Living Hope Family Church Marana Sermon‪s‬ Living Hope Family Church Marana

John is writing a group of believers that have been assaulted with false teachings of claims contradicting the deity or humanity of Jesus. In addition some were claiming that they were not sinners or that sin didn't matter. John begins refuting these claims in this first chapter.

The world's idea of love is not the same as God's requirements. We can't produce it on our own. We need the Holy Spirit. The fruit produced is eternal and effective.

All too often, we limit who God is by our experiences. We think that God will be like our natural father or we think God behave like what we see on TV or in the movies. We limit what we think God can do by what “we” think is possible. But, His ways are not our ways. He may well, and often does, do things in ways that are totally different to how we would have or would like them done.

Today, particularly in the U.S., we are ruled by science. In other words, if it can't be sensed, understood, and explained by our natural senses, we are skeptical, or even downright negative towards it. However, we serve God who is in the business of the supernatural. If we want to see God move in spectacular ways, we have to be open to the supernatural working of God.

As we enter the new year, resolutions are on everyone’s mind. We are all focused on a new future. Turns out, Christianity is always looking towards the future. We let go of our past because it has already been paid for. We look towards the future, to who we are in Christ, and not who we were.

The same great power that raised Jesus from the dead drew us to God. His power surpasses the limits of nature for those who believe.