Sources of Assurance [1 John 4:15-21]

January 12, 2014

Sermon Notes

Date: 01/12/2014

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 4:15-21

Description: John provides us five sources of a believer’s assurance. [This sermon will cover the last three of these points (verses 15 – 21). Listen to the first two points in last week’s sermon].

  1. The PRESENCE of the HOLY SPIRIT
  2. The PLEDGE of the APOSTOLIC TESTIMONY
  3. The PROFESSION of JESUS as the SON OF GOD
  4. The PERFECTION of GOD’S LOVE
  5. The PRACTICE of GOD’S LOVE

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Resources regarding the trustworthiness of the Bible:

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Is the Bible Trustworthy [1 John 4:13-21]

January 5, 2014

Sermon Notes

Date: 01/05/2014

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 4:13-21

Description: John provides us five sources of a believer’s assurance:

  1. The PRESENCE of the HOLY SPIRIT
  2. The PLEDGE of the APOSTOLIC TESTIMONY
  3. The PROFESSION of JESUS as the SON OF GOD
  4. The PERFECTION of GOD’S LOVE
  5. The PRACTICE of GOD’S LOVE

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Resources for further study:

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How to Excel in the New Year [Philippians 3:12-14]

December 29, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 12/29/2013

Preacher: Keith Barker, elder

Key Text: Philippians 3:12-14

Description: Paul give is 4 steps to follow to ensure that we have a good New Year.

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Anticipation [1 John 4:7-14]

December 22, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 12/22/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 4:7-14

Description: The world has been in anticipation of a Savior since man’s fall in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:15).  Christ comes and the anticipated Savior is described to us in 1 John as God’s love for us manifested. The incarnation and the cross is love covered in flesh. We ought to live in light of this truth.

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Christmas Chruch Ensemble 2013


The Need for Discernment [1 John 4:1-6]

December 15, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 12/15/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 4:1-6

Description: John provides believers three tests so that they can discern between false teachers and true teachers and between truth and error.

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Responding to Doubt [1 John 3:19-24]

December 8, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 12/08/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 3:19-24

Description: John deals with the topic of believers who are battling doubt and provides the Christian’s responses to discouragement and doubt in the Christian life.

  1. Answer your condemning conscience
  2. Rest with confidence
  3. Back to the Gospel
  4. Fruit and Sonship

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A Wasted Life [Matthew 26:47-49; 27:3-5]

December 1, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 12/01/2013

Preacher: Keith Barker, elder

Key Text: Mathew 26:47-49;  27:3-5

Description: Today we explore the story of a man who knew Jesus personally, walked with Him, ate with Him, and was involved in public ministry but sadly this man never took Jesus into his heart.

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Christian Love [1 John 3:10-18]

November 24, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 11/24/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 3:10-18

Description: John provides a look at the central command of the Christian: to emulate Christ in the manner in which the Christian manifests love toward his fellow man.

  • Christian Love Recalls the Lord’s Command (v.11)
  • Christian Love Rejects Hatred (v.12-15)
  • Christian Love Requires Sacrifice (v. 16)
  • Christian Love Reaches Out (v17-18)

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The Pursuit of Righteousness [1 John 2:29 – 3:10]

November 17, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 11/17/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:29 – 3:10

Description: The Apostle John provides an argument for the pursuit of righteousness in the life of the Christian.  He provides essentially eight reasons for the Christian’s life to be marked by righteousness and not by sin.  This passage is commonly misquoted by those who teach Christian Perfectionism.  We will discuss why this is not what it is teaching.

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Anchor Points for Fall Protection [1 John 2:24-28]

November 10, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 11/10/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:24-28

Description: The Apostle John provides us with two anchor points to protect us from falling into the traps of false teachers.  We must abide in the apostle’s teaching (biblical truth) and we must abide in the Holy Spirit.

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Let Us Arise and Build [Nehemiah 2:1-20]

November 3, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 11/03/2013

Preacher: Keith Barker, elder

Key Text: Nehemiah 2

Description: God works on established principles.  These principles work for people, projects, businesses, families and churches.  The Book of Nehemiah shows God’s man using God’s ways to do God’s project.   Much can be learned from this short Old Testament book.

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The Only Question that Matters [1 John 2:22-23]

October 27, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 10/27/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:22-23

Description: Christians are called to be discerning. We are called to be able to discern truth from error and to take every thought captive to the Word of God. In our passage this morning, John gives the Christian the foremost test concerning all matters of life and doctrine. It is a test that can be seen as a question; a question that becomes for the Christian a dividing line. Christians have died answering this question for it is indeed, the only question that matters!

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The Test of Fellowship [1 John 2:18-21]

October 20, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 10/20/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:18-21

Description: Sometimes familiar words lose their meaning.  The word fellowship is like that. We use the word fellowship as an adjective to describe a church event.  For instance, a potluck becomes a “fellowship meal” and just hanging out with other believers becomes “fellowshipping”.  The term fellowship though is significant in meaning and must be understood within the context of Christ’s fellowship with His people.  As Christ is in fellowship with His people, His people are in fellowship with each other.  The teaching of and about Christ become the truth upon which our fellowship is based.

In our message today, we see that there are some who have broken fellowship, they have dis-fellowshipped themselves over the truth.  John tells the church that those who have left — left because they never were truly in fellowship in the first place.

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Hands for the Harvest [Matthew 9:35-38]

October 13, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 10/13/2013

Preacher: Keith Barker, elder

Key Text: Matthew 9:35-38

Description:  Jesus referred to Himself as the Lord of the harvest.  It’s the entire reason that He came to earth.   Then He speaks to Christian saying, “As My Father hath sent me, so send I you.”  …And it is that truth needs to be planted in the heart and mind of every ‘born again’ believer.

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The Test of Worldliness [1 John 2:15-17]

October 6, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 10/06/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:15-17

Description: The term “worldliness” has taken on so many meanings in Christianity that much of what we hear as things we should avoid have nothing to do with the Bible’s definition it.

  • The Core of Worldliness
  • The Course of Worldliness
  • The Curse of Worldliness
  • The Conquering of Worldliness

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Back to the Basics [1 John 2:12-14]

September 29, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 09/29/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:12-14

Description: John pauses in the giving of tests of salvation to draw the reader’s attention back to the objective foundation and ground of their justification.  He addresses the church in all stages of maturity, from the new believer to the spiritually mature.  This passage serves as a parenthetical comment, as it were, so that our self-reflection doesn’t leave us looking inside of us for answers but outside of ourselves to Christ.

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Famous Pharisees [John 3:1-16]

September 22, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 09/22/2013

Preacher: Keith Barker, elder

Key Text: John 3:1-16

Description: In too many ways the Pharisees were like present day professing Christians — which is to say, like you and me.   We seek after God but not always with the right motive or attitude.   Both we and they seem to delight in lifting ourselves by seeking to lower others.   That can only be seen as pride and certainly isn’t pleasing to the Lord.

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How Can I Know God’s Will For My Life? [Romans 12:1-8]

September 15, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 09/15/2013

Preacher: Keith Barker, elder

Key Text: Romans 12:1-8

Description: To many Christians, the will of God is a mystery.   That attitude is a result of not knowing the Bible because God has given us very clear directives as to His will for our lives.

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A New Kind of Love [1 John 2:7-11]

September 8, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 09/08/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:7-11

Description: If there were one mark of a Christian that would be preeminent above all others, it would be a genuine love; a love for God and also a love for others.  That’s because love for God and love for our neighbor is the summation of God’s law and as the Holy Spirit works in the life and heart of the believer obedience to God’s law will become manifest in love, not only towards God but as John points out here, towards our brethren.

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Assurance and Obedience [1 John 2:3-6]

September 1, 2013

Sermon Notes

Date: 09/01/2013

Preacher: Monty Simao, elder

Series: 1 John

Key Text: 1 John 2:3-6

Description: The seventeenth century puritan, Thomas Brooks, wrote that “assurance is a pearl that most want but a crown that few wear.” A Christian with assurance of faith knows that he belongs to Christ, that his sins are forgiven, that God loves him, and that he will enjoy everlasting life. While many assume that it is presumptuous to desire assurance of salvation, Scripture teaches otherwise. In our text this morning the Apostle John provides us the first of three tests so that the Christian may examine himself and rest, assured!

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