What Matters

Love's Sacrifice

Love is defined in so many ways.  On greeting cards, in love letters, through children's words and in love songs so saccharine sweet you almost gag on them.  The Apostle John defines love as the essence of God's character.  Not once, but twice he says, 'God is Love'.  Listen to find out more about this life-changing claim... Download loves_sacrifice.mp3

Love's Power

Words are powerful.  Words don't so much as describe us as they create us.  Scripture contains some powerful words, none more so that the word Love.  But love has been devalued through overuse and misuse.  Peter Hobson, minister at Glebe Road Uniting Church, helps us rediscover the power of biblical Love as it is articulated in John's first letter.  Listen in... Download loves_power.mp3

Love's Command

Loving our neighbor can be tough enough.  Sometimes loving our friends can be even tougher.  Fact is, those we are closest to can hurt us the most.  John had some direct words to say to a community that was tempted to hate rather than love.  His words are our challenge as well.  Listen in... Download loves_command.mp3

Love's Children

At the beginning of the third chapter of his first letter, John gets a little excited.  He dwells for a moment on the lavish nature of the love God pours into our lives.  The word lavish is from a French root word (lavasse) that means 'deluge of rain.' John is telling us we have been drenched in God's love. Listen in for more...Download loves_children.mp3

Love's Enemy

Antichrist is a strong word.  John uses it a lot in the first letter that bears his name.  More than that, he talks about the Antichrists within the church.  It is confronting language for confronting times.  Listen in... Download loves_enemy.mp3

Love's Test

Love is received and love is given.  It is not a commodity to be hoarded or held on to.  Love is a gift from the very heart of God.  It is a gift given at great cost (1 John 2:2).  Listen in to find out more...Download loves_test.mp3

The Wrath of God

I'm almost finished preparing a message for this weekend.  The text is 1 John 2:1-11.  As I have prayed and reflected my way through the passage I have been overwhelmed by both the awe-fullness of the wrath of God and the wonder of the grace of God shown in and through Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2).  I came across this excellent article by renowned author and teacher John Piper that helped me hammer into shape a deeper understanding of these complex issues.  I hope you find the article as helpful as I did... http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TopicIndex/78_The_Wrath_of_God/1782_Defending_My_Fathers_Wrath/

Love's Light

John was an old man when he wrote the first epistle that bears his name.  He was one of the last eyewitnesses to the Jesus event that chnaged his world and ours.  John was an evangelist, and he was a pastor.  As a pastor he writes to churches he has helped establsihed leads them and us back to the obsession that has marked his life: Jesus the Christ.  Listen in...Download loves_light.mp3