A FAMILY HOMILY

Our last blog was “WHAT WOULD A FISHERMAN KNOW?” so we continue looking at John’s first epistle and move into chapter 2…

Like an old man giving his family a few home truths, John has a message for all, especially for you young guys but even for the children (teknion)!...

Don’t sin (3rd test) but if we do, Jesus Christ is our parakletos (like an attorney) as well as being the atonement for our sins - not just for us, no...for the sins of the whole world! 

                      

Here comes the 4th test: obedience and what is behind it all? The love of God – a message all you brethren need to hear because the 5^th test is love for my brother – not hate! (the 3^rd contrast)                          

(Notice old man John really sees things black or white – no in-betweens for him!)                                

Don’t forget kids, your sins are forgiven you...!                    

In fact he’s going to wrap up this homily by warning the whole family to be ready for Jesus’ return – just as if they were children waiting for daddy to come home.

You fathers …         
Twice he reminds you that: you have known Him that is from the beginning.  

How could you ever forget meeting Jesus personally?...even if it was all those years ago.

Now...the message for young men?    

Yes, you have overcome the wicked one but wait… 
I’ve got more to say…                 

Watch out!...Love the world and the love of the Father is not in you. The world beckons with its pride, passion & porn.

Hang on, what about the 'teenagers' (paidion)?          

John has a special message for those in the ‘last days’ with anti-Christ looming on the horizon…so let’s take a closer look…NEXT:
http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/anti-christ-jew.html

WHAT WOULD A FISHERMAN KNOW?

Following: "John, why write your letter?" we continue our study of John's 1st epistle...

Uh?...a fisherman with a 7up??
Just like today, there were mystic theologians or 'Gnostics' in John's day who considered themselves very 'spiritual' with 'secret knowledge' and dismissive of the deity of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption. Their heresies infected the early Church, and still do today!
  "What would a simple fisherman like Johnny Boy know?"

Let's see!...
 

Adel F-M: Sacrifice for others?

GD: Yup! How could he ever forget seeing his Master nailed up naked for everyone to jeer at.

As for the '7', that's one of God's favourite prime numbers, so let's see if John's letter is 'heptadic': with a pattern of 7's...reading from ch1 vv5 thru 10...

Notice the 2 CONTRASTS here - light vs darkness, lie vs truth. (There's more to come!)

As for God, He is light...while we are sinners in need of cleansing and ongoing confession.

What's the basis for fellowship with God and each other?...none other than the blood of Jesus Christ.

Notice also 2 TESTS for us: (There's more of these too!)

walking in light, and honesty about our sinnership.
Just maybe John is challenging nominal Christians here?

It's good to remember what Jesus said of Himself:

"I AM the Light of the world"! Jn 8:12

(1 of those 7x I AM's - there's that number 7 again) and check Jn 1:4-9

NEXT: Messages for the family
http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/a-family-homily_31.html

Earlier blogs appear in the archive list at right. The conversation continues at Guv's Desk on Facebook...

   https://www.facebook.com/groups/844573222299698/    

 

JOHN, WHY WRITE YOUR LETTER?

Following our blog: "JOHN: Yeah I saw it all"...we continue our study of John's first epistle. The all-important theme for him is Jesus Christ; never-you-mind who the writer is!
Before we launch into his message we're trying to figure out WHY he writes....


We know John wrote this first epistle but we're not exactly sure who to...(believers in Jesus Christ living in 'last days'?)
So WHY did he write?
Let's sneak a look at ch5 v13 (in red):
"That you will know you have eternal life, believing on the Name of the Son of God".
AHAH!! You believe?...you got eternal life!




The key (5:11 in blue) & the purpose (5:13 in red) 

Did you know?... A key verse can be found in every book of the New Testament and here is a key right here in ch5 v 11 (in blue):

"God has given us eternal life...in His Son."
Who wouldn't want eternal life?...and don't forget:

"that your joy may be full"
Maybe 'end times' believers will need this encouragement?
 

So why does John assume we already believe Jesus Christ is Son of God?

He assumes we've already ready his gospel account!
What did he say at the end of it?...

"...these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His Name." Jn 20:31 

What things?? 

7 MIRACLES plus 1.

(P'raps we'd better take a closer at John's gospel next?)

John: You've read about the miracles > you believe > you now have eternal life > here comes my message guys...


http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/what-would-fisherman-know.html


Earlier posts are in the blog archive at right or can be found on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/844573222299698/

 

JOHN: "Yeah, I saw it all"

Welcome to the Guv's Desk Bible Study! We're going to begin with John's 1st epistle...
This is where we post the comments that have appeared on our Facebook site...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/844573222299698/
...so that you can catch up and hopefully leave a comment below.

So how do we know who wrote '1 John'? (or even the Gospel of John?) The early Church fathers tell us it was John the fisherman - let's see if they were right...

Reading 1 John 1:1-4 the author hides his identity. He tells us he heard, saw...yes, close up! (Gk:'theaomai') and even handled the 'Word of Life' - the Son of God, Jesus Christ. WOW! This is not just an eye-witness - this is up real close and personal. (In the same way, we know John wrote his gospel cos the author hides his identity among the other disciples named. As far as he is concerned John the Baptist is the real John!)

Notice the similarity with "In the beginning was the Word..." (John 1:1 and check Micah 5:2) What a privilege John had - a 3 1/2 YEAR in-depth tutorial, in the field, from the SON of GOD - in person! What fellowship (koinonia) they enjoyed with the One who even raised people from the dead, then rose Himself! Full joy only comes from The Word of life. We know that Gnostics were disputing that this wasn't really God manifest in flesh, just like religions and cults today that deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here's a guy who was THERE, saw and heard it all (John's Gospel) so close it was hands-on! (theaomai)...and now he's going to spell it out for us - loud & clear!

James B: Woah! "Yeah I saw it"
GD: Yup! John saw it - up close - even hands on!                                              
There's no way this guy will accept Jesus Christ wasn't real.

Before we launch into John's message, just who is this guy John?
One day he and his bro James were mending fishing nets with their dad Zebedee but as soon as Jesus called...they just up and followed! "See you later Dad!" Never a dull moment with these guys who Jesus called 'sons of thunder' - but with Peter they got to see...Jesus in glory! He was slow to believe Jesus had risen from the dead, having watched Him die from crucifixion and so taken His mother back home. Like the other disciples John was also slow to get out there and take the gospel to the world. Meanwhile, bro James was executed.

Well he might have been slow (who hasn't been!) but now - he's a lot older and wiser.
Let's see what he's got to say...but first, who is he writing to?...and why?

Who does John address this first epistle to? He doesn't! What we do know from Galatians 2:9 is that, like the other 11 apostles, his focus had been JEWISH - they found it very hard to connect with us Gentiles. Did you know?... the word 'ekklesia' (church/assembly) appears in EVERY ONE of Paul's letters...but in this letter of John's?? - NOT ONCE! So if we sneek a look at 2:18 it's 'the last hour' with antiChrist looming on the horizon. Mmm...last hour?...antiChrist looming?...no mention of the Church? (I'll leave you to think about that) This might not be addressed directly to us today but we'd better pay attention cos this guy knows what he's talking about! (2 Timothy 3:16)

NEXT: Why does John write this? Click the link:
http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/john-why-write-your-letter.html

Bible study at THE GUV'S DESK

Many Christians today bemoan the lack of sound Biblical teaching in church and struggle to find a group to study with, at a convenient time.


This is what Jesus said: "...they shall be all taught of God", quoting Isaiah 54:13, so let's open up God's Word together using Facebook, whenever it suits your busy schedule, and we'll blog our comments here for the late starters. Here's the link...
  https://www.facebook.com/groups/844573222299698/

Why call it the 'Guv's Desk'?

This lighthouse stands on Tacking Point here in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, where Capt. Matthew Flinders once tacked his vessel Investigator and where the penal settlement of Port Macquarie was named after Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1762 - 1824).

Macquarie was the last autocratic governor of the New South Wales colony.

He was a God-fearing man who upheld Christian principles and fought for emancipation of convicts. He is not honoured by our city so we give him recognition here.

We begin our study with John's first epistle...


http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/john-yeah-i-saw-it-all.html