Transformation Church Thunder Bay

Transformation Church Thunder Bay

Sunday Messages from Transformation Church in Thunder Bay, ON Canada

  1. 18h ago

    Perfect Love

    This week, we take a look at 1 John 4:7-21. Hannah Chun is preaching. In this passage, John brings us to the very foundation of the Christian life: love. John says something remarkable. He doesn't simply tell us that God loves. He tells us that God is love. Love is not just something God does from time to time; it is who He is. Everything that God does flows from His loving character. As I've reflected on this passage throughout the week, I would offer this summary statement:Those who know the love of God become people who love like God.John reminds us that God showed His love by sending His Son into the world. Jesus did not come because we deserved it. He came because God loved us. The cross is the clearest picture of what love looks likeself-giving, sacrificial, and undeserved. As a result, John tells us that if we have received this love, we cannot keep it to ourselves. God's love changes us. It moves us outward toward others. Children of God act like their Father. They love because they have first been loved. John also speaks about fear. Many people live with fear, uncertainty, guilt, and shame. But perfect love drives out fear. The more we understand God's love for us in Christ, the less fear has power over our lives. We do not have to wonder whether God is for us. He has already shown us through Jesus. There are two ways to live. We can live controlled by fear, or we can live rooted in God's love. John calls us to abide in that love. The one who remains in God's love grows in confidence, joy, and assurance. Children of God know love. They have experienced God's love in Jesus Christ, and as such, they become loving. They act like who they are.

  2. The Solid Rock

    May 31

    The Solid Rock

    This week, we will look at 1 John 4:1-6. In this passage John addresses the false ideas that some people had about who Jesus was. John warns his readers that we should not just accept without discernment what people say about Jesus. It's easy to think that because someone talks about Jesus, they must be a believer. We need to be more discerning than that. The fact is, there is a spirit of AntiChrist in the world, and it is at work to sow confusion and disinformation about our faith. If this spirit can cause Christians to become confused in their thinking, it will lead people away from the faith. So first of all, we need to use our powers of discernment when listening to what others are saying about Jesus. Secondly, we need to resist the spirit of deception that is at work to lead us astray. Lastly, we need to declare the victory we have. There are many Christians who live scared, confused and defeated lives. John says that we are the victorious ones. We have the victory over the world by the Spirit that lives in us. That means we can be confident, joyous and courageous in life. We are not sloshing around in miry clay, slipping and sliding our way through life. We have our feet standing on solid ground. We are walking a straight path. We are moving towards a glorious future. Don't let any deception convince you otherwise! As John later says: "everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith."

  3. Knowing Love

    May 24

    Knowing Love

    Knowing Love This week, we take a look at 1 John 3:11-24. It may surprise you how binary John is about hate and love. He reminds us of the story about Cain. "Cain," he says, "belonged to the evil one and killed his brother." Notice the wording. Cain belonged to the evil one. As I've pondered this throughout the week, I would offer you a summary statement of what John is telling us in this passage. There are two powers to belong to. We all belong to one or the other. To belong to the evil one results in killing, murder and death. To belong to the Good One results in life and sacrificial love. As a result, John tells us that children of God know love. They have experienced love in Jesus Christ, and as such, they become loving. Children of God act like who they are. To know God is to know love. To know love is to live a life filled with love.

  4. Like Father, Like Son

    May 17

    Like Father, Like Son

    We continue on with our study of 1 John with chapter 2:28 through 3:10. Last week, we learned about the antichrists who had been in the church community, but had left, claiming that they had a superior revelation of who Jesus was. This week John would have us know this: "Children of God will act like their Father." Like Father, like Son. Like Father, like daughter. The antichrists did not act like Jesus.John gives us tests, allowing us to test consistency. For those of us who are new to the faith and for those of us who have been long time followers of Jesus these tests are convicting and refreshing. We are reminded that we've become new people in Jesus, and because we are new people, born of God, there's only one way for us to live, the Jesus way. We don't muck around in the muck anymore.

  5. Truth

    May 10

    Truth

    This coming weekend, we continue on with our study of 1 John with chapter 2, verses 18-27. In this passage, there's a group that has recently left John's church. They were divisive. They were antichrists. They were liars. They claim to know the truth, but their knowledge is based in a lie. John would have us remember the truth. He clearly spells out for us what the truth is. This truth is non-negotiable. John shows us that what we believe really matters. John then encourages his people to go back to what they've been taught from the very beginning. While the false teachers claim to have the knowledge, he says to his church, "You too have received the Holy Spirit and you too can listen to Him. You do not need a teacher." In preparation, what truth is non-negotiable, and why does that truth matter so much? What characteristic marked the attitude of the antichrists? How do we cling to truth?

  6. Real Life With A Real God

    May 3

    Real Life With A Real God

    We've been working through the book of 1 John. It seems that as we launch into 1 John: 2:12 -17, John starts off by taking a pause. He's been challenging and admonishing the believers to probe their lives for what's real. Here he wants to reassure and remind in verses 12 to 14. Reflect on this as you read it. I've read it over and over again. Why would John repeat reminders of the faith to the three different categories of people? Why would he repeat all the categories twice? It seems to me that for John to do this twice means this is the pinnacle of what matters, the great reminder of what gives us hope, courage, and strength as we follow Jesus here on this earth. Notice that he says, "I am writing this to you," and then he changes and says, "I have written to you." John would have us know that there is areal life to be had with a real God. John then goes on to contrast how if we believe the lie of world that promises "real life" our true life with the Father will be lost. What this world has to offer, when placed outside of relationship with God, always comes up empty handed. Everything about this world and its short term promised satisfaction will pass away. We can havereal relationship with a real God. Let's not settle for the lesser things.

  7. The Authenticity Test

    Apr 26

    The Authenticity Test

    The world that has become so good at creating something that'ssoclose to authentic.We now carefully scan our emails for "The fake" before we click on it. We study images to see if we can detect AI, and now we have to think about the future with deepfakes. We crave authenticity. John says authenticity is the only way to have relationship with God.Jesus is completely authentic. John provides us with the ability to do a test, a litmus test on our lives. This test provides us with the ability to know if we have a relationship with God, or not. We find his test given to us in 1 John 2:3-11. The results of the test either reassure us that we know God, or they convict us that we are talking "smoke and mirrors." The test is not complicated, but it is surely probing.

  8. Chaos to Clarity

    Apr 19

    Chaos to Clarity

    John is an elder by now. He's in his 80s or 90s. He's seen life. John's letter is written to a congregation in the first century. Some false teachers have caused chaos. They have taught things about God that aren't true. John wants His congregation toknow that they know,to have clarity and truth about who God is, and how we relate to him. Of course, God in his divine plan knew that we also would need such a letter. In our chaotic world where so many things have become subjective we need something to base our lives on. We need to know that we know. John had discovered what was real in life and he wanted everyone to know the realness of fellowship with God. He wanted everyone to know that real fellowship with God changes us. He wanted us to know that holiness in our life matters. He wanted us to be aware of our sins, and to acknowledge and confess them. He wanted us to know these things, so that we wouldn't sin, but that if we did, we had Jesus on our side. John had clarity and he wants us to have it too. In preparation, I encourage you to read 1 John 1 through Chapter 2 verse 2.

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Sunday Messages from Transformation Church in Thunder Bay, ON Canada

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