Jose Velez Preaching

Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ, based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the Apostle Paul said, but we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

In short, if you like smooth, watered-down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn't for you. By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we're called by the divine trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her King.

Here's our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth.

Training Men to Preach in the Local Church

Welcome to No Compromise Radio ministry. My name is Mike Abendroth, and today we have a very special show, special that is different, special that is wonderful. I believe that it is the duty and the privilege of pastors and elders to train up the next generation of preachers and elders and deacons and leaders in the local church.

It's fine when we say to ourselves, we love Titus 2 ministries for the ladies. I like that, I want that. But my question today is, where have all the men gone? Show me a church that's dominated by a set of women, dominated by ladies, and I'll show you men that aren't leaders.

Oh, yes, it could be that women are taking over, but if there were male leadership, the ladies would be sure to follow that wonderful, godly male leadership. Well, at Bethlehem Bible Church, we have something called preaching discipleship.

We have regular discipleship and preaching discipleship, and every two years, I take seven to eight men, and over the course of about 13 weeks, we meet about 18 or 19 times, homework, memory verses, reading, teaching opportunities.

They have to go teach to the tombstones up at the cemetery across the street, training men to teach the Bible. Now, they might be teachers in a pulpit someday as a pastor, they might be an elder, they might just be a dad or a wanted teacher.

They need to know how to teach the Bible. They need to know authorial intent, exit Jesus, a system of hermeneutics, the science and art of biblical interpretation, and then for a final, for their graduation, they have to preach in front of the people at Bethlehem Bible Church on a Saturday, and we call it a preach-a-thon.

We've just had our preach-a-thon, January 9th, 2010, and seven men from Bethlehem Bible Church preach back to back to back to back, preaching from an epistle, preaching from a passage that really was a jugular passage for them, and then I'm going to put all those messages on bbcchurch .org's website, bbcchurch .org.

But I wanted to play the one that I thought was the best. They were all biblical, they were faithful to the text, they showed authorial intent, the men studied, they were passionate about it, but I wanted to put the best one on No Compromise Radio so that you might be encouraged.

I hope you're convicted as well, but these men had no theological training, that is, formal training. These aren't the ones that the elders have said they're going to be the fast track to the next elders and deacons, they need to go to seminary.

No, these men are just regular men, and if you're listening out there, you need to be trained as well. If you are in a church, your pastor needs to train you. Go to him and say, train me, teach me, teach me how to teach the Bible.

And if you're a pastor, you need to be training people. Second Timothy chapter two, verse two. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

You need to be obeying that. I talked to one man, he said, well, we just don't have any leaders in our church. My question to him was, how long have you been there? Oh, four or five years. Well, the reason why you don't have leaders in your church unless there's four people in your church and the rest are women is because you haven't trained them.

And so training must begin right away. And some men need 15 years of training before they could preach or be an elder. So you might as well start now. Train up your men. The congregation will be encouraged.

The men will be convicted. The men will appreciate your preaching more. And so today we're going to have a message from first John chapter two about loving the world from Jose Velez, recently married, young man in the faith, a member here at Bethlehem Bible Church and a real encouragement to us all.

The other men did great. And you can listen to them on bbchurch .org. But this particular message I want to show for the No Compromise listeners. I want them to listen because it's an important issue and we all need to make sure we're not worldly.

So my name is Mike Ebendroth. This is No Compromise Radio Ministry. And you're going to hear a lay person now preach from Bethlehem Bible Church preach-a-thon, Jose Velez. How's your love life?

Loving the Father Instead of the World

Christian, is your love life marked by your love for the Father? Or is it marked by your love for the world? Today, we are going to look at the letter of first John in camp in chapter two. Please turn your Bibles to first John chapter two.

Here, we will look at four truths you must remember to keep you from worldly living. But first, here is some background on John's first epistle. The author is John the Apostle, one of the sons of Zebedee nicknamed by Jesus as one of the sons of thunder.

John was close to the Lord and participated in the ministry of Jesus. John, as you know, is the author of the Gospel John, first and second John, and the book of Revelation. John is said to be here, aged in age, and one of the remaining survivals of the apostolic age.

And here, he is writing to Christians. He is affirming Christian fundamentals while there was a circle of Gnostic influence of false teachers who were denying fundamentals of the Christian faith. John is like going back to the basics of Christianity.

The letter contains John in a pastoral tone, but in his apostolic authority, combating these false prophets with proclaiming fundamentals of the faith and also providing tests for genuine Christian conversion.

Before we set our tent in chapter two and look at verses 15 through 17, there are two reasons why you must listen to this message. Reason number one, why you must listen to this message, it is obvious because it is in the Bible.

Reason number two, why you must listen to this message, no matter if you are a Christian who is new and your sins are forgiven, or if you are a father in the faith and you know him who is from the beginning, or if you are a bold young man in the faith and have overcome the evil one, it doesn't matter what level you're in, this message is for you.

The Command Not to Love the World

Now, we are ready to look at four truths that you must remember to keep you from worldly living. Let us look at verse 15. Truth number one, first truth to keep you from worldly living. You must remember it's a command.

Look at verse 15a. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. John here is commanding his audience. He is not asking them not to like the world. No, he is commanding them not to love the world.

The commandment not to love the world is impreventive and ongoing command. Notice John's shocking treatment, how John commands them not to take the action of loving. You may also notice that John is not commanding them to live in seclusion from the world, to live in a monastery or something like that.

No, he is commanding them not to love the world. They are to be in the world, but not part of it. But rather, John here is commanding them not to take the action of loving. Notice the word love. The word love here means being loyal, devoted, or attached to something.

It is to give one's time or attention or self entirely to this world. As Kistamaka comments, quote, the love that is in John's mind, it is the love which God demands in the summary of the law. Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself.

End quote. They are commanded not to love the world nor the things in the world. Now, it is important to flesh out what world here means. The word world comes from the word cosmos. See, God created the world and the things in the world, hence he loves the world.

So you might ask, didn't John say in John 3, 16, for God so loved the world? And here in verse 15, he states, do not love the world. But the world here in 1 John chapter two means world as in world systems, false ideologies or philosophies.

Or in this context of the epistle, can be narcissism or dualism. Narcissism, which was a heresy. Narcissism comes from the Greek word knowledge. This false teaching taught that matter was evil and the spirit is good.

Basically, the spirit was good and the flesh was evil. These false prophets were denying that Jesus came in the flesh, denying one of the major Christian doctrines, the doctrine of Christ being fully human.

I tell you this, Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man in one person and will be so forever. Listen to the words of John, how he describes the actions of these toxic teachers. Many deceivers who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh have gone out into the world.

Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Second John seven. For anything that was in the flesh through these Gnostics was evil. This was one of the demonic ideas flowing around. These Christians were commanded not to partake or be devoted or even adhere to this worldview.

They were to be disloyal to these ideas. Now, some examples in our present day can be the current influence of the Marcus Borgs denying the deity of Jesus or the Rob Bells undermining the virgin birth stating that it is really not that important or the emergent village trying to erase the foundations of Christian orthodoxy just so that they can have a meaningful conversation.

Christian, you must not love any demonic idea that tries to creep in the church calling itself new revelation. That erases the truth that was once delivered to you. John commands not to love this. Beloved, you must not be detached, devoted to these false demonic world system ruled by the devil himself.

The Seriousness of Loving the World

Remember the command. You must not love the world. Second truth to keep you from worldly living. You must remember that this is a very serious command. Look at verse 15b, please. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Now, imagine the flash red warning lights turning on as John writes this general statement. If anyone, meaning anyone of his recipients of this epistle loves the world, is being devoted, being loyal, pursuing or living for this present world system, then the love of the Father is not in him.

How heavy is this statement? How serious is this? Christian, the love for God is an exclusive love. Who can make this more clear than Jesus himself? Listen to his words. No one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.

Love for the world and love for God cannot exist together. They are two opposites. On one hand is the love for Christ and devotion to God's will. And on the other hand, you have love for the world and a devotion to a demonic system ruled by Satan.

It is obvious that this equilibrium cannot or will exist. If the love of God is not in you due to the fact that you love the world, then that makes you an enemy of God. As Knox states, quote, a man with God on his side is always in the majority.

And a man with God not on his side is on the minority and an enemy. The Bible is clear. Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. If you are characterized by this ongoing lifestyle of willingness, then you must examine yourself if you even are a Christian.

This is serious. And you must remember the seriousness of this commandment. Now, truth number three, to keep you from worldly living. You must remember the definition of worldliness. Look at verse 16.

The Definition of Worldliness

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father, but it is from the world. Notice here that John is not saying, for all that is in the world, the wine you drink, the cigars you smoke, the theaters that you attend, or the music that you listen to.

No, he is not saying this at all. He is not giving some legalistic list. But here he gives a very short but comprehensive list that represents a triad of sinful behaviors and sinful desires. What are these sinful behaviors?

What are these sinful desires? Look how John clearly explains what he means as you look at the text. Number one, lust of the flesh. This is the sensual pleasure, this act of desiring with sinful intentions.

It includes sexual desire. And as you look, number two, lust of the eyes. This elaborates the flesh. You see, the eyes, more than any other sense, tempts people to sin sexually. No other person can make this clearer than Jesus himself.

Listen to his words. You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery in his heart. It is said that the eyes are the channel to a man's soul.

As a commentator, John Stock comments, quote, Eve's view of the forbidden fruit as pleasing to the eye, Achan's covetous sight among the spoil of a beautiful roll from Babylonia, and David's lustful looking after Bathsheba as she bathed are obvious examples, close quote.

Number three, here he describes is the pride of life. Or as the NEB translation, the New English translates it as all the glamor of life. This is a boastful of materialistic things. Being boastful, as MacArthur comments, quote, the phrase has the idea of arrogance over one's circumstances, which produce haughtiness or exaggeration, parading what one possesses to impress other people, end quote.

Here are some examples of the act of pride of life. And whenever someone or you may have a conversation, they might say, or they might brag about their status in their community, or how green their lawn is, or the gas-guzzling SUV they just bought with straight cash.

This is just like the statement that we are all familiar with, keeping up with the Joneses. It is a pleasure-filled, sinful life. It is this hedonistic, pleasure-filled, ongoing lifestyle of self-gratifying behavior.

These acts of disobedience do not originate from the Father, but they originate from Satan himself. John clearly states that this is not from God the Father, but it is from the world. You see, these Christians were adopted through Christ as they knew what John meant when he gives this affirmation, not from the Father.

So this was a helpful hint of the seriousness of John's exhortation. Christian, you must be aware that an ongoing sinful lifestyle is not from the Father, but it is from the world. Truth number four, fourth truth to keep you from worldly living, you must remember to live for something that lasts forever.

Living for What Lasts Forever

Look at verse 17. The world is passing away in all its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. Look and think to yourself how this world will soon pass away. This world in its present form is passing away, and the reality is is that this world is going straight to hell.

Nothing in this world will last forever. As the text clearly says, it is passing away. Not just the world, but also all of its lusts. All of the world's ideas, all of its worldly lusts will all be gone along with those who make a lifestyle of it.

The world will pass away along with those who practice worldliness, just like a passing tsunami heading back to the ocean along with what it has destroyed. But the good news is in this verse, but the one who does the will of God will live forever.

You see, God's children are secure. One of the attributes of God is that he is eternal and he is unchanging. He is immutable. His immutability distinguishes him from all his creatures. He is subject to no change.

He is infinite. Think about this. As he declares in his word, I am the Lord and I change not. Don't you want to devote yourself to someone who is this big? Or would you rather be loyal and devoted to something that will soon be destroyed?

You have God and the world. You pick. The one who does the will of God will live forever. And who is this one? It is the one who believes and looks to Christ. The one who believes in God's son, Jesus Christ, will last forever.

This is not based on morality or how good they live their lives or is not based on how much they knew and they knew all the right definitions that are in a theological handbook. No, it is based on God's perfect will and that is in Christ alone.

So, are you struggling with worldliness? Think about it. Is your life characterized by worldliness? Is it characterized by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the prideful, arrogant boasting of this earth's materialistic things?

Or is it characterized by your love for the Father? Who are you devoting your life to? Everyone loves something. And if you are struggling with worldliness, there is something that you can do. You must preach the gospel to yourself.

You must preach to yourself the words of the Apostle Paul and believe it. As he wrote to the Corinthians, for I deliver to you as of first importance what I also receive, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and that he was raised and on the third day according to the scriptures.

If you are struggling with worldliness, you must look to Christ. You must run to him. Beloved, remember the four truths that are in 1 John chapter two as we looked in verses 15 through 17 and as we recap, the truth number one that you must remember to keep you from worldly living is that you must remember that John is commanding.

He is not asking, he is not asking you to like. No, he is commanding. Truth number two, you must remember to keep you from worldly living is that this commandment is serious. How serious? The seriousness of this commandment is that if you love the world, then you do not love the father.

John clearly states this. Truth number three, that you must remember to help you, to keep you from worldliness is a definition of what worldliness is. You must remember that worldliness is not this long list of legalistic rules.

No, worldliness is this ongoing sinful, fleshly, sinful, gratifying, pleasure-filled life. And truth number four, that you must remember is to live for something that lasts forever. Remember, God is eternal and this world is fading away.

I'd rather choose God and serve someone who is all-powerful and unchanging rather than to devote my life to a world that will be soon destroyed. And you must think to yourself that too. You must think to yourself that this is serious.

So, how is your love life? Let us pray. Father, we thank you for this day. We thank you for all that you have provided. We also thank you for your son, Jesus Christ, who we are justified in. We also thank you for your word and we thank you, Lord, that you command us and you give us these warnings.

Father, I pray for those who are struggling with worldliness. I pray that you may draw them to Christ. I pray that you may grant repentance. And Lord, I also pray for the remaining of the preachers. I pray that you may help them and that they may be faithful.

No Compromise Radio Closing and Station Disclaimer

In Christ's name, amen. No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible-teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 1015 and in the evening at six. We're right on Route 110 in West Boylston. You can check us out online at bbchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff or management.