1 John 2:15-17, Genesis 3, and Generation Z

I. 1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15-17 (CSB), “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions — is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.”

  • Lust of the Flesh: Our evil nature. (v. 16a)
  • Lust of the Eyes: Evil desires from what we see. (v. 16b)
  • Pride in One’s Possessions: The glory of self. (v. 16c)

II. Genesis 3:1-6

Genesis 3:1-6 (CSB), “Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So, she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

  • The Truth Lie: Twisting the truth of God’s Word. (v. 1)
  • The God-Like Lie: You don’t need God. (v. 5)
  • The Wisdom Lie: A false logic of knowledge and understanding. (v. 6a)

III. Generation Z (Ages 10-25)

Barna Link: Atheism Doubles Among Generation Z (https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles- among-generation-z) *This study surveyed teenagers ages 13-18*

Important Discovery: Atheism has doubled in comparison to the number of adults that identify as atheists. (13%- Gen Z; 6% Adults)

But why?…

1. The problem of evil and suffering. How could a loving God allow evil and suffering to exist? (29%- Gen Z; 18% Boomers)

2. Truth is relative. 37% says if God is real…truth is relative at best, and at worst, is unknowable.

3. The Church is not important in my life. More than half of Christian teenagers (61%) say, “I can find God elsewhere.” For Gen Z, the church is either “not too” important (27%) or “not at all” important (27%).

IV. Putting it all together…

  1 John 2:15-17  Genesis 3:1-6  Generation Z
  Lust of the Flesh (v.16a)  Did God really say…? (v. 1)  Truth is relative or unknown.
  Lust of the Eyes (v. 16b)  Your eyes will be opened knowing good and evil. (vs. 4-5)  Is God loving? The problem of evil and suffering.
  Pride in One’s Possessions (v. 16c)  Delightful to look at…desired to make one wise. (v. 6a)  The local church is not important. “I can find God anywhere.” Pride says, “I trust me and my stuff.”  

V. Biblical Truths for Generation Z

1. Jesus came to fix the sin problem (the reason evil and suffering exists) and give us abundant life.

Romans 5:8 (CSB), “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

  • God gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to fix this broken relationship due to our sin.

John 10:10 (CSB), “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”

  • God desires we live a life of meaning and purpose, according to His will.

2. Truth can be known in the person and work of Jesus.

John 14:6 (CSB), “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

  • Through Jesus, we can know the Father, and discover absolute truth.

3. We need each other.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB), “And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

  • We were built for community and need each other. God uses relationships to equip and encourage us.

VI. Final Thought

May we equip the next generation to know where lasting hope is found and the God who loves and pursues them.

Psalm 78:5-7 (CSB), “He established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children so that a future generation — children yet to be born — might know. They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God and not forget God’s works but keep his commands.”