THE LETTERS OF JOHN The Well -- Winter/Spring 2016
I John 2:15-29
I JOHN 2:15-29 •
The World (15-17)
•
The Anti-Christ’s (18-23)
•
The Anointing (20-27)
•
The Remaining (24-27)
•
The Return of Christ (28-29)
I JOHN 2: 15-29 •
Who is John? ! “the
disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23, 19:26, 21:7, 21:20)
! What
does this say about John’s identity? About his relationship with the world?
! Loving
Surrendered Faith
I JOHN 2: 15-29 •
Who is John addressing? ! Dear
Children…. vs. 18 and 28
! Those
in the Son and the Father (v. 24) ..who have the anointing
! What
does it mean to be His child…and stay His child?
THE ANOINTING • From
the Holy One v. 20
! holy
= set apart
! Jesus
is the Anointed One--set apart by God, anointed directly by the Holy Spirit.
! Christ
Followers/God’s Children are anointed with the Holy Spirit given His Presence and Power for life and ministry
THE ANOINTING • “The
anointing you received” v. 27 …it’s not a decision. John 1:12-13
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
• Have
you received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit?
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE ANOINTING? John 3: 5-8 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying. “You must be born again”. The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE ANOINTING? Luke 11: 13 “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Hunger for the Spirit.
ONCE THE ANOINTING IS RECEIVED… •
Truth is given v. 20-21… !
•
John 14: 16 Jesus tells us, “…and he (the Father) will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth.
Teacher v. 27 An illumination to the Word and the gospel… !
John 14: 26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
ONCE THE ANOINTING IS • He’s real v.RECEIVED… 27 Do you hear Him? Do you know His voice? Do you Listen? ! John
10: 3 “…and the sheep listen to his voice.
! The
Listening that we are (M. Basil Pennington)… the listener has the control over what he hears.
THE ANOINTING LEADS TO THE REMAINING He’s real He teaches. He leads in truth. He speaks. He is with us, every minute, every day.
• John
commands us to remain in this anointing (His THE COMMAND TO presence and power) ! Remain-Abide-
Dwell: Treasuring His Love, Presence and power … cherishing this relationship of love, peace and joy. NOT just daily devotional reading…
But…the command to remain, implies that we can
REMAIN
THE COMMAND TO REMAIN What triggers us out of this ‘remaining’? •
The world
•
The anti-christs
•
The end-times
THE WORLD The World v. 15-17 •
Cravings of sinful man
•
Lust of the eyes
•
Boasting •
This all passes away
Contrast to the person who does the will of God (surrendered) v. 17
THE WORLD False/Worldly/Old Self • What
I do (cravings)
• What
I have (lust)
• What
others think of me (boasting)
True/Kingdom/New Self • I
am beloved of God
• God
is all I need, have and want
THE WORLD How strong is the culture of the world in your mind, heart, life? • What
I do (cravings)
• What
I have (lust)
• What
others think of me (boasting)
These Worldly props are fragile…and shatter easily…
REMAINING God’s presence and love is stronger than the fragile falsehood of this world. The False Self needs to die…in order to Remain. (Mark 8: 34) The True Self comes when centered in God’s presence and power and trusting His love.
REMAINING Only in remaining, can we love the world yet not be of the world. Stream of living water…love flows out!
THE ANTI-CHRIST’S Who are they? •
Deny that Jesus is the Christ…the Anointed One
•
In the church
•
Liars
•
Eventually did not remain in the church
•
Not just in the last days…today
THE ANTI-CHRISTS Be alert…they are among us: •
Western Church is mile wide and inch deep… are these true believers? Where is the Holy Spirit?
•
Prosperity Gospel
•
Doctrinal issues: Trinity…Earning salvation…etc.
REMAINING
Remaining surrendered in Christ guides our discernment in the truth of the gospel.
THE RETURN OF CHRIST We do not know when…so we need to be ready •
Be born of Him
•
Continue in Him…Abide
•
Observe who does right, with the right heart
•
Be confident and unashamed …tell others to be ready! Be that stream of living water! Love the world!
JOHN’S PLAN TO PROTECT HIS FLOCK…AND US Receive the Anointing Remain…Abide •
Be not of the world
•
Be not led astray
JOHN’S PLAN FOR US We often do things backwards… wanting formulas to deal with our circumstantial world and evil antichrists. Instead, John has us first rely on our relationship with the Holy Spirit….then the other things will fall in place. (Promise of Matthew 6:33)
Kathy: don’t interrupt me. Just let me finish…then I’ll check back with you.!
GOD’S PLEA It may be scary….but you may need to get alone with Jesus right now? Options for the next 45 minutes: •
Small group conversations
•
Alone time with Jesus With the questions that follow:
GOD’S PLEA •
Have you received the Holy Spirit? Are you certain? If you are not sure, will you hunger for the Spirit and pray with fervency?
•
Are you abiding and truly one with God? Do you center your life on God’s presence? How open are you in listening to Him? Are you obeying Jesus’ teaching on surrender…”thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”? Are you longing for your false self to die?
