Lesson Notes from Sunday, March 13, 2023
Read 2 John
Review Questions:
- Who is the “Elder” and why?
- The Elder is likely John, who also wrote the gospel of John
- John has a distinct writing style and repeatedly writes about the following themes: the new commandment to love each other, holding to the truth, the Antichrist, and abiding in Jesus
- Who is John referring to when he addressed the “lady and her children” and why?
- Likely the house church that meets in the home of a well known lady/sister and the disciples that meet at her home
- What does it mean to Love Jesus?
- To love Jesus is to obey his commands, John 8:31-32
- When we hold to Jesus’s teachings we learn what is true and we will be set free from sin and destruction.
- How does “abiding in the truth" and "walking in the truth" differ?
- Abiding is having a knowledge, understanding and belief
- Walking is the actual implementation of this knowledge, the action part, going and serving someone for example
- Our joy is complete when we meet together face to face. We experience the love of Jesus when we fellowship with each other.
- Read Colossians 2:20-23:It is important to remember as baptized Christians we have a new life and can focus on what we can do with our new freedom in Christ; we can love each other.
- In 2 John verse 7-8, John talks about an “anti-christ”. Who is the “anti-christ”?
- The “anti-christ” is Anyone who teaches that Jesus did not come in the flesh (as a human), die, was raised to life by God, and will return in the flesh.
- Jesus was the first born from the dead, therefore, we have our hope in that we too will be raised to a new life in Him. If Jesus did not resurrect in the flesh, that means we will have no chance of doing the same thing. Therefore, it is important to understand and believe this concept. John is really firm about this. He says to not even associate with people that teach against this truth.
- The GOOD NEWS of Jesus is that it is possible to live a resurrected life here on earth as a baptized disciples and to look forward to returning to our spiritual state that started off in the garden of Eden when we get to spend eternity with God.