Teaching 1 John

We begin a study of 1 John tomorrow with our faith community at The Bridge. Here is an outline that I put together to plan ahead with our teaching and celebration teams. Maybe you will find it useful for your personal study as well.

Psalm 16 and God's Goodness

A quick look at how the Psalmist in Psalm 16 believed that God is good so we don't have to look elsewhere.

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."

There is nowhere else to look for good but in God!

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

God let’s his goodness shine through his community.

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

God alone is good and other gods only lead to sorrow.

5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for a portion of good!

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

God is good so we need not look elsewhere for sovereignty or for inheritance.

7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for counsel or instruction.

8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for a path or direction.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for gladness.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for security.

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for a future.

11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

God is good so we don’t have to look elsewhere for eternal pleasure!

God is good so I don't have to look elsewhere

For many, following Jesus is like finding yourself driving in front of a police officer and grumbling about it. That officer doesn’t care if you’re happy about driving the speed limit. He doesn’t care if you’re mumbling under your breath how you hate to drive the speed limit. He only cares if you obey the road rules. We often treat God like that police officer, begrudgingly “doing the right things.” But God is not interested in our mere obedience, as though it merits us anything. Time after time, God shows us Himself as our motivation.

Many of us never experience true freedom from sin because we try to conquer it with simple brute force. We try to change our actions without ever changing our hearts. We pull the weeds but leave the roots. We have not truly tasted and seen that God is good so we believe in the goodness of momentary fleeting pleasures that moth and rust will destroy (Matthew 6:19).

Have you thought of sin in terms of believing that God isn’t good enough? What difference might it make in your life to fight sin with something better?

Join us this week for truth #3 in our series Always True for, "God is Good So I Don't Have to Look Elsewhere"

-pastor ben

Do you want to read ahead???

Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 135:3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Genesis 1-3

Preaching truth to my own heart

I put this together last week for a study guide that goes along with the sermons for our new series, "Always True." Today, I got to preach it to my own heart.

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God sets up kings and kingdoms and knocks them down. “He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names” (Psalm 147:4). He has counted every grain of sand on every seashore. He knows the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), He knows when a sparrow falls from the sky (Matthew 10:29). He spoke and out of nothing came everything. He declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), in fact, He is the beginning and the end (Revelation 21:6). He redeemed the Israelites from slavery by slaying the firstborn, and He has freed us from slavery to sin by bearing our punishment. He has set the captives free and brought water from rocks.

No problem is too big for Him and no detail is too small.

He Himself reminds us that with Him all things are possible (Genesis 18:14, Matthew 19:26). Nothing is too hard. No problem we are facing is beyond His concern, care or ability. He is God and He is great.

God is great, so we don’t have to try to be in control.

God is gracious so I don't have to prove myself

Whether it is at the bus stop or in the office, we often are motivated by a need to prove ourselves.

We want to prove ourselves to others.
We want to prove ourselves to God.
We want to prove ourselves to ourselves.

When the gospel declares that God is gracious we nod and say, 'Yeah I know that!' but do we really?

In our current series, "Always True" we are studying four truths that remind us that there is sometimes a gap between what we 'know' and what we 'believe'. To figure out if we really believe this week's truth that "God is Gracious so we don't need to prove ourselves!" we need to look at our hearts, and the outflow of our hearts - our lives.

If we believe he is gracious then we will not feel the pressure to defend ourselves or to prove ourselves. But, if we think of our life as a series of trophies then we feel the pressure to continue to perform and to prove ourselves worthy. But the truth is that we are not worthy. We are unworthy. Still yet, God in his graciousness has given us life in Jesus. "God saved us and called us to a holy life- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." (2 Timothy 1:9-10).


Join us this Sunday for, "God is Gracious so I don't have to prove myself!" at 9:00 or 10:45 at The Bridge.

This is a special Sunday as we are celebrating baptisms during our 10:45 celebration and baby dedications during our 9:00 AM Celebration. I'll see you there!


-pastor ben


Do you want to read ahead for Sunday?


Scripture Speaks of Grace

1 Peter 5:10 – God of all grace
John 1:14-16 – Grace upon grace
Acts 15:10-11 – Grace frees us from religion
Romans 3:23-26 - The grace of the cross justifies us. Romans 11:5-6
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – Comfort and hope comes from grace
2 Timothy 1:8-12a – A grace given purpose.
Romans 12:3-8 - Service only by God’s grace. – God’s grace kills pride!



The Lost Sons
Luke 15:11-32