04/10/2026
SUNDAY SERMON
OCTOBER 4TH 2026
TOPIC: Christian Living in Difficult Times.
TEXT: 1John 1:1-10
MINISTERING: REV GABRIEL AFOLABI
MI: We Survive Difficult Times when there is a True Encounter with Christ and Understands the Message of Christ.
Aims: To reveal the Scriptural truths for Christian living in difficult times.
To Encourage believers to focus on Jesus and his word for strength.
To challenge believers to fill themselves with God’s words.
INTRODUCTION.
The book of 1John was written to the Christians living around Ephesus who were facing with heretical teachings emanating from Gnostic and the likes. Subtle teachings that are confusing. It was a difficult time talking about faith. It was a disturbing period because some of the teachers with heresies left the body of Christ and propagate those teachings.
Today in our world, there are so many teachings out there retarding the growth of Christian faith around the world and the wide spread of the gospel of Christ. This is our own difficult time. The simple question is; how then can we as followers of Christ live and survive this difficult time?
In the first place:
I. EMBRACE YOUR ENCOUNTER. Vs.1-4
a. Embrace the encounter with senses. Vs1
• Embrace it through your sense of hearing Embrace it your sense of sight
• Embrace it through your sense of feeling.
b. Share your encounter vs2-4
HOW?
i. Engage your Mouth. Vs3-4
Declare it! Announce it and proclaim it to the world around you! Use every available means to do that. The word of faith and truth are in our mouths, announce it to the world. Rm. 10:8, 17
ii. Engage your acquired skills. Vs4
Engage the writing skill in you when it is necessary. Write to your elite audience the truth about Christ and your encounter with Him. “We write this to make your/our joy complete”
WHY?
• To enjoy fellowship with others
• To have a complete Joy
II. EMBRACE THE MESSAGE. Vs5-10
The message is never confusing at all; God is light! There is no obscurity in and with Him. Everything is true and is light.
a. Live by the truth of Jesus Christ. vs6
b. Accept the truth about yourselves vs8-10
CONCLUSION
The truth still remains; there will be difficult times as long as man exist. It is also expected that Christians living should be abound and unmovable.
You can do it by embracing your encounter and the message of salvation.
Prayer:
1. Oh Lord uphold me never to lose my gaze on you in my difficult time.
2. Father; I receive all it takes to live in the light no matter the difficulty associated with this time.
3. Oh Lord my God, I refuse to miss this fellowship with you all the days of my life. 1John 1:3; 7b
