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 meetings on August 29-September 5, 2010. A couple of weeks ago, we started a new series on 1 John entitled "Theology Matters." This lesson looks at 1 John 2:7-11 and discusses the necessity of loving one another as an example of being obedient to Jesus. If you have any questions or would like to add a comment or two, that would be great!
What Jesus Wants
Love One Another
1 John 2:7-11
Introduction
Our study of first John until now
1. The importance of a good theological foundation via the Incarnation (1 John 1:1-4)
2. The importance of living in God’s spotlight (1 John 1:5-10)
3. The importance of knowing Jesus and keeping his commandments (1 John 2:1-6)
Last week we took a brief side trip to look at the greatest commandments and to consider the importance of loving God and others (Matthew 22:34-40)
This week John brings us to a description of what keeping Jesus’ commandments looks like
If 1 John 2:1-6 describe how we love God (by keeping his commandments), then 2:7-11 explains how loving each other perfects God’s love in us and reveals God’s life and light in us
This week, we look at what Jesus wants according to John
1. The Commandment
1 John 2:7-8
The first six verses of 1 John 2 remind us to love God and to see God’s love perfected in us
These next verses (7-11) teach us how to make that love obvious in our lives—it is by loving others that God’s love is perfected in us
A couple of weeks ago we spoke about knowing Jesus and how that relationship is expressed by doing what Jesus tells us to do—by keeping Jesus’ commandments
In today’s verses, John says that he is writing this letter to give his church an old and new commandment
Questions
What is the difference between old and new?
How can something be old and yet also be new?
What does Jesus want?
Jesus wants us to keep his commandments
The description of this commandment
a. Something old—it is not brand new or just made up
b. Something they had from the beginning—probably a reference to what they learned early on as Christians as opposed to something that is being taught as a recent doctrine or a “new revelation”
c. Something that they heard—it was taught, preached, talked about
d. Something new—the Greek word here means “fresh” as opposed to “recent”—this command is “new in kind” not “new in time”
e. Something true—it reflects the true Light of God (remember our discussion about the spotlight of God?)
This old/new commandment is true in Jesus and it is true in his followers
How is it “true” in Jesus? How is it true in His followers?
It is truly revealed in the life and ministry of Christ and it is proven in the experience of his believers
It is Light that causes the darkness to fade away
It dawned with Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and it continues to push the darkness back as the children of God continue to live it
This command is clear—love one another (John 13: 34-35 cf. vv. 1-17 and the footwashing)—this is the specific test of true obedience—God’s love is perfected in us as we learn to love one another (more on this in a minute)
What does Jesus want?
Jesus wants us to love one another
Side Note: What does John want?
John is writing to help the church become a loving, caring, sincere family where each member is intimately and genuinely concerned about others. He wants a church where truth and living co-exist. John envisions a church in which brothers and sisters are slow to take offense, quick to forgive, ready to accept one another (warts and all), and quick to encourage.
John was no doubt profoundly influenced by Jesus’ love and ministry. He probably recalled Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” The words of Jesus concerning the second greatest commandment (Matthew 22:39), “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” were still ringing in John’s ears. John wants a church that looks like Jesus.
2. The Contrast
1 John 2:9
In the verses above, John contrasts (and combines) old and new, but also includes true (and by implication) versus false. Now he distinguishes these further by the contrast of light and darkness in the lives of people
What does John say characterizes light?
a. Light is true in Christ (v. 8)
b. Light shines and causes darkness to fade (v. 8)
c. A person walking in the light (i.e., fellowship with God—1 John 1:6-7; speaking truth—1 John 1:7-8; confessing sins—1 John 1:9-10) is one who does not hate
There is no wiggle room here—John sees light as love and darkness as hate—no middle ground
d. If you are in the Light you will not hate your brother
What does John say characterizes darkness?
a. Darkness is false
b. Darkness does not comprehend Jesus (John 1:5)
c. Darkness does not fellowship with God, does not speak truth, and does not confess sin
d. Darkness hates
The contrast is pretty clear here—we cannot claim to walk in God’s light and continue to live in any way that does not reflect God’s love
To hate others is to reject God’s command and to remain in darkness
What does Jesus want?
Jesus wants us to walk in his light
1 John 2:10-11
John continues his restatement of the command as a contrast between love and hate (or light and darkness)
Characteristics of one who walks in darkness/hate
a. The one in darkness does not know where he is going (i.e., he is “lost” in the night)
b. The one in darkness stumbles over obstacles
c. The one in darkness is “blind” and unable to see (cf. John 9 and the healing of the blind man—who is really blind?)
d. The one in darkness hates his brother and does not look out for his brother—the main concern is probably selfish but certainly is not focused on the needs, encouragement, or improvement of his neighbor’s life
Characteristics of one who abides in light/love
a. The one in the light knows where he is going (i.e., he can see to follow Christ)
b. The one in the light does not stumble nor causes others to stumble
c. The one in the light is not blind but able to see what God is doing and to rejoice in God’s work
d. The one in the light loves his brother and looks out for the needs, encouragement, and improvement of his neighbor’s life
What does Jesus want?
Jesus wants us to walk in love for one another
Loving One Another
What does it mean to love other believers? In 1 John 3:16 John defines it, “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Love is characterized by being willing to give up everything, including life itself, for the sake of another.
Jesus loved us in this way (cf. Phil. 2:5-8). He willingly, of his own free will, gave up his life for us when we were yet sinners and enemies of God (Rom. 5:8-10). This is the example of love we have been given! This is how we should love each other.
What does Jesus want?
He wants us to love as he loves
Side Note 2: What about John?
Church history tells us that when John was old and unable to walk, members of the church where he lived would pick him up and carry him to the meeting place, so that John could address his beloved brothers and sisters. On the way, John was often heard saying, “Little children, love one another.” In fact, the testimony of the early church was that they did love one another. Tertullian notes that the love of the early church was so obvious that it impressed even those who did not believe in God. Tragically, this spirit disappeared, and in view of the controversies of the fourth century, a non-Christian writer named Ammianus would state, “The enmity of the Christians toward each other surpassed the fury of savage beasts against man.” Something changed from the first century to the fourth century. Controversies arose in the church, and instead of treating one another with love, factions developed, and with factions came anger and hatred, so much so that by the time of the Reformation those who claimed to be followers of Jesus Christ were killing each other over doctrinal disputes and differences. (W. Robertson Nicoll, commentary on 1 John)
Sad, but true. How are we like this today?
Application
In 1 John 2:1-6 we were encouraged to keep Jesus’ commandments and have God’s love perfected in us. This week we are told more directly that Jesus’ commandment is that we love one another.
How can we do this?
Do we really need instruction?
This week:
1. Ask the hard question—where is the evidence in my life that I love others? Other Christians? Other people (non-Christians)? What do I do that looks like God’s love in Christ? We need to search our hearts and ask for God’s conviction about this situation. Is there a relationship we need to improve? Do we need to show love by reconciling? This week ask God about it and act on what he tells you.
2. Spend time in God’s Word—get out a concordance and look up the word “love” and read the passages. Go on-line to http://www.blueletterbible.org/ and search the word “love” in the Gospel of John and 1 John (it occurs 26 times in the Gospel and 36 times in 1 John). Learn about love from God’s Word.
3. Go out and love others. Give a larger tip than usual, encourage a friend, write that note you intended to write, be kind to one another and even to strangers, share your faith with someone, or simply give your time to helping others. Make it a priority to do love. It isn’t just about words, it is about actions
Love one another and walk in the light—that’s what Jesus wants
Discussion Questions
1. Give some reasons why it is impossible to walk in the light and hate others at the same time.
2. In what practical ways have you been showing love to other Christians? To other people? Do such acts define or motivate your goals in life?
3. What priority do the commands of God have in your life?
4. What is different about the new commandment compare to say the 10 commandments?
5. The person hating his brother apparently has a stumbling block in him. How may hating a brother cause him to stumble?
6. What affect does this have on the world's perspective of Christianity?
7. What would the church look like if we took seriously Jesus’ command to love one another?
8. Who needs God’s love this week? How will you show it to them?
Thanks for reading!
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