Listen up, little ones
Listen for the word desires.
Reading
1 John 2:16—The Things in the World
Optional Reading
Romans 13:14
Keys for kids
- The desires of the flesh are not from the Father.
- The desires of the eyes are not from the Father.
- The pride of life is not from the Father.
Questions
- What do the “desires of the flesh” look like?
- What do the “desires of the eyes” look like?
- What does “pride of life” look like?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors.)
John gives a list of three things that are from the world: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and pride of life. But what are these things? What would these things look like if they were to put on flesh and bones and we saw them with our eyes?
Think of a man who is given to his desires. Whenever temptation comes, he immediately yields to it. He has no self-control and is like a city broken into and left without walls (Pro. 25:28). This is a picture of lust of the flesh. Think about the child who sees a sibling playing with a toy. Suddenly, he realizes that he needs that toy. So, he goes over and rips the toy out of his sibling’s hands. This is a picture of lust of the eyes.
Think about the person who landed a job at a prestigious company. He’s making more in a year than you might make in ten. In every social setting, he makes sure that everyone knows who he is and what he does, and he drips with contempt for those who are beneath him. This is a picture of pride of life.
Think about those character sketches. Do you see yourself, even very faintly, in any of them? Examine yourself, and repent where you are found lacking!
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 139d, 111a
Prayer
- Ask God to search your heart to reveal any worldliness in you.
- Pray for a specific application from yesterday's sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.