Well, we need the Lord this morning as every morning. Amen. If you will, please join me in second John and second John. Last week we finished first John and his letter ended by instructing us to keep ourselves from idols. Then in order to walk in the light, to live a righteous life, we are to obey the commands of God. and to love Him above all, that God alone is to be our highest affection and priority, and there is to be no close second. I don't know about you, but I struggle with that. I mean, to have no close second. And to say above all in this life, the things that I do, the things that I say, the things that I talk about, that above all, that God is the most important thing. That I have no closed second. And so this week we begin Second John. Now, the author of this letter is considered by most to be the Apostle John who wrote the Gospel of John and First John and Third John. However, Eusebius, the Christian historian, wrote in such a dynamic way that he believed that there was the Apostle John and the Elder John that is mentioned here in Second John. He makes a case for two Johns, not one. John MacArthur wisely points out that the Apostle John was advanced in age and was thought to be the last living apostle at the writing of this letter, and that many people not only knew who he was, but they viewed him as the patriarchal elder, an elder who provided wisdom to the local churches of Ephesus and beyond. The day of this letter is around the same time of 1 John, around 90 to 110 AD, and the audience here is very specific in his writing. He is not throwing out a net like he did in first John to the local churches in around Ephesus. In my humble opinion, this letter is written to a specific congregation. However, some believe the elect lady is referring to a specific woman in and around Ephesus. Um, but I don't think that's the case here. Most of second John is written in second person plural. If you look at verse one, John addresses them as the elder, his pastoral role in writing to a specific church. If you look at verse four, John rejoiced that he found some children walking in the truth. If this were to a specific household, to a specific lady, you would think he would have listed names of those who were being faithful. Verse 12, it says, John hopes to see them face to face soon and have complete joy. This is more of a local body picture, in my opinion. And in verse 13, John informs them that those in the local congregation greet you as well. So the children of your elect sister fits more with two congregations, not a congregation and a single family. Near the case, the purpose of John's writing is in reminding the elect lady of the responsibility to love one another. And this is only possible if the commands of God are kept to love God. One must walk in truth. See, don't just hear these words and immediately jump through them really fast. I mean, he is reminding them a congregation that it is our job to love one another. Now, some of you are probably thinking, why is that so important? We hear all the time about love, right? And we don't love one another all the time, do we? That's why it's so important of what he is addressing. Knowing truth is important, but application of truth. This reveals the treasure of an individual. Although this letter is extremely brief, there is much that we can gain if we would just slow down and apply the truth that is before us today. And the application of truth, the way you live your life reveals the location of your heart, what you truly treasure, the practice of your life, the pattern of your life confirms whose you are. Are you a child of God or are you actually an individual who is lukewarm? So look with me at 2 John beginning in verse 1. The elder to the elect lady and her children whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world. Those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh, such a one is a deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves. so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. For whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete. The children of your elect sister greet you. May the Lord add his blessing to the reading of his word this morning. So John the Apostle, the local elder who provided wisdom to local bodies and individuals on how to live lives that are pleasing to God, he wrote a letter to the elect lady, a specific church, and her children, her members, whom John knows and John loves. And there are two words here in the first three verses that we need to fully understand. Two words that are important and quite often, specifically in Baptist churches, they're never discussed and they're always looked over. Look at verse one. It says, the elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth. And not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son in truth and love. So word one, elder. Elder means pastor, bishop. It's the same word, presbyteros. This is referring to one office occupied by multiple men. Now many hear the word bishop, and what do you think of? A Catholic church. Many hear the word elder and think of the Presbyterian church, while the word pastor is the common term used within Baptist churches. But these three words refer to the exact same office. But we must remember that the office must function in the way that the Bible commands, not what man has made the office to actually do. That is what is so important here. The elder, the pastors, the bishops are the under shepherds placed at a local body by God as God's gifts to preach, teach, model, and equip the local body to fulfill God's mission and to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. These men above all are to serve the Lord. And as servants, according to the scripture, they are men who take their calling seriously because they keep watch over the souls of the sheep. And the local members are to obey them as long as they follow the word and they are to submit to them because they will give an account to God for them. As you heard me say on Wednesday night, this scares me. that one day name after name, after name, after name, I'll be held accountable for you. If you're a member here, it's a scary thing. And for many, many pastors, many elders, many bishops, they're in war at their church right now. There's more wars going on within churches than there is peace. For many, serving as an elder is not a joy, it is a grief. Hebrews 13, 17 says, obey your leaders, submit to them for they're keeping watch over your souls. As those who will have to give an account, let them do so with joy and not with groaning, for that would be no advantage to you. And the second word out of these first three verses that's never discussed is the word elect. Many Baptists, they run from it. Even now in history where we are today, there is a major fight going on in our convention and the seminaries concerning this word. Elect means those chosen by God. Those called out by God to know him and to make him known. Salvation is God's choice, God's gift. God has informed us of many things, and he has told us much about salvation. He has told us that more will be in hell than in heaven. Guess what? That's the will of God. He has told us that few are actually saved, that God is sovereign over all things, including salvation, and if he is not, then he's not God. Plain and simple. As God's children, we are to take great joy in God's undeserved grace, amen? Is there anyone in this room who is saved and you think you deserve it? If that's you and you're crying that out right now, it's like, I don't want to be the only one. Understand this. You don't. That's what it means to have grace. That we don't deserve salvation, but God graciously gives it and he graciously says anyone who comes to me and repent and believes that you will be saved. He is sovereign over all things. We're to take great joy in our salvation. One of the things that's been in my word probably since, in my mind, in my word, in my mind since Wednesday has been the word grace. You know, grace is undeserved. Grace is amazing. As we've seen this morning, grace is all that I need. In reality, grace is all that you have. That being adopted by God, being chosen by God, and knowing that we are his, this frees us to serve him and to tell others the good news that can set other people free. See, to ignore the word elder or elect is to ignore the words of God that he has breathed out. Verse one and two, the elder to the left lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. So John loves this congregation, does he not? He has walked with them. He has been around them and lived with them. He loves them for the truth that is displayed in their lives. That the gospel truth exists among all of God's children. This is the theme that is truth. They have come to know the truth and to live for the truth. See, truth abides in God's children. Does it abide in you? Do you hunger for truth? Is it something you hunger for? Do you want to understand it and live for it? To love truth is to love God himself. God is truth. John is able to write this letter because of his understanding of truth. John is able to love in truth because he has been saved and is saved forever. Verse three, it says, grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God, the father, and from Jesus Christ, the father's son, and truth and love. So John is praying for them of God to abide in this church and for God's grace, mercy, and peace to be with them in this life. What a prayer, right? What a prayer. I think sometimes we think this is how people used to write. Well, maybe it's how people should write still today. I mean, he's saying grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God, the father and from Jesus Christ, the father, son in truth and love. And see, when you're going through hard and difficult times, that's a comfort. When times are good, that's a comfort. When you're struggling, that's a comfort. When you realize that God is sovereign and you are struggling, you're going through hard or difficult times and you're starting to doubt some, it's good to know that grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son in truth and love. John goes on to say, this grace, mercy, and peace is from God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, the Father's Son. As John already stated in 1 John 5, 12, whoever has a son has life, whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. So truth comes as a grace from God, as the gospel is proclaimed. Just as Jesus said in John 14, 6, he said, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. So peace was sent from heaven to earth by God, the father and Jesus Christ, the father's son came in truth and love. So the elect of God believe this and cherish this. Is this something that you cherish? Look at verse four with me. It says, I rejoiced greatly. I rejoiced greatly. Let me ask you, what's the last thing that you rejoice greatly over? I mean, you got to remember. Something you just had great joy that you expressed it and everybody else around you, they saw it. What did you rejoice over? It says, I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth. Just as you were commanded by the father. What if the church actually loved that way? I mean, would that not be unbelievable? I mean, what if Facebook and Twitter and phone conversations and text messages was about how, oh my gosh, did you see your brother or sister in Christ, how they were living for the Lord? Praise God. That's awesome. says, I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one that we had from the beginning that we love one another. And this is love that we walk according to his commandments. And this is a commandment, just as you've heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. So John is declaring to this church that he loves He loves them and He's declaring in love that He has rejoiced greatly in the personal knowledge that He has received of some of them walking in the truth. And let me tell you, as an elder, this is something that I do as well. Some of my greatest and fondest memories have been of hearing other individuals in this church that are walking in truth, that are obeying the commands of God. That's that should bring us great joy and excitement. When you hear individuals walking in truth, that's a cause for great joy. As a father, a mother rejoices at the salvation and obedience of their children, walking in the truth of God's word. The family of God is to do the same for each other in this room. Should we not? I mean, isn't that part of what makes family family? You're excited about one another. You love one another. You see people obeying the truth and you encourage them. You spur them on. As I said on Wednesday night. At the vision dinner, God has done great things and we need to rejoice in what he has done and the obedience of his children here. But we are to continue in this truth and expect more in the days ahead. We don't soak in the past. We continue to abide in the Lord in the present, and we look forward to what the Lord is going to do in the future with plans of obedience, plans to obey the commands of God. Look at verse 5. He says, And now I ask you, dear lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, But the one we have had from the beginning that we love one another. So John rejoices and encourages them and what he has done, but he continues to teach them more. Shocker. He says, I am so excited for what I've seen. I'm so excited for what you have done. But guess what? There's still more that you need to learn. There's still more that you need to do because Christ has not returned. There is still more, he says, walk in love. He reminds the bride, love one another. Walk according to the commands of God. Cherish those that you have the great privilege of walking to Jesus with. Do not stop walking in love. Do not stop obeying the commands of God. You continue. See, as a child of God, do you really wanna know who your best friends are? Your best friends are those who continue to point you to Christ, encourage you to live for Christ, and they even confront you in your sin when you don't want to hear about it. That is who your best friends are. That's who your family is. That is what family is supposed to do. You truly love one another. Love is not keeping your mouth quiet when someone is sinning. Love is telling them the truth that you need to repent and to believe because the gospel is at stake. We need the reminder to love one another because, as I said earlier, we don't do it all the time. And when we are reminded of loving one another, we must also be reminded of the commandments of God. Love is not an option for the believer, just as the 10 commandments are not a multiple choice. To love God is to obey God. The child of God says amen to that, because they know what the Lord has done. Think of it this way, because grace has entered into the children of God, You have for the very first time the privilege to obey the commands of God. You have the privilege to hear the voice of God. You have the privilege to dive into the knowledge of God. You have understanding that has been grace given for you to know the character of God and to display the communicable attributes that we were meant to display. What a great privilege. Love is not an option. God is sovereign. He knows all things and He knows what is good. And God instructs me and tells me how to live. That's why the commands of God are a joy to obey. God made me. God made you. God has saved me and I'm to be on mission for Him. Mark chapter 12, beginning in verse 28, if you will, please turn with me there. Mark chapter 12, beginning in verse 28. Let's look at what the Lord is instructing about the greatest commandment. And you've heard this before, but Mark chapter 12, beginning in verse 28. And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, which commandment is the most important of all? Jesus said, the most is this, here is where the Lord our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said to him, you're right, teacher. Can you imagine looking at Jesus and saying, Jesus, you're right. You have truly said that he is one and there is none other besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with understanding, with all your strength, the loved one's neighbor itself is much more than the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said, you are not far from the kingdom of God. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. See, our love for God is connected to our love for others. If we fail to love God, we will not love the church. We will not love the bride. Only when we are loving God can we be loving the bride. John is saying, don't stop walking in love. Walk in truth. How? Always. You never quit walking in truth. You never give up walking in truth. You keep walking in truth, no matter how difficult it seems. And you know what? That's why he's addressing the church here, because we need each other to walk in truth, especially when difficulty comes. especially when that comes. He instructs the church to walk in truth now, and he has given them application of this importance found in the very next verse of 2 John 7. He says, why? Why is it so important? He gives them application. Look with me at 2 John 7. He says, many deceivers have gone out into the world. Those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is a deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves. So you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the father and the son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. So how many deceivers are in the world? Many. Many deceivers, a deceiver is a wanderer from the truth, corrupters, imposters, a vagabond. Many confess that Jesus Christ has not come in the flesh, docetist. Many confess that Christ just appeared to be here. Those who deceive those who do not believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, they are seeking to deceive you and they are the Antichrist. They are against Christ and their ultimate aim is to kill you and destroy you. Verse 8 says, watch yourselves so that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward. Well, what's a full reward? Jesus Christ. The full award is finishing the race and is set before us, looking to Jesus that we must watch ourselves today and every day. And I cannot express the words, watch yourselves enough. I cannot say that enough. Every single week, it seems I hear about an individual or I hear about a pastor who has fallen. And every week I am reminded we are all one step away. We are all one step away that I must keep a watch on my life. I must watch myself. laboring for the Lord will not be void. And to labor for the Lord, we must labor in truth and walk in truth and watch our lives. Use the power of knowing God and keeping your eyes open, discerning truth and error. I'll say that again. Use the power of knowing God and keep your eyes open, discerning truth and error. That's why John is writing. He's instructing a church to watch their life. He is calling them to keep an eye on their walk and the walk of those in the church. See, it's not just an individual life of your life. The church is to keep an eye, a watchful eye on others within the body of Christ. That's what the church does. You do that because you love the bride of Christ because you've been adopted. Keep an eye on your walk in the walk of others. This is part of the bride's mission. Stay connected, know one another, help one another. Watch not only your life, but the life of those you are walking with. Verse nine. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. Whoever greets him takes part in the wicked works. See, those who do not abide in the teaching of Christ do not have God. You could really just stop there. You should be able to distinguish the two. They have not been born again. They are dead men walking with a false teaching, striving to kill, steal, and destroy you and the church. Many try to get ahead. Many try to progress with methods and principles, but what we need is to abide in the teachings of Jesus Christ. That's what we must abide in as children. Methods will not save you. Principles will not save you. An exact theology all wrapped up into a little book that does not save abide in the teachings of Christ. Now is theology important? Absolutely. I'll never say it's not. You need strong theology, but your theology better be based upon the word of God versus the tradition of man. You can never abandon the foundation that saved you and build anything else that's going to last. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul declares much of his sufferings and what he mentions is important. Listen to this, 2 Corinthians 11, 25 and 26. He says, three times I was beaten with rods. Has anyone been beaten with rods in this room? Nope. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked a day and a night. I was adrift at the sea on frequent journeys and dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at the sea, and danger from false brothers. Paul instructs us, there is great danger from false brothers. We need to daily walk in truth because there is daily danger in being deceived. When Paul wrote to the church of Galatia, he said this, out of Galatians 2, verse four and five, he says, yet because of false brothers secretly brought in who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery. To them, we did not yield in submission, even for a moment, so the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. See, truth is important all the time, not just when you're sitting in this room. Many of the church in Galatia began to believe a false gospel, not that there was another gospel, but they began to believe one. We must not submit to false teachings. We must know the truth and live life abundantly, obeying the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must not slip up or yield to heresy for even a moment. The church is charged to preserve the truth of the gospel. In the letter of Jude, harsh language is used when referring to false teachers. Woe to them, shepherds feeding themselves, waterless clouds swept along by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted, wild waves of the sea casting up foam of their own shame, wandering stars from whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. Wow. grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires, loud mouth boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. Wow. Even this past week, I watched a short video of two men defending the reason that they have two private jets. And one of their comments was as pastors who have private jets, they made this. I cannot imagine sharing a plane with a bunch of heathens. Two false teachers. First Corinthians chapter five or six. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens a whole lump? Many people are not here this morning because they're sick. Don't raise your hand, but a lot of us have been sick over the last month and it's gone around. When sickness spreads like wildfires, it takes you down. This is what he's saying here. A little leaven, leaven's a whole lump. See, when you have a problem, when you have an issue, when you have a heresy, when you have something that is false and you don't deal with it, guess what? It begins to affect the entire family. It must be stopped. The Apostle John talks about walking in the truth for an important reason. Every person in this room has been led astray. If you haven't, I want to be your friend and we need to talk after this. You've all been led astray. I've been led astray. Every person has been deceived and fallen for a gimmick or a lie. You've bought something, you've bought into something, you thought it was true. We have all been led down a primrose path before to find a lie at the end. There are wolves in sheep clothing. There are smooth talkers. They can sell a ketchup popsicle to a man in white gloves. And as we were instructed in first John, we are commanded to test the spirits. It says we must stay in the word and know the word and listen to what is proclaimed and examine the scripture to see if it is true. So you leave traditionalism behind in the past and you say, you know what? I'm going to take up the words of God. I'm going to take up what God has spoken himself and examine everything that God has said to make sure it is true. So we must watch ourselves. God's people must know the truth and walk in the truth. We must love truth. Verse 10. that anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching. Do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. So if someone comes not teaching truth, do not receive them. Do not greet them with love. We are to join, not to join hands with them for those who are evil for any reason. To partner with the world is to declare yourself an enemy of God. The cry and aim of false teachers is to lie and to deceive, to kill and destroy. This is not to be welcomed in the household of God or in your own home. We should be lovers of truth. So let me ask you, do you know the truth of God's word? Like, well, that's a pretty simple question. Yeah, it's a pretty simple question that most people sitting in the church can't really respond. Do you know the truth of God's Word? Do you love it? Pretty frequently, I will spend times with my dear close friends, including my wife. My wife and I went on a date last night, and most of our date, guess what we talked about? Jesus. Our children. The Word of God. I mean, when truth is that important to you, that's what you talk about more than anything else. That's what you rejoice in. I mean, did you see what he was saying? He said, I rejoice greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth. That's not like a small clap after a baptism. Baptists really stink at that, by the way. It's like, man, I rejoiced. I mean, he's not even near them because he can't go to them and see them face to face. So he's writing them a letter and he goes on to say, hey, I'm just going to stop writing with my paper and my ink because I cannot wait to be with you. I mean, do you see the great passion and love that he has for this bride? I mean, the fellowship, the intimacy there that he wants to be with them. I rejoice greatly. And if you think that's a small golf clap, you got problems. See those who do not abide in God's teaching do not have God and they will not love the children of God. They are connected because God is truth and they love one another. And the only way to know a lie is to know the truth. You study and examine the word of God. It's just like when you try to figure out what is a counterfeit bill look like? What do you study the real bill? You want to know truth and be able to pick out falsehood and everything else. Know the word, get in the word, abide in the word, stay in the word. Don't get out of the word. Talk about the word. Do you know the truth of God's word? Do you love it? Do you faithfully protect and defend this truth? When Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists come to your door and start asking you questions, look, the answer is not to slam the door and say, no, thank you. The answer is to take the opportunity and to point them to God or the Bible. That's what you do. While I'm busy, we're all busy. Are we busy with the things of God? Do you faithfully protect and defend this truth? Are you able to spot out falsehood when you hear it? And it's true by what they sell in Christian bookstores that most cannot. Otherwise they would stop stalking. The only way to know a lie is to know the truth. You study and examine the words of God. If you don't have any desire at all, to study the breathed-out words of God, you're not saved. I mean, think of it. The most important relationship that we should have in this room above anything else is to be your relationship with God, the One who created you, the One who sustains you right now, the One who has called you to Himself, and you don't want to know Him and what He has declared? There's a major problem. You have some major idols. You're supposed to care more about the unseen than what you can see. I have heard every excuse in the book, and that's because I have given every excuse in the book. Remember, I'm a sinner saved by grace, just like you, Lord willing. I know what the excuses are. I don't have time. I'm tired. I don't like to read. If you do not want to study and know God, then it's simple. You're a fool. Those who do not abide in God's teaching do not have God, and they will not love the children of God. They are connected because God is truth. Look at verse 12. Look how he wraps up this letter. Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face that our joy may be complete. The children of your elect sister greet you. There is much love from the ink and paper of John. He hopes to see them and talk to them face to face and the fellowship. No matter how much you may FaceTime or hear someone's voice on the phone, you would much rather be with him, right? This is the heart of believers. They want to be together because letters are not enough. Internet is not enough. Fellowship and personal intimacy with the bride is one reason he wants to see them. And the other is that he wants to continue to teach them to walk in the ways of God because they need to know the truth. For unity to exist, truth must be loved and truth must be agreed upon. So let's pause here for a brief moment. There are very many wise, godly men and women in this room. Some have walked with the Lord for a long time and some have walked with the Lord for a short time. Some in this room are not very wise. They know very little truth, and some are dead, and our hope is that the Lord saves them through the proclamation of the gospel. But all of us in this room, we have one thing in common. We need to be growing now. All of us need to continue to grow. In your walk with God, there is no neutral. There never has been and there never will be. You're either progressing in your sanctification or you're falling back. And if you're falling back, you've been warned. Move forward. We need to remain walking in truth and loving one another. We need to abide in truth. When you abide in truth, the truth is you want to be around the family of God. You want to know the family of God, you want to be challenged, you want to be encouraged, you want to be strengthened. In a world that is getting darker, the church is to shine brighter and farther. We must abide in truth. We cannot settle for what we have done or are doing. We must abide in the teachings of Jesus and we must not allow the enemy with false teachings to penetrate God's elect bride. We should want to gather with one another in fellowship. We should want to gather to be instructed in God's word, to know God, to apply his truth to our lives so that we will walk pleasing before the face of God. Does your soul and mind hunger for truth? Don't, don't fast forward past that. Think about that. So Friday, everyone loves Friday, right? Last day of work, you get off, Lord willing, you have Saturday off. What did you hunger for more than anything else? For some of you, you were sick and you were hungering for not being sick. You were hungering for rest. Some of you were hungering to do your hobby. hungering to go to a movie, hungering to watch a TV show, hungering to be with your spouse, hungering to do something. But our greatest hunger is to be for truth, to know truth, to talk about truth, to share truth. Do you crave to meet with Jesus? In the morning, when you got up this morning, what did you want to do above all? When you leave here, what do you want to do above all? I want to eat. I can't lie, food's good. Depends on where you go. But we should hunger for truth more than anything else. Do you crave meeting with Jesus? Are the words of God more important to you than food? Look at verse 13. The children of your elect sister greet you. See, John was not the only one who loved this church. The church where John was at the time of this writing, they loved them as well and wanted them to know that. What a testimony of God's elect, amen. So church family, I want all of us to be walking in the truth. Now this is not just something that you hear and you take lightly. You have to work at walking in the truth. And as you get older, you have to work harder at walking. That's just true. And when I was young, I thought I was busy. I know what some of you are thinking. You still are young. I understand. But when I was younger, I thought I was busy. A wise pastor told me, man, you think you're busy now? You just wait. You think you're busy going to seminary, working this job, doing all these that you just wait. He was right. Things happen. I want all of us loving one another, obeying the commands of God. I want all of us to know the truth and not to partner with antichrist false teachers. I want all of us to be growing in truth and the hunger for it every day. Look, if you're not hungry for the Lord, the only thing I can say is you need to discipline your life and you need to meet with the Lord each and every day, meet with him. That'll increase your hunger if you're saved. Meet with him, learn from him, grow from him, journal, memorize scripture. How is your walk right now? How is your walk right now? How will you respond to this message? I mean, when you see the love and passion and his concern for this church, it just makes you ask the most simple question that you could possibly ask. Do I love Christ that much? Do I love the bride that much? Maybe the Lord has saved you this morning. Call on him for salvation, repent and believe in Christ alone. He is truth. And maybe you're here this morning and you've just neglected truth for a while. Return and abide. Stay in it. Maybe the best thing for you to do today is to get alone, meet with God, call on him, repent of your sins, and just spend time weeping before the Lord. Ask him for that love back because he has not stopped loving you. You're still here. Meet with the Lord. Return. And my prayer is also that, man, we will rejoice greatly when we find others walking in the truth. Amen? I mean, that would be a cry of our hearts. Yes! Amanda's living for the Lord. Nick's living for the Lord. John's living for the Lord. Brennan's living for the Lord. And you rejoice greatly You rejoice greatly in knowing that people are living on mission for the living God. And you rejoice greatly over that more than you rejoice over anything else. I was thinking this past week just about life in general. And I guess the older I get, the more and more I'm reminded our life is but a vapor. You're here one second and you're gone the next. And you never know when your vapor's gonna be over. Let's be about living for things that matter. Loving the Lord, loving the bride, and telling people the truth, the good news of Jesus, so that they can walk in truth as well, amen?