June 12, 2022

  THE LETTERS OF JOHN: OBEDIENCE MATTERS

            June 12, 2022

         Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Do you recall your years of growing from a young child to a young adult? Were you obedient to your parents? Can you share?

One of the first songs taught a child in church is “Obedience is the very best way, to show that you believe.” No matter your age, in all of life there are always going to be times you must obey someone in authority. John, in his second letter to the church at Ephesus, had to remind the Christians who were being corrupted by the Gnostics that following Christ is proven by our obedience to His Word. In his summarization, he uses verses 5 and 10 by writing that you can be assured of your salvation if 1) you love His Word and any sin you commit bothers you greatly, and 2) you love your Christian brethren. Please join as we study 2 John.

Focal Passage: 2 John vv 1-11.

Obedience

  • Read 2 John vv1-2. What do you know about sin? Will you ever get to the point where you completely overcome it? Read Rom. 3:23. Can someone also give a short paraphrase of Paul’s struggle in Rom. 7? Did Paul believe sin could be removed from one’s life? What is the assurance God has given the believer in vs. 1?
  • What are some things that cause you to sin? In your mind, are there “little” sins and “big” sins you commit? What do you think causes you to be unable to conquer a particular sin? Do you usually shift the blame? How do you react when you sin?
  • Read 2 Cor. 10:5. Have you tried praying the moment a thought that used to make you fall enters your mind? Do you consciously realize Satan knows your weaknesses and puts thoughts into your mind—as well as into the minds of others who interact with you, to possibly try to get you to sin?
  • Do you stay obedient to Christ? Do you love the saints? Does that always mean you like them?

Obedience makes a difference

  • Read 2 Jn. vv 3-6. Why is it a good thing to exam yourself that you are obedient to God? What does verse 5 tell us? John tells us that if/when we keep God’s commands, we are striving for perfection. What does he mean? What are some of the facts we know about Jesus Christ? How can we walk as He walked?
  • Why will we move “toward completion” (perfect=teleo) as we try to be obedient in all our ways? Is this perhaps the meaning of Phil. 4:13?

Love and Obedience go hand in hand

  • Read 2 Jn. vv 7-11. What did John mean when he said he was giving an old commandment? Read Lev. 19:18. Who was this verse given to? John is trying to connect the dots between the OT and the same thoughts in the NT. Read Gen. 22:17. Who is God talking to? Did Abraham obey God? Read James 2:23.
  • What is the connection between respect and love? Will most people obey someone in authority if they respect them? Read Ex. 5:2. How is this today’s world?
  • Read Lev. 18:5. Did the people obey? How long? Why did they stop? Do you know people who have thrust God aside because He did not answer their prayer? What is the error in that? Read 1 Sam. 12:15. There are serious consequences to disobeying God. What are they?

Close:

There are many times we as women or men do not enjoy doing a task, volunteer work, or even something simple like taking food to someone. But—like Martha—would you still do it? That’s when you need to say, “Lord, You know in the flesh I’m tired, and don’t really want to do this; however, in my spirit I want to please You, and I know that this job of ____ will bless the person who receives it if my heart is right. I offer it in Your name!” So, as you cook, or clean, or help, say, “Jesus, I’m doing this in Your name! May it bring glory to Your name!”

When a thought comes into your mind that shocks you (like “where did that thought come from?!”), immediately stop the thought and squash it (The Bible says, take it captive). Pray that God will deliver you from the evil one, who wants you to fall. You might want to add, ‘”Lord, please help me to do whatever I need to to take those sinful thoughts immediately captive when Satan puts them in my mind,” and start singing hymns or songs or quoting the Scripture. Satan hates that.

Loving God so much that it grieves us when we sin does not mean we will not have times when we don’t want to go out and serve, but are tempted to sit back and relax. Paul, when he listed all the burdens and tribulations that he bore, still considered himself to be a bondservant to Christ. Let us obey Him in all we do—whether it is fun, a chore, dirty, clean, tiresome, or whatever, doing it for Him is OBEDIENCE to His Word. May it get easier and easier as the years go by.

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