Ephesians 5:21-6:4

Church community starts with the individual family unit. If there are unhealthiness and dysfunction in the family, it impacts the body of Christ. Paul instructs the Ephesians on how a family should treat one another; the parents are the anchor and foundation of setting the tone for a healthy community within the family.

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sometimes it is important for us to go back to the basics faith - when we do we are reminded of who we were and what our reality was before Jesus. When we come back to the basics we will more greatly appreciate what we have been given through Christ and the mission his gift places on our lives. The basics are that we were dead in our sin, until God who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ. Because we are his handiwork, our lives serve as a picture or message of who Jesus is and what he is capable of doing.

3 John

The importance of welcoming fellow believers, especially those who are doing work on behalf of the Gospel.

2 John

John is warning us not to let false teachers corrupt our faith. There are those who intentionally and unintentionally deceive us from embracing the truth of Christ. John warns us to be careful who we let into our life to influence us, as we often become the people we surround ourselves with.

1 John 5:13-21

As John finishes his 1st letter his final words should point us toward having confidence in our faith, even in a world controlled by the evil one. We can find confidence as we come to God in prayer and in our identity in Christ.

1 John 5:1-12

God’s commands are not burdensome - they are meant to give us life. By believing in and following Jesus, we are able to overcome the world which is set up to steal, kill, and destroy.

1 John 4:10-21

Fear not, for Love drives out fear! We have confidence in the day of judgment because in this world we are like Jesus. Even though Jesus was rejected by the world, He never lived in fear because He knew the Father loved Him. Likewise, despite all the troubles of the world, we can live without fear because of God’s love for us.

1 John 4:1-9

Every generation the world has a new belief that denies the truth of Jesus. But we can stand firm in our faith because the one in us is stronger than the one in the world. And we stand firm because of the love of God, which He showed by sending his one and only Son into the world.

1 John 3:11-24

In Genesis, Cain took his brother’s life. But in the Gospel, Jesus would lay down his own life out of love. As followers of Jesus we are called to follow his example; to lay down our own lives by living a life of sacrifice, humility, generosity, and forgiveness instead of hate. Love is laying down our lives, but doing so with a pure heart or good intentions. Laying down our lives is done with action not words.

Hebrews 11:32-12:3

In a brief departure from the "Right Before Revelation" series, guest preacher Brian Vriesman reminds us that following Jesus is more than simply a personal decision. Instead, it’s a calling into a movement revolution/transcendent cause.