True Love (2024)
The Love that Conquers
April 14, 2024 • KO Grissett • 1 John 5:1–13
Our journey through 1 John 5:1-13 was enlightening. Here are some key takeaways that can inspire us throughout the week: - The Conquering Power of Love: We discussed the biblical assertion that true victory comes through our faith in Jesus Christ and our obedience to His commands. This love, as taught in the scriptures, conquers all. - Eternal Life through Jesus: The message highlighted the importance of the testimony given by the Spirit, the water, and the blood, affirming the life and divinity of Jesus Christ. By believing in Him, we are granted the promise of eternal life. - The Unbreakable Bond of Christ's Love: We were reminded that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. This assurance enables us to face life's challenges with confidence and hope, knowing we are more than conquerors in Him. - Living for the Kingdom: We are called to live lives that reflect the ultimate victory of Jesus, with our actions and testimonies contributing to the grand narrative of God's eternal glory.
Love Defined
April 7, 2024 • Pastor Jerome Gay Jr. • 1 John 4:7–21
As we continue our journey through the week, let's take a moment to reflect on the key takeaways from our time together: - The Harmony of Love and Holiness: God's love does not negate His standards. His holiness, righteousness, and justice perfectly align with His love, each attribute complementing the other in divine harmony. - Agape - Selfless Love: We are called to emulate the selfless, sacrificial love that God shows us. This 'agape' love is the essence of our Christian walk and should define our interactions with others, within the church and in the world. - Love Over Fear: The example of Christ's sacrificial love should inspire us, moving us away from fear as our motivator and towards love as our driving force in our relationship with God and one another. - Living Testaments of Love: Our love for God is reflected in our love for our neighbors. We are challenged to be living testaments of divine love, breaking the contradiction of claiming to love God while neglecting to love those around us.
Assurance and Acceptance
March 17, 2024 • 1 John 3:19–24
This past Sunday we concluded week 6 of our https://visionrdu.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38b225582ed69766208fdf9a6&id=638ffd064f&e=892855c997. As we live out our faith, let us revisit the powerful insights drawn from the depths of scripture and the heart of our shared experiences in Christ. Here are a few key takeaways from our message called https://visionrdu.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38b225582ed69766208fdf9a6&id=bd463acb32&e=892855c997: - Assurance in God's Grace: We were reminded that our assurance rests not on our performance, but on the unshakable foundation of God's power and faithfulness. Despite the inner turmoil of doubt and self-condemnation, we are held secure by His unfailing love. - The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit affirms our walk with God, providing guidance and comfort. As we face the complexities of life and faith, especially in this digital age, the Spirit's presence is a source of solace and strength. - Embracing Spiritual Warfare: Recognizing spiritual warfare is crucial. Condemnation may come from within, but we can combat it with the Word of God and remind ourselves of the salvation promised through Jesus Christ and the fact that there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). - Transformative Grace: God's grace is actively working within us, renovating our lives like houses long neglected. Our souls, once marred by sin, are being remade into something beautiful—testaments to the enduring power of His love.
Where's the Love?
March 3, 2024 • Sandy Roberts • 1 John 3:7–18
Pastor Sandy gave us several areas of reflection: - Love in Action and Truth: We were reminded that genuine love is not just expressed in words but through righteous actions. As 1 John 3:18 encourages us, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. - Our Identity as Children of God: He emphasized our identity in Christ, especially in the light of Easter, and challenged us to live authentically, resisting worldly temptations and embracing our divine affiliation. - The Power of Sacrificial Love: The ultimate act of love, demonstrated by Jesus Christ's sacrifice, was highlighted as a model for us to foster within our community, encouraging us to put others' needs above our own. - Resisting Deception and Temptation: We discussed the importance of being vigilant against the lies and temptations that can lead us away from God's path, and the necessity of relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength. - Community and Fellowship: Pastor Sandy brought to light the transformative power of Christian fellowship, urging us to actively participate in our church’s https://visionrdu.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38b225582ed69766208fdf9a6&id=6a835d2b82&e=892855c997 where we seek to practice love selflessly.
Children of God
February 25, 2024 • Brandon Russell • 1 John 3:1–6
Brandon emphasized how through Christ we have been delivered from being children of wrath to children of God. He shared how God does not simply save us, but he adopts us as children. Many of us have challenges with our parents and when we become Christians, we find comfort in knowing our Heavenly Father will never leave or forsake us. Through Christ, we now have a spiritual family who will love and labor with us.
God's Love Language
February 18, 2024 • Pastor Jerome Gay Jr. • 1 John 2:3–29
Here are a few key takeaways from our time together as John talked about The Advocate, The Antichrist, and The Anointing: - Jesus Our Advocate: We learned about the role of Jesus as our advocate, providing satisfaction and reconciliation between humanity and God. His sacrifice is available to all, yet requires personal acceptance (John 3:18). - Obedience is God's Love Language: Our love for God is best expressed through our obedience to His commands (John 14:15). This obedience is not a burden but a natural response to the love we have received from Him. - The New Commandment to Love: The command to love one another, as taught by Jesus, goes beyond the Old Testament understanding. It calls us to love others as an extension of our love for God (John 13:35). - Discernment Against Deception: John made a distinction between antichrist and The Antichrist who is a future political leader possessed by Satan who will deceive many. We were reminded of the importance of spiritual wisdom and discernment to recognize and resist teachings that veer us away from truth, as well as the significance of the anointing we all have through the Holy Spirit. - Embracing Forgiveness and our Identity in Christ: The transformative power of forgiveness through Jesus and the comfort we receive in knowing that we are known by God gives us comfort and purpose.
The Light of Christ
February 11, 2024 • Pastor Jerome Gay Jr. • 1 John 1:5—2:2
Darkness and light are symbols for evil and good. Light is a spiritual metaphor for truth and God’s unchanging nature in the Bible as James 1:17 says. It is repeatedly used in the Bible to help us understand that God is wholly good, loving, and truthful (1 John 1:6). When we are “in the light,” we are with Him (1 Peter 2:9) and His truth. He encourages us to join Him in the light (1 John 1:7), for giving us light was His purpose (John 12:46). Light is the place where love dwells (1 John 2:9-10). God has created light (Genesis 1:3), dwells in the light (1 Timothy 6:16) and puts the light in human hearts so that we can see and know Him and understand truth (2 Corinthians 4:6).
True Love and Real Life
February 4, 2024 • Pastor Jerome Gay Jr. • 1 John 1:1–4
We began a new series this week through the book of 1 John. Pastor Jerome reminds us that God wants us to experience His true love. In this message, we will see what makes Christianity unique compared to other religions, and how God's love for us is unlike any other kind of love in the world.