is similar, but some of it is different.
- Children (young believers) aren’t just forgiven; they also know the Father.
- Once again, John notes that fathers have come to know the one who is from the beginning.
- John encourages the young men conquering the devil with these words: you are strong and that God’s word remains in you. When God’s word - the message of Jesus and the truths of God - is permeating our lives and influencing our daily decisions, we can stand against the enemy too!
- 🔍Do you value God’s words found in the Scriptures? When is the last time you opened the Scriptures and read them? Does God’s word remain in you? And what’s your EVIDENCE for your answer?
How can God love the world yet tell us not to (Remember John 3:16)? World comes from the Greek kosmos (pr. kōse-mōse). This word, like many others, means different things in different contexts. Some words have different meanings and the context helps clarify the meanings.
KOSMOS/world…
- can refer to created universe with order, arrangement, & adornment. This is where we get the word cosmetics from - to order, arrange, or adorn.
- can refer to people alienated from God—how it is used in John 3:16 - God so loved ‘the world’.
- can refer to cultural practices of godless society. - culturally acceptable worldview without God in the mix.
Simply Put: ‘World’ can mean
- 🔍Planet, People on the planet, Philosophy of the People on the Planet
- John is speaking of loving the cultural practices of godless society or the culture’s = PHILOSOPHY.
There is a contrast here: Love of the world versus Love of the Father. To love the world is incompatible with loving God. We must make a DECISION. Will we love & follow our Culture or love & follow our Creator?
Caught in the Cultural Drift?
Lust of the Flesh
The lust of the flesh is a REAL battle going on inside the believer - our sinful desires versus our spiritual desires. Paul gives a substantial list of actions and attitudes that are “fleshly”.
Galatians 5:19–21 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Lust of the Eyes
GOD gave us our eyes. These same incredible gifts that allow us to see millions of colors, and all the beauty and scenery that God has created - including the people we love! Yet these same eyes can lead us to disobedience and discontentment.
Pride in One’s Possessions
- Some translate this as the pride of life [NAS, ESV, NIV], but the term for “life” is better understood as “possessions, property, livelihood”, as the CSB & NET translate.
- Our homes, possessions, positions, & prestige are GIFTS from God. How it must sadden God when the stuff we own causes us to BOAST instead of BLESS, to be prideful instead of thankful.
- Pride causes us to value our possessions above God and people. We really think we are somehow more important because of what we own…but one day that’s going away…or you are.
- Know how to tell if you’re prideful? You glory in your stuff, your beauty, or your reputation.
What’s the PAYOFF?
When we breathe our last, what’s the end result?
Our culture is drifting away from God and one day those drifting away from God are going to be judged. Our desires of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life are one day, going to be no more. BUT… the one who does the will of God remains forever.
So, what’s it gonna be? Christ or Culture?
- Live like you’re forgiven! Are you? Ask God to help you live like it!
- Grow and Know Your Heavenly Father! Could it be that you don’t feel close to God…because you never make time for Him? Get in the Scriptures and seek God’s heart! Take a walk and TALK to Him!
- Stand up and Speak Up! Our world NEEDS passionate & pure believers to speak truth & point out the lies of the enemy.
