Audio
True North: Romans 12:1-2
Proclaim: The King Is Here
Proclaim: The Light of Salvation
PROCLAIM: Glory to God
Proclaim: He Has Done Great Things
The Real Thing: Real Confidence (1 John 5:11-21)
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?