While hearing a long detailed and aggressive speech of how a product will bring extreme enjoyment to our lives forever with no strings attached, we wonder if this could be the truth? Could this really be as they have said?  What will it cost?  It seems doable in the way they present it; so, we are distracted from wisdom and turn to see for ourselves what it can do for us.  We are presented with many forms of temptations daily, almost hourly, if we listen to media long enough.  Many deceivers (deceived themselves) offer the “world” to us with enticing promises of what they think we deserve.  The world’s salespeople promise to deliver peace upon purchase of their products. 

Above all, our greatest, inner desire is to be told the truth, right?!  We want to know who really does have the goods that deliver what we really need—real, relentless, unfailing love, peace in all circumstances, with an unending inner joy that sustains us.  We desire to believe that others really love us and want the best for us.  When the lies are exposed; we are crushed.  Betrayal is hard to bear.  We are disillusioned with humanity whose only goal is to take as much from us as possible only to satisfy their goal of greater wealth and importance—even if it takes more than our ability to pay.    

John writes letters of encouragement to the churches filled with believers who seek truth delivered with authentic unconditional love—just like us.

2 John 1, The Message

My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I’m not alone—everyone who knows the Truth that has taken up permanent residence in us loves you.

³ Let grace, mercy, and peace be with us in truth and love from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, Son of the Father!

^4-6 I can’t tell you how happy I am to learn that many members of your congregation are diligent in living out the Truth, exactly as commanded by the Father. But permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new commandment but simply a repetition of our original and basic charter: that we love each other. Love means following his commandments, and his unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love. This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.

Don’t Walk Out on God

⁷ There are a lot of smooth-talking con artists loose in the world who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ was truly human, a flesh-and-blood human being. Give them their true title: Deceiver! Antichrist!

^8-9 And be very careful around them so you don’t lose out on what we’ve worked so diligently in together; I want you to get every reward you have coming to you. Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son.

^10-11 If anyone shows up who doesn’t hold to this teaching, don’t invite him in and give him the run of the place. That would just give him a platform to perpetuate his evil ways, making you his partner.

^12-13 I have a lot more things to tell you, but I’d rather not use paper and ink. I hope to be there soon in person and have a heart-to-heart talk. That will be far more satisfying to both you and me. Everyone here in your sister congregation sends greetings.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”—Jesus, John 14:6

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” –Jesus, John 14:27

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”  John 3:16-17

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:9-14

“This is my command: Love each other.” –Jesus, John 15:17

Jesus delivers without deception all that we have been seeking—real Love and Truth.  Jesus embodies Truth.  Truth, who is Jesus, never changes.  Truth laid down His life for ours because of His love for us.  All who believe leave the world of liars behind to enter into the Kingdom of God.  We become His children!  We are brothers and sisters to Jesus! 

BUT AT WHAT COST, you ask?  The price has been paid in full by Jesus—God’s gift to us—because He loves us.  Our cost is leaving the world behind to accept this Gift of Love and Truth that provides forgiveness for all our sins because of His unending mercy and amazing grace.  Paul expresses the benefits;

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!” Romans 8:17, MSG

How do we respond?

“Remain in my love.” –Jesus, John 15:9 This command comes with a promise: “And I will remain in you.” (John 15:4)

Don’t walk out on Love and Truth.  Don’t fall for “smooth-talking con artists”!  (And don’t be one!)  “Stay faithful to both the Father and the Son.”

HOW do we remain faithful?  Seek God first every single day and He will help us.  His Holy Spirit illuminates His character of Love and Truth.  To seek God is to seek Truth and Love. (See Romans 12:1-2 for specifics.)

Max Lucado helps us to understand Jesus is Truth and Love, Love and Truth which cannot be separated.  You can’t pursue and hold onto one without the other!

“Love in truth. Truth in love. Never one at the expense of the other. Never the embrace of love without the torch of truth. Never the heat of truth without the warmth of love.  Never would be easier if we could choose between the two, but we can’t. So John, in this second letter, calls for a hybrid.  Because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.  Truth and love. Love and truth. Never one without the other. To pursue both is our singular task.” –Max Lucado, The Encouraging Word Bible

Lord,

You are truth and love, love and truth.  I pursue you for you are all I need to live in this world but not engaged by it.  By your love in me, I will love others.  Thank you for the promise of peace with joy complete as we love others like you love us.  Ahh, now I’m getting it.  So, daily cleanse my heart, renew my mind, transform my behaviors to match your love and truth.  Refresh my soul with your mercies and restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within me.  I believe.  I trust Truth who is You!  May I also tell the truth of your everlasting love by living it.

In Jesus Name, Amen