June 26, 2022

           THE LETTERS OF JOHN

             June 26, 2022

            Pastor Jonathan Falwell

 

Have you ever struggled with one of the characteristics that makes you, “you”? We often see our strengths as weaknesses. Can anyone share?

We are continuing our series through the letters of John, as we examine 1 John 3:1-10. These three letters (1, 2, & 3 John) were written to believers who were trying to stand against those who were so opposed to Christianity—just as it is today. John was the last apostle remaining alive, and the only one who is thought to have died of old age, rather than of martyrdom. However, if the legend that he was boiled in oil but escaped unscathed is true, he was willing to die for the truth he proclaimed about Jesus and the gospel. His letters help us to understand the attacks from the outside are to stop us from doing what we are commissioned to do!

Focal Passage: 1 John 3:1-10

Don’t be surprised by the lack of love

  • Read 1 John 3:1. When you reflect on the majesty of God, does it overwhelm you that He will adopt you as His child, through Jesus?
  • What are some of the benefits of being His child? What are we delivered from?
  • Why are there people who do not like you because you are a Christian? Why would anyone turn away from the gift Jesus offers?

The best is yet to come

  • Read verse 2. What do you envision when you think about heaven? Why does no one know what we will be like?
  • What were some of the characteristics of Jesus after He rose from the grave? Will we have those characteristics?
  • What do you think John meant when he said “we will see (Jesus) as He is?

So prepare for the best?

  • Read verses 3-6. What “hope” is John talking about? What does he mean that we purify ourselves?
  • Some people are confused, as verse 4 sounds as though we will no longer sin. What is the meaning of the phrase?
  • (Verse 6) Do you know people who call themselves Christians, but whose lifestyle is contrary to God’s Word? Why is that type of sin “lawlessness”? Why is it not pleasing to God?
  • How can one lovingly help the sinner see that his unwillingness to give up his sin is making a mockery of his declaring himself saved?
  • When you sin, what are your reactions? If you can share, what are some of the sins that you commit that grieve you immediately, yet you can’t seem to over-come them? What can you do?

Even though Satan wants the worst

  • Read verses 7-8. What are the two types of people around us every day?
  • How can you tell the difference? Read 1 Cor. 6:9-11, Rev. 21:8, 22:14-15. Could Scripture be any more explicit about the righteous inheriting eternal life? What are some of the sins listed that we have gotten used to?
  • Why does Satan want to take as many Christians down as he possibly can? Why does He hate God so much?

Close:

Have you ever noticed that no one but Christians seems to realize that there are only two camps of people in the world: those who know Jesus Christ as their Savior because they believe in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, and believe He paid their sin debt that we—none of us—could pay ourselves, have confessed and repented of their sins; and those who reject Jesus, never accepting His free gift of salvation by grace. If they could but see into Hell for a few minutes it would scare them into changing their lifestyle.

What do you say to people you have a chance to witness to? Are you able to do it in love, “hating the sin, but loving the sinner”? That’s very hard. It’s hard to look past the sin to see a soul on their way to Hell. But what if no one has ever told them what Jesus has done for them? In America, where there is a church on every corner, it is easy to assume that everyone has heard of Jesus, knows what He did for us, and has chosen to reject Him. That’s simply not true. If you start witnessing to people you will find that many of them have not been raised to know anything about Jesus except that His name provides a curse-word for them to use.

What does it mean to be righteous, or to be holy, as He is holy? It means you are not in first place in your life, but your God is, your spouse is—in fact, the Bible says “in humility consider every man better than yourself.” (Phil. 2:3). Always be on the look-out to do a good deed, to help a person in need, give an encouraging word, but most of all, to share the gospel of Jesus Christ—being instant in season and out of season!

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