Your May 5th, Sermon & Ministry Resources

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Lectionary Readings — Sixth Sunday of Easter — May 5, 2024

Acts 10:44-48; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17

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Call to Worship (based on 1 John 5:1-6)

Leader: "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God," writes John. As we gather today, we come as children of God, united in our belief and our birthright.

People: We celebrate our faith, knowing that our love for God means obeying His commandments.

Leader: For God’s commands are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world—our faith.

People: Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Leader: As we worship today, let us draw near to the truth of Christ, who came by water and blood, not with water only but with the water and the blood.

People: Together, let us testify to the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and affirm that the Spirit is the truth.

Leader: Let us worship God, whose Spirit empowers us, whose Son redeems us, and whose commandments guide us.

People: With hearts lifted high, we rejoice in our faith and celebrate the victory we have in Christ Jesus.

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Opening Prayer (based on John 15:9-17)

Let us pray,

Gracious and Loving God, we gather in Your presence today, drawn by the words of Jesus in John 15, where He calls us to abide in His love, just as He abides in Your love. We are grateful for this divine love, a love so profound that it transcends understanding, a love that calls us friends rather than servants because Jesus has made known to us everything that You have told Him.

Lord, we acknowledge the beauty and depth of this relationship, rooted in love and chosen by You. We thank You for choosing us to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and for the promise that whatever we ask in Jesus’ name, You will give us. Help us to embody this love not only in our words but through our actions, living out the commandment Jesus gave us: to love each other as He has loved us.

In our worship today, remind us of the sacrificial love of Christ, who laid down His life for us, so that we might live through Him. May this truth resonate deeply in our hearts and inspire us to love others sacrificially and generously. Teach us to maintain our connection to Jesus, the true vine, so that our lives might be fruitful, reflecting Your grace and truth in all that we do.

As we continue in prayer, fellowship, and worship, strengthen our commitment to live out this commandment of love. Help us to be bearers of Your peace, agents of Your grace, and witnesses to Your transformative love. May our community be a reflection of the love that You have poured out on us, and may our relationships be marked by the selflessness and joy that comes from abiding in You.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who with You and the Holy Spirit reigns forever in perfect unity and love. Amen.

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Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].

Sermon Outline: Faith is the Victory (1 John 5:1-6)

Introduction:

• Introduce the context of 1 John 5:1-6, highlighting the apostle John’s aim to assure believers of their relationship with God and the victorious life that stems from this connection.

I. Faith's Foundation

• Scripture: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. (1 John 5:1, NRSV)

• Point: John begins by linking our faith in Jesus as the Messiah with being born of God, emphasizing a foundational truth that our belief is both a sign and a result of our divine birth.

• Application: Reflect on the depth of your belief in Jesus as the Christ. Consider how this core belief shapes your identity and relationships, particularly within the family of God.

II. Love's Labor

• Scripture: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. (1 John 5:2, NRSV)

• Point: John intertwines the love for God with love for His children and obedience to His commandments, showing that true love is active and evidenced through obedience.

• Application: Assess how your love for God is reflected in your actions towards His commandments and His people. Explore ways to more actively demonstrate this love in your daily life.

III. Victory's Validation

• Scripture: For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. (1 John 5:4, NRSV)

• Point: John declares that our faith, which stems from being born of God, empowers us to overcome the world’s challenges and temptations.

• Application: Identify areas of your life where you need to apply your faith to overcome worldly challenges. Encourage reliance on the power of faith to face and conquer these challenges.

IV. Witness's Weight

• Scripture: This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. (1 John 5:6, NRSV)

• Point: John affirms the testimony of Jesus' baptism (water) and His crucifixion (blood) as foundational to our faith, with the Holy Spirit affirming the truth of Jesus’ identity and mission.

• Application: Discuss the importance of understanding and holding to the full testimony of Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection—as central to our faith. Reflect on the role of the Holy Spirit as the bearer of truth in our understanding of who Jesus is.

Conclusion:

• Reiterate the transformative implications of being born of God: a faith that establishes our identity, a love that dictates our actions, a victory that defines our encounters, and a witness that deepens our convictions. Encourage the congregation to embrace these truths fully, letting them guide their daily lives and relationships within the broader community of faith.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word that speaks so powerfully into our lives. Thank You for the assurance that as Your children, born of God, we have the victory through our faith in Jesus Christ. Help us to embody this faith in every aspect of our lives, loving You and Your commandments, and loving each other as You have loved us.

Lord, strengthen us by Your Spirit to overcome the challenges of this world, holding fast to the truth of Jesus who came by water and blood. May this truth resonate deeply within us, guiding us in all our actions and decisions.

As we depart from this place, keep us steadfast in our faith and fervent in love, that we may be true witnesses of Your grace and power in the world. We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers