The Town

The world offers much but can never deliver. We are promised happiness, peace, and joy if we buy into the pursuits of our culture. But since sin came into the world it has only been able to offer brokenness and discontentment. Jesus was set against the ways of the world in order to bring us something new - a Kingdom that would last forever. John exhorts the church to turn their affection away from the promises of the world and instead turn their affection toward Jesus who is making all things new.

Every generation in the church is called to carry the Gospel to all generations. Each person has a purpose and mission in which they are called to participate. Children are called to a simple faith as an encouragement to the aged and experienced. Young men and women are called to lead and exert influence for the Gospel. Older and wiser generations are called to share, teach, and preach of the goodness of God. This is how a functioning family works well together for the cause of Christ. We never pass the mantle until we take our last breath.

What is love? Today it can mean so many things. Bono of U2 sings "in the name of love", Haddaway pleads that his baby won't hurt him with it, romantic novelist Jojo Moyes says that "love drives all great stories, and sister Catherine Wybourne says, "Love is free yet binds us." So many opinions and so many songs. John, an Apostle of Jesus tells us that love is absolutely without question a fruit of the Spirit exhibited by true followers of Jesus. In fact, he says, without love for one another, we are walking in darkness and an obstacle to the Gospel. Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment when he said that they were to love one another in the way that he had loved them. This changed everything. To love like Jesus loved will mean a new depth, scope, and purpose in love. A church that loves like Jesus loved will have a contagious culture, clarity of purpose and will thrive on mission.

Humans are heartfelt hypocrites - plain and simple. We claim to know truth but do not practice the truth. But Jesus changes all of that. Jesus transforms heartfelt hypocrites into righteous sons of God. But what is the proof that we have sonship? How do we know that we have been called into the family of God? John provides several tests throughout his letter to the church - and these tests are designed to call the unbeliever to faith while assuring the true believer that they are indeed an adopted son of God. The first test John asks is whether or not we are liars or sons. We can know that we are a son if we desire to live the way that Jesus lived. Many claim to know God - but what is their proof?

Has God spoiled the ending? Does God's promise to forgive us for all our sins give us a reason to sin? Won't a person who know's they can get away with something take advantage of the one who allows them to get away with it? Not for the person who's heart has been won over by grace! God has not allowed us to get away with our sin, but instead poured out all of his wrath upon Jesus who became our sin, so that we might have the forgiveness of sins. This forgiveness, this immeasurable grace doesn't spoil us and encourage us to sin, but rather compels us to do war with sin out of our love for the God who has been gracious to forgive us of our sins.

Am I a Christian if I am struggling with sin? What if I want victory but can't seem to make it happen? What does the Gospel have to say about me if I am struggling in sin? John is very clear that those who are bearing fruit are truly Christians. However, those who claim to be a Christian but do not desire the things that God desires make God and themselves out to be a liar - and only one of these is true. The good news is that imperfect people can be in perfect relationship with God because of the perfect work of Jesus.

In a fast-changing culture, the church must be united under one truth - that Jesus Christ is Lord. The church must speak the truth with clarity, in love, in humility, and with loving kindness to a world that is broken and hurting. Too often we have ignored the truth, run from the truth, devised a new truth or keep the truth silent. But the Gospel demands that every human being reckon and respond to the Truth that is the Gospel. Our response to the changing culture cannot be one of shock or hatred, but rather understanding and love. We can hold fast to the truth of Scripture and love those who disagree with the Gospel - in fact it is our calling. Our mission, and purpose and reaction to the changing culture depend on our unity under the Gospel. We must make much about Jesus and speak the truth with clarity.

John wrote his letter to a fractured church. And to deal with the fracture John taught about the quality and proof of God's love for his people. God's love is our model for how we ought to love one another. God's love is the reason we have salvation. God's love is everlasting and has secured eternal life for the believer. If we have been loved by God and if we have loved God, we will love others in the way that God has loved us.

Christian's often talk about having a joy that surpasses all understanding. This is a joy that Christian's possess no matter what life might bring their way. But how is this kind of joy possible? It is in the blessings of justification that we can discover the means of joy. Justification is the foundation of our joy in that no matter what happens we know that we have peace with God, stand in grace and can rejoice even in suffering.

Christian's often talk about having a joy that surpasses all understanding. This is a joy that Christian's possess no matter what life might bring their way. But how is this kind of joy possible? It is in the blessings of justification that we can discover the means of joy. Justification is the foundation of our joy in that no matter what happens we know that we have peace with God, stand in grace and can rejoice even in suffering.

Pastor Dan Betters shares his life verse, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Pastoral Intern Steve Hart shares his life verse, Acts 1:8.

Pastor Tom Harr from Faith Presbyterian shares his life verse, Ephesians 2:8-10.

Parents dream of a home where children obey them. But obedience is more than adherence to the rules. Obedience is born from the desire to honor authority. Parents that wish to cultivate a culture of honor and obedience will make it their goal to honor others in their relationships. The Scriptures give us very clear instruction on how we are to honor everyone and their position in relationship to us whether they are equals, superior or inferior to us in relation. Parents will cultivate a gospel-centered spirit of honor and obedience in their home by honoring the relationships they have.

There is no question that parenting is incredibly difficult and incredibly rewarding. As parents, we can freely admit that much of the time we are making things up as we go along. We need grace and we need to give our children grace. When God matters most to us parents will look for moments to inject the Gospel story into redemptive moments. In Ephesians, Paul has a few but very specific instructions for parents that can change the course of their lives and the course of their children's lives. Our goal as Christian parents is to give our children grace by giving them the full story of the Gospel. It is our goal to teach our children to view all of life through the triumph of Jesus Christ as Lord.

What is the secret to a great marriage? It is a constant pursuit of something greater than ourselves? Husbands and wives that pursue Jesus in their marriage will always be pursuing greatness. In Ephesians, Paul says that the relationship that Jesus has with the church is an illustration of a great marriage. Husbands and wives are to treat each other with the same self-sacrificing love that Jesus loved the church with. No matter if we are looking to get married, already married, fighting for our marriage or ready to quit, the Gospel applied will transform our relationships from good to great.

When all is said and done what will you have left the ones that you love on this earth? How will their lives be different because of the investment that you made in them? The older we get the more we think about what our legacy might be. The history books will not remember most of our names but the mark we leave will be felt for generations even by those who have long forgotten we ever existed. How we raise our families now and what we teach our families about God will reverberate for generations. What kind of legacy are you leaving your family? In this sermon, guest preacher, Dr. Chuck F. Betters preaches from the story of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River to begin their conquest of the Promised Land. Upon crossing the river they build a memorial consisting of 12 stones. It would be a memorial that would be noticed for generations to come and the story of that historic day would be retold to remind the generations of God's great covenantal love for His people. Each of us are building a lega

In Ephesians Paul has some detailed instruction for how families ought to function. But these instructions are found deep into his letter to the church and only come after Paul has revealed the mystery of the Gospel. How we live our lives in the context of family is heavily dependent upon what we believe about God and the implications the Gospel have on our lives and relationships. We matter to God and when God matters most to is the Gospel will inform us about ourselves and the people we live with, it will reform us as we seek to remove sin and prioritize Jesus above all things and it will transform is into humble servants who serve others out of a reverence for Jesus.

There is a tension in which we all live. With each passing minute we know that we are closer to the end of this life. With each battle in life we wonder if there will be a positive outcome. Even when we experience a positive outcome we wonder where the next hammer might fall. We can either succumb to the tension of being a part of the human race or we can trust that God has not only relieved the tension but broken it completely. We can either live in the agony of defeat or the spoils of victory. Jesus has won the victory and his resurrection is the very basis for why the Christian can proclaim, "Jesus changes everything."

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem he did not come as a conquering king but rather as a suffering servant. He came to die for the very race that put him to death. But before Jesus would die on a cross the crowd had to decide what they believed about Jesus. Some ignored him. Some rejected him. Some sought to kill him. Others wanted to wait and see. And others believed he was the King. Each of us must reckon with Jesus. There is no doubt that he changed the world. No matter where we stand we must make a decision - we must come to a verdict. For those who believe that Jesus is the King a real life change will happen. For those who worship the king possess an unwavering confidence, an unbreakable hope, a perfect peace, and life eternal.