Teaching Text

1 John 1:5-2:6

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Sermon Recap

This week, Pastor Suzy Silk continued our sermon series on Missional Formation by focusing on the distinctive of Discipling the Deficits and the discipline of confessing sin as keys to being counter-formed from the ways of the world into the ways of Jesus. She began by acknowledging humanity’s original calling to live in intimacy with God and reflect His holiness, and explained how the Fall in Genesis 3 introduced sin, brokenness, and separation from God that has led to a continual longing for purpose, love, and reconciliation in all human hearts. 

Humanity’s sin nature leaves us incapable of living according to God’s design. We can't fix ourselves and left to our own devices, we will become enslaved to sin. The world offers temporary solutions, such as focusing on our strengths instead of weaknesses, normalizing sin, or reclassifying sin as acceptable, but these fail to address its destructive nature.

The true antidote comes through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, our agreement with God, and the help of His Advocates. Jesus' sinless life and death on the cross restore us to God, bringing us from darkness to light—not through our actions, but through His mercy. In light of His sacrifice, we are called to confession and obedience, which is an ongoing process of agreeing with God about our sin and choosing to live according to His will. Through our obedience, we learn to walk with God, demonstrating our love for Him by obeying His commands. 

Discipleship begins when we choose to obey and move away from old behaviors, allowing God's Spirit to address areas of sin and weakness. While this process may be challenging, the good news is that we are not alone; Jesus and the Holy Spirit work together to provide forgiveness, guidance, and transformation. As our Advocates, they help us become the image-bearers we were created to be, with purpose, intimacy, and fellowship with God. This restoration extends to our relationships with others, as we are called to love and forgive them as we have been forgiven. Obedience leads to true freedom, and with the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to walk in the light. 

Pastor Suzy called us to walk in freedom by regularly inviting the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, confessing specific sins regularly, and committing to accountability in a trusted group. Through her own experience of a decade of consistent confession with the same women, she has received the gifts of vulnerability, grace, truth, freedom, and being fully and deeply known, and invited us to pursue the same practice. Confession and obedience lead to greater freedom, intimacy with God, and the increased ability to reflect His image in the world. 

For additional information and resources about “Disciple the Deficits” you can check out the guide here.