Thirty-one men climb the highest peak of the Karkonosze mountains at night, through pouring rain and gusting wind, while a battle rages in their heads: “I am never coming back here.” That expedition becomes the starting point for asking what victory looks like in a life that lasts longer than the longest trek. Reflecting on the fifth chapter of John’s First Letter (1 John 5), the preacher shows that the key to victory does not lie in how exceptional we are, but in the fact that someone exceptional lives in us, and he backs it up with stories of transformed lives, including his own conversion. Listen and hear how faith overcomes the world.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In 1 John 5:1-5 the apostle John connects faith in Jesus, being born of God, love for God and for others, and keeping God's commandments. How do you understand the connection between these things?
- John writes that God's commandments are not burdensome and that the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. What might this have meant to the letter's first readers, and what does it mean for you today?
- The speaker stresses that the key to victory is not in how special we are, but in the fact that Someone special lives in us and we depend on Him. How does this change the way you look at your own struggles?
- The officer's wife had a choice: curse her husband for what he did, or show grace to his family. What helps you forgive someone who has betrayed or hurt you, and why is that also a victory of faith?
- According to 1 John 5:14-15, God hears requests made according to His will, and the speaker adds that He gives us what we need rather than always what we expect. How does this shape the way you pray?
- The church wants to include conversion stories in gift packages for people at an addiction treatment center. How would you tell your story of a changed life in a few sentences, and who could you share it with this week?
