Fletcher Church

Life in Christ Is Marked by Fellowship and Confession…

I. Foundational Truth: God Is Light Not Darkness! (5)

II. Implication 1: God’s Children Walk in Fellowship with Him and Each Other! (6-7)

III. Implication 2: God’s Children Are Honest about Their Sin and Need of Forgiveness! (8-10)

IV. Reconciling Truth: Christ Qualifies Us to Walk in the Light through His Advocacy and Atoning Sacrifice! (2:1-2)

Practical Applications

o Repent and Believe the Gospel for Salvation.

o How closely am I walking in fellowship with God & others? What’s holding me back from a deeper walk?

o How willing am I to confess my sins? What do I need to believe about the Gospel to help me be more transparent?

o Who can I partner with to help in the fight against sin and to point to love Jesus more?

Make Faithfulness to the Local Church a Priority . . .

I. The Church is a Bride, Body and Building who Loves Jesus and Unites to Each Other!

II. Prioritize a Church that Encourages you to Love and Serve!

III. Prioritize a Church that Equips you to Mature in your Faith!

Practical Implications

o Where on the priority scale of your life would you rank consistent faithfulness to your local church? Why?

o What hinders your consistent faithfulness to church?

o How invested are you in relationships, service, and maturity?

Cultivate Eyes for the Harvest by Modeling Jesus…

I. Look at the Lost: Get Close Enough to See Their Story! (35)

II. Look at Their Hope: Have Compassion When You See the Distressed & Disillusioned! (36)

III. Look at the Task: Pray & Go Because You See Jesus as Lord of the Harvest! (37-38)

Practical Implications

o Serve & Share with 2

o Do you have compassion or pity for lost people? Why?

o Who is God consistently putting in your path that may not be a genuine believer?

o How will you approach Evangelism Training: Avoid it? Study Academically? Apply it?

Partner with God to Continue Towards Maturity . . .

I. Continually Build on the Foundational Truths of the Gospel! (1-3)

II. Beware of the Cost of Perpetual Immaturity! (4-6)

III. Seek to Apply the Graces given to you so that you are Useful to the Lord and Others! (7-8)

IV. Serve others Diligently out of Love for God, while Imitating the Lives of Faithful Believers! (9-12)

Pillars of Assurance

o Internal Witness of the Spirit (Rom 8:15-17)

o Growing Light (Righteousness) and Love (1 John)

o Continual Fight Against Sin and Ongoing Repentance (Gal 5:16-17; 1 Jn 1:9)

Practical Implications

o What motivates your service?

o What interferes with your diligent following of Jesus?

o What qualities would need to grow for people to be able to imitate you?

Partner with God to Continue Towards Maturity . . .

I. Continually Build on the Foundational Truths of the Gospel! (1-3)

II. Beware of the Cost of Perpetual Immaturity! (4-6)

III. Seek to Apply the Graces given to you so that you are Useful to the Lord and Others! (7-8)

Practical Implications

o How has your spiritual life grown lately?

o How are you intentionally pursuing maturity?

o What are some ways your life has helped others grow? Others have helped you grow?

Mom’s Ministry is to Make Disciples . . .

I. Your Character is Always Essential to your Impact! (1, 3a)

II. Your Ministry Helps others Apply the Gospel to the Everyday Stuff of Life! (3b 5a)

III. Your Impact Helps Protect the Gospel from Slander! (5b)

Practical Implications

o What you do matters; keep it up!

o What specific areas is God calling you to cultivate in your life?

o What and who is God calling you to invest in the next generation?

Jesus is Qualified to be Our High Priest . . .

I. He was Appointed by God to be both King and Priest! (1-6)

II. He Made Acceptable Offerings to God as a Godly One! (7)

III. He Suffered to Open up the Fountain of Salvation for His People! (8-10)

Practical Implications

▪ How have you experienced Jesus as Savior? As Lord?

▪ In what ways do you struggle w/ acceptance? Lack of effort?

▪ What does the Supper help you remember about Jesus/salvation?

If the Resurrection Never Happened, Then . . .

I. We Proclaim an Empty and Deceptive Message; But the Message of the Cross is True & Powerful! (12-15)

II. Our Faith is Empty and Useless; But it is Full and Rooted in the True and Living Christ! (14-17a)

III. We are Still Dead in our Sins; But we are Alive and Forgiven! (17b)

IV. We have No Eternal Hope, only this Life; But Christ has been Raised as the First of Many! (19-20)

Practical Implications

o Believe in the Risen Christ!

o What tempts you to forget or to doubt?

o How do these truths increase your hope or perseverance?

You can Hold Fast in Hard Times . . .

I. God’s Word Pierces and Exposes us to the Gaze of God! (12-13)

II. Jesus Identified with Us to Open up God’s Gracious and Helpful Presence! (14-16)

Practical Implications

o How can you open yourself and respond to the Word more?

o How do you usually respond to conviction? Why?

o How can you more consistently and confidently approach God in prayer?

Our Eternal Gospel Rest Motivates Present Perseverance ...

I. Let us Fear for Each Other that Unbelief Might Keep us from God’s Rest! (1-5)

II. Let us Zealously Strive to Enter God’s Rest that is Still Available to us! (6-11)

III. Let us Carefully Engage the Word of God which Exposes the Recesses of our Hearts! (12-13)

Practical Implications

o What areas of your life or circumstances tempt you to unbelief?

o How can you more diligently turn salvation to application in your life?

o Who are you initiating with and investing in?