Stonebrook Church, Ames, Iowa, Sermons

John’s first epistle is written to a church under attack from false teaching of those he calls “anti-Christs” – who deny that the gospel is sufficient for salvation, that you must have special spiritual knowledge, and that you don’t need to be concerned about your behavior. John focuses this part of his first letter on reinforcing the teaching (the gospel) he delivered to them at the very beginning, encouraging them to remain in it and not to follow these false teachers. 

That You May Know—The Epistles of John 1 John 2:3-17 Walk as Jesus Walked I just finished reading a fascinating biography of a former U.S. President. The focus of the book is the President’s faith. What his spiritual and religious background is. What he says he believes. I’m reading this wondering, “Is this President a true believer in Jesus Christ?” Some of his statements say an emphatic “Yes.” Some of his statements say, “Hmm, not so sure.” Still others say, […]

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That You May Know—The Epistles of John

1 John 2:3-17 Walk as Jesus Walked

I just finished reading a fascinating biography of a former U.S. President. The focus of the book is the President’s faith.

What his spiritual and religious background is. What he says he believes. I’m reading this wondering, “Is this President a true believer in Jesus Christ?” Some of his statements say an emphatic “Yes.” Some of his statements say, “Hmm, not so sure.” Still others say, “Definitely not.”

I relate that story to the story of our lives. We all need to start with ourselves first. Am I a true Christian?

Like Dave Bovenmyer asked last week, “Who are the real Christians?”

I greatly appreciated his sermon, introducing us to a letter written by the Apostle John.

We are in Week 2 of a series looking at John’s 3 letters. Probably written 50 years after Jesus Christ ascended into heaven.

A major theme John addresses is looking at who is a real Christian, and who is not.

The goal is not to be judgmental and critical. The goal is to, first, for ourselves to be assured we truly do know Jesus, and we do have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

And also, this letter helps us to be wise and discerning. We are surrounded by all kinds of people, and we hear a wide variety of messages in the world. We have to sort out the truth from the lies. We have to have our faith founded deep into the truth of God. We have to know who to listen to and believe.

John’s letter does this.

Turn to 1 John 2.

While you are turning there, I will introduce myself to those whom I don’t know.

I am Brad Barrett, one of the pastors here. I have been a part of Stonebrook for 40 years, since my sophomore year at Iowa State. Before that, I was a wild, partying, engineering student. A proud young man who was trying hard to ignore God. But over the course of a few months in the summer after my freshman year, largely through the influence of my dear mother, God broke through my hard heart and gave sight to my blind eyes. He saved my soul, and life has never been the same since.

Ask me more about it. I would love to tell you.

1 John 2:3-17

Turn to 1 John 2. We don’t know for sure who the original recipients of this letter were, but it may have been a group of churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).

Last week Dave took us through chapter 1 and 2 verses in chapter 2. What is the mark of a true Christian? How do we know real from false?

Today’s passage continues on that theme.

1 John 2:3–17 (ESV)

Vs. 3-6

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Throughout this letter, John contrasts truth and error. Back and forth. In fact, 70% of the letter is contrasting this.

He starts by saying, “You can have assurance that you really know God and his Son, Jesus, if you keep his commandments.”

The word “KNOW” is key here. “You KNOW that you KNOW him if you obey him.”

To “KNOW” God in the way John is describing is far more than simply knowing about God. Knowing facts and information.

This is true even in human relationships.

Tonight is the Super Bowl. (Go Rams!) The Patriots quarterback is Tom Brady. I know facts about Tom Brady, but I don’t really know him. His wife knows him. His children know him. His crusty old coach, Bill Belichick knows him. But I don’t.

It’s like that with God. John is really equating “knowing God” with “believing in God.” How do you know you …

John, Jesus’ closest disciple, testifies that he has seen, heard, and touched the Word of Life, Jesus the Son of God. He writes to his circle of churches, reassuring them that the word they have heard is true and warning them not to turn away from it as numerous people were doing. The essence of the message is that God is light, without any darkness at all and that He has sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Those who know God will walk in the light and trust in Jesus’ death to take away the guilt of their sin.

John, Jesus’ closest disciple, testifies that he has seen, heard, and touched the Word of Life, Jesus the Son of God. He writes to his circle of churches, reassuring them that the word they have heard is true and warning them not to turn away from it as numerous people were doing. The essence of the message is that God is light, without any darkness at all and that He has sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Those who know God will walk in the light and trust in Jesus’ death to take away the guilt of their sin.

John, Jesus’ closest disciple, testifies that he has seen, heard, and touched the Word of Life, Jesus the Son of God. He writes to his circle of churches, reassuring them that the word they have heard is true and warning them not to turn away from it as numerous people were doing. The essence of the message is that God is light, without any darkness at all and that He has sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Those who know God will walk in the light and trust in Jesus’ death to take away the guilt of their sin.

Most of us who have been around the church for any length of time are aware of the idea of “tithes and offerings”. We might even be aware that “the bible teaches we should give 10% of our income to the local church” – but does it really? What is the tithe? Should Christians tithe? Are you tithing? Does it matter? How much should you be giving? To who? How often? This sermon continues our series on giving by examining […]

Who are you? And why are you on earth? Questions like these are deep, and we often—consciously or not—find ourselves searching for the answers. We need to look no further than the Scriptures, for the One who creates and saves us has the answer and is the answer. And that answer will shape the course of our lives in all areas. This theme of purpose kicks off our 3-week series on money, which is a core area of life under God.

In a world filled with poverty, injustice, oppression, hatred, and strife, God sent good news of a coming Savior who would set the world right and bring peace on Earth, good will to men. Fulfilling the promise given in the last book of the Hebrew scripture, and breaking a 400 year drought in the prophetic ministry, God announced the birth of a great prophet to prepare the way for the coming Savior. Yet today, two thousand years after these events, the world is still filled with poverty, injustice, oppression, hated, and strife. We, too, await the final fulfillment of God’s promises to set the world right through Jesus, the Messiah, the Savior of the World.