2 John Bible Sketch

Are you greeted by grace?

 

Are you mended by mercy?

 

Is your journey on track toward perfect peace?

How would you describe the events of life…some weeks like a fun, carefree vacation, other times, struggling amid hard challenges or dishonored by toxic criticism? It’s good to get the laundry done, back home with your Church family. Exhausted by distress, saddened by grief, frustrated by lies, regretting failure to put God and others first—all parts of our sinful human nature need to be turned inside-out. They’re common stains to bring to the Lord who blots them all out. Jesus supplies forgiveness, cleansing, certain hope to keep moving forward, plus courage to make appropriate changes. Energized to start fresh, each new week begins cleared of guilt, washed clean, resting in God’s love and truth. Our Creator establishes blessings of joy and gratitude as He comes to us in divine worship services to

• greet grief by His grace
  
• mend mourning by His mercy
  
• feed faith in His perfect peace

2 John 3

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. 2 John 3

 

Grace, mercy, and peace are blessings that don’t show up on their own from within us.

Since sin is an ongoing problem for all people, we desperately need Baptismal blessings to be added to us from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God’s purpose is to generously give us the gift of the Spirit so we may learn to lean on Him; plus, in love for others, tell about the hope we have in Jesus. We’re free to embrace truth about love, that even though we’re undeserving, Jesus willingly gave His life for us. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive—in, with, and under the bread and wine—the true body and blood of Christ shed on the cross. In this way of the faith, He fills us with His peace that surpasses understanding.

We can’t make this up.

Believing lies about truth and love brings dangerous confusion and harmful distress. Nothing is truly good or lovely apart from the full context of God’s Word. Truth and love are realized by the faith we receive by God’s grace; it’s not by our decision, nor by doing good things. Our Savior Jesus and his Father sent the Spirit to give the faith which beneficially fills our needs. God is in control and present in the Church, providing all we ask according to His will. Hearts of those who genuinely receive His blessings trust the Lord for help to love enemies and pray for those who hurt us in daily life. The faith turns focus toward the cross of Christ for us. Truth speaks of how Christ’s fruit of the Spirit is at work in failures and difficulties to refine the faith which turns us toward opportunities to serve others, utilizing capabilities He supplies in timing He’s planned for us. God’s gift of truth and love will completely remove our struggle against evil and all of sin’s consequences when Jesus returns for believers who will, forever, dwell with Him in the harmonious place He’s preparing for us. 

The Word explains who we are in Christ who endured our shame and keeps hope alive. It clarifies and warns of anti-Christs—those who oppose Truth and are against Christ. The faith, through eyes spiritually opened, sees errors false teachers stand for. The Spirit of Truth helps us recognize that individuals and entire organizations who make up their own version of so-called truth, intentionally reject hearing Christ’s authoritative Truth offered in genuine Love. We pray the Holy Spirit would stir all people to stop believing Satan’s lies which lead us far away from the life that our loving Father desires for us. Merciful protection in Christ frees us to maintain boundaries which avoid mingling with falsehoods and corruption of twisted, irreverent and arrogant ideologies. By God’s grace, we confidently surrender effort to convince them of Truth when they blatantly choose to reject. When ears are plugged, hearts become cold and hard. Opportunity for reasonable conversations may not transpire; yet, if it does become possible, only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we talk, in gentleness, with people who disagree with the faith or don’t trust Jesus. God may restore them in humble repentance and repair the damage they’ve caused.

It’s good to visit each other in homes and gather in the Church. 

Face-to-face intimate in-person time together is the best way to communicate effectively.

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. 2 John 12

God-given abilities to create and utilize technology expand connections in community. Thanks for reading. God bless you.

Pray

Heavenly Father, by Your own true Son, You have revealed the truth to us in love. Protect us from all who would take this truth and love from us by the deception of wise-sounding error. Keep us in Christ, who is the “way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). Amen. —The Lutheran Study Bible, p2183

More

• Intro
  
• Radio
  
• 30 Minutes
• Learn about my church home
  
• Find a church near you to call or visit

1 Timothy Bible Sketches

Why should I care?

What should I do about it?

Reckless or dull consciences take irreverent journeys.

Breaking rules blows the good purpose of having them. The law shows safe, proper and good ways; it proves the need for grace. 

Bad habits, physical conditions, mental exhaustion and emotional weakness may overwhelm us to low places, if they’re carelessly left unchecked or unattended—without repair, rest, pardon and healing.

Misusing the law pretentiously produces oblivion to the Truth of the Gospel. It’s an unhealthy path to be on since perfection isn’t attainable by our sinful nature. 

Grumbling only magnifies negativity—a downer that brings temptations within the distress it causes those who have to hear it. 

Wallowing—in brokenness, conceit, pride, selfishness, self-pity—is far from God’s good design to give it up to the Lord in prayer and let go of it. 

Beyond bad vibes of pain, illness, coldness, bitterness, confusion, chaos, dysfunction, anxiety—these frustrations get worse by refusal to admit there are personal issues to address, and by snubbing the person who has come clean. Irresponsible blame-shifting, making excuses, plus, rejection of help and forgiveness, keep us either spinning in circles or stuck in the mud.

Having free will to make decisions makes possibility to fall for the devil’s lies that would have us completely ignore, deny, abandon or minimize gifts of the Holy Spirit by saying things like

• I don’t care what the Bible says
  
• I don’t need the Church
  
• I don’t believe Jesus died to save me
  
• I don’t need God 

By impenitently making choices which are hostile to the Holy Spirit, people may severely isolate themselves into a state of unbelief. By their own turning away from receiving God’s grace freely offered to them, unless they turn back to Truth, they face death apart from God’s everlasting love and end up suffering forever. That’s a horrible way to go into eternity. 

Keep reading, there’s hope …

1 Timothy 1:15-16

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16

 

Minds carefully sharpened by the Word enjoy life now with certain hope for a perfected paradise.

Thankfully, the story goes beyond this beautiful, yet broken place mixed with sadness and sin which we all have.

God sacrificially loved us with His life. Lowering Himself to be born and live among us, He personally taught us how to live. In Christ, we also may offer others beneficial grace. The atoning work of Jesus rescues and comforts sinners with God’s peace. His merciful forgiveness clears the guilty conscience. The believer is filled with bold confidence to have hope in God’s promises for an extraordinary life now and eternal future without tears! 

Our loving Creator is present—fully aware of every detail in this life. No matter what our regret of

• shortcut taken
  
• opportunity ignored
  
• responsibility shirked
  
• correction dodged
• offense made
  
• dishonesty cheated
  
• breakdown failed
  
• positive action avoided

…plus, no matter what wrongs others have done to us or good actions left undone—Christ has power and authority over it. He already finished the work which saves us from indulging in depression. Jesus is all about taking our burdens at the cross and removing our regrets. Helping us through dangers, hard work and traps—He brings us to a state of peace which surpasses understanding. He desires that we honor and join Him in everlasting paradise! He’s already worked it out for us to go! Everyone influenced by Christ’s work is mysteriously guided through the process He sees fit. In this world we are to expect suffering. God allows us to endure difficulties, yet He lovingly works things out in ways which build-up character and create powerful saving-trust in Him. 

Faith is created when we hear God’s Word. By the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, along with the water of Baptism, He makes us His own children. As we grow, God speaks to us through healthy doctrine and hymns. He feeds us strength and forgiveness during our fellowship in the Lord’s Supper given for us in Divine Worship. 

The Holy Spirit creates repentant living, filled with Truth. As we enjoy good conscience in Christ, He hears our prayers for help to forgive one another. By faith, in humility before God, we confess inability to fix things and acknowledge our dependency on Him. Joyful warm, soft, caring hearts sincerely thanking God for His love, strive to gently help people. No matter what type of work the Lord calls us to, we completely rely on His grace, mercy and peace.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Pray for the will of the Creator.

Life in Christ thankfully prays to build others up and generously share the faith using whatever we’re entrusted—everything we call our own—to the glory of our Creator.

Praise the Lord for each and every person eager and able to help us make progress in understanding the richness of God’s grace. Clearly, people of faith want everyone to have the contentment and joy they have in Christ Jesus!

Taking steps toward weekly involvement is the best habit anyone can form. It’s wise to persistently immerse ourselves in Bible study. The more we know about the Bible, the more we realize we don’t know. If you haven’t yet, I pray you’ll connect with a congregation for help. Call the pastor, visit and ask questions. Once you start catching on to what kind of peace and forgiveness comes in God’s loving presence, you’ll long to be repeatedly reminded. Our Savior offers a quiet dignity which is like no worldly experience you could achieve apart from Him.

1 Timothy 2:3-4

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Thank the Savior of all people!

To fight against the devil’s temptation to get into vain discussions, we pray to meekly act appropriately toward others in

• honoring
  
• encouraging
  
• treating respectfully
• gently loving
• careful testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ
• sharing mercy and grace

Praise the Holy Name of Jesus

Remember the gift of contentment which the Holy Spirit produces in Truth that depends on Christ. Be alert, aware and cautious of those who are deceived in an ignorant and unbelieving world; not all have seen the Light yet.

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. … Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you. 1 Timothy 6:3-8,20

More on 1 Timothy

• Chase
• God Knows Me 
• Living and Dying 
• Dramatic?
• No Regrets 
• KFUO Radio
• Issues Etc.
• The Bible Project
• 30 Minutes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6