November 3, 2025 • 28 mins
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:35):
My name is Trent Garten.
Uh I attend Benisha High School.
I'm a sophomore, and I'll bereading 2 John.
The elder to the lady chosen byGod and to her children, whom I
love in the truth, and not Ionly, but also all who know the
truth, because of the truthwhich lives in us and will be
(00:56):
with us forever.
Grace, mercy, and peace from Godthe Father and from Jesus
Christ, the Father's Son, willbe with us in truth and love.
It has given me great joy tofind some of your children
walking in the truth, just asthe Father commanded us.
And now, dear lady, I am notwriting you a new command, but
(01:18):
one we have had from thebeginning.
I ask that we love one another,and this is love, that we walk
in obedience to his commands.
As you have heard from thebeginning, his command is that
you walk in love.
I say this because manydeceivers who do not acknowledge
Jesus Christ as coming in thefrom flesh have gone out into
(01:39):
the world.
Any such person is the deceiverand the antichrist.
Watch out that you do not losewhat n uh we have worked for,
but that you may be rewardedfully.
Anyone who runs ahead and doesnot continue in the teaching of
Christ does not have God.
Whoever continues in theteaching has both the Father and
(02:00):
the Son.
If anyone comes to you and doesnot bring this teaching, do not
take them into your house orwelcome them.
Anyone who welcomes them sharesin their wicked work.
I have much to write to you, butI do not want to use the patent
newspaper and ink.
Instead, I hope to visit you andtalk with you face to face so
that our joy may be complete.
(02:22):
The children of your sister, whois chosen chosen by God, send
their greetings.
This is the word of the Lord.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Um I don't know if you guys caught that, but Trent
just read an entire book of theBible to you.
Congratulations.
Um, so if you're new with us, weteach the Bible around here.
Uh we're Bible-believing, uh,Bible teaching church.
We've been doing this verse byverse, and we've been doing this
uh series called 1, 2, 3, John.
There's these letters uh at thevery end of the New Testament
(02:52):
written by a guy named John.
A lot of you maybe are familiarwith John's big book.
That's where you get like John3, 16, which is a really popular
one.
Uh, this is when he's mucholder.
Last week we finished up thefifth chapter of 1 John, and
today we're gonna do theentirety of 2 John.
So congratulations.
One day, an entire book in theNew Testament.
Uh, we're gonna tackle thattoday.
(03:13):
So we're gonna hop on in.
We got like 13 verses to do.
Um, I think uh how many of youguys have a phone?
Yeah, I think everybody can.
So if your phone only let youkeep two apps, most of us would
probably pick this hard.
Some of you guys just freakedout.
Like, whoa, two.
Most of us would probably pickuh maps and messages.
Um, why?
(03:34):
Well, one tells us what's trueabout the road, uh, and then one
helps us keep stay connectedwith people that we love.
You can survive without games oruh photos or notes, but you
can't make it far withoutdirection or relationship.
See, if if you try driving withonly one, all maps and no
(03:54):
messages that makes you right,but alone.
And all messages but no mapsmakes you kind, but lost.
And that tension between beingright and relational isn't just
about your phone, it's about thetension of our age.
Uh, and it's really theheartbeat of 2 John, where John
writes as the elder to the electlady and her children.
(04:17):
Most likely, this is the localchurch and her members, just
like this.
And he's not firing off like ablog post.
He's writing like a spiritualgrandfather who's seen what
happens when a generationchooses one rail and forgets the
other.
He's saying, in essence, thatGod's people travel on two
rails, truth and love.
(04:38):
And you derail when you choosejust one.
This uh tiny letter could fit ina screenshot, yet has the power
to re-rail a wondering soul.
Uh, John opens it with whatsounds like a note wrapped in
conviction.
Verse one, he says, the elder tothe elect lady and her children,
(05:01):
whom I love in truth, and notonly I, but also all who know
the truth, because of the truththat abides in us and will be
with us forever.
See, he tells this church thathe loves them in truth, and not
just him, but everyone who is inthe truth, they do too, because
the truth abides in us, and itwill be with us then forever.
(05:26):
And that's not just like uh, Ichecked the fact box.
Truth here isn't this cold data,it's Jesus-centered reality, the
gospel that doesn't um start tobend when your feelings begin to
wobble.
It's the not the truth of youknow, winning arguments, it's a
truth that took on flesh andbled for our freedom.
(05:46):
It's not uh an opinion to defendwhat it is, friends, is this
this oxygen it's reminding us tobreathe.
And then he blesses them.
He says, Grace, mercy, and peacewill be with you and with us,
from God the Father and fromJesus Christ the Father, Son, in
truth and love.
So now we've heard this twice.
Now, apparently heaven's hotlinehas two wires, truth and love,
(06:09):
but both must stay connected ifyou want a clear call.
But let's be honest, in our day,everyone tells you what?
Speak your truth, uh, followyour heart, while also insisting
that you keep the the group'svibe happy.
And the currency of connectionis likes and loves in the world
that we live in, not necessarilylight and truth.
(06:29):
We tend to elevate um emotion toauthority, and then we wonder
why our compass keeps spinningaround.
We confuse love with agreement,uh, and a lot of times truth
nowadays with aggression.
And that pressure can begin tomake truth feel cold and love
(06:50):
mushy.
And John actually says theopposite.
He says, truth is warm becauseit's in a person who loves you.
And love is sturdy because itobeys what God actually said.
And this is why then hecelebrates.
He says, I rejoice greatly tofind some of you, children,
walking in the truth, just as wewere commanded to by the Father.
(07:13):
This is like a compliment and anudge at the same time, like an
encouragement and an invitation.
What he's saying is, is I seesome of you actually living this
out.
Now let's get everybody elsewalking in step.
And then John shifts his tonefrom rejoicing now to reminding.
He says, And now I ask you, dearlady, not as though I were
(07:34):
writing you a new commandment,but the one that we have had
from the beginning, that wewould love one another.
And this is love, that we walkaccording to his commandments.
This is the commandment, just asyou have heard from the
beginning, so that you shouldwalk in it.
See, love isn't something he'ssaying that you just fall into,
(07:54):
it's actually a direction youwalk.
Uh, it's obedience with a pulse.
Uh, the world keeps asking, youknow, us, like, well, what feels
loving?
And John pauses and he asks,What did Jesus command?
Because love divorced from truthisn't compassion.
Often it leads to confusion.
And that's right here where Johnturns this corner because love,
(08:17):
like real love, has boundaries.
Why?
Well, because deception is real.
It says in verse 7, for manydeceivers have gone out into the
world, those who do not confessthe coming of Jesus Christ in
the flesh.
Such a one is the deceiver andantichrist.
(08:38):
See here, John isn't talkingabout like a cartoon villain
with horns.
He's describing a worldview thatremoves the need for our
embodied Savior.
Essentially, if Jesus didn'tcome in the flesh, there's no
blood, there's no cross, there'sno forgiveness, and ultimately
then there's no hope.
So, what does that mean?
No incarnation, which is likehim coming here equals no cross.
(09:01):
Well, then if we don't have thecross, then for us that means no
forgiveness.
And if there's no forgiveness,there's no hope.
See, what happens is without theincarnation, Christianity
collapses just into self-help.
You didn't need a life coach.
You need God to put on skin, andhe entered into history.
(09:23):
And that's not this oldtheological argument.
It's literally today'salgorithm.
Here's how this shows up for allof us in 2025.
It's like the podcast thatquotes spiritual Jesus but skips
Lord Jesus.
It's the influencer who loveshis vibe but never mentions sin
or resurrection.
It's the progressive angle thatsays we've outgrown old
(09:46):
doctrines and tradition andoptimized angle that turns Jesus
now suddenly into a productivitybrand.
And Jesus isn'tanti-intellectual, he's
anti-illusion.
Like if your Jesus can't take onflesh, he can't take on your
shame.
And so what he does is he pivotsfrom theology now to stewardship
(10:08):
in this letter.
He says, watch yourselves sothat you may not lose what we
have worked for, but may win thefull reward.
I think it's really important weunderstand this isn't him like
being paranoid.
This is pastoral wisdom.
Um, think of it like uh faith isin compound interest.
If you invest day by day by day,over time it grows in strength,
(10:32):
right?
But one bad trade, one shortcut,one compromise, one shiny new
gospel can empty what it tookyears to build.
Like imagine training uh for amarathon or a run for six months
and then suddenly changing yourrunning form because you saw
like a trending video on TikTok.
You'd ruin everything that you'dworked for, right?
(10:53):
And here the church had alreadypaid a price to be faithful, but
John refuses to see that equitywasted.
And so he says, guard the gains,guard your doctrine, yes, but
also your habits, yourrelationships, your integrity.
Because, see, truth, he'ssaying, is a treasure, and love
is the lockbox.
(11:13):
Lose either, and what happens isyou lose both.
Because the goal isn't to betrendy, it's to be true.
The goal isn't to go viral, it'sto finish faithful.
And faithfulness rarely getsapplause in real time because it
always wins the long game.
Okay, so uh real quick question.
(11:34):
This is not shame, this is justour life that we live in.
How many of you guys have asecond phone, like for work?
Oh, yeah, I feel you.
This is hard at this moment.
So uh I think many of us carryanxiety like a second phone.
Like we feel spiritually ghostedby God, we feel relationally
bruised by people, uh, mentallyfried by a world that monetizes
(11:57):
our attention.
And John's pairing of truth andlove isn't more homework, it's
relief.
Truth relieves anxiety becauseit tells you what is real and
who is responsible.
And love relieves isolationbecause obedience turns
strangers into family.
(12:19):
And when truth and love areyoked together, burnout drops,
belonging rises, and holinessstops feeling like a museum
word.
But what about the hard cases?
And I'm just gonna tell you upfront, this is true for me too.
The hard case is like thefriends who once walk with Jesus
but now call themselvesspiritual.
(12:41):
A family who says, I like Jesus,I just don't like the church.
I don't do organized religionanymore.
And John's letter isn't a scriptto win arguments.
What it is is it's framework towalk wisely, to keep the door
open to friendship and keep themicrophone off and love them
(13:02):
with presents and meals, notlike presents, but your presence
and meals and prayer, and refuseto spoof Jesus to make him more
palatable.
I think it's really important.
A lot of times we don'tunderstand that he doesn't need
PR, he does his ownresurrection, like he's got it.
So, friends, here.
Just here's an easy way to sayit: be unusually kind and
(13:26):
unusually clear.
Then comes this line that Ithink sounds harsh until you
realize it's actually mercy.
Verse nine.
Everyone who goes on ahead anddoes not abide in the teachings
of Christ does not have God.
Whoever abides in the teachinghas both the Father and the Son.
So, right here, John has likethis word for people who brand
(13:48):
themselves as beyond uh thegospel.
They don't need it anymore,which is this goes on ahead.
And that phrase actually cansound like progress, but what it
is is it's actually drift.
He's saying growth isn't movingpast what Jesus said.
It's actually digging deeperinto it.
Think of it this way (14:05):
trees don't grow uh by uprooting
themselves every spring, right?
They grow by staying rooted inthe same soil, drawing more life
from it over time.
And we live in a culture thatmistakes novelty for maturity,
where we just chase the nextinsight, uh, the next
influencer, the next freshrevolution.
(14:28):
Uh, but John insists that realprogress looks like endurance,
that to abide is to stay throughboredom.
Some of you guys right now,through boredom, through doubt,
through daily uh just rhythmsuntil fruit begins to appear.
(14:48):
See, stability isn'tstubbornness, it's faithfulness
that over time begins to bearfruit.
And the modern temptation is tomistake novelty for maturity.
But abiding in Jesus, the samegospel, the same truth, the same
love, not anti-growth, isactually how things grow.
(15:08):
We don't um treat that like akiddie pool that we grow out of.
We we get to treat it like anocean that we actually grow
into.
So, what does it look like forsomeone who is uh juggling rent,
relationships, and like 12different open tabs in your
brain to do this?
Well, it looks like rhythm overrush.
(15:32):
It looks like letting scripturemigrate from your notes app into
your nervous system.
It looks like showing up toworship when the week just
wrecked you.
It looks like confession with afriend who tells you the truth
and loves you enough to actuallyask next week, hey, how's it
going?
(15:53):
And abiding isn't just standingstill, it's actually just
staying with, it keeps youtethered while God grows in you.
And then what happens is Johnturns what might be the most
uncomfortable part of thisletter.
He says, If any one of youcomes, if anyone comes to you
and does not bring thisteaching, do not receive them
(16:15):
into your house or give them anygreeting.
For whoever greets him takespart in his wicked words, where
we're like, whoa.
To our our ears right here, Ithink, and you know, even as I
read this, it sounds harsh.
But I think what we need tounderstand in this context is in
the first century, a house was aplatform.
Uh, hosting a teacher was theancient version of boosting
(16:36):
their message.
And see, right here, John isn'tuh forbidding kindness, he's
forbidding co-signing a gospelthat dismantles Jesus.
So translated that into ourworld, it's the shares, it's the
likes, it's the podcast.
They they are literally becomingat the front doors.
And every time that you and Iamplify a voice, you lend your
(16:57):
credibility and your community'sattention.
And you don't have to panicabout every repost, but you do
have to pause, I think it'sreally important, and ask some
of these questions.
What do they confess aboutJesus?
Do they affirm that he has comein the flesh and he is Lord?
And they do they define love byhis commands?
(17:18):
This is so important.
Do they define love by hiscommands?
And if not, it's not you justthrow it out, but just add some
friction right there.
Just take a moment and pause andpray and ask a trusted leader.
You are free to be kind.
This is important, but you arenot free to be careless.
And this is what John'sreminding us.
John's call isn't for you to bethe theology police with ticket
(17:39):
books.
It's for you and I to actuallybe the medic with discernment.
Uh, think of it like an EMT, notan all uh hall monitor.
When someone collapses, youdon't like critique their
outfit, right?
You check their vitals.
You don't just pause and belike, well, they deserved it,
right?
Before you platform a voice,this is so important.
Check their Christology.
(18:00):
Before you normalize anarrative, look for its fruit.
And remember, doctrine isn't amuseum exhibit, it's the map
that keeps love from drivinginto a lake.
And our friends need both ourcompassion and our clarity.
And then John, like agrandfather putting down the pen
(18:22):
to reach for the phone, hecloses tenderly.
He says, Though I have much towrite to you, I'd rather not use
pen and paper.
Instead, I hope to come to youand talk to you face to face so
that our joy may be complete.
Is any of you thinking, hmm,that's a lost art?
(18:44):
Right?
You know that moment when like400 texts can't fix what one
coffee can?
That's what John means.
That there's just some joy thatrequires eye contact, some
clarity means tone of voice, andsome discipleship demands
presence and tacos.
(19:06):
We were never meant to be adigital church with human
avatars.
We are embodied followers of anembodied savior.
Face to face is still God'sfavorite medium.
And then John wrote this.
He was resisting when he wrotethis, he he was resisting, I
(19:27):
think, the same temptation thatwe fight right now to reduce
relationship to transmission.
Uh, he says, I'd rather be withyou.
That's how truth and love soundwhen they're mature.
So, what does it look like forus to live like this in this
age, in this space?
I think it looks like truth witha face, like Jesus, truly God
(19:51):
and truly human, who loved us tothe cross and rose again.
It looks like love with a spine,with obedience, obedience that
forgives, that gives, and servesand stays.
I think it looks likestewardship with holy caution,
(20:13):
knowing every platform is apulpit and every share is a
sermon.
And when we abide like that, thechurch becomes impossible to
confuse and impossible tooffend.
Where we hold clarity andcharity in the same hand, where
we become too honest to behypocrites and too kind to be
(20:35):
cruel.
And it's not perfect, but that,my friends, is real.
That is love according to hiscommands, that's abiding in the
teaching of Christ, and that'sthe full reward and what it
begins to feel like.
And then John ends with this oneline that sounds almost
(20:57):
ordinary, like he just ends thisletter this way, but glows with
like this family warmth.
This last line is the childrenof your elect sister greet you.
Now, what this means is you'renot alone.
That there are literally otherchurches, this is what he's
talking about, walking the samerails of truth and love.
That the family is bigger thanthe rose that you sit in on
(21:19):
Sunday.
And the elect sister isn't justone person, it's a community,
and the church and her electsister is another, just another
sister church, if that's the wayyou want to put it.
That means that your and I'sobedience actually has communal
impact.
That when you and I choose toabide, younger Christians learn
that staying is actuallypossible.
(21:40):
When you resist reposting ateacher who denies the gospel,
you protect not just your ownfeed, but someone else's faith.
And when you show up face toface, you bring joy that cannot
be streamed.
And you're not curating thisprivate spirituality, you're
setting the rails for the wholehouse.
(22:02):
So now if you're in the roomtoday and you're even with us
online and you're exploringfaith and you're not sure what
to do with Jesus, I would justsay start here.
I mean, he talked about in thisletter in verse seven, he came
in the flesh for you.
He lived a life that youcouldn't, died a death that you
deserved and rose, so you canhave a life with God.
And that's not just a metaphor,that's news.
(22:24):
And your next step isn't tobehave better, but it's to
believe and be loved, and thenobey as love trains your steps
as you walk in that.
In fact, I think um baptism thatwe're doing in just two weeks is
a beautiful picture of this,which might be a beautiful next
(22:47):
step for many of you that are inthis room.
And for those of you who alreadyfollow Jesus, resist changing
chasing the next thing.
Just abide.
You'll grow deeper instead ofjust louder.
So here's the invitation, andthis is as clear as I think I
can make it.
(23:08):
Some of us need to courageouslyadd truth to our love.
Stop enabling what Jesus died toforgive.
Some need to courageously addlove to truth.
Stop using doctrine like adodgeball and start using it
like a map.
(23:30):
And all of us need to abideagain in scripture, in prayer,
in a community that knows yourname.
And remember, Jesus hasn'tghosted you, he is with you in
the flesh by his spirit, and hehas given you people right next
to you to walk with.
(23:51):
And for some, maybe the nextstep is surrender.
Believe that Jesus has come inthe flesh for you, and for
others, it's confession.
Name the place where you'vetraded abiding for advancing.
And for many, it's community.
In a small group or a serve teamwhere I really believe truth and
(24:11):
love get muscle.
And if you want help discerningvoices, you can come talk to a
pastor.
We'd love to have a conversationwith you.
And next Sunday, bring someonewho needs both rails under their
life.
Now, one last word for um mycontent creators in here and
influencers in here and leadersin here.
So this is for everyone in here.
(24:34):
You have a stewardship.
God has given you a microphonesomewhere, whether it's 10
followers or 10,000.
And I urge you to use it to tellthe truth about Jesus and to
love people towards obedience.
And when you mess up and youwill, repent quickly and
publicly.
(24:54):
And when cynicism feels clever,choose faithfulness.
And remember, you don't have tobe everywhere, you just have to
be honest, abiding in Christ.
And then what happens is you getto watch your work outlast your
hype.
Because you know this trendswill trend, deceivers will come
(25:14):
and go, and ideas will labelthemselves as advanced and then
expire like milk.
We've all experienced that.
But Jesus, who came in theflesh, crucified and risen,
abides, and then his truthremains in you and will be with
you forever.
(25:35):
His love literally teaches yourfeet how to move.
His spirit keeps the church onthe rails even when the
landscape shifts.
And that's something that we canwalk in.
So guard the gains.
Practice discerning hospitabilhospitals hospitality and then a
face-to-face conversation andlet that joy be complete.
(26:00):
So, church, let's move thisweek.
You're gonna be squeezed.
And may truth and love be whatcomes out.
And when you feel pressured tochoose between them, remember
John's letter and refuse thefalse choice.
And when we gather again, bringstories of how abiding made you
(26:21):
steady and obedient and madelove real.
Because the world is watchingnot just what we say, but who we
are.
So let's represent Jesus andrepresent Jesus, the real one,
until his joy fills our house.
And then finally, remember theface-to-face principle.
(26:43):
I think this is so important.
John would rather talk than typebecause embodied presence
reduces confusion, and I thinkit just increases joy.
So practice the ministry oftone, soft answers, curious
questions, and slow judgments.
Because truth without tonesounds like a clanging symbol,
(27:06):
and love without truth soundslike a lullaby into compromise.
And understand, I think this isso important.
If it's important enough to hurtyou, it's important enough to
handle off the internet.
Literally, a DA, a DM mightde-escalate, a phone call might
heal, and a coffee mightresurrect.
So let me just end with ablessing for you.
(27:28):
And over your week.
Just grace for the parts thatyou can't fix, mercy for the
parts you did wrong, and peacefor the parts you can't protect
and truth and love.
And may God make us a churchthat's impossible to confuse and
impossible to offend and full ofclarity and charity at the same
(27:52):
time.
May He make us too honest to behypocrites and too kind to be
cruel, and may He give usface-to-face joy that outshines
every counterfeit glow.
Grace and peace, friends.
My name is Trent Garten.
Uh I attend Benisha High School.
I'm a sophomore, and I'll bereading 2 John.
The elder to the lady chosen byGod and to her children, whom I
love in the truth, and not Ionly, but also all who know the
truth, because of the truthwhich lives in us and will be
(00:56):
with us forever.
Grace, mercy, and peace from Godthe Father and from Jesus
Christ, the Father's Son, willbe with us in truth and love.
It has given me great joy tofind some of your children
walking in the truth, just asthe Father commanded us.
And now, dear lady, I am notwriting you a new command, but
(01:18):
one we have had from thebeginning.
I ask that we love one another,and this is love, that we walk
in obedience to his commands.
As you have heard from thebeginning, his command is that
you walk in love.
I say this because manydeceivers who do not acknowledge
Jesus Christ as coming in thefrom flesh have gone out into
(01:39):
the world.
Any such person is the deceiverand the antichrist.
Watch out that you do not losewhat n uh we have worked for,
but that you may be rewardedfully.
Anyone who runs ahead and doesnot continue in the teaching of
Christ does not have God.
Whoever continues in theteaching has both the Father and
(02:00):
the Son.
If anyone comes to you and doesnot bring this teaching, do not
take them into your house orwelcome them.
Anyone who welcomes them sharesin their wicked work.
I have much to write to you, butI do not want to use the patent
newspaper and ink.
Instead, I hope to visit you andtalk with you face to face so
that our joy may be complete.
(02:22):
The children of your sister, whois chosen chosen by God, send
their greetings.
This is the word of the Lord.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Um I don't know if you guys caught that, but Trent
just read an entire book of theBible to you.
Congratulations.
Um, so if you're new with us, weteach the Bible around here.
Uh we're Bible-believing, uh,Bible teaching church.
We've been doing this verse byverse, and we've been doing this
uh series called 1, 2, 3, John.
There's these letters uh at thevery end of the New Testament
(02:52):
written by a guy named John.
A lot of you maybe are familiarwith John's big book.
That's where you get like John3, 16, which is a really popular
one.
Uh, this is when he's mucholder.
Last week we finished up thefifth chapter of 1 John, and
today we're gonna do theentirety of 2 John.
So congratulations.
One day, an entire book in theNew Testament.
Uh, we're gonna tackle thattoday.
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So we're gonna hop on in.
We got like 13 verses to do.
Um, I think uh how many of youguys have a phone?
Yeah, I think everybody can.
So if your phone only let youkeep two apps, most of us would
probably pick this hard.
Some of you guys just freakedout.
Like, whoa, two.
Most of us would probably pickuh maps and messages.
Um, why?
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Well, one tells us what's trueabout the road, uh, and then one
helps us keep stay connectedwith people that we love.
You can survive without games oruh photos or notes, but you
can't make it far withoutdirection or relationship.
See, if if you try driving withonly one, all maps and no
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messages that makes you right,but alone.
And all messages but no mapsmakes you kind, but lost.
And that tension between beingright and relational isn't just
about your phone, it's about thetension of our age.
Uh, and it's really theheartbeat of 2 John, where John
writes as the elder to the electlady and her children.
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Most likely, this is the localchurch and her members, just
like this.
And he's not firing off like ablog post.
He's writing like a spiritualgrandfather who's seen what
happens when a generationchooses one rail and forgets the
other.
He's saying, in essence, thatGod's people travel on two
rails, truth and love.
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And you derail when you choosejust one.
This uh tiny letter could fit ina screenshot, yet has the power
to re-rail a wondering soul.
Uh, John opens it with whatsounds like a note wrapped in
conviction.
Verse one, he says, the elder tothe elect lady and her children,
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whom I love in truth, and notonly I, but also all who know
the truth, because of the truththat abides in us and will be
with us forever.
See, he tells this church thathe loves them in truth, and not
just him, but everyone who is inthe truth, they do too, because
the truth abides in us, and itwill be with us then forever.
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And that's not just like uh, Ichecked the fact box.
Truth here isn't this cold data,it's Jesus-centered reality, the
gospel that doesn't um start tobend when your feelings begin to
wobble.
It's the not the truth of youknow, winning arguments, it's a
truth that took on flesh andbled for our freedom.
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It's not uh an opinion to defendwhat it is, friends, is this
this oxygen it's reminding us tobreathe.
And then he blesses them.
He says, Grace, mercy, and peacewill be with you and with us,
from God the Father and fromJesus Christ the Father, Son, in
truth and love.
So now we've heard this twice.
Now, apparently heaven's hotlinehas two wires, truth and love,
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but both must stay connected ifyou want a clear call.
But let's be honest, in our day,everyone tells you what?
Speak your truth, uh, followyour heart, while also insisting
that you keep the the group'svibe happy.
And the currency of connectionis likes and loves in the world
that we live in, not necessarilylight and truth.
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We tend to elevate um emotion toauthority, and then we wonder
why our compass keeps spinningaround.
We confuse love with agreement,uh, and a lot of times truth
nowadays with aggression.
And that pressure can begin tomake truth feel cold and love
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mushy.
And John actually says theopposite.
He says, truth is warm becauseit's in a person who loves you.
And love is sturdy because itobeys what God actually said.
And this is why then hecelebrates.
He says, I rejoice greatly tofind some of you, children,
walking in the truth, just as wewere commanded to by the Father.
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This is like a compliment and anudge at the same time, like an
encouragement and an invitation.
What he's saying is, is I seesome of you actually living this
out.
Now let's get everybody elsewalking in step.
And then John shifts his tonefrom rejoicing now to reminding.
He says, And now I ask you, dearlady, not as though I were
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writing you a new commandment,but the one that we have had
from the beginning, that wewould love one another.
And this is love, that we walkaccording to his commandments.
This is the commandment, just asyou have heard from the
beginning, so that you shouldwalk in it.
See, love isn't something he'ssaying that you just fall into,
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it's actually a direction youwalk.
Uh, it's obedience with a pulse.
Uh, the world keeps asking, youknow, us, like, well, what feels
loving?
And John pauses and he asks,What did Jesus command?
Because love divorced from truthisn't compassion.
Often it leads to confusion.
And that's right here where Johnturns this corner because love,
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like real love, has boundaries.
Why?
Well, because deception is real.
It says in verse 7, for manydeceivers have gone out into the
world, those who do not confessthe coming of Jesus Christ in
the flesh.
Such a one is the deceiver andantichrist.
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See here, John isn't talkingabout like a cartoon villain
with horns.
He's describing a worldview thatremoves the need for our
embodied Savior.
Essentially, if Jesus didn'tcome in the flesh, there's no
blood, there's no cross, there'sno forgiveness, and ultimately
then there's no hope.
So, what does that mean?
No incarnation, which is likehim coming here equals no cross.
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Well, then if we don't have thecross, then for us that means no
forgiveness.
And if there's no forgiveness,there's no hope.
See, what happens is without theincarnation, Christianity
collapses just into self-help.
You didn't need a life coach.
You need God to put on skin, andhe entered into history.
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And that's not this oldtheological argument.
It's literally today'salgorithm.
Here's how this shows up for allof us in 2025.
It's like the podcast thatquotes spiritual Jesus but skips
Lord Jesus.
It's the influencer who loveshis vibe but never mentions sin
or resurrection.
It's the progressive angle thatsays we've outgrown old
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doctrines and tradition andoptimized angle that turns Jesus
now suddenly into a productivitybrand.
And Jesus isn'tanti-intellectual, he's
anti-illusion.
Like if your Jesus can't take onflesh, he can't take on your
shame.
And so what he does is he pivotsfrom theology now to stewardship
(10:08):
in this letter.
He says, watch yourselves sothat you may not lose what we
have worked for, but may win thefull reward.
I think it's really important weunderstand this isn't him like
being paranoid.
This is pastoral wisdom.
Um, think of it like uh faith isin compound interest.
If you invest day by day by day,over time it grows in strength,
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right?
But one bad trade, one shortcut,one compromise, one shiny new
gospel can empty what it tookyears to build.
Like imagine training uh for amarathon or a run for six months
and then suddenly changing yourrunning form because you saw
like a trending video on TikTok.
You'd ruin everything that you'dworked for, right?
(10:53):
And here the church had alreadypaid a price to be faithful, but
John refuses to see that equitywasted.
And so he says, guard the gains,guard your doctrine, yes, but
also your habits, yourrelationships, your integrity.
Because, see, truth, he'ssaying, is a treasure, and love
is the lockbox.
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Lose either, and what happens isyou lose both.
Because the goal isn't to betrendy, it's to be true.
The goal isn't to go viral, it'sto finish faithful.
And faithfulness rarely getsapplause in real time because it
always wins the long game.
Okay, so uh real quick question.
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This is not shame, this is justour life that we live in.
How many of you guys have asecond phone, like for work?
Oh, yeah, I feel you.
This is hard at this moment.
So uh I think many of us carryanxiety like a second phone.
Like we feel spiritually ghostedby God, we feel relationally
bruised by people, uh, mentallyfried by a world that monetizes
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our attention.
And John's pairing of truth andlove isn't more homework, it's
relief.
Truth relieves anxiety becauseit tells you what is real and
who is responsible.
And love relieves isolationbecause obedience turns
strangers into family.
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And when truth and love areyoked together, burnout drops,
belonging rises, and holinessstops feeling like a museum
word.
But what about the hard cases?
And I'm just gonna tell you upfront, this is true for me too.
The hard case is like thefriends who once walk with Jesus
but now call themselvesspiritual.
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A family who says, I like Jesus,I just don't like the church.
I don't do organized religionanymore.
And John's letter isn't a scriptto win arguments.
What it is is it's framework towalk wisely, to keep the door
open to friendship and keep themicrophone off and love them
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with presents and meals, notlike presents, but your presence
and meals and prayer, and refuseto spoof Jesus to make him more
palatable.
I think it's really important.
A lot of times we don'tunderstand that he doesn't need
PR, he does his ownresurrection, like he's got it.
So, friends, here.
Just here's an easy way to sayit: be unusually kind and
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unusually clear.
Then comes this line that Ithink sounds harsh until you
realize it's actually mercy.
Verse nine.
Everyone who goes on ahead anddoes not abide in the teachings
of Christ does not have God.
Whoever abides in the teachinghas both the Father and the Son.
So, right here, John has likethis word for people who brand
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themselves as beyond uh thegospel.
They don't need it anymore,which is this goes on ahead.
And that phrase actually cansound like progress, but what it
is is it's actually drift.
He's saying growth isn't movingpast what Jesus said.
It's actually digging deeperinto it.
Think of it this way (14:05):
trees don't grow uh by uprooting
themselves every spring, right?
They grow by staying rooted inthe same soil, drawing more life
from it over time.
And we live in a culture thatmistakes novelty for maturity,
where we just chase the nextinsight, uh, the next
influencer, the next freshrevolution.
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Uh, but John insists that realprogress looks like endurance,
that to abide is to stay throughboredom.
Some of you guys right now,through boredom, through doubt,
through daily uh just rhythmsuntil fruit begins to appear.
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See, stability isn'tstubbornness, it's faithfulness
that over time begins to bearfruit.
And the modern temptation is tomistake novelty for maturity.
But abiding in Jesus, the samegospel, the same truth, the same
love, not anti-growth, isactually how things grow.
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We don't um treat that like akiddie pool that we grow out of.
We we get to treat it like anocean that we actually grow
into.
So, what does it look like forsomeone who is uh juggling rent,
relationships, and like 12different open tabs in your
brain to do this?
Well, it looks like rhythm overrush.
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It looks like letting scripturemigrate from your notes app into
your nervous system.
It looks like showing up toworship when the week just
wrecked you.
It looks like confession with afriend who tells you the truth
and loves you enough to actuallyask next week, hey, how's it
going?
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And abiding isn't just standingstill, it's actually just
staying with, it keeps youtethered while God grows in you.
And then what happens is Johnturns what might be the most
uncomfortable part of thisletter.
He says, If any one of youcomes, if anyone comes to you
and does not bring thisteaching, do not receive them
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into your house or give them anygreeting.
For whoever greets him takespart in his wicked words, where
we're like, whoa.
To our our ears right here, Ithink, and you know, even as I
read this, it sounds harsh.
But I think what we need tounderstand in this context is in
the first century, a house was aplatform.
Uh, hosting a teacher was theancient version of boosting
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their message.
And see, right here, John isn'tuh forbidding kindness, he's
forbidding co-signing a gospelthat dismantles Jesus.
So translated that into ourworld, it's the shares, it's the
likes, it's the podcast.
They they are literally becomingat the front doors.
And every time that you and Iamplify a voice, you lend your
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credibility and your community'sattention.
And you don't have to panicabout every repost, but you do
have to pause, I think it'sreally important, and ask some
of these questions.
What do they confess aboutJesus?
Do they affirm that he has comein the flesh and he is Lord?
And they do they define love byhis commands?
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This is so important.
Do they define love by hiscommands?
And if not, it's not you justthrow it out, but just add some
friction right there.
Just take a moment and pause andpray and ask a trusted leader.
You are free to be kind.
This is important, but you arenot free to be careless.
And this is what John'sreminding us.
John's call isn't for you to bethe theology police with ticket
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books.
It's for you and I to actuallybe the medic with discernment.
Uh, think of it like an EMT, notan all uh hall monitor.
When someone collapses, youdon't like critique their
outfit, right?
You check their vitals.
You don't just pause and belike, well, they deserved it,
right?
Before you platform a voice,this is so important.
Check their Christology.
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Before you normalize anarrative, look for its fruit.
And remember, doctrine isn't amuseum exhibit, it's the map
that keeps love from drivinginto a lake.
And our friends need both ourcompassion and our clarity.
And then John, like agrandfather putting down the pen
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to reach for the phone, hecloses tenderly.
He says, Though I have much towrite to you, I'd rather not use
pen and paper.
Instead, I hope to come to youand talk to you face to face so
that our joy may be complete.
Is any of you thinking, hmm,that's a lost art?
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Right?
You know that moment when like400 texts can't fix what one
coffee can?
That's what John means.
That there's just some joy thatrequires eye contact, some
clarity means tone of voice, andsome discipleship demands
presence and tacos.
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We were never meant to be adigital church with human
avatars.
We are embodied followers of anembodied savior.
Face to face is still God'sfavorite medium.
And then John wrote this.
He was resisting when he wrotethis, he he was resisting, I
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think, the same temptation thatwe fight right now to reduce
relationship to transmission.
Uh, he says, I'd rather be withyou.
That's how truth and love soundwhen they're mature.
So, what does it look like forus to live like this in this
age, in this space?
I think it looks like truth witha face, like Jesus, truly God
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and truly human, who loved us tothe cross and rose again.
It looks like love with a spine,with obedience, obedience that
forgives, that gives, and servesand stays.
I think it looks likestewardship with holy caution,
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knowing every platform is apulpit and every share is a
sermon.
And when we abide like that, thechurch becomes impossible to
confuse and impossible tooffend.
Where we hold clarity andcharity in the same hand, where
we become too honest to behypocrites and too kind to be
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cruel.
And it's not perfect, but that,my friends, is real.
That is love according to hiscommands, that's abiding in the
teaching of Christ, and that'sthe full reward and what it
begins to feel like.
And then John ends with this oneline that sounds almost
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ordinary, like he just ends thisletter this way, but glows with
like this family warmth.
This last line is the childrenof your elect sister greet you.
Now, what this means is you'renot alone.
That there are literally otherchurches, this is what he's
talking about, walking the samerails of truth and love.
That the family is bigger thanthe rose that you sit in on
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Sunday.
And the elect sister isn't justone person, it's a community,
and the church and her electsister is another, just another
sister church, if that's the wayyou want to put it.
That means that your and I'sobedience actually has communal
impact.
That when you and I choose toabide, younger Christians learn
that staying is actuallypossible.
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When you resist reposting ateacher who denies the gospel,
you protect not just your ownfeed, but someone else's faith.
And when you show up face toface, you bring joy that cannot
be streamed.
And you're not curating thisprivate spirituality, you're
setting the rails for the wholehouse.
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So now if you're in the roomtoday and you're even with us
online and you're exploringfaith and you're not sure what
to do with Jesus, I would justsay start here.
I mean, he talked about in thisletter in verse seven, he came
in the flesh for you.
He lived a life that youcouldn't, died a death that you
deserved and rose, so you canhave a life with God.
And that's not just a metaphor,that's news.
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And your next step isn't tobehave better, but it's to
believe and be loved, and thenobey as love trains your steps
as you walk in that.
In fact, I think um baptism thatwe're doing in just two weeks is
a beautiful picture of this,which might be a beautiful next
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step for many of you that are inthis room.
And for those of you who alreadyfollow Jesus, resist changing
chasing the next thing.
Just abide.
You'll grow deeper instead ofjust louder.
So here's the invitation, andthis is as clear as I think I
can make it.
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Some of us need to courageouslyadd truth to our love.
Stop enabling what Jesus died toforgive.
Some need to courageously addlove to truth.
Stop using doctrine like adodgeball and start using it
like a map.
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And all of us need to abideagain in scripture, in prayer,
in a community that knows yourname.
And remember, Jesus hasn'tghosted you, he is with you in
the flesh by his spirit, and hehas given you people right next
to you to walk with.
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And for some, maybe the nextstep is surrender.
Believe that Jesus has come inthe flesh for you, and for
others, it's confession.
Name the place where you'vetraded abiding for advancing.
And for many, it's community.
In a small group or a serve teamwhere I really believe truth and
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love get muscle.
And if you want help discerningvoices, you can come talk to a
pastor.
We'd love to have a conversationwith you.
And next Sunday, bring someonewho needs both rails under their
life.
Now, one last word for um mycontent creators in here and
influencers in here and leadersin here.
So this is for everyone in here.
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You have a stewardship.
God has given you a microphonesomewhere, whether it's 10
followers or 10,000.
And I urge you to use it to tellthe truth about Jesus and to
love people towards obedience.
And when you mess up and youwill, repent quickly and
publicly.
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And when cynicism feels clever,choose faithfulness.
And remember, you don't have tobe everywhere, you just have to
be honest, abiding in Christ.
And then what happens is you getto watch your work outlast your
hype.
Because you know this trendswill trend, deceivers will come
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and go, and ideas will labelthemselves as advanced and then
expire like milk.
We've all experienced that.
But Jesus, who came in theflesh, crucified and risen,
abides, and then his truthremains in you and will be with
you forever.
(25:35):
His love literally teaches yourfeet how to move.
His spirit keeps the church onthe rails even when the
landscape shifts.
And that's something that we canwalk in.
So guard the gains.
Practice discerning hospitabilhospitals hospitality and then a
face-to-face conversation andlet that joy be complete.
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So, church, let's move thisweek.
You're gonna be squeezed.
And may truth and love be whatcomes out.
And when you feel pressured tochoose between them, remember
John's letter and refuse thefalse choice.
And when we gather again, bringstories of how abiding made you
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steady and obedient and madelove real.
Because the world is watchingnot just what we say, but who we
are.
So let's represent Jesus andrepresent Jesus, the real one,
until his joy fills our house.
And then finally, remember theface-to-face principle.
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I think this is so important.
John would rather talk than typebecause embodied presence
reduces confusion, and I thinkit just increases joy.
So practice the ministry oftone, soft answers, curious
questions, and slow judgments.
Because truth without tonesounds like a clanging symbol,
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and love without truth soundslike a lullaby into compromise.
And understand, I think this isso important.
If it's important enough to hurtyou, it's important enough to
handle off the internet.
Literally, a DA, a DM mightde-escalate, a phone call might
heal, and a coffee mightresurrect.
So let me just end with ablessing for you.
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And over your week.
Just grace for the parts thatyou can't fix, mercy for the
parts you did wrong, and peacefor the parts you can't protect
and truth and love.
And may God make us a churchthat's impossible to confuse and
impossible to offend and full ofclarity and charity at the same
(27:52):
time.
May He make us too honest to behypocrites and too kind to be
cruel, and may He give usface-to-face joy that outshines
every counterfeit glow.
Grace and peace, friends.
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