I teach an Adult Bible Community at Thomas Road Baptist Church called the G.A.P. (for Graduates and Professionals), and each week I post the outlines and discussion questions from my lessons on the G.A.P. page on Facebook. A while back I started posting these notes on the blog too. So, here is the outline and questions for our meeting on July 25 and August 1, 2010 (I ran out of time today, so I'll finish it next week!). A couple of weeks ago, we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson then looks at 1 John 1:5-10 and discusses the need to walk in the brilliant light of God, his character, and his Word. We consider the holiness and truth of God and how that reality ought to affect the way we live our lives. We also look at the need to walk in the light and to speak the truth. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!
Living in the Spotlight of God
Theology Matters Series
1 John 1:5-10
Introduction
My Wheel of Fortune Experience
The brightness of the spotlight and the heat of the stage lights
What I thought happened and what was revealed
What are the characteristics of light?
What are the characteristics of a spotlight?
Light tends to expose things or to make things clear. A spotlight is even brighter or more brilliant than normal light. In our passage today, John builds on his discussion of the Incarnation to remind his readers that God’s character requires a certain life from us if we claim to have fellowship with him. God’s character becomes a spotlight to highlight our lives and to reveal whether we live in the light or in the dark.
1 John 1:5-10—Three things
1. God is Light
2. Light vs. Darkness
3. Truth vs. Lies
We must live our lives in God’s spotlight
1. God is Light
1 John 1:5
After discussing the importance of the Incarnation in verses 1-4, John announces the message he received from Jesus
John begins with a discussion of God’s character
God is Light (John 1:9; 3:19-21; 8:12)--His character is the spotlight of our lives
a. There is no hidden agenda with God—there is no fine print to read
b. Light illuminates—it makes things clear and obvious
c. Light exposes—it reveals things that may be hidden
d. Light=Truth, Holiness, Purity, etc.
There is no Darkness in God—like a spotlight, darkness has nowhere to hide
Drawing near to God means to draw near to a positive and bright reality—God is brilliance, brightness, and clarity
He does not cloud the issue, in God’s presence things become clear
Negatively, however, light also reveals imperfections
Drawing near to God risks exposure
God’s character is a spotlight that reveals God’s brilliance
John now gives us some options in our response to God—in these options he may reveal the attitudes of his opponents
2. Light vs. Darkness
1 John 1:6-7
John claims that if we claim to be “one” with or to have fellowship with God, then we should live and act in certain ways
The opponents claimed a special relationship with God, but their lives did not show it
What does it mean to walk in darkness?
a. John 1:5—Walking in darkness means to lack comprehension, to lack clarity of vision
b. John 11:9-10—Walking in the darkness means to stumble over obstacles that the light would clearly reveal; to walk in darkness means to “miss the point” or to stumble
c. 1 John 2:8-11—Walking in the darkness is to follow something that is passing away; it is to walk in hate; it is to be lost and unaware of where you are going
d. Walking in the dark means to be controlled by the desires of the world, to follow after the path that essentially rejects and ignores Jesus
e. John 12:35-36—Coming to the Light of God (as revealed in Jesus) is the only way to stop walking in darkness
What is the result of walking in darkness?
a. We become liars and do not do what is true
b. 1 John 1:10—we make God a liar by ignoring his plan and his Word
God’s spotlight removes darkness
What does it mean to walk in the light as he is in the light?
a. John 1:9—Walking in the light means to be enlightened, to see things as they are or as God sees them
b. John 3:12—Walking in the light means to live true lives, to have our deeds exposed as worked in us by God himself
c. John 8:12—Walking in the light means to have life
d. John 12:46—Walking in the light means to have faith in Jesus and to leave darkness behind
e. Walking in the light is the opposite of walking in darkness; walking in the Light means to walk in Christ, to live as he lived, to do the things he did
f. Walking in the light is a lifestyle, it is an ongoing experience; it requires effort and practice
g. Walking in the light means living a life of honesty and transparency, letting God’s light shine brighter than anything else (e.g., our own sin, accomplishments, or desires)
h. Walking in the light means living by God’s Word, desires, and values
What is the result of walking in the light?
a. We have fellowship with one another—since we are living lives of honest transparency, we no longer have a reason to hide, and we can be “real” in God’s brilliant life
b. God accepts us into his light with all our “imperfections,” in like manner we must receive all who are also with us in the light
c. We receive cleansing from sin by the blood of Jesus—
d. Walking in the light exposes our sin and provides opportunity for confession
e. Walking in the light provides protection keeping us from stumbling (i.e., sanctification)
f. We not only confess sin, we can also conquer sin
God’s spotlight enlightens our lives and illuminates our relationships
3. Truth vs. Lies
1 John 1:8-10—John now addresses the issue of those who claim to be sinless
Perfectionism is a danger in Christian thought . It makes a claim that John says is untrue
Our conduct should reflect our salvation, but humility should also be a part
If we make claims that are not true, we cannot claim to be doing true deeds
a. Truth resides where truth is lived (John 3:21; John 8:32; John 14:6)
b. We must learn to be brutally honest about our lives, the good and bad parts—we must be honest about our sin
c. If we make a true confession (agreeing with God about our lives and especially our sin), then God’s forgiveness and cleansing is possible
We cannot be cleansed if we refuse the truth
God’s character (i.e., faithful and just) is such that he will forgive those who speak the truth about themselves
Not only will we gain forgiveness, but we also receive cleansing (Isaiah 6:5-7)
Where do we need to be brutally honest with God? With ourselves? With others?
Where do we need truth? Forgiveness? Cleansing?
Denying sin is walking in darkness, while speaking truth about our sins is walking in light
Denying our sinfulness cuts us off from fellowship with God and others
Making a true confession puts us in position to renew fellowship with God and others
God’s spotlight reveals truth and exposes lies
Application
Darkness or light, truth or lies, we must make a choice. As Christians we can live in the (sometimes uncomfortable but often comforting) exposure and brilliance of God’s Light and Truth, or we can hide in the darkness and find ourselves stumbling over the worldly obstacles and stuff we have accumulated in God’s place. What can we do to live in the light and truth of God?
This week
1. Make sure you know the truth. Spend time with 1 John (and, if you want, the Gospel of John). Look for the words “light” and “truth” and make an effort to pray and to think about those passages. How will your life need to change to see them become a reality?
2. Live honestly this week. If you have not found an accountability group, then make an effort to find one. Contact us for suggestions. Use the “Life Transformation” questions we handed out months ago. Be brutally honest with yourself and with God. Are we living in the light?
3. Finally, look for places to shine God’s truth/light into lives that are stuck in darkness.
Live in God’s spotlight—let his light shine on, in, and through you
Discussion Questions
1. To have fellowship with God, we must begin with an understanding of his character. Why?
2. What can we do to ensure that we are walking in the light instead of walking in the darkness?
3. What dark things need to be exposed to the light of Jesus so that we can be cleansed? What areas of darkness have been revealed by God’s spotlight?
4. What obstacles have we accumulated in the dark that keep us from walking with God in his light? Why are we so comfortable hiding in the dark instead of living in the full exposure of God’s brilliant spotlight?
5. Where do we need forgiveness?
6. Where do we need to speak and live truth? Where is truth needed in our own lives? How can we bring that truth into the lives of others?
7. What areas do we need God’s holiness and a dose of his honesty about sin? Where do we need fresh exposure to the spotlight of God’s character?
8. Where can we be “lights” this week to bring God’s truth to others?
How can we do it? Will we?
Thanks for reading!
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