Proving Our Faith: Joy and Engagement in Christ
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Arrows Church! It's a joy to see all of you today. I want to start by expressing my pride in how our community has responded to various needs over the past few months. Whether it was raising funds for new curriculum for our kids and students or supporting families affected by tornadoes, your generosity has been remarkable. We are not just attending church; we are being the church. Let's open in prayer.
Today, we are kicking off a new summer series called "Prove It," which will be a study on the book of 1 John. This series aims to deepen our understanding of this letter and to help us live out our faith with confidence. I encourage everyone to bring their own Bibles each week. It doesn't matter which translation you have; the important thing is to engage with the Word personally. If you don't have a Bible, let us know, and we'll help you get one. Feel free to mark up your Bible with notes and highlights; it's a tool for your spiritual growth.
We have also provided notebooks for you to take notes during the series. By the end of the summer, I want us to be experts on 1 John. This series will help us know, love, and believe in Jesus more deeply. We will explore questions that challenge us to prove our faith, not just to ourselves but to others as well.
Let's dive into some background on 1 John. It's a letter written by the Apostle John, one of Jesus' closest disciples. John also wrote the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation. This letter was written around AD 85-90, about 60 years after Jesus' ascension. The purpose of 1 John is to help the church defend its faith and protect against false teachings.
John starts his letter by emphasizing that Jesus has always existed. He was with God from the beginning and played a role in creation. Jesus is not just a good man; He is the eternal Savior who became a man for us. John testifies that he and others have seen, heard, and touched Jesus, proving His real, physical presence.
John uses different Greek tenses to highlight the ongoing impact of Jesus' life and words. The words "heard" and "seen" are in the perfect active tense, indicating that their effects are still felt today. In contrast, "looked" and "touched" are in the aorist tense, referring to completed past actions. This distinction underscores that while Jesus' physical presence was a past event, His teachings and actions continue to resonate.
John's purpose in writing is to make our joy complete. Joy, unlike happiness, is a deep-seated pleasure that comes from God and is not dependent on circumstances. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this joy, stating that whether he lives or dies, he is content because of his relationship with Christ.
As we go through this series, I want you to ask yourself, "How's my joy?" This question will help you gauge your eternal perspective and your confidence in God's will for your life. If you realize you need to take a next step in your faith, we are here to help. Fill out a next steps card or come talk to us.
Let's close in prayer. God, we thank You for the opportunity to learn more about You and our faith. Help us to internalize these truths and share them with others. May our joy be complete in You. Amen.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Engaging with Scripture: Bringing your own Bible to church and marking it up is crucial for personal spiritual growth. It allows you to interact with the Word and verify what is being taught. This engagement helps you internalize the teachings and apply them to your life. [02:09]
2. Jesus' Eternal Existence and Real Presence: Jesus has always existed and chose to reveal Himself as a man for our salvation. This underscores that our faith is not in a mere historical figure but in an eternal Savior who became one of us. This truth is foundational for understanding the depth of our faith. [21:43]
3. The Ongoing Impact of Jesus' Words and Actions: John uses different Greek tenses to show that while Jesus' physical presence was a past event, His words and actions continue to have a lasting impact. This highlights the importance of continually engaging with Jesus' teachings to understand His ongoing influence in our lives. [26:23]
4. Joy vs. Happiness: Joy is a divine gift that is not dependent on circumstances. Unlike happiness, which is fleeting and circumstantial, joy is a deep-seated pleasure that comes from a relationship with Jesus. This joy allows us to remain content and hopeful even in difficult times. [34:32]
5. Proving Our Faith: Our faith should be evident not just to ourselves but to others. Just as we prove our love for our spouse through actions, we must also prove our faith through our lives. This series will help us ask critical questions to evaluate and demonstrate the authenticity of our faith. [16:02]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:09] - Bring Your Bible
[07:44] - Background on 1 John
[14:44] - Purpose of the Series
[21:43] - Jesus' Eternal Existence
[26:23] - Ongoing Impact of Jesus' Words
[34:32] - Joy vs. Happiness
[36:02] - Question: How's My Joy?
[39:00] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Prove It" Series on 1 John
#### Bible Reading
1 John 1:1-4 (NIV)
> "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does John emphasize about Jesus' existence in 1 John 1:1? How does this relate to the sermon’s point about Jesus' eternal existence? [21:43]
2. According to 1 John 1:1-4, what are the sensory experiences John uses to describe his encounter with Jesus? Why are these significant? [23:30]
3. How does John describe the purpose of his writing in 1 John 1:4? How does this align with the sermon’s discussion on joy? [34:32]
4. What are the different Greek tenses John uses in 1 John 1:1-4, and what do they signify about Jesus' impact? [26:23]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important for believers to understand that Jesus has always existed, as emphasized in 1 John 1:1 and the sermon? How does this shape our faith? [21:43]
2. How does John’s personal testimony of seeing, hearing, and touching Jesus serve as a foundation for our faith? What does this tell us about the nature of our belief? [23:30]
3. The sermon mentioned that joy is different from happiness. How does 1 John 1:4 help us understand the biblical concept of joy? [34:32]
4. How does the ongoing impact of Jesus' words and actions, as described in the sermon, influence our daily lives and spiritual growth? [26:23]
#### Application Questions
1. The sermon encourages us to bring and mark up our Bibles. How can you make engaging with Scripture a more active part of your daily routine? [02:09]
2. Reflect on the question, "How's my joy?" How can you cultivate a deeper sense of joy that is not dependent on your circumstances? [36:02]
3. The sermon discussed proving our faith through our actions. What are some practical ways you can demonstrate your faith to others this week? [16:02]
4. John’s testimony was based on his personal experiences with Jesus. How can you share your personal experiences of faith with others to encourage them? [23:30]
5. The sermon highlighted the importance of knowing, loving, and believing in Jesus. Identify one area (knowing, loving, or believing) where you feel you need to grow. What steps can you take to strengthen this area? [17:30]
6. Joy is described as a deep-seated pleasure that comes from God. Think of a challenging situation you are currently facing. How can you find joy in this situation through your relationship with Jesus? [34:32]
7. The sermon mentioned the importance of having complete confidence in our faith. What doubts or uncertainties do you have about your faith, and how can you address them to build a stronger, more confident belief? [13:17]
This guide is designed to help you dive deeper into the themes of the sermon and the book of 1 John, encouraging both personal reflection and group discussion.
Devotional
Day 1: Engage Deeply with Scripture
Engaging with Scripture is essential for personal spiritual growth. Bringing your own Bible to church and marking it up allows you to interact with the Word and verify what is being taught. This engagement helps you internalize the teachings and apply them to your life. When you actively participate in studying the Bible, you are more likely to remember and live out its principles. This practice not only strengthens your faith but also equips you to share it with others. [02:09]
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Reflection: Think about your current Bible study habits. How can you make your engagement with Scripture more interactive and personal this week? Can you start by bringing your Bible to church and marking it up with notes and highlights?
Day 2: Jesus' Eternal Existence and Real Presence
Jesus has always existed and chose to reveal Himself as a man for our salvation. This underscores that our faith is not in a mere historical figure but in an eternal Savior who became one of us. Understanding Jesus' eternal nature helps us grasp the depth of His love and sacrifice. He is not just a good man or a prophet; He is the eternal God who took on human form to redeem us. This truth is foundational for our faith and gives us confidence in the promises of God. [21:43]
Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV): "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Reflection: Reflect on the significance of Jesus' eternal existence. How does knowing that Jesus is eternal and has always been with God impact your understanding of His role in your life today?
Day 3: The Ongoing Impact of Jesus' Words and Actions
John uses different Greek tenses to show that while Jesus' physical presence was a past event, His words and actions continue to have a lasting impact. This highlights the importance of continually engaging with Jesus' teachings to understand His ongoing influence in our lives. The perfect active tense of "heard" and "seen" indicates that their effects are still felt today, while the aorist tense of "looked" and "touched" refers to completed past actions. This distinction underscores that Jesus' teachings and actions are not just historical events but living truths that shape our present and future. [26:23]
Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Reflection: How can you make Jesus' teachings a more active part of your daily life? What steps can you take to ensure that His words continue to influence your actions and decisions?
Day 4: Joy vs. Happiness
Joy is a divine gift that is not dependent on circumstances. Unlike happiness, which is fleeting and circumstantial, joy is a deep-seated pleasure that comes from a relationship with Jesus. This joy allows us to remain content and hopeful even in difficult times. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this joy, stating that whether he lives or dies, he is content because of his relationship with Christ. As we go through life's challenges, we can find true joy in our connection with Jesus, which sustains us beyond temporary happiness. [34:32]
James 1:2-3 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness."
Reflection: Reflect on the difference between joy and happiness in your life. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of joy that is rooted in your relationship with Jesus, regardless of your circumstances?
Day 5: Proving Our Faith
Our faith should be evident not just to ourselves but to others. Just as we prove our love for our spouse through actions, we must also prove our faith through our lives. This series will help us ask critical questions to evaluate and demonstrate the authenticity of our faith. By living out our faith in tangible ways, we can show others the reality of our relationship with Jesus. This involves not just words but actions that reflect our commitment to Him. [16:02]
James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Reflection: Think about how your faith is demonstrated in your daily actions. What is one specific way you can prove your faith to others this week through your actions and decisions?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Because joy does not equal happiness, it does not depend on circumstances that would make us happy. It actually supersedes things of even life and death, meaning we could still be joyful in the face of death. Read what the apostle Paul says when he says, hey, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. You understand what that means? Paul says, hey, if I keep living for the next 30 years, awesome. I'm going to preach Jesus to everybody I see in here. If I die today before I get home, great. I get to see Jesus firsthand. Like, what do you do to somebody like that? How can you threaten somebody like that? Paul, we're going to keep you alive. Great. I get to preach Jesus. We're going to kill you. Sweet. I get to go home to Jesus. Like, do you see how that's completely different than happiness? That is a joy. That is a contentment that only comes from God." [36:02]
2. "Anybody can be happy. You don't have to be a Christian to be happy. Happy, happy, happy, right? Joy, true joy, real joy, I believe can only come from a relationship. Relationship with Jesus. Because there are things in this life that aren't happy, and we can still be joyous during them. So here's my question. Here's your first question for the series. How's my joy? This is the question you're going to ask yourself. How's my joy? Right? And remember, joy does not equal happiness, so you don't have to be happy to be joyful. Joyful can mean happiness, but it doesn't necessarily have to mean happiness." [37:27]
3. "We don't serve a really good man. We serve a Savior who has always existed, who became a man for us. That's why it's important. Number two, Jesus proves who he is in person. So not only has he always existed, yet he chose to reveal himself to us as one of us. This is where we see baby Jesus in a manger. He was God who became one of us. He chose to reveal himself as one of us. Turns out that was needed. That was needed for our salvation." [21:43]
4. "We don't serve an invisible savior. We don't serve someone who's just out there somewhere, maybe, that we'll never see. And if you have a problem with the fact that Jesus might be a real person, know this, when he comes back for us, he will be real. He will still be real." [23:30]
5. "Jesus changes us forever. Not just he changes us and makes some tweaks here and there, and it only lasts a little bit. He changes us forever. So in order to understand this one, we're going to need to do a little work, okay? We're going to need to do a little Greek grammar session. You guys okay with that? Right? And they're like, come on, school's out, like, practically. Do we really have to do... Yes, we really have to do this, and it's not going to be hard, okay?" [24:54]
### Quotes for Members
1. "Our faith is not merely a mental state of being. It's a tangible truth that can be proven. And so a lot of times up here, we'll open up the Q&A like we did for this last series that we did, and you guys send me questions, and I try to answer them at the end. We're going to do something like reverse Q&A for this series, okay? You're not going to send in your questions, although I am entirely open to your questions. Just as a side note, is Robert okay if I ever question anything he says? Absolutely, because that tells me you're listening, all right? But that's beside the point." [14:44]
2. "So I'm going to ask you questions throughout this series, and the hope is that you can ask this question to yourself, and depending on how you answer this question, it is proving or disproving the faith that you claim to have. So each week, there's going to be a big question that you have to ask yourself. And if you ask this, if you answer this question, it's going to be a big question that you have to ask yourself. In the positive, that is proof. If you answer it in the negative, or meaning you can't answer it in the positive, you want to get curious about that as to why it is." [16:02]
3. "I believe that you're going to be able to prove with complete confidence to yourself and to others that you know Jesus, that you actually do know him. And I don't mean just in a cursory understanding, like you know him. There is an intimate knowledge there. I believe that you're going to be able to prove to yourself and others with complete confidence that you love Jesus, and that you're going to be able to prove to yourself and others. With complete confidence that you believe in Jesus, that what you believe is not only true, you know why you believe it." [17:30]
4. "You and I will never understand who Jesus is by simply glancing at him from time to time. We must spend significant time in close proximity, watching, studying, learning. And you're like, well, how do we do that? How do we watch Jesus? How do we study Jesus when he's not here? Jesus left. In his word, the very photograph of what he looks like. You want to see what Jesus looks like? You read these pages and you see Jesus. You want to hear what Jesus looks like? You read these pages and you will hear the voice of Jesus. You want to be able to tell the voice of Jesus in your own life? Learn to listen to what he sounds like. Then when you hear it, you'll know it's his voice. My sheep know me. They know my voice. My voice. And they listen to me." [31:18]
5. "We will not get to know Jesus by simply glancing at him from time to time and simply brushing up against him from time to time. We must spend significant time studying him, learning his voice, seeing his picture. And then number four, Jesus came to us for us. He came to us for us. Now, this is where normally my hyper-reformed friends flip their lid. Because they're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Jesus did not come for us. He came for God's glory. Because he was all about God's glory. And when you say that he came for us, that's putting our needs in front and ahead of God's glory. Listen, stop. I understand the argument and calm down, okay?" [33:00]
6. "Remember this. Jesus was preexistent from all eternity in perfect community with God, the Father, himself, and the Spirit. He did not need to, come here for us. And he chose to come here to become one of us. So two things can be true. God can be living, or sorry, Jesus can be doing everything for the glory of God and it be for us. And if you have a problem with the thinking that Jesus came for us, then you're going to have a real problem when you realize he's coming back for us. And guess what? It will be for the glory of God. Right? He came to us for us." [33:00]
7. "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard. There are those words again, by the way, written in the same way. So that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. Here we see another reason for John's writing this, to make our joy complete. Well, what does that mean? It means to Well, first off, it's important to know that joy does not equal happiness. Joy does not equal happiness. A lot of people are surprised to realize that when you read the Bible, you see that God's biggest goal in life has nothing to do with your happiness. It has everything to do with your holiness. And sometimes that holiness even comes at the expense of your happiness." [34:32]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?