Jake Each
1 John: 2:15-17
00:38:45
Good morning. It's good to be together. Let's get after it. Grab your Bibles. Open up to First John.
I got more I want to say than minutes I have, so we're gonna just get rolling here.
You ever feel like the world is getting more worldly?
I know sin is nothing new. And depending where you live in the world and at what time of the world, like, there's been corruption of sin as a part of our society ever since they left the garden. So I don't mean like we're special in any way, but from our experience, do you kind of feel like the world is getting a little bit more worldly around you anyway? You feel that? You with me?
Okay, so if that's the case, we'll get more personal here. If that's the case, is it possible? Okay, let's just entertain the possibility. Is it possible that maybe you've become more worldly than you should be? What does that mean?
So First John, turn over to First John. We've been working through this letter, and we're going to be in it through the end of June. We've been taking our time, going slowly, and we're in the middle of chapter two right now out of five chapters. So we're kind of finally in the middle of this letter. And it's not until now that we finally get to our first clear imperative.
So this is the first, like, clear command that John has given. He's been talking to us quite a bit. But. But in the middle of chapter two is when we get to the first clear command. And this is the command.
Do not what? Love the world or the things in the world. And you're like, is that right? Like, to be commanded not to love. Does that sound very Christian?
Like, is there a type of love that God hates? And he's kind of commanding us away from it. What does he mean by do not love the world? Because then God love the world. Then he, like, so loved the world that he gave his only son.
Like, what is John telling us here when he's commanding us? Not suggesting, but commanding us. Don't. Don't love the world. Well, it's not the world as in what God created his creation and people.
He's not commanding us away from loving others or loving his creation. He's talking about worldliness. And worldliness is the system of evil that is at work in this world. Now, if you're here and. And you don't even believe in God, like, you just got brought here and you're kind of checking the things out.
But I told you, like, hey, there's a system of evil that's influencing our world. You're probably like, yeah, that checks out. Like, I can sense that. I can get that. John in his gospel refers to Satan as the ruler of this world and that ruler is against the things of God.
Like different values, different priorities, different passions, different ambitions that run contrary to the things of God that get constantly promoted to us all the time. So here's one of the best definitions of worldliness that I've heard. It's worldliness is anything that makes sin seem normal and holiness seem weird. Like anything in our world that makes sin seem normal. Like everybody does that, everybody thinks that, everybody acts.
Like that's just how things are. That just kind of makes you want to see it. It's just normal, it's just common. Like that's a work of worldliness. And then anything that makes holiness seem weird, like who does that, who thinks that way?
Like that's worldliness at work. And we have to be honest, this is where it kind of some tough looks at ourselves this morning. We have to be honest about the successful influence the world has had on the church. And I'm not talking about just churches that like fly rainbow flags and, and don't teach the Bible. It's more covert than that.
I'm talking about like the worldly values that have kind of seeped in throughout all kinds of churches and all kinds of Christian people that, that just kind of embrace a mindset of greed, that it's a me first thing with my money. There's not a generosity. There's like the, the average, you know, professing Christian gives less than 2% of their income. I'm talking about like a weekend devotion in the church. Like the average professing Christian goes to church I think less than two times a month.
It's like one point, some, sometimes a month. It's this light heartedness towards sin that's just kind of become commonplace in the church. Well, nobody gives like that. No, no, nobody is that devoted. Nobody commits like that.
And it's okay to just kind of lessen it. Like that has creeped its way. And so here's the question, and this is where we just need to be honest with ourselves. Is it possible, is it possible that you've gotten a little too friendly with the world? And if so, what do we do about that?
And how can you tell? Here's where we're going. We got three verses today, three verses. And I want to help us see what John is saying here as. And warn us about worldliness.
But I also want us to see what he's saying in this text in light of everything else he's been saying up to this text. All this talk about fellowship, all this talk about love one another. Like, what's the connection? Because if we take an honest look at ourselves, I bet we could conclude, yeah, I think I've made some compromises. I think that I've gotten a little too friendly with the world.
I think I've lowered my standard. I think I've gone along with things I shouldn't have gone along. I think if we take an honest look at ourselves, we. We could make that conclusion. But here is what's also probably true throughout this room.
A feeling of loneliness. Like, I don't know if I feel the fellowship with other believers in this church that. That's talked about in the New Testament. I don't feel, like, bonded. Like, yeah, we go to the same church, we're in the same room, we sing the same songs, we listen to the same message.
But I don't know if, like, brothers and sisters, like, I don't know if we're feeling that. So. So what's the connection between this call to fellowship and this call to do not love the world? What. What's the connection there?
That's where we want to hopefully get to time allowed. So let's. Let's get in this. Go back to the very first command that's given here. Do not love the world or the things in the world now.
Or you could say, do not love or stop loving the world. It's kind of a rebuke that John's giving in a command. But why is John saying this? Do you remember their situation? There's false teachers that have come in in the name of Christ and they're teaching Gnosticism, which is like, you just need to get this knowledge.
You just need to be enlightened. And the spirit is. Is good, but the body is bad. So what you do in the body doesn't really matter. So basically, it's a license to live however you want to live as long as you think or know the right thing.
So go ahead and do whatever you want to do. So he's kind of given this license to sin. Is the situation. And our situation is not that different. I mean, there's so many teachers and podcast people who can just, like, give you permission to embrace whatever lifestyle you want to embrace.
And John's like, no, don't love the world or the things of the world. Like there's a contrast that needs to exist here. Now, if you've grown up in the church, maybe this isn't anything new and you've kind of got this impression of some, some hand slapped, hard, rigid, rigid morality that's just like, don't do that, don't do that. And you've never really been given the why. It's just there's a lot of things that are taboo, but never really given the motivation.
So John, why should we not love the world? Like what, what is this? Because it's clear that he has this fatherly concern, this love for the people he's writing to. Why, as somebody who cares for us, are we not supposed to love the world? Let's, let's read all three verses.
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. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires. But whoever does the will of God abides for how long?
Forever. So you get one command and you get three incentives in these three verses. The command is, don't love the world. The incentives are, well, because if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. Like that's not compatible, that doesn't go together.
So the love of Father is better than the love of the world. So that's an incentive. The second incentive is because the things of this world is passing away. Like that's a losing, like that, that company is tanking. Don't invest in that company.
And then three, you're gonna miss out because loyalty and love and abiding in the Father lasts forever. So, so you get this command, but you also get three incentives. Like, hey, here's reasons, like logical, compelling reasons not to love the world. You could sum it up this way, to profess Christ and love the world is unacceptable and foolish. It's unacceptable because it's not compatible with the love of the Father.
If you're loving the world, the love of the Father's not in you. Like those things don't go together. So it's unacceptable. But it's also foolish because this world is perishing. So why would you invest in that?
So this is what he's calling us to. And John is confronting the idea that you can have both. Let me say that again. John is confronting the idea that you can have both. You can love the world.
You can live just like the world. You can embrace the world. And as long as you come to church on Sunday and say the right things, then you're good and you can kind of have both. He's saying, don't work that way, right? And what he heard from Christ, he's passing on us.
Remember at the beginning, like, I was there, I heard, I saw, I was with him. Like, I'm giving you what he gave me. And what did Jesus say? He's like, I'm calling you to this narrow road. Not a broad road.
A lot of people travel the broad road, right? It's a popular road. It's an easy road. It leads to where? Destruction.
I'm calling you to a narrow road. It's hard, it's uphill, and it leads to life, right? Then you get in a sermon on the mount. Matthew 6:24, you can't serve two masters, right? You can't do it.
You can't love God and money. He's like, this. This earthly, materialistic life here. You can't love this life and the next. You can't do that.
James 4. 4 talks about friendship with the world is enmity towards God. Like, there's this clear contrast. Or here's what John says in his gospel. If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before.
It hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love. Would love you as its own. Like, if you went along with the world, the world would give you no problems, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. You get that?
You see how. See what he's saying here? Like, this is nothing new. It's like, if you're with me, I mean, we follow somebody who was crucified. You know, someone once asked D.L.
moody, an old dead pastor evangelist, says, now that I'm converted, do I have to give up the world? Moody responded, no, sir, you do not have to give up the world. If you give a good ringing testimony for the Son of God, the world will give you up pretty quickly. It doesn't go together. Like, try it.
Go to work, talk about Jesus. See how that goes. Some of you in companies that say, you can't do that, like, it's. It's. There's opposition there.
There's. There's conflict between the two. And listen, to be a Christian, you got him. You got to embrace different. You.
You got to get comfortable with this idea. I'm on a path that not a lot of people are On, I got priorities that a lot of people don't have. I have ambitions that are different than the world's ambitions. I'm gonna stand out differently. Like, you gotta get used to being different.
It's what we're called to. So when Jesus says, you're the light of the world, right? You're the salt of the earth. But who lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl? Like, nobody does that.
Or what happens to salt when it loses its saltiness? You throw it out. It's good for nothing.
So is it possible that you've lost your saltiness?
Like, there's not this light contrast that you're giving off that's different than the world? There's not a new flavor that you're giving to the people around you. You taste like the world, you look like the world. I mean, is it possible that maybe you're trying to serve two masters, you're trying to be a good Christian and you're trying to be good in this world. You're trying to have all the things that God, you know, promises you someday and all the things the world promises today.
Like, you're trying to do both. And this is what John is confronting. And John's going to get practical or give us some categories to kind of help us assess. Maybe we've drifted into this world. Like, what does that look like?
Look at verse 16. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world. Notice he's talking about desires. Or lust is what it could be translated. Here's what we have to understand.
Worldliness begins in the heart before it gets into our lives.
What do I want? What am I craving? The. The word for desires or less. There's epithumia through me.
Like, it's. It just talks about a desire. It could be a good desire, it could be a bad desire, but it's. It's an EPI desire. It's an epic desire.
It's just a really strong craving.
And it begins in the heart before it gets into our lives. It's like, I want that. I have to have it. I need their approval. I need that house, I need that spouse, I need that income, need that.
Whatever it is. Like, it's just this craving we have, the desires or the lust of the flesh or the sinful cravings that we have. Like, it's just. I think I need that. I need it to be happy.
I need to be fulfilled. It's the sinful cravings that we have, the desires of the eyes is our sinful coveting. You ever hear the phrase, like, feast your eyes, like your eyes can eat? What do you mean by that? Like, the things that we see.
Like, I didn't know I wanted it, now I see it, now I want it, right? Like, it's just like the things that I want, that I need, that this is coveting, that we have the pride of life. The pride of life is not a state of being alive. Like, I'm proud that I'm alive. He's talking about a livelihood or all that supports a lifestyle.
So it is pride and possessions and status. Look what I have, look what I drive. Look where I live. Look what I make. Look what, you know, look at my possessions, look at my standing, look at my office.
Like this kind of taking pride in your lifestyle. So the first two, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes, or what we feel when we don't have something. And the last one, the pride of life, is what we feel when we do have something, right? That gives me value, that gives me security. If I don't have that, if I did have that, I'd have value, I'd have security, I'd have belonging.
And we just kind of crave and we want. So how are we doing in this? How are you doing in this? Like, we live in this world that's like, constantly, like, showing us stuff we don't have and showing us stuff that would make our lives better and comparing us, like, how are you doing in this context where, like, our heart feels drawn to these things. How's your coveting?
How's your cravings for those things? How's your pride and your possessions, your status? How are you doing in this kind of worldly type living? And it's easy to make this life about this life, isn't it? It's like, it's where we live, it's all around us.
So it's really easy to kind of slip into that. This was interesting. I read this week Charles Dutton, he's an old actor who spent seven years in prison for manslaughter before he kind of came out of prison and had a successful acting career long, long ago. But in an interview, he was asked, how did you make that transition? Like, how did you come out of prison and then kind of make a success of yourself in this acting world?
And his answer was, unlike the other prisoners, I never decorated my cell because I wanted to be reminded every day that this is temple. Do you still Remember that this is all temporary. Like it's going to be over so fast. Someone else is going to live in your house and drive your car like it's going to be gone. Everything you've worked for, everything.
All the achievements, like it's over. Or have you made this life like your life? All your hopes, all your dreams exist in this. All your worth exist in this life.
Or as John would put it, have you fallen in love with this place?
Here's some signs that you're in love with the world. Three of them. One, you have a desire for its approval. You want this world to like you. You want this world to accept you.
You want this world to think well of you. You have a desire for its approval too. You have an ambition for its rewards. I want what it's given. I want the status it offers.
I want the material things it offers. I want the rewards that it is offering. I want that. I have an ambition. Like that is what my life is about to achieve those things.
And three, you have a fear of its end. You have a fear of its end, like all my hopes are. So I wanna lengthen this as long as possible. Like this is my life. I'm afraid for it to be over.
Like all your stock is in this world.
And John is telling us that's not compatible with loving God. They don't go together. To have your ambitions in this world, to have your desire for this world's approval, to fear for his end, like it's not compatible with the love of God. Those are two, like competing things. Those emotions are contrary to gospel realities.
The gospel undermines every one of those. I don't need this world's approval. I'm a part of the family of God. I've been accepted by God. I'm in his household.
Like, I don't need the world approval. I don't need the world's rewards. Are you kidding? I'm a fellow heir with Christ, with. With rewards that won't be stolen or rust or decay or go away.
I have rewards eternally. Why would I. Why do I settle for this? I don't have to fear the world's end. I've been promised eternity with Christ forever in his presence, where joy is forevermore.
Like, why? Why would I want that? The gospel undermines all of those desires. So if you think it's not wrong to want those, John's saying, yeah, it is. Cause those wants are different than the gospel promises that God has given us.
They do. They go contrary to that. You can't have it Both, they're competing desires. So where are your desires? And it's not just, you don't need the world's approval or you don't need the world's rewards, or you don't need to be afraid of the world ending.
But if you are, it's showing a disconnect. It's like pulling back the curtain to a heart that's like, oh, the love of God's not in that heart. The love of the world is. But that's a different kind of love. That behavior is incompatible with those that love God.
Now listen, because anytime you start talking about holiness, especially in any kind of practical way, the guards go up. Like, I mean, often somebody brings out the word legalism, like, God only be legalistic. You ever see the movie Princess Bride where that guy's like, you know, inconceivable, and he's like, you keep saying that. I don't think that word means what you think that means. That's what it is with legalism.
Like, you keep saying that word. I don't think that word means what you think it means. But we want to apply it to anything. That kind of makes me feel uncomfortable. Any kind of demand or call to holiness in our life.
We're just like, you're being legalistic. And it's kind of this self defensive protection mode. Like, don't meddle, like, don't challenge my loves or my idols. I can have it both. And what we've done is we've put a profession or we valued a profession over a practice.
Like, as long as I profess Christ, as long as I say the right things, don't get on me about my practice, right? You get on me about my practice and you ignore my profession. You're being judgmental. We don't have space for that. The problem is that's what John's doing.
Cause he's saying, I know you say you're walking the light, but you're not living in the light, right? I know you say you have fellowship, but, but you walk in darkness. It's like, I don't have a problem with your profession. I have a problem with your practice. And your practice is not lining up with your profession.
And he's calling them to holiness. So, so put the guard down. I want to be clear. Listen, you can have money in God, you can do youth sports and, and have God, right? You can drive a nice car and you can have God, but you can't have money over God.
And you can't do youth sports over God. And you can't love your car more than God. It doesn't work. And anybody that tells you it's okay is lying to you. And John is saying, hey, if this is the case, you can't serve two masters.
Like, if you have this love affair with the world and this is your pursuit and this is your ambitions, the love of the Father is not in you. Like there's some kind of disconnect. You can't have it both ways. And I fear that's the reality for too many of us. And we don't see it because we still believe in God, right?
We say we have fellowship. We say we walk in the light. We say we're a sinner and Jesus is a savior. Like, we say all the right things, but you can't serve two masters.
John's calling us out. He's telling us if anyone who loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. There's something that hasn't clicked. There's an evidence of a lack of genuineness.
And not only is it unacceptable, it's just stupid. Like, when you look at it like that's the case, he's making John saying, do you not know that the world and all its desires are passing away? Why would you love that more? Why would you be more devoted to something that has a shorter lifespan? Why would you be more passionate about something that's going to go away?
But the things of God will last forever, so why are you more passionate about lesser things? I don't like John saying, I don't get that. Like, the only conclusion that I can make is the love of the Father is not in you. You're not getting it. Guys, listen.
Heaven is not a retirement plan. It's not like I can have fun now and I have Jesus so I can also have fun later. It's not worked out like where. It's just like, well, I can kind of do what I want now and because of Christ, I can do what I want later. It's not like this backup plan.
God is an all consuming pursuit of life. He's worthy of everything our call. Like, he's worthy of all our devotion. That's when Jesus calls people. It's like, hey, anybody loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.
Take up your cross and follow me. Anybody who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not worth. Like, he's saying, like, no, no, no, all in here because he's worthy of all in. And if it's like, yeah, let me go bury my Father, and then I'll catch up. That's the reaction of somebody who's not saying no to Jesus.
They're just trying to say yes to both. And Jesus says, not happening. I don't take yes. If your yes also goes elsewhere. I take one yes and it's all mine.
Here's how Paul puts it. This is in second Timothy 4, 6. He says, for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. He's talking about the life he's lived.
I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will award to me on that day. And this is where it gets to us and not only to me, but also to all who have what loved his appearing. What does that speak of?
Paul's ambition in life? I'm not afraid of this world ending. I'm rooting for it. To die is gain. Bring it on.
I'm not living for this world. My hopes are not in this world. My ambitions are not in this world. My value is not in this world. I'm being poured out.
I'm living for the next. And this award is waiting for all who don't just believe in him, but love his appearing. So here's the description of a Christian based on this passage. Not people who say and profess the right things, but people who love. And I can't wait for the return of Christ.
It's like, that's a believer, guys. If you're not living for God now, you're not going to live with God later.
If you're not living for God now, you're not going to live with God later. And that is not works based salvation. That is salvation based salvation. That is take out a heart of stone and put in a heart of flesh that causes us to obey his statutes.
That is a new creation in Christ. That is, I found a treasure in a field and I sold all that I have joyfully to have that. That's salvation. Salvation. And I'm not talking about perfection.
None of us are perfect. And we have an advocate who defends us and confess our sins. And he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. I'm not talking about perfection. I'm talking about passion.
And I'm talking about a passion that matches a profession. I say this about Christ. I say he's number one. So he looks like number one in my life. I say he's worthy of it all.
So it looks like he's worthy of all in my life.
But listen, just like so many marital affairs just kind of happen slowly. I wasn't attentionist inside jokes at work and then it was a lunch and then things kind of evolved and then some texting and then it got intimate. Like it just kind of happened. Like nobody sets out. Like I'm a cheat on my spouse.
Today's the day. Just kind of slowly over time it unfolds. So maybe, maybe slowly over time of living in this world, being educated in this world, Thousands of hours of TV shows that just drip. Worldliness, glamorized worldliness. Countless hours of getting in the car and turning on that song.
She loved the beat, but behind the beat it's worldliness. Worldliness that you bob your head to. And over so much time, slowly, maybe you didn't even realize it. Maybe you're having an affair with this world and now you got to a point where you crave its approval and you desire its rewards and its promises. You like how it makes you feel and you're afraid it will come to an end.
And you're in love.
Do you know the thing about affairs? You have two lovers and you're twice as lonely.
You're hiding from your spouse and then you're sneaking around with someone else. And it's just. You're trapped not just in guilt and shame, but community is robbed.
In one sense, you're intimate with two people, but in another sense, you've lost intimacy altogether.
I mean, think about it. What's the connection between John calling us to fellowship and love for one another and then turning around and talking about don't love the world? How do those things go together? How does he go from this call to fellowship to this command to not love the world? Sometimes it can seem like Christians in the church don't love each other very well.
Doesn't it have any ever felt that way? You don't want to raise your hand because you're in church. If you did raise your hand, what you're saying is, I don't feel very loved by all you. But you can come to church and sometimes church can be one of the loneliest places you. You feel, I don't know.
These are my people.
Why is that? Even though we both profess to believe the same things, the most important same things, why can we feel so lonely in a church?
I've talked about this before, but in football there is quite a brotherhood, just a bond you feel. But in spring ball, for those that don't watch a lot of football. Football is a fall sport. In the spring, though, you have spring ball and you, you just, you hit each other constantly. People are battling for position, so there's a lot of fights.
In spring ball, you don't have to worry so much about injuries, so coaches let fights go on longer in spring. Spring ball is intense like spring ball. There's a lot of conflict, a lot of opposition with your own teammates.
But when the season rolls around, you have a common enemy. You get to hit somebody else other than just your own teammates. And when you have a common enemy, your bond strengthens like you're in it together.
Hear me out, because this is going to sound weird, but it's a paradigm shift. Fellowship in the church can be pretty weak because too often we don't have a strong enough shared hate.
Fellowship in the church can often be pretty weak because we don't have a strong enough shared hate. There is not a clear common enemy that unites us guys. Not loving the world together deepens love for one another. And I'm not talking about, like, getting together and just gripe sessions like, let's just group it in. How isn't it how awful the world is?
And you just kind of complain. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about truly not living for this world with one another.
That's where you find fellowship. So John's calling us to fellowship, and then he says, don't love the world. Because when you don't love the world and you don't love the world, guess what, that's pretty hard in this world. And you're going to bond together in that pursuit. This guy's.
This is wild. Stay with me. The narrow road is what? It's pretty narrow, which means you're going to be pretty close to your fellow travelers on that road.
But often in the church, you can be left wondering, are we on the same road?
Like, I know, I know we both say this and there's a shared profession, but I don't know if there's a shared practice and I don't know if there's a shared priority. And I don't know if there's a shared passion. Like, we're Christians together in this world, so we're just going to, like, radically make church a priority together. Oh, but you don't. And we're Christians, so we're going to, like, joyfully, sacrificially be generous.
Oh, but you're not. You're Christians, so we're going to care about holiness and honoring God in all of life. Oh, wait a minute. But you don't. And it begins to erode fellowship.
And when you try to build Christian unity on the lowest common denominator, like what, you say you're a Christian and I say I'm a Christian. So there we are, family. But there's no shared priorities and there's no shared practice and there's no shared pursuits. It's just not that sweet of a fellowship.
Listen, a fight for holiness has a deep bonding effect with others fighting for holiness, right? And this doesn't mean you throw out patience and grace and bearing with one another and different. Like, yes. And to all that. But there's a shared passion, there's a shared pursuit, there's a shared desire.
Like when you, when you fight for holiness, there's a deep bonding effect with others fighting for holiness. And by holiness, I don't just mean holiness in the terms of morality. Yes to that. But holiness of, like, I'm set apart for God, like, all of my life is for his glory. And when all of your life is for his glory, that's going to alienate you in this world.
And it's also going to bond you with other people that their life is all for the glory of Christ. So here's a question that I want to leave you with. And this has to do with your holiness and our fellowship. Here's my question. How do I need to be more different in the world in a way that shows a love for God?
I'll say it again because I want you to think. Think of this answer. How do I need to be more different in the world in a way that shows a love for God, that shows I don't need this world's approval, I don't need this world's rewards. I don't need this world to last forever. In fact, I prefer it doesn't.
Like that shows like, I'm living for another treasure. I'm living for another approval. I'm living for another eternity. That shows that. How do I need to embrace different?
We entertain ourselves different, we talk different. We make different decisions. With money, we make different decisions. With youth sports, we make different decisions. With our calendar, we make different decisions as a family.
Like, what are those things that says, like, I love God, he is my passion and my pursuit. How do you need to embrace different? And let me warn you and entice you in the same way. If you do, if you do, you are going to find that you will have less friends, your community. Let's put it this way, your community will get narrow.
But the ones you discover on that road will bring the sweetest fellowship that will last forever. That's what we want.
So John is calling us to.
We're halfway through chapter two. He hasn't given us one command, and finally we get this command. And what has he been calling us to ever since? That. You know how good the gospel is.
You know how great a savior Jesus Christ is. You want to be in fellowship with him. You want to be in fellowship with this world or with one another? Don't love the world, stop loving the world. And you will find the sweetest fellowship ever with God and with one another.
Let's pray.
Father, I pray that maybe today, right now, in this moment, there are people, through the power of your spirit, that are breaking up with the world, that are saying, I don't need you, I don't prefer you, and I'm not in love with you. And they look to you, through your spirit, are able to say, I love you, I want you. I prefer you, I choose you.
And I pray, as more of us in this church proclaim, that we would not only experience fellowship with you, closeness with you, intimacy with you, but we would experience deep, satisfying, sweet fellowship with one another. Pray this in your name. Amen.