Today, I wanna show you a very powerful portion of scripture that’s very relevant for today, even though it was written 2,000 years ago. We’re gonna look at 2 John, which is a very short personal letter from John, who was one of Jesus’ disciples. The point at which he was writing this, he was older; he was probably in his mid-80s, maybe even pushing 90, and he was writing from Ephesus to some people that he loved. It was a very intimate letter, and he was telling them how to love one another.
And then he was saying, “Watch out for spiritual deception.” If I could tell you something today, in this day, we need to love one another, and we need to watch out for the spiritual deception of our enemy, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And this is what he said in 2 John 1:12, he said this. He said, “I have much more to say to you.
” In other words, this message is not complete. He says, “But I don’t want to do it with paper and ink.” He said, “For I hope to visit you soon and talk with you face-to-face.” And I like it. He says, “Then our joy will be complete.” “I’ve got more that I wanna say to you, but I can’t just do it in the form of a letter.
There are some things that are more intimate than that I wanna be face-to-face. And then when we’re face-to-face, sharing what’s on my heart with you, then our joy will be made completely.” He’s saying, “There’s something more that I wanna share with you. It’s my heart, God put it on my heart, but it’s just too special for a letter.
” In today’s culture, we might say it’s too intimate for a text or too sacred for a screen because there are some moments that you just have to be face-to-face. When you’re face-to-face, then your joy will be made complete. But sadly, let’s be honest, that is just so much less common today than it once was.
I’ll give you an example. My dad died a couple of years ago, and when he did, so many people reached out; it was a little bit overwhelming. I got text, I got prayer emojis, I got heart emojis, and more text and more text and more text and more text and more text.
And then a couple of evenings after he died, Amy and I were sitting down in our living room, and the weirdest thing happened. I mean, it was shocking. Someone knocked on our door. (congregation laughs) And I looked at her like, “Uh, were you expecting anybody? Maybe it’s a Jehovah’s Witness. Well, who would be knocking on our door?” And I’m gonna show you a picture of Scott Streller. Scott and I met each other. I was 15, he was 16.
The first time we played, I beat him in tennis. We agree. He actually thinks there was a time before which he beat me, but I don’t remember that time, strangely at all. And we’ve been friends for years and years, and that was back when you used to have hair that we cover your ears. That’s how old that picture was.
It was Scott at the door, and I’m like, “What are you doing here? What’s going on?” And he said, “Man, I’m so sorry about your dad. I just wanted to come over and just sit with you.” Now, I’m not complaining at all. I felt very loved, and I don’t think I would’ve even noticed that no one came to visit if it hadn’t been for the fact that one person came to visit.
One person. Only one. And again, I don’t think I would’ve said, like, “Nobody came to visit.” I wouldn’t even notice that nobody came to visit except for only one person came to visit. And I think what happened is I think we’ve really forgotten the power of presence. We forgot the sacredness of showing up.
And those of you who’ve are been around for a longer, you’ll remember back in the day when your friend would have a baby, what would you do? You would make a casserole with peas. Why a casserole with peas? I do not know! But you would make a casserole with peas in. And then what would you do? You would drive across town, knock on the door, and give them a casserole with peas.
