Know Love: Truth Matters

John ties “know love” to know truth, because love and truth belong together. Love without truth just tells people what they want to hear, and truth without love only condemns. The sheep-and-shepherd image sets the tone: Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice,” so discernment is about recognizing the Shepherd’s voice in a field full of voices. The text in 1 John 4:1-6 names the stakes and the steps: test the spirits, trust the Spirit, and treasure the truth.

The text first commands, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits.” Not everything that sounds spiritual is from God. Not every preacher, book, influencer, or viral clip speaks for Christ. The first test is Christological: what does this message confess about Jesus? John insists that every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. Christianity rises or falls on the identity of Christ. If Jesus is not fully God and fully man, who really lived, really bled, really died, and really rose, then the whole house falls. A partial Jesus is a false Jesus.

John then exposes common counterfeits: a prosperity Jesus that exists to make people comfortable; a designer Jesus shaped by culture rather than Scripture; a social-media Jesus reduced to quotes and “vibes” who never commands, never confronts, never calls for repentance. The real Jesus loves enough to tell the truth, calls sinners to repent, bears the cross, and calls disciples to take up theirs.

The text does not leave believers in fear. “Little children, you are from God… he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” The Spirit who inspired Scripture, convicts of sin, and points to Jesus indwells God’s people. Discernment is not a solo project; it is Spirit-empowered confidence. Like learning to spot scams by becoming familiar with the real thing, believers learn the Shepherd’s voice by living in Scripture. The Spirit never brings “new truth” against the Word; he illumines the truth God already gave.

John also explains why false ideas spread: the world listens to what sounds like the world. “Follow your heart” collides with “Follow me.” “Live your truth” bows before “I am the truth.” Apostolic teaching—now preserved in Scripture—sets the plumb line. So the church must ask, who is discipling the mind and heart? A constant diet of news, feeds, and podcasts will shape loves and loyalties far faster than a few rushed minutes in the Word. The way forward is simple and costly: test the message, trust the Spirit, treasure the truth, and spend enough time with Jesus that any other voice is easy to spot.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Test every spirit and message Testing is not cynicism; it is obedience to Scripture’s call to examine the spiritual influence behind teachers and trends. The first question is always, “What does this say about Jesus?” If the center is not the crucified and risen Lord, the center will not hold. Discernment guards love by keeping it true. [41:07]
• 2. Confess the incarnate, biblical Jesus Christianity stands or falls on the real Jesus: fully God, fully man, crucified, buried, risen, and ascended. Any message that trims or edits that confession sells a different Christ and offers a different salvation. Holding this line is not narrow; it is faithful. [44:58]
• 3. Trust the Spirit’s greater power Discernment is not a test of personal genius but a testimony to indwelling grace. The Spirit who raised Jesus lives in God’s people and outmatches every deceiving spirit. Confidence grows when dependence deepens. [51:03]
• 4. Treasure Scripture over worldly noise Apostolic truth anchors the church when cultural currents shift. Scripture does not compete with endless voices; it corrects, reorders, and frees the mind to love what God loves. The diet that fills the day will form the heart. [61:28]
• 5. Learn the Shepherd’s voice intimately Sheep know the shepherd by time spent, not by tracking every counterfeit. Habitual listening in the Word trains the ear so warning bells ring when something “sounds off.” Familiarity with the genuine makes fakes obvious. [64:30]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [31:33] - Kids Camp and Call to Serve
• [32:48] - Know Love: Why Truth Matters
• [35:09] - Sheep, Shepherds, and a Voice
• [38:29] - 1 John 4:1-6 Read Aloud
• [40:28] - Big Idea: Test What You Hear
• [41:07] - Test the Spirits, Not Everything
• [43:53] - The Real Jesus Came in Flesh
• [47:22] - False Jesuses Unmasked
• [51:03] - Greater Is He In You
• [54:16] - Spotting Scams and Spiritual Fakes
• [58:47] - Treasure Apostolic Truth and Scripture
• [62:12] - Who’s Discipling You, Really
• [64:30] - Know the Shepherd’s Voice Daily
• [70:46] - Response and Prayer

Bible Reading
1 John 4:1-6 (ESV)
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error."

John 10:27 (ESV)
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

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Observation Questions

1. According to 1 John 4:1-3, what is the first test for determining whether a spirit or message is from God?
2. What are some examples of counterfeit versions of Jesus mentioned in the sermon (e.g., "prosperity Jesus")? [47:22]
3. How does John 10:27 connect to the idea of discerning the Shepherd’s voice in a world full of competing voices?
4. What reason does 1 John 4:5-6 give for why false teachings often gain popularity?

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why is testing the spirits (1 John 4:1) not the same as being cynical or distrustful? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on balancing truth and love? [33:47]
2. The sermon warns that a “partial Jesus is a false Jesus.” What makes a distorted or incomplete view of Christ so dangerous to faith? [44:58]
3. How does the promise “greater is he who is in you” (1 John 4:4) address the fear of being deceived by false teachings?
4. Why might messages that “sound like the world” (1 John 4:5) be more appealing than biblical truth in our culture today?

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Application Questions

1. What voices (podcasts, social media, books, etc.) influence your beliefs most? How could you intentionally “test” their messages this week using the Christological test from 1 John 4:2? [41:07]
2. The sermon warns against a “designer Jesus shaped by culture.” Are there areas where your own view of Jesus has been subtly influenced by cultural trends rather than Scripture? What steps could help realign your understanding?
3. How could you prioritize time in Scripture this week to grow more familiar with the Shepherd’s voice? What distractions or habits might need to change to make this possible? [01:04:30]
4. The sermon says, “The diet that fills the day will form the heart.” What “diet” of media, entertainment, or relationships is shaping your loves and loyalties? How could you replace one worldly influence with biblical truth? [01:02:12]
5. When have you sensed the Holy Spirit’s prompting that something “sounded off” spiritually? How did you respond, and what did that teach you about relying on the Spirit’s discernment?
6. The sermon warns against a “social-media Jesus” reduced to quotes and vibes. How can you engage with content about Jesus online while still guarding against shallow or incomplete portrayals of Him? [49:39]
7. What practical step could you take this week to help someone else (a friend, family member, or small group member) grow in discernment and familiarity with Scripture?