Walking in the Light – That You May Know – Week 1 | Matt Chandler | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Walking in the Light – That You May Know – Week 1

The Village Church • Jan 26, 2026 • 50 min

Start a Devotional

Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this opening message walking through 1 John, Pastor Matt Chandler confronts three foundational lies that threaten to erode a believer's faith: denying who Jesus is, treating darkness as a friend, and minimizing personal sin. God's essential nature is pure light without any darkness, establishing the foundation for true fellowship and holy living. When we bring our hidden sins into the light through honest confession, God faithfully forgives our guilt, and Jesus stands as our righteous advocate whose blood cleanses us completely.

Themes

The Incarnation of JesusWalking in the LightAuthentic Christian FellowshipConfession and RepentanceJesus as Our AdvocateSpiritual Warfare and False Teaching

Pastor's Points

1.

Lie 1: Jesus isn't who He said He is.

2.

Lie 2: Darkness is your friend.

3.

Lie 3: Sin is no big deal.

Key Points

1.
Lie 1: Jesus isn't who He said He is — false teachings try to erode our confidence by stripping away either Christ's full deity or full humanity, but John insists the apostles physically heard, saw, and touched Him.
2.
Lie 2: Darkness is your friend — claiming to have fellowship with God while living in intentional, secretive sin is self-deception because God is pure light without any darkness.
3.
Lie 3: Sin is no big deal — minimizing personal sin or claiming to be without sin cuts us off from the truth and accuses God of being a liar.
4.
Overwhelming manuscript and historical evidence validates Jesus, demonstrating that intellectual attacks on His deity and humanity are rooted in spiritual warfare.
5.
True Christian fellowship is impossible when we live in secrecy, because hiding our struggles prevents us from being fully known and receiving genuine love.
6.
Confession is agreeing with God about the reality of our sin, naming it specifically, and owning it through active repentance.
7.
While Christians are called to live free from sin, Jesus serves as our righteous advocate before the Father when we fall short, presenting His own cross and blood as full payment.

Sermon Moments

“The light exposes the sin, but the blood removes it.”

“Jesus is better than a good reputation. Jesus is better than a frail, false peace that's only happening because I'm a liar.”

“Confession is agreeing with God about the reality of our sin, naming it, and owning it.”

“When we inevitably fall short, our hope is not in our performance, but in our advocate.”

“You die in the dark. You go blind in the dark. Your senses are disoriented in the light. And you will eventually die there. So God's like, 'Hey, just come walk in the light.'”

“There is no sin with more power than the blood of Jesus Christ.”

This Week

Conduct an honest soul inventory to identify any hidden "dark rooms"—habits, attitudes, or secrets kept in the shadows.

Step into the light by confessing hidden sin to God and a trusted, mature Christian brother or sister this week.

Reject moral indifference by aligning your daily choices and actions with God's clear biblical moral standards.

Practice ongoing confession by naming specific sins and actively turning away from them, rather than relying on past admissions.

Engage in authentic Christian community where you can be fully known, loved, and held accountable.

If struggling with persistent or deep-seated patterns of sin or addiction, seek out dedicated recovery groups or biblically grounded support.

Rest in the truth that when you stumble, Jesus serves as your righteous advocate before the Father, having paid for your sin in full.

Remember This

Stepping out of darkness and into God's light through honest confession brings true fellowship with others and continuous cleansing through Jesus, our righteous advocate.

A Challenge for You

Rob darkness of its power by stepping into the light. Say the worst of it out loud, refuse to live in hypocrisy and secrecy, and trust fully in the advocacy and cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.