Fresh Life Church Podcast — "Something Old, Something New"

Host: Pastor Levi Lusko
Date: August 11, 2025

Episode Overview

In this kickoff to a new eight-week series on 1 John titled "Touch Grass," Pastor Levi Lusko explores how we can determine the authenticity of our faith and discern truth in a world full of spiritual confusion. Drawing on the imagery and lessons of 1 John, Levi emphasizes discerning between the real and the counterfeit in both faith and the world at large. The episode weaves scriptural insights, historical context, and modern-day applications to help believers deepen assurance, pursue holiness, and live with uncompromised truth and joy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Central Question: How Can You Know You’re Saved?

• Levi opens with the question: "How can someone know if they're saved? How can you actually know if you've been born again or if you just thought you did?" (00:50)
• Describes the need for spiritual diagnostics, referencing the APGAR test for newborns and how spiritual life, like physical life, shows signs.

The "Touch Grass" Analogy

• Modern Disconnection: Says people are so inundated with digital life they may lose sense of what is real—both in the material world and in faith.
• Analogy: “You need to go and interact with the real world... there are benefits to pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, getting some dirt under your fingernails.” (03:10)
• Points out the increasing difficulty distinguishing between real and fake, whether online or regarding spiritual truths.

Purpose of 1 John: Recognizing Reality in Faith

• 1 John written to believers so “you may know” the reality of their faith, not just hope or wonder.
• "First John was written to help us know the difference between real and fake when it comes to truth." (09:05)
• Enumerates John’s memorable summaries of truth: “We love him because he first loved us. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world...” (10:00)

Something Old, Something New: Theology Must Be Rooted

• Quote: “If it's true, it's not new, and if it's new, it's not true.” (11:15)
• John’s strategy: Anchor new spiritual “truths” by referencing original, apostolic teaching—what is “from the beginning.”
• Cultural trends and spiritual fashions change, but truth does not, just as the Bible predicted knowledge and activity would abound in the last days.

Historical and Authorial Context of 1 John

• Authorship: Clarifies John, possibly in his mid-90s, is the last living apostle, uniquely qualified to confirm Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection first-hand (23:00+).
• Personal Touch: Relays John’s devotion ("the disciple Jesus loved") and how he cared for Mary after Jesus’ crucifixion.
• Ephesus Church: Describes the legacy of the Ephesian church and its leaders, including John, and their spiritual challenges.

Counterfeits and Early Heresies

• John combats the rise of Gnosticism and related heresies, which:
  • Denied Jesus came in the flesh
  • Downplayed or twisted the gospel message
  • Claimed access to “secret knowledge”
• John’s rebuttal: “No. Saw him, heard him, handled him, and can confirm when Jesus walked around, his feet touched grass, right?” (51:00)

John’s Unique Style and Gospel Purpose

• John’s writings are described as “artsy,” non-linear, and poetic.
• Comparison of four gospels as reflecting the four creatures in Revelation, with John as the “eagle”—soaring, spiritual, and distinct.
• Structure of 1 John: Presented as a spiral, revisiting key themes (incarnation, sin, fellowship, love, truth) from multiple angles.

Theology: Objective Truth in a Subjective Age

• Subjective vs. Objective: “Is something true to you or is something true, period?” (1:19:00)
• Illustrates with an example about the capital of New York.
• Emphasizes: “The truth is not just what's presented in scripture. The truth is a person. His name is Jesus. He is the way. He is the truth. He is the life. And there is no life outside of him.” (1:23:00)

Spiraling Toward Assurance and Holiness

• The book’s structure likened to eagle courtship, spiraling together—presenting 1 John as a call to deeper love and purity in Christ.
• Quotes Micah and John’s prologues to stress Jesus’ eternal pre-existence (“His goings forth are from of old, even from everlasting.” — Micah 5:2).

Five Takeaways for Believers (1:31:00)

1. Wrong believing leads to wrong living.
   • “A big reason the enemy wants to get you to incorrect believing is because he knows downstream it will lead to immoral living.”
2. Your joy can be fuller than it is right now.
   • “Your joy... can be fuller and can get filled up even through these words.” (1:33:10)
3. Because he came in a body, we can be forgiven for what we do in ours.
   • “If he didn’t come in a body, you have no hope for what happens in yours.” (1:36:50)
   • “Corrie Ten Boom said, 'There is no pit so deep that he is not deeper still.'”
4. Growing in joy is not possible by yourself.
   • “Growing in joy is not something you can do in a solitary pursuit.”
5. God can bring beauty out of difficulty.
   • Uses the making of "Jaws" as a metaphor: what didn’t work in Spielberg’s plan made the film better, just as God can use our pain.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Truth:
  “If it's true, it's not new, and if it's new, it's not true.” [11:15]
  "The truth is not just what's presented in scripture. The truth is a person. His name is Jesus." [1:23:00]

• On John’s Testimony:
  “No. Saw him, heard him, handled him, and can confirm when Jesus walked around, his feet touched grass, right?” [51:00]

• On Living Faith:
  “Wrong believing leads to wrong living. Don’t let anybody tell you what you believe doesn’t matter as long as you’re kind.” [1:31:00]

• On Community:
  "Growing in joy is not something you can do in a solitary pursuit. Are there God people around you encouraging you to wholeness?" [1:38:45]

• On Assurance:
  “John’s gospel was written so that we would believe. First John was written so that we would know we have that eternal life.” [1:49:20]

• On Forgiveness:
  “Confession is the only way to wholeness... You can only be clean if you come clean.” [1:37:40]

• On Difficulty and Faith:
  “What didn't work is what made the film work. ... God today, for some people, needs you to know that what's not working in your life is there so he can work in the dysfunction, in the disappointment, in the delay.” [1:44:40]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:50 – Opening question: How do I know I’m saved?
• 03:10 – “Touch Grass” analogy and its spiritual meaning
• 09:05–14:30 – The danger of spiritual counterfeits, purpose of 1 John
• 23:00–29:00 – Authorship and historical context of John’s epistle
• 51:00 – John’s firsthand testimony: The physical Jesus, against heresy
• 1:19:00–1:23:00 – Subjective vs. objective truth; Jesus as ultimate reality
• 1:31:00–1:41:00 – Five key takeaways for living a full Christian life
• 1:44:40–1:47:00 – “Jaws” story: When what harms us is the source of breakthrough
• 1:49:20 – Invitation to faith and conclusion

Conclusion & Next Steps

Pastor Levi wraps up with an invitation to embrace the unchanging gospel, stressing that assurance and transformation are found in Christ—not in “new” or secret knowledge, but in the old, eternal truth. He encourages getting plugged into community and reminds listeners that God can create beauty even from what feels broken. The episode ends in prayer, leading listeners in a step of faith and surrender.

For further study:

• Read 1 John in preparation for the rest of the “Touch Grass” series
• Reflect on the “five takeaways” throughout the week
• Engage with others for accountability and encouragement in your faith journey

Resource: freshlife.church