Dear Church: The Evidence of True Faith

• Assurance of Salvation 00:36:26 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor addresses the anxiety of 'Am I actually alive in Christ?' and provides clarity through the foundation of 1 John chapter one, emphasizing that salvation is based on Jesus' work, not spiritual scorekeeping.
• Justification and Sanctification 00:37:33 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains that believers are made guiltless through Christ's perfect life and death, and that obedience flows from this salvation as an output, not a cause.
• The Role of the Advocate 00:39:01 ▶️ 📄
  > Using a courtroom illustration, the pastor describes Jesus as the advocate who presents His finished work to the Father to counter Satan's accusations, ensuring believers are fully covered.
• Evidence of Faith (Obedience and Fruit) 00:42:29 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor argues that while salvation is by faith, the evidence of that faith is seen in obedience, spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, etc.), and a deepening relationship with God, illustrated by the analogy of marinating meat.
• The Command to Love 00:47:10 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor discusses the 'new command' to love one another as Jesus loved, using the story of Corrie ten Boom to illustrate the difficulty and necessity of sacrificial love.
• Spiritual Maturity Trajectory 00:51:53 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains John's classification of believers (children, young men, fathers) not by age but by spiritual maturity, emphasizing that all stages share the truth that sins are forgiven and that growth is a trajectory, not a static state.
• Spiritual Maturity and Growth 00:52:49 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor explains John's three groups (children, young men, fathers) as stages of spiritual maturity rather than age, emphasizing that all share the truth of forgiveness and are on a trajectory of growth.
• Worldliness and the 'Unholy Trinity' 00:54:16 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor defines worldliness as a system of desires opposing God, specifically identifying lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life as the three main ways the world pulls believers away from God.
• Antichrists and False Teachers 00:58:55 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor clarifies that 'antichrists' are those who oppose Jesus or distort the gospel, noting they often look reasonable and that their departure from the church reveals they never truly belonged.
• Assurance and Abiding in Christ 01:01:46 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor outlines the believer's response to deception: holding to the Word of God and relying on the Holy Spirit's anointing to discern truth, leading to confidence at Christ's return.
• The Three Anchors of Faith 01:05:05 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor summarizes the sermon with three anchors: the Gospel anchor (salvation rests on Jesus), the Fruit anchor (true faith bears fruit), and the Love anchor (sacrificial love is the hallmark of life in the light).

• Sermon Illustration 00:43:10 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his college years, where he ignored his parents' calls and skipped dinners but still accepted their help, illustrating how a strained relationship can exist alongside love, and how maturity deepens that relationship through obedience.
• Sermon Illustration 00:45:01 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of marinating meat overnight to explain that faith must soak deep into a believer's life to transform them from the inside out, rather than being a superficial 'glaze' of occasional church attendance.
• Sermon Illustration 00:49:57 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor tells the story of Corrie ten Boom, who, after surviving a concentration camp, was asked to forgive a former guard. She prayed for help, stretched out her hand, and experienced God's love intensely as she forgave him, illustrating the power of sacrificial love.
• Sermon Illustration 00:55:12 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a gluten-free raspberry lemon bundt cake to illustrate the difference between a gift (enjoying it occasionally) and an idol (needing it daily to function), applying this to lust of the flesh.
• Sermon Illustration 00:58:04 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of a sandcastle at high tide to describe worldliness: it appears beautiful for a moment but is ultimately swallowed up and passes away.
• Sermon Illustration 01:03:52 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of hiding behind a couch to describe the fear of meeting Jesus unprepared, contrasting it with the confidence of those who abide in Him.
• Sermon Illustration 01:06:07 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor uses the analogy of charging the gates of hell with water balloons and a squirt gun to illustrate the power of God being with His people, encouraging the congregation to close the proximity gap with Christ.

• Pastoral Charge 01:05:05 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor asks the congregation to memorize and internalize three specific theological anchors: the Gospel, Fruit of the Spirit, and Love.
• Pastoral Charge 01:08:43 ▶️ 📄
  > The pastor prays for the church to awaken from spiritual slumber and actively participate in transforming the community and world.

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:26:18] He is the Lord God Almighty. There is no one like you, Jesus. No one who is worthy. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to pay the price on the cross of Calvary so we can stand in freedom because of what you've done on the cross. Oh God, help us to see your love, to have a deeper understanding of your love for us, Jesus, today. May we leave this room completely changed and transformed by your power, Jesus. Yes, God, we thank you. We thank you that we can stand here today and declare.

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:31:42] Oh, help him, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
[00:31:45] Holy is the Lord, mighty and powerful.
[00:31:50] When we trust in you, we trust in your word.
[00:31:53] In this moment, God, I pray that you speak to every heart in this room.
[00:31:57] Those that are watching online as well, God, speak to us.
[00:32:00] Change us and transform us.
[00:32:02] We love you, Jesus.
[00:32:03] We thank you for all that you have done for us.
[00:32:05] We praise you in your name, we pray.
[00:32:08] Amen.
[00:32:09] Thank you for joining us today.
[00:32:10] You may be seated.

[00:32:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:32:21] Welcome to Venture Church.
[00:32:22] Wherever you're joining us from today, we're really glad that you're here.
[00:32:26] If today's your first time with us, stop by the welcome desk on your way out.
[00:32:29] We've got a gift for you and our team would love to connect.
[00:32:33] For everything happening at Venture, you can find it online on our website or tap your phone on that little circle in the seat in front of you.
[00:32:41] If you're new around here or if you've been with us for a while and you're ready to take your next step, Starting Point is coming up soon.
[00:32:48] It's the best way to get to know Venture, what we believe, and how you can find your place here.
[00:32:53] And mark your calendars.
[00:32:54] Baptism is coming up on July 12th.
[00:32:56] If you've placed your faith in Jesus and you're ready to go public with that decision, we would love to celebrate that moment with you.
[00:33:03] And now for our families.
[00:33:05] Windshaped Camp is coming up later this summer, and we want every kid to be a part of it.
[00:33:09] If cost is ever a concern, just stop by the kids' check-in at Adventureland, and one of our team members would love to walk you through the options available.
[00:33:17] And what a week we just had at VBS.
[00:33:20] Rainforest Falls was everything we hoped it would be, and it happened because our volunteers showed up.
[00:33:26] So thank you to everyone who gave their time and heart to make VBS unforgettable for our kids.
[00:33:38] What you just saw happened because you showed up and you gave.
[00:33:41] And that's what generosity does.
[00:33:43] It makes moments like that possible.
[00:33:45] Whether it's a kid experiencing VBS for the first time or everything that happens here on a Sunday morning, Your giving is what keeps church moving forward.
[00:33:54] You can give through the Venture app, online, or through the offering boxes around the campus.
[00:33:59] Thank you so much for your generosity.
[00:34:03] Well, we're in week two of our series, Dear Church.
[00:34:06] And today, Jason is bringing a question worth sitting with.
[00:34:09] Am I actually alive in Christ?
[00:34:12] If you've ever wondered what that even means or whether it's true for you, today is going to bring some real clarity.
[00:34:18] Let's hear from God's Word this morning.

[00:34:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:34:20] Sunday after VBS Venture Church. What an amazing week we had last week. We had over 100 kids here every night. We had 50 plus volunteers that served. We had people learning about God, hearing the gospel, kids getting saved. It was amazing. It's also why our church probably smells
[00:35:31] a little bit like fruit snacks and adrenaline. So if you're visiting for the first time, It's not always like that.
[00:35:38] I'm not going to lie.
[00:35:38] I'm going to miss the welcome to the jungle decor, though.
[00:35:41] That was in this room.
[00:35:41] Hopefully, we can bring that back again sometime.
[00:35:44] So last August was my first sermon ever after 22 years in corporate America.
[00:35:53] They handed me Acts 15, a passage on church conflict.
[00:36:00] So I had to wonder, OK, are these pastors, are they hazing the new guy?
[00:36:07] But almost a year later, I'm happy to report, nothing's changed.
[00:36:14] Yeah, this time they gave me 1 John chapter 2.
[00:36:18] Not only is it the longest chapter of 1 John, it's also one where John tackles a challenging question.
[00:36:26] It makes a lot of people nervous.
[00:36:29] Am I actually alive in Christ?
[00:36:33] If that tightens your chest a little bit, don't worry.
[00:36:37] Scripture doesn't just leave us in fear.
[00:36:38] it provides us with clarity assurance and truth but before we step into chapter two of first john we need the foundation of chapter one because if we skip it we'll make first john about performance-based christianity or spiritual scorekeeping and john doesn't want us to think
[00:37:04] that, and he doesn't want that. He starts 1 John by reminding us of who Jesus is, the eternal one who became touchable, the invisible one who became visible, the holy one who became killable, so that the guilty, you, me, and all of humanity may be made guiltless in him. Jesus lived the
[00:37:33] perfect life. He died a death that we deserved, and he rose victorious over sin and death. And by faith in Jesus, his righteousness, his goodness, his purity, it becomes ours. You're not a Christian because you get to come here and sit in a pew or tally up good deeds. You're a Christian because
[00:38:00] Christ's finished work is yours by faith.
[00:38:06] So let's pray, and then we can dive into chapter two.
[00:38:12] Lord God, I ask that you just pour your spirit out upon all those that are listening today.
[00:38:20] Please go ahead of me and just be there with everyone as we wrestle this really challenging topic.
[00:38:27] Let your word hit our hearts like a freight train of truth and grace.
[00:38:35] unstoppable undeniable and life-changing we ask this in jesus name amen all right so with salvation as the backdrop of chapter one john starts chapter two covering sanctification and christ as our advocate verse one my dear children i write this to you so that you will
[00:39:01] not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins
[00:39:17] of the whole world. So John starts by calling his readers little children, not because he's talking down to them, but as a spiritual father addressing all believers on a very sensitive topic, sin.
[00:39:33] But he rejects two extremes, legalism, which is if you sin, you're done, and then lawlessness, which is, well, if Christ paid it all, don't I just have license to keep sinning? John says, I write this so you will not sin, but if anybody does sin, notice the if. This chapter isn't calling
[00:40:02] us to be sinless. It is calling us to sin less. We should strive not to sin, but if or when we inevitably do, he wants you to know that you're not abandoned. The only reason is this. We have
[00:40:24] an advocate, Jesus Christ. To really feel the weight of that, picture a courtroom. Satan, the accuser wheels in a cart stacked filled with your failures, your sins, your patterns, your regrets, and he reads them out aloud.
[00:40:44] But then Jesus, your advocate, stands up beside you and he opens up his portfolio, the crown of thorns, the nails and scars, the rivers of crimson that flowed from those crossbeams, the empty tomb.
[00:41:04] He lays those exhibits in front of the Father and says, I submit my finished work.
[00:41:11] The Father looks at what Christ did, not your record, and he declares, paid in full.
[00:41:21] Amen.
[00:41:22] And the Holy Spirit, as witness, affirms the verdict because you're fully covered by the shed blood of Christ.
[00:41:31] In this courtroom scenario, justice and mercy, those aren't two moods in God.
[00:41:38] Jesus isn't sprinting around with a mercy sign saying, don't smite them.
[00:41:44] And God isn't pacing around with a thunderbolt labeled justice.
[00:41:51] Father, Son, and Spirit share one united purpose, and that is to save you and me.
[00:42:01] Only God could carry the weight of the sins of this world.
[00:42:06] And in Jesus, he did.
[00:42:10] But salvation doesn't give us a free pass to just do whatever we want.
[00:42:14] John shares, because Christ has secured your salvation, here's what it looks like to live out of that salvation, to live from that salvation, beginning with obedience to his word.
[00:42:29] In verse three, he says, we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
[00:42:34] Whoever says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar.
[00:42:40] And the truth is not in that person.
[00:42:42] But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them.
[00:42:50] John isn't teaching salvation by performance.
[00:42:52] He's saying, faith in Christ saves you.
[00:42:57] Obedience flows from that salvation.
[00:43:00] It's the output, it's not the cause.
[00:43:05] What he's saying here became real to me because I thought about my own story as I read this.
[00:43:10] So I wasn't exactly the son of the year during my college years.
[00:43:13] I'd ignore my parents calls who are here by the way today I'd ignore my parents calls I'd skip dinners I'd argue with them and of course when it was convenient for me I'd let them bring me Costco goodies or get some fresh laundry from them right but they loved me even
[00:43:38] though the relationship was strained they loved me but the relationship wasn't growing and as I matured, the love stayed the same. It didn't change. I did. The relationship deepened through obedience, respect, and sacrifice. It's the same in discipleship. Saying, I love you, Lord,
[00:44:09] but then putting your spiritual phone on do not disturb, that's not a relationship. That's not a healthy relationship. Growth shows up in how you live, not just what you say. Ask yourself these questions. Is your life different now? Are you in scripture? Are you growing in holiness? Low
[00:44:37] obedience often signals a shallow walk, not a lost salvation. Let it prompt honest reflection, not despair. Picture it this way. I used to marinate meat right before cooking and I wonder why is the flavor just staying at the surface? Now I marinate meat overnight letting the flavor
[00:45:01] really soak to the center. Faith works in the same way. A quick glaze, occasional church, sporadic prayer, a verse of the day, maybe once a week. That's just surface level flavor.
[00:45:20] but remaining in Christ, in his word and his spirit, letting that soak through you into your decisions, into your relationships and habits.
[00:45:34] That transforms you from the inside out.
[00:45:38] If you want the flavor of Christ to run deep, don't glaze, marinate.
[00:45:47] John then goes on to write in verse 5b, this is how we know we are in him.
[00:45:52] Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
[00:45:56] John's not telling us, hey, do more good things than bad.
[00:45:59] He's saying, if Christ is within you, live like him.
[00:46:05] What's the evidence of that kind of life?
[00:46:08] Well, think about trees.
[00:46:12] If I gave you a bark, you probably wouldn't be able to identify the type of tree.
[00:46:18] But if I gave you a branch filled with oranges, case closed, right?
[00:46:26] It's the same here.
[00:46:28] like fruit reveals the type of tree spiritual fruit love joy peace patience kindness goodness gentleness and self-control those are things that reveal someone who has been made new in christ it's the evidence of regeneration not the source of it in striving to live like jesus
[00:46:53] obedience is the root abiding in him is the process and fruit is the proof john then transitions to cover love next in verse seven he says dear friends i'm not writing you a new command but an
[00:47:10] old one which you have had since the beginning the old command is the message you have heard yet i'm writing you a new command its truth is seen in him and in you because the darkness is
[00:47:22] passing, and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother or sister lives in the
[00:47:34] light, and there's nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going because the
[00:47:47] darkness has blinded them if you want to know whether christ is truly alive in you look at how you love in matthew 22 jesus explicitly says the entire law and the prophets hang on the two
[00:48:06] greatest commands love the lord your god with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind these are the first this is the first and greatest command and the second is just like it
[00:48:18] love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:48:23] Some of you are probably thinking, oh, preacher, I've got you now.
[00:48:28] I know a loophole in that verse.
[00:48:31] I actually hate myself, so I don't have to love anybody.
[00:48:36] Well, guess what?
[00:48:39] Jesus anticipated you would say that.
[00:48:41] So in John 13, verse 34, he actually said, a new command I give you, love one another.
[00:48:51] as I have loved you so you must love one another this wasn't random it was the night before the cross Jesus knew Judas would betray him he knew that Peter would deny him he knew that the disciples
[00:49:11] would scatter and he still washed their feet even Judas's then after Judas left the room Jesus gave his true followers this final, costly command.
[00:49:29] Love one another as I have loved you.
[00:49:33] Not love people when it's easy.
[00:49:37] Not love people when it's convenient.
[00:49:39] Not love people when they agree with you.
[00:49:42] But love like Jesus loved, humbly and sacrificially.
[00:49:49] Some of you are probably thinking, oh, that sounds impossible.
[00:49:52] Well, let me tell you the story of Corrie ten Boom.
[00:49:57] Corey survived Ravensbrück. It was a women-only concentration camp where her sister Betsy actually died. Years later, Corey was speaking at a church about forgiveness. After the service, a man came up to her, approached her and said, hey, Fraulein, I've become a Christian. I know God has forgiven
[00:50:22] me, but I would like to hear from your lips. Will you forgive me? He was one of the guards from the concentration camp.
[00:50:33] So Corrie froze.
[00:50:35] Every horror of the camp flooded back.
[00:50:39] She went on to write, I, whose sins had again and again been forgiven, could not forgive.
[00:50:49] So she prayed a simple prayer.
[00:50:52] Jesus, help me.
[00:50:56] And she stretched out her hand, and as she did, the love of Christ came upon her, and she said, I forgive you, brother, with all of my heart.
[00:51:10] And she went on to write, I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then.
[00:51:22] You may never face a moment like Corey's, but you will face people that hurt you, that frustrate you, that misunderstand you, that oppose you.
[00:51:33] How you love them reveals who you belong to.
[00:51:40] Okay, so far, John has shown us Christ followers are saved by Jesus' work, known by our obedience, demonstrated through our actions, and recognized by our love.
[00:51:53] He now shifts gears to spiritual maturity.
[00:51:55] So verse 12.
[00:51:57] I'm writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
[00:52:02] I'm writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
[00:52:07] I'm writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
[00:52:11] I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father.
[00:52:16] I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
[00:52:20] I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God lives in you and you have overcome the evil one.
[00:52:28] So it's like John can feel the tension rising, right?
[00:52:32] People starting to spiral.
[00:52:34] Obedience, evidence.
[00:52:36] Oh my gosh, I must be failing Christianity.
[00:52:39] So like a good pastor, what he does is, okay, everybody relax.
[00:52:46] Let me remind you who you are.
[00:52:49] He then speaks to three groups, not based on age, but based on spiritual maturity.
[00:52:57] Little children, new believers that are learning the basics of faith.
[00:53:04] Young men, growing believers that are fighting sin and working and learning on their endurance.
[00:53:10] fathers mature believers with a deep and steady walk with god here's the thing you can be 70 and spiritually immature or you can be 17 and deeply mature spiritual age is not the same as
[00:53:29] physical age but all three groups share one unshakable truth your sins have been forgiven on account of Jesus' name.
[00:53:42] That's the foundation of everything.
[00:53:47] And notice this, none of these stages are stagnant.
[00:53:51] John isn't describing a bunch of categories for you to just stay in.
[00:53:55] He's describing a trajectory of spiritual growth.
[00:54:01] Every believer is meant to move forward in Christ.
[00:54:07] All right, now that John has shown us what it takes to grow, he shows us what stunts growth.
[00:54:14] Verse 15.
[00:54:16] Do not love the world or anything in the world.
[00:54:18] If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
[00:54:22] For everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father, but from the world.
[00:54:31] The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
[00:54:37] Do not love the world or anything of the world, in the world.
[00:54:43] John isn't talking about the planet.
[00:54:46] He's talking about a system of desires that are designed to pull us away from God.
[00:54:53] He warns us about what we can label the unholy trinity of worldliness.
[00:54:59] Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life.
[00:55:04] These aren't arbitrary.
[00:55:06] They're the three main ways that the world tries to pull us away from God.
[00:55:10] He starts with lust of the flesh.
[00:55:12] This is, I want it because it feels good.
[00:55:16] For example, if I want my gluten-free raspberry lemon nothing bundt cake for a special occasion, praise God, I've seen a couple hands raised, all right.
[00:55:27] But if I need one every day to just make it through every day, that's a problem.
[00:55:35] Sex is God-designed.
[00:55:38] Outside the covenant of marriage, it becomes destructive.
[00:55:42] Entertainment is a gift.
[00:55:45] Addictions are idols.
[00:55:48] When substances, gambling, binge-watching, gaming marathons, when they start controlling you, it's no longer fun.
[00:55:58] It's idolatry.
[00:56:00] Emotions are a gift, but they're not meant to run your life.
[00:56:06] Anger, for instance.
[00:56:07] My twin boys have the spiritual gift of testing my sanctification, but through Christ, even that is changing within me.
[00:56:20] Next is the lust of the eyes.
[00:56:24] I want it because I see it.
[00:56:27] So here's what that looks like.
[00:56:30] Scrolling Instagram and suddenly realizing that you hate your life.
[00:56:35] Seeing someone else's success and feeling that envy start to rise up within you.
[00:56:40] Pornography.
[00:56:42] The most literal form of lust of the eyes.
[00:56:46] Judging worth by outward appearances.
[00:56:49] This is the world's way of whispering, you don't have enough.
[00:56:55] you are not enough. You need more. And if the lust of the eye says, I want what they have, pride of life next says, I want them to want what I have. Here are some examples of that.
[00:57:14] Posting on socials, not for honesty, but for applause. Building your identity on career and money and influence. Refusing correction because your ego can't handle it. This is the world saying make yourself the center. John's saying make God the center. All the cravings, the comparisons,
[00:57:42] the ego, it does not come from God. It comes from a world system that's opposed to him.
[00:57:52] And here's the punchline.
[00:57:53] It's verse 17.
[00:57:55] The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
[00:58:04] Worldliness is like a sandcastle at high tide.
[00:58:07] It's beautiful for a moment, but then swallowed up the next.
[00:58:13] Kevin DeYoung said this.
[00:58:15] Worldliness is whatever makes sin look normal and righteousness looks strange.
[00:58:22] John's inviting us to flip that.
[00:58:23] make righteousness look normal and sin look strange replace what you love in the world with who you worship jesus so john just covered how the world competes for your affections now john shows us what competes for your allegiance and overcoming deception verse 18
[00:58:55] Dear children, this is the last hour.
[00:58:58] And as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come.
[00:59:04] This is how we know it is the last hour.
[00:59:08] John isn't giving us a timeline here.
[00:59:10] He's giving us theology.
[00:59:12] The last hour is the entire time period between Christ's first coming and his return.
[00:59:20] John was in it, and so are we.
[00:59:23] He's not trying to scare you.
[00:59:26] He's preparing you.
[00:59:28] He says many antichrists have already come.
[00:59:33] They rarely look like monsters.
[00:59:36] They usually look deceptively reasonable.
[00:59:40] A TikTok theologian, a podcast, a very convincing friend.
[00:59:50] When John says many antichrists, he means whatever opposes Jesus, distorts the gospel or leads people away from truth.
[01:00:03] It happened in John's day, it's happening now, which is why John calls us to stay alert.
[01:00:12] Verse 19, they went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.
[01:00:18] For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us.
[01:00:22] But their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
[01:00:27] John says these antichrists didn't lose salvation, They never had it.
[01:00:33] They looked like believers for a season, but when they walked away from Christ and from his church, it revealed what was true all along.
[01:00:44] Their hearts were never his.
[01:00:48] Verse 20, but you have an anointing from the Holy One and all of you know the truth.
[01:00:54] I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
[01:01:00] who is the liar it is whoever denies that jesus is the christ such a person is the antichrist denying the father and the son no one who denies the son has the father whoever acknowledges the
[01:01:16] son has the father also john defines an antichrist as anyone who denies that jesus is the christ the true son of God.
[01:01:28] And he's blunt.
[01:01:29] No one who denies a son has the father.
[01:01:32] You cannot have God while rejecting Jesus.
[01:01:37] God is revealed to us in Christ.
[01:01:43] So what is our response?
[01:01:46] Verse 24, as for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you.
[01:01:52] If it does, you also will remain in the son and in the father.
[01:01:57] And this is what he promised us, eternal life.
[01:02:01] I'm writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
[01:02:06] As for you, the anointing you receive from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.
[01:02:14] But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit, just as it has taught you, remain in him.
[01:02:25] So what's our response?
[01:02:27] Our response is twofold.
[01:02:29] First, let the word of God abide in you and remain in the truth.
[01:02:35] This is what verse 24 and 25 are talking about.
[01:02:39] Hold on to the gospel.
[01:02:41] Hold on to scripture.
[01:02:43] Hold on to Jesus of the Bible, not of culture or personal preference.
[01:02:50] Second, rely on the spirit.
[01:02:53] This is verses 26 and 27.
[01:02:55] When you have Christ, the Spirit opens your eyes and guards your heart and helps you discern truth from error.
[01:03:07] Verse 27 can sound confusing.
[01:03:10] You do not need anyone to teach you.
[01:03:13] John isn't saying, fire all the preachers and stop listening to sermons.
[01:03:17] That would go against the rest of Scripture.
[01:03:21] He's saying, the Spirit himself guards you from deception and keeps you rooted in the truth that you've received, which is scripture.
[01:03:36] Lastly, assurance comes from trusting the gospel and abiding in Christ.
[01:03:41] Verse 28, and now, dear children, continue in him so that when he appears, we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
[01:03:52] If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. If Jesus returned today, would you meet him confidently or do the spiritual equivalent of hiding behind a couch? Your confidence flows from everything John's taught us
[01:04:19] in 1 John chapter 2. Do you know the real Jesus? Is there fruit in your life? Do you love others?
[01:04:29] Are you growing? Are you resisting worldliness? Are you holding on to truth? These aren't a checklist that earns salvation. They are markers that help you discern whether you are abiding in Christ and letting his life shape yours. If you remember anything from today, remember these three
[01:05:05] anchors. First is the gospel anchor. Salvation rests on the true Jesus, his eternal person, virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death, resurrection, and present reign. You're not saved by a moment. You are saved by trusting this gospel. And stumbling happens. You may sin.
[01:05:36] The real question is, are you enslaved to sin or are you being shaped by Christ?
[01:05:48] Next is a fruit anchor.
[01:05:54] True faith bears fruit.
[01:05:58] The Spirit changes our desires, brings genuine repentance, and gives power to resist sin.
[01:06:07] Church, we can charge the gates of hell with water balloons and a squirt gun if God is with us. Amen? Close the proximity gap. Marinate in Christ, in his word, in his spirit, in prayer. It will transform you. Lastly, the love anchor. Love like Jesus. Sacrificial,
[01:06:44] forgiving active and cross-shaped outwards and upwards that is the hallmark of life in the light so in closing if you've trusted jesus as your lord and savior your salvation is secure genuine faith changes the heart and naturally leads to obedience and new life as your relationship
[01:07:25] with christ deepens the holy spirit increasingly lives out that faith through you amen let's bow our heads in prayer father god for those who know you deeply keep the joy of your salvation alive in
[01:07:51] them. May they continue to spring into action and bear fruit. For those who are struggling, wandering, or rebelling, draw them back. Restore to them the joy of your salvation.
[01:08:14] Let them taste the blessing of a deepening relationship with you. And for those who do not know you yet. Let them come to experience the joy of your salvation for the first time as you reveal yourself to them. Lord, this is the desire of our heart today. If your church
[01:08:43] is in a spiritual slumber, awaken this sleeping giant. Use us to transform this community and this world as you continue to transform our hearts and our lives.
[01:09:03] I ask this in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.
[01:09:09] For anyone I haven't met, my name is Jason.
[01:09:11] You can find me outside. I'm part of the teaching team.
[01:09:14] I'm also responsible for leadership development.
[01:09:16] If you have any questions about today, please come find me or anyone on staff.
[01:09:21] God bless.

[01:09:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:09:25] Today, we're going to continue to worship the Lord.
[01:09:30] this is a response to what he has done for us you're so grateful for him amen grateful for what he has done jesus all my words fall short i've got nothing how could i express all my gratitude
[01:10:09] I could sing these songs as I often do But every song must end, you never do

[01:10:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[01:10:28] So I put up my hands and praise you again Cause all that I've done, I've done