Topic: The Only Way to Love is Through Jesus
Lesson Text: I John 5:1-12
Devotional Reading: Romans 6:1-2; Hebrews 12:5-11; St. John 20:30-31
Central Verse: I John 5:11, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."
Introduction:
Love is hard to define, but the way to love has been made clear to us. The world is starving for lack of true love. The Apostle John wanted everyone to have a clear understanding that the assurance of eternal life came only from following the Son of God.
I. Believe in Jesus (I John 5:1-5).
It is not easy to understand this concept, but we are called to trust in Jesus as the Son of God. It was a term that God Himself used of Jesus. It was God's way of showing us clearly the intimacy that exists in the relationship between the Father and His Son Jesus.
As Christian believers, we are called to believe in the Son of God in order to become God's children. We learn to love others in the body of Christ, the church when we truly love God, keep His commandments and obey Him from our hearts. This does not come naturally to us, but when we set our hearts in the right direction, God helps us with His power and gives us the victory we need.
II. Revealed Jesus (I John 5:6-10).
People of Jesus' time wondered at His miracles, but it was at the time of His baptism that He was truly publicly identified as the Son of God. He was revealed again at the Cross when He was publicly crucified and God acknowledged Him as His Son. The people standing around who watched Him die saw evidence that He was indeed God's Son.
III. Life in the Son (I John 5:11-12).
There is no life without Jesus, for He is the source of all life. John brings out this idea so clearly in his letter. Here is what God has clearly told us. We receive the gift of eternal life when we put our faith in Jesus as the Son of God. There is no other way to Heaven and life with God except through Jesus our Lord and what He has done for us on the Cross. When we have Jesus, we have true eternal life. However, when we reject Jesus, we can never have eternal life with Him.
Essential Thought:
The way to love is to first accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour of our lives.
Questions:
1. What does the phrase "born of God" (I John 5:1) mean?
2. How did Christ come by "water and blood (verse 6)?
3. What did John mean when he said that "life is in his Son" (verse 11)? What is eternal life?
