1 John 2:12-17

These are my notes from Rob's sermon at Apex
Neal and Abby led worship and they sang my all time favorite song , at least it is right now , "From The Inside Out" Such a great worship song! and to hear 500+ people sing it A Capella at the end is awesome.
Rob asked for prayer for a children's minister,John, whom he met at a camp in North Carolina last week when he spoke. John has heard the gospel many times but he has never made the decision to accept Christ into his life.
It made me wonder...how many ministers are out there just going through the motions without the true heart? Probably more than you think.

Anyway, in this passage John is still "mending nets" He's talking to everyone in this passage when he says children but then he also singles out the mature in faith as well as the ones new in their faith.

Please remember children that you:
1 Are forgiven for the glory of Jesus
2 Have access to a relationship with Jesus

For those of you mature in your faith:
1 Never forget the starting point of your faith

For those of you who are young in your faith:
You have won the biggest battle with your strength(zeal) and the word(knowledge)

All of these wonderful truths stand in opposition to "the system". The value system of the world.

James 4:4 4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Ephesians 2:1-2

The system feeds:

1 Broken desires- cravings of sinful man ie sexual immorality,impurity,debauchery,idolatry,witchcraft,hatred,discord,jealousy,fits of rage,selfish ambition,dissension,envy,drunkeness,etc.

2 Broken eyes - our eyes are a lamp into our body. Broken desires lead to broken eyes. It affects how we look at things and the meanings we attach to it.
Psalm 119:37...Turn my eyes from worthless things

3 A Broken Significance - once we have those desires..we boast in ourselves. We should be boasting about Christ..not ourselves

The Sobering Reality
THE SYSTEM IMPLODES

If you are attached to that system, then you implode. Those who make idols become like them.

You attach to the wrong thing.
Stockholm syndrome...the victims of a robber refused to testify against him and one of them became engaged to him. They connected to the robber.
We get spiritual stockholm sydrome...we connect to the robber(Satan and the world)

Always remember..Jesus has overcome the world. You may be hated for your values but you shouldn't care if you're relevant to "the world"