Prayer & Preparation for May 21st, 2023
This Lord's Day
Hey church,
Here are some details about this week’s service:
Songs: “All Creatures of Our God and King,” “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death,” “O Lord, My
Rock and My Redeemer,” “On That Day”, and “Blessed Assurance (My King Is Coming Soon)”
Sermon text: 1 John 5:6-21
Sermon title: Believing & Knowing
Cross-references: Zechariah 13:1-2
I think I can finish our study of 1 John this Lord’s Day. And I think I can do so without making
us all ridiculously late for lunch. But please rest assured that if I can’t do both, I will sacrifice
the former rather than the latter.
I’ve had a great time studying this little book. I hope the study has been a blessing to you as
well. In this last section we’re revisiting many of the same themes we’ve seen earlier. So, I’m
thinking on the overall purpose for John’s writing. The quotes I’ve included below run along
those lines. John, it seems, had a very pastoral purpose and tone in writing. Please pray that I
preach with the same pastoral heart and tone. And please pray that God’s purposes are
fulfilled in the preaching of His Word. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to
the sower and food to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall
not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the
thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).
And here are the aforementioned quotes: