Cornerstone South Bay Sermons

Gifts Of Fellowship (1 John 5:13-17)

Application Questions: 1. Throughout the letter, John has been trying to help us see how to have certainty in our relationship with God. In what ways has he been most helpful to you? 2. How confident do you feel in your prayer life with God? What holds you back from enjoying the freedom and security in prayer that God gives us through fellowship with Him? 3. How does John want you to use your confidence in prayer for the sake of your church family? What will that require of you that is currently missing from your relationships?

The Mystery Of Loving One Another (1 John 5:1-5)

Application Questions: 1. Do you find it easier to love God or to love other people? How do the two loves look different? How do they look the same? 2. How is it easy for you to love your Christian brothers and sisters? How is it difficult? 3. What is the role of faith in your practice of love for others? How does knowing Jesus change your attitude and actions toward others?

Love At Work (1 John 4:13-21)

Application Questions: 1. John emphasizes God’s work of salvation for us, and our grasp of this work, as a work of His love for us. Why do you think it is so important for John that we see God’s love at work toward us in this way? 2. What does John say are the practical, personal benefits of our abiding in love? Have you experienced these benefits before? If you are struggling with a lack of assurance, have you given thought to what your practice of “loving one another” looks like? 3. How might keeping the commandment to love your brothers and sisters in Christ strengthen your own relationship and experience of God?

Seriously, Love One Another (1 John 4:7-12)

Application Questions: 1. When you hear the command to love one another, what is your immediate reaction? Do you feel challenged? Eager? Apathetic? Why do you think John reiterates this command in this passage? 2. What do you learn from this passage about the kind of love John is calling for us to perform? 3. Why is it necessary for us to love one another as a church? Why is it a privilege for us to do so?

Being Spiritual People (1 John 4:1-6)

Application Questions: 1. There are lots of voices competing for your attention. Some are explicitly against Jesus, but others claim to represent Him in some way. How often do you consider the influence behind those voices? How much discretion do you normally exercise when giving attention to a professing Christian voice? 2. What is the test that John gives to his audience to use for examining the voices in their lives? What do you think it looks like for you to make use of this test today? What do you feel that you are lacking in order to properly “test the spirits”? 3. What reason does John give to his audience for their confidence when confronting the false prophets and “spirit of the antichrist”? Is this reality a comfort to you? Why or why not?