TOPIC:
LIVE AS A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST
BIBLE TEXT:
1 John 2: 1 - 29; 3 John
>>MEMORY VERSE>>
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked (1 John 2:6 KJV).
>>CENTRAL TRUTH
Christian discipleship means living in obedience to Christ.
>>LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Everyone who participated in this lesson will be able to:
1. Understand that obedience to God's instructions will reveal our love for Him and also our knowledge of Him.
2. Choose to obey the command of Jesus to love others the way He loves us.
3. Recognise the need to guard their hearts and minds against false teachers by knowing God and His Word.
>>INTRODUCING THE LESSON<<
First John 2 and the Book of 3 John advise us to live the lifestyle of Jesus Christ. John the beloved disciple challenged us to reveal our knowledge about God through living in obedience to His instructions. He assisted us to understand that one of the main ways we reveal our love for God is by sharing pure love with one another and protecting ourselves against loving the things of this world. He also assisted us to recognise false teachers by observing their lifestyles. John continued to encourage us to remain firmly in the truth of Christ's teaching.
COMMENTARY
1. OBEY GOD'S COMMANDS
A. Obedience Reveals Knowledge of God– 1 John 2:3-6
Some people may claim to be Christians on the bases that they attend church services or that their family is Christian home. However, true Christianity is not simply a matter of connecting with a church or proclaiming Christian belief. It is demonstrated by a life of obedience to the Word of God. 1 John chapter two cannot be clearer: We must prove our knowledge of God and our love for God by obeying God's commandments. The more Christ's disciples come to know Him and the Father through the Scripture, the more they understand God's great love for them.
Reading God's Word also helps individuals see His power and sovereignty. This growing knowledge of God's love and character helps His followers trust Him more and more. Obedience is a natural response for someone who truly knows God. Conversely, disobedience reveals unbelief and a disregard for God and the truth of His Word.
Let all of us who claim to be Christ's followers prioritise getting to know Him more daily. Let us we spend quality time with His Word, the Holy Spirit will help us grow more aware of who He is and just how much He loves us._ Because of Christ's unfailing love, we can trust His commands are always for our good. When we personally experience the depth of Christ's love, we can easily love and obey Him in return.
Questions
Is it important to study the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to shine His light on our own lives, instead of using the verses to judge those around us?
*How does an increasing
knowledge of God help us grow more obedient to His commands?
*How is our love for God
demonstrated when we live as Jesus did (1 John 2:6)?
B. Love One Another– 1 John 2:7-11; 3 John 1-8
In 1 John 2, the apostle John again contrasted light and darkness. Those who are living in the light will love one another.
Those who do not love their fellow believers are walking in the darkness, and this darkness will blind them to the truth.
Jesus Christ lived as a practical example of the truth of this commandment, said the Apostle John in 1 John 2:8, If we are unclear about what love looks like, we simply have to look at the earthly life of Jesus. His love was never self-absorbed or based on feelings, He always chose to do what was best for others. When we love others the way Jesus loves us, we will walk in the light of truth and love.
The "one another" passages of the New Testament provide practical insights on what it looks like for us to love like Jesus.
These verses challenge us to forgive, offer hospitality, encourage, serve, be kind, and honour others.
We should allow the "one another" commands to guide the way we interact with those in our lives, especially the way we treat those who are closest to us. Jesus told us people would know we belong to Him by our love for one another.
In 3 John 1-8, the Apostle Commended Gaius as one who lived according to the truth. And Gaius in the other hand, demonstrated his own love for God by the way he cares for the travelling teachers who came through his vicinity. Gaius lived the "love one another" principle in a tangible way and is a good example for us today.
Questions
*How is the way we interact with our family, friends, and coworkers a reflection of our love for God?
*The apostle John tells us, "Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light.... Anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness" (1 John 2:10-11, NLT).
*How would you describe love as light and hatred as darkness?
2. KNOW AND LOVE THE FATHER
A. You Who Belong to Him– 1 John 2:12-14
When we have a critical observation at 1 John 2:12-14, we can see several qualities of true believers:
✓ Their sins are forgiven because of Jesus' atoning work on the Cross.
✓ They know the Father and the Son.
✓ They experience victory over the evil one.
✓ The power of the Almighty God helps them live in solid, obedient lives, free from the entanglement of sin.
✓ They are hiding God's Word in their hearts.
As the followers of Jesus Christ, our growth is always cultivated by our knowledge and application of God's Word. Hebrews 4:12 reveals the power of the Scripture:
"The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (KJV).
His Word helps us see ourselves and our motives clearly. It consistently guides into all that is right and good.
Questions
Can you explain how God's Word abiding in our hearts and our spiritual strength related? And What are some characteristics of believers who are mature in the faith?
B. Do Not Love the World– 1 John 2:15-17
- Pursuing sexual satisfaction, * material wealth, and * elevated status will never satisfy our souls.
These pursuits are fleeting and empty.
Instead, God says, "Every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. >Incline your ear, and Come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live (lsaiah 55:1-3, KJV).
Pursuing God through faith in Jesus Christ and listening diligently to His Word will satisfy the deepest part of us. All other pursuits will pass away.
Questions
*How can we guard our hearts from worldly pursuits?
*How can we nurture the pursuit of God and His truth?
3. GUARD AGAINST DECEPTION
A. Recognizing Antichrists– 1 John 2:18-23
In 1 John 2:18, John used the word antichrists to describe the false teachers who rose up within the church he was overseeing. This term can refer to those who oppose the truth of God's Word or those who present themselves as counterfeit saviours. Anyhow, the believers in Christ must be protective on themes against false teachers, who teach concepts contrary to the gospel they know and believed, whether they come from within or without the church.
The apostle assured his readers they had been given the Spirit and could be certain of God's truth. It is the duty of the Holy Spirit to help believers to recognize false teachers who deny that Jesus is the Christ and instead try to present a new or different way to experience the goodness of God. Perhaps, some believers may accept the Bible as truth to a certain level, but they either add to or diminish the commands of God (see 2 Peter 3:15-17).
The expression in Second Peter chapter 2 provides more insight on the dangers of false teachers, specifically those whose teaching was leading individuals into sexual immorality. Our contemporary day example of this type of false teacher is someone in church leadership who teaches that sexual relations outside of heterosexual marriage are acceptable and not sinful. This teaching leads many people into sin and denies the redeeming power of Jesus. It is expected that the believers must know the truth of God's Word and ask the Holy Spirit to uncover any false teachings they may hear or be tempted to believe.
Questions
*The best way to recognise counterfeit dollar bill is to study the real thing. How does studying God's Word protect us against false teaching?
*How should we respond when we encounter false teaching?
*We must understand that we all teach others through our lifestyles and conversations. How can we guard against becoming false teachers ourselves?
B. Remain Faithful– 1 John 2:24-29; 3 John 9-11
*Fellowship with God's people plays an important role in helping us, as believers, remain faithful.
*We should commit to a church family who believes the Bible is the infallible, authoritative Word of God. Gathering regularly to hear and learn from God's Word with other believers strengthens our faith. Our world is consistently sending messages to entice us toward the "lust of the flesh," the "lust of the eyes," and the "pride of life."
*We need to intentionally connect ourselves with others who believe the truth, remembering that "those who do good prove that they are God's children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God" (3 John 11, NLT).
Additionally, we should foster relationships within the body of Christ that are centred on the truth of the Bible. These healthy personal relationships will encourage us in our faith and help us recognize false teaching.
Questions
*How can we practically abide in the love of Christ?
*How can fellowship with God's people keep us from believing false teachers and falling away from the truth?
Call to Discipleship
We reveal that we love and know God when we obey His commands. The clearest way we can do this is to love others. We can't say we love God and then hate each other. We need a continuous and steady growth in our faith and it should be evidenced by our ever increasing likeness to Christ, which contrasts with the false teachers all around us. The best way to recognise the lies of the enemy is to know the truth we have received in God's Word. The knowledge we have about God through the Bible and our fellowship with Him, and each other help to keep us strong and overcome the evil one.
Ministry in Action
*Make a fresh commitment to focus on loving those in your. immediate family by putting into practice the "one another" passages in the New Testament.
*From the invitation found in Isaiah 55, we consider how you will respond to His invitation to seek Him and listen diligently to His Word.
*Meet with someone who is also attending this class to talk about what stood out to you the most in this lesson. Encourage one another to remain faithful to the infallible Word of God.
Daily Bible Reading
Monday: Growing in Knowledge of God.–Exodus 33:12-23
Tuesday: Knowing God through Obedience.– Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Wednesday: Knowing God through Worship – Psalm 100:1-5
Thursday: Eternal Life ls Knowing God–John 17:1-5
Friday: Making Known the "Unknown" God–Acts 17:22-31
Saturday: Knowing Christ's Power and Sufferings – Philippians 3:7-14
DISCLAIMER:
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_The original production and publication of this extracts belongs exclusively to Sunday School Department of Assemblies of God Nigeria.
We use it on permission.
