SERMON NOTES
Advent of Love | 1 John 4:7-10
Dustin DeVriend | Interim Senior Pastor
1 John 4:7-10 (ESV) 7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Advent of Love:
• Love is _______________ through Jesus.
• Love is _______________ through Jesus.
• Love is _______________ through Jesus.
Questions for Reflection:
1. How do you define love?
2. If God the Father sent His Son Jesus to make love visible by being the propitiation for our sins, how does this change your perspective of love?
3. In 1 John 4:8 we read, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” What areas in your life, or people in your life, do not experience love from you? Can you confess these to God this week and ask the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to grow in your love toward others?
Bibliography:
• Advent Season: What Is It, and How Is It Celebrated? The Bible Project, https://bibleproject.com/guides/advent/#how-is-advent-celebrated.
• Boice, James Montgomery. The Gospel of John: An Expositional Commentary. Baker Books, 2005, 747–748.
• Comer, John Mark. Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus, Become like him, Do as he did. WaterBrook, 2024.
December 15th
CONGREGATIONAL MEETING | JANUARY 5TH
As we continue the Pastoral Discernment Process, we have arrived at our next step. Please join us on January 5th at 12:15pm in the MP Room to hear an update from our Pastor Search Team. If you are a member of Christ Community, you will be given the opportunity to vote on Ryan Balbi becoming our next lead pastor. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Christmas Event | December 18th from 6:00-8:00pm
Join us for The Christmas Event, our second annual church-wide Christmas event for all ages! We will have cookies to decorate for the kids, carols to sing around an open fire, delicious coffee drinks and hot chocolate available for purchase from the Cafe, a photo area for pictures with friends and family, and dinner of homemade soup and sourdough bread.
The event is free of charge, but we ask you to bring a dessert to share.
We Still Do Marriage Conference | January 24–25, 2025
Discover the true essence of INTIMACY at the We Still Do Conference, where our theme is centered around deepening the emotional, physical, and spiritual connections within your marriage relationship. Intimacy goes beyond the surface—it’s about understanding, trust, and the vulnerability that create a lasting bond between spouses.
Ticket cost per couple: $100 ($50 deposit, then remaining $50 due by January 5th).
