July 23 Service
2 John 4-8
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. 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. 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. 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. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.
Last week John established that God is truth and love, that these work together not separately, and it is truth from which true love flows. Love is not God. God is love. He defines it because He is the Truth. With this foundation, John emphasizes this week not a new command but one from the beginning, “that we love on another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments.”
Satan and those who do not confess Christ as Lord will always seek to define love on their own terms and their own way. This has even seeped into the church with an over emphasis of “it’s all about love” rather than the primacy and foundation of the truth of God that love is to stand on and flow from.
John’s request is that we love one another. John’s warning is that we watch closely that our faith in Christ and relationship with Christ do not get lost.
What does love look like, when it comes from the Father of Truth?
How are we to love in truth?
There are numerous places throughout God’s Word that reveal the height, depth, length and width of God’s love. Clearly God’s act of immersing Himself in human form, his death and resurrection and atonement for our sins, the preservation of His written Word, His acts of compassion to those in need are all demonstrations of true love that comes from God. God’s love was shown in self-sacrifice, humility, kindness, speaking the truth in love, forgiveness, mercy and grace. And that’s only a beginning list.
Walking according to His commandments means we have the same heart, virtues and characteristics flowing from us to others, thus loving one another the way God desires. For example, we can’t love our enemies and pray for them as Jesus commanded unless we have first recognized we are an enemy of God apart from His divine love and rescue of us, making us a son or daughter of His.
I have come to believe that I can only offer true love to someone else to the same measure in which I have first received love from God for me personally. I’ll only be able to offer mercy, grace, kindness, patience, forgiveness and so on, to the degree I have experienced and received it in Christ for me. Anything else is a distorted love usually blended with selfish intent and a worldly influence.
One Scripture we are all familiar with is 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. In the first 3 verses Paul is saying it doesn’t matter how much you know or even how much faith you have, if you don’t have love, you gain nothing. He is saying in a similar way as John, if you haven’t believed and received the love of the Father, you have nothing and even less to offer others. The following 5 verses describe what love from the Father and through Jesus His son look like.
John wants us to know that when we receive the love of the Father through Jesus Christ we can then walk according to His commandments and thus love as He loves. This is a progressive, ongoing, growth process where love can abound more and more for God and others.
Reflection
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”
With each description of love you are asking, “How has God loved me in this specific way?” Don’t rush this. Take time to listen, write what the Holy Spirit brings to your mind and receive what God shows you about His love for you.
· How has God love been patient (suffered long) with me?
· How have I experienced His loving-kindness? In what particular ways?
· God is never envious but generous. How have I experienced His loving generosity?
· How has God dealt with me in gentleness, not being rude or harsh with me?
· How has He not forced upon me his own way but worked with my good and poor choices?
· In what ways have I experienced his rejoicing of the truth I have believed and received?
· How has God’s love not given up on me, bearing all thigs?
· What has God believed of me that caused Him to love me so fully and sacrificially?
· To what length does God’s love hope for me? What is He hoping for now?
· To what depth has God’s love in Christ endured for me?
· The love of God has and will never fail, what does this now mean to me?
2. Now, re-read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and ask, “Who is God inviting me to love with the love that I have been shown in Christ?” Take time to listen for God’s voice and heart. Write names that He brings to mind. Pray for them. Love them in the way God is speaking to your heart.
Prayer:
Lord, You are love and the full revelation of all it is meant to be. Grant me by your loving grace the openness to receive the depths of Your love for me and in return love others as You first loved me. When I fail, restore me. When I succeed, may I give praise. May your love abound more and more in and through me for your glory.
Share what God has done in your heart this week with your community group and/or friends.
Grace and peace on this journey together,
Chad Hollowell
Executive Pastor
COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION
Don Logan
1) Read 2 John 4-8. What is John worried about? What is his warning? In what ways do these requests and warnings relate to you or the church today?
2) Only “some” from the church have been walking in the truth. Only some are living lives of authentic Christianity. So, what is happening that is keeping people from living true lives in Christ?
What is happening in our day today (in your opinion) that is keeping Christians from true lives in Christ?
3) John is relaying the message given to him by Christ. Almost everything John says can be traced back to what he heard Jesus say, and walk in. Why do you think that people are so interested in something more new or mysterious or enlightening today? Why do people want something more innovative?
4) Explain the difference in practical terms between God is love, or Love is god?
5) Have you ever struggled with how to love someone and be truthful? How did you work through it?
6) John is afraid that people will lose what so many had worked for on their behalf. Do you think it’s possible for someone to walk away from their justification through Christ? That some can walk away from the indwelling of the spirit?
7) Prayer and praise