Where Do I Start in the Bible? John’s Letter #1! | 1 John 3:1-3,1 John 4:7-19

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Transcription:

Not a fan of resolutions are you? But I am a super fan of goals for the new year and I’ve got an idea for you. What if by the end of this week you set a goal of reading one book in the Bible? You and I, we can do this because the one I’m about to recommend is only four chapters. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. My name is Erica and all this week we’re covering how to simply start reading the Bible. I know it can be intimidating. 66 books are inside that one book we call the Bible. There’s the Old Testament and the New Testament, but you don’t have to get lost in all that. It’s why I’m kind of giving you a little map. This week we talked about reading the gospel of John. He shares so many awesome stories about Jesus and the Psalms bite-size nuggets from the mind of gold that is God’s word to us. His love letter to us in 66 different books. He’s got a lot to say to us, a lot. He wants us to find in the gold mine of his word.

Today we’re going to go looking for treasure in John’s first letter. So we’ve already kind of talked about John’s gospel. That’s like 21, I believe, chapters of stories. But then John wrote a letter, actually three letters to the churches that were springing up after Jesus died and rose again for you and me. And these letters were not just for the people who attended those churches at the time. They’re for you, they’re for me as well. It’s God sharing his love through John, his follower, his disciple. You’re also one of Jesus’s followers. If you’re here or you’re thinking about becoming one either way, you’re so welcome. So yeah, it’s only four chapters, John’s first letter. You could also call it four pages if that makes it easier. Today we’re going to be diving into chapter three of 1 John or page three beginning in verse one.

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears.

Little note here, when Christ returns for us someday.

But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

I want you to picture John sitting at a desk, a wooden desk, maybe a piece of parchment paper, an ink pen, a fountain pen. I don’t know what they used in Bible days, but picture a candle burning beside him to give him light, and picture He’s writing these words that the Holy Spirit is pouring into John so that one day you could read them. The Bible is so personal, it really is a love letter to you. It’s God saying, this is who I am. I love you. I want to know you. Alright, I want to read a little bit more of John’s first letter to the churches back in his time, and to you and I. This time we’re going to be in chapter four of 1 John or page four as we’re calling it today. Let these words encourage your heart right now. Consider this a text to you if that’s even easier than a letter. Imagine these words scrolling up on your phone.

Dear friends,

John writes in First John chapter four, beginning in verse seven.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

Woo, this is heady stuff, isn’t it?

 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other[a] because he loved us first.

Wow, I’m so grateful that perfect love expels all fear from my heart and your heart. And if you’re wondering today, how can I know that God loves me? You may know this. I actually host a radio show and I’ll never forget one day Terry called in and she said, how can I know that God loves me? And I was like, what do I say, Lord, help me. And the answer came very quickly, praise the Lord. And it was that, “Well Terry, when Jesus died on the cross, that was him telling you, telling me, once and for all, I love you. I love you enough to die for your sins. To take all the bad things you did upon myself. Jesus never sinned and give my life for yours. And it didn’t stop there. The love story went on because he rose again three days later defeating everything you and I are afraid of. Jesus loves you. If I had to sum up the entire Bible in one sentence, it would be the words I end each episode of this podcast with. I do it for a reason. You are loved. And all you have to do is accept the love and forgiveness of Jesus. And you don’t have to be afraid anymore. You’re going to have peace now and you’re going to live forever.” Alright, I’ll say it again because it’s worth repeating. You are loved.

Thank you for making time for the Bible, for Busy People today. If being part of this community is a blessing to you, it’s super easy to share this podcast with someone you love. We’re all about spreading the hope of Jesus like butter. So, if you’ve got a moment to write a review, boy, we’d really appreciate that. Maybe you need a little prayer today, or you are ready to take that next step with God. I invite you to check out our show notes. You’re going to find lots of encouragement there. This podcast is one branch on a tree called Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and thrive in God’s purpose for your life. If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose.