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In sermon 5 of our Be Real Bible Series, we turn to 1 John 2:18-29, where John warns the church about those who seek to deceive believers. He cautions us to stay alert to people who appear genuine but promote their own “truth” and offer revelation that does not align with Scripture. These individuals have abandoned the faith and stand spiritually far from the church. John reminds us that the human heart is deceitful, so every action, decision and word must be measured against the authority of God’s Word.

This week we look at 1 John 2:12-17, where John shows us who we are in Christ at every stage of spiritual maturity. He reminds us not to love the world but to stay alert to its pull and to grow in love for God and one another. As followers of Jesus, we choose Him over worldly desires - feeding the flesh with Christ, fixing our eyes on Him, and humbling our pride at the cross so our lives reflect His light rather than the world.

This week in our Be Real series we’re in 1 John 2:1-11, where John reminds us that sin is a daily struggle and Satan seeks to create division, yet we have real hope. Jesus is our advocate and the atoning sacrifice for our sins, calling us to walk in the light in both our relationship with God and with one another. When tensions arise in the church family, we’re urged to respond with patience, humility and love, refusing to let darkness take root and choosing instead to reflect Christ in our relationships.

In this week’s sermon, we continue our journey through 1 John by focusing on 1 John 1:5-10, where John reveals a defining truth about God’s character: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. This powerful image invites us to examine our own lives honestly. As we confront our ongoing battle with sin, we ask a challenging question - have we settled for something less than the life God intends for us? Due to unexpected technical difficulties, we’re unable to provide this week’s sermon.

Join us as we kick off our Be Real Bible series with an introduction to the book of 1 John - exploring its context, its author, and why it was written. In this opening session, we walk through the first four verses (1 John 1:1–4), where we see that real faith is rooted in Jesus, the One who has been present from the very beginning. When we misunderstand who Jesus is, everything else in our faith and our lives becomes distorted. Getting Jesus right shapes how we live, love and follow Him with authenticity.

This week we are considering what a good, healthy friendship is by reflecting on the devotion and loyalty shown between Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:1-14. How are your friendships in this new season God is calling us into?

Whilst doctors can tell a lot about our physical health from our tongues, you can also tell a great deal about our spiritual health and maturity by how we speak to and about each other. Join us this week as we are challenged by James 3:1-12 where we learn that our speech is a reflection of the condition of our heart and we find out how to surrender our tongues to Jesus.

Our overseas mission partners, Paul & Sarah, join us this Sunday to share about the work they are doing in Thailand.

We are focused on John 15:1-17 this week where we learn what it means to abide in Christ. We should also be encouraged to persist in remaining and leaning into God during the season we are in at EMBC.