Deeper, Part 6 (1 John 2:15-17) Questions for Reflection

Some loves are open ended, for example parents love for their children. Other love is exclusive, for example one cannot “love” the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburg Steelers J. Jesus explained that you cannot love light and darkness, “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). John declared to his readers they must choose one; either love the world or the Father, but you cannot love both, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them” (1 John 3:15).

1 John 2:16 describes three “three particulars” of love of the world that stand in opposition to love for God; ‘lust of the flesh”, “lust of the eyes”, and “the pride of life”. The Holeman Christian Study Bible notes define these three particulars respectively, “what the body desires, what the eyes itch to see, and what people work hard to acquire.” What additional insights do the following Scriptures provide about each?

Lust of the flesh (“what the body desires”)--

Genesis 3:6--

Galatians 5:17, 20-21--

Colossians 3:5--

Lust of the eyes (“What they eyes itch to see”)--

Proverbs 6:25--

Matthew 5:28--

The pride of life (“what people work hard to acquire”)--

Genesis 4:7--

Luke 12:15--

Jeremiah 9:23--

Application

Read John 6:35-40. What is the “will of God”? How would remaining or abiding in this deepen your love for God?

Memorize This

                 

1 John 3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. NIV

Men's Game Changer Weekend at Sandy Cove

Glad to be ALL IN with these men! pic.twitter.com/MGyUJeZsUT

— Mike Miller (@emikemiller) October 17, 2014

1 Samuel 16- Samuel "saw" & God "saw" difference? Ability to preceive. @rodhairston #gamechangerweekend

— Mike Miller (@emikemiller) October 18, 2014

1 Sam 16- David was not so concerned about getting it all right, he was concerned about BEING right. @rodhairston #gamechangerweekend

— Mike Miller (@emikemiller) October 18, 2014

Game Changer Weekend 2015, October 16-18th, check out more here.

Deeper, Part 5 (1 John 2:15-17) Questions for Reflection

Dig Deeper

In 1 John 2:12-14 John uses three common life-stages, children, young men, and fathers, to demonstrate spiritual growth from new convert to maturity. Of the young John declares, “you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:13, 14b). Here John introduces one of his favorite themes, the Christian’s certainty of victory. Bible scholar F.F. Bruce explains, “Of the 28 occurrences of the verb nikan (“to overcome”) in the New Testament, 24 are in John’s writings… Thus the victory motif is peculiarly Johannine.”[1]

What insights about the Christian’s victory through Christ are gleaned from the following Scriptures?

John 16:33--

1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; and 4:4-5--

Revelation 3:5, 12, 21; 12:11; 15:2-3; and 21:7--

How is victory a motivation for pursuing a deeper walk with Christ? 1 John 2:14

Application

What life-stage best represents your present relationship with God-- child (new-convert), youth, or father? What challenges to growth are revealed in the following Scriptures?

Children-- 1 Peter 2:2; 1 John 2:1, 12, 28--

Youth-- Romans 12:9-11; Titus 2:6-8; 1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Timothy 4:5; and Hebrews 5:12

Fathers-- 2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 2:1-5;

Memorize This

1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. HCSB

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[1] F. F. Bruce The Epistles of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986

Unfailing Love

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1 John 2:7 & 10, "Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning... Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble." (NIV)

Evidence for our confidence in Christ, "And hereby we do know that we know Him..." (1 John 2:3a, KJV) is our love for one another.Yesterday we used this story of Clara Gantt’s sixty-three year wait for her husband, Sgt. First Class Joseph Gantt who went MIA in the Korean War in 1950. Last December his remains were finally brought home for a military funeral with full honors. The first word used to describe agape love in 1 Corinthians 13:4 is patient. This is the kind of unconditional unfailing love we receive from God through Christ and the love we’ll have for each other when we “live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6). Read the full news report here.

This past Memorial Day Sgt. First Class Joseph Gantt was  posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor by President Obama. Clara was on hand and honored by the President and crowd. Read more here.

Deeper, Part 4 (1 John 2:3-11) Questions for Reflection

Dig Deeper

Twenty-six times in the epistle of 1 John the apostle John uses the word “know” to emphasize the Christian’s confidence or certainty of his salvation, and its blessings. The first two occasions occur in 1 John 2:3, “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (KJV). Accompanying this statement of confidence is a “test”-- obedience. John certainly does not have in mind perfect obedience as he began this chapter, “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1b). Genuine and saving faith results in obedience. The fruit of obedience in turn is cause for increased confidence.

Examine the following “we know” statements by John. What do these statements reveal about the Christian’s confidence?

1 John 2:5; 2:13-14; 2:29--

1 John 3:2; 3:5; 3:14; 3:20--

1 John 4:7; 4:13--

John reminds his readers that his command is not new “but an old one, which you have had since the beginning” (1 John 1:7). What additional insights do the following verses from John’s gospel provided concerning this command?

John 13:34-35--

John 15:12--

Application

In John 14:15 Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” and John 14:23, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” How is the Holy Spirit leading you to deepen your relationship with God through obedience?

Memorize This

  1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. NIV

Deeper: 1 John 1:5-2:2-- Questions for Reflection

Dig Deeper

In the eight verses that make up 1 John 1:5-2:2 John uses the word “sin” nine times. While our culture usually tries to downplay sin and evil, John addresses it head on. Ultimately there are only two ways of dealing with sin. The first is to attempt to conceal our sin by either hiding it from others, including God or lying to ourselves, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8). The response urged by 1 John is to confess our sin, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The English word confess is from the Greek word, homologeō meaning “to say the same thing as another or to agree with another.” (Stongs, g3670) What do the following biblical examples of confession reveal about its importance in our relationship with God?

Luke 19:8-9--

Acts 19:11-20--

Psalm 51:1-12--

Compare Job’s confession in Job 7:20-21 with Job 42:2-6. Why do you think God responded to Job in the later but not the former?

1 John 1:9 declares that God is both faithful and just in forgiving the one who confesses his sins. John explains that God is just (or justified) in this response because Jesus’ work as our propitiation (atoning sacrifice- NIV) for sin (1 John 2:2). What benefits are yours because of Christ’s propitiation?

1 John 2:1-2--

Hebrews 2:17-18; 9:11-14--

Colossians 1:21-22--

Application

The Evangelist D. L. Moody frequently reminded his fellow Christians to “keep short accounts with God.” He meant by this a lifestyle of confession and repentance as soon as the Christian becomes aware of sin in his life. How are you sensing the Holy Spirit’s lead to deepen your walk with God through confession?

Memorize This

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. HCSB

Have you ever felt alone because of a shortcoming or sin? You lost your cool and yelled in a completely undeserving manner at your spouse or child or because of a lack of follow-thru on your part you lost your company’s most profitable client? One way or another we all, through failure or sin experience aloneness, or as John describes it, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8, KJV).

As Christians we might feel alone, but the truth is that we are  not alone, “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-- Jesus Christ the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1, HCSB). Jesus here is called by John our Advocate, “called to one’s side/aid.” At the times you feel most alone remember Jesus Christ is at your side.

Last Sunday we used the example of 2000 Florida State Seminoles senior punter and placekick holder and current FSU baseball coach Keith Cottrell to illustrate what it means to have an advocate. On October 7^th of that year FSU faced their rivals the University of Miami with the national championship on the line.  At the half FSU was down 17-0 to rally to 27-24 with 5 seconds left in the game. Matt Munyon, FSU’s walk-on freshman who earlier had missed a 23-yard kick will now attempt a 49-yard field goal to tie the game and send it into overtime.

With the crowds and his opponents jeering and even teammates cussing him, Keith Cottrell steps to his side-- “I’ve been with Matt from the beginning of this season, when everybody cussed him before he even kicked the ball… It’s very important for me, as a senior, as a teammate, and as a brother in Christ, to be there for him, through the good times and the bad.”[1]

Remember, you have more than a teammate sticking by your side. You have an Advocate!

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[1] Gary Long, Teammates Stick by Munyon,  preachingtoday.com.