Discipleship According to the Apostle John
Pastor Brett Gray
February 4, 2024
Big Idea: A true disciple experiences Jesus and the eternal life to come through true fellowship, truth, love, and unwavering perseverance.
I. True Discipleship
(John 20:30-31; 3:16-18; 5:24; 6:64; 7:37-38; 8:24; 11:25-26)
II. Fellowship With the
1 John 1:3-4 “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.”
A. Fellowship Entails Not Continuing In
1 John 6-8 “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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 cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 3:8-10 “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
B. Fellowship Entails Not Loving the
1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
C. Fellowship Entails Loving Your Brother/Sister In
(1 John 3:23)
1 John 3:15 “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”
D. Fellowship Entails Testing the
(1 John 4:1)
E. Listen to the Scriptures
(1 John 4:6)
III. Godly
A. True Love Delightfully Obeys the Father’s Commands
(2 John 4-6)
B. A True Disciple Encourages People In the
(3 John 8-10)
C. A True Disciple Trusts God’s Sovereign Control By
1.God is Sovereign and Sits On His Throne
•Note: The word “throne” appears some 37 times in the book of Revelation
Revelation 4:2 “At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.”
Revelation 7:10 “and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Revelation 13:2 “And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.”
Revelation 20:4 “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.”
2. True Disciples Persevere While In the World’s Fiery Trials
(Revelation 1:3; 13:10)
Revelation 14:12 “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”
Revelation 22:7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”