3 John - Rocky Mountain Calvary



3 John

Scripture: 3 John

Memory Verse: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

3 John 4

Lesson Focus: Walking in Truth and Imitating Jesus.

Activities and Crafts: Coloring sheet, Word search

Craft for 1st & 2nd graders: Refrigerator Magnets “Walking in the Truth”

Introduction:

True or False Challenge:

The Atlantic Ocean is the biggest Ocean on earth? (False, the Pacific is the biggest Ocean.)

Sharks are mammals? (False, they are fish)

Venus is the closest planet to the Sun? (False, Mercury)

The study of plants is known as botany? (true)

Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in the world? (False, Mount Everest)

Spiders have six legs? (false – 8)

Colorado is the biggest Rocky Mountain State? (false – Montana)

Eating too many carrots can cause a person to turn an orange color? (true)

The first minimum wage in the United States was 25 cents an hour? (true)

There are many things that say that they are true – but not all things are true. You need to have a truth source. Today we are going to talk about what is true and where we get our truth.

Bible Lesson:

John talks about truth more than any other writer in the New Testament. He uses the word truth:

29 times in the Gospel of John

9 times in 1 John

5 times in 2 John

5 times in 3 John

3 John 1-2:

Greeting from the Elder (John) and written to Gaius. This is a letter written to Gaius but meant to be read to all of the church.

John prays for:

1. His physical health

2. His spiritual health

√ Why are both important?

3 John 3-4:

√ Why is truth so important to John?

√ What did he hear about Gaius? (That he was in the truth and walking in the truth.)

√ What is the difference between being in the truth and walking in the truth?

He believed the truth of Jesus and He was living it out.

√ What is John’s greatest joy?

(knowing his children are walking in the truth.)

√ Why do you think this made John so happy?

We live in a day and age that says there is no truth. Everybody has their own truth.

What is the problem with that?

The problem is that there has to be a source of your truth. If I decide my own truth then because I am a selfish human being I will center truth on me and what I like or dislike.

What is our truth source? (The Bible) The Bible tells us the story of God reaching out to man and His ultimate salvation through Jesus. The Bible is where I get all of my truth.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about truth:

1. God is a God of truth: From the beginning of the Bible we see God as our truth source. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4

2. God will teach us truth: From the Old Testament on, God has shown us His truth through the Word of God. In Psalm 25:5, David says, “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation…”

3. God’s truth lasts forever: In Psalm 100:5 it says, “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.”

4. Jesus shows us the truth of God: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

5. The truth of Jesus gives us freedom: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

6. Jesus is the truth of God: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

7. The Holy Spirit will guide us in truth: “However, when the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13

8. God’s Word is truth: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17

God did not just tell us to follow truth….He gave us truth through His Word and He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us follow the truth of God. He gave us Jesus to show us the truth of God and to show us how to have eternal life through Him. That life is not just in the future but it is now. As we live out the truth of who Jesus is we live out the truth here on earth. We have the life that God meant for us to have. We live for God and not for ourselves!

Let’s Look at what happens when we do not follow the truth of God:

1. They are judged by the living God: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Romans 1:18

“…who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. Romans 1:25

2. Choose to walk in darkness: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” 1 John 1:6

This is what is happening in our world today. God never forces anyone to believe in Him. But every human being has an instinct given to them from God that tells them what truth is. They either turn towards God and come to know Jesus; or they turn towards the world and follow their own desires.

Let’s look at some truths of God that world says are not true:

1. Marriage: Truth of God: between one man and one women (Genesis 2:24; Timothy 3:2 (qualifications of a church leader);

Lie: Marriage can be between two people of the same sex.

2. Ways to God:

Truth of God: John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the only way to God.

Lie: There are many paths to God, you find the one that suits you.

3. The Word of God:

Truth of God: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

There is not one part of the Scripture that does not belong. Jesus tells us in Revelation 22 that we are not to add or subtract from any part of the Bible.

Lie: The Bible is unreliable. It is old fashioned and not for this time period. Many have added their own words to the book and say that God gave it to them. We know from Revelation that nothing was to be added.

4. Once you are saved it does not matter how you live:

Truth of God: How we live matters to God. It shows who we are following and who we belong to. 1 John 1:6

Lie: Live for everything that pleases you. You only live once!

How do we walk in truth?

1. Put on the Armor of God: Ephesians 6:14

2. Listen to the Holy Spirit: John 16:13

3. Study the Word of God: 2 Timothy 2:15

4. Speak the Truth: Ephesians 4:15

5. “Look to Jesus” Hebrews 12:2

6. Worship God in Spirit and Truth: John 4 :24

3 John:9-11: What do you imitate?

Play a quick game of “Simon Says”

Ask the kids who do they want to be like?

Who do they copy? Do they copy what is popular on TV or Movies?

Do they copy the popular kids at school?

Most of us see something and then try to copy it.

John is going to tell us that it matters what you copy or imitate!

Bad Example: Diotrephes, liked to have the attention. He did not receive others that where preaching the truth. He used mean words against others so that he looked important.

√ Have you ever known someone like Diotrephes?

Good Example: Imitate what is good!

Let’s give some examples of what is good to imitate.

We should be imitating Jesus. He is the only one who lived a perfect life and shows us how we are to live for God. We can only imitate Him as we get to know Him. Never stop growing in Jesus!

Conclusion:

√ Are you walking in truth? Is there some things ways that you are living that God wants you to give up?

√ What are some ways that you could imitate Jesus this week?

Let’s take time to pray for these things together.

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