How can joy be completed? John describes this as his goal in his first letter. The Apostle John was known as the disciple whom Jesus loved. John was inspired to write a biography of Jesus and a Revelation that offers visions of heaven itself and the end of the world. For this Bible study we will focus on the three letters John wrote to the ancient church. These words are preserved on the pages of Scripture for us to study. Written around 90 AD these letters to the ancient church from the pen of the Apostle John serves as a source of encouragement in the face of persecution and warning against false teachers.
Each Wednesday at 10:30 AM for ten weeks we’ll look at a portion of John’s letters. Everyone is welcome to attend this mid week study, Joy Completed. We’ll use Zoom for our meeting. HERE is the link.
Lesson 1: The Word of Life
Jesus is so many things, but one thing Jesus is not is a figment of your imagination. The Apostle John shows us in this first lesson how to find joy completed.
Lesson 2: Walk in Light
The darkness doesn’t stand a chance when Jesus comes. Darkness doesn’t struggle to hold its ground. It just vanished. Why would a Christian ever purposely walk back into the darkness? We’ll consider that and other questions in lesson two.
Lesson 3: Obey His Commands
God’s love is complete in and of itself because of Jesus’ saving work. As his love comes to us it can become more complete in our lives as we live out our faith. This is accomplished by obeying his commands.
Lesson 4: Beware of the World
The walk of the Christian is dangerous. The Bible breaks down the threats into the unholy trinity of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. For this week’s study John walks us through the danger of the world, including the antichrist.
Lesson 5: Children of God
You are called children of God. Why? Because that is what you are, of course! There is no mistaken identity. As children you have taken on some of the Father’s likeness. That is also why the world doesn’t know anymore. We are changed.
Lesson 6: Love One Another
Do you know how to love? The timing for that question is a good one as the confused world prepared to celebrate an emotion that can describe a free fall, craving food, or sex. Let’s look to see how God sees love.
Lesson 7: Test the Spirits
Test the spirits. We’re not talking about a beer flight. We’re talking about how we can know if someone is speaking for God. This week we’ll look at how exactly we can trust but verify what is said in the Christian church.
Lesson 8: God’s Love and Ours
Which came first: God’s love or ours? There can only be one answer. The struggle for us isn’t God’s love. We struggle with loving each other.
Lesson 9: Believe in Jesus
Jesus was baptized in water. He shed his blood to pay for the sins of the world. The Spirit bears witness through the Word. The testimony from our God is clear. Jesus is the only way to heaven.
Lesson 10: Sins That Lead to Death
Is there a sin that is so serious that we should not pray about it? Are there sins that don’t really matter at all? Not exactly, but John concludes his first letter with some harsh words for those who would reject Jesus.
Lesson 10: Sins That Lead to Death
Lesson 11: False Teachers
Is there a sin that is so serious that we should not pray about it? Are there sins that don’t really matter at all? Not exactly, but John concludes his first letter with some harsh words for those who would reject Jesus.
Lesson 12: Fellowship of Believers
A conversation – face to face – is a powerful thing. In the age of Zoom and remote learning folks may have very good reasons to avoid personal contact, but there is something about speaking with someone face to face that can make an impact. In this final lesson, the Apostle John uses his third and final letter to the church to call out the good and the bad in a local congregation.
Lesson 12: Fellowship of Believers
