Our current series through 1 John is Life in the Light: Knowing Christ. Walking in Truth. Loving One Another.

These sermon notes are not a full manuscript but a listening guide designed to help our Tabernacle Church family follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can also find sermon notes, family devotional guides, our prayer list, and other resources on our church website.

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1 John 3:11-18

Intro

• In 3:4–10, the Word dealt with our relationship to sin.
• Verse 10 transitions to another evidence of genuine faith: “…nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
• Now the text shows us what genuine Christian love looks like.

Love Is God’s Desire — vv. 11–12

Love seeks God’s glory and the other’s good — v. 11

• Love has been part of the Christian message from the beginning.
• Loving one another is an ongoing responsibility.
• The immediate emphasis is love within the family of God.
• Jesus broadens that responsibility: love God and love your neighbor.

Biblical love is more than emotion, affection, or affirmation. It seeks another person’s true good through truth, sacrifice, and action. Their greatest good is to know Christ, follow Christ, and grow in Christ.

Biblical love asks:

• What honors God?
• What truly helps this person?

His glory. Their good.

Hatred of righteousness exposes who we are — v. 12

• Cain is the opposite of brotherly love.
• His deeds were evil; Abel’s were righteous.
• Hatred in the heart eventually became murder with the hands.

What fills the heart will eventually show up in the way we treat people.

Love is a Heart Issue — vv. 13–15

Love is not always accepted — v. 13

• Opposition should not surprise us.
• Faithfulness to Christ will not always be welcomed.
• We can love people, seek their good, and speak the truth—and still be rejected.

Love reveals new life — v. 14

• Salvation has moved us from death to life.
• Love is evidence of that new life.
• Our actions flow from who we are.

We do because of who we are.

Hatred reveals spiritual death — v. 15

• The Word moves from the outward act to the inward root.
• Murder is the action; hatred is the heart behind it.

Love Is Defined by Christ — v. 16

Christ shows us what love is

• His sacrifice was voluntary.
• His love was personal and sacrificial.
• The cross gives us the clearest definition of love.

Cain took a life. Christ laid down His life.

Christ shows us how love lives

• His self-giving love becomes the pattern for His people.
• Because He gave Himself for us, we should give ourselves for others.

We do not define love by culture, emotion, or preference. We define love by Christ and the cross.

Love Should Be on Display — vv. 17–18

Love responds to real needs — v. 17

The Word moves from Christ’s greatest sacrifice to an everyday opportunity to love.

• He has — he possesses the ability to help.
• He sees — the need is known and real.
• He closes — he has the resources and sees the need, but refuses compassion.

The claim to love God is contradicted when we are unwilling to love others.

Love acts and speaks in truth — v. 18

• The problem is not loving words; the problem is words without action.
• In deed – genuine love becomes visible. Love acts and responds.
• Biblical love uses wisdom and discernment; not every request is necessarily a genuine need.
• In truth — love must be genuine and consistent with God’s truth.

Biblical love never separates compassion from truth.

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The What Now

Love What God Loves

• Seek God’s glory and the good of others. Let your love help people know Christ, follow Christ, and grow in Christ.

Guard Your Heart

• Pay attention to what your attitudes and reactions reveal. Refuse bitterness, resentment, hostility, and hatred—even when you are rejected or opposed.

Ask yourself:

• Is my heart right?
• Is my motive Christlike?
• Is my tone gracious?
• Are my words truthful and necessary?
• Am I trying to help—or simply trying to win?

Let Christ Define Love

• Let the cross, not culture, emotion, approval, or affirmation, define how you love. Because Christ gave Himself for us, we should increasingly give ourselves for others.

Truth matters. How we speak the truth matters. Why we speak the truth matters.

Remember the Goal – God’s glory. Their good.

• For the lost: redemption
• For the believer: sanctification
• For us: faithfulness to Christ

Many people realize today is Halloween—but far fewer remember that it is also Reformation Day.

On October 31, 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the University of Wittenberg. His goal was simple: to spark a theological discussion about the abuse of indulgences within the church. What he could not have known was that this single act would become the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation, a gospel awakening that would reshape the church and influence the world for centuries to come.

In the years that followed, the Reformation called believers back to the authority of God’s Word and the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work. It was a movement of renewal—pressing the church to rediscover the heart of the gospel and to reform its worship, doctrine, and daily life.

At its center were the Five Solas—the guiding principles that still anchor a faithful understanding of the gospel today:

• Sola Scriptura — Scripture alone is our final authority.
• Sola Gratia — Grace alone is the source of our salvation.
• Sola Fide — Faith alone is the means by which we receive it.
• Solus Christus — Christ alone is our only Mediator and Redeemer.
• Soli Deo Gloria — To the glory of God alone is the purpose of all things.

These truths not only shaped history, they must guide our lives and our church today. The Reformation reminds us to keep the gospel central, the Bible open, and our hearts fixed on Christ.

Take a few minutes today to reflect on the historical and spiritual impact of the Reformation and how it continues to shape the church’s mission in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I’ve included a few helpful links below to learn more about this significant day and its lasting importance.

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What Is the Reformation All About? – Ligonier MInistries

Are the Five Solas Biblical? – Southern Seminary

Our current series through 1 John is Life in the Light: Knowing Christ. Walking in Truth. Loving One Another.

These sermon notes are not a full manuscript but a listening guide designed to help our Tabernacle Church family follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can also find sermon notes, family devotional guides, our prayer list, and other resources on our church website.

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1 John 3:4-10

Intro

• John has reminded us of the Father’s great love in making us His children.
• Because we are God’s children, we have a new identity and a future hope in Christ.
• That hope should shape how we live now: “everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself” (v. 3).
• John now moves from our identity as God’s children to the way God’s children should live.
• The issue is not sinless perfection, but whether sin or righteousness characterizes the direction of our lives.
• Those who have been born of God should increasingly live like children of God.

1. Sin Is Rebellion Against God — v. 4

The practice of sin is the issue

• John is describing a settled pattern of life.
• The issue is not whether a believer ever sins, but whether sin characterizes the direction of life.

Sin is lawlessness

• Sin rejects God’s authority.
• Sin falls short of God’s glory.
• Sin flows from the heart.

• Romans 3:23 — sin falls short of God’s glory.
• James 4:17 — sin includes failing to do what is right.
• Mark 7:20–23 — sin flows from the heart.

Sin must be taken seriously

• Do not minimize sin.
• Do not rename what God calls sin.
• Confess it and turn from it.

Because sin is rebellion against God, we must take it seriously and turn from it.

2. Christ Came to Break the Power of Sin — vv. 5–8

Christ came to take away sin

• He came to deal with sin’s guilt, penalty, and power.

Christ came to destroy the works of the devil

• Habitual sin reflects the devil’s rebellion.
• Christ came to destroy what sin and Satan produce.

Christ breaks sin’s dominion

• We are no longer enslaved to sin.
• Sin no longer has dominion over those in Christ.
• Believers cannot make peace with sin as the settled direction of life.

• Romans 6:6 — no longer enslaved to sin.
• Romans 6:14 — sin will not have dominion over you.
• Colossians 1:13 — delivered from the domain of darkness.
• Hebrews 2:14 — Christ defeated the one who had the power of death.

Because Christ came to defeat sin and destroy the works of the devil, we must refuse to accept what He came to overcome.

3. The New Birth Produces a New Way of Life — vv. 9–10

The new birth changes our relationship with sin

• Before conversion, sin ruled us.
• After conversion, sin remains, but it no longer reigns.

The gospel gives us power and hope

• We are born again.
• We are a new creation.
• God continues His work in us.

Our lives should show a new direction

• Righteousness becomes the new direction.
• Sanctification means real growth is possible.
• The issue is not perfection, but direction.

Because the gospel has given us new life and broken sin’s dominion, we should pursue holiness with confidence that, by God’s grace, we can overcome sin.

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The What Now

Do not minimize sin.

• See sin for what it is: rebellion against God. Confess it, repent of it, and take it seriously.

Do not normalize what Christ came to destroy.

• Do not excuse, tolerate, or become comfortable with patterns of sin in your life.

Do not underestimate the power of the gospel to change a life.

• Christ not only forgives us; He gives us new life. Sin may remain, but it no longer has to reign.

Pursue righteousness.

• Live in obedience to God’s Word. Put away sinful patterns and intentionally pursue what reflects the character of Christ.

We do not need to reinvent ministry or chase the latest methods. We need to look carefully at the New Testament, see how Christ and His church lived out the mission, and faithfully follow those biblical patterns today.

In this study, we will focus on the gospel itself, our responsibility to embrace the mission, how to share Christ clearly, and how to help others begin following Him.

What did they do? Acts 2:37–41; Acts 4:29–31; Acts 17:2–4

• proclaimed Christ
• explained the gospel
• called people to repent and believe
• prayed for boldness
• trusted God to save

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Week 6: Helping others follow Christ (part 2)

The Great Commission does not end with a profession of faith. It is just the beginning of a new life. Remember, we are called to go and make disciples. We may feel like we have little to offer because we are still growing ourselves, but what if part of our growth comes as we encourage others in their walk with Christ?

Bring them into the life of the church

Acts 2:41–42; Hebrews 10:24–25

New believers need the local church’s life, teaching, care, and accountability.

• Help them understand why the church matters.
• Lead them toward believer’s baptism as a first step of public obedience.
• Encourage regular worship, fellowship, service, giving, and meaningful membership.
• Help them see that the church is not merely a place they attend, but a people they belong to.  SS/Small Groups are key.
• Teach them that discipleship is personal but never meant to be private.

Continue with them as they grow

1 Thessalonians 2:7–12; 2 Timothy 2:2

• Stay in contact and follow up.
• Ask questions about their walk with Christ.
• Encourage them when they struggle.
• Model faithful Christian living.
• Help them apply Scripture to real life.
• Correct gently when needed.
• Celebrate growth and evidence of grace.
• Encourage them eventually to help someone else follow Christ.

Discipleship is not just giving information. It is walking with someone as they learn to follow Jesus

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The What Now?

• If someone trusted Christ today, would I know how to help them tomorrow?
• Am I prepared to walk with a new believer beyond the initial conversation?
• Do I see evangelism as getting a decision or helping make a disciple?
• Who am I currently helping follow Christ?

Our current series through 1 John is Life in the Light: Knowing Christ. Walking in Truth. Loving One Another.

These sermon notes are not a full manuscript but a listening guide designed to help our Tabernacle Church family follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can also find sermon notes, family devotional guides, our prayer list, and other resources on our church website.

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Intro

• Chapter 2 has shown us what it looks like to truly know Christ: obey Him, love His people, reject the world, and remain in the truth.
• John now carries that same theme into chapter 3.
• We are not only followers of Christ; we are children of God.
• Because we are God’s children, John shows us how our lives should reflect who we are as we wait for Christ to return.

Stay Close to Christ — v. 28

“And now, little children, abide in him…”

To abide means to remain, continue, and stay faithful to Christ.

• In John 15, Jesus connects abiding in Him with a life that bears fruit.
• We do not produce spiritual fruit by simply trying harder; it flows from staying connected to Christ.
• Christ is coming again, so we should live today in a way that prepares us to meet Him with confidence.

Stay close to Christ. Let your life flow out of your relationship with Him.

Practice Righteousness — v. 29

“…everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.”

A Changed heart produces a changed life

• We do not live righteously to become children of God.
• We live righteously because we have been born of God.
• A changed heart results in a righteous life… an ongoing pattern, a new direction, a way of life.

So what does a changed life look like?

• Holds to His truth — the Gospel and the sufficiency of His Word.
• Seeks and worships God.
• Obeys His Word.
• Hates sin and turns from it.
• Bears the fruit of the Spirit.
• Serves others.
• Shares the hope of the Gospel.
• Wins the day by doing the next right thing.

Righteous living is not just doing better. It is not a list of things to do. It is a life of loving Christ, seeking Him, and following Him day by day.

Know Who You Are — 3:1–3

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God…”

We are His Children (Our Identity)

• The Father has shown us incredible love.
• In Christ, we are truly children of God.
• We are deeply loved by our Father.
• We are personally cared for by our Father.
• We are secure in our Father’s hands.
• We belong to His family and are never alone.
• We have a future that is already settled in Christ.
• As God’s children, we are loved, cared for, and secure in Him.

We are growing into the image of His Son (Our direction/destiny)

“…when he appears we shall be like him…and everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies Himself as He is pure

• One day we will see Christ.
• One day we will be like Him.
• Our hope in Christ should shape how we live now.
• Hope in Christ produces a desire for purity.
• Because He is pure, we should pursue holiness.
• Hope in Christ should produce holiness in us.

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The What Now?

• Abide in Christ.
  Stay close to Him through His Word, prayer, and daily dependence on Him.
• Practice righteousness.
  Let your new life show in the way you think, speak, choose, and respond.
• Remember who you are.
  Live each day as someone who is loved, cared for, secure, and being made more like Christ.

Be Devoted to Prayer – Colossians 4:2

Prayer should be a steady part of the lives of God’s people.

• Prayer expresses dependence on God.
• Prayer submits our desires to God’s will.
• Prayer keeps us watchful and thankful.
• We do not pray to convince God to be gracious. We pray because He already is.

Pray for the Sick – James 5:13–16; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10

God invites His people to bring suffering and sickness before Him.

• Ask God to heal.
• Ask God to strengthen and sustain.
• Pray for families and caregivers.
• Pray for wisdom for doctors and medical decisions.
• Trust God’s wisdom even when His answer is not the one we desire.

God can heal, and He can also sustain His people through suffering. Pray boldly while confidently submitting to God’s will.

Pray for the Lost – Romans 10:1

Paul’s desire for the lost moved him to prayer.

• Salvation belongs to the Lord.
• Only God can open blind eyes and give new life.
• God calls us to pray, go, speak, and share the gospel.
• Pray specifically for repentance and faith.

God saves sinners through the gospel. Identify people by name and pray that God would use you to bring the gospel to them.

Pray for Our Nation – 1 Timothy 2:1–4

God calls His people to pray for those in authority.

• Pray for national, state, and local leaders.
• Pray for wisdom, justice, integrity, and humility.
• Pray for the protection of human life.
• Pray for marriage, family, and biblical sexuality.
• Pray for religious liberty.
• Pray for justice and protection of the vulnerable.
• Pray for truth and character in leadership.
• Pray for churches and pastors to remain faithful to Christ.

Our hope is not in political power. Our hope is in Christ. Think biblically, pray faithfully, and trust God completely.

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Truths to Consider

• God is sovereign over sickness, salvation, and nations.
• Prayer is an expression of dependence upon Him.
• God uses the prayers of His people according to His purposes.
• Christ remains Lord regardless of circumstances or political outcomes.

Living them out

• Pray intentionally for those who are sick and suffering.
• Pray intentionally for 2–3 lost people by name.
• Pray intentionally for those in authority.

We do not need to reinvent ministry or chase the latest methods. We need to look carefully at the New Testament, see how Christ and His church lived out the mission, and faithfully follow those biblical patterns today.

In this study, we will focus on the gospel itself, our responsibility to embrace the mission, how to share Christ clearly, and how to help others begin following Him.

What did they do? Acts 2:37–41; Acts 4:29–31; Acts 17:2–4

• proclaimed Christ
• explained the gospel
• called people to repent and believe
• prayed for boldness
• trusted God to save

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Week 5: Helping others follow Christ (part 1)

The Great Commission does not end with a profession of faith. We are called to help people begin following Jesus. Acts 11:23; Colossians 1:28

Remind them of the Gospel

John 6:37; Romans 8:1; 1 John 5:11–13

• Their confidence is not in a prayer, aisle, baptism, or emotional moment.
• Their confidence is in Christ, His finished work, and His promises.
• Present faith and growing fruit help confirm the reality of conversion.

Reasons They May Need to Be Reminded

• Doubt — they question whether Christ will really receive them.
• Guilt — sin makes them feel beyond grace.
• Failure — they confuse spiritual struggle with loss of salvation.
• Fear — they worry they did not respond correctly.
• Legalism — they begin measuring acceptance by performance.
• Dryness — they do not feel close to God.
• Suffering — hardship makes them question God’s faithfulness.
• False assurance — they are trusting a past experience rather than Christ.

Paul Washer’s The Gospel of Jesus Christ is especially helpful here. Tell them to read it slowly, meditate on it, and return to it often as a reminder of the gospel… what Christ has done for you and who you are in Christ.

Encourage Them to Pursue Spiritual Growth

Philippians 2:12–13; 1 Timothy 4:7–8; 2 Peter 1:5–8

God saves us by grace, but as believers, we are to make every effort to grow in Christ.

• Conversion begins a life of discipleship. The Holy Spirit empowers our effort.
• Remind them that following Christ is ongoing growth, not a one-time decision.
• Remind them that their effort flows from God’s work in them, not from trying to earn His favor.
• Be intentional in the spiritual disciplines:
  • Scripture; prayer; worship; fellowship; evangelism; giving
• Establish a simple daily rhythm:
  • 5 minutes of Bible reading
  • 5 minutes of meditation and prayer
  • 5 minutes of a good book (biblical and theological)
• Begin to serve others
• Help them learn to fight sin, pursue holiness, and grow in Christlike character.
• Be an example of what spiritual growth looks like.
• Encourage them to share the gospel and tell others what Christ has done in their life.
• Remind them that growth takes effort, discipline, and perseverance.

God saves them by grace, and they are to “make every effort” to grow in Christ. (God’s sovereignty and our responsibility)

Our current series through 1 John is Life in the Light: Knowing Christ. Walking in Truth. Loving One Another.

These sermon notes are not a full manuscript but a listening guide designed to help our Tabernacle Church family follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can also find sermon notes, family devotional guides, our prayer list, and other resources on our church website.

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1 John 2:15-17

Intro

• John has just reminded believers:
  • Our sins are forgiven.
  • We know the Father.
  • God’s Word abides in us.
  • We have overcome the evil one.
• Now John moves from who we are to how we should live.
• He gives a direct command: “Do not love the world or the things in the world.”
• This is not simply about avoiding certain behaviors.
• The passage moves through two loves, two sources, and two outcomes.

DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD — v. 15a

“Do not love the world or the things in the world.”

• Love — what we value, cherish, pursue, and set our affection upon.
• World — the values, desires, priorities, and thinking that oppose God.
• The issue is not simply what we do, but what has our heart.
• The danger is allowing the world’s values to become our values, its priorities our priorities, and its desires our desires.
• We love the world when its values, priorities, and pleasures begin to capture the heart that belongs to God.

We must guard our hearts from loving what opposes God.

LOVE THE FATHER — v. 15b

“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

The World or the Father

• John presents us with two competing loves.
• We cannot give our hearts to the world while claiming the Father has our highest affection.
• Christians still experience the pull of the world and battle sinful desires.
• The issue is not perfection, but direction.
• What has my heart? What do I value most? What am I pursuing?

What we love reveals where our allegiance lies.

REJECT THE DESIRES OF THE WORLD — v. 16

“For all that is in the world…”

The world continually turns our desires toward self:

• Desires of the flesh — Satisfy me.
  • Pleasure, comfort, appetite, and desires pursued apart from God’s will.
• Desires of the eyes — Give me what I see.
  • We see, we desire, and we begin to believe we need what we see.
• Pride of life — Make much of me.
  • Possessions, accomplishments, recognition, status, power, and position.

Yet the Father Changes Our Desires

Because we know and love the Father, we increasingly desire:

• To please Him.
• To obey His Word.
• To pursue holiness.
• To love others.
• To live for His glory.

The world teaches us to desire what pleases self. The Father changes our desires so that we increasingly want what pleases Him.

LIVE FOR WHAT LASTS — v. 17

“And the world is passing away along with its desires…”

Passing Away or Abiding Forever

The world has a fundamental problem:

It cannot last.

• Its pleasures are passing away.
• Its possessions are passing away.
• Its accomplishments are passing away.
• Its recognition is passing away.
• Even its desires are passing away.

“But whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

• The world → passing away.
• God’s will → abiding forever.
• Obedience does not earn salvation; it demonstrates the direction of a life that knows God.

Why give your heart and your life to something you already know will not last?

Do not give your life to what cannot last.

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THE WHAT NOW

Live With Eternity in View

Ask yourself:

• What has my heart?
• What is shaping my desires?
• What am I living for?

We can live for what we want now, or we can live for what God wants forever.

We can invest our lives in what is passing away, or we can live for what has eternal significance.

Love the Father. Reject the desires of the world. Live for what lasts.