Epikos Church Sermons Epikos Church

In this week's sermon, Pastor Mark Deering focuses on the themes of eternal life and prayer. He emphasizes that eternal life begins when one has saving faith in Jesus Christ, not just after physical death. He encourages boldness and confidence in prayer, as believers are invited into God's presence through Jesus. Mark guides us through different types of prayer—upward (praising God), inward (personal requests), and outward (interceding for others). He challenges us to fuel our life of faith through bold prayers, not holding back but praying with the confidence that God hears us.

In this week's sermon, Pastor Mark Deering discusses the testimony of the "three witnesses" mentioned in 1 John 5:6–12—the water (Jesus' baptism), the blood (Jesus' atoning sacrifice), and the Spirit (the Holy Spirit dwelling in believers)—as proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be. He encourages us to stand firm in our faith, live a life that defends our faith, and humbly learn how to better articulate and defend our beliefs when facing opposition or skepticism, as God has given us all we need to maintain our confidence in Christ.

In this week's sermon, Pastor Mark Deering delves into the topic of discernment, discussing how the Apostle John instructed the early church to test every spirit or way of thinking against two litmus tests: whether it upholds their view of Jesus, and whether it upholds their unity under Christ. He shares some practical steps for growing in spiritual discernment by being Spirit-filled, listening and learning, and disagreeing well on non-essential matters while remaining united under the essentials of the faith. He closes out the sermon by encouraging us to foster unity amidst differing viewpoints by keeping Christ at the center.