Opening Question:
Q1: What are some of the ways that our culture twists love?
Q2: How does your desire for love and acceptance cause you to slip into sin and twist love?
Q3: Is there someone who has been demanding that you love them in a certain way? How did you respond? How did they respond?
There are three tests that John gave to his listeners. The purpose of the tests was to increase their certainty in having eternal life.
We have discussed two of the tests, the Moral test:Obedience and the Social Test:Love.
Explain what each of these tests are.
Read 1 John 4:7-14 and John 13:34
John describes the command as both old and new. This command came from Lev. 19:18. There were lots of social laws in the OT meant to guide and protect relationships. Loving your neighbor and loving God were two separate categories of thought. Jesus merges these two categories in Matthew 22
This old command is made new in multiple ways. We discussed three on Sunday.
It is new in example – Jesus is the example of love. His love is sacrificial and selfless.
It is new in extent – God’s love extends to all even our enemies
It is new in emphasis – We demonstrate love for God by loving people.
Q4: How have you seen the newness of this command being lived out in the lives of those around you?
Q5: Why does Jesus merge the two categories of loving God and loving people? (Look at Gen 1:26)
Light and Darkness / Love and Hatred
Read vs 8-11 again
There are two realities here.
- Believers are in the light but there is some lingering darkness.
- There are some people who walk in darkness and have no light.
Q6: Is there an area of your life where you are asking God to remove the darkness and bring more light, more sanctification in your life? How are you joining God in this? How have you seen Him work?
Q7: Who do you know that is walking in darkness? Take time to pray for them.
Throughout this section John wants his readers to be encouraged. There is room for growth, but the believers are exhibiting some of the light of Christ in their lives. He compares his listeners to fathers, children and young men.
Children are dependent. Fathers have “made something of themselves” and established a home. Young men are strong.
Q8: Which of these groups are you most like and why?
Q9: The crowning achievement of the “father group” is that they know God. Do you consider knowledge of God as the crowning achievement in your life? Why or why not.
Q10: Who has God given you to love? Is there someone that is hard to love? Is there someone who you feel is against you? Can you name this person to your group and talk about why you chose this person?
Q11: How can you love this person? Is there one of the heart attitudes that gives you some instruction for how to love them?
(Put the success of others ahead of your own, Maintain Clear Relationships, Give and Receive Spiritual Correction, Live Open and Honest life)
Q12: How do you want your small group to demonstrate love to you?