“Do Not Love the World”



“Do Not Love the World”

1 John 2:12-17

Scripture: 1 John 2:12-17

Memory Verse: “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.” 1 John 2:15

Lesson Focus: We need to guard what our heart loves.

Activities and Crafts: Coloring Page, Treasure Map Verse Look Up; Word Search,

Craft for 1st and 2nd grade: Where Our Treasure Is – Treasure Box

1. Give each of the kids a copy of the Treasure Box.

2. Talk to them about how we are not to love the world but are to love God. We need to have God’s Word in our heart and love the things of God the most. Tell them to color their jewels and cut them out and put them in their treasure box.

Introduction: Treasure Hunt:

1. Hide several Bibles around the room.

2. Tell the kids that you are going to have a treasure hunt.

3. Choose one child at a time and give them clues to find their treasure

4. After all of the Bibles are found, ask the kids if they think that the Bible is a treasure? Tell them that today we are going to learn about what God values and what God does not want us to love.

Bible Lesson:

1 John 1:12-14: A Reminder

John starts out these verses reminding us why he is writing this letter.

1. Children; because their sins are forgiven and they know the Father

√ Is he literally writing to children? The word means “born ones.”

√ What does he mean by children? (new followers of Jesus – new                   to the faith.)

√ Why do you think that they needed reminded that their sins are                   forgiven?

√ How are sins forgiven?

Sin = missing the mark of God

Sin separates us from a Holy God (Romans 3:23; “For                                  all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”)

Salvation: = Free Gift

Romans 6:23; “For the wages of sin is death, but he gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 10:9; “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

√ Why does he mention that they know the Father?

When we realize that we need Jesus as our Savior…we also realize the love of the Heavenly Father. Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” We have a heavenly Father who loved us enough to send His own Son, Jesus to die for our sins.

As you grow as children you grow physically, mentally and socially. We grow as Christians as we come to know God the Father by growing spiritually. Ephesians 4:14 says, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men…but, speaking the turn in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ.” As Children of God we need to keep growing spiritually!

2. Fathers; because they have known Jesus. They have an established faith and have been walking with Jesus for awhile. They are the spiritually mature. There is nothing better than knowing Jesus!

3. Young Men:

a. have overcome the evil one

b. because you are strong and the Word of God abides in you

√ How are we strong in the Lord?

Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole Armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”

We don’t fight this battle alone. By God’s power we win the battle against the enemy.

c. The Word of God abides in you. God’s Word need to take “root” in our lives.

Psalm 119:9; “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” The reason that we teach you the Word of God every week is so that you listen and that you obey what it says. If God’s Word abides (or lives) in you then you will do what it says.

1 John 2:15-17: Do Not Love the World

√ What does John mean by the “world”?

The word of “world” does not refer to people, or the physical world, but rather to how the world thinks.

√ If we love the world what does John say is the result? (The love of the                                Father is not in them.)

√ Why is “loving the world or the things in the world” such a bad thing?

When we love “things” they replace God in our hearts. God is to have the #1 place in our hearts. What we think about the most is what we love the most. Jesus told us that “no man can serve two masters.” Matthew 5:24

1 John 2:16

√ What is in the world?

1. lust of the flesh

2. lust of the eyes – wanting what we don’t have

3. the pride of life – this means that we take pride in what we achieve. Let’s just say for example that you study for a test and get a good grade. Instead of thanking God, you take all the credit and brag about how smart you are. Being proud is not from God.

None of these things are from God. Every time one of these things comes into your mind is not from God. These are the things that the world wants you to think about and worry about and long for. These three things are the things that Satan has used since the beginning of time. These are Satan’s “3 Plays.” He will always tempt us in one of these three ways. Do you remember when he tempted Eve in the garden of Eden? We read in the Bible that Eve saw that the tree of god and evil as good for food (lust of the flesh), and was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes) and would make one wise (the pride of life.)

When we love “things” we are never satisfied. We long for things that we do not have. We long for more. We are jealous of others and not thankful to God.

√ What is to be our attitude towards the world?

1. Don’t let it conform us! Romans 12:2; “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” What this verse is telling us it to not let the world push us into its mold. When you use clay or playdoh you form the clay into something that you want it to be. They clay does not have a choice. We have a choice and we are not to let the world mold our thinking and who we are. We do not have to think like the world. We are to think like Jesus. We do not have to act like the world we are to act like Jesus. The world is not molding us Jesus is!

2. Do not be friends with the world! James 4:4; “…do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

3. The World sees the wisdom of God as foolishness; 1 Corinthians 1:20 b “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? People who do not believe think the things of God are foolish. They think that it is silly to believe in a God that we cannot see. Their pride also stops them from thinking that they need God to save them.

4. Jesus has overcome the world! John 16:33; “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus has overcome the world through His death on the cross. He defeated the enemy “death” and all we need to do is believe in Him to be saved. John will also say later in this book; 1 John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.”

You have already overcome the world by believing in Jesus. When we live by the power of the Holy Spirit we have everything we need to defeat satan and live for Jesus.

1 John 2:17; this world is ending. We already learned in 2 Peter 3:10, that this earth will pass away and Jesus will set up the Kingdom of God. As believers we belong to the Kingdom of God. This earth is not our everlasting home. We need to focus of the things of heaven. (Ephesians 3:1-2) The world is passing but doing the will of the Father is forever.

Conclusion: What do you love the most? We need to pay attention and think about what we spend time thinking about and wishing for. This world and its ideas care nothing about God. Stop and think how the following have influenced your thinking:

1. TV

2. Music

3. Friends

4. Attitude of others

5. Sports

6. Movies

We have everything we need through the power of the Holy Spirit to have victory over the world!

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