Do Not Love

by Pr. Paddick Van Zyl
(Johannesburg, ZA)

Charismatic
Sermon by Pr. Paddick Van Zyl
19 Sep , 2014

Title
Do Not Love

Intro:
The 'Do Not Enter' sign we often see in a building or in a public place, or even a street, was placed there for a specific purpose. Sign posts or boards play a very important role in our daily lives.

There purpose is that of supplying information, showing direction and in some cases warning us of danger ahead, sadly though, many choose to ignore sign boards or interpret the message they were designed to proclaim, to suit themselves. The Word of God has many important sign boards, some of which, if we choose to ignore, will bring us loss, sorrow and death. Let's look at one very important sign today...Do Not Love!

Text:
1 John 2:15-17 NKJV

Sermon:
When we love someone or something, we show affection towards the person or object.
We are repeatedly commanded to love others, love God, but we are also commanded to not love the world. Let me explain: The world I refer to is not the trees or birds or created things God gave us to enjoy! It is neither the unsaved. It is the worldly system of sin. We are to love the sinner but hate the sin. It is a world or philosophy system (both religious and secular) that opposes Christ and the Word and holds this life as supreme, as Ray C. Stedman notes:

'It is most striking to recall that the enemies of Jesus were basically religious men. This world which the Christian is not to love is, therefore basically, primarily a religious world. It is not exclusively so for there was a secular world which hated Jesus as well. The representatives of the secular world hated the Lord Jesus, not with the hate of outright enmity, but, which is worse, with the hate of callous indifference. Our Lord said that the world would hate us because it hated him, and John says this is the world we must not love.'#

Charles Swindoll stated, “Esther is a story of triumph that grew out of tragedy, ecstasy out of agony, celebration out of devastation. Yours can be the same.”i This book has shown us many things, including that God can use anyone for His glory that is willing to be used, that He is ultimately in control of all things in our lives, and He will work according to His fore knowledge to bring all things together in our lives for our best and His glory (Romans 8:28 ff.). The enemy may rage, but God will turn his attacks back on his own head ultimately. We need to stand strong against the three-fold enemy that directed the lives of Ahasuerus and Haman, “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16, nkjv). It destroyed them both ultimately.'##

*Romans 12:1-2 AMP
We are to present our bodies and minds to God as a living sacrifice not half alive...
2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs, but be transformed (changed) by the entire renewal of your mind by its new ideals and its new attitude, so that you may prove for yourselves what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect in His sight for you. Amp

1 Cor. 7:29-31 AMP - Read
*The order of this world is passing away

Matt. 25:1-13 AMP - Read
*The well known parable about the 5 wise (on- fire and in love with the Lord) & 5 foolish (lazy, worldly loving) virgins (Christians) - a great truth to be learned here!

James 1:27Amplified Bible (AMP)
* '... keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.'

James 4:4 AMP - Read
*Friendship with the world makes one an enemy of God and visa versa

Mark 8:37 The Message - Read
*To trade your soul for the world is utter foolishness and leads only to death and separation from God!

How should a Christian behave:?
Rom 12: 9-21 (AMP) tells us exactly how:

9 Let your love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil loathe all un godliness, turn in horror from wickedness, but hold fast to that which is good:
*Show honor to one another v.10
*Be zealous and on fire v.11
*Be hopeful, steadfast, patient, constant in prayer v.12
*Giving, hospitable v.13
*Bless and do not curse v.14
*Share in others' joy & grief v.15
*Live harmoniously, don't be haughty or high minded v.16
*Don't take revenge, live above reproach v.17,19
*Live at peace with other people & self v.18

Illustration:
Kent Crockett ###

Close:
Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth not the world and that if the salt loses its flavor it is good only for the rubbish dump....in other words it is worthless! To be salt that provides the taste of holiness and the gospel, we need to lay of worldliness and embrace godliness and the fear of the Lord in our day lives....
Let's pray.....

Credits:
# Ray C. Stedman 1 John 2 Expository Studies http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rsc/view.cgi?bk=1jo&ch=2&vs=15#15
## Thomas Klock Harvest Ministries http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/old-testament/the-book-of-esther-in-review-11554857.html
### Kent Crockett. http://www.kentcrockett.com/cgi-bin/illustrations/index.cgi?topic=Worldly