Why Should I Follow Jesus?
Scripture Covered
John 10, John 21, Matthew 16:24–26
Every person is on a journey, navigating the joys and difficulties of life. The path to the kingdom of heaven doesn't only lead us to mountaintops—it also leads through valleys.
Sometimes following Jesus takes us deeper into the valley than we ever expected. We experience loss, disappointment, unanswered prayers, broken relationships, and questions we never imagined we'd ask. In those moments, it's easy to wonder:
"God, can I trust You? Is following You really worth it?"
In this week's message, Joey Levesque reminded us that Jesus doesn't promise an easy road—but He does promise Himself. Even in life's hardest moments, Jesus continues to extend the same invitation: "Follow Me."
Jesus Is the Good Shepherd
In John 10, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.
Unlike a hired hand who runs away when danger comes, the Good Shepherd willingly lays down His life for His sheep. Jesus isn't motivated by obligation or personal gain. He genuinely loves His people and cares for them.
That matters because every day we're surrounded by voices competing for our attention.
Our culture tells us to follow success.
Social media tells us to follow approval.
Material possessions promise satisfaction.
Relationships can become our identity.
Yet none of those things can truly protect us, save us, or satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts.
Jesus reminds us to be careful what we follow because only He is the Shepherd who knows us, loves us, and gave His life for us.
The Real Problem Is Sin
Jesus also speaks about wolves—things that pull us away from Him.
Ultimately, every wolf traces back to one problem: sin.
Sin has broken our relationship with God and brought pain into every part of creation. It has produced guilt, shame, brokenness, suffering, and ultimately death.
The reality is that none of us are perfect.
Whether our sins are obvious or hidden, every one of us has fallen short of God's standard. Some people ignore that truth. Others carry the weight of it every day.
But neither pretending nor despairing solves the problem.
Only Jesus does.
Jesus Meets Us in Our Failure
One of the most encouraging moments in Scripture comes after Jesus' resurrection in John 21.
Peter had denied Jesus three times before the crucifixion. He failed publicly and carried tremendous guilt.
When Jesus met Peter again, He didn't reject him.
He restored him.
Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, and then He ended the conversation with two simple words: "Follow Me."
Jesus didn't define Peter by his worst failure.
Instead, He called him forward into a new life. That's still what Jesus does today.
Following Jesus Through the Valley
Joey shared personally about walking through the loss of both his grandmother and, just months later, his father.
Those experiences brought difficult questions and deep grief.
Why didn't God answer every prayer?
Why does following Jesus still include suffering?
Those questions don't always have simple answers.
But through every painful moment, one truth remained constant:
Jesus never left.
The Good Shepherd continued walking beside him, hearing every prayer, collecting every tear, and faithfully carrying him through the valley.
Our circumstances may change, but the character of Jesus never does.
The Gospel Gives Us Hope
The greatest demonstration of God's love is the Gospel itself.
Because of sin, humanity was separated from God.
But Jesus stepped into our broken world, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again three days later, defeating both sin and death.
Through faith in Christ, that separation has been removed.
Jesus doesn't simply make life easier.
He makes eternal life possible.
This is why Christians can have hope even in the middle of grief.
Death is no longer the end of the story.
What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?
Following Jesus means more than believing facts about Him.
It means surrendering our lives to Him.
It means finding our identity in Christ instead of our failures.
It means turning away from sin and trusting Him enough to obey, even when it's difficult.
Freedom doesn't come from pretending sin doesn't exist.
Freedom comes from allowing the Good Shepherd to lead us into a new way of living.
As Paul writes in Galatians 5:1: "It was for freedom that Christ set us free."
Why Does Life Still Hurt?
One of the biggest questions believers ask is: "If I'm following Jesus, why does life still hurt?"
Jesus never promised His followers a life without pain.
In fact, He told His disciples they would experience trouble in this world.
But He also promised that He has overcome the world.
The presence of suffering doesn't mean God has abandoned us.
Instead, it reminds us how deeply we need Him.
Jesus understands grief because He entered into it Himself.
He isn't distant from our pain—He walks with us through it.
Following the Good Shepherd
Every one of us is following something.
The question isn't whether we're following.
The question is who we're following.
Success will disappoint.
Approval will fade.
Possessions won't last.
Only Jesus offers forgiveness, peace, purpose, and eternal life.
The invitation He gave Peter is the same invitation He gives each of us today: "Follow Me."
What Are You Really Trusting?
1 John 5:18–21
In a world full of competing voices, substitute saviors, and counterfeit promises, what are you really trusting?
As we come to the end of 1 John, the apostle John closes his letter with a challenge that is just as relevant today as it was nearly 2,000 years ago. Throughout the letter, John has focused on confidence—confidence in our salvation, confidence in prayer, confidence in God’s love, and confidence in the truth about Jesus.
Now he ends with three simple words: “We know.”
We Know We Are Secure
John begins by reminding believers that those who have been born of God do not continue in a lifestyle of willful, habitual sin.
This doesn’t mean Christians never struggle. It doesn’t mean believers never fail. John has already made that clear earlier in the letter. Rather, genuine salvation produces genuine transformation. New birth leads to new conduct.
As one scholar put it, “New conduct should follow from new birth.”
The Christian can honestly say, “I’m a child of God. Choosing sin isn’t who I am anymore.”
John then points us to the reason believers can have confidence:
“The one who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
Jesus Himself protects and preserves His people. That doesn’t mean Christians are immune from suffering, hardship, temptation, or spiritual attack. Jesus promised those things would come. What it does mean is that Satan cannot ultimately steal what Christ has secured.
The believer’s relationship with God is safe because it is guarded by Jesus Himself.
We Know Who We Belong To
John’s second statement is equally clear:
“We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.”
John draws the same line Jesus drew throughout His ministry. There are ultimately two kingdoms, two allegiances, and two masters.
That idea can sound offensive in a culture that values endless options and personal truth. Yet John is not claiming Christians are morally superior. Christians are not better than anyone else.
They’re rescued.
John’s point is not that believers are impressive. His point is that God is powerful.
While the world remains trapped under the influence of sin and rebellion, God’s people belong to Him and are under His care.
We Know the Truth
John’s third statement centers on Jesus:
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one.”
What a remarkable gift.
God didn’t leave humanity guessing. He didn’t leave us wandering through competing philosophies and conflicting claims about truth. He came to us in Jesus.
The Greek word John uses for “understanding” carries the idea of reasoning that leads to perception. Christianity is not blind faith. God has given us the ability to recognize and understand the truth revealed in Christ.
There are countless voices competing for our attention today. Every platform, influencer, ideology, and movement claims to possess truth.
John reminds us that truth is ultimately found in a Person.
Jesus came so that we may know the true God.
Jesus Is the True God
John then makes one of the most significant theological statements in the entire letter:
“We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
Everything in Christianity rises or falls on this truth.
If Jesus is merely a teacher, prophet, or created being, then He cannot save us. If He is not God, the confidence John has spent five chapters building collapses.
But if Jesus truly is God in the flesh, then everything changes.
His sacrifice is sufficient.
His promises are trustworthy.
His victory is complete.
And eternal life is secure.
The earliest Christians understood this clearly.
Critics sometimes claim Jesus’ divinity was invented generations after the New Testament. History tells a different story.
The Romans frequently accused Christians of atheism—not because Christians rejected God, but because they refused to worship the gods of Rome and refused to acknowledge Caesar as divine. Their allegiance belonged to Jesus alone.
One of the clearest examples comes from Polycarp, a disciple of the apostle John himself.
When Roman authorities demanded that Polycarp curse Christ and acknowledge Caesar’s claims, he refused.
Instead, he responded with words that have echoed through church history:
“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
Polycarp understood what John was teaching.
The worship, loyalty, and devotion that belong to God belong to Jesus.
And he was willing to die rather than surrender that truth.
Guard Yourself from Idols
Then John ends the letter with a surprisingly simple command:
“Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”
It’s a short sentence, but it serves as the conclusion to everything John has written.
Reject what is false.
Cling to what is true.
An idol is not merely a carved statue. An idol is anything that becomes a substitute for God.
Anything that becomes your functional savior becomes your idol.
Consider these questions:
Where do you turn when you’re afraid?
Where do you run when you’re anxious?
What gives you security?
What gives you purpose?
Those questions often reveal what we trust most.
Many good things can become dangerous things when they take God’s place.
Comfort.
Approval.
Money.
Relationships.
Politics.
Nationalism.
Success.
Even a version of Jesus we have reshaped to fit our preferences.
John’s final question echoes through the centuries:
If Jesus is the true God and eternal life, why would we trust anything else?
Final Thoughts from 1 John
As we close this journey through 1 John, several themes stand out:
Because Jesus is real, we can know the truth, walk in the light, love one another, and live with confidence.
Because Jesus is God, He provides eternal life to everyone who comes to Him in faith.
Because Jesus is our strength, we can overcome sin and resist Satan.
Because Jesus is Lord, Christian community is marked by love, truth, accountability, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Most importantly:
Don’t let anything take the place of Jesus.
John leaves us with a decision every generation must make:
Will you remain faithful to the life-giving, one true God, or will you settle for a cheap substitute?
That decision is yours to make.
Can I Actually Live with Confidence Before God?
Imagine meeting God face to face one day.
What do you picture? Maybe a throne, brilliant light, or the beauty of heaven itself. But what about you? Are you standing confidently before God, overwhelmed with joy? Or are you wondering whether you’ve done enough to be accepted?
Many people assume confidence before God sounds arrogant. But the Bible teaches something different. Confidence is only arrogant when it’s based on us. When it’s based on what Jesus has done, confidence becomes an act of faith.
Knowing You Have Eternal Life
In 1 John 5:13–17, John reminds believers why they can live with assurance rather than uncertainty.
“I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
John’s goal throughout his letter has been clear: he wants Christians to know where they stand with God. Eternal life isn’t something believers hope to earn someday. It’s something they already possess through faith in Jesus Christ.
Confidence That Transforms Prayer
That confidence doesn’t stop with salvation. It also transforms how we pray.
John writes that we can approach God with confidence, knowing that He hears us when we pray according to His will. Jesus modeled this kind of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “Not my will, but yours, be done.”
Prayer is not about convincing God to do what we want. It’s about learning to trust His wisdom and align our hearts with His purposes. Sometimes God says yes. Sometimes He says no. Sometimes He says not yet. Sometimes He has something better than we can see. The goal of prayer is not control—it’s trust.
Praying for Other Believers
John then applies this confidence in prayer to one of the most practical areas of Christian life: praying for other believers.
When we see fellow Christians struggling, drifting, doubting, compromising, or caught in sin, John’s instruction is simple: Pray for them.
Don’t gossip about them. Don’t write them off. Don’t criticize them from a distance. Intercede for them.
One of the greatest acts of love we can offer another believer is faithful prayer and a willingness to pursue them with grace and truth.
Understanding “Sin That Leads to Death”
John also addresses one of the most difficult phrases in his letter: “sin that leads to death.” In context, John is not dividing sins into categories of mortal and venial sins. Throughout the letter he has been confronting false teachers who rejected Jesus and sought to lead others away from the truth.
The “sin that leads to death” is best understood as a persistent, deliberate rejection of Jesus Christ and the Spirit’s testimony about Him. It’s not describing a struggling believer who is battling sin. It’s describing those who continually reject the only One who gives life.
John immediately reminds us that all sin matters:
“All unrighteousness is sin.”
Every sin damages. Every sin needs God’s grace. Every sin should drive us back to Jesus.
The big picture is simple:
Confidence in our relationship with God leads to confidence in prayer. Confidence in prayer leads to interceding for fellow believers who are struggling.
So keep praying.
Pray when you know exactly what to ask.
Pray when you have no idea what to ask.
Pray for yourself.
Pray for others.
And don’t give up.
Because the confidence God offers isn’t rooted in your performance—it’s rooted in His Son.
Bottom Line:
Confidence in Christ leads to confidence in prayer, and confident prayer moves us to lovingly intercede for others.
Can I Trust What I Believe About Jesus?
Scripture Covered
1 John 5:6–12
We live in a world filled with opinions about Jesus.
Some see Him as a wise teacher. Others see Him as a moral example, a political figure, a therapist, or simply one religious option among many. But if eternity hangs in the balance, opinions aren't enough.
In 1 John 5:6–12, the Apostle John answers one of the biggest questions people still ask today:
Can I trust what I believe about Jesus?
John's answer is clear: our confidence in Jesus is not grounded in blind faith, but in truth, testimony, and historical reality.
1. Christianity Is Rooted in Real History
John begins by reminding us that Jesus "came by water and blood."
These references point to Jesus' baptism and His crucifixion—the historical bookends of His earthly ministry. John emphasizes that Jesus wasn't merely a man who temporarily carried divine power. He was God in the flesh from beginning to end.
Why does that matter?
Because if Jesus is just a man, then His death is just a tragedy. But if Jesus is God in the flesh, then the cross becomes the place where God Himself bears our sin and reconciles us to Himself.
John's defense of Jesus isn't theological trivia. It's the foundation of our salvation.
2. God Has Given Testimony About His Son
John then points to the witness of the Holy Spirit.
Just as Jesus promised, the Spirit testifies about who He is. The Spirit, the baptism of Jesus, and the cross all point to the same conclusion:
Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be: the Son of God.
John uses courtroom language throughout this passage. Like a skilled attorney, he presents evidence and calls witnesses.
His message is simple:
Faith isn't based on positive vibes, wishful thinking, or blind hope. It's grounded in God's testimony and the historical reality of Jesus Christ.
3. The Verdict Is Personal
After presenting the evidence, John shifts the focus from Jesus to us.
The question is no longer:
"Who is Jesus?"
The question becomes:
"What will I do with Him?"
A helpful picture is that of a drowning person being thrown a lifeline.
The issue isn't whether the rope exists.
The issue is whether you trust the person offering the rescue.
God has thrown humanity a lifeline through Jesus Christ. But a lifeline only saves the person who grabs hold of it.
4. Eternal Life Is Available Right Now
John then arrives at the heart of the passage: "The one who has the Son has life."
Notice what he doesn't say.
He doesn't say we might have life someday.
He doesn't say we can hope to have life eventually.
He says we have life.
Eternal life isn't merely a future destination. It begins the moment we trust Jesus. The life of God's kingdom breaks into our present reality today.
Eternal life is not just a future promise to be received; it is a present possession to be enjoyed because Jesus is already ours.
5. A Hard Truth We Cannot Ignore
John ends with a sobering reality: "The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
Jesus Himself said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
In a culture that prefers many paths and many truths, John's words can feel uncomfortable.
But truth is not determined by what is popular or culturally acceptable.
Eternal life is available to everyone, but not everyone will accept it.
To reject Jesus is to reject the very life God offers.
Big Takeaway
Christianity isn't about following a philosophy; it's about following a real, risen Savior who offers eternal life now.
Our faith is grounded in publicly testable historical events, not merely private spiritual experiences. The baptism of Jesus, the cross of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit all point to the same conclusion:
Jesus is the Son of God, and life is found in Him alone.
This Week's Challenge
Take some time this week to honestly answer this question:
What am I doing with the evidence God has given about Jesus?
If you're a believer, consider how the reality of eternal life is shaping your everyday life.
If you're not yet following Jesus, ask yourself whether you've truly responded to the lifeline God has offered through His Son.
Reflective Question
In a world full of opinions about Jesus, am I trusting popular opinion, or God's testimony?
What Does Real Faith Actually Look Like?
Genuine Faith Changes What We Trust, Love, Obey, and Overcome
Scripture Covered
1 John 5:1–5
John 16:33
1 Corinthians 15:54–57
It’s easy to say we believe something. It’s another thing entirely for our actions to reveal that belief.
This week in our study of 1 John, we looked at one of John’s most practical and encouraging passages. Throughout his letter, John has been helping believers find assurance in their faith. He’s not trying to make Christians doubt their salvation. He’s helping them recognize the evidence of God’s work in their lives.
His message is simple:
Genuine faith in Jesus changes what we trust, love, obey, and overcome.
1. Genuine Faith Changes What We Trust
John begins by reminding us that salvation starts with believing that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah and Savior.
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.” (1 John 5:1)
Christianity isn’t built on self improvement, religious performance, or good intentions. It’s built on trusting who Jesus is and what He’s done for us.
When we place our faith in Christ, we become children of God. That faith becomes the foundation for everything else that follows.
2. Genuine Faith Changes How We Love
John immediately connects faith in Jesus with love for other believers.
“Everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him.” (1 John 5:1)
Why? Because Christians are family.
God never intended faith to be lived out in isolation. While Christian community can be messy because people are messy, isolation isn’t the answer. God often grows us through imperfect relationships.
A growing love for God’s people is one of the clearest signs that His Spirit is at work within us.
3. Genuine Faith Changes How We Obey
John then makes a statement that can sound surprising:
“His commands are not a burden.” (1 John 5:3)
Many people experience obedience as pressure, guilt, or obligation. Before Christ, obedience often feels like something imposed from the outside.
But through new birth and the work of the Holy Spirit, God begins changing our desires from the inside out.
That doesn’t mean Christians become perfect overnight. John is talking about direction, not perfection.
As followers of Jesus, we don’t obey in order to earn God’s love. We obey because we’ve already received it.
Christians don’t “do” to earn. Christians “do” to respond.
4. Genuine Faith Changes What We Overcome
John saves his biggest point for last.
“Everyone who has been born of God conquers the world.” (1 John 5:4)
The “world” in John’s writings refers to the values, temptations, and spiritual opposition that stand against God.
On our own, we can’t overcome those forces. But because Jesus has already conquered the world, His followers share in His victory.
John reminds us:
“This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.” (1 John 5:4)
Through faith in Christ, believers experience:
Victory over false teaching
Victory over Satan, sin, and the world
Victory over spiritual death through salvation
Victory over the fear of death
The ultimate expression of that victory is found in Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of eternal life.
As Paul wrote:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory… thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:54–57)
Big Takeaway
Victory in Jesus doesn’t mean Christians never struggle.
It means sin, fear, and death no longer have the final word.
Many believers live as though fear, shame, and insecurity still own them. But Jesus has already broken their authority.
Because of Christ, we can live with confidence, assurance, and hope.
Genuine faith in Jesus changes what we trust, love, obey, and overcome.
This Week’s Challenge
Spend some time reading through one of the Gospels this week.
Ask yourself what your actions reveal about what you truly trust.
Look for tangible ways to love other believers.
Celebrate victories Jesus has already brought into your life.
Identify ways God’s commands have protected, guided, and blessed you.
Reflective Question
How has following Jesus changed what you trust, love, obey, and overcome?
Fear Doesn’t Rule. God Does.
Why Does Fear Still Have So Much Power Over Me?
Scripture Covered
1 John 4:16–21 (CSB)
2 Timothy 1:7 (CSB)
John 15:12 (CSB)
Fear is everywhere right now.
Fear about our kids.
Fear about rejection.
Fear about health.
Fear about the future.
Fear fueled by social media, outrage culture, endless headlines, AI, uncertainty, and doomscrolling.
And if we’re honest, sometimes Christians feel an extra layer of shame on top of it all.
“If God is real…if His love is real…why do I still struggle with fear and anxiety?”
That’s exactly where the apostle John takes us in 1 John 4.
His answer is not, “Real Christians never feel fear.”
His answer is much deeper:
Fear doesn’t rule. God does.
1. God’s Love Is the Foundation, Not Human Love
John begins with this powerful reminder:
“And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”
— 1 John 4:16 (CSB)
That sounds beautiful, but it’s also difficult for many people to truly believe.
Why?
Because we often interpret God’s love through the lens of human love.
And human love can be inconsistent.
Transactional.
Performance based.
Manipulative.
Conditional.
Flippant.
“You do this for me, and I’ll do this for you.”
Human love often says:
“I’ll love you if…”
But God’s love is different.
God is holy.
God is faithful.
God is sacrificial.
God loves fully and completely.
That means if we want to understand love correctly, we cannot start with our experiences. We must start with who God is.
2. Perfect Love Drives Out Fear of Judgment
John continues:
“In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world.”
— 1 John 4:17 (CSB)
Believers stand before God confidently, not because of their righteousness, but because of Jesus’ righteousness.
Christians approach God as forgiven children, not condemned enemies.
Then John says:
“There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment.”
— 1 John 4:18 (CSB)
In context, John is first talking about fear of death and judgment.
Without God’s forgiveness, death becomes terrifying. That’s why hospital rooms, funerals, and sleepless nights can feel overwhelming when someone doesn’t know where they stand with God.
But the Christian has confidence because Jesus has already carried the punishment for sin.
The Gospel changes how we face eternity.
3. God’s Love Also Changes How We Face This Life
John’s point doesn’t stop at eternity.
God’s love reshapes how we live now.
The apostle Paul told Timothy:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7 (CSB)
That does not mean Christians never feel afraid.
We will absolutely experience fear:
Fear about our children
Fear about relationships
Fear about finances
Fear about health
Fear about the future
But fear is no longer our master.
God is.
Christianity is not the absence of fear. It is living under a greater authority than fear.
That raises an important question:
Are your words, reactions, and outlook shaped more by fear or by Jesus?
Because fear is a terrible master.
God is far better.
4. God’s Love Should Flow Through Us
John then shifts from receiving God’s love to reflecting it:
“We love because he first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19 (CSB)
Christians do not love others to earn God’s love.
We love because we have already received it.
That becomes the standard for every believer:
Do our actions toward others reflect the love of God, or do they contradict it?
John makes it personal:
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar.”
— 1 John 4:20 (CSB)
That’s strong language, but John’s point is clear:
If we refuse to love people we can see, how can we claim to love God whom we cannot see?
This is not about struggling to love perfectly. Every Christian struggles.
The issue is an unwillingness to love.
Because God’s love changes people.
5. Christian Community Should Reduce Fear, Not Multiply It
John roots this command in the words of Jesus:
“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you.”
— John 15:12 (CSB)
Not a suggestion.
A command.
That means:
We do not trash fellow Christians to make ourselves look better.
We apologize when we sin against others.
We forgive when others repent.
We do not casually discard people because conflict is uncomfortable.
Jesus is our model.
And honestly, no one has more reason to reject humanity than Jesus.
Humanity rebelled against Him.
Mocked Him.
Rejected Him.
Crucified Him.
And yet He still loves, forgives, corrects, and calls people back to Himself.
That is the model Christians are called to imitate.
John keeps emphasizing Christian community because believers are meant to become a visible reminder of God’s love in a fearful world.
The church should function like a rescue rope in rough water.
When people are drowning in fear, anxiety, shame, and discouragement, Christians should be the ones throwing ropes toward each other, not pushing one another further under.
That is part of what makes Christian community so powerful.
Big Takeaway
God’s indwelling love combats fear in three important ways:
It removes the fear of death and judgment
It weakens fear’s grip on everyday life
It works through God’s people as a source of strength and encouragement
Fear may still appear.
Anxiety may still creep in.
Insecurity may still surface.
But Christians are not abandoned to those things.
We know God’s love.
We know God’s people.
And we know this truth:
Fear doesn’t rule. God does.
This Week’s Challenge
What fear, anxiety, or insecurity do you need to bring honestly before God?
Are your conversations and reactions being shaped more by fear or by trust in Jesus?
Is there repair work you need to do with another Christian?
Are you helping strengthen people with God’s love, or stirring up more fear and outrage?
Have you trusted Christ personally, or are you still trying to face fear and eternity alone?
Reflective Question
If fear has been driving your thoughts, decisions, or relationships lately…what would it look like to place God back in the driver’s seat?
God’s Love Was Never Meant to Stop With You
Guest Speaker Jay Continued Our 1 John Series
Scripture Covered
1 John 4:7-16
Romans 5:8-10
John 13:35
Luke 6:32, 35
Romans 10:9
Galatians 5:22-23
This Sunday, Jay continued our series through 1 John by exploring one of the clearest evidences of genuine faith: love that looks like Jesus.
Building off last week’s message about the marks of real faith, Jay focused on what happens when God’s love truly takes root in someone’s life. His main idea challenged all of us:
God’s love abiding in us requires us to love others, especially those who don’t deserve it.
That sounds inspiring until it becomes personal.
Love Is More Than Emotion
In 1 John 4, the apostle John reminds believers that love is not merely an emotion, personality trait, or vague spiritual idea. Love originates with God because God Himself is love.
Jay unpacked the significance of that statement carefully. John does not simply say that God is loving. He says God is love. That means real biblical love cannot be separated from God’s character and nature.
John then makes the implication unavoidable: if someone continually refuses to love others, something is spiritually wrong.
This is not about sinless perfection. It is about transformed direction.
Real faith changes how we treat people.
God’s Love Is Different Than Human Love
One of the central passages in the message came from 1 John 4:10:
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Jay highlighted how different God’s love is from the way humans naturally love.
Human love often becomes conditional or transactional. We tend to love people who affirm us, agree with us, benefit us, or treat us well.
But God loved us while we were still sinners and separated from Him. The Holy Bible
That completely reframes Christian love.
Followers of Jesus are not called merely to love easy people. We are called to love undeserving people because that is exactly how God loved us.
The Church Is Meant to Reflect God’s Family
Jay also painted a compelling picture of what the church is supposed to be: people from different backgrounds, generations, personalities, and life experiences gathered together under one Savior.
That matters because people walk into church every week carrying loneliness, shame, anxiety, exhaustion, fear, and disappointment. God often uses the love, encouragement, and presence of other believers to sustain His people.
One of the most memorable illustrations compared believers to fruit trees.
Fruit trees do not produce fruit for themselves. The fruit exists for others.
In the same way, the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in believers is meant to nourish the people around them. Love, kindness, patience, gentleness, and encouragement are all intended to flow outward into the lives of others.
The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea
Jay closed with a visual illustration that tied the entire message together powerfully.
The Sea of Galilee flows into the Jordan River, which flows into the Dead Sea. Unlike the Sea of Galilee, nothing flows out of the Dead Sea. As water evaporates, minerals remain behind, creating an environment too salty to sustain life.
Same water. Different result.
The point was unforgettable:
God’s love was never meant to stop with us.
If we only receive grace, teaching, encouragement, and love without letting it flow outward toward others, our spiritual lives eventually become stagnant.
God’s love becomes complete in us when it flows through us.
This Week’s Challenge
This week, intentionally let God’s love move through you toward someone else:
Encourage someone who feels isolated
Forgive someone who hurt you
Serve someone who cannot repay you
Reach out to someone outside your normal circle
Pray for someone you struggle to love
Show kindness without expecting anything back
Do not wait until someone deserves it.
That is not how God loved us.
Reflective Question
If God loved you while you were undeserving, who might He be calling you to love differently this week?
Five Ways to Identify Genuine Faith
1 John’s Tests for Real Christianity
Scripture Covered
1 John 1:5-10
1 John 2:3-6
1 John 3:10-20
1 John 4:1-6
After taking a short break from 1 John, we jumped back into one of the clearest and most practical books in the New Testament. John writes to Christians struggling to separate real faith from false faith, and he gives several “tests” that help believers evaluate whether their faith is genuine.
But here’s the important reminder: John’s goal is not to make sincere Christians spiral in fear. These tests are meant to reassure real believers, not just expose false ones.
Real faith is not about perfection. It is about direction.
Throughout the message, we looked at five marks of genuine faith from 1 John:
1. Real Faith Walks in the Light and Takes Sin Seriously
John reminds us that “God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him.” Real Christians do not pretend sin is not real. They do not defend it, excuse it, or celebrate it. Instead, they bring it into the light through confession and repentance.
The good news is that confession leads to freedom, not shame. God does not call us to hide from Him but to walk honestly with Him.
2. Real Faith Obeys Jesus
John says, “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands.”
Obedience does not earn salvation, but it does reveal loyalty. Genuine faith produces a growing desire to listen to Jesus, follow Him, and align life with His truth rather than drifting into spiritual apathy.
3. Real Faith Loves Others, Especially Other Christians
Christian love is not merely sentimental or verbal. John points us to Jesus laying down His life as the model for how believers should care for one another.
In a world that often feels hostile, lonely, and divided, Christian community becomes a lifeline. Real faith produces tangible love, compassion, generosity, and support for others.
4. Real Faith Trusts God Over Feelings
Feelings are real, but they are not ultimate truth.
John acknowledges that our hearts can condemn us. Shame, guilt, failure, and fear often distort how we see ourselves before God. But John reminds believers that “God is greater than our hearts.”
Real faith learns to lean into God’s truth instead of being controlled by emotional instability or self-condemnation.
5. Real Faith Learns to Discern What Is Actually True
John warns believers not to believe every spiritual voice they hear. Not everything spiritual is true, and not every popular voice is trustworthy.
In a culture flooded with social media, influencers, AI content, fear-driven news cycles, and competing “truths,” Christians must learn discernment. The voices shaping our hearts matter.
The world listens to the world. God’s people learn to listen to God.
The Big Takeaway
At the end of the day, John is not pointing people toward becoming impressive enough for God. He is pointing them back to Jesus again and again.
Real faith is not perfect people pretending they never struggle.
Real faith is people who:
Keep walking toward the true light
Confess sin instead of defending it
Trust Jesus more than themselves or the culture around them
Keep growing in love, obedience, and discernment
This Week’s Challenge
Pick one area from the message and act on it this week:
Practice confession and repentance
Reduce unhealthy screen time
Reach out to another believer
Forgive someone
Identify an area where feelings are leading more than truth
Faith grows when it moves from information to action.
Reflective Question
If someone looked at the direction of your life, what evidence would they see that your faith is real?