The sentiment is often lost in sentimentality or overlooked by a culture of outrage, but the command to love one another is at its heart an outrageous and countercultural fruit of the Spirit of God’s work in a human heart. Stories of real, sacrificial love still have the ability to move us and the possibility of our witness to the world being shaped by that same love is at the heart of John’s message. Join us this Sunday to hear again the revolutionary message we have heard from the beginning: "love one another."
From Series: "The Epistles of John: Life in the Light of Christ"
This Sunday, we will begin a new summer sermon series through the three epistles of John. Over the course of this series, I hope to show you how the early church was not much different than our own church. They had to deal with internal conflicts and external persecution. They had to struggle against heresy and complacency. Their temptations to sin are much like our own. Their hope, their message, their role in society is also much like our own. This week, we’re looking at the first four verses of 1 John 1. In those verses we read John’s purpose statement: what’s the point of this letter? Surprisingly, and refreshingly, it’s about joy. After a week of tremendous sadness and grief, can we really find joy—especially in an ancient epistle like this one? I invite you to join us on Sunday as we rediscover the joy of the gospel in the initial verses of 1 John.
