Walking in Truth

Introduction

Good morning everyone. It’s good to see you again! It’s been a little over a year and a half since the last time I stood up here. As I was preparing this sermon, I was really wrestling with what to say. What do you say to a church that you have had a relationship with, spent time with, worked at, but haven’t seen in over a year and a half? I compare it to a long distance friendship. Maybe you can relate with me for a moment. Have you ever had a friend that you were close with. Close like a brother or sister friendship close. But for whatever reason either you or they moved away. Now you have a long distance friendship. Maybe you stay close and call each other on a regular basis but maybe just maybe communication drops off and months possibly even a year goes without talking with them. When the day comes when you reach out and call and catch up how does that phone call go? What is the overall mood? Are you going to pinpoint all the issues that are going on in their life and try to be the fix-it friend? Or it the mood going to be more encouraging? I hope that a phone call like that would be one that exhibits love, grace, and encouragement.

I compare that situation of a long distance friendship to that of the relationship that I have with this church. For many of you I haven’t spoken to you in over a year and a half. There has been a lot of things that have changed in your lives and in my life since then. So I’m not going to be able to speak directly to a specific situation that you might be going through so instead God really laid it on my heart share with you a sermon of encouragement.

Last time I was here we had finished our study of the book of Luke and it took us an entire year to study that one book. This morning I hope to study a whole book of the bible as well but don’t worry instead of 24 chapters (like Luke) this book only has one chapter. Only 15 verses. This morning please open your bibles to the book of 3 John