5/7 Sermon on 1 John, Part 4

The sermon last Sunday at The Family Church here in Gainesville was the fourth part of a series about the New Testament book of 1 John...this message was titled Exposing the Counterfeit, based on Chapter 2, Verses 15-28 (you can read it through this link to Bible Gateway: [link]). Pastor Philip Griffin broke the message down to three parts: counterfeit fulfillment, a counterfeit savior, and, finally, counterfeit-free living...

Regarding counterfeit fulfillment, Philip referred to the world’s system of values and how people imbued in it evaluate their lives in terms in pleasure, power, position, and possessions. I might add a couple to these...bragging both about one's associations with the famous and powerful (revealed through name-dropping) and one's experiences and extensive travels, maintaining that having done everything and been everywhere somehow makes one better or more authoritative than others. Then again, these two additions of mine could well go under the “power” umbrella. In any event, all of these worldly values have a common factor: pride, based on comparing oneself...as the pastor noted...to others...

 Then Pastor Philip went on to how to spot a counterfeit savior: the "Jesus" is different...well, that should go without saying.  There is also usually a new revelation, apart from anything in the Bible.  And the moral test fails: by their fruit you shall recognize them...Jesus said to judge leaders by their teachings and fruit. 

 And finally the message went on about how to live counterfeit-free: be grounded in scripture, rely on the holy spirit, and avoid drifting.  Whoa, I have a problem with all this...although it all makes sense, it is too general.  People over the years have always been able to pick and choose passages from scripture that justify their preconceived notions, and relying on one's inner voice as the holy spirit can be deceptive as well...especially if there are those selective scripture passages to lean on.  And don't drift?  I'm not even sure what that's all about.  But if it means running off and starting with a new church (while touting your own high and noble principles) just because someone in the old one hurt your precious little feelings...no, that kind of drifting isn't going to work...

 I wasn't very comfortable with this message, to be perfectly honest.  The first part about counterfeit fulfillment was on target...but the counterfeit savoir and counterfeit-free living sections didn't go far enough...it might have worked better to have broken it up into two or three separate sermons instead.  Still, I appreciate Pastor Philip and the message's main points...

You can watch this message and others through The Family Church YouTube video website.