Connect What is one way this week that you can show Godʼs love to a fellow brother or sister in Christ?

Warm-Up

1. Do you have a “random area of expertise” that people might be a bit surprised by?
2. How would you define worldliness? Do you think this is a problem for Christians today?

Read 1 John 2:12-14

3. As you hear these verses read out loud, imagining that God is saying this to you, what most excites you?
4. What are the ʻforeverʼ truths that John summarises here for which we can be sure? Can you step through them one-by-one and explain what each of them means?
5. How has Jesus provided the means for forgiveness and also conquered evil?
6. As John directs these comments to ʻchildrenʼ, ʻyoung menʼ, and ʻfathersʼ, is he being gender-specific and/or age-specific? If not, what does he likely mean by using this language?
7. Whilst these things are true for all Christians, in what way do we continue to grow into them?
8. What helps you to remember such truths of God and keep them constantly in your heart? What could help you to keep such things more “top of mind” day-to-day?

Read 1 John 2:15-17‍

9. What does John say that we are ʻnot to loveʼ? What does he mean by the world?
10. What are the ʻthings of the worldʼ that he might be referring to? How can we discern this?
11. How are ʻlustsʼ a form of ʻoverdesiringʼ? What is an ʻoverdesireʼ? Can you think of an example?
12. How can we get caught up in the worldly way of thinking, “I see it, I want it, I must have it...”?
13. Why—according to John—should we avoid this? What helps you to avoid this?
14. What are the ways in which you can be tempted to get caught up in the things of the world?
15. What helps guide you in following God without hiding away (being ʻworldlessʼ) or mirroring the world (being worldlyʼ)? Which do you think you are most in danger of?
16. How does your life—in the things you love, pursue, and prioritise—reflect the things of God which will last forever? What are the areas in which you could most grow?

Apply Write a note of Johnʼs things we can know for sure and put them somewhere prominent this week.

On Your Front Line this Week

How could you share time with someone else over a meal this week?

For Families

Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen: “Knowing for Sure” by Andrew Sach
• Listen: “The Love of the World” by Tim Keller: Part 1,  Part 2
• Listen: “Make Our Joy Complete” by Hugh Palme

Series Resources

• Watch: “1-3 John Overview” by the Bible Project
• Learn: “Introduction to 1 John” by the Gospel Coalition
• Read: “The Letters of John (Tyndale New Testament Series)” by John Stott: St Bartʼs Library, Purchase
• Listen: “Confident Christians” Series in 1 John by St Helenʼs Bishopsgate
• Watch: “Johannine Christianity: the Letters” by Open Yale University