The Letters of John: That You May Know...

3 John - No Greater Joy than This…

July 16, 2023 • Pastor Jim Thomas • 3 John

What is the difference between happiness and joy? If you were to list the top four things that add joy in life, what might be on that list? As believers in Jesus, we have been called to live out our faith in a world that is increasingly syncretistic and secularized. Within that context, if you wanted to, how would you measure the vitality and effectiveness of your own spiritual life? The apostle John was one of the closest disciples of Jesus and John’s writings offer us both pastoral and practical insight into what it looks like to “walk in the truth” of the Gospel and to know the joys of faithful discipleship. Join Pastor Jim as he teaches through this short but powerful ancient letter we call 3 John.

2 John - Walking Steadily in Truth and Love

July 9, 2023 • Pastor Tommy Bailey • 2 John, Psalm 90:14, Jeremiah 6:16

The second epistle of the Apostle John opens with an affectionate greeting that sets the tone for the letter's central message: the truth of God's love in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In a time when many believers were being deceived by false teachers, this message of assurance provided a firm footing for a steady walk of faith. We invite you to join Pastor Tommy and The Village Chapel as we consider the practical and timeless wisdom this letter offers us today.

1 John 5:13-21 - What Can We Really Know?

June 18, 2023 • Pastor Jim Thomas • 1 John 5:13–21

What does the Bible have to say to the question of certainty about our salvation? Can a person really know they have been saved? Or do we all just have to nervously cross our fingers, wish upon a star and hope that whenever our time on this earth is over, we have been good enough to persuade God to let us into heaven? What are the distinctive characteristics of authentic, biblical, saving faith? Join Pastor Jim as he unfolds the reassuring promises and hope believers can find in this final study of 1 John and the Gospel of God’s grace through Christ.

1 John 5:1-12 - Can I Get a Witness?

June 11, 2023 • Pastor Matt Pierson • John 1:29, Matthew 3:16, 1 John 5:1–12, Genesis 1:26, Psalm 19:1

We have all seen courtroom dramas where a witness is called to testify. We ourselves may have been a witness to a crime or an historic event, whether it be fantastic or catastrophic. Truthful testimony cannot be underestimated in its value. In his first letter, the Apostle John has continued to return again and again to themes of God’s love and our response – what we might call the “Spiral Staircase of the Christian Life.” He adds in a new theme for chapter 5 – that of belief: the core belief of Jesus as the Christ and how that faith is the means by which we become “born of God.” This belief in the Son is the way to life, and this faith also receives the true testimony of God regarding His Son. Join Pastor Matt as he leads us through the first 12 verses of 1 John 5 and we hear the witness of the Father and the Spirit, testifying about the Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:7-21 - God is Love: Why it Matters

June 4, 2023 • Pastor Jim Thomas • 1 John 4:7–21

The Bible teaches that God loves us. But why does God love us? It is universally acknowledged that love is a powerful force, but there are so many ways of understanding love. What does the Bible mean by the term ‘love?' Why is God’s love for us such a significant aspect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Who can and how can we experience this love of God personally? Join Pastor Jim as he helps us explore the source and depths of God’s love, and teaches us how the Church has been called and equipped to be a living demonstration of the love of God in a culture being choked out by its own self-centeredness, self-indulgence and self-glorying.

1 John 4:1-6 - Knowing the Holy Spirit

May 28, 2023 • Pastor Tommy Bailey • 1 John 4:1–6

1 John 4 begins with a pastoral caution not to believe every teaching and teacher that vies for our attention. John offers a warning about the dangers of falsehood, and an assurance that the Spirit of God is with us and has the power to guide us by His Word. The battle between truth and falsehood is not between two equals. “…Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (4:4) The Apostle John reminds us of the Spirit’s work in revealing Christ, applying Christ’s work, illuminating the scriptures and empowering us to discern between truth and error. Join Pastor Tommy as we learn together about the treasures found in the person, presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer.

1 John 3:11-24 - What’s Love Got to Do with It?

May 21, 2023 • Pastor Jim Thomas • 1 John 3:11–24, John 13:34–35, John 15, Romans 12:10, Romans 13:8

While Christian faith is never merely theoretical, it is always thoroughly practical. What are the marks of authentic Christian faith? Jesus once declared, “By this shall all men know you are my disciples: if you have love, one for another.” In our own day and time, ‘love’ is a word that has been reduced to the emotional realm and all but eviscerated of its deeper meaning. When we use the same word to describe our disposition towards our favorite ice cream, sports teams, pizza and – oh yeah – people, what then could the term ‘love’ actually mean? And why is the love human beings share with one another so fickle, fragile and fleeting? Jesus' followers believe there is a love that comes from beyond ourselves and is sourced in Christ. We also believe the nature of love and the scope of God’s love reaches deeper and further, beyond personal preferences or how any one of us might feel in a given moment. Join Pastor Jim as he walks us through the last half of 1 John 3 and shows us how today’s church is uniquely positioned to both restate and demonstrate the love of God, in spite of the darkness and division that overshadows our present world.

1 John 3:1-10 - Living in the Light of What We Know

May 14, 2023 • Pastor Matt Pierson • 1 John 3:1–10, 1 Corinthians 15:49

The first ten verses of the third chapter of 1 John are full of hope and encouragement. John tells us that not only are we loved by the Father, but that we are called His children. John promises us that one day when we see Jesus face to face, we will be transformed and be like Him. In light of that knowledge, John encourages us to live a life of righteousness so that it is evident that we are God’s children. Join Pastor Matt as he leads us through these ten verses, reminding us of our hope in Christ and the love of the Father.

1 John 2:18-29 - How to Remain Steadfast in Faith

May 7, 2023 • Pastor Jim Thomas • John 15:4–5, 1 John 2:18–29

Who/what does the Bible mean when it uses the term “antichrist?" Does the Bible teach eternal security or perseverance of the saints? How can Christians remain faithful servants of Jesus in an increasingly secularized, anti-faith world? How do we continue steadfast in the promises and commands of God’s Word, resting in the inexhaustible hope of the Gospel? Join Pastor Jim as he draws from the deep well of Gospel wisdom and encouragement found in 1 John 2:18-29.

1 John 2:1-17 - Knowing and Abiding in Christ

April 30, 2023 • Pastor Tommy Bailey • 1 John 2:1–17, 1 John 1:2, John 17:3

The second chapter of 1 John is brimming with pastoral wisdom for believers who need assurance that they know God and are known by Him. The root and source of our assurance is the finished work of "Jesus Christ, the righteous." (v2:1) For those who have placed their faith in Christ alone, a radical shift in identity has taken place. Our sins have been forgiven (v2:12). We are no longer in darkness, but in the light (v2:8). We are now children of God (v2:13). The Apostle John unpacks many of these treasures of the gospel and calls his people to examine their lives for evidence of the grace they have received in Christ. Join Pastor Tommy as we learn together about the power of the gospel to transform every part of our lives, shaping us into the likeness of our Lord, Jesus.

1 John 1 - The Joyful Fellowship of Jesus

April 23, 2023 • Pastor Jim Thomas • 1 John 1

Can faith ever become a source of joy? Can we know with any certainty that we have been reconciled to God? Does the Bible offer any assurance that the faith we place in Christ is a saving faith? Where can we turn for clarity, conviction, increased understanding and confidence as it relates to the faith we have placed in Jesus? As we begin this brand new study of the Letters of John, all who have trusted Christ will find it like a river overflowing with encouragement and reassurance. Join Pastor Jim as he starts us off with an introduction to the first letter of John and a verse-by-verse study of its first chapter that he has called, “The Joyful Fellowship of Jesus.”

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