Sermon – Persevere: Contending for the Faith (Jude 1-4, 17-25)

Read the text – Jude 1-4, 17-25

Jude is a short little letter which packs a punch. It is written to those who know what faith in Jesus is about – and urges them to ‘contend for the faith’ in the face of what are known challenges. This letter is as valuable today as it would have been for those who originally received it and will help equip believers to persevere as we walk in Jesus.

In this sermon, Ken Noakes encourages us to “be in it to win it”, because there is an urgent, pressing need that we fight for our faith. But we aren’t left to our own devices: we have the firm foundation of God’s word, and we have the power of the Holy Trinity behind us, so we can be built up by God’s word, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep in God’s love and wait on the Lord Jesus.

Bible talk outline

Sermon – Word & Life (1 John 1:1-4; 2:12-17)

Read the text – 1 John1:1-4 & 1 John 2:12-17

The little letter of 1 John packs a punch. It is rich with ideas we love to debate:  truth and error, love and hate, forgiveness and sin, individualism and community, life and death. These ideas are not simple, yet we can be very simplistic in how we think about them for we don’t always consider how one may affect the other. 1 John works hard to draw these ideas and concepts into an integrated Christian worldview. And in the process helps us see the value of having the Word of Life to guide us in how we live.

In this first talk of six, Ken Noakes introduces the Letter of 1 John and its overlapping themes. In doing so he wants to make clear that believers have the Word of Life: Jesus. And life with him looks different to life without. 1 John has a lot to say to help Christians today live confidently for Christ.