Monthly Archives: November 2025
1 John – Real Substance
The Real Thing: Real Faith (1 John 5:1-5)
Message Outline
1 John 5:1-5
1 John 5:1
Real Faith Believes in Jesus as Christ
1 John 5:1
Real Faith Loves God
1 John 5:1
Real Faith Loves His Children
1 John 5:2-3
Real Faith Obey’s God’s Commands
1 John 5:4
Real Faith Overcomes the World
1 John 5:5
Everything begins and ends with faith in Jesus.
1 John 5:13
The tension we face: Satan, Self, and Sin Seek to Sabotage our Faith.
The solution: Cling to the Truth of God’s Promises in His Word.
Going Deeper Questions
Ice Breaker Question: Did you ever buy something online that turned out to be a fake?
Review 1 John 5:1-5
Do you think it’s possible to have a real faith if some of this evidence is missing? Explain.
Real Faith Believes in Jesus as Christ
Real Faith Loves God
Real Faith Loves His Children
Real Faith Obey’s God’s Commands
Real Faith Overcomes the World
When you consider these 5 as evidence, do you see a real and genuine faith in you? Explain.
1 John 5:3 John writes, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” Why do some people perceive God’s commands as burdensome, heavy or restrictive? How can a love for God change that perspective? (Hint: see 1 John 4:17-19)
1 John 5:4-5 What does it mean in general to overcome the world through your faith in Jesus? What does it mean in a practical sense to “overcome the world” in your daily life in the challenges and temptations you face?
Satan, Self, and Sin Seek to Sabotage our Faith.
How do you see each of these things affecting your faith?
Cling to the Truth of God’s Promises in His Word.
How regularly do you spend time with the Lord in His word?
Prayer: Pray for a deeper and more real faith, and noticeable growth in each of the 5 areas mentioned – especially the areas that are most challenging for you.
The Real Thing: Real Love (1 John 4:7-21)
1 John 4:7-21
1 John 3:1
God loves you. You are loved.
If we know God’s love we will show God’s love. (1 John 4:7, 11)
Real Love SURRENDERS (1 John 4:9)
Real Love SACRIFICES (1 John 3:16)
Real Love STRETCHES (Matthew 5:43-45)
Real Love SPEAKS. (1 John 4:14)
Real Love SERVES. (1 John 3:17)
Real Love STAYS (1 John 4:13)
We can live fearlessly in Jesus’ love. (1 John 4:18)
Question: Are there relationships where you’ve allowed fear to limit your love?
Challenge: What is one step you can take to move beyond fear and show them God’s love?
Going Deeper Questions
Ice Breaker Question: Have you ever been repelling? What do you think is (or would be) the scariest part of the experience?
God loves you. You are loved. When are the times you are most confident in God’s love for you? When do you struggle to really believe it?
If we know God’s love we will show God’s love. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
The following statement sums up some key aspects of real love:
Real Love SURRENDERS to God’s will, SACRIFICES for others’ sake, STRETCHES when things are difficult, SPEAKS the truth in a loving way, SERVES when others are in need, STAYS or remains faithful despite the challenges.
Which aspect is the easiest for to live out? Which one is the hardest?
We can live fearlessly in Jesus’ love.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Are there relationships where you’ve allowed fear to limit your love Who are they? What happened? What fear is holding you back?
Prayer – Pray for a heart that fearlessly loves others, and for courage to take the next step in any relationship where fear has limited your love for someone.
What is one step you can take to move beyond fear and show them God’s love?
The Real Thing: Real Truth (1 John 3:23-4:6)
1 John 3:23-4:6
There are beliefs that deny the divinity of Jesus.
There are beliefs that deny the humanity of Jesus.
There are beliefs that deny the existence of Jesus.
There are beliefs that deny the exclusivity of Jesus.
There are beliefs that deny the authority of Jesus.
1 John 3:23-24
1 John 4:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Discern the spirit behind any teaching, knowing the Holy Spirit always speaks God’s Word and upholds the truth of Jesus.
Going Deeper Questions
Ice Breaker Question: What are the most common scams out there these days, and have you been fooled by any of them?
Review 1 John 3:23-4:6
John instructs us to “test the spirits” because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1). What are some modern examples of spiritual or cultural messages that might sound appealing but actually mislead people because they contradict the core truth about Jesus Christ mentioned in verses 2-3?
The central test for distinguishing between the “Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” is one’s confession about Jesus Christ being of God and having come in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3, 6).
Why is the doctrine of Jesus’ full humanity and full divinity so essential to the Christian faith? Which of the two aspects (Jesus’ humanity vs Jesus’ divinity) is harder to grasp or believe for you?
Whenever a teaching about Jesus denies his humanity, his divinity, his existence, his exclusivity or his authority, it’s false teaching. It isn’t REAL TRUTH.
Which of these five do you think cause people the most confusion about Jesus?
Are there people you encounter in life that have belief systems which fall into one or more of these categories? Explain.
Key Idea: Discern the spirit behind any teaching, knowing the Holy Spirit always speaks God’s Word and upholds the truth of Jesus.
What are the most common conflicts with the REAL TRUTH of Jesus and God’s Word that you encounter regularly?
1 John 4:4 says “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
How does this promise of the Holy Spirit’s power help us live with confidence and overcome deception or fear in a world full of conflicting messages about Jesus?
How does acknowledging this truth shape your daily life and interactions?
Prayer – Pray for greater discernment of the truth in your life, and for the ability to help others navigate confusion and error about Jesus.