a series in 1 john€¦ · is that you do not belong to God” (John 8:47). The Jews were...

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a series in 1 john

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W H O I S J O H N ?

John was an eye-witness of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and his life’s work bears testimony to his devotion to Jesus and his desire to spread the message of Jesus far and wide. Our Bible includes 5 letters penned by John: John’s gospel, 1, 2, 3 John, and Revelation. John was the last survivor of all the apostles, and 1 John was written towards the end of the first century. Therefore, 1 John gives us a unique window into the sort of struggles Christians faced some fifty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

John’s story is inspiring because he was there with Jesus from the very beginning. Through thick and thin, he stuck with the message of Jesus. 1 John bears testimony to a man in his old age who just wants people to know Jesus. Our world might change, but the message of Jesus stays the same. This is the message that has endured for thousands of years – and the message that speaks to us today.

B A C K G R O U N D T O 1 J O H N

John wrote this letter in a time of crisis. Some have departed from the true faith (1 John 2:19), are denying that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22), and are trying to lead people in the church astray (1 John 2:26).

Who were these opponents who were threatening the church? There’s a clue there in their rejection of Jesus as the Christ (1 John 2:22). The question about Jesus as the Christ was one of the big debates between Jews and the early Christians. John and the other apostles preached that Jesus’ resurrection proved he was the Christ – the

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promised saviour-king in fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 2:31-32, Acts 13:32-39). But still many Jews refused to believe.

The Jews claimed to be part of God’s family, but their rejection of Jesus showed they did not belong to God. Jesus himself said to the Jews, “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God” (John 8:47). The Jews were Israelites by descent, but God’s people – the true Israelites – are those who place their faith in Jesus. From this perspective, the Jews who rejected Jesus had left the faith.

That’s why John writes, “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us” (1 John 2:19).

But still many Christians faced pressure from the Jews - those who called themselves Christians had left the synagogue, had they not also left the faith? Understandably, many Christians were likely asking the question, “How do we know we belong to the truth?”

W H A T W A S J O H N ’ S P U R P O S E ?

John doesn’t want his readers to be left wondering whether they really are part of God’s family. John writes to assure them. John says, “I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it…” (1 John 2:21).

Therefore, while John’s reason for writing this letter arises out of this crisis and opposition from the Jews, John’s purpose isn’t to correct false ideas about Jesus, but rather to show how we can have assurance and

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confidence even in the face of opposition. 1 John is full of verses where John says, “This is how we know…”

“This is how we know we are in him…” (1 John 2:5)

“This is how we know it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)

“This is how we know who the children of God are…” (1 John 3:10)

“This is how we know what love is…” (1 John 3:16)

“This is how we know that we belong to the truth…” (1 John 3:19)

“This is how we know that he lives in us…” (1 John 3:24)

“This is how you can recognize [know] the Spirit of God…” (1 John 4:2)

“This is how we recognize [know] the Spirit of truth....” (1 John 4:6)

“This is how we know that we live in him and he in us…” (1 John 4:13)

“This is how we know that we love the children of God…” (1 John 5:2)

In the face of opposition, John’s message is simple: Stick to the truth you already know – the truth of Jesus. 1 John 3:23 is a great summary of what John wants us to get out of his letter. “And this is his command: To believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23).

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T H I S I S L O V E :

One point John keeps returning to throughout his letter is love – a word appearing forty-five times across five chapters. Our goal for the series is to explore together what it will look like for us to love one another, how we can build a loving community into our church culture, and how being part of a loving community is what helps us to grow deeper in the gospel, and our confidence to live for Jesus in every part of our life.

Just like it did for Christians thousands of years ago, there’s a cost that comes with following Jesus. But it’s the love of our brothers and sisters in our church family that helps us to keep pressing on, to remember the eternal hope we strive for, and to remember through the ups and downs that we do belong to God as his precious and dearly loved children.

Following Jesus is costly, but it’s worth it. The things of this world are temporary, but if we belong to God’s family then we get to be part of something that has eternal significance. And when we love one another, and help each other to keep following Jesus, then we’re making an eternal difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters. We all have a part to play in building our church community that’s centred on Jesus and driven by love.

Our key verse for this series is found in 1 John 3:16: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Jesus has saved us for a purpose – to live out that costly love of Jesus we see displayed at the cross.

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R E A D I N G 1 J O H N

Here’s a few pointers for reading this letter:

• John’s style of writing feels more “circular” than “linear”. He doesn’t move logically from one point to the next. Sometimes he moves quickly through one point, only to return to it later. He’s a like a tour guide who takes us to familiar sights and then gets us to gaze from different vantage points. Over the course of the series we’ll notice a lot of repetition around certain key themes. Take notice of the things John likes to repeat, as they give us a clue about what John really wants us to know.

• As we read 1 John together, it’s John’s gospel that gives us the literary context that helps us to interpret his letter. There are plenty of themes that are introduced with little explanation in his letter, but are unpacked more fully in his gospel. For example, when John says, “…see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you” (1 John 2:24), we’re reminded of Jesus’ words to his disciples, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you” (John 15:4). Throughout this series, our studies will often dip into different parts of John’s gospel that help us to better understand John’s letter.

• In this letter there are only two ways to live. John draws a line in the sand: Our world is divided between those who trust in Jesus and those who reject him. There is no middle ground – you’re either walking in the light or remaining in darkness (1 John 1:6-7), you either love God or you love the world (1 John 2:15), you’re either a child of God or a child of the devil (1 John 3:10), you either love your church family, or you hate your brothers and sisters (1 John 2:10-11). These “binaries” run all the way through the letter, and we’ll be exploring these in our talks each Sunday.

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H O W T H E S E S T U D I E S W O R K

These studies are divided into four sections: Introduction, Head, Heart, and Hands.

The Introduction gives us a chance to reflect on the talk from Sunday and anything that struck us from Grow Daily during the week. There’s also a kick-off question to prepare us for what we’ll read in the passage.

Head questions are there to help us engage with the passage we’ve just read together. Each week there’s a short blurb at the beginning of the “HEAD” section that will help us connect what’s going on in the passage with the context of the whole letter, with the wider context of John’s gospel, and with the whole Bible story.

Heart questions are there to help us reflect on how God’s word is speaking to us today, to help us keep God at the centre of our life, and to help us live that out daily.

Hands questions are there to get us exploring what concrete steps we can take to live in response to God’s word. There might be some concrete steps you can take that will help you to keep following Jesus, there might be things you can do together as a Growth Group, and there also might be things we can work on together as a church.

Josiah Wilson

Campus Pastor Springfield Campus

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T H I S I S L O V E - A C R E E K R O A D M E D I A S O N G

The truth about Jesus is really quite simple:This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16)

But just because something is simple doesn't mean it's not profound. This is the simple truth: True love is found in Jesus. True love isn't found anywhere other than Jesus. If you want true love, go to Jesus. More than that: if you want to truly love others, you must love like Jesus. Sacrificial love. Other-person-centred love. Love that puts your brothers and sisters in Christ before yourself.

When it came to writing the theme song for our 1 John series, 'This is Love', my great hope was to catch that simple but profound message: True love is found in Jesus.

You sent your Son Who gave his life A sacrifice Laid down in love He rose to life Turned dark to light That I might see

This is love Love that satisfies Love I know for sure This is love Love that fills my heart Love surpassing all

You sent your Son So I'd belong And in your church I'd find my home That I'd remain Inside your love Your people’s care

This is love Love that satisfies Love I know for sure

This is love Love that fills my heart Love surpassing all

You gave your Son So I would love Lay down my life Give up my all So that your love Would flow through me And all might see



You can listen on:• Spotify• SoundcloudFind the lyrics, sheet music, and MP3 online at:• www.creekroad.org.au

© 2016 Creek Road MediaProduced by Max ByrneKeys & Beats: Max ByrneGuitars: Peter YockVocals: Jason Little

Peter Yock

Music Pastor

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B I G I D E AIn a dying world Jesus’ resurrection brings us into the life of God’s eternal loving fellowship.

“The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.”

1 John 1:2

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To get a “feel” for the big picture of 1 John

by understanding the assurance we have because of Jesus’ resurrection.

• To understand the fellowship we have together – and how that brings us joy as we live that out in our Growth Group, ministry teams, and in our church.

- This gives us confidence that God will achieve his purposes

- It frees us to not worry about making mistakes, or what people will think of us

- It inspires us to imagine what God might do through us and our church

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W E E K L Y R E F L E C T I O N S

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What struck you from the talk and/or Grow Daily this week?

What is the most world-changing event you’ve seen in your lifetime? How has it affected the world we live in?

What are a couple of the biggest events that have happened in your life? How have they impacted you?

H E A DCompared to other NT letters, 1 John has an unusual number of “purpose clauses” – explicit statements where the author tells us the reason he wrote and his purpose in writing. Looking at these helps us to understand what 1 John is all about.

1. Divide into three groups and have each group pick one reading each. Pay attention to the times John states his purpose in writing the letter. Discuss John’s reasons for writing his letter. What was his purpose? What are some of his repeated themes? a) 1 John 1:1-2:11 b) 1 John 2:12-29 c) 1 John 5:1-21

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R E A D 1 J O H N 1 : 1 - 5

2. John uses a lot of sensory words like hearing, seeing, touching, to describe his eye-witness account. What exactly has John seen and experienced with his senses? (see John 20:25, 27) Why is this so important to John?

3. Look at verse 2. When John says, “the life appeared”, what does he mean?

4. Look at the verses below from John’s gospel, the gospel we enjoyed in Term 1 of this year. What kind of life do we receive from Jesus? a) John 5:21 b) John 6:40 c) John 11:25

5. Look at verse 3. What does John say here about fellowship? With whom? What is this fellowship like?

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H E A R T6. Out of all the big events in your life, what difference has

Jesus made to how you think/feel about them? What difference is Jesus making in your life right now? How has fellowship with other Christians helped you in that journey?

H A N D S7. A) When we believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are

brought into fellowship together with the Father, Son and Spirit. What would you say are some of the values of our community? What should church be like? What should our growth group be like? What kind of culture would you like to see in our church? Make a list and discuss what you came up with. B) How can we sacrificially love our church family, and reflect our fellowship together? What will it take to make those values a reality in our church? In our Growth Group? Brainstorm some concrete examples together.

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P R A Y E R

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B I G I D E AJesus beat death so we can enjoy eternal life together.

B I B L E P A S S A G E 1 John 1:1-5

Y O U W I L L N E E DWalk around outside and collect a living plant (e.g. pot plant, flower) and a dead plant (e.g. dead leaf, broken off stick).

A L L A G E SCompare and contrast the two plants you have collected. Talk about, or write down, what you can see is the same/different about them.

For example – the living plant has more colours, the dead plant feels dry, they both could be the same shape.

D I S C U S S I O NPlants have a certain life span – from seed to seedling to plant to death. People also have a certain life span on this earth. But with Jesus, we can live forever. When we are friends with God, we become part of His eternal family.

It’s hard for our brains to imagine eternity. But it never ever ends. There is no death. It’s a tiny bit like counting

upwards – you could keep counting up forever – you can never run out of numbers (mathematicians call this ‘infinity’ in their sums).

John talks about eternal life in his letter, and how Jesus has sown us eternal life. And we get to be part of it when we are ‘in fellowship’ with Jesus, when we are friends with him.

This is pretty exciting news. We could go on and on and on and on and on and on about it…..for eternity. John tells us in 1 John 3:1-2 that we are children of God – part of God’s family – and as part of his family, we should do things a certain way. John goes on to tell us some of the things that we do as his family – doing what is right; loving those around us; not continuing to sin. He says these are the things we do as part of God’s family because Jesus died and rose again to defeat sin.

P R A Y E R I D E AHold your living plant. Thank God that He sent His son Jesus to die for us, so we have life with him for eternity.

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B I G I D E AJesus invites us to walk in his light, not hide in the dark, so we see and love each other the way he does.

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

1 John 1:7

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To see that at the cross the light of Jesus

meets the darkness of our hearts bringing us forgiveness, freedom, and fellowship.

• To see that repentance means honestly facing our sin and taking it before God at the cross of Jesus.

• How our fellowship with one another helps us to face the darkness in our hearts.

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Was there ever a time when someone did something for you that showed they accept you for who you are?

Do you know any inspiring stories about someone brought from “darkness to light”?

Some Growth Groups might enjoy watching this lyric video Tenth Avenue North – Healing Begins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88xHIwd4CWM

H E A DOne of the big questions Christians faced in the 1st Century was about who is really part of God’s family. The Jews claimed to have a special relationship with God, while refusing to acknowledge their sin and trust in Jesus as the promised Christ. Jesus said people would reject him because they love the darkness and hate the light (John 3:19). Here John tells us what it means for us to live in the light, and how that gives us assurance that we really are part of God’s family.

R E A D 1 J O H N 1 : 5 - 2 : 2 & 2 : 8 - 1 1

1. In 1 John 1:5-2:2, what are the three false claims John addresses? What do these claims reveal about a person’s heart?

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R E A D J O H N 1 2 : 3 7 - 4 6

2. In John’s gospel, Jesus often rebuked the Jewish leaders for claiming to live in the light, but remaining in darkness. Why didn’t they believe in Jesus? What was going on in their hearts?

3. 1 John 1:5 says “God is light; and in him there is no darkness at all”. What does it mean for us to “walk in the light” (v7, 9)?

4. Jesus is the “atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2:2). What is an atoning sacrifice? (for reference see Leviticus 4:5, 16:15) What does it mean for Jesus to be our atoning sacrifice?

5. How are these words reassuring for us?

H E A R T6. What needs to change in our hearts in order to come to the

light?

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7. From what we read in the passage, what does truth and honesty have to do with believing in Jesus? How can we honestly face the dark parts of our heart?

8. Do you feel accepted and loved before God? How do we know we are accepted and loved by God?

H A N D S9. In 1 John 1:7, John says that if we walk in the light then we

have fellowship with each other. As we live together as God’s family, how can we help each other as Jesus shines his light on the dark spots in our hearts? (What would help you? What could you do to help others?)

10. What are some things we can do to help people know our church is a place where it’s OK to struggle?

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P R A Y E R

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B I G I D E AJesus invites us to walk in his light, not the dark, so we see and love each other the way he does.

B I B L E P A S S A G E 1 John 1:5-7 ; 2:8-11

A L L A G E SClose all the curtains and blinds in your home and turn off all the lights so your home is pitch black. If you can’t get your home dark enough consider having everyone put on blindfolds. Then choose a routine activity to attempt in the dark (e.g. Getting ready for bed: putting on pyjamas, brushing teeth and going to the toilet).

D I S C U S S I O N Once everyone is done discuss how much more difficult it was doing those things in the dark than in the light.

In 1 John 1:5-7 & 2:8-11 we read that God is light. If we trust God and have been forgiven by him we should live in the light of his love, not in the darkness of sin.

When we love each other like Jesus loves us we are like shining lights in a dark world. If we hate others we’re living in darkness and it’s much harder for us and others to know the love of Jesus.

Jesus invites us to walk in his light, not the dark, so we see and love each other the way he does.

P R A Y E R I D E AApologise to God for the times you’re tempted to live in the darkness of sin rather than the light of his love.

Thank god for sending Jesus to be a shining example of love in a dark sinful world.

Ask God to help you live in the light of his love, and to help your friends and family who don’t love Jesus yet to come to know and love him too.

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B I G I D E AGod’s command to love others is for our good, because loving others like Jesus did deepens our experience of God’s love for us.

"But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him."

1 John 2:5

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand what it means for us to live in

obedience to God, and how a life of obedience and a life of love go hand in hand.

• To see how our love for one another is what helps us to experience God’s love, and gives us assurance that we really do know God.

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What is the place for obedience to God in our life? What does it have to do with our salvation?

H E A DR E A D 1 J O H N 2 : 3 - 1 1

“No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord’, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest…” – Jeremiah 31:34

In Jeremiah 31:31-34 God promised a new future for God’s people, and a new covenant bringing a new relationship with God. God said the new covenant would bring the forgiveness of sins and God would write his law on the hearts of his people. Last week we saw how Jesus brings us forgiveness. This week we’re looking at what it means to have God’s law on our hearts – and what it means to obey his commands.

1. Last week John addressed three false claims. What are the three claims that John mentions here (see verses 4, 6, 9)? What kind of behavior flows out of these claims?

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R E A D J O H N 8 : 5 4 - 5 5

2. The Jews claimed to know God and have a special relationship with him, but what does John say it really means to know God? (see 1 John 2:3, and 2:5-6)

3. Look at 1 John 2:7-8. What does John have in mind when he writes to them about an old command? What does he have in mind when he writes to them about a new command? (for reference read John 13:34-35)

4. What does it mean for us to “keep his commands”? (see 1 John 2:3 and 3:23)

5. Verse 5 is literally, “If anyone keeps God’s word, truly, God’s love has been completed in that person.” What does it mean that God’s love is completed? Is God’s love incomplete? (see also 1 John 4:12)

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6. If living in the dark results in blindness and causes people to stumble, then what happens when we’re living in the light?

H E A R T The Great Artesian Basin, located in the heart of the Australian continent, is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world. The basin provides the only reliable source of fresh water through much of inland Australia. When European explorers discovered the basin, they were able to drill down and pump the water. The discovery opened up thousands of square miles of country away from rivers in inland NSW, QLD and SA, in areas previously unavailable for pastoral activities. Like the Great Artesian Basin, God’s love is a reservoir of water that goes deep in our hearts. But God’s love isn’t meant to stay inside us to stagnate like an untapped well. It’s meant to gush out like a spring of water that nourishes the land. God loves us so that we’ll love others.

7. When we love others, what effect does that have on us? How does it feel to love one another?

8. How does our love for one another strengthen our assurance that we really do know God?

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H A N D S9. What part can we play to help people feel loved in our

church? What are some things we could do for one another in our Growth Group? What are some things we could do for others in our church?

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BIG IDEAWe know God’s love more when we obey his command to love each other like Jesus.

BIBLE PASSAGE 1 John2:3-11

YOU WILL NEED:• Paper & Pencils.

• Access to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xKtec5nYxI (or You Tube search: Rawsrvnt "love on" spoken word )

ALL AGESDraw a picture of the people you find hard to love/get along with.

Why do you find these people hard to love/get along with?

Watch the Rawsrvnt “love on” spoken word video on you tube.

DISCUSSIONWhen Jesus said ‘Love, as I have loved you’, what do you thing he meant?

Read 1 John 2:3-11

In verse 6 John reminds us that we are to live as Jesus did. Jesus loved people that others didn’t. He spent time with people who others hated. He hung out with people who

were very different to him and his friends, because he wanted them to know God’s love.

John reminds us that we need to love others like Jesus loves us. Last week we learned that when we love others we are living in God’s ‘light, but if we hate people we are living in darkness.

If Jesus was able to love people even though he was going to die for their sins, how do you think we should treat the people around us?

Look at the drawing you did of people you find hard to love. Now think of some things you can do this week to love them. To show them the light and love of Jesus. Draw these things on your picture as a reminder that we know God’s love more when we obey his command to love each other like Jesus.

PRAYER IDEAApologise to God for not always loving the people in your life who are different to you.

Thank god for sending Jesus to be an example of how to love others who are different to us.

Ask God to help you this week as you love others like he loves you .

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B I G I D E AIf we love God as father we will live with the object of our love forever. The world will pass away, if we love it we will pass away too.

"The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

1 John 2:17

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand our place in the world – that we

live in the world but we are not of the world. In a world that is passing away, we have something that lasts forever – eternal life.

• To understand that our habits are either leading us towards God or towards the world – towards life or towards death.

• To explore how we can set our loves on things that have eternal value – and to brainstorm how we can serve together and love our church family.

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How should we view the world we live in? Is it basically evil and something to withdraw from? Should we all go and live in monasteries? Why/Why not?

H E A DJohn mentions the “world” 6 times in this passage. Before this, John has only mentioned the world once in 1 John 2:2. After this, John makes 21 references to the “world”. This is a theme we can expect to see come up again, which makes this a key theme for us to understand.

1. Look at what John says about the world in these passages. a) 1 John 3:1, 13 b) 1 John 4:3-4 c) 1 John 5:4-5 d) 1 John 5:19

What strikes you about how John describes the world? How does John picture the world we live in? Is his view of the world positive/ negative/ or neutral?

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R E A D 1 J O H N 2 : 1 2 - 1 7

2. Look at verses 12-14. A) Why is John writing to these dear children? B) Why is John writing to the fathers? C) Why is John writing to the young men?

3. What are the benefits we share in, when we trust in Jesus?

4. Look at verse 16. When it comes to opposition from the world, where does the real enemy lie?

5. In verse 8 John said the darkness is passing away, and here in verse 17 John says the world and its desires are passing away. What is the link between the passing of the darkness and the passing of the world? How does that impact the way we live in the world? (Answering the question we asked in the Introduction)

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H E A R T6. “Do not love the world or anything in the world.” How do you

hear these words from John for us today?

7. In your own life, where do you see the world distracting you from loving God? When do you feel tempted to love the world?

8. How might John’s words back in verses 12-14 help us to fix our hearts on loving God?

H A N D S9. What are some habits that have helped you to centre your

life on God each day? What new habits could you adopt so your loves are directed towards God and eternal things, rather than things that are passing away?

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10. This week we’re brainstorming ways we might serve together – to direct our loves towards things that have eternal value. What are the needs in our church? Where are there opportunities? How can we love our brothers and sisters?

P R A Y E R

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B I G I D E ALoving God leads to life forever. So don’t love stuff, or people, more than you love God.

B I B L E P A S S A G E 1 John. 2:15-17

Y O U W I L L N E E DEach family or group member should choose a toy or item that they no longer want - to give away to charity. If you can’t do it at the time, commit to finding something later.

A L L A G E S

Find a toy or other item that you used to love, but now don’t care about so much. Collect these items from all members of your family or group together to give away to a charity in your area (e.g. Salvation Army or Lifeline).

As each person places their item in the collection, ask them to talk about how and why their love for that thing has passed away.

In your family or growth group discuss the difference between our fading love for these items and God’s unending love for us.

D I S C U S S I O NOur human love for the things of this world starts strong, but fades as time goes by – just as the things of this world fade, wear away or are destroyed.

The opposite is true of God’s love for us - it is everlasting and never fades or passes away. He will never leave us or forsake us and His promise to us is not only everlasting love, but also everlasting life with Him.

P R A Y E R I D E ADear Lord, Thank you for your everlasting love for us that never passes way. Help us to remember that the things of this world that we think we love so much, will all fade away as will our love for them. Help us to love you above all else. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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B I G I D E AThe truth that Jesus is the Christ divides people in our world. Remaining with Jesus is remaining with God.

"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."

1 John 2:24

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand the pressure these Christians

faced, and how opposition from their Jewish neighbours would have left them doubtful about whether they’re really part of God’s family.

• To understand the challenges we face today, and how the message of Jesus divides our world, which sometimes means we face exclusion.

• To explore how we can remain with Jesus and help one another to persevere.

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What are some of the challenges we face living as Christians in our world today? When are the times when you’ve felt rejected or excluded for following Jesus?

H E A DJesus often clashed with the Jewish leaders, and they responded by throwing people out of the synagogue for confessing Jesus as the Christ. This sort of persecution described in the Gospels set the tone for the sort of opposition Christians would continue to face from their fellow Jews in the first century.

To any of the Christians who might have been tempted to abandon their faith in Jesus and rejoin their fellow Jews in the synagogue, John has one clear message: Stick with Jesus. The word, “remain”, appears 7 times in this passage and 24 times in this letter. Remaining with Jesus means remaining connected to our source of salvation, and to the promises and blessings of God that come to us through Jesus.

R E A D 1 J O H N 2 : 1 8 - 2 7

1. Put yourself in the shoes of the Christians John is writing to – They’ve been cut off from their own people for their faith in Jesus, and they’re facing opposition and pressure to abandon their faith (verse 19 & 26). How would you feel?

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2. Look at verses 21 and 27. Back in week 1 we explored some of John’s reasons for writing. What does John want them to know?

3. Prophets, priests, and kings are all anointed with oil in the Old Testament. The oil symbolized the special task that set them apart in God’s service. In the New Testament, Jesus is described as receiving an anointing from the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38), and as followers of Jesus, we too have been set apart, and given an anointing from the Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21) Look at verse 20 and 27. How does this anointing from the Holy Spirit give them confidence in the face of opposition?

R E A D F R O M T H E G O S P E L O F J O H N : 9 : 2 2 , 1 2 : 4 2 , A N D 1 6 : 1 - 3

4. Followers of Jesus were persecuted from the very beginning. How do you imagine this might have helped these Christians to persevere in the face of opposition?

5. From the perspective of the Jewish leaders, followers of Jesus were abandoning the faith. But what does John say in 1 John 2:19?

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6. What is the big lie to watch out for from those who “went out”? (1 John 2:22)

7. Look at 1 John 2:22-23. What’s the extraordinary claim that John is making about those who reject Jesus? Why might this have been a matter of dispute?

H E A R T8. Can you be part of God’s family without believing in Jesus?

What is it that we need to believe about Jesus? Where do we draw the line?

9. As followers of Jesus, what kind of rejection and exclusion might we expect to face?

H A N D S10. How are you going at keeping the gospel fresh in your heart?

What has been helping you? What has been distracting you?

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11. How can we help each other to make the message of Jesus “stick” so we’ll remain with him?

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B I G I D E AStick with the truth that Jesus is your God.


Y O U W I L L N E E DSome post-it notes and pens.

A L L A G E S Draw stick figures on your post-it notes. Make a speech bubble that says ‘Stick with Jesus’. Stick your post – it notes somewhere you see them every day – e.g. mirror, fridge, car. You might like to make a few.

P R E - P R I M A R Y & E A R L Y P R I M A R Y C H I L D R E NYou may like to listen to the song ‘Stick with Jesus’ from EMU music. It is on the ‘A Very, Very, Big God’ album and can be found on Spotify.

D I S C U S S I O NWhat does the world say about Jesus?

What does the Bible say about Jesus?

Sometimes you can hear lies about Jesus. Sometimes people say that Jesus is not the Son of God. John is writing is his letter to make sure that people know Jesus IS the Son of God. He encourages us to stick with Jesus. To keep learning about him and checking in the Bible.

P R A Y E R I D E AStick your hands together. Pray you can keep sticking to Jesus through all sorts of challenges in life.

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B I G I D E AGod loves us so much he makes us his children; he is making us like Jesus. The seed of a changed heart comes to bear in the fruit of a changing life.

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

1 John 3:1

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To see that our identity is found in who we

are now – God’s children, and how this solid foundation helps us to change into who God is making us to be.

• To understand that living as God’s children means fighting against our sinful habits, and refusing to make a practice of sin. This means repenting and turning back to Jesus when we fail, as well as making good habits a part of our daily life.

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How do you resemble your family? In what areas of your life are you most like your family?

H E A DSo far we’ve learnt that John says we’re either a lover of the world or a lover of God (1 John. 2:15). John continues that thought here saying we’re either making a habit of sinning or we’re making a habit of righteousness (1 John. 3:6-7). Because of Jesus, our lives have been changed – we are now called children of God. John’s favorite way of addressing the Christians in this letter is “Dear children” – A phrase he uses 16 times. Remembering who we are – God’s children – is what helps us to live for Jesus, and foster habits that help us to follow him.

R E A D 1 J O H N 2 : 2 8 - 3 : 1 0

1. Look at verse 3. What exactly is “this hope” that we have? How does this future hope change the way we live now?

2. Look at verse 6. What does this mean? Is it possible for us to be perfect?

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3. Look at verse 9. John says that those who are born of God won’t continue in sin. How does our new identity as God’s children change our sinful habits?

4. Look back to 1 John 1:9. How does this help us in the times when we do fail and fall into sin?

5. As we fight against sin in our life, why is it so important to remember who we are as “children of God” (1 John 3:1)? What happens when we forget this?

H E A R T6. How do you feel knowing that God loves you as his precious

child?

7. Remembering 1 John 3:3, how do you feel knowing that one day you’ll be changed to be like Jesus? As you reflect on Jesus’ return soon, how could he be inspiring you to live for him now?

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8. What do you think people see when they get to know you – are you living as a child of God? Would people see you as different?

H A N D S9. You’re either making a habit of sinning or you’re making a

habit of obedience. What habits are helping you to live like Jesus? What habits do you need to get rid of?

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B I G I D E AGod loves us so much he makes us his children, making us like Jesus.

B I B L E P A S S A G E1 John 2:28-3:10

A L L A G E S A C T I V I T YThink of something you do as a family – it might be something like a dinner ritual, what you do on the weekends, or even whether you have a shower in the evening or morning. Compare this to how other families do these things – you might like to compare to what your friends at school or church do, or your extended family.

D I S C U S S I O N :Every family has its own way of doing things. These are shaped by things like how mum and dad were raised to do them, what is convenient for your family, or just how it’s ‘always been done’.

John tells us in 1 John 3:1-2 that we are children of God – part of God’s family – and as part of his family, we should do things a certain way. John goes on to tell us some of the things that we do as his family – doing what is right; loving those around us; not

continuing to sin. He says these are the things we do as part of God’s family because Jesus died and rose again to defeat sin.

P R A Y E R I D E AYou might like to pray:

• Thank you that Jesus died and rose again to defeat sin

• Thank you that because of this we have been made part God’s family.

• Sorry for when we sin

• Help us live as children of God – doing things that identify us as part of his family

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B I G I D E AWe know Jesus loves us through his actions, so we should show love through our actions.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."

1 John 3:16

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand that we’re either living a life

of love, or living a life of hate, but that Jesus models for us what it looks like to lay down our life in love.

• To let the love of Jesus keep shaping our attitudes, so that we put to death our self-love and reach out to others with real, practical, costly love. This starts in the little things.

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Have you ever been hated by someone? How did you respond?

H E A DJohn has a lot to say about love. Out of all the references to love in the New Testament, a quarter of those are found in John’s writings. When someone is born again as a child of the Father, the Father’s attributes become more and more apparent in a person’s life. John says that love is the thing that sets us apart. This is how we can recognize who truly are the children of God. This gives us confidence that we belong to God and are part of his family.

R E A D 1 J O H N 3 : 1 1 - 2 4

1. In the New Testament, the story of Cain killing Abel represents the attitudes of the sinful Jews who reject the prophets, and kill God’s messengers, culminating in their murder of Jesus (Matthew 23:35). Verse 12 says that Cain killed Abel because his brother’s actions were “righteous”. Back in 1 John 2:1 Jesus was referred to as the “Righteous One”. Therefore, the same hateful heart that led to Cain killing Abel – the righteous one – is the same hateful heart that led to the Jews killing Jesus – the Righteous One. How might this Old Testament story have helped Christians to respond to hate?

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2. Look at verse 15. Is hate really the same as murder? How could hate equal murder?

3. How does Jesus model the ultimate response to hate? (verse 16)

4. How does this play out in the way we love? (verses 17-18)

5. What is the confidence that we have before God? What if our hearts do condemn us? (Verses 19-22)

R E A D J O H N 1 5 : 1 2 - 1 7

6. If we want to bear fruit in our lives, what will it cost?

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H E A R T7. What do you find most costly about loving others?

8. As we’ve been going through this series, how do you feel God has been growing your heart for Jesus? How do you feel God has been growing your love for others?

H A N D S9. Who are you “being Jesus” to? Who are you laying your life

down for?

10. Sometimes our love is best expressed in everyday, ordinary ways. Starting with the small things, how can you use the things you have to love others? How might your Growth Group use the gifts you have to love others? Imagine what could happen if we were a giving church? Be creative.

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B I G I D E AWe know Jesus loves us through his actions, so we should show love through our actions.


A L L A G E SChoose an act of love that Jesus performed during his ministry. As a family, or growth group, play a game of charades where you try to communicate what it is purely through your actions. Have a few people take turns if you have time.

D I S C U S S I O N In Jesus, we see the ultimate act of love – dying on the cross for the sins of others. But during his life, we see many acts of love – feeding those who were hungry, healing the sick. In 1 John we’re told we should love others, not just with our words, but with our actions as well.

Because we have been shown love through the ultimate act of love – dying for another – we should also use our actions to show love to these around us. This week, you might like to think of ways you can show your friends and family you

love them. It might be through helping your parents with chores, sharing a toy with your brother or sister, or helping a friend at school.

P R A Y E R I D E AYou might like to pray:

• Thanks that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die for us

• Sorry for when we don’t love those around us, and share the love of God with them

• Help in showing love to our friends and family.

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B I G I D E AThe Spirit of Truth testifies that Jesus is the resurrected Christ, so believe the apostles’ testimony, not the lies of false spirits.

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

1 John 4:4

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand the role of the Spirit in

reminding the disciples of Jesus’ teaching, and shedding light on the full significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

• To see the Spirit at work in our lives, helping us to hold firmly to the truth of the gospel as we read it in his word.

• To understand that being a Christian means we’ll face ridicule from the world, which is what Jesus taught us to expect.

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Was there ever a time when someone told you something that you later found out was a lie? How did you discover the truth?

H E A DJohn says that true faith begins with confessing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (1 John 2:22, 4:2, 4:15). If you want to be part of God’s family and receive eternal life, then you must understand who Jesus really is.

In John’s gospel, we hear of many Jewish leaders who refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. This conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leaders was described as a battle between truth and lies – and here John says that their rejection of him is the “spirit of the antichrist” (1 John. 4:3). That’s why the apostles in the early church preached to the Jews about Jesus’ resurrection – because it’s the resurrection that proves that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Acts 2:25-36, 13:32-37). This cosmic battle between truth and lies remains for us as followers of Jesus today.

1. In the passages, what is the truth that John wants Christians to know and confess? a) 1 John. 4:2 b) 1 John. 4:15

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c) 1 John. 5:1 d) 1 John. 5:5

R E A D J O H N 1 5 : 2 6 - 2 7 & 1 6 : 1 3

2. What role did the Spirit play in helping the disciples to understand who Jesus is?

R E A D 1 J O H N 4 : 1 - 6

3. Just like it was the Spirit of Truth who helped Jesus’ disciples to understand who Jesus is, John warns there are other spirits at work in those who reject Jesus - the “spirit of the antichrist” (verse 3). While the antichrist carries a lot of baggage in pop-culture today, what does John say is the key sign of the antichrist? (See verses 2-3 & 1 John 2:22-23; )

4. Verse 2 adds to the confession that “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh”. In John’s gospel, “coming in the flesh” referred to Jesus’ resurrection appearances (for reference see John 20:19, 20:24, 20:26, 21:13). Why is the resurrection so important in showing us who Jesus really is?

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5. Verse 6 says, “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us”. Compare to 1 John 1:1-4. Who are the “we’s” referring to? How is this supposed to help the Christians John was writing to?

H E A R T6. John says that the liars of the world will have the greatest

following (verse 5). What challenges can we expect to face if we’re living for Jesus?

7. God is greater than our hearts (1 John 3:20), and God is greater than the world (verse 4). What confidence do we have in a world that’s opposed to Jesus?

H A N D S8. We’re either listening to the truth of Jesus or the lies of the

world (antichrist). Where do you feel most tempted to listen to the lies of the world?

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9. How do you fight against the pull to listen to the world instead of Jesus? What part can your Growth Group play in helping you to listen to those who speak the truth of Jesus?

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B I G I D E AWe know Jesus was really raised from the dead, so listen to those who belong to him, not lies about him.


A L L A G E SAsk family members to answer True or False to each of the statements in the table below for their age group. Ask them to explain how they know whether the statement is true for false - is it because they have learnt it at school, read it in a book, seen it in real life, etc.

Ask family members to suggest how they can find out the truth about Jesus. (e.g. The Bible,

Church ministers, Kids’ Church leaders, Youth leaders, Growth Group leaders)

D I S C U S S I O NWe need to listen to truths about Jesus, not lies about Jesus. To hear the truth about Jesus we should look in the Bible and listen to people who love Jesus.

P R A Y E R I D E ADear Lord, Thank you for the knowledge that Jesus was truly raised from the dead. Help us to listen to the truth about Jesus from people who love Him and not to be tricked by lies from people who don’t love Jesus. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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Pre-primary Answers

Yellow is a colour.

You hear with your nose.

Dogs have 10 legs.

Koalas eat gum leaves.

Primary

1 + 1 = 5

Lizards are reptiles.

Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun.

Spiders have 6 legs.

High SchoolThere are no square numbers greater than 100.

Mt Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth.

The human body has 4 lungs.

Herbivores eat plants.

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B I G I D E AGod’s love revealed in the Cross, by the Spirit, frees us to live and love fearlessly.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment."

1 John 4:18

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand what it means that God is the

source of love, and how that shapes the way we love.

• To see that God’s love drives out our fears, and helps us to cement our confidence in him.

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What makes you afraid to love others?

H E A DR E A D 1 J O H N 4 : 7 - 2 1

1. Verse 7 is a command to love one another. What are the three reasons given for this command? (see verses 7-8)

2. Jesus was “sent” by the Father. What are the three reasons John gives for the Father sending the Son? (verses 9-14)

3. Checkout verse 16. What does it mean that “God is love”? How is it different from saying, “God is loving”?

4. In verse 19 John says, “We love because he first loved us”. Why is this ordering so important? What happens when we get this wrong?

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5. What part does the Spirit of Jesus play in giving us assurance? (verse 13)

H E A R T6. How do you feel about facing God on the day of judgment?

7. John says perfect love drives out fear (verse 18). If we have fear in our hearts, what can we do? How does God’s love drive out our fears?

8. John says that because of God’s love we can have confidence on the day of judgment. Why can we be confident? What is the basis for this confidence?

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9. John laid the foundation for how we respond when we do sin, back in verse 9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. What part does prayerful repentance play in your life?

H A N D SIn one way John’s picture of how to live faithfully as a Christian is really simple: A right confession of who Jesus is (verse 15), and a life of love (verse 16). It’s simple, but also challenging.

10. Back in week 7 we looked at what it might look like for us to love others. How are you going at putting that into practice? What are some habits that will help you do that better?

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B I G I D E ANo matter what, God’s brave love we see in the death of Jesus helps us to have brave love.

B I B L E P A S S A G E 1 John. 4:7-21

Y O U W I L L N E E D• A Bible• Computer or device

P R E - P R I M A R Y, P R I M A R Y S C H O O LIn your family or growth group open the bible to 1 John 4 and read verses 7 to 21 out loud.Each time you hear the word love or God jump up.

H I G H S C H O O L A C T I V I T Y Look up the NIV of 1 John 4 on biblegateway.com; copy verses 7-21.Paste the verses into a word cloud generator like wordsift.org. Which 2 words are the biggest in the word cloud created?Scroll down and look at the images your word cloud generated.

D I S C U S S I O NHave you been afraid of spiders or snakes? Have you been afraid in the dark or in a creepy place? Have you ever been afraid about what people will think of your hair or

clothes? Some may have been afraid of being punished, some of losing money or a treasured possession. There are also some that have faced the danger where we are afraid for our very lives.Jesus lived in this world and he understands these fears, but he also shows us how he overcame his fear when he faced men that were bullying and hurting him. He used the assurance of Gods perfect love and the knowledge that God was with him to bravely stand before the men he knew were about to kill him.In the reading today we learn that God is love and God is in us and just as this love was with Jesus we can be assured of this perfect love too and face all things that make us afraid with Jesus and without fear.

P R A Y E R I D E ADear Lord. We thank you for the bible reading today, the way it makes it so clear that God and love go together. We also thank you for teaching us that this love from you is stronger than our fears. We ask that you will help us stand bravely and face the things that make us afraid knowing that your perfect love is with us. In Jesus name. Amen

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B I G I D E AThe death and resurrection of Jesus means that we can be sure that we have eternal life.

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

1 John 5:13

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T E A C H I N G G O A L S• To understand what Jesus has done for us and

how that helps us to know we have eternal life

• To reflect on how this letter has given an understanding of what it means to have assurance in our faith, and how we can live that out in practical ways.

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In what areas of your life do you feel most confident? What is it that makes you feel confident?

H E A DR E A D J O H N 1 9 : 3 4 - 3 5

1. What did the soldier see that led to his testimony about Jesus?

R E A D 1 J O H N 5 : 1 - 2 1

2. In Jewish culture a truth claim needs to be verified by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6). Look at verse 7. What does the Spirit, water, and blood testify about Jesus?

3. Look at verse 13. What does John want them to know? How is this a good summary of the entire letter?

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4. In verse 16, the sin that leads to death is most likely apostasy – a refusal to believe in Jesus. John says not to pray about that. What does this say about the confidence John has that these people really are part of God’s family?

5. In light of this, what might John be referring to when he says to pray about sin that “does not lead to death”? (verse 16) Why should they pray for that? (verses 17-18)

6. Look at verse 18. What confidence is there even when there is sin in our life?

H E A R T7. How might this confidence change the way you pray?

(verses 14-15)

8. How has John’s letter helped you to think about our assurance and confidence about our faith?

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H A N D S9. Check out verse 21. How do you hear this warning for you

today? What idols are keeping you from following Jesus?

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B I G I D E AThe death and resurrection of Jesus means that we can be sure that we have eternal life.


Y O U W I L L N E E D• Clear drinking glass; • water; • oilA L L A G E SAs a family or growth group do the following experiment.

Pour water into a glass until it is ¾ full.

Ask everyone to predict what they think will happen when you pour oil into the glass with the water. How can they be sure of their prediction?

Then pour enough oil into the glass to make an oil layer visible and check whether the group’s predictions were correct.

D I S C U S S I O N :There are a lot of things in our lives we cannot be sure about – wouldn’t it be nice to be sure that we will pass our next test or win our next game? It would be great to be sure that we would always catch a fish when casting out a line or could always be sure of a person’s friendship or love.

All this uncertainty sometimes makes us doubt.

But there are some things we can be sure of, things that God has created that have a perfect patterns and purpose. Just like we can be sure that oil will always be less dense than water and we can be sure that we need the sun to survive, we can be sure that God has a perfect plan for us too.

In the reading today it tells us that because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross we can know and be sure that we have eternal life if we believe in Him. In a world where it is easy to doubt this gives us a confidence in our future with Him.

P R A Y E RDear Lord. There are times when we are not sure about ourselves or our lives. We thank you for your word to us today to explain that in the midst of our doubt we can be sure in Jesus. We believe in Jesus and that he gave his life for us. We thank you that now we can go out into the world confident in our surety of eternal life.

We pray together in Jesus name. Amen

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1. Overall, rate how helpful this Series Companion has been for growing your

relationship with Jesus

2. List up to 5 things in this series companion that most contributed to your rating?

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

3. How did we go with estimating the time required in Growth Group?

NOT AT ALL HELPFUL

VERY HELPFUL

TOO FEW QUESTIONS

TOO MANY QUESTIONSSPOT ON

SERIES COMPANION FEEDBACK FORM

This Series Companion has been designed to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus, by deepening your head, heart and hands responses to the current series.

In order to provide you with the best resources, we would love some feedback on how helpful this has been.

Please spend some time in your final study for the term filling this out, and return to your Growth Group leader.

If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your Growth Group leader, or your group’s Grow Coach.

I am a: Growth Group Growth Group Growth Group Coach Leader Member

(OPTIONAL: All comments are anonymous, but if you would like a specific response to your comments, please provide your contact details.)

Name: Phone:

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4. Did you feel like your Group understood how to get

the most out of this resource?

If not, list up to 3 things that might help you get more out of this resource?

a.

b.

c.

5. Was this series companion helpful in answering

questions you had from the series?

Did you feel like your leader was equipped to handle your questions?

6. Did you read the introductory material?

Rate how useful it was in assisting your understanding of the series?

7. The learning objective for this series:• To understand that our assurance about salvation is grounded in what God

has done for us in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for our forgiveness.

• To see how being part of a loving community that’s centred on Jesus helps us to live confidently and follow Jesus in every area of life.

• To understand that our love for one another is what helps us to keep pressing on and stick with Jesus through thick and thin.

Did you feel like the series companion and your Growth Group helped you understand this (head), feel it (heart), and live it (hands)?

Please feel free to add any extra comments you may think helpful in creating better

Series Companions in the future

YES NO

YES NO

YES NO

NOT AT ALL HELPFUL

VERY HELPFUL

YES NO

YES NO

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At Creek Road we love Jesus. We want to reach the city and reach the world with the good news about who Jesus is. We’d love to help you meet Jesus as we explore the Bible together at our Sunday Services.

We want every person to have a chance to connect with Jesus, to grow to be more like Jesus and to serve Jesus. So we try to make everything we do clear and easy to understand.

If you’ve got any questions, we’d love to answer them. If there is anything you need, we’d love to help.

You don’t need to be good, religious, or have it all together to join us on a Sunday. Jesus is for everyone — people of all stages, ages, and places. So is our church.

Everyone is welcome. Seriously.

MEDIAC R E E K R O A D . O R G . A U

SERIES COMPANION TEAM Josiah Wilson Dave BaileyVicki MeehanPeter YockWendy LynchJohn Wallace Des Soares Wendy Soares Emily AndrewsBrad Cole

FAMILY GROWTH TEAM Hayley AlexanderPatrice Ramsay Catriona PineVicki MeehanTom FittellChris Pine

This is Love

© 2016 Creek Road Presbyterian Church. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from NIV 2011. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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