1 Route 66 Understanding 1, 2, & 3 John Dr. Stephen


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1 Route 66 Understanding 1, 2, & 3 John Dr. Stephen Rummage, Senior Pastor Bell Shoals Baptist Church November 29, 2017 1 John 1:3 (ESV) …that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Major Theme: Fellowship 1 John – Entering Fellowship with God 2 John – Escaping Fellowship with False Teachers 3 John – Enjoying Fellowship with Other Believers Loving One Another 1 John 4:7-13 1 John 4:7 (ESV) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1. We love one another because we know God. 1 John 4:7 (ESV) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:8 (ESV) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. John 13:35 (ESV) By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. 2. We love one another because God loves us. 1 John 4:9 (ESV) In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:10 (ESV) In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:11 (ESV) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

2 Romans 5:8 (ESV) But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 3. We love one another because the Holy Spirit abides in us. 1 John 4:12 (ESV) No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:13 (ESV) By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Galatians 5:22 (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:23 (ESV) Gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Understanding 1 John

Meaning: Named for the author of the letter Author: The Apostle John Audience: The Churches of Asia Minor related to John’s leadership Date of Writing: 90 AD Theme: Live holy lives, reject false spirits, and love one another Key Verses: 1 John 4:7-11 The Facts of Love in 1 John In five short chapters, John uses different forms of the word love 46 times. He wanted to teach his readers the importance of love in the Christian walk. Principle Keeping God’s Word is the proof that we love God. When we love our brother, we will live without stumbling. We are not to love the world or the things in the world. We cannot love the world and love God also. God’s love prompted Him to make us His children through the death of His Son. Loving other believers is a fundamental requirement of the Christian life. A failure to love other Christians raises serious questions about the genuineness of our faith. Genuine love always results in action - nor merely sentimental words. God is the source of all love. Mature love does not produce fear but instead imparts courage. Long before we loved God, He loved us first.

Source: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville T. Nelson Publishers, 1997

Passage 2:5, 5:2, 3 2:10 2:15 2:15 3:1, 16; 4:9-11 3:11, 16, 23; 4:7, 11, 12 3:10, 14; 4:8, 20 3:17, 18 4:7, 16 4:17, 18 4:19

Structure of 1 John I.

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Fellowship (1 John 1) a. The Historical Foundation for Fellowship (1 John 1:1-2) b. A Personal Invitation into Fellowship (1 John 1:3-4) c. The Demonstrable Sanctification Necessary for Fellowship (1 John 1:5-8) d. The Inevitable Confession Involved in Sustaining Fellowship (1 John 1:9-10) Discipleship (1 John 2) a. The Divine Source for Discipleship (1 John 2:1-2) b. The Distinguishing Submission of Discipleship (1 John 2:3-8) c. The Defining Sentiment of Discipleship (1 John 2:9-14) d. The Deliberate Separation of Discipleship (1 John 2:15-29) God’s Love, Part 1 (1 John 3) a. The Effect of God’s Love - Salvation (1 John 3:1-3) i. Past Salvation (1 John 3:1) ii. Future Salvation (1 John 3:2) iii. Present Salvation (1 John 3:3) b. The Enemy of God’s Love - Sin (1 John 3:4-9) i. The Antinomianism That Defines Sin (1 John 3:4) ii. The Appearance That Takes Away Sin (1 John 3:5) iii. The Abiding That Replaces Sin (1 John 3:6) iv. The Actions That Prove The Absence of Sin (1 John 3:7) v. The Adversary Who Embodies Sin (1 John 3:8) vi. The Association That Precludes Sin (1 John 3:9) c. The Evidence of God’s Love - Saints (1 John 3:10-24) i. Our Love is Evidence of Salvation (1 John 3:10-16) ii. Our Love is Evidence of Compassion (1 John 3:17-18) iii. His Love Assures Our Glorification (1 John 3:19-21) iv. His Love Leads to Consecration (1 John 3:22-24) Heretical Spirits; God’s Love, Part 2 (1 John 4) a. Heretical Spirits (1 John 4:1-6) i. An Imperative Concerning Spirits (1 John 4:1) ii. The Ideology of Heretical Spirits (1 John 4:2-3) iii. The Identifying Marks of Christians (1 John 4:4-6) b. God’s Love, Part 2 (1 John 4:7-21) 12 Truths About Love i. Love Comes from God (1 John 4:7) ii. People Who Know God Love (1 John 4:7) iii. People Who Do Not Love Do Not Know God (1 John 4:8) iv. Love is part of God’s Nature (1 John 4:8, 16) v. God Demonstrated His Love in Jesus (1 John 4:9) vi. God Loved Us Before We Loved Him (1 John 4:10, 19) vii. We Ought to Follow God’s Example and Love (1 John 4:11) viii. As We Love We Can Experience Intimacy with God (1 John 4:12, 16) ix. The More We Love One Another, The More Love Matures (1 John 4:12) x. Godly Love in Us Gives Us Confidence in the Judgment (1 John 4:17-18) xi. People Who Do Not Love Others Do Not Love God (1 John 4:20) xii. Loving Others and God is a Command, Not an Option (1 John 4:21) Verification of Salvation (1 John 5) a. Belief in Jesus (1 John 5:1) b. Obedience (1 John 5:2-3) c. Overcoming the World (1 John 5:4-5) d. The Holy Spirit in Us (1 John 5:6) e. God’s Testimony (1 John 5:7-12) f. Believing Prayer (1 John 5:14-15) g. Separation from Sin (1 John 5:16-18) h. Conclusion (1 John 5:19-21)

Understanding 2 John Meaning: Named for the author of the letter Author: The Apostle John Audience: "The Chosen Lady and her children" Date of Writing: 90 AD Theme: Loving in truth Key Verse: 2 John 8 Structure of 2 John I. Introduction (2 John 1-4) a. Identification of the writer and recipients (2 John 1) b. Declaration of the reason for writing (2 John 2) c. Benediction for the readers (2 John 3) d. Commendation for a Remnant (2 John 4) II. Exhortation (2 John 5-6) a. The Commandment to Love (2 John 5) b. The Content of Love (2 John 6) III. Caution (2 John 7-11) a. Concerning Theological Deceivers (2 John 7) b. Concerning Spiritual Defeat (2 John 8-9) c. Concerning Cordial Deeds (1 John 10-11) IV. Conclusion (2 John 12-13) a. John’s Future Hopes (2 John 12) b. A Church’s Farewell (2 John 13) THE ELECT LADY John’s second epistle is addressed to “the elect lady and her children.” The Church, as the bride of Christ, is often referenced in feminine terms. Thus, John was possibly writing to an established group of believers. However, correspondence with an esteemed friend and her family is equally possible. Interestingly, the Greek word kuria, translated “lady,” could have been a proper name. If so, John may have been instructing a particular lady regarding a situation she had encountered in her home. Certainly, if that be the case, she is a woman of excellent character whose godly influence touched the lives of those around her, including her own children. The Roman Empire had an extensive network of roads, allowing its citizens to travel freely and extensively. Inns were located at twenty-two-mile intervals, but the average inn was unsanitary, noisy and frequented by thieves. People therefore tried to stay with acquaintances or acquaintances of friends when they traveled. Because the gospel was being spread by traveling missionaries, hospitality was considered one of the chief expressions of Christian love (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:16). Unfortunately, when it became known that Christians would feed and house those who claimed to be spreading the gospel, many pseudo-missionaries began to take advantage of them. The elect lady may have found herself in this situation. John exhorted her to continue to offer hospitality but cautioned her to be alert to spot deceivers. He encouraged her to balance the Christian imperative to love with safeguards against the abuse of Christian fellowship. Even in the midst of hospitality and other ministries, a woman must walk in truth and lovingly admonish her children in the ways of the Lord. Source: Woman’s Study Bible Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997

Understanding 3 John

Meaning: Named for the author of the letter Author: The Apostle John Audience: Gaius Date of Writing: 90 AD Theme: Hospitality and Humility Key Verse: 3 John 4 Structure of 3 John I. John’s Greeting (3 John 1-2) a. John’s Introduction (3 John 1) b. John’s Intercession (3 John 2) II. Gaius’ Generosity (3 John 3-8) a. A Testimony About His Truthful Manner (3 John 3-4) b. His treatment of Traveling Ministers (3 John 5-8) III. Diotrephes’ Greed (3 John 9-11) a. His Ambition (3 John 9) b. His Antagonism (3 John 10) c. John’s Application (3 John 11) IV. Demetrius’ Goodness (3 John 12) a. A Testimony from People (3 John 12) b. A Testimony from the Truth (3 John 12) c. A Testimony from John (3 John 12) V. John’s Greeting (3 John 13-14) a. John’s Future Instructions (3 John 13) b. John’s Friendship with Individuals (3 John 14)

Gaius and Prosperity John’s greeting (3 John 2) raises an important issue. It is clear that he expects God to give physical and material well-being to Gaius. Is that what believers today should be asking God for? Should we expect God to prosper us physically and financially? Is this verse an indication that He will? Notice some important things: 1. John is praying for Gaius’s prosperity, not Gaius praying for his own prosperity. 2. This is part of a formal greeting or blessing. We say very similar things today like, “Good luck,” or “Have a good day” or “Stay healthy, kid.” 3. The Greek word here for prosper means “to travel well on a journey.” That fits with its use in a blessing. Furthermore, it is not something one should actively pursue, but rather a gift that one should look for, a sense of “wholeness” like the OT concept of shalom that people enjoy when they follow God’s precepts and live in His power. 4. We don’t know what Gaius’s circumstances may have been, only that his soul was prospering. John may be saying, “You are doing so well in the faith; I wish you were doing as well in your health and the rest of your life.” 5. John’s main concern is that Gaius would walk in the truth (3, 4), not that he would have a big bank account or be in tip-top shape. Overall, it would be foolish to construct a general principle of material blessing from this verse, especially when so many other passages warn against that very thing. Source: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999