TODAY:

Letters of John: Assurance in Christ

BIG IDEA:

As adopted children of God, our lives will resemble Christ through the

birthmarks of faith, love and obedience

SCRIPTURES: 1 John 5:1-21, John 3:3, Psalm 40:8

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Q: Do you have any similarities or resemblance with your parents? In what

ways do your kids resemble you as a parent?

Q: How do the Scriptures/concepts from this week help you grow as a disciple

who loves God, loves people & serves the world (lives on incarnational

mission) in everyday life?

Q: Based on these Scriptures, how can you move from unbelief to belief, from

just knowing to actually doing in your life?

Connect with God (UP)…

Q: Read 1 John 5:1-21. How does John help Christians know & have assurance

that their identity is secure in Christ?

Q: What does it mean to be “born-again?” How does this passage & the NT as a

whole describe a life that is spiritually born again? What are the markers?

Q: Reflect on your faith journey – what have been the primary reasons you

have put your faith in the person of Jesus? If you haven’t, what has stopped

you?

Connect with Others (IN)…

Q: How is loving others inseparable from loving God? Why is it sometimes

tempting to detach one from the other?

Q: In verse 16, John talks about praying for believers struggling with sin.

Without being hypocritical, is there a brother or sister in Christ you should

pray for today?

Connect with the World (OUT)…

Q: How does having a secure identity in Christ change how you view the

world? What tangible value can you offer the world now that Christ lives in

you?

NOTES & QUOTES:

“The faith intended here evidently rests upon a Person - upon Jesus. It is not

belief about a doctrine, nor an opinion, nor a formula, but belief concerning a

person.” (Charles Spurgeon)

“Jesus did not come to die on a bloody cross to make us kinder and nicer

persons. He came to dramatically, personally, radically and eternally transform

us and make us new people.” (Christ-Centered Exposition)

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.”

(George Mueller)