Hebrews 9:24-28

The General Letters in order of writing:

• James•1 Peter•2 Peter• Jude•Hebrews•1 John•2 John•3 John

James

In the tables that follow for each book,the first table is from

The Life Application Bible (Tyndale, 1996) and the second table is from

Bruce Wilkinson, Your Daily Walk(Zondervan, 1991).

JAMES

AUTHOR James (“Jacob”) the Just, the brother of Jude and the half-brother of Jesus

WHAT The first New Testament letter to be written—before Galatians

WHERE From Jerusalem to Christians beyond Palestine

WHEN A.D. 49, prior to the Jerusalem Council of A.D. 50

WHYTo expose hypocritical practices and to teach right Christian behavior

KEY PEOPLE

James; believers in the Diaspora

JAM

ESFOCUS Tests of Faith

DIVISIONS1:1-18 Trials & Temptations

1:19-21 Tests of Attitude toward the Bible

2:1-13 Test of Social Distinctions

2:14-26 Test of Works

3:1-18 Test of Self-Control4:1-5:12 Test of Reactions

to Word5:13-20 Test of Prayer

TOPICS

Wisdom Works Words, Walk, Wait

Faith Tested Faith DisplayedFaith Proved

Faith ContrastedFaith Rewarded

PLACE Probably Jerusalem

TIME A.D. 46-49

The Theme of the Letter

• James 1:22 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Faith & Works

• James 2:14-17 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Tested Faith

• James 1:2-5 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

On Temptation

• James 1:13-15 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Religion that God Accepts

• James 1:26-27 26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

On Favoritism

• James 2:1-4 1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

On Keeping the Law

• James 2:10 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

On the Tongue

• James 3:6 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

On the Devil & Doing Good

• James 4:7 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. • James 4:17

17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

1 Peter

1 PETER

AUTHOR Peter

WHAT A letter of encouragement from Peter to believers

in what we know as northern Turkey

WHERE Jerusalem, Rome, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,

the province of Asia, and Bithynia

WHEN c. A.D. 62-64, probably from Rome

WHYTo offer encouragement to suffering Christians

KEY PEOPLE

Peter, Silas, Mark

1 PE

TER

FOCUS Christian SalvationChristian

Relationships Christian Suffering Christian Discipline

DIVISIONS1:1-12 Salvation

1:13-2:10 Sanctification

2:11-12 World2:13-17 State

2:18-3:7 Home3:8-12 Church

3:13-17 Blessings3:18-22 Example

4:1-19 Encouragement

5:1-6 Church57-14 Individual

TOPICS

New Birth New Building Necessary Bulwark

Salvation Submission Suffering

PLACE Rome (Babylon)

TIME c. A.D. 63-64

responsibilities riches

The Priesthood of the Believer

•1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

On Suffering

• 1 Peter 4:16 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. • 1 Peter 5:8-9

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

An Inheritance that can never Perish

•1 Peter 1:3-9 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

An Inheritance that can never Perish

• 1 Peter 1:3-9 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Grow Up in Your Salvation

•1 Peter 2:2-3 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

On Suffering

• 1 Peter 2:21 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. • 1 Peter 3:15

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, • 1 Peter 3:18

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Be Faithful Stewards of Your Gifts

•1 Peter 4:10 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

2 Peter

2 PETER

AUTHOR Peter

WHAT Our last words from Peter; the last book to be admitted

to the canon of New Testament Scripture

WHERE Jerusalem, Rome, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,

the province of Asia, and Bithynia

WHEN c. A.D. 67, from Rome

WHYTo warn Christians about false teachers and to exhort them

to grow in their faith and in knowledge of Christ

KEY PEOPLE

Peter, Paul

2 PE

TER

FOCUS True Knowledge False Knowledge Challenge

DIVISIONS1:1-2 Salutation

1:3-11 Growth in Knowledge1:12-21 Source of Knowledge

2:1-3 Fear of False Teachers2:4-9 Fate of False Teachers

2:10-22 Facts about False Teachers

3:1-7 Denial of Return3:8-10 Truth of Return3:11-18 Application

of Return

TOPICS

Growing in Grace Growing in Knowledge Growing in Expectation

“Grow Up!” “Watch Out!” “Look Up!”

PLACE Probably Rome

TIME c. A.D. 64-66

Characteristics of a Godly Life

• 2 Peter 1:3-8 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. • 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness;

and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On the Inspiration of Scripture

•2 Peter 1:20-21 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

On Jesus’ Return

• 2 Peter 3:3-14 3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

On Jesus’ Return

•2 Peter 3:3-14 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

On Jesus’ Return

• 2 Peter 3:3-14 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.

On Jesus’ Return

•2 Peter 3:3-14 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

Jude

JUDE

AUTHOR Jude, the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus

WHAT A short letter warning about false teachers

WHERE The recipients are not known

WHEN c. A.D. 65

WHYTo remind the church of the need for constant vigilance—

to keep strong in the faith and to oppose heresy

KEY PEOPLE

Jude, James, Jesus

JUDE

FOCUS Emergency Examples Exhortations

DIVISIONS 1:1-4 Announcement of Apostasy

1:5-16 Anatomy of Apostasy 1:17-25 Antidote for Apostasy

TOPICS

Why Contend for the Faith How to Contend for the Faith

Contention Condemnation Caution

PLACE Ephesus

TIME c. A.D. 66-80

Contend for the Faith!

• Jude 1:3 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

Walk the Walk!

• Jude 1:20-21 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

God will keep you from Falling!

• Jude 1:24-25 24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Hebrews

While the themes of persecution and faithfulness certainly appear in Hebrews, its central focus has to do with the superiority of the New Covenant that came through Jesus over the Old Covenant

that came through Moses. The central motif of the book is “better,” with the words “better,” “more,”

and “greater” appearing twenty-eight times.

HEBREWS

AUTHOR Unknown; the Author was close to Timothy

WHAT A sermonic letter extolling Christ & the New Covenant

WHERE To Jewish Christians experiencing persecution

WHEN At some point before the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70

WHYTo present the sufficiency and superiority of Christ

KEY PEOPLE

Old Testament Men and Women of Faith

HEBR

EWS

FOCUS Christ, the Better Way

DIVISIONS1-2 Christ, better than

the Angels3-4 Christ, better than

Moses & Joshua

5-7 Christ, better than Aaron’s Priesthood

8-10 Christ, better than the Old Covenant

11-3 Christ, Example of the Life of Faith

TOPICS

A Superior Person A Superior Priesthood A Superior Power

Doctrine Discipline

PLACE Written to Scattered Jewish Believers

TIME c. A.D. 64-68

God has Spoken through His Son

•Hebrews 1:1-4 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

Once, for All!!!

• Hebrews 9:24-28 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. • 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face

judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Bad News . . . and Good News

•Hebrews 4:12-16 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Bad News . . . and Good News

• Hebrews 4:12-16 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Our Source of Eternal Salvation

•Hebrews 5:8-10 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Milk & Solid Food

•Hebrews 5:12-14 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Warning about Falling Away

• Hebrews 6:4-6 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. • Hebrews 6:9

9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation.

The Soul’s Anchor

•Hebrews 6:19 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

An Indestructible Savior!

• Hebrews 7:14-16 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15

And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. • Hebrews 7:25

25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Once, for All!

•Hebrews 7:27 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

The New & Superior Covenant

• Hebrews 8:6-13 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said: “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.

The New & Superior Covenant

•Hebrews 8:6-13 10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Without the Shedding of Blood . . .

• Hebrews 9:12 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. • Hebrews 9:15

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. • Hebrews 9:22

22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Once, for All!

• Hebrews 10:4 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. • Hebrews 10:10

10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. • Hebrews 10:12-14

12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

A New & Living Way

•Hebrews 10:18-2218 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. 19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

On Faith . . .

•Hebrews 11:1 1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. •Hebrews 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

The Roll Call of Faith – Chapter 11

• Hebrews 11:8 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. • Hebrews 11:10

10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. • Hebrews 11:39-40

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Surrounded by a Cloud of Witnesses

• Hebrews 12:1-3 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

A Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken

• Hebrews 12:22-24 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. • Hebrews 12:28-29

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” • Hebrews 13:8

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

“The Benediction”

•Hebrews 13:20-21 20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Last Books in the NT were all by John

•1 John•2 John•3 John•Revelation (The Apocalypse)

1 John

1 JOHN

AUTHOR John, the Beloved Disciple; before his exile to Patmos

WHAT A pastoral letter that has much in common with John’s Gospel

WHERE Probably to the churches in the vicinity of Ephesus

WHEN c. A.D. 85-90, from Ephesus

WHYTo reassure Christians in their faith and to counter false teachings

KEY PEOPLE

John, Jesus

1 JO

HNFOCUS

Assurance through Fellowship

Assurance through Conflict

Assurance through Love

Assurance through Spirit

DIVISIONS 1:1-2 Basis of Fellowship

2:3-17 Obedience of Fellowship

2:18-28 Truth vs. Error

2:29-3:24 Purity vs. Impurity

4:1-6 Fact vs. Falsehood

4:7-16 God’s Love4:17-5:5 Our Love

5:6-9 External Witnesses

5:10-21 Internal Witnesses

TOPICS

Walking Warring Wooing Witnessing

Abiding in Christ Abiding in Truth Abiding in Love Abiding Assurance

PLACE Ephesus

TIME c. A.D. 90

The main theme of 1 John is tests by which we can know if we are in Christ—beliefs and attitudes that

authenticate one’s claims to be a Christian.

Forgiveness Assured

• 1 John 1:3-9 3 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. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. • 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God

is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 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. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Walk the Walk

• 1 John 2:4 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. • 1 John 2:6

6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. • 1 John 2:9

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. • 1 John 2:23

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

We Shall Be Like Him!

•1 John 3:2 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

What Love Looks Like

•1 John 3:17 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

Test the Spirits

• 1 John 4:1-4 1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

God IS Love

• 1 John 4:10-11 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. • 1 John 4:15-16

15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. • 1 John 5:1

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. • 1 John 5:3

3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.

You can KNOW that you have Eternal Life

•1 John 5:11-12 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. •1 John 5:13

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

2 John

2 JOHN

AUTHOR John, the Beloved Disciple, before his exile to Patmos

WHAT A short letter to an unidentified congregation

WHERE Probably a congregation near Ephesus

WHEN c. A.D. 90, from Ephesus; may have been sent together with 1 John

WHYTo emphasize the basics of following Christ—truth and love—

and to warn against false teachers

KEY PEOPLE

John, “the chosen lady” (the congregation), and her children (the members)

2 JO

HNFOCUS Practicing the Truth Protecting the Truth

DIVISIONS1:1-3 Greeting

1:4-6 Exhortation1:7-9 Wrong Doctrine

1:10-11 Right Response1:12-13 Conclusion

TOPICS

Living in Truth & Love Learning to Detect False Teaching

Looking for John’s Coming

Important Command Timely Caution Tender Conclusion

PLACE Ephesus

TIME c. A.D. 90

Walk in Love

•2 John 1:4-6 4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

3 John

3 JOHN

AUTHOR John, the Beloved Disciple, before his exile to Patmos

WHAT A personal letter to Gaius, a prominent member of one of the churches

WHERE Probably near Ephesus; may have been sent with 1 & 2 John

WHEN c. A.D. 90, from Ephesus; the last of the epistles to be written

WHYTo commend Gaius for his hospitality

and to encourage him in his Christian life

KEY PEOPLE

John, Gaius, Diotrephes, Demetrius

3 JO

HNFOCUS Hospitality Haughtiness Holiness

DIVISIONS1:1 Greeting

1:2-8 Commendation 1:9-10 Censuring1:11-12 Compliment

1:13-15 Close

TOPICS

Commendation of Gaius Censuring of Diotrephes Compliment for Demetrius

Helping through Hospitality Harming through Haughtiness

Honoring Holiness

PLACE Ephesus

TIME c. A.D. 90

Key Verses from 3 John

•3 John 1:2 2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. •3 John 1:4

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Keys to the General Epistles

• 1 John 4:2-32 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.• 1 John 4:15

15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. • 1 John 5:1

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

Jesus of Nazareth is God in Human Flesh

•1 John 4:2-32 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.

Jesus of Nazareth is One of the Three Persons of the Trinity

•1 John 4:1515 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Promised Messiah

•1 John 5:11 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

It is this same Jesuswho meets us at The Table . . .

Free from the Law, O Happy Condition

Free from the law, O happy condition,Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;

cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,grace hath redeemed us once for all.

Once for all, O sinner, receive it,Once for all, O friend, now believe it;Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

Now we are free, there’s no condemnation, Jesus provides a perfect salvation;

“Come unto Me,” O hear His Sweet call, Come, and He saves us once for all.

Once for all, O sinner, receive it,Once for all, O friend, now believe it;Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

“Children of God,” O glorious calling,Surely His grace will keep us from falling;

Passing from death to life at His call,Blessed salvation once for all.

Once for all, O sinner, receive it,Once for all, O friend, now believe it;Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,Christ hath redeemed us once for all.