Greetings! Below you will find questions which reference the sermon preached on Sunday, August 18th, 2013 at The Park. Each week new questions are posted to track along with the sermons. Work hard to facilitate discussion. Listen to the hearts around the room and close with prayer.
Intro to 1 John:
Jesus, despite what you may have heard, was fully man and fully God. I saw Him, I touched Him, I did life with Him. The fellowship I had as an Apostle, the eye witness of Jesus’s life and miracles, is now readily available for all of you who will confront the most venomous reality, one from which we all come. To have fellowship with this God-Man you have to confront your love disorder, you must face up to the fact you love something more than your Heavenly Father. That love, that trust in something else is forcing you into the darkness. These idols, the beginning of sin, are the anti-fellowship, the anti-community, and let’s face it… they are robbing you of the Joy of life with Jesus. Stop pretending you don’t have idols, be honest. That’s what confession is all about, it’s you stepping into the light of Jesus, the light of a faith community. He can smash these idols but only when we finally confess they exist.
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- What are some observations you had from this chapter?
- Were there any new insights you learned about the passage from the sermon?
- What theology was present in this chapter?
- What did you learn about God from reading this chapter?
- The book of 1 John uses the terms “love, abide, truth, & son” more than any other words. What is significant about these words? Who was the book written to (believers or unbelievers)? Why is this important in understanding the book and these key words?
- In chapter 1 verses 5-7 John uses the motif of darkness and light to discuss fellowship with God. The author used a similar analogy in his first book, read John 1:9. How does this additional passage aid in your understanding of these ideas?
- John describes his motivation for writing this book in verse 3. He states it is in order “that you also may have fellowship with us.” Why do you think fellowship was a key motivation? Who does John say is the building block of their fellowship? What does a relationship with God look like?
- There are 4 critical areas that serve as indicators of growth spiritually. These are: Multi-generational worship, Transparent Community, Spiritual Practices, Define and Act on calling. How are you doing in these areas?
- Confession is an important part of our relationship with God and others. Do you need to build this rhythm into your life?