Northwest Gospel Church Sermons Camas/washougal

2 John 1-13 | Ben Potloff | Often overlooked, John's second epistle ties closely to his first letter and some important points that he makes throughout his writings. How should Christians respond to those who claim Christ but whose lives don't support the same message? John's words here remind us of important truths to consider when weighing our Christianity against the real thing.

1 John 5:13-21 | Ben Potloff | This week, our journey through 1 John comes to a close. Throughout this epistle, John has reminded us of the marks of real Christianity, and he's called us to examine our own faith against the real thing. This letter closes with assurance for those who are genuinely in Christ.

1 John 5:1-12 | Ben Potloff | John's first epistle boils down to one crucial element: Jesus Christ. Do you have Jesus Christ? Are you in Jesus Christ? Where do you abide other than Jesus Christ? These questions permeate John's letter as he continues to exhort believers to abide in Christ, testify to Christ, and live according to the commandments of Christ.

1 John 4:7-21 | Ben Potloff | In 1 John 1, we read that "God is light" and walking in the light means loving one another and being cleansed of our sin by Christ. Here, in 1 John 4, we read that "God is love" and walking in love means loving one another and living through Christ. With each passing week, John continues to develop and clarify the message that he has been stating from the beginning: abide in Christ and love one another.

1 John 4:1-6 | Ben Potloff | How can Christians discern the voice of God the Holy Spirit and the many voices of this world? Ultimately, it is the voice of God that confesses Jesus Christ. If something or someone does not confess that Jesus Christ has come, then we know that the voice is of the world, the flesh, or the devil. Knowing this, Christians can have confidence as we test the spirits around us and follow the voice of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 3:11-24 | Ben Potloff | Once again, John confronts us with a biblical test for our Christianity. Are we abiding in Christ, living without a love for the world, and loving our brother in tangible ways? If so, we know that our faith is the real thing. If not, we ought to recognize God's call to put our faith in Christ.

1 John 2:28-3:10 | Max Janusch | When it comes to testing one's faith against the real thing, what you practice means everything. Scripture teaches that people are either born of God or they are born of the devil. This reality frames the glory of the gospel as God's word reveals that Jesus Christ came for the sake of undoing the works of the devil. In this passage, we see that what we do reveals whose we are.

1 John 2:15-27 | Ben Potloff | What does it mean to hate the world? What in the world is an antichrist? As we continue through our journey in his letters, John gets to the heart of a couple very important issues for every Christian to consider. As with the rest of John's first epistle, there is a clear test that every Christian should take, comparing his or her faith with the real thing.

1 John 2:3-14 | Ben Potloff | As we continue in our journey through John's letters, we come to another passage that directs Christians to test their faith against the real thing. This passage gets at the heart of how Christians can be sure that they know and abide in God. Here, we see that to know and abide in God means that you obey Christ's commandments.

1 John 1:5-2:2 | Ben Potloff | What does it mean to walk in the light? The themes of light and darkness saturate the Bible, and they are especially important in the writings of John. Additionally, how does the reality of Christ's death on the cross connect with how Christians are called to walk in the light? Here, we see that Christ is where these themes, their importance, and their fulfillment meet.

1 John 1:1-4 | Ben Potloff | What does it mean to have fellowship with God? How can joy be made complete when the gospel is shared? These questions ring in the ears of those who read 1 John's opening verses. Here, we see the joy of sharing and experiencing the gospel.

Psalm 134 | Ben Potloff | "Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord." Our summer in the psalms of Ascent comes to a close as the psalmist triumphantly points us to the worship of the Lord and closes with a statement of blessing from Zion. Here, we see that blessing comes from the Lord to those whose worship is aimed to the Lord.

Psalm 133 | Max Janusch | "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" Unity, harmony, and community are all universally understood to be good things, but we often see our world marked more clearly by division, strife, and isolation. King David pens this psalm with the purpose of revealing God's will for life to be lived in brotherly unity. Here, we see that where the Lord rules, unity reigns.

Psalm 132 | Gavin Hesse | "For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place." Our zeal to obey and our desire to remember God’s covenant are low. We often only focus on the potential rewards–on ideas of “love”–and forget the part of that covenant that requires obedience. Here, we see that the promised King is found by those seeking him.

Psalm 131 | Ben Potloff | "O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high." Humans are tempted to exalt ourselves and presume to know things, thinking in this we will find what our souls long for. But the opposite is true: humble yourself, admit your finitude, and find hope and rest. Here, in Psalm 131, we see that true rest and hope are found in realizing God is God, and we are not.

Psalm 130 | Ben Potloff | "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!"

Psalm 129 | Ben Potloff | "Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth..." Scripture clearly teaches that there are two kinds of people: friends of God and enemies of God. Psalm 129 is the corporate song of a people familiar with affliction and more familiar with the character of the God who has promised to punish the wicked. Here, we see that to oppose God and his people is to be removed from the blessings offered by God.

Psalm 128 | Noah Soistmann | "Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!" When our experiences often speak to the contrary, how do we understand a passage which promises such concrete blessings as Psalm 128? God certainly intends to bless those who would fear him and walk in his way, and this psalm points to the good news of how He fulfills that intention.

Psalm 127 | Ben Potloff | "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." Even though this world is broken with sin, God is gracious to offer very real gifts to people. Tasks are accomplished. Things are built. Families are grown. The Lord is the source of good things, and he is to be glorified as the one who would bless people so undeserving of his goodness.