1st John

1. Two Things We Know (1st John 5:19)

1st John Series • Two Things We Know (January 3, 2021) /1st John 5:19/ Elder Lowrance preaches a New Year’s message from several passages in 1st John. He focuses on one of the final verses where we see that there are two things “we know.” We know that we are “of God” and that “the whole world lieth in wickedness.” In this introductory sermon to 1st John, Elder Bryce charges us to understand these two things and to have the resolution to live the abundant, joyful life that God intended for us.

2. The First Step to Finding Joy

1st John Series • 2. The First Step to Finding Joy. 1/10/21 (1st John 1:4-2:2) John told his readers that his purpose for writing to them is so that they could live a joyful life even though the whole world lies in wickedness. In this message, Elder Bryce shows us that John faithfully tells us how Jesus designed for us to find that joy. In order to have a joyful walk with God from day to day we must see sin as God sees sin. We must repent of it and walk more like Jesus.

3. How Do We Know?

1st John Series • 3. How Do We Know? – 1st John 2:3-11 (January 17, 2021) Elder Bryce continues teaching how we are to find joy in our lives even though the whole world lies in wickedness. Today’s message shows the way that we know we are chosen in Christ is when we live like Christ. In keeping Christ’s commandment to love, we show that the love of God is in us. This assures us that we were chosen by God in the covenant of election. In knowing we have this eternal life, we have true joy.

4. Because

1st John Series • 4. Because – 1st John 2:12-14 (January 24, 2021) In chapter 2 of his Epistle, John has just given a major charge to the disciples of Christ to love others just like Jesus loves them. A few verses later, John will give an equally grand charge to “love not the world.” Between these two charges, he gives a small “pep rally” reminding each of us, that no matter what level of maturity we have in Christ, we are all loved and blessed by the same Father and His Son Jesus Christ. And it is “because” of these graces that John writes to them and us.

5. Love Not the World

1st John Series • 5. Love Not the World – 1st John 2:15-17 (January 31, 2021) In 1st John Chapter 2, there are two major charges given to the children of God – They are to love the brethren but they are NOT to love the world. In today’s message, we find that John is telling us that the life of Jesus Christ, and His standard of holiness, is the measure to which we should compare ourselves. It is only by walking more like Christ that we gain assurance of salvation and find liberty to live our lives in joyfulness.

6. The Last Time

1st John Series • 6 The Last Time – 1st John 2:18 (February 7, 2021) In previous messages, Elder Bryce showed that we have an inward motivation to love our brother and not the world. He now teaches that John reminds us of outward influences that would adversely affect our discipleship. To set up this teaching, Elder Bryce shows that the New Testament era is the “last days.” We have been living in the last era of earthly time since Jesus came to earth. This age will continue until His triumphant return.

7. The Spirit of Antichrist

1st John Series • 7 The Spirit of Antichrist – 1st John 2:18-29 (February 14, 2021) In this message, Elder Bryce continues teaching about John’s warning to God’s people to beware of false teachers and their influence. Our concern should not be in looking for a single antichrist at the end of time but avoiding the influence of the many antichrist teachings that bombard us every day.

8. Behold!

1st John Series • 8. Behold—Pause and Take a Look – 1st John 2:29-3:3 (February 21, 2021) Elder Bryce reviews the blessings and charges presented in the first two chapters of 1st John, and then he, along with John, invites us to simply take a moment and contemplate the amazing love of God bestowed upon by His sovereign grace. It is amazing that we have been children of God since election, we are children of God now, and as children of God we will be with Him in all eternity. Behold!

9. Tadpoles and Frogs

1st John Series • 9. Tadpoles and Frogs – 1st John 3:4-10 (February 28, 2021) The nature of man without God is dead in sin and serves only sin. An unregenerate person is “committed” to sinning. But when a child of God is born again, the person now has within him the nature of Christ and now has two natures. The old nature is still there but the new nature is no longer bound by sin and committed to it. He can now do righteousness. These righteous behaviors “manifest” the person as being a born-again child of God.

10. Perceive

1st John Series • 10. Perceive – 1st John 3:10-24 (March 7, 2021)
In this message, Elder Bryce teaches us to perceive three things in our discipleship. First of all, we should understand that the world hates us because it hates righteousness. Secondly, We are to understand that God loves us because He acted upon that love and sent His Son to die for us. And lastly, in response to these two things, we should act out our love for God by actively loving others. When we do this, we perceive that we are of God. This justification by faith assures us in our own hearts that we are of God and can still live in liberty even though the whole world lies in wickedness.

11. Be Your Own Fact Checker

1st John Series • 11. Be Your Own Fact Checker – 1st John 4:1-6 (March 14, 2021)
In Chapter 4, the Apostle John sounds another warning to God’s people to be aware of and avoid the false doctrines of the world. John tells us to put everything we hear “on trial” by comparing it to the word of God. When we do this we can have assurance that we are standing in the truth and have peace and joy despite the fact we are surrounded by wickedness and hate in the world.

12. Perfect Love

1st John Series • 12. Perfect Love – 1st John 4:7-18 (March 28, 2021) When we know that we are in God and God is in us, fear is driven out of our lives and we can live in liberty and joy. However, it is only when we love like Christ loves us that we truly know that we are in God.

13. We Love God Because He First Loved Us

1st John Series • 13. Because He First Loved Us – 1st John 4:19-5:3 (April 11, 2021) Because God first loved us, we are able to love others. When we love others, we are fulfilling the law of God and we find rest unto our souls.

14. Jesus IS the Son of God

1st John Series • 14: Jesus IS the Son of God – 1st John 5:1-12 (April 18, 2021) When we walk by faith and love others, it is an evidence of our new life in Christ. We should have confidence to walk this way because there is ample evidence in heaven and in earth that Jesus is the Son of God. It is Jesus that dwells in us and gives us the ability to trust Him and love others.

15. Growing in Belief

1st John Series • 15. Growing in Belief 1st John 5:13-19 (April 25, 2021) The Apostle John encourages growth in Christian discipleship by learning more about Christ as we live and love like He did.

16. We Have Joy Because We Know

1st John Series • 16. We Have Joy Because We Know (May 2, 2021) – 1st John 5:18-20 Elder Bryce teaches us the key to finding joy in our lives in understanding the things we can and should know about Jesus Christ and our relationship and fellowship with Him.

17. Little Children

1st John Series • 17. Little Children  (May 9, 2021) /1st John 5:21/ Elder Bryce concludes the 1st John Series with a sermon that reviews and summarizes John’s entire message using the theme found in the last verse of the letter – “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”