Leader Guide week of 8-3-08 / 1John 2:1-11

Small Group Leaders Guide
August 3, 2008

Walking In Light
1John 2:1-11

Getting Started:
1. Read 1Corinthians 13:4-7, choose your favorite definition of love from the list, and tell why you chose it.

Going Deeper:
2. Read 1John 2:2. Define the word, “atonement.” In this passage, Jesus is referred to as the “atoning sacrifice.” In what way does Jesus provide atonement? Why is the concept of atonement important?

• Scroll down on the blog for thoughts on this question.

3. In 1John 2:2, it says that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the “whole world.” Does this mean everyone in the whole world has been forgiven of sin? Why or why not? How did you arrive at your conclusion? What other Bible passages give more information about this question?

• The view that Jesus has died for the sins of the whole world and that all people are saved regardless of their beliefs is called, Christian Universalism. Adherents to this view would agree that Jesus is the only way to salvation but they claim that faith/belief in Him is not necessary to be saved.
• The following are verses that clearly indicate specificity of belief and/or person:
• Romans 3:26
• 1John 2:23, 3:23
  
• Hebrews 2:2-4
• Luke 12:8-9, 11:23, 10:16
• John 3:36, 8:24, 3:14-16
  
• John 16:8-9, 17:3, 6:28-29, 5:23, 5:37-38, 12:48-50, 15:23, 3:18
• Acts 16:30-31, 17:30-31
• Galatians 1:8-9

4. What is the difference between knowing Jesus and knowing of Jesus? Read 1John 2:3-5 and describe which of these John is referring to.

5. In 1John 2:7-8 John says he is not writing a new command but an old one. Then he says that he is writing a new command. Which is it? Read John 13:34. What is it about this command that makes it new?

• Before Christ, if someone wanted to know how to live a life pleasing to God, you would probably point that person to the commandments. After Christ, you would point the person to Jesus. This is significant because people often think that pleasing God means following rules. But now, it means following a person.

6. Based on these first two chapters of 1John, what do you think John means when he uses the phrase, “God’s love is truly made complete in him?” In other words, what does it look like when God’s love is made complete in a person?

• If we just follow along with the context, it would appear that when God’s love is made complete in the life of a believer, he walks (lives life) in the light and truth of God.

7. Read verses 9 -11. In this passage you have two extremes - love and hate, light and darkness. Let’s say someone has hurt you, and you are not happy with that person. How do you know when your attitude borders on hate? Is anything less than a full on loving attitude hate, or can you have a “not so great feeling” toward someone, but still be walking fully in light? What do you think?

8. In 1John 2:8, it says the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. As a Christian, how have you seen this play out in your life? In other words, in what ways do you see darkness passing in your life and likewise, in what ways do you see the true light shining in your life? Based on what John is trying to communicate in this passage, how does this make you feel? Encouraged? Worried? Uncertain? Discouraged? Something else?

9. Of all the ways John could have described the darkness and light, he chose the words, “passing” and “shining.” If he changed the tense of those verbs to past tense or future tense, (has passed, will pass, has shone, will shine) how would that change the meaning of the passage? Why is his use of the present tense for those verbs important?

• It’s encouraging to know that the true light is shining in my life as a present and ongoing reality. If I found out that it should have already happened, (has shone) then I would be discouraged because my light sometimes doesn’t shine very bright. This passage seems to point to a process that has already begun, is happening now, and goes on into the future. It doesn’t happen all at once but is in progress even now.
• I guess I would feel the opposite way with regards to the darkness. If the passage said that darkness has passed, I would be discouraged because I missed it! My darkness has not passed, but hopefully, is passing. This passage seems to point to a present and ongoing reality which encourages me because I can know that it, too, is a process and doesn’t happen all at once. I don’t have to fear for my eternity for the sole reason that I make mistakes or show “darkness” at times in my life.

Putting it into practice:
10. On Sunday we talked about putting love into practice, how (or with whom) are you going to put love into practice this week?

11. Verse 3 says if we know Christ, we’ll obey His commands. Is there a command of Jesus you need to put into practice? What is it?

Quote Of The Week:
When we preach atonement, it is atonement planned by love, provided by love, given by love, finished by love, necessitated because of love. When we preach the resurrection of Christ, we are preaching the miracle of love. When we preach the return of Christ, we are preaching the fulfillment of love.
--Billy Graham