Faith Talk – August 11, 2024

Sunday: August 11, 2024
Series: Prove It!
Sermon: The Victory of Faith

1 John 5:3-4 – For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden, because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.

Today, we began to wrap up our series, Prove It!, as we continued our study of 1 John. Today’s passage challenged us through the victory we have in Jesus to love one another the way God commands.

Pastor Brian pointed out that loving one another is not going to come naturally. It's only going to come supernaturally as you love God, overcome the world, and obey Him.

Love God. Overcome the world. Love one another.

We must overcome the world rather than imitate the world to love the way God commands. We learned that Faith is our victory over the world, which is why loving one another the way God commands is proof we are living as a born-again child of God.

We must intentionally access God’s love and put on your new birth to demonstrate the love God’s Word commands. We access this supernatural power through faith in Jesus.

If someone asks you to testify as to why you have overcome the world to love and obey God you would say, “My victory is found in Jesus Christ. I believe what God has said about His Son, that His Son Jesus Christ is the way to eternal life.”

1. Discuss God’s love. How does God command us to love one another? How does this look different than the world that does not know God?
   • Make a list of some ways loving one another according to God's command would look like.
2. Share how you have struggled at times to love others the way God commands. Share a time you were able to access God’s love, overcome the world, and love others.
   • Include the struggle, the victory, the outcome good or bad, and what you learned about God and yourself.
3. If a person asked you how you are able to love God, overcome the world, and obey God’s commands, what would you say?
   • Have each person share their statement of faith and source of victory.
4. Pastor Brian left us with a challenge to love one another this week.
   • Choose three people in our church:
     • Staff - someone who works at the church
     • Volunteer - someone serving at Connection Point
     • Member - someone worshiping with you.
   • Show them love this week. It can be a note, a word, an email, a hug. It can be forgiveness, confession, or any number of things.

Let’s apply the Word of the message today. Let’s obey God’s command in a tangible way. Let’s love God, overcome the world, and love one another.

Father, thank You for Your love to us in Jesus. Thank You for giving us new life in Jesus, victory through faith, and the power to obey Your commands. I ask that You guide me into Your love and refresh my love for You. Strengthen my faith to overcome the world. Empower me to obey Your commands. We commit to loving one another and loving our fellow believers. Lead us to demonstrate Your love and obey Your command this week. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.