Week 8: Abide and Test – 1 John 3:24-4:6
1 John was written “so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). So, how do you know? 1 John 3:24-4:6 gives us a test to see if we are listening to and following the right voices in our life: The Testing Test: Am I testing the spirits, teachers, and influences in my life?
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DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
TBD = 2 or 3 Ice Breaker Questions:
READ: 1 John 3:24-4:6.
Spend some time SOAPing this passage. You can either spend time SOAPing individually and documenting for a several minutes and then spend time sharing with each -OR- SOAP in real time with each other. Either way make as many observations as you can.
SOAPS Questions:
- Observations: What are the things that stand out to you about this passage?
- How would you summarize this passage in one sentence?
- What does this passage tell me about who God is?
- What does this passage tell me about who I am?
- What else stood out from this week’s sermon?
GROUP questions:
- John connects obedience to abiding in Christ. What does “abiding” look like in your daily life? What practices help you stay aware of God’s presence?
- John says we know God lives in us “by the Spriit he gave us” How do you personally recognize the Spirit’s work in your life?
- 1 John. 4:1 commands us to test the spirits. Why do you think John found it necessary to warn believers about false teachings?
- Why is it important to have spiritual discernment?
- Practically speaking, how can we “test the spirits” today? What are some ways we can discern if a message, teaching or idea truly comes from God?
- How can believers remain confident in the truth without becoming suspicious or cynical toward others?
- 1 John 4:4 says “He who is in you is greater than he who he is in the world.” What does this mean for the spiritual battles we face today? Clay talked about how there’s evidence that the Spirit is alive inside of you if you are fighting against sin. How does that give you hope?
- How would our churches and communities look different if we all lived with a deeper awareness and dependence on the Holy Spirit?
APPLICATION: What is your big takeaway from this week’s sermon? Be specific.
NEXT STEPS:
Everyone has a next step to apply what we have learned. What is your next step?Be specific. How can you abide in Jesus this week?
MEMORY VERSE: *Challenge yourself or your group to commit this verse to memory:
1 John 3:24 “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God and God in him. By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
PRAYER:
Spend some time praying for each other.
Scripture References:
1 John 5:13; 1 John 3:24-4:6; 1 John 3:6,8; 1 John 5:19; 1 John 2:6,10,13-14,17; Acts 17:11-12; Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 119:11