Author Archives: Michael W.

1 John 2:10-17 October 1, 2016 Discussion

Download discussion questions:  1John 2:10-17 Children, Fathers, Young Men

 Table Talk:  Think about where you were in life when you first responded to the Gospel.  Then think of the most spiritual individual who you know personally.  Where are you along that path, from first belief to mature faith?
(“Table Talk” is an opening question or topic for discussion at the beginning of our time together.  The intent is to help group members (around tables, with four to six at each table) build connections with each other, as well as to guide thinking in a direction related to the passage.)

Our discussion started with the question, “What part of this passage do you find the most puzzling or even confusing?”  That approach led us first to almost the end of the passage, when John writes, “If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).  Our discussion soon focused on a single word, a small preposition, the love “for” the Father, since someone pointed out that other translations say love “of” the Father.[1]  The importance of the question became clear when one person suggested that love “for” the Father was directed “upward” as our love for Him, while love “of” the Father (or “the Father’s love”) is downward, from Him.  Is John saying that if we love the world, God will not love us?  That seemed to be an alarming suggestion. Continue reading

1 John 2:10 – 17 October 1, 2016 Handout

Download discussion questions:  1-john-2_10-17-children-fathers-young-men

 

John has been writing to a wide range of people in this letter.  First he seems to address those who may doubt the writer’s credibility, so he establishes himself as a dependable eyewitness to the Gospel events (1 John 1:1-4).  Then he makes sure his readers understand the simplicity of the good news and the forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:5-2:2).  Next he seems to change his tone and talks about behavior and attitudes that should be part of the Christian life, sounding like there is a test we need to pass (1 John 2:3-11).

Who is he writing to?  What kind of Christians would have been reading this letter?  How does John want them (and us) to respond to what he is communicating?  Download the passage for this week, and join us on Sunday to see if we gain any clarity about the intentions behind John’s letter.

 

1 John 2:1-11 September 25, 2016    Discussion

Download discussion questions:  1 John-2:1-11 knowing

 


Table Talk:  Christians talk of knowing God.  How well do you know God?  How do you evaluate how well you know God?
[“Table Talk” is an opening question or topic for discussion at the beginning of our time together.  The intent is to help group members (around tables, with four to six at each table) build connections with each other, as well as to guide thinking in a direction related to the passage.]


 

Early in our discussion one of the group members pointed out the affectionate language John uses at the beginning of this passage, “My little children” (1 John 2:1).  After the abrupt beginning of his letter with eyewitness testimony (1 John 1:1-4) he changed to second person “we” describing the confession of sin (vv. 5-10).  Now he changes to an even more personal and affectionate tone.  “Little children” expresses the care of a loving father.  Continue reading

1 John 2:1-11 September 25, 2016 Handout

Download discussion questions:  1 John-2:1-11-knowing 

 

Christians often speak of “knowing God” and that our faith is a relationship, not a religion.  John has some things to say about that.  How does the “beloved disciple” understand what it means to know God?  How does that relationship affect our behavior and especially our relationships with others?

Download the passage and see what you can learn that will deepen your relationship with God.   Join us on Sunday to learn together what that relationship looks like.

1 John 1:3-2:2 September 18, 2016 Discussion

Download discussion questions:  1 John 2:1-11 knowing

 

Table Talk:  How would you summarize the Christian message to someone completely unfamiliar with the Bible – and without using common “religious” words like cross, died, believe, have faith, love, eternal, heaven, hell, holy, resurrection, receive, savior, lord, born again, new birth, invite?
[“Table Talk” is an opening question or topic for discussion at the beginning of our time together.  The intent is to help group members (around tables, with four to six at each table) build connections with each other, as well as to guide thinking in a direction related to the passage.]

 

Since I unfortunately was out of town and did not have the privilege of participating in the discussion of this passage on Sunday, I wanted to offer some of my comments.  I encourage those of you who did join in the dialog about these verses to add your input using the “leave a reply” link on the blog page. Continue reading

1 John 1:3-2:2 September 18, 2016 Handout

Download discussion questions:  1john-1_3-2_2-multiple-purposes

In our first discussion we saw at least two reasons John had for writing his first letter:

  • So that you may have fellowship with us (1:3)
  • So that our joy may be complete (1:4)

As the passage continues, John expresses additional desires for his readers.  Download the passage and see what those goals might be, and how John’s writing moves them (and us) toward those goals.

1 John 1:3-2:2 September 18, 2016 Handout

Download discussion questions:  1john 1:3-2:2-multiple-purposes

In our first discussion we saw at least two reasons John had for writing his first letter:

  • So that you may have fellowship with us (1:3)
  • So that our joy may be complete (1:4)

As the passage continues, John expresses additional desires for his readers.  Download the passage and see what those goals might be, and how John’s writing moves them (and us) toward those goals.  Come for the conversation about this passage on Sunday morning.

1 John 1:1-4 September 11, 2016 Discussion

Download discussion questions:  1 john 1:1-4 purpose

Table Talk:  Describe a time when you felt particularly close to the Lord.  How would that experience have been different if He had been physically present?
[“Table Talk” is an opening question or topic for discussion at the beginning of our time together.  The intent is to help group members (around tables, with four to six at each table) build connections with each other, as well as to guide thinking in a direction related to the passage.]

John’s letters are only a part, even the smallest part, of his contributions to the New Testament.  Our first exploration of 1 John began with a discussion of how those letters relate to the Gospel he wrote and the Revelation given to him.  What are our general impressions of all those books?  What can we infer about the relationship of very different works by the same author?  (As I mentioned in the group, our study assumes that the Apostle John was the author of the Gospel, the letters, and Revelation.  For more information about the date, authorship, etc., see The Letters of John – A Brief Introduction.) Continue reading

The Letters of John – Before we start

The beginning of a new Bible study is an exciting prospect.  Maybe it is a book of the Bible you have studied in detail before.  Maybe it is a part of the Bible you have never read.  Most likely the letters of John are somewhere between those two extremes for most of us.  Either way, the richness and depth of the very word of God promises to reward the efforts of a fresh study.  If Scripture is the self-revelation of an infinite creator God, then we always have the opportunity to learn more and draw closer to Him through the text of the Bible. Continue reading