Jun27-Jul3: Jesus and the Epistles of John

Teaching Points

1. John addressed his readers by "little children" and "beloved"

• "little children" - 1 John 2:1, 18, 28; 1 John 3:7,18; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:21.
• "beloved" -1 John 3:2, 21; 1 John 4:1, 7, 11; 3 John 2, 5, 11

OBSERVATION:

• John called them little children because he was a spiritual father to them. In fact, John was pretty old (around 80 yrs old?) when he wrote this epistle. He is giving them the message of warning to the "little children" because little children can be easily misled.
• John called them beloved because he truly loved them as his own. Jesus also called John beloved.
• John shows much love and care here.
  

2. The main content of the Epistles may be concluded from the above verses

• Observe the key thoughts from the following verses.
• "little children"
• 1 John 2:1 "Ye sin not"
• 1 John 2:18 "Antichrists shall come"
• 1 John 3:7 "Let no man deceive you"
• 1 John 3:18 "Let us...love...in deed and in truth"
• 1 John 4:4 "Greater is He that is in you"
• 1 John 5:21 "Keep yourselves from idols"
• "beloved"
• 1 John 3:2 "Now are we the sons of God"
• 1 John 3:21 "We have confidence toward God"
• 1 John 4:1 "Try the spirits"
• 1 John 4:7 "Love one another"
• 1 John 4:11 "We ought also to love one another"
• 3 John 2 "Prosper..in health"
• 3 John 5 "Doest faithfully"
• 3 John 11 "Follow.. that which is good".

OBSERVATION:

• Whenever John says "little children" or "beloved", I can almost feel John is saying, 'now, listen carefully!' If this is so then John was highlighting his main points with these terminologies.

3. John's purpose of writing the Epistles

• 1 John 1:4 "Joy may be full"
• 1 John 2:1 "Ye sin not"
• 1 John 2:26 "I written unto you concerning them that seduce you"
• 1 John 5:13 "That ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

OBSERVATION:

• We cannot avoid the fact that John does mention why he wrote what he wrote. If you connect above verses carefully then it is pretty obvious that John was warning them about the deception of new theology-false believers claiming righteousness without doing the righteousness

4. Jesus in the the Epistles of John

• 1 John 1:1 The Word of Life
• 1 John 1:2 The Eternal Life
• 1 John 1:3 The Son of God
• 1 John 2:1 The Advocate
• 1 John 2:2 The Propitiation
• 1 John 2:22 The Christ
• 1 John 4:14 The Savior
• 1 John 5:20 The True God.

OBSERVATION:

• Begins with "the Word of Life" and ends with "the True God". Sounds similar to John 1:1"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

5. Jesus' Ministry in John's Epistles?

• 1 John 1:7 The blood of Jesus cleanse us from all sin
• 1 John 1:9 To forgive us our sins
• 1 John 2:1 To mediate
• 1 John 2:25 Promised us eternal life
• 1 John 2:28 Jesus shall appear(the second coming)
• 1 John 3:5 To take away our sins
• 1 John 3:8 Destroy the works of the devil
• 1 John 3:16 Laid down His life for us

OBSERVATION:

• I think Matt. 1:21 nicely summarizes the above verse, "...shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins" We can definitely see gospel message in John's epistle

CONCLUSION:

• John knows that he will depart from the world soon. He also see that the church will be attacked every side. John feels the need to write the gospel message again but this time just the main core of the message. He repeats the main point so many times so that no one can miss the main point. He reveals the Christ and the antichrist in a contrast manner that no one should be seduced by the false teachings

Jun20-26: Mission

People Will Be Lost, Unless…

1. What is the only hope for the lost?

• 2Cor. 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost 2Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

ANSWER:

• To understand and to believe the gospel

2. So what needs to be done in order for the people to understand the gospel?

• 2Cor. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2Cor. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

ANSWER:

• The light of the knowledge of glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ must be given through the work of preaching.

NOTICE:

• Rev. 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; Rev. 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb
• The lost people at the Second Coming of Jesus will hide from the face of Jesus. Since they refused to see the face of Jesus through the gospel, they have rejected the only way to be saved.

The Great Commission

1. Read the passages in which the Great Commission is recorded and note how they complement each other. What are the specific details in each of these passages?

• Matt. 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matt. 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
• Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
• Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
• John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
• Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

ANSWER:

• Matt. 28:19, 20 Teach all nations, making disciples
• Mark 16:15, 16 Preach the gospel to every creature
• Luke 24:46, 47 Start from Jerusalem (central location)
• John 20:21 Jesus will send us to all the world
• Acts 1:8 Only the power of the Holy Spirit can enable us to be a witness to all the world.

OTHER OBSERVATION:

• We must go to all the world
• We must baptize them
• Gospel is repentance and remission of sins

A Witnessing Church

1. What special message is to be proclaimed by God’s people in the time of the end? Rev. 14:6–12.

ANSWER:

• Rev. 14:6-7 – The hour of judgments and worship the Creator
• Rev. 14:8 – Do not be deceived by the false teachings of spiritual Babylon
• Rev. 14:9-11 – Do not submit to human demand that goes against the commandments of God
• Rev. 14:12 – Faith of Jesus, justification by faith/righteousness by faith

Personal Witness

1. What is a vital condition for all who want to be witnesses of their faith? 2Pet. 3:15.

• 1Pet. 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear

ANSWER:

• Ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason of the hope
• Share with meekness and fear

2. How do you need to prepare in order to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope with meekness and fear?

ANSWER:

• Mental preparation: Study to know the reason of the hope. 2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• Character preparation: Learn to teach with patience and gentleness. 2Tim. 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 2Tim. 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth

Sharing the Lord

1. What is to be the centerpiece of all our preaching and witnessing?

• 1Cor. 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

ANSWER:

• Jesus Christ and Him crucified

OBSERVATION: Observe the connection between the major doctrines and Jesus.

• Sabbath -Mark 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
• Sanctuary - John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
• The State of the Dead - John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live
• The Spirit of Prophecy - Rev. 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
• Sanctification - John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
• Second Coming - Rev. 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Jun13-19: Community

God Wants a People

1. What was God’s purpose for creating Adam and Eve according to Gen. 1:28?

• Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

ANSWER:

• Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth.
• To have dominion over the earth.

OBSERVATION:

• “Replenish the earth” – this command gives us an idea that God wants a community of His people in a global scale.

2. What was God’s purpose for calling Abraham out of his hometown according to Gen. 12:1-3?

• Gen. 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: Gen. 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Gen. 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

ANSWER:

• To be a “great nation” …. “in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”– this promise gives us an idea that God wants a community of His people with a global spiritual influence.

OBSERVATION:

• Gen. 11:1-4 “let us make us a name” God did not approve this community because they want to make a name for themselves.
• Gen. 12:1-3 “I will…make they name great” God did approve this community because God makes their great not Abraham himself.

The Privilege of Belonging

1. How did God call the Israelites that are in bondage in Egypt?

• Ex. 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows

ANSWER:

• My people – God was letting them know that they belong to Him.

2. What was the demand that Moses made to Pharaoh?

• Ex. 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

ANSWER:

• Let my people go

NOTICE:

• Moses said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go” nine times. Ex. 5:1; 7:16; 8:1, 20, 21; Ex. 9:1, 13; 10:3, 4

3. How can we be a part of God’s people?

• Jer. 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
• Jer. 31:1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Jer. 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
• Jer. 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: Jer. 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them
• Ezek. 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: Ezek. 11:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
• Ezek. 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezek. 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezek. 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

ANSWER:

• If we have a new heart. What is a new heart? A heart that is in tune with the law of God. A heart that fears God with love and trust.

OBSERVATION:

• The First Angel’s message is inviting the world to be a part of God’s people. Rev. 14:7 “Fear God and give glory to Him”
  

4. What is the final message of mercy just before the end of the world?

• Rev. 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

ANSWER:

• Come out of her, My people.

5. In what way we belong to God?

• Is. 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

ANSWER:

• Through creation and redemption, we are God’s heritage

CONCLUSION:

• From the beginning until the end, God wants us to know that we belong to Him through creation and redemption. We do have a belonging!

The Responsibility of Belonging

1. What did Jesus say about all the members in God’s church?

• Matt. 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

ANSWER:

• We are disciples of Christ and we all are brethren

2. How do we show to the world that we are Christ’s disciples?

• John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

ANSWER:

• Love one to another

3. In what way we should love one another?

• John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

ANSWER:

• Willing to lay down our life for one another.

4. What else should we do for one another?

ANSWER:

• Gal. 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
• Eph. 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love
• Eph. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
• Col. 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
• Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
• 1Th. 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
• Heb. 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
• Heb. 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Heb. 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
• 1Pet. 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently
• 1Pet. 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Unity in Diversity

1. What did Jesus ask for His disciples when He prayed according to John chapter 17?

• John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one

ANSWER:

• That they may be one.

OBSERVATION:

• Disciples of Jesus are unique and different but Jesus prayed for them that they might have the unity in diversity.

2. What would help the disciples to be united as one according to the prayer of Jesus?

ANSWER:

• “Glory which thou gave Me I Have given them”

OBSERVATION:

• What glory did God give to Jesus?
• John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee
• What was Jesus talking about when He said, “the hour is come; glorify thy Son”?
• Read Mark 14:41. The hour is the time of Jesus’ death and rejection.
• Jesus was glorified when He was crucified on the cross.
• John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
• John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. John 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
• Answer: The Father gave Jesus the glory of self-sacrificing love. And Jesus gave this glory to His disciples that they might be united as one even though the group is so diverse.

The Church’s Foundation: Jesus Christ

1. Read John 15:5. What is Christ and what are we in this verse?

• John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

ANSWER:

• Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches.

OBSERVATION:

• Jesus is the life source for all believers. We need to be connected to Christ and through Christ we are connected to other believers. In this sense, Jesus Christ is the foundation for the community of believers.

Jun6-12: Stewardship

Talents

1. Read Matthew 25:14–30.What basic message about stewardship do you take from Jesus’ words here?

ANSWER:

• God has given talents to every man according to each person’s ability
• We will be judged according to the usage of our talents

OBSERVATION:

• We do not earn salvation by usage our talents.
• Notice verse 14, the Master gave them “His goods”
• “His goods” are the talents. See verse 15
• Therefore when the servants “went and traded” the talents, they were doing good works.
• We do not do good works in order to be saved.
• So then what is the attitude of the servants that used their talents? Before we can answer this question we need to ask the following question.
• Is it possible conclude that their attitude was opposite from the attitude of the servant that hid his talent? I think so.
• What was the attitude of the servant that hid his talent? Why did he hide his talent?
• See verse 24 and 25, “I knew thee that thou art an hard man…And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent”
• He was afraid. This means that he did not know the Master. He did not know the Master because he did not love the Master (1 John 4:8 says, to know Him is to love Him). And he did not live by faith because faith works by love (Gal. 5:6). And without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6)
• Therefore the other servants that used the talents lived by faith, loved the Master, and they knew the Master’s character. They were doing the good works because they had a loving relationship with Him.

Time

1. What do we learn from the Gospels about Jesus’ use of His time?

ANSWER:

• Matt. 4:23 – Jesus was busy helping people physically, mentally, and spiritually.
• Mark 1:21-35 – Jesus was busy all day Sabbath teaching and preaching. After sundown, Jesus healed more people. Next day morning, Jesus still got up early enough to pray!
• Luke 4:16 – Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Jesus did not forget to keep the Sabbath day holy.
• John 2:1-11 – Jesus did not neglect an innocent feast and celebration.
• John 12:2 – Jesus spent time with those who are close to Him.

Stewards of Our Body

1. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19,20.What do these verses tell us about our bodies and our spirits?

• 1Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
• 1Cor. 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

ANSWER:

• We should glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits. They have been bought with a price.
  

2. How much did Jesus pay to buy us back? Read Matt. 13:45, 46

• Matt. 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
• Matt. 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

ANSWER:

• Sold all that He had and bought us.

OBSERVATION:

• The value of a product can be determined by the price of a product. We are worth all that He had!

3. Read 1 Cor. 7:22, 23 and observe.

• 1Cor. 7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
• 1Cor. 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

OBSERVATION:

• We have been bought back to God with a great price. Therefore we are His servants. Our body and spirit belong to Him. We become stewards of our body and spirit.

4. How do should we glorify God in our body?

• 1Cor. 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
• 1Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
• 1Cor. 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

ANSWER:

• Keep our body (appetite and passion) under the subjection of the Holy Spirit.

Our Material Possession

1. Read the following texts: Lev. 27:30, Deut. 8:18, Ps. 50:12, Mal. 3:8–10, Matt. 6:31, Matt. 23:23. What lessons do you draw from them?

ANSWER:

• Lev. 27:30 – God is the owner of all our increase
• Deut. 8:18 – God gives the power to get wealth
• Ps. 50:12 –The whole world belongs to God
• Mal. 3:8-10 – God honors us with His blessings if we acknowledge Him as the Owner of all thing when we return tithes and offerings to Him.
• Matt. 6:31 –Eating and Drinking are necessary in this life but not as important as seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. This text is not suggesting that we should not work. Paul said, “If any would not work, neither should he eat” 2 Thess. 3:10. However working should not take away our eyes from the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Therefore God asked us to return our tithes and offerings to Him so that we will be reminded to seek Him first.
• Matt. 23:23 – Righteous judgment, mercy, and faith are not to be forgotten when we practice giving our tithes and offerings to God.

2. Don’t forget how we came and how we will go.

• 1Tim. 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
• 1Tim. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

CONCLUSION:

• Do not live for money. Money exists for us. Yes, we can make money but let not money make you.

While We Are Waiting

1. What should characterize our waiting for the second coming of Christ? Matt. 24:42–46. What do these verses mean for us in the practical sense of how we live?

• Matt. 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

ANSWER:

• “Doing” is the key word for the answer. Not “done” or not “will do” but “doing” It is continually doing the will of God. What is the will of God in this sense? Using our talents to “feed” others spiritually. God has given us talents so that we may use them to bless others. We destroy ourselves if we use these God given talents only for our survival in this world. Are you that wise servant “feeding” others or are you that evil servant who just eat and drink for himself?