Follow along with

1 John Chapter 3

Confidence in Christ- 1 John Chapter 2

Series Main Idea: “Genuine fellowship with God, made possible only through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, transforms how we walk, how we love, and howe we discern truth from deception.”

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin."

- 1 John 2:1-2

Question: What helps “little children” to not sin?

Context to Consider:

1 John Chapter 1: God is the Light, and His followers walk in this Light, having fellowship with one another, confessing our sins, and believing Jesus cleanses us from those sins.

- 1 John 2:1b-2

Our Confidence is in Christ alone, through faith alone,by grace alone

- 1 John 2:4-6

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another

- John 13:34

- John 14:15, 21 & 23

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

- John 15:9-10

- 1 John 2:7-11

Question: What helps “little children” to not sin?

- 1 John 2:12-14

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

- 1 John 2:15-17

Children, it is the last hour and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.

- 1 John 2:18

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

- Matthew 7:14-15

They went out from us, but there were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.

- 1 John 2:19-23

Question: What is the one marker of antichrist teachings?

As for your, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

- 1 John 2:25-27

Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.

- 1 John 2:28-29

Takeaways:

Do you know Christ?

Are you striving or abiding?

4/12/26 - The Book of 1st John : Chapter 1- Pastor Melissa Stelly

“Genuine fellowship with God, made possible only through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, transforms how we walk, how we love, and how we discern truth from deception.”

Matthew 4:18-22 NLT

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

A little farther up the shore,he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.”

Luke 9: 51-56 NLT

"As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them.”

1 John 1: 10

“Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.”

Central Idea: “Jesus’ incarnation was God’s radical plan to bring salvation to humanity enslaved by sin—and our response to that plan is to walk in the light through honest confession and genuine fellowship.

I. The Word of Life Incarnate (vv. 1–4 NIV)

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”

II. God Is Light (vv. 5–7 NIV)

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

III. The Deadly Trap of Denial (vv. 8–10)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

First lie (v. 8): “We have no sin.” 

Second lie (v. 10): “We have not sinned.” 

The remedy (v. 9): Confession. 

1. Anchor your faith in the incarnation. 
2. Make confession a regular spiritual discipline. 
3. Pursue transparency in community.