Gaius: Genuinely Prosperous

April 28, 2019 • 11:00 am

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

The number of people who commit suicide after experiencing the fame and fortune of worldly success is astonishing. They and many others have proven the truth of what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes - a man's prosperity and pleasure does not bring lasting satisfaction and fulfillment! Society has taught us what its definition of a prosperous life is, and it has deceived us. While prosperity has ruined a lot of people, it does not ruin the man who sees God as His greatest treasure! We must "learn from above how to live life below." Gaius is a great illustration of that! If we would be genuinely prosperous people, regardless of where we are on the social, economic or relational spectrum, we must embrace the same perspective of life Gaius had!

Part of the series:

The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

A survey of the three epistles of the Apostle John

July 22, 2018 • 11:00 am

What Do You Have in Common with God?

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: What is fellowship? Many Baptists will associate the word with food and a time of socializing. But is that all there is to it?

July 29, 2018 • 11:00 am

Why We Can Enjoy Fellowship with God, Part1

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: 1 John 3:9 has caused a good bit of trouble and concern to many believers who have read it. Yet this verse actually reveals one reason why we can enjoy fellowship with God! It's really exciting once you see what this verse is really saying!

August 5, 2018 • 11:00 am

Why We Can Enjoy Fellowship with God, part 2

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: One of the great statements in all of the Bible is this one from 1 John 4:17: "as He is, so are we in this world." What is true of Christ now is what is true of us who are born-again now! And what is true of both is what gives us the third reason the believing sinner can even have fellowship with God through Christ; it explains how it is that we can enjoy that fellowship with God through Christ!

August 19, 2018 • 11:00 am

Characteristics of Fellowship with God, Part 1

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is in fellowship with God. As we survey the epistles of John, we find four characteristics about a person's fellowship with God. Today we cover the first one. Is it characteristic of your claim?

August 26, 2018 • 11:00 am

Characteristics of Fellowship with God, Part 2

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Genuine fellowship with God bears this characteristic: it is joyful! Unfortunately, many born-again believers are not experiencing this joy. Why not? Find out in today's message from 1 John 1!

September 2, 2018 • 11:00 am

Characteristics of Fellowship with God, Part 3

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: What does fellowship with God look like? In part 3 we learn of two other characteristics from 1 John 1:5-7.

September 9, 2018 • 11:00 am

What Fellowship with God Produces

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Just like in chemistry when certain elements or compounds react with one another and always produce the same result, so whenever a born-again believer comes in contact with and interacts with God, that real fellowship always produces godliness. Fellowship with God never produces sinful living.

September 23, 2018 • 11:00 am

A Well-Grounded Assurance of Salvation, Part 1

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: How can a person know if he/she is really saved? What gives any of us the right to say, "I am saved?" Find out what the Bible says in today's message.

September 30, 2018 • 11:00 am

A Well-Grounded Assurance of Salvation, Part 2

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: When it comes to the matter of our assurance of salvation, it is important we understand the difference between two related terms: security and assurance. It is also important we remember the basis of our assurance lies not in the evidences seen in our lives but upon the Word of God and the total sufficient of the merit of Christ's person and work to secure for us an eternal acceptance with the Father.

October 28, 2018 • 11:00 am

Divine Resources to Detect & Deal with Error

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Although Satan uses false teachers and false teaching to seduce God's people, the Bible assures us we have been given two all-sufficient, divine resources to detect and deal with error.

November 4, 2018 • 11:00 am

Assurance Produces Confidence, Part 1

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Have any of these thoughts ever crossed your mind? I sure hope my prayer made it up to Heaven! I feel like my prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling and coming right back down. There's no way God is going to answer my prayer; He is too far away to even bother with me. Well, here's great encouragement and truth from God's Word to help you correct your thinking!

November 11, 2018 • 11:00 am

Assurance Produces Confidence, Part 2

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Our text today reveals that the blessings of an assured acceptance before God are two-fold--1) Confidence towards God, 2) Answered Prayer from God. Are you enjoying these blessings?

December 2, 2018 • 11:00 am

True Love; Love Truth, Part 1

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Our culture has its own definition of "love" and "truth" which are contrary to God's. Is there any connection between these two concepts? If so, what is it? If we are to have a vibrant, well-balanced Christian character, these two characteristics of God must be expressed as He intended. Both of these virtues are also essential for a well-balanced, healthy Church ministry and come from only one source.

December 9, 2018 • 11:00 am

True Love; Love Truth, part 2

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Can you give me an example of two things that are inseparable? God gives us two -- truth and love. Society considers them to be two totally separate, non-related virtues! But notice what God has to say in today's text!

January 20, 2019 • 11:00 am

True Love; Love Truth, Part 3

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Today we cover the third key truth this short second epistle of John covers: Truth and Love call for discernment of those that claim to be teachers of God. We also look at the connecting link between the commands John gives in vv. 5-6 and the warnings he gives in vv. 7-11. How does love and truth related to false teachers and their false teachings?

January 27, 2019 • 11:00 am

Dealing with Deceivers, Part 1

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: In this second message from 2 John 7, we find five characteristics of deceivers, false teachers. Here's how to identify them.

February 3, 2019 • 11:00 am

Dealing with Deceivers, Part 2

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: If we are to correctly deal with deceivers/false teachers, not only must we be able to identify them, but we must understand the seriousness of the threat they pose to us as individuals and as a church. The seriousness of their threat is seen by the level of their commitment and by their confession.

February 10, 2019 • 11:00 am

On Guard Duty

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Verse 8 presents the second danger for which the Apostle John issues a warning. From the first verbal command in this epistle, our text today is a call for guard duty. Verse 8 also presents a two-fold purpose for the issuance of this call to personal vigilance against false teachers/deceivers and their false teachings.

February 17, 2019 • 11:00 am

Truth or Consequences

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: In this second half of John's second epistle, He gives warning about false teachers/deceivers. We are to reject their deceptions (v. 7), reject their influence (v. 8) and recognize the consequences of God's truth and their error (v. 9). John calls born-again believers to refuse fellowship with them. What is the key test that reveals they have gone beyond what God teaches and become progressive in their teaching? Does it really matter what one believes about Christ?

February 24, 2019 • 11:00 am

No Welcome; No Blessing

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Fellowship with God assumes a separation from the enemies of God; a separation from deceivers and false teachers whom the apostle labels as "antichrist." We are to refuse fellowship with them. So what do you do when they come to your home or invite you to participate with them in religious activity?

March 31, 2019 • 11:00 am

Which Role Model?

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: In this shortest of all NT books, the last surviving member of the original twelve disciples whom Jesus personally handpicked and trained for gospel ministry, delivers only one command in his letter to Gaius. Its message can be summarized this way: the person you choose as your role model and after whom you pattern your life, must possess and display Christ-like character since one's testimony is critically important!

April 7, 2019 • 11:00 am

Gaius: Walking in the Truth

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Identifying this man named Gaius is not as important as identifying the reasons for John's commendation of his life mentioned in vv. 1-8. Gaius' life was characterized by four qualities that each of us would do well to imitate today. This message covers just one of those qualities--walking in the truth.

April 28, 2019 • 11:00 am

Gaius: Genuinely Prosperous

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: The number of people who commit suicide after experiencing the fame and fortune of worldly success is astonishing. They and many others have proven the truth of what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes - a man's prosperity and pleasure does not bring lasting satisfaction and fulfillment! Society has taught us what its definition of a prosperous life is, and it has deceived us. While prosperity has ruined a lot of people, it does not ruin the man who sees God as His greatest treasure! We must "learn from above how to live life below." Gaius is a great illustration of that! If we would be genuinely prosperous people, regardless of where we are on the social, economic or relational spectrum, we must embrace the same perspective of life Gaius had!

May 5, 2019 • 11:00 am

Gaius: A Supporter of Missionaries

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Have you ever wondered why some churches support missionaries to go preach the gospel in various places throughout the U.S. and overseas? Is someone were to question you as to what is the biblical basis for supporting missionaries financially and materially, could you point to any passage of Scripture? These two final characteristics of Gaius' life together present the summary message of our text: The support of traveling Christian workers/missionaries is both noble and needed.

May 19, 2019 • 11:00 am

Diotrephes: Self-centered, Self-serving

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: Diotrephes was more influenced by the culture of his day than he was by the Word of God. His spirit and mindset is very much alive in modern day churches as well. From his life we learn two very important lessons that challenge us today.

June 2, 2019 • 11:00 am

Demetrius: A Good Testimony

Scripture:

Speaker: Pastor Miguel Betancourt II

Series: The Epistles of John: Fellowship Provided, Possessed and Protected

Synopsis: What makes for a good name? What is a good testimony? Our text this morning presents to us a portrait of what a good man looks like. The apostle John commends him to Gaius as a worthy role model to follow. So what made him stand out from the rest so that his life was worthy of imitation?