Eyewitness Good News
Eyewitness Testimony from 1 John
EGN 01: Foundation For Successful Living
August 6, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 1:1–4
Today we start a series from the letter of 1 John called “Eyewitness Good News.” The apostle John is our eyewitness, and he gives us some amazing insights into the heart and mind of Jesus Christ through this letter. We know that the only foundation for successful living is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). In his introduction, John shows us three essential bricks in that foundation that must be in place for successful living in Jesus Christ.
EGN 02: Living in the Light
August 13, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 1:5–7
Today we continue our series from the letter of 1 John called “Eyewitness Good News.” Every person gets to choose how he or she will live. God has given us the beautiful gift of choice. Be careful how you choose! We can choose light or darkness. In today’s text, John encourages us to choose light living by describing three beautiful characteristics of choosing to live in the light.
EGN 03: Facing Sin with God’s Grace
August 20, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 1:8–10
How do you deal with recurring sin in your life? What do you do with the guilt and the grief? Are you sin-worn and conscience-torn? Holy Spirit inspired John the Apostle to share with us three steps we must take in order to handle our sins triumphantly with God’s grace.
EGN 04: Truth about Politics and Sin
August 27, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 1:8–10, 1 John 2:1–2
We are coming up on an election year in 2024, and already the political candidates are beginning to pound the airwaves and the Internet. We may never know the truth about politics or politicians, but when it comes to sin, John the apostle reveals three powerful truths which are life-altering.
EGN 05: Intimacy with Christ
September 3, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 2:3–6, John 14:15, John 15:14
How would you like to have an intimate relationship with Christ? To really know Him, to fully love Him, to have a deep friendship with Him? John makes it clear that in order to be intimate with Christ you must OBEY Him. Notice three statements which confirm this truth.
EGN 06: Something Brand New
September 24, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 2:7–11
John tells us today about a commandment that he calls both old and new. How can something be both? The word for “new” in our text means “new in quality.” The command is to love one another, and it is something brand new in three very important ways.
EGN 08: Will the Real Antichrist Please Stand Up?
October 15, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 2:7–11
There seems to be a lot of lying going on in the world today about the identity of the antichrist. We hear a lot of conjecture and alarmist conclusions about just who is the antichrist, when is he coming, or is he already here. God’s Word can shed a lot of light on the world’s theology. We don’t have to wonder or conjecture. In today’s text, John reveals two real truths about antichrist.
EGN 09: Quieting Spiritual Tachycardia
October 22, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 3:19–24
hycardia arrhythmia, which is a fast unregulated heartbeat. It can be a frightening experience which can be worsened by fear and anxiety. There is also something I call spiritual tachycardia which is when your spiritual heart begins to run away uncontrollably. Guilt, fear, and anxiety bring this on. John gives us a three-ingredient prescription which will quiet your spiritual tachycardia.
EGN 10: The Real McCoy
October 29, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 4:1–6
“The real McCoy” is a colloquial Americana phrase from the 1930s that means something is authentic and not bogus. How can you tell when you have “the real McCoy” religiously? Distinctly different religious voices are all claiming, “I am the voice of God.” It’s confusion instead of clarity. Who and what can we even believe? So John reveals three actions we must take in order to discern “the real McCoy.”
EGN 11: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
November 5, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 4:7–21
If you have ever had your heart broken, it’s easy to be cynical about love. That is, if you understand love only to be an emotion. But genuine love is a selfless decision. Some grow weary hearing sermons about love. But to do so is to grow weary of God Himself, for God is love. What’s love got to do with it? Just everything. Without love, there is no God, no Christianity, no salvation and no church. John discusses three aspects of love we must understand in order to understand God.
EGN 12: Fuel for Disiple-Living
November 12, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 4:16–21
What is it that makes disciple-living possible? What cranks you up to be an active disciple of Jesus Christ every day? I like to think of it as fuel. We are very fuel conscious in America. It is what keeps us mobile. Bad fuel means bad performance in your vehicle. Hesitation when you accelerate will get you killed. Disciple-living is not that different from driving a vehicle. You need plenty of good fuel to have an equally good response. Our text today tells us plainly that the fuel for disciple-living is God’s love. Satan often offers alternative fuel. John gives us three compelling reasons why we should always choose God’s fuel.
EGN 13: Faith is the Victory!
November 19, 2023 • Jeff Gardner • 1 John 5
God wants us to live as victors, not victims; to defeat evil rather than be defeated. But victory is not ours by strength, determination, cunning or personal ingenuity. Only faith in Jesus Christ can give you the victorious life so many desire. We are at war, and, as in any war, we have enemies who want you to be defeated. John shows us five distinct enemies over which faith will make you victorious.