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For all that is in the
world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in
possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
THE STUDY:
Friday we started into verse 16 and discussed the
issue of the world. John reveals three aspects; cravings, lust, and boasting.
Friday we addressed the issues of craving. Today we are going to look at lust.
John writes, For all that is in the world
…. the desires of the eyes, and brings out an issue that many don’t like to
admit to or talk about; lust!
The NIV
translates this passage with the words “craving” and “lust” but in the Greek
they are the same word. To help us better understand, the NIV translators
decided to use different words to express Johns thoughts. Nothing wrong with
this, it just needs to be mentioned.
John is speaking with the
understanding that the world may look good and may tempt us to desire it
instead of God but this is not the longing of God. It is not a sin to desire a
nice house, car, better job, or a lot of money. Where the problem lies is the
heart. When we desire these things “in our heart” more so than desiring a
healthy relationship with God, we have a problem. As a matter of fact John says
someone who desires what they see more so than desiring God is not from the Father. Remember, John
is dealing with a group that believes in God but they also believe they have a “more
excellent way” to spiritual things. This group was bent more toward the world
than the ways of Jesus.
WHAT WE CAN WALK
AWAY WITH ….
What we can walk away with this morning is the understanding
that the world may entice, intrigue, or even bait us into seeing good in it
more so than seeing good in God. But let us never take our eyes off Jesus. Let
us never forget how sin entered into the world, by Adam and Eve, and Satan
tempting them with power and beauty, “So
when the woman saw that the
tree was good for food, and that it was a
delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and
she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6)
CONCLUSION:
This was a
letter to Dear Abby: “Since I am a
pastor with 43 years’ experience, I’d like to offer this suggestion to the
inexperienced young minister who didn’t know how to handle a very bold woman in
his congregation who had designs on him. “Whenever I noticed a romantic
twinkle in the eye of a woman in my congregation, I always checked to make sure
it wasn’t caused by a reflection from the gleam in my own. The Rev. Walter
Cowen.”[1]
Let us be
watchful of Satan’s temptations and keep our EYES ON JESUS!
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
[1]
Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700
Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.
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