Encourage Love | Inspire Good

ENcOUraGE lOvE | INSpIrE GOOd—Stir it up!

let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.

hebrews 10:23-24 (ESV)

over the past two years we have witnessed an abundance of “stirring up”—over the questions of stolen elections, covID-19 restrictions, failing businesses, failing health, vaccinations, education, health care, racial and socio-economic inequity and injustice, failed ministries . . . and the list goes on. The church has been drawn into this whirlwind of stirrings in ways not witnessed by humanity in decades.

by Linda Ellsworth

Linda is the member care coordinator for Christian Camping International, Canada.

THE WRITER TO THE HEBREWS, however, commended an entirely different kind of “stirring up.” He encouraged believers to “consider” (take time to carefully think about and purposefully plan) how to stir up and prompt each other to sincere agape love, the automatic outcome of which should be good works (deeds and actions done for the benefit of others).

Describe what the above statement means to you, and why:

_________________________ 1 John is a sweeping overview of the “how’s and why’s” of agape love and its outcomes.

READ all of I John. Together we will ask the Spirit to teach us how to consider each other, and to aspire to “stir it up” through agape love.

But before we can be instruments of agape love, we MUST deal with that wall that separates us from the Source of Love. READ I John 1:1-4 - The Wall Why do you think John introduced his letter in this manner? What fact presented here is critical to our acceptance of the Good News of Jesus? Have you ever used this fact in telling others the story of Christ’s love?

READ verses 1:5-10 and 2:1-14 Continuing on from his introduction, John segues into a lengthy explanation of the invisible wall that prevents us from shedding that Light of agape love. What is that wall? (1:6,8,10)

_________________________

Based on John’s assertion that God is Light, with no hint of darkness, that “wall” creates three major issues: • We are liars (verse 6) • We deceive ourselves (verse 8) • We make God a liar (verse 10)

Have you ever thought of your sin in these terms?

_________________________

When you consider the three issues above in your life, how does it make you feel?

_________________________ What is the result of turning a blind eye to that wall of sin?

_________________________ • We can become glib in our claim of knowing the father (1:6). • We fail to follow His commandments (2:3-4). • We fail to love . . . in fact, we hate (2:9,11). • Hatred spreads a shroud of darkness over us, and blinds us to the leading of the Spirit (2: 9,11).

Stop for a moment before the Lord and ask Him where you have allowed the wall of sin to hinder you in this last pandemic year. Think in terms of your innermost thoughts and feelings, your spoken words, your actions (or lack of action), regarding ANY person in your life.

How long will your list be?

_________________________ But the good news is we are not without hope!

READ I John 2:1-2 Here John gives the basis for that hope. Explain these two verses in your own words: (*see the hint below) *Propitiation means “averting the wrath of God by the offering of a gift.” It refers to the turning away of the wrath of God as the just judgment of our sin by God’s own provision of the sacrifice of Jesus christ on the cross. AN ESSAY BY Ligon Duncan https://www.thegospelcoalition.org

READ 1 John 1:9 I John 1:9 is perhaps one of the most hope-filled verses in all of Scripture. What do the following key words from this verse say to you? • confess ___________________ • Faithful ___________________ • Just ______________________ • Forgive ____________________ • Cleanse ____________________ • All _______________________ • _________________________ Remember that “long list” you made? Claim I John 1:9 right now, and take it to Him, in whom is no darkness at all!

READ 2:3,5,6,10 The evidence is in the outcome! • Keeping His commandments proves to us that we know Him (verse 3). • Keeping His commandments guarantees our ongoing maturity in Him (verse 5). • Keeping His commandments with a pure heart results in agape love shared with all around us (verse 10). • The results are all-inclusive. READ 2:12-14 ( . . . in today’s society, I am sure John would include women in this list!) What specifically touches your heart in the tender “asides” John addresses in verses 12-14?

READ I John 2:15-29 – Warnings Amid Encouragement In verses 18-23, John gives a very specific warning. In your understanding, what does the term the antichrist mean?

READ verses 22-23 John has spent, and will spend, several chapters in this letter advocating agape love. Why do you think he has posted this dire warning in the middle of his letter?

_________________________ How does this warning apply to you in your 2021 day-to-day living?

anTIchrIsT (ἀντίχρίστος, G532) meaning principally against christ, or secondarily, instead of, i.e., a substitute or pseudochrist. 1 John 2:22 defines antichrist as one who “denies that Jesus is the christ.” In this passage, also, an antichrist is defined as one who is a denier of the deity of Jesus christ. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE BIBLE – ANTICHRIST https://www.biblegateway.com/

What are some ways in which the anti-Christs in your sphere of living might seek to derail your sharing of agape love?

READ 2:24-27 - The Hope Within God, through John ‘s writing, does not leave us hopeless . . . even in today’s agnostic and atheistic society!

Within these verses are two “great and precious promises” providing strength and hope for the believer. Promise #1 (verse 25)

_________________________ Promise #2 (verse 27)

The key word in these verses is abide.

aBIDe verb (used without object), a•bode or a•bid•ed, a•bid•ing. • to remain; continue; stay • to have one’s abode; dwell; reside

The anointing refers to the Holy Spirit since it 1) was received from Jesus, 2) teaches you all things and 3) is true.( See John 16:5-15 (nKJv) It also refers to the truth of God’s Word—“which you have heard from the beginning” in verse 24.

I love the gently coaxing and encouraging words of verse 28: “and now, little children, aBIDe in him . . . (so) that when he appears, We MaY have conFIDence . . . ” How do these words encourage you today? READ I John 3,4 – Stirring Up Love!

“Behold . . . stop . . . Take a Good Look! . . . consider” Isn’t that an eye-catcher of an opening statement? What is it that we are to stop and consider so carefully in chapter 3, verse 1?

Chapter 3:2 is just as exciting, as we are given yet another almost unfathomable promise: Because we ARE His children, “We shall be like Him, for we_________

__________________________ _________________!” WOW! Talk about hope!

READ chapter 3:4-23 John really gets down to the nittygritty of agape love: In verses 4-9 John re-affirms that the one who knows God and abides in Him DOES NOT PRACTICE__________________! In verses 10-15 John asserts that if we love God, we must also love _________________________!

READ again chapter 3:16-24 In each of the following verses, describe one act of love that we as Christ-ones are to do. for each act, give an example of how you could carry this out in your day-to-day life: verse 16 ___________________ verse 17 ___________________

__________________________ verse 18 ___________________

__________________________ verses 22-23 ________________

_________________________ verse 24: Do-able only through the strength of ________________

READ 1 John 4 again. Once we have tested (recognized, understood, rejected and overcome the “anti-Christ” spirits of this world (4:1-6): • We KNOW God’s Love. (verses7-11)

Describe how this affects your life.

_________________________ • We SEE God through love and are

SEEN by that love. How do verses 12-16 magnify your desire to love others?

_________________________ • His Love is perfected in us. Verses 17-19 describe the result of His love maturing in our lives. What do these verses say about your life, regarding fear, worry and the future?

_________________________ • We OBEY because of His love. In verses 20-21 John reiterates the outcome of mature agape love, and that is demonstrable love for

“Lord, teach us so to love, and to STIR UP the world around us with the loving words and deeds of Jesus.” Amen. 