SERIES: WISDOM FROM ABOVE
MESSAGE: Purity
TEXT: James 3:13-18
MESSAGE BY: Pastor J Carr

Wisdom:
- Babel vs. Bethel
- Moon vs. Sun

Purity:
- James. 3:17
- Wisdom is first and foremost pure
- What is purity?
- James 1:27
- Undefiled, unstained
- By the world, the flesh, and the devil
- James 3:15
- Not only negative - mainly positive
- James 4:8
- “…To will one thing” and not be “double-minded”
- But the negative is there
- James 4:7 - "resist”

The World, The Flesh, & The Devil:
- Classical music analogy
- Classical music = sin
- Orchestra (of Bach’s kids) = the flesh
- Conductor/mayor = the devil
- City of Vienna = the world

The Devil:
- John 8:44
- Murderer: aims to destroy life
- Liar: means/weapons are lies
- 1 Peter 5:8-9
- Psalm 24:4
- Pure heart = do not lift up soul to falsehood
- v. 6 - seek God alone

The World:
- Fire at Beverly Hills supper club
- Companions in complacency
- Walter Bailey - courage and compassion

The Flesh:
- Our bodies/desires dominated by sin
- Romans 6-7 (6:6;12)
- Horse and rider
- Overcome in union with Jesus who overcame
- Psalm 14:1 - practical atheism = foolishness

Positive Purity:
- Beholding Glory and becoming whole
- Radical recentering

Discussion questions:

What is purity?

What do you think of?

What is a negative vs. positive view of purity?

How might a purely negative understanding of purity be unhelpful?

How does the Devil seek to destroy us?

What kind of lies does he want you to believe?

What other lies do you see him deceiving people with?

How do you resist him?

How does the world’s opposition play out?

How are you tempted by it?

How does the flesh sabotage our souls?

In what ways directions does your horse (flesh) run off

How might you try to train it?

How do you understand how the world, the flesh, and the devil work together?

How can we mount a resistance?

SERIES: WISDOM FROM ABOVE
MESSAGE: Meekness
TEXT: James 3:13-18
MESSAGE BY: Pastor J Carr

Call to Wisdom
- Winsome wisdom
- Emphasis on dispositions of the heart, and the ways we act, rather than intellect
- Innocent/pure wisdom
- Matt. 10:16; Rom. 16:19

Wisdom is:
- The formative internalization of knowledge and the fruitful application of knowledge
- In other words wisdom is an understanding of reality that leads us to become the kind of person we want to be and achieve the kind of things we want to achieve
- The two kinds of wisdom lead to two different ways of being and kinds of achievements
- 1 Cor. 2:5-6
- 2 Tim. 3:15 - “wise UNTO salvation”

Jesus is the wisdom from above
- James 3:13-18 rewritten (w/Jesus):
- “Jesus is the wise and understanding one among us. By his good conduct he showed his works in the meekness of wisdom. He had no bitter jealousy or selfish ambition in his heart; and never did he boast and be false to the truth. For he is the wisdom that comes down from above in contrast to “wisdom” that is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist there will be disorder and every vile practice, But Jesus is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and reasonable; He is full of mercy and good fruits; He is impartial and sincere. And Christ has sown a harvest of righteousness in peace by making peace”
- His wisdom was weird and wonderful

Wisdom from Above makes us Meek:
  - Meekness is the expression of humility
- “do nothing” farming: humility makes our efforts more fruitful
- Humility gives us true discernment, while pride makes us easily deceived

4 realities to understand that lead to humility/meekness
- Everything is gift
- We ultimately earn nothing on our own
- We ultimately own nothing
- You are frail, and fallen
- Jealousy - failed pride
- Boasting - seemingly successful pride
- Selfish ambition - pride in motion
- Pride is like a drug - artificial/fleeting results
- Psalm 37: meekness is rooted in waiting on the Lord (the only true source of power)
- God is supremely valuable
- James 3:16 - the slippery slope of worldly wisdom/pride
- Prioritize God’s approval over the approval of other people
- This allows us to serve unseen and be free from envy
- Matt. 23:5-6;11-12
- The way to be truly great is to be a humble servant
- Jesus embodied this counter-intuitive truth
- Philippians 2:6-11

Discussion Questions:

- What comes to your mind when you think of wisdom?
- How is this text different or similar to that?
- Do you know of anyone you’d consider wise?
- What are they like?
- What comes to your mind when think about meekness?
- What does it mean to be meek?
- Read psalm 37:3-11
- How does this psalm help us understand how to be meek?
- Why/how does having a deep understanding of reality make us meek?
- How do you see pride expressed?
- Jealousy? Boasting? Selfish ambition?
- How is it rebranded as “wisdom”?
- How can we fight it in ourselves?

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Christian Certainties
TEXT: 1 John 5:13–21
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

1. An assurance of eternal life (V. 13)
(John 20:31; 1 John 2:25; 3:23; 5:11–12; John 5:24; John 10:10)

2. A confidence in prayer (Vv. 14–17)
(1 John 2:28; 3:21–24; Matt. 7:7–11; John 14:13–14; James 4:3; Isa. 59:1–2; 2 Chr. 7:14–15)

3. A confidence in Jesus’ victory (Vv. 18–20)
- You are liberated by Jesus.(Rom.6:5–7, 11, 14)
- You are being kept by Jesus. (John 10:11–15, 28–29)
- You are being prayed for by Jesus. (Rom.8:26–34)
- You are being protected by Jesus. (John 17:11–12, 15)
- You are perfected in Jesus. (Col. 1:26–29)

Take-Aways:

1. You now have eternal life in you.

2. You now have abundant life in you.

3. You now have access to God’s throne through prayer.

4. You now have victory over sin, Satan and worldly forces of evil.

5. No one and no thing can separate you from God.

6. God is not finished working in you.

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Hearing From The Witnesses
TEXT: 1 John 5:5–12; Deut. 19:15
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

1. The historical witness (Vv. 5–6)
(1 John 1:1–3; John 1:14)

2. The divine witness (Vv. 7–9)
(John 15:26; 16:13; John 5:34, 36–37; Matt. 3:17)

3. The experiential witness (Vv. 10–12)
(John 5:24; 6:40, 47–56; Rom. 8:9–11, 14–17)

Take-Aways:

1. God gives us eternal life.

2. This life is found only in Jesus.

3. It is a gift from God.

4. It is a present possession.

5. This life is transformative.

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Knowing God: How Do I Know That “I Know” God?
TEXT: 1 John 4:7–16
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

1. Demonstrate love (Vv. 7–8)
(1 John 2:3–6; John 15:12, 14, 17; 1 Cor. 13:4–7)

2. Experience love (Vv. 9–11)
(Rom. 5:8; John 3:16; 1 Pet. 2:24)

3. Express love (Vv. 11–13)
(1 John 4:19; Gal. 5:22–23)

4. Confess Jesus (Vv. 14–15)
(Matt. 10:32–33; 1 Tim. 2:5–6; Rom. 10:9–10, 13)

Conclusion: Do you know? (V. 16)
(1 John 5:12–13)

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Counterfeit Religion
TEXT: 1 John 4:1–6
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

1. Do not believe what everyone is saying. (V. 1a)
(John 16:13–15)

2. Test the message and the messenger. (V. 1b)
(1 John 2:18–27)
- The worldly test (1 John 2:15–16; 1 John 4:5)
- The alignment test (1 John 4:5–6)
- The rebellion test (1 John 3:4, 6)
- The righteousness test (1 John 3:7–8)
- The fellowship test (1 John 2:18–19)
- The greed test (2 Peter 2:1–3)
- The love test (1 John 3:14–16)
- The Jesus test (1 John 4:2–3; 2 John 7)

3. Be confident in who you are.
- You are a child of God. (1 John 4:4a; 3:1–2)
- You are a believer in Jesus. (1 John 4:2)
- You are an overcomer. (1 John 4:4b; 2:14)
- You are a follower of the truth. (1 John 4:6)
(John 8:47; John 10:4–5, 27–28)

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Faith Working Through Love: Confidence
TEXT: 1 John 3:11-24
MESSAGE BY: Pastor J Carr

Why do we struggle with assurance/confidence?

- God’s holy presence contrasting our remaining sin
- Bad responses:
- self-condemnation
- self-righteousness
- Self-delusion
- Right response:
- Faith working through love (v. 23)

Love

- what’s it like?
- Christ’s love: Purposeful, intentional action for others that is costly and undeserved (v. 16)
- Charity & Compassion
- How do we get it?
- Eternal life abiding in him (v.15)

Faith

- what’s it like?
- Orientation on God rather than self (v.20)
- God knows everything
- Answered prayer comes through alignment with faith and love

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Living Out Your Identity – Living as God’s Children
TEXT: 1 John 2:28–3:10
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

1. Live confidently (Vv. 3:1–2, 10)
(John 1:12; 1 John 3:21)

2. Live expectantly (Vv. 2:28; 3:2)
(Titus 2:13; Matt. 24:44)

3. Live cleanly (Vv. 3:3–9)
(Is. 1:16; Acts 22:16; James 4:8)

4. Live lovingly (V. 10)
(John 13:34–35; John 15:12; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 4:7–8, 11–12)

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Knowing The Time
TEXT: 1 John 2:18–27
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

1. Signs of the times. (V. 18)
(Heb. 1:2; Rom. 13:11–12)
- Disobedience
(2 Thes. 2:3–4, 7–12; Matt. 24:4–5)
- Desertion (V. 19)
(Matt. 24:10–13)
- Denial (Vv. 22–23)
(1 John 4:1–3)
- Deception (V. 26)
(2 John 1:7–8; Mark 13:21–23)

2. Strength for last days.
- Belong to a community of faith (V. 19)
(Heb. 10:25)
- Confess Jesus is the Christ (Vv. 22–23)
(Matt. 10:32–33)
- Remain in the truth (Vv. 20–21, 24–25)
- Rest in your anointing (Vv. 20, 27)
(John 14:26)
- Abide in Christ (V. 27)
(1 John 3:21–24; 4:13–16)

SERIES: CONFIDENT FAITH
MESSAGE: Living Right in a World Gone Bad
TEXT: 1 John 2:15–17
MESSAGE BY: Pastor Tim Lewis

 1. Don’t be divided in your loyalty. (V. 15)
(Titus 2:12; James 4:4; Matt. 16:26; Col. 3:2)

2. Don’t be distracted by the world. (V. 16)
(Gal. 5:16–21; James 1:14–15; Matt. 4:1–11)

3. Don’t be deceived by the things of the world.
(Mark 4:18–19; 2 Tim. 4:10; Eph. 2:2)

4. Be devoted to the Lord. (V. 15)
(Luke 4:8, 12; Matt. 22:34–38; Matt. 6:19–24, 33)

5. Be discerning. (Vv. 16–17)
(Eph. 5:17)

6. Delight yourself in the Lord.
(Ps. 37:3–4)