Keeping on with the third of John's themes in this blessed book of the Bible, Luke Harriman discusses the often repeated concept of God's love being "perfected" in us as we love others. After reviewing the first five characteristics of agape love from an earlier message, Brother Luke shares a sixth aspect. God willing, the series will conclude in a future message that considers the "centering" power of love.
Scripture passage: 1 John
Brother Jasper Barnett delivered this Sunday morning message on the importance of daily Bible reading. Using God's instructions to Israel concerning the manna, Brother Jasper encouraged us to have a meaningful encounter with the Word of God every morning, before the sun rises and "melts away" the opportunity with daily activities. He challenged us to hear, study, memorize, meditate on, and obey the Word, and thus be transformed and renewed day by day.
Scripture passages: Ex. 16:1–28
Luke Harriman gives this third message in a series reviewing 1 John using the three themes of light, life, and love. The phrase, "God is love" is one of the most well known of all biblical truths. But what exactly does it mean? No book provides more of an answer to this question than 1 John, where we find the word "love" more than fifty times. God willing, we will return to this theme once more in the coming weeks to conclude the series.
Scripture passage: 1 John; John 11:5–16
Brother Jim Auld delivers this message, challenging all of us to take advantage of the opportunities we have to sow the seeds of God's Word in the lives of the people around us. Offering some personal examples, Brother Jim reflects on how short the time is and how the time of consummation is near at hand.
Scripture Passage: Matt. 13:18–30
Luke Harriman delivers the second message in a three-part review of 1 John, following our 14-month study of the book on Thursday nights. Not only is God the giver of life; He IS life itself. John gives us many ways of understanding what it means to be a child of God in this sense. Those who have this spiritual life are marked by a special birth, breath, growth, and path to walk. May we live in such a way that it is evident we have "passed out of death into life" (1John 3:14).
Scripture passage: 1John; Col. 3:1–17
Brother Jasper Barnett considered the story of Jesus calming the sea from a different angle, focusing on the phrase "they took Him as he was." Are we taking Jesus with us as He truly is, or are we trying to conform Him to what we want Him to be?
Scripture passage: Mark 4:35–36
Brothers Laurel Smalling, Ken Huebner, and Norris Clarke shared the pulpit on Resurrection Sunday, delivering messages on the barrenness of some of our spiritual lives and the resurrection life that the Lord Jesus brings.
We often hear God referred to as "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." While we have much teaching on both Abraham and Jacob, there is less focus given to the life of Isaac. Brother Ken Huebner presents a survey of the life of this "son of promise," considering key moments in his biography. Ultimately, Isaac's life reveals much to us of the Lord Jesus, the true Son of the Father's love.
Scripture passage: Gen. 21–27
Jasper Barnett shared some thoughts this past Lord's Day on Jesus Christ as the Perfect Servant of God. Considering several passages of scripture, Brother Jasper demonstrates our need to see the servanthood of the Lord Jesus as a call to serve the Almighty God ourselves.
Scripture passages: Gen. 24:29–48; John 3:35–36; Isa. 42:1–2
After a wonderful time of breaking bread together, Brother Colbert Martin considered the importance of seeing the Lord Jesus. Reading from John 12, he urges us to be like those Greeks who approached Phillip and said, "We want to see Jesus." When we come to church, or when we open the Word of God, can we truly say the same?
Scripture passage: John 12:20–28
Brother Laurel Smalling delivers this message of challenge from Psalm 103, calling us to count our blessings and proclaim the wondrous acts of the Lord.
Scripture passages: Psalm 103
As we near the end of our study of 1John on Thursday nights, Luke Harriman looks back over the year's study and brings this message on the phrase "God is Light." Focusing on the idea of light as truth, Brother Luke challenges us to allow God to show us the truth about ourselves, our world, and God Himself.
Scripture passage: 1John
During a visit in South Florida following this year's Southern Youth Retreat, Brother Brian Bassett from Charlotte, North Carolina, shared this message on Hebrews 11, encouraging us to keep our faith in the midst of suffering.
Scripture Passage: 2Tim. 1:12; Heb. 11
Brothers Jim Auld and Jasper Barnett shared the ministry this Sunday, offering messages on the times of the Gentiles and the importance of knowing the love of God.
Scripture passages: Matt. 1:1; 1John 4:7–10; Eph. 3:19
While in the area for the Ft. Lauderdale conference, Brother Eugene Vedder shared this meditation on the parable of the merchant seeking pearls. Seeing the merchant as the Lord Jesus and the pearl of great value as His church, Brother Eugene brings out many wonderful thoughts about how precious we are to the Lord.
Scripture passages: Matt. 13:45–46
Brother Bill Hubler shared this brief message from John 20 during a visit to the area. The Lord's triumphant resurrection from the dead has ushered in a new relationship with God, whereby we can come near to Him in faith. He is not just "the Lord"; we can now call Him "My Lord."
Scripture passage: John 20
Reflecting on the promises found in Romans 8:28–39, Collin Beckford encourages us to approach the throne of grace with boldness and confidence. When we are in Christ, there is nothing that can separate us from His love. Brother Collin also turns our attention to John 10, where we are given the assurance that nothing can snatch us from the hand of God. Following up on this thought, Brother Norris Clarke encourages us to respond to God's faithful shepherding with obedience. Citing an example from Nehemiah, Brother Norris calls us to act immediately on the truths we find in God's Word.
Scripture passages: Rom. 8:28–39; John 10:27–30; Neh. 8:13–18
The freedom we have in Christ is sometimes hard to understand; if, as Galatians 5:1 puts it, "it is for freedom that Christ has set you free," does that mean Christians are free to do whatever they want? In this message, Luke Harriman considers the meaning of Christian liberty and how it contrasts with the so-called freedom the world offers us.
Scripture passages: John 10:1–11; Psalm 121
Scanning the Lord Jesus's letters to the seven churches in Revelation, Ken Huebner brings us the practical challenge of taking these exhortations and encouragements to heart personally. From the call to Ephesus to remember her first love to the challenge to Laodicea to forsake their indifference, Brother Ken calls us to respond to these letters as if they were addressed to each of us individually. With God's help, this can cause us to draw closer to the Lord.
Scripture passage: Rev. 2–3
Jasper Barnett and Campton Smalling shared the pulpit this Sunday, delivering words of encouragement as we enter a new year. First Brother Jasper, took us to John 16 in a meditation that fixed our eyes on Christ as the example and key motivator for godliness. Then Brother Campton, visiting from Jamaica, shared some thoughts from Exodus 8–12 concerning the people of Israel's preparation to move forward out of Egypt toward the Promised Land. May we seek to begin this year with a sense of purpose and vision as we await our coming Lord.
Scripture passages: John 16:25–31; Ex. 8–12