A Study of 1 John: That You May Know
1 John was written to so that we may KNOW that we have eternal life. 1 John shows us what a genuine faith in Jesus looks like and warns about what an artificial faith looks like. John offers 10 spiritual tests throughout this short letter in the Bible to help us discern the difference between a fake faith and the real deal!
Week 5: Genuine Jesus and Genuine Faith – 1 John 2:18-28
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 2:18-28 gives us the Jesus Test and the Perseverance Test to know if someone has a genuine faith: Is Jesus THE Messiah or A messiah? Do they stick it out or bail out? Do I stick it out or bail out?
LIVE OAK CONNECTION POINT:
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DISCUSSION/REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
- ICEBREAKERS
Thumbs UP or Thumbs DOWN? Pumkin Spice? Candy Corn? Daylight Savings Time?
What is your favorite thing about the month of October? Why?
Talk about a time when you had to persevere and keep going when it would have been tempting to quit. How did you persevere? - READ: 1 John 2:18-28.
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. 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?
- John uses phrases like “last hour” and “antichrist” and “antichrists”. What is your initial reaction when you hear those?
- One of John’s tests for knowing if someone has a genuine faith is The JESUS TEST: Is Jesus THE Messiah or just A Messiah? John’s purpose in writing the Gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John was for people to KNOW who Jesus WAS & IS. READ the following verses about who Jesus is and briefly discuss:
Hebrews 1:3 – Hebrews 13:8 – Colossians 2:9
John 1:10, 14, 18 – John 14:6-9 – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
What does it mean for Jesus to be “the Christ,” and how should that impact the way you live?
- READ: 1 John 2:24-28. What does it mean to REMAIN, REMAIN IN HIM & CONTINUE IN HIM?
- Doug said that the test in 1 John 2:18-28 to know if you really know Jesus: The PERSERVERENCE TEST: Do I stick it out or bail out?How does that question impact you as you think about your perseverance in life and faith recently?
- READ the following verses and discuss what each one tells us about perseverance:
James 1:1-4, 12 – Galatians 6:9 – Romans 5:3-4 – Romans 12:12 – Matthew 24:13
- Where is an area of life or situation in life where you need to persevere?
- What will you do this week to focus on REMAINING IN HIM and PERSERVERING?
- READ: Hebrews 10:24-25.
Let’s consider how could WE, as a small group, could spur one another on and encourage one another in persevering. How could we spur one another on to persevere?
- What else stood out from this week’s sermon?
- 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.
MEMORY VERSE: *Challenge yourself or your group to commit this verse to memory:
1 John 2:24-25 “As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.”
PRAYER:
Spend some time praying for each other.
Scripture References:
1 John 5:13; 1 John 2:18-28; 1 Timothy 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15; Galatians 1:8-9; Acts 17:11-12; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 13:8; Colossians 2:9; John 1:10, 14, 18; John 14:6-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; James 1:1-4, 12; Galatians 6:9; Romans 5:3-4; Romans 12:12; Matthew 24:13; Revelation 2:1-7