I. What Keeps Us From Abiding In Jesus’ Love?
1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.
A. The Choice We Have Regarding Love
1. Don’t love- Love is a choice, not just an impulse or instinct.
2. Lust- a self-focused, self-serving passionate craving.
3. Love- agapao- a love called out of one’s heart by the preciousness of the object loved. A fondness, an affection for an object because of its value. It is a love of approbation, of esteem.
4. Love can involve instincts and attractions, but it is certainly higher than these things.
a. A man can find a woman very attractive, but the Holy Spirit in him prompts him to act unselfishly rather than selfishly. The Spirit of God over rules his carnal nature.
b. A man runs into a burning building, risking his own life to save a stranger. Basic instincts would tell him to save himself, but a higher love prompts him to risk his life to save a stranger.
B. What The World Offers Us
1. World- Not speaking about Planet Earth, but rather, the system of values that is established by a society that disregards God.
a. Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…
b. Prince of the power of the air– Satan. Sons of disobedience- Those who reject God.
2. What the world offers us: Ungodly substitutions from how God wants to satisfy us.
a. the lust of the flesh- a passionate craving to gratify the fleshly nature
b. the lust of the eyes- a passionate craving to have possessions, to have what you see
c. the pride of life– a passionate craving to be recognized and appreciated
3. The baseline desire for these things isn’t sinful in and of itself.
a. The flesh-The desire for spousal love and companionship is good and holy.
i. The appreciation for good food and drink.
ii. The desire for physical health.
b. The eyes– The desire for having possessions in life isn’t a sinful thing.
i. A man wants to provide a house for his family.
ii. A wife wants to furnish her home for her family.
c. Pride of life- The desire to feel loved and be a part of community is a godly desire.
i. To desire companionship, a confidant, etc.
ii. To be heard, be known, be loved, be recognized, be appreciated.
C. The Result Of Loving The World
1. We have a choice about what we love, and about where we will invest ourselves emotionally, physically, financially, and psychologically.
2. God has created us to have holy passions, but the world offers us unholy substitutions.
3. To be ruled by lust is to not wait upon God to fulfill these desires, but to obtain them in an unholy manner. To be ruled by lust is to live in sin; it is to be self-ruled.
4. To pursue and to obtain these things in an unholy way is to put yourself outside of obedience to Jesus. It is sin. Sin brings many negative consequences.
5. 1 John 2:15 If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
II. Abide In Jesus’ Love
A. Jesus Defined His Love V. 9
1. The love that Jesus commanded His followers to abide in was the same love that existed between the Father and the Son.
2. They had become acquainted by experience with Jesus’ love.
3. Jesus wanted them to know that that love was also from the Father. The same love.
a. No one could ever doubt the Father’s love for Jesus.
b. We should never doubt Jesus’ love for us. It is just as sure, and just as true.
4. How did the Father love the Son?
a. It was love that existed in oneness of existence and purpose. Perfect agreement.
i. As we are one with Jesus, we have access to and experience that same love.
b. It was a love completely free of sin.
i. Jesus’ love for and through us is free of sin, both towards us and through us.
c. It was a love of mutual exaltation. The Son brought glory to the Father and the Father gave Jesus the name above every other name.
i. Jesus’ love for us lifts us; our love for Him exalts Him.
d. It was a love without measure and perfectly consistent.
i. We desire to love Him consistently and with all of our being.
5. Jesus didn’t say “Abide in my power, wisdom, authority”. It was love He directed us to
B. How To Abide In Jesus’ Love V. 10
1. Jesus explained that it was/is obedience to His word that brings us into an abiding experience regarding the love of Jesus.
2. Obedience is an expression of faith in the promises and person of Jesus.
a. Lust of the flesh- when we experience the passionate craving of the flesh, we realize that God has given us some of those desires, but we also realize that we need to trust that God will fulfill those desires according to His plans.
We obey Him and remain in His love.
b. Lust of the eyes– when we experience the passionate craving of the eyes, we trust that God will meet all of our needs, and we don’t have to go outside of His will to gain those possessions. We obey Him and remain in His love.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
c. Pride of life– when we experience a passionate craving to be recognized, appreciated or praised, we realize that God is our companion, and He has given us the Church Body with whom we experience community and recognition. We don’t need to go outside of to fulfill those cravings. We obey Him and remain in His love.
3. Obedience to Jesus leads to a love experience with Jesus.
4. Obedience to Jesus takes love out of the realm of theory and into the realm of experience.
5. Obedience to Jesus changes dry Christian faith to stimulating Christian life.
C. The Result Of Abiding In Jesus’ Love V. 11
1. The Kind Of Joy We Experience- Holy, unworried joy not based on circumstances.
a. Jesus spoke these words hours before facing the torture and the cross.
b. Joy that comes from union with the Father and the Son.
c. Joy that comes from not having to feel the burden of guilt, sin, shame because of choosing obedience.
2. The Fullness Of Joy That We Experience– Used to describe the filling of a vessel.
a. To the degree that we obey will be the degree that we are full.