Relevant messages from a fluid church reaching out to the Carthage, Watertown & Fort Drum regions of upstate New York.
John transitions from giving his readers warnings about saying one thing and doing another, to giving a confidence-building restatement of his purpose for writing his letter. He lays out three different stages of spiritual development, and centers all of it on the person and work of Jesus. Likewise, we too should find our confidence in the finished work of Jesus, and seek continually to "grow up into salvation."
Discover the power and passion of the spoken words of scripture, as Marquis Laughlin brings to life the Gospel of John.
In the opening of Matthew's Gospel we find an unusual thing: four mothers are mentioned, along with all the fathers in the family line from Abraham to Christ. This morning, we examine the stories of these four women, and come away with the recognition that God uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect plan, and that we are only part of a much larger eternal story.
John gives his readers a commandment which is both something old and something new: love your brothers and sisters in the Lord. The command to love has been with the followers of God since the beginning, however the emphasis is reaffirmed in the person and work of Christ. Therefore we too must be committed to radical lives of love and grace, in the church, and in the community.
Jesus Christ is the righteous advocate who has been provided to represent our interests before God the Father. Due to the propitiation accomplished in the person and work of Jesus, God sees not our sinfulness, but our advocate's righteousness. Christ is more than just an advocate, however, as he provides us with an incredible example of perfect living and principles for conduct in all areas of life. We should strive to model our lives on His example.
God is Light, and we are called to walk in the light. Yet, because of the sin nature,the Christian faces a struggle against being pulled back into our old ways of walking in darkness. However, we are encouraged towards holiness by God's love and mercy, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We begin our look at the Apostle John's first letter with a look at why he wrote it: because he knew Jesus personally, and even as an elderly man, it gave John great joy to share the life-giving message of Jesus with others!
What is your response when you hear those words? Doubt? Rejection? Denial? For thousands of years people have had to face is... and the responses are the same. What is your response?
The term "fool" has significant meaning in scripture, as both an insult, and a warning against foolish living. Today, April Fool's Day, we look at four examples of what a fool looks like from the book of Proverbs, and also get some wise counsel from Christ's Sermon on the Mount. Don't be a fool; follow Jesus!
So how does a generation that is attracted to new car small, craving the new relationship fuzzies and hooked on new adventure adrenaline live life in such as way as to extend the things that really matter: our faith and family?