Monday, November 17
1 John 1:1-4
We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— what we have seen and heard we also declare to you so that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
As an additional resource to the sermon series Pastor Paul is sharing on the book of 1 John, we will have our own Bible Study on First John for this week and next week. This week we’ll explore the first three-and-a-half chapters; next week we’ll explore the last section. The themes in 1 John are very similar to the themes in the gospel of John. People are not completely certain if the two books were written by the same author, though it certainly could have happened.
In the four verses we heard today we come across what the author of 1 John calls the “word of life.” (1 John 1:1) This word is the eternal life shared by God through Jesus. This message is very similar to the message of John 3:16.
This message of eternal life is a connection to God that transcends time, and our own life. Whether we are alive or not, we are connected to God. This is eternal life. This life gives us relationship or fellowship to God and to others.
What does it mean to you that you are always connected to God—that your connection transcends time and even your own life? Please share.
Tuesday, November 18
1 John 1:5-10
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The theme of Pastor Paul’s sermon series is “walking in the light.” We are always moving towards the light of God’s reality. As we read in verse five, “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.”
We’re always moving or walking towards this light.
The author of 1 John recognized that we separate ourselves from this light when we turn away from God, or we sin. If we believe that we do not separate ourselves from God, then we have deceived ourselves.
Talking about sin in church is tricky and nuanced. A long tradition exists of church preachers talking about sin so much that people become afraid of God. The message is unfortunately communicated that God is going to punish us for our sins.
The writer of 1 John is clear that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us.
We hold onto God’s forgiveness as a way that we stay connected to God even though our own separation.
What does it mean to you that God always wants to stay connected to us even when we choose separation? Please share.
Wednesday, November 19
1 John 2:1-6
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Now by this we know that we have come to know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we know that we are in him: whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk in the same way as he walked.
These verses reveal the possibility of people claiming connection with God with their words but ignoring God with their actions. This is certainly not authentic.
One of the most significant criticisms of people of faith is their actions are not consistent with their words. People claim to follow God but then go do terrible things.
Fortunately, at Chain of Lakes we claim that we want to be authentic. We aspire for our actions to be consistent with our words.
We might think that the author of 1 John was encouraging readers to obey the ten Commandments in verse three when people are asked to “obey his commandments.” Actually people were asked to obey the Great Commandment of Jesus to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This is the commandment of agape love.
What are your thoughts about these verses? Please share.
Thursday, November 20
1 John 2:7-17
Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister abides in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates a brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.
I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people,
because you are strong
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world, for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God abide forever.
“Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling.” 1 John 2:10. This verse is a key theme for this letter called 1 John.
As we read in verses 12-14 when we approach God we are forgiven our sins, we conquer the evil one, and we know God.
Our love for God far surpasses our love for “things in the world” as the writer of 1 John writes about in verses 15-17. Our desires that are part of us are ultimately less important and less powerful than our desire to love God.
Do you find it hard at times to reconcile your love for “things in the world” with your own love for God? Do you struggle with desires of the flesh, of your eyes and for riches? What are your thoughts about these verses? Please share.
Friday, November 21
1 John 2:18-28
Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us, for if they had belonged to us they would have remained with us. But by going out they made it plain that none of them belongs to us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.
I write these things to you concerning those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him.
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.
When the book of the Bible we call 1 John was written people believed that Jesus was returning soon. They were living in the last hour. People expected an enemy of God or the antichrist. The antichrist was a counter Messiah. It opposed everything that Jesus stood for.
It’s interesting that the idea of the antichrist is only found in 1 John (four times) and 2 John (once.)
A long tradition exists of using the antichrist to scare people into a relationship with God.
The last verses of these verses are very helpful and instructive.
“And now, little children, abide in God, so that when God is revealed we may may have confidence and not be put to shame before God at the [divine] coming.” 1 John 2:28
What is most important is we continue to abide in God and not be concerned about the antichrist.
Did you grow up or have other experiences of people talking about the antichrist? Please share.
Saturday, November 22
1 John 2:29-3:10
If you perceive that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who does right has been born of him. See what love the Father has given 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. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin because they have been born of God. The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love a brother or sister.
Our knowledge of God and God’s love leads us to shed those parts of us that would cause us to intentionally separate ourselves from God. No room for sin exists because our love for God casts out any separation.
We might think of our own love for God as what we feel when our children or grandchildren are born. We are so amazed and excited and full of love for what has happened that we cannot even imagine turning away from God. The thought does not even cross our mind.
Have you had moments in your life when your love for God was so strong that you couldn’t have even imagined turning away? Please share.