The Journey Continues

Jude

1) What is something that you’ve had to fight for?  Perhaps it was a belief, a value or a principle.

2) What was the false teaching the early church was fighting against?  What must we guard against today?

3) Consider the intensity of the situation that Jude is addressing.  Where were the people to turn for hope and help?

Jude was a brother of James and therefore a half-brother of Jesus.  He started out to write an encouraging word about our salvation, but was compelled to speak to the issue of false teachers (verse 3).  What he shares is more than a word of warning; it is a call to action.  He urges us to contend for the faith.  One definition of contend is “to endeavor with strenuous zeal.”  We must strongly stand against those who stand against the truth.

The early church was being challenged by false teachings.  One specific issue was a belief that the body was evil and the spirit was good which led to people “who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality (verse 4).”  In effect, people believed that they had freedom to do whatever they wanted without impacting their spirit.  The other specific false teaching was denying “Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord (verse 4).”  This was THE issue for the early church.  Both of these were issues worth fighting over.

At the end of a brief but intense letter, Jude offers hope in the form of a doxology (a statement of praise).  While verses 24-25 are meant as an expression of worship to God, they contain some incredible truths about God’s ability to keep us from falling while being bombarded by a world that stands against Him.  “He is able.”  These words would serve as a wonderful reminder of God’s strong presence with His people.

 

1 John Chapter 1

1) Jesus as man; Jesus as God.  How do the two go together?

2) What are your two favorite colors?  Why do you like them?

3) What is available to us when we sin?  What must be done to receive what is available?

Jesus was very real to the early church.  They saw Him, heard Him, touched Him – He was fully man (1:1).  He came from the Father and was an eternal being – He was fully God (1:2).  These statements clearly affirm the deity of the man Jesus, something 1 John will focus on throughout.

In the first of several similar passages, John shows us that his favorite colors are black and white.  That is, here and in a few places we’ll look at later, John makes it clear that we are either in fellowship with God or we’re not.  Specifically, in verses 5-7, John says we are either in the light, or we are in the dark; there is no in between.  Here is a clear call for our walk to match our talk.

To keep the previous thought of walking in the light in its correct context, John speaks directly to the issue of sin.  Sin will always be part of our lives on earth.  We simply are not perfect beings.  However, for those following Christ, sin is not to be our normal experience (we are to be walking in the light).  But what happens when we do sin?  Verse 9 speaks of the incredible work of God in our lives.  When we confess our sin, He forgives us and purifies us.

 

1 John Chapter 2

1) If you were a tightrope walker would you intentionally fall just to use the safety net?

2) If you made a relationship scale with “love” on one end and “hate” on the other, what would be the steps in between?  Who are some people that you picture at each step?

3) What things of the world get your attention?  What are you drawn to?

What does God say about our sinning?  He says to not to.  Yes, Jesus’ death on the cross means forgiveness of sin and His resurrection means I live a new life full of freedom.  But make no mistake about it.  God’s desire is that I don’t sin (2:1).  We’ve been called to walk the talk and to do it well (2:6).

John’s black and white nature shows up again in verses 9-11.  Here he leaves no middle ground where we sort of get along with others.  We either love or hate.  What would it be like to be that black in white in our relationships?  How would you interact with those around you if your only choice was to love or hate them?

When praying for us, Jesus said we are not of this world (John 17:16).  When referring to the faithful, the writer of Hebrews said the world was not worthy of them (Hebrews 11:38).  Here in verses 15-17, John challenges us to live life detached from the things of the world.  In absolute terms, he says everything in the world comes not from the Father (2:16).  Our focus is to be on the only thing that will last – doing the will of the Father (2:17).

 

1 John Chapter 3

1) Would you consider a caterpillar to already be a butterfly?  Why or why not?

2) How do you define love?  What’s the easiest, clearest way you know to explain it?

3) What is the simplest way for you to understand what God expects from you?  How basically do you understand His command?

To be or to be in process?  We are in the process of becoming what we already are.  Sound confusing?  God has both accomplished His work in us and we are in the process of bringing His work to its completion.  We are already pure, yet work to purify ourselves (3:3).  Even though God will finish His work when Jesus appears (3:2), we must join with Him in the process of becoming what we will one day be.

There are many definitions of love.  Most are abstract and emotional.  But there is one that is clear and tangible: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (3:16).  But this definition of love is not content with staying as words on a page.  This definition demands to be lived out as a love that is real, practical and touchable.

John is able to boil everything God commands of us to its very core.  In verse 23 we read, “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”  This is similar to what we read in Matthew 22 when Jesus said loving God and loving others summed up all the law.  Knowing God’s commands is not hard; living them out is another story.

 

1 John Chapter 4

The word love (loves, loved) occurs 27 times in this chapter.  Consider these questions as we see why John had so much to say about love.

1) How does John describe love (see verses 10 and 16)

2) Where does love come from (see verse 7)

3) How did God show love (see verse 9)

4) What motivates us to love (see verse 19)

5) What is the relationship between loving God and loving others? (see verse 20-21)

 

How would you put all of these thoughts on love into a flowchart?

 

1 John Chapter 5

1) What are ways that we can express our love for God?  How can we demonstrate our love for Him?

2) What are some ways that people attempt to become right with God?  How effective are these ways?

3) While we walk with God, what challenges will we face along the way?  What support is available to use as we are on our journey?

Love = obedience.  While that probably won’t find its way on to many Valentine’s Day cards, it’s the key to expressing our love to God.  While there are times that we may be puzzled about how to relate to God Who is Spirit, the way we are to show love to Him is clear.  Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) 

Chapter 5 gives us one more look at the black and white nature of John’s teaching.  In verse 12 we read, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  It truly is that clear.  Know Jesus – know life.  No Jesus – no life.  Jesus said it this way in John’s gospel, “No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John brings a sobering reminder to us near the end of his letter.  “The whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (5: 19)  Ours is not a casual stroll on our way to heaven.  Rather, we are in the midst of a battle against a very real enemy.  But the first part of that verse says this, “We know that we are children of God.”  Our road may be difficult, but we are not without support.