123john Studyguide

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 1 1,2,3 JOHN LIGHT, LOVE & LOGIC   A Devotional Bible Study on the Letters of John by Sue LeBoutillier Copyright © 2017 Sue LeBoutillier Published by: Calvary Chapel — Ontario, Oregon

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 2  Light, Love & Logic  The Letters of 1,2,3 John Dear Friend, Do you have an older someone in your life that seems to ooze wisdom and insight whenever you talk with them? I’m talking about a white- haired Gandolf sort of person that has a knack for using an economy of words to speak an abundance of truth and seems to have the mysteries of life simplified. If you’re fortunate enough to be acquainted with that sort of person, you may have a slight advantage in imagining who the Apostle John had become by the time he wrote his Gospel and these three letters to the churches. We’ve titled this seven-week Bible Study Light, Love & Logic because those are some of the simple but significant themes found in these 105 verses. • God is completely righteous and holy—He is light; • He desires relationship and fellowship with us—He is love; • Our logical response is to embrace both of those realities by receiv- ing his love and purifying ourselves through repentance and obedi- ence to become children of God and walk in a relationship with him. Even though there’s a simplicity to John’s content, there is considerable depth to his message. Followers of Jesus need depth! We need to think and understand deeply! We need to be able to discern error, and un- derstand and convey truth properly. We need to see, know and experi- ence the love of God and reflect that love to the souls nearest us in the context of our lives. I truly hope that we find greater depth and understanding, truth and love through this seven-week Bible Study which will seem very much like a discipleship course for believers. This Bible Study is formatted for us to study one chapter per week. Each chapter is organized into four sections which can easily be completed by doing one-section-per-day, or if you prefer, you can study the whole chapter in one marathon session.

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 3 Each day’s study will consist of three elements: • Reading the entire chapter each day. • Focusing your attention on the handful of verses assigned for that day as you hand-write them in a journal or notebook. I think you’ll enjoy this step since it will provide you with a copy of John’s letter written in your own hand when you are finished. • Answering the questions/thoughts in your Study Guide for each day’s work. • Participating in a discussion group. There is a section at the end of each chapter titled Questions for Thoughts and Discussions with some good wrap-up points and application questions for each chap- ter. These questions will provide a good launching point for discus- sion in your small groups. May the Lord richly bless you as you study his Word— Sue LeBoutillier sue@ccontario.com *The best translation of the Bible to use is the one you understand the most easily—and using more than one translation can be a great aid to study! This study guide was created using the ESV (English Standard Version) which may be a helpful tool as you work through your study. To watch the video teachings for this Bible Study go to: ccontario.com or YouTube.com/calvarychapelontario

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 4 These first two pages are provided for note- taking on the Introduction Teaching (which you can find on our website at ccontario.com under the women’s studies.) About the author and when these books were written: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ About the intended audience for 1 John: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ About the Apostle John: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Introduction to 1 John

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 5 About the purpose for which John wrote his Gospel and letters: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ John’s Gospel—John 20:3: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John’s First Letter—1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” About Gnosticism : ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ About John’s writing style: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 6 PRAY—Ask God for guidance to help you understand the Scriptures you’re about to study. READ—You’ll want to read 1 John chapter one before you begin this study guide. If you’re able, read the whole chapter aloud each day this week and focus your attention on the verses that are being studied each day. WRITE—Each day after you read the whole chapter, write the focus verses by hand in a journal or notebook. This week, note the words life, light, fellowship and sin. These are important themes in chapter one. Here’s our outline for this chapter: Day 1: 1 John 1:1-2 The Truth of the Word of Life Day 2: 1 John 1:3-4 Fellowship with the Word of Life Day 3: 1 John 1:5-7 Walking in the Light Day 4: 1 John 1:8-10 Forgiveness in the Light Day One The Truth of the Word of Life  Read & Write 1 John 1:1-2 (mark all of the ‘sensing’ words: heard, seen, etc. Circle ‘Word of Life’) John begins his letter with a great similarity to his gospel account. Rather than greeting his audience and identifying himself as the writer, he uses his first words to passionately share what he personally knows to be true about Jesus and refute what is false. Today we want to go to the gospel of John and focus on the truth about the Word and the confidence we can have in that truth. The Truth: Read John 1:1-4 and list everything you see about The Word: • • • • 1 John 1

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 7 Read John 1:9-14 and list additional truths about The Word: • • • This 14-verse Gospel of John prologue ends with a phrase that is picked up in John’s letter: we have seen his glory! This makes John a personal eyewitness along with the other disciples, which is very important to us. Confidence in the Truth: Now we’re ready to read 1 John 1:1 again and identify all of the ways John expressed his personal interaction with The Word of Life: • • • • Notice the use of ‘we’ in these verses. John is not only speaking for himself, but the other apostles who walked and talked with and touched Jesus. What are they doing with this eyewitness information (v.2)? Day Two Fellowship with the Word of Life  Read & Write 1 John 1:3-4 (Mark the words fellowship and joy) Our path to knowing God through Jesus Christ must start with reliable information about him—that’s what John said the eyewitness apostles were providing (v.1-2). Then he quickly transfers the focus from information to relation, which John calls fellowship in this letter (v.3-4). “What a wonderful thing it is that the very first truth in the Christian revelation is that God became man—the amazing grace of it all.” 1 — Harry Ironside

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 8 True Christian fellowship means literally to have in common. John identified two spheres of fellowship in v.3—what are they? • Fellowship with ___________________________ • Fellowship with ___________________________ Why is it important for fellowship to grow on both of these levels—with God and with other believers? What did John describe as a happy conclusion if his readers would embrace the Truth that he proclaimed about Jesus (v.4)? This statement is similar to the opening of his next two letters as well. Read and note also: • 2 John 4 • 3 John 3-4 If you happened to study the book of Philippians with us, you may remember we often said we rejoice because we belong to God — we want to grow like we belong to God. John’s joy flowed from a partnership (fellowship) with Christ that grew over the years. God takes delight in drawing people to himself through his son—it’s his joy—so it became John’s joy. Is it your joy? If you answer ‘not really’, then I hope you continue with the study from this Apostle to uncover the path to joy and fellowship with God Day Three Walking in the Light  Read & Write 1 John 1:5-7 (mark each phrase if we say, if we walk and the opposites: light/darkness; lie/truth)  First, since the Apostles didn’t make up their doctrine, whom did the message come from (v.5):

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 9 The gospel message does not begin with man, but rather with God’s holiness. How is God’s holiness expressed in v.5? The next five statements in chapter one (which we’ll study today and tomorrow) all begin with ‘if’. They get right to the heart of our biggest problem in life and that is our sin and what to do with our sin. V.6 IF we say we have _________________ with him while we walk in ____________________, we lie and do not practice the truth. V.7 But IF we walk in the __________, as he is in the __________, we have __________________ with one another. Remember fellowship means sharing in common, a relationship that is transparent. It can be easy to merely say we have a relationship with God (who is ALL light), while actually doing what is in agreement with darkness. • According to v.6, what is the state of someone who thinks that way? • According to v.7, what are two benefits of walking in the light? Day Four Forgiveness in the Light   Read & Write 1 John 1:8-10 (mark each phrase if we say/confess, sin, and circle the words faithful and forgive) We’ll look at v.8 & 10 first since they are very similar… v.8 IF we say we have no _______, we _____________ ourselves… V.10 IF we say we have not _______, we make him a __________, and his word is not in us.

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 10 What very important truth do we learn about ourselves from v.8, 10? Do you think these statements are at odds with the general cultural consensus around us? Why or why not? V.9 IF we _____________ our ________, he is faithful and just to ____________ our sins and cleanse us from all _____________. From v.9, what is the remedy for our condition, and the condition of all mankind? Do you think v.9 is speaking about one-time cleansing and forgiveness of sins at salvation, or continuous forgiveness for sins after salvation? Based on this thread of logic in Chapter One, what do you think it means to walk in the light? This does not mean walking in the darkness of sorrow, for there are many of God’s people that walk in the darkness of doubts and fears, and yet have fellowship with God; nay, they sometimes have fellowship with Christ all the better for the darkness of the path along which they walk. But the darkness here meant is the darkness of sin, the darkness of untruthfulness. If I walk in a lie, or walk in sin, and then profess to have fellowship with God, I have lied, and do not possess the truth. 2 — Charles Spurgeon

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 11 Questions for Thought & Discussion  • People define Christianity in many ways, and have re-invented a Jesus to suit their desires. Why is it important to establish a foundation of faith based on Biblical writings and eyewitness accounts? • What do you think the Apostle John would say about this statement: “since doctrine divides, we should set aside our doctrines and just love one another”? • To have fellowship with God, why must we begin with God’s holiness rather than God’s love? • Americans can tend toward individualism so as to embrace Jesus (fellowship with God), but reject the church (fellowship with one another). What do you see in chapter one that speaks to this? • What would you say to a Christian friend that confided in you that her relationship with God has cooled? What questions would you ask? How would you advise her? • How do we avoid being deceived into thinking we are walking in the light while we are really walking in darkness (actively sinning)?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 12 Date: _________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Notes for Teaching on Chapter 1

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 13 PRAY—Ask God for guidance to understand the Scriptures you’re about to study. READ—1 John chapter two before you begin this study guide and try to read the whole chapter each day of this week. WRITE—Each day after you read the whole chapter, write the focus verses in your journal. Note the contrasting words light and dark; love and hate; truth and lie. Here is our outline for this week: Day 1: 1 John 2:1-6 Keeping God’s Word Day 2: 1 John 2:7-14 Loving God’s People Day 3: 1 John 2:15-23 Loving God More than the World Day 4: 1 John 2:24-29 Abiding in Him Day One Keeping God’s Word   Read & Write 1 John 2:1-6 (mark the words keep, commandments and word) Chapter one settled the logical argument that God is holy and we are not. We sin, and if we say that we don’t sin, we are liars. It makes sense that John would follow up that truth with the clarification we read in v.1: • What is his desire for Christ-followers with regard to sin? • What is our remedy if we do sin? Jesus’ work is described with two different words in v.1-2: advocate and propitiation. • Define advocate. What does it mean in this context? • Read and comment on these additional insights about our advocate: • Romans 8:33-34 • Hebrews 7:25 1 John 2

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 14 • Here is a tougher one—define the word propitiation. (You may want to use a Bible Dictionary.) • Read and comment on these additional explanations of propitiation: • Romans 3:23-26 • Hebrews 2:17 If a person truly believes that Jesus has absorbed the wrath of God which was due to sin and turned it from us (our propitiation); forgives our sins when we confess them, and now lives to intercede to the Father for us (our advocate); it makes logical sense that we would honor him by loving him for this act of sacrifice and simply obeying what He has commanded. • What simple action does John say is an indicator of someone really knowing Jesus (v.3)? Verse 6 says we ought to walk in the same way in which he (Jesus) walked. Let’s investigate Jesus’ walk: • How did Jesus himself live out this truth of obedience (John 14:31)? • How did Jesus instruct his followers (John 15:12-16)? Day Two Loving God’s People  Read & Write 1 John 2:7-14 (mark the word commandments along with the contrasting words light and darkness, loves and hates) Growing in our Christian walk means growing in LOVE! The passages we read yesterday from John 15 showed us that Jesus expressed and taught the commands about loving one another from the beginning of his teach- ing. So, logic would indicate that…

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 15 V.9 Whoever says he is in the _________, and hates his brother is still in ______________ V.10 Whoever _______ his brother _______ in the _________, V.11 Whoever _______ his brother is in the ______________ . What affect does the darkness have on the one without love (v.11)? Think of an analogy (object lesson) from everyday life that illustrates how walking in darkness confuses us so that we may act as if we are blind: Almost like a delayed greeting in poem form, John addresses all of the readers of his letter by using three endearing group labels: • I write to you __________________ (v.12, v.13b) • I write to you __________________ (v.13a, v.14a) • I write to you __________________ (v.13b, v.14b) —Little children here means all of the saints in the church —Fathers is a word that means everyone who is older —Young men is another gender-inclusive word that addresses the youth The message is clear—these are relevant topics for everyone in Christ. In the next verses John will bring the full contrast between ‘love God and His people — don’t love the world’. Almost like a good coach or mentor, he will first remind them of positive spiritual experiences and qualities they already possess. List these from v.12-14: • • • • •

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 16 ay Three Loving God ore than the World    ead & Write 1 John :1 - (mark the words love, loves, world enies and onfesses) Write the rst ve intense words of v.1 : _________________________ That phrase is an ongoing command that cries do not in terms of loving the things of the world. We ve made our choice to love God instead, but that choice must be rea rmed in a hundred ways every day. We should probably de ne world since we re in a ba le not to love it. From a Chris an perspec ve we understand the world to be that en cing system of life that works against the Kingdom of God. Fortunately for us, John goes on to explain exactly what he means in this context. Write out the three phrases John uses to describe all that is in the world from v.1 : • _________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________ • _________________________________________________ This trio of tempta ons are easily iden ed in other parts of Scripture: • Eve fell to Satan s tempta ons in the Garden (Gen. ) • Jesus was confronted in the wilderness, but did not sin ( a . ) We all ba le these tempta ons daily. Some mes we re victorious, some mes we fall. The silver thread that runs through this le er is that if we make it our habit to keep loving the world and the things of the world, it s more di cult to keep loving God. The love of the ather is not in us (v.1 ). The converse is true as well—making it our habit to love God and express our love for God will leave less room to love the world. Think about, pray about, and then list two ways you can choose to love God and express your love for God more this week than you have before. ( emember, love is a choice more than a feeling):

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 17 #1: #2: We can tell John had a sense of urgency in his writing for two reasons: • He described the time period as: (v.18) • He labeled and described those in opposition to God’s revealed truth as: (v.18) • What were some distinguishing characteristics of false teachers (anti- christs) that seemed to have been part of the church: • (v.19) • (v.22) We can unlock the puzzle of what type of heresies the early church was facing by reading through these verses carefully: • some had apparently _______ the fellowship of believers to promote different teachings (v.19) • some had apparently begun to convince people their knowledge of God wasn’t sufficient and to promote their own brand of exclusive and secret knowledge (v.20) • Some had ___________ that Jesus was the Son of God—the Messiah (v.22-23) That last one is intolerable to the Father and should be intolerable to us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the only possible way for us to have fellow- ship with the Father. He is the only way of salvation, so to deny either his humanity or his deity is antichrist. In our culture, we probably don’t label false teachers antichrists, but if they meet the above criteria, they are. What is one antichrist type of teaching that is promoted in your circle of life?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 18 Day Four Abide in Him   Read & Write 1 John 2:24-29 (mark the words abide, abides and anointing) After reading the warnings in the previous verses about those who had left the fellowship of sound doctrine and had begun to promote things which were antichrist, these six verses clearly lay out the method to sharpen our discernment against spiritual deception. • What are other key words (besides the ones you marked) in v. 24-29 and how do they help you understand the passage: • What had those believers heard from the beginning? • What had John encourage them to do with that knowledge? • Define the word abide: (first write a common definition that comes to you, then look up the word in a dictionary for more insights). • What were the false teachers trying to accomplish (v.26)? Don’t you suppose the true believers may have wondered if they were missing or had overlooked something! Have you experienced that confu- sion —when someone very confidently expressed their brand of Christian-

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 19 ity that did not line up with Scripture, but still, you actually began to won- der if you didn’t understand the gospel correctly, or missed something? If you’ve ever experienced that confusion you can easily see why John was so intent on exhorting them to hold on, to let the word of the gospel abide in them. We also can protect ourselves from spiritual deception by letting the word of God abide in us. Use these verses for inspiration and consider one new way for you personally to abide in the Word. • John 8:31-32 • Colossians 3:16-17 It’s not only gospel information that abides in us. v.20, 27 says the anointing we received also abides in us. • ead the words John heard from Jesus’ lips just after the last supper: John 14:16-17, 26—Who is that anointing and how does he help us? V.28 charges us to abide in him. Read how Jesus exhorted his own follow- ers just before his betrayal from John 15:1-10: • What are some ways we abide? • What is the expected result of abiding from John 15? • What is the expected result of abiding from 1 John 2:28?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 20 Questions for Thought & Discussion  • We have commands in the Bible that God expects us to follow — like love one another. Some people say that if we emphasize obedience to commands we will fall into legalism. What do you think? • What do you think of the modern advice that a person must learn to love themselves before they can love others? What scriptural evi- dence do you have for your answer? • How can a person who grew up in an abusive or loveless home learn to love others? • Has anyone said to you, “It really doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere about it”? How do you decide which doctrines really DO matter? • How does the world lure YOU into a love-relationship? Think about the desires of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the pride of life. How do these specifically present themselves as temptations, and how do you conquer them? • What type of false teachings (antichrist) have you run into and how has the Holy Spirit given you wisdom to discern the error?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 21 Date: _________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Notes for Teaching on Chapter 2

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 22 PRAY—Ask God for guidance to understand the Scriptures you’re about to study. READ—1 John chapter three before you begin this study guide, then read the whole chapter aloud each day of this week. WRITE—Each day, after you read the whole chapter, write the focus vers- es in your journal. Here is our outline for this week: Day 1: 1 John 3:1-2 God’s Children Are Loved Day 2: 1 John 3:3-10 God’s Children Sin Less Day 3: 1 John 3:11-18 God’s Children Love ore Day 4: 1 John 3:19-24 God’s Children Have Confidence Day One God’s Children Are Loved  Read & Write 1 John 3:1-2 (mark the words love, and the phrases children of God, God’s hildren) The first word of this chapter is See, or as some translate it — Behold! It’s a word that compels us to both investigate what kind of love; and to be in awe of the love the Father has given to us. We are to stop and think about God’s love toward us regularly—to ponder the significance of it. So that is what we will mostly do in today’s lesson. Here are a few additional Scrip tures that may help you: What kind of love does the Father have for us? • Romans 5:8 • Galatians 4:4-7 • 1 John 4:9-10 What are the amazing aspects of God’s love for us? • Romans 8:38-39 • Ephesians 2:4-5 • Ephesians 3:18-19 1 John 3

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 23 Since we have been loved so extravagantly by God, and if we have stepped into the light and embraced the truth of God’s love for us, what group do we belong to now (v.2)? What do you think of the blanket statement that people sometimes make that we’re all God’s hildren? • Do you think everyone on earth is one of God’s hildren? • Do you think that is or isn’t in agreement with John’s writing? • What do you think it takes to be one of God’s hildren? Day Two God’s Children Sin Less  Read & Write 1 John 3:3-10 (mark the words sin, sinning, lawless- ness. Also righteous, righteousness as well as the word practices) As you read this passage, even before you began marking words, you probably noticed the repetition of the words sin, sins, sinning—ten times! Sin is serious. It is diametrically opposed to the kingdom of God and His righteousness. So… • John points out that everyone who hopes in Christ does what (v.3)? The Love of God The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell It goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin. 3 — Hymn by Frederick M. Lehman

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 24 You may wonder why these eight verses about sin are nestled between two great passages about love. Again, John leads us on a path of logic that affirms: • If we don’t have a serious understanding of sin, its grip on our life and its opposition to God… • Then we won’t fully embrace our need for something as radical as a savior and as wonderful as God’s love lavished on us. We may think we can simply be improved by self-help tips or lessons on manners. Clearly this passage speaks to the need in our own lives to purify ourselves from sin. But there is another layer John is getting at and it relates to the problem of false teachers leading people astray. Let’s sew together three phrases that help us understand: • Everyone who hopes in him ___________ himself (v.3) • Let no one deceive you... • Whoever practices __________________ is righteous (v.7) • Whoever makes a practice of _________ is of the devil (v.8) • By this it is evident who are the children of _______, and who are the children of the _________ (v.10) Do you see what he’s getting at? He’s telling the church: if you want to figure out who the true believers in Jesus are, take a look at their life. Do they sin less and love more or do they sin more and love less. There’s another comparison going on that will continue in tomorrow’s verses—that is the relationship between practicing sin and the devil. Let’s fill in this chart to help us understand this logic more clearly. V.4 One who practices _____, practices lawlessness (rebellion against God) V.5 Jesus appeared in order to take away _______ (bring forgiveness) V.6 So no one who abides in Jesus keeps on __________ V.8 Whoever does make a practice of sinning is of the ____________ V.8 Because Jesus appeared to destroy the works of the ____________

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 25 The word practice seems to be a key to understanding today’s verses. Of course we sin—remember 1 John 1:8 told us “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” From this passage, ponder and explain— —whoever practices sin (v.4, 8, 9) —whoever practices righteousness (v.7, 10) Day Three God’s Children Love ore   Read 1 John 3:11-18 (mark all of the occurrences of the word love)  Children of God are known by three characteristics: • Their true doctrine—believing in the work of Jesus Christ alone • Their moral practice—not continuing in sin • Their relational practice—loving one another Today’s verses speak mostly of our relational practice to love, although there is a smooth transition between practicing righteousness from v.4-10 and practicing love in v.11-18. So, perhaps we should see them as differ- ent sides of the same coin. John chooses to make practicing love more clear by taking us to an exam- ple of the opposite of love, which is hatred. • Who is named as an example of someone under the control of the evil one in v.12? (The only Old Testament reference in this entire letter.) • What was Cain’s birth-order in the history of humankind (Genesis 4:1) and do you think that is significant somehow to this discussion of sin and the devil? Why?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 26 • What link do you see between Cain’s murder of Abel (v.12) and the world hating Christians (v.13)? • What are we not to be surprised about? It’s our first nature to be self-centered rather than others-centered. V.14 explains it is a new nature of God’s Children to love one another — like we’re passing out of death into life! In contrast to John’s example of hatred/murder through Cain, he now gives an example of supreme love in v.16. Explain that example? Since we can’t perform that exact same act of showing love—none of us can lay down our life for the atonement of someone else’s sins—John give us a great example of practicing love in v.17-18. • What is the practical suggestion to show love? • Think of two other practical suggestions that would allow us to love in deed and in truth:     Day Four God’s Children Have Confidence   Read & Write 1 John 3:19-24 (mark the words heart reassure, and confidence) Beloved! Brothers! Little Children! These are affectionate words directed at the readers of this letter. Lest we become caught up in the accusations of the enemy or the condemnation of our own hearts; this chapter both opens and closes with words of assurance and comfort.

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 27 And yet, we do sometimes allow our hearts to condemn us in some way. We can wilt under our own expectations that we’re not loving enough— neither God, nor people. Perhaps the following quote will be a good com- panion to verses 19-20: It is God who is completing the work he began in us (Phil 1:6). When we get too introspective—especially on the subject of not meeting our own expectations to love others—we will undoubtedly focus on our failings rather than celebrate our growth, as slow as it may be. Take heart friend, if you are in Christ, the Spirit of God is working in you to sin less and love more, work with him and not against him! Now, about all of those commandment words that you marked in v.22-24, before we dig deeper into those verses, let’s review Matthew 22:37-40 to hear Jesus’ voice on the same matter. • What two things does Jesus ask from his followers: • • • How does 1 John 3:23 similarly express those two things: • • With those expressions of keeping God’s commandments in mind, what benefits do we receive? • v.24 • v.22 The question isn’t, Am I perfe t? Instead, the question John is tea hing us to ask is: ’Is God doing a mira ulous work in me by giving me more genuine love for fellow believers than I used to have?’ Yes, we need to look for the evidence of love in our lives, but we should not go over- board by being too harshly critical of our inevitable failures. God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything about where we be- gan, where we are in our progress, and where he is taking us over the course of eternity.4 — Jacob Gerber

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 28 Questions for Thought & Discussion  • I’ve heard of at least one dictionary eliminating the word sin, claiming that it has fallen out of contemporary use. Why is a proper view of sin so important to the gospel message? • John says a child of God cannot keep on sinning (v.9). Does this mean once we’re saved our desire to sin will be gone? If not, what does it mean? • How would you counsel a person that thinks they are a Christian, but is clearly and knowingly living in sin? • We are very often blind to our own selfishness—even as Christians. How do we grow past me-centered living to loving others? • How can we determine whether feelings of guilt arise from a truly guilty conscience or from the accusations of the enemy? • Why do you think John emphasized abiding in God so much through- out this letter? Does it change how we perceive our relationship with God? Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.5 — Hymn by Fanny Crosby

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 29 Date: _________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Notes for Teaching on Chapter 3

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 30 PRAY—Ask God for guidance to understand the Scriptures you’re about to study. READ—1 John chapter four before you begin this study guide, then read the whole chapter each day of this week. WRITE—Each day after you read the chapter, write the focus verses in your journal. Note the repetition of the words know, love and abide. Here is our outline for this week: Day 1: 1 John 4:1-6 Learn to Discern Day 2: 1 John 4:7-11 Learn to Love Day 3: 1 John 4:12-16 Learn to Abide in God’s Love Day 4: 1 John 4:17-21 Learn to Abound in God’s Love Day One Learn to Discern  Read & Write 1 John 4:1-6 (mark the word spirit, spirits and world) Each generation has had plenty of voices adding their own ideas and phi- losophies to the public discourse, but really, has the world seen anything like the resources we have today? Armed with only a smart phone you can write a blog post, film a Youtube video, or create a viral Facebook post. The information age has made the first sentence in this chapter very prac- tical advice. Have you ever said to someone: don’t believe everything you hear about God. But if that’s all you said, it probably wasn’t very helpful. People need tools to help them understand how to filter each message to either accept it or reject it. • What is the main instruction given to us in v.1? • What is the main tool for discerning the truth in v.2-3? • Who is a reliable help for discernment in v.4? 1 John 4

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 31 The late A. W. Tozer once wrote a wise piece that appeared in Moody Monthly entitled: How to Try the Spirits.6 Here are seven tests that can be applied to any teaching, philosophy, or really any input in life: How does the teaching affect my relationship with God? Is he magni- fied and glorified, or diminished? How does the teaching affect my attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it magnify him and give him first place? Or, does it subtly shift my focus onto myself or some experience? How does the teaching affect my attitude toward Scripture? Did the teaching come from and does it agree with the Word? Does it in- crease my love for the Word? How does the teaching affect my self-life? Does it feed self or crucify it? Does it feed pride or humility? How does the teaching affect my relationships to other Christians? Does it cause me to withdraw, find fault, and exalt myself in superior- ity? Or, does it lead me to genuine love for all that truly know Christ? How does the teaching affect my relationship to the world system? Does it lead me to pursue the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life? Does it lead me to pursue worldly rich- es, reputation, and pleasures? Or, does it crucify the world to me? How does the teaching affect my attitude toward sin? Does it cause me to tolerate sin in my life or to turn from it and grow in holiness? Any teaching that makes holiness more acceptable and sin more in- tolerable is genuine. “It is signifi ant that this warning omes in the midst of John’s dis ourse about love, because false spirits tend to make a great deal of the subject of love. Every cult, every deviant group, every false movement makes its appeal in the name of love.” 7 — Ray Stedman

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 32 Day Two Learn to Love  Read & Write 1 John 4:7-11 (mark the word love) Do you remember in the last chapter (3:23) John expressed God’s com mandment in two parts: “believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ” “love one another” The first verses in chapter 4 (yesterday) warned us to learn to discern through belief in Jesus Christ, specifically that he came in the flesh as ful- ly God and fully man (v.2). Today’s verses pick up the second portion of that commandment so that we can learn to love. These verses are so majestic, they can be lifted from the context of the passage, still be true and stand tall! Love is supreme! But when you read a passage like today’s, does it sometimes highlight your own lack? Does it tempt you to reach inside yourself for motivation? You may think, ‘I see here that I just need to be more loving!’ And off you go—trying to manu- facture the character of God with your own resources. You want the re- sults and you want to look like someone who really belongs to God. It’s not determination that will meet the challenge; rather it will happen by yielding to God’s love (a fruit of the Holy Spirit) planted in you at the new birth. God’s love already resides in us. Here are four somewhat obvious questions...but let’s answer anyway: • What is the command again (v.7)? • From where does this love originate (v.7)? • A display of true love shows what about us (v.7-8)? • How did God display His own love toward us (v.9)?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 33 When we read anyone who loves has been born of God — anyone who does not love does not know God, we might wonder if that’s true. We all know people who reject Christ and still love their kids. But let’s define love by investigating a couple things: The type of love being expressed in this passage is the Greek—agape, which is a reflection of God’s sacrificial, unconditional love. That’s very different than other types of love that are familiar to us. Sometimes what we observe as someone loving another can merely be a reflection of other motives—wanting to feel good about them- selves, wanting others to love them, doing their duty, etc. I’ve heard Biblical agape love defined as: ‘a self-sacrificing, ongoing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved’ • How do you think that specifically describes God’s love toward us? • How does this definition play into hard-to-love people in your life? Since God is love (v.8), it makes complete sense that His children would grow to bear the family likeness and express God’s love. Think back on your own experience as a Christian, how have you grown to express God’s agape love more over your lifetime? Do you have any benchmarks in your growth that you can share? Day Three Learn to Abide in God’s Love   Read & Write 1 John 4:12-16 (mark the words abide and abides) Here is where John’s letter really shines as a discipleship manual! aybe you’ve heard the saying ‘you’re the only Bible someone may ever read’.

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 34 The meaning is—your life as a Christian may tell the gospel in a way that someone can understand even if they have never heard a Bible verse. Both John’s gospel (1:18) and this letter contain this statement ‘no one has ever seen God’ (v.12) and then goes on to suggest that something of who God is may be seen through our life of love. It is a compelling thought; and interesting to note the qualifier if we love one another. • What is the key word in this passage that expresses our unity with God (hint, you marked it multiple times): ___________________ • Think of some other words in your vocabulary that express the same idea: • Do you think someone has access to God’s love without being con nected to him? Without abiding in him? Here are two verses that express truth about a Christian’s mutual abid- ing: By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. (v.13) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (v.15) • What person of the Godhead is the key to this abiding (v.13)? • What truth about the Godhead is key to this abiding (v.15)? • What did John say the Holy Spirit would do (John 16:13-14)? • What type of understanding about Jesus is key to mutual abiding?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 35 It can be very reassuring to experience the evidence of God abiding in us. This may happen when someone crosses us in some way and instead of reacting in anger or frustration the Holy Spirit enables us to slow down, breathe, and respond with kindness and even love (v.13). • Have you experienced this abiding presence of the Lord recently? Has he enabled you to display HIS character in a situation? aybe you’ve experienced a major struggle to love recently. Take heart! The daily war against the flesh is not won overnight. Read Galatians 5:16- 18. Explain the inner struggle of a Christian and our path toward victory: When it comes to loving one another The issue is not so much perfection — but direction! Are you pointed the right way and growing? The perfecting of God's love in our lives is usually a matter of several stages. When we were lost, we lived in fear and knew nothing of God's love. After we trusted Christ, we found a perplexing mixture of both fear and love in our hearts. But as we grew in fellowship with the Fa- ther, gradually the fear vanished and our hearts were controlled by His love alone. An immature Christian is tossed between fear and love; a mature Christian rests in God's love. 8 — Warren Weirsbe

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 36 Day Four Learn to Abound in God’s Love   Read & Write 1 John 4:17-21 (mark fear, perfected, love) There is a day of Christ’s return coming, which the Bible also reminds us is a day of judgment. ead these passages and listen to both Jesus’ and Paul’s words on judgment: • Matthew 25:31-46 • Acts 17:31 How glorious to have confidence today for that coming day! • What is missing in the person who fears that judgment (v.18)? Based on v.20, do you think it’s possible to be double-minded, or deceive ourselves about the true character of our love? As they say, talk is cheap. If someone said to you “I love God”... • How would you observe that to be true? • How does John observe it to be true? aybe you’ve been trying to love someone who is very difficult to love, perhaps you think, impossible to love. • What should your next step be according to v.21? • Pray about that situation and see if the Holy Spirit will guide you into specific steps for victory. Note your answers to prayer here:

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 37 Questions for Thought & Discussion  • Regarding the warnings at the beginning of this chapter — what types of input do you, or Christians in general, absorb regularly that are emanating from a spirit that is against God (antichrist)? • Why do you think we allow these voices to speak into our hearts and minds? Is this warning relevant to us? Are there any of these voice that we can choose to switch off? • Our culture is very confused about the word love. If you were to ex- plain God’s love to someone, how would you describe it? • Is expressing Biblical love to someone the same thing as trusting them? Explain. • We love others on many levels—marital love, love of parents, sib- lings, close friends, neighbors, co-workers, those in the body of Christ and those outside. Spend some time asking God how He would have you express your love for Him by loving people in these categories: • Husband • Children or parents or extended family • Those in Christ (in your church) • Those clearly outside of Christ

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 38 Date: _________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Notes for Teaching on Chapter 4

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 39 PRAY—Ask God for guidance to understand the Scriptures you’re about to study. READ—1 John chapter five before you begin this study guide, then read the whole chapter each day of this week. WRITE—Each day after you read the chapter, write the focus verses in your journal. Note the repetition of know, born of, and confidence. Here is our outline for this week: Day 1: 1 John 5:1-5 Love and Obedience Day 2: 1 John 5:6-12 Water and Blood Day 3: 1 John 5:13-17 Confidence and Prayer Day 4: 1 John 5:18-21 The True God and Eternal Life Day One Love and Obedience  Read & Write 1 John 5:1-5 (mark the phrases ‘born of…’) We’ve noted John’s writing style (inspired by the Holy Spirit of God) has more of a spiraling logic than a linear nature. If you’ve noticed us return ing to familiar themes over and over in our reading, it’s because we are. In chapter five John’s spiraling topics become tighter and more direct. Can we take a moment to reflect on these spirals of logic: SINCE — God is light and God is love and God desires fellowship with us, SINCE — We are sinners, walking in darkness and without love, THEN — God’s love offered his own son to take the punishment for us, SO THAT — (v.1) Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. BY THIS — (v.2) We know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. As you read through this, do you think it’s optional to love whoever has been born of him (v.1) the children of God (v.2)? 1 John 5

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 40 In the context of this passage, what do you think it means to love God and obey his commandments? As a Child of God, abiding in him, we are promised victory over the world in v.4-5. Here is an interesting insight that may inspire you. It is likely that you have at least one article of Nike apparel somewhere in your home— you can picture the familiar swoosh icon, right? Well, the word victory is the Greek word Nike and the word overcome (Nikao) is a close relative. So, as we think of our lives (while we are still in the world) in terms of a sporting event requiring endurance and perseverance it is by faith that we Nikao (overcome, prevail) and ultimately be Nike (victorious). This all rests on what provision given at the end of v.5? Day Two Water and Blood  Read & Write 1 John 5:6-12 (mark water, blood, spirit, testifies) We often mention that in order to understand the Bible we need to ask: what does it say, what does it mean, and what does it mean to me. The second question is important for this passage, because asking what does it mean also asks the question what did it mean to the original readers. Among the original readers some had rubbed shoulders with people who couldn’t swallow the concept of Jesus being born and dying as fully-God and fully-man. Their reasoning seems complicated to us, but they basical- ly taught that the God-spirit descended upon Jesus at his baptism and left him before the cross. Today many people will accept Jesus as a fully-human man who was a good teacher—but fully-God? Nope!

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 41 So, John emphasized what three elements as witnesses to Jesus full- humanity and full-deity: _______________ ______________ ______________ We can tell by listening in on this one-sided conversation that John per- ceived the water testimony to be fairly accepted so he went on to em- phasize the blood. But I think we will put our effort into studying the third testimony — the Spirit. • In v.6, the Spirit is also referred to as the ____________ Read John 15:26-27: • Think about who John was when he heard these words from Jesus— did he internally possess this witness? • Think about who John was when he wrote his gospel—did he inter- nally possess this witness? • Think about who you are —do you internally possess this witness? We can (v.9) “receive the testimony of men... [which we have received by reading the eyewitness accounts in the Bible, but] ...the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.” Praise God He has given us an internal witness to shed light on Truth! What we believe about who Jesus was and is matters! • What is the testimony in v.11: • What does it take to possess this testimony (v.10)? You might be thinking, how many times do we need to cover the same ground—I’ve got it already! I think I’ve felt that way too, until I decided to cover the same ground as often as the Word of God covered it in a verse-by-verse study. Perhaps God knows something about the way we learn that we don’t know.

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 42 Day Three Confidence and Prayer  Read & Write 1 John 5:13-17 (mark the words confidence, ask, asked) Verse 13 is a purpose statement for 1 John! It tells us that John intended this letter for those who already believe. (Also note 1 John 2:21). In contrast, his gospel account was written: so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31 Since this letter is written to those who already believe, prayer becomes a practical result of our confidence as we abide in God. What can we be confident about as we approach God in prayer? • From v.14: • From v.15: That seems really simple doesn’t it? But I bet you’ll agree with me there’s more we can learn, so let’s spend today studying more on prayer! First, turn back in your Bible to 1 John 3:22 and log what you add to your insight on prayer from that passage: Now keep turning back in your Bible to the night of the Last Supper where we heard Jesus sharing the principles of his Father’s Kingdom with his disciples. Read the following passages and write any personal insights to add to your study on God answering our prayers: • John 14:11-14 • John 15:7-8

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 43 • John 15:15-16 • John 16:23-24, 26-27 Are there any adjustments these passages have inspired you to make in your prayer life? After studying a life of prayer in general — v.16-17 show us a great example of merging confident prayers with loving others. In the course of our life, with family, friends, co-workers... • What will we likely observe in someone (v.16a)? • What should we do about that observation (v.16)? It’s fairly simple. We’re not to gossip, run to their Pastor, or confront them with their sin (not first thing anyway); we’re to ask our Father to give them life...to bring them back to the obedience of faith. Two things about these verses: It’s wise not to obsess about what ‘sin leading to death’ might be. It’s likely it will paralyze our effort in intercession anyway. Pray until God tells you to stop! This is one of the most practical ways to really show that we love oth- ers—to care enough to sacrificially pray for them to be brought back into agreement with God. Do these verses describe a relational situation in your life? How is God using these verses to help you be obedient to his command to love one another?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 44 Day Four The True God and Eternal Life  Read & Write 1 John 5:18-21 (mark the three phrases ‘we know’ and the one command in the last verse.) John closes his letter in an almost hurried sort of way, as is often the case with New Testament letters. I can almost imagine him running low on parchment and writing smaller and faster. I’m also partial to anything in groups of three and he finishes by listing three very important things we know (or we can be sure of). Summarize each one in the space following the verse number: From v.18: • How is a practice of sinning incompatible with someone who is abid- ing in God? • We’re not left alone—we have help and protection from the tempta- tions of the enemy. Who is our help (v.18)? Do you access this help? From v.19: • Since John is very black and white, we will be too. What are the only two kingdoms in this world? • •

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 45 With the exception of those who have already been translated into the kingdom of God, everyone else—John phrases it ‘the whole world’ is under the power of Satan. Go back now and read 1 John 2:2 and write what opportunity the gospel holds out for anyone who is still in the king- dom of the evil one: From v.20: • The formerly-Jewish readers of this letter already knew plenty about God, but when John said Jesus had come that we may know him, that was something different. Explain the difference: Write out the final eight words of v.20: ___________________________________________________________ Can you see how John’s logical spiral became more and more narrow coming to end with this amazing ocean of truth in eight words — Jesus himself is the true God — Jesus himself is eternal life. What type of worship should this reality usher into our lives? What types of things that we actually worship right now should this push out of our lives? AH! Maybe that sheds light on the last verse of this book: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” This final verse seems abrupt and yet compatible with the whole mes- sage of the letter. It is a present-day imperative that jolts us into recog- nizing that our gratitude, love and worship belongs only to the loving God who redeemed us, the true God who guides us, the eternal life who abides with us. Even though we are tempted by the lure of many idols in this world we will find our joy in seeking to love Christ more.

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 46 Questions for Thoughts & Discussion  • Do you ever struggle with an assurance of your salvation? Knowing that you are truly born-again? Has there been something in this letter to help you? • How has this chapter given you confidence to pray differently? • Do you have someone in your life that resembles the brother commit- ting a sin that you have already been praying for? • Do you have someone in your life that resembles the brother commit- ting a sin that you need to be loving through prayer? • Do you currently have idols in your life—either legitimate things that have become way too important or illegitimate things that are inap- propriate for a Child of God? What’s your plan? Share with your group (or a friend) one highlight from your study in this book. Our love grows soft if it is not strengthened by truth, and our truth grows hard if it is not softened by love. 9 – John Stott

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 47 Date: _________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Notes for Teaching on Chapter 5

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 48 PRAY—Ask God for guidance to understand the Scriptures you’re about to study. Now that we’ve completed the book of 1 John, we’re going to study both 2&3 John in this final week. We could whimsically describe John’s books as two postcards and a letter! Since we’ve already studied the letter, let’s finish up with the two postcards in our final week. 2&3 John can be described as brief case studies that minister the truths found in the former letter to the unique situations found in the church. They are brief to read, but rather long to write in your journal. So, you’ll notice our four-day outline has an adjustment: 2 John — The Balance of Truth & Love Day 1 — Read and write the entire book in your journal Day 2 — Answer the questions in your study guide 3 John — The Walk of Truth & Love Day 3 — Read and write the entire book in your journal Day 4 — Answer the questions in your study guide 2 John The Balance of Truth & Love  Note the repetition in your journal of the words truth, love and deceivers. Read v.1-4 — • Who is the letter addressed to: ___________________________ (For our purposes, we’ll assume the addressee is an entire church body rather than an actual woman.) • Note the number of times John uses the word truth in the first five verses: _______. John went out of his way to make truth a central point in the opening of this letter. Read v.5-6 — • What commandment is John reminding them about: ______________ • How many times does he use the word love: _______ 2 & 3 John

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 49 Read v.7-13 — • With the reminders of truth and love well established, what is the church being warned about in these verses? • What could happen if the church were to neglect the truth that abides in us (v.2) and blindly apply only love? • What type of personality or spiritual gift might a Christian have that would make this exhortation necessary? We have plenty of deceivers in our culture that purport to be Christian but are really antichrist. This postcard is a good reminder to make sure the truth found in Scripture strengthens our love. 3 John The Walk of Truth & Love  Our second postcard is addressed to one particular man named Gaius. Even though it seems like a personal message, the Holy Spirit saw fit to include it in the cannon of Scripture—so I’m glad we can study it. In this case study we’re given a simple contrast between one believer who is walking in truth and obedience and one who has decided to walk away from truth and obedience (we’ll identify them on the next page). Read v.1-4 — • Once again, John deliberately places reminders about the truth in the opening of this letter. What is the truth count in these verses: _____ • What is the similarity between v.4 in each of these postcards:

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 50 Read v.5-8 — • What had John heard about Gaius and for what is he commended? • How would you say the truth of the gospel had affected his love? Read v.9-15 — • The man named Diotrephes walked in a different way—explain: • Demetrius seems to be the postcard mailman. What is his walk like? “Beloved do not imitate evil, but imitate good” (v.11). That seems like an obvious statement, but perhaps we need the reminder more often than we think. What insights do these passages add to this warning: • Galatians 5:7-10— • 2 Timothy 4:10— John finishes both letters by saying he has more to say in person—I’ll bet he does! But I’m glad the Holy Spirit had him write even a short postcard so that we have these glimpses into applying truth and love in personal situations and church situations. We’re glad you have studied these books with us—the Bible is a won- derful resource for theology and history. But as we embrace its message as the filter through which we view life and live life we find the real path of being a follower of Jesus Christ! May the Lord Richly Bless You!

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 51 Questions for Thoughts & Discussion  • Is there a situation in your life that the Holy Spirit has shown you the need to moderate your love by the truth of God’s Word? • Is there a situation where the truth needs to be tamed by love? • John mentions how happy he is that some of his children are walking in the truth. He’s not referring to his biological children, but as moth- ers, we would love to say the same—yet it may not be a reality. What would you say to a friend who desperately wants her children to be walking in the truth? • Read 2 John :10-11. Warnings about false teachers abound in all three letters. Let’s apply these warnings to our world — you see an interesting devotion book at Walmart — you think maybe a new de- votion book is just what you need. Do you stop to find out if the mes- sage is accurate? Or do you just receive it into your house (v.10)? • Read 3 John :12. Explain what a good testimony from everyone means. Explain what a good testimony from the truth itself means. • John mentioned the need for face-to-face communication at the end of both letters. Although texting, emailing and writing have a useful place, what problems can be eliminated by talking face-to-face?

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 52 Date: _________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Notes for Teaching on 2 & 3 John

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word 53 References ESV Bible verses… Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 1— Harry Ironside. The Epistles of John & Jude San Diego, CA: Horizon Press, 1931. p.16 2— Charles Spurgeon. Commentary on the New Testament, Ravenio Books 3— Frederick M. Lehman. “The Love of God” Hymn (public domain) 4— Jacob Gerber. That You May Know: A Primer on Christian Discipleship (The Primer Series Book 1) (p. 75). 19Baskets, Inc.. Kindle Edition 5— Fanny Crosby. “Blessed Assurance” Hymn (public domain) 6— A. W. Tozer. “How to Try the Spirits” (adapted from, Moody Monthly [12/79], pp. 51-55) 7— Ray Stedman. Expository Studies in 1 John, Word, p. 296 8— Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testa- ment, Volume 2. Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2001. WORDsearch CROSS e-book. 9— John Stott. The Bible Speaks Today Commentary On 2 John, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Academic, p. 207

2017 Sue LeBoutillier—Women of the Word The following WOW Bible Studies written by Sue LeBoutillier are available through the Calvary Chapel Ontario bookstore, and through our online store at www.ccontario.com. Old Testament: • Genesis —Divine Design, From Eden to Egypt • Exodus —Divine Deliverance, From Egypt to Sinai • Numbers —The Wilderness Way, From Sinai to the Jordan • Joshua —The Path of Promise, From the Jordan into Canaan • Judges — A Time of Turning • Ruth —Walking with My Redeemer • Jonah —The Call of Compassion New Testament: • The Sermon on the Mount —Walking in God’s Kingdom ( atthew) • Simply Jesus —The “I A s” of Christ (John) • Acts —Walking in the Spirit, The First Days of the Last Days • Galatians —Finding Grace in a Demanding World • Philippians —Finding Joy in a Disjointed World • Colossians —Walking in Strength and Power • Titus —While We Wait • James —Real Faith for Daily Life • 1 & 2 Peter —Hope, Holiness and Humility in a Hostile World • 1,2,3 John —Light, Love and Logic, Lessons from the Apostle John Women of the Word Bible Studies

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