Welcome back to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Monday at 12:00 PM Eastern.
In Lesson 22 we learned about the importance of keeping Jesus’ commandments. Let’s read the verse.
1 John 2:3 By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.
This verse encouraged me to compile a list of the commandments of Jesus.
This list is pretty long, so I broke it into 4 lessons.
I encourage you to listen to the lessons over and over again.
Study the commandments of Jesus in depth.
Ask God to help you to understand the commandments and to give you the strength to obey them.
Let’s begin.
Acknowledge Jesus before others.
Matthew 10:32-33 (NIV) “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. (Luke 12:8-9)
Act on the words of Jesus and build your house on the rock. Put your faith in God’s word during the storms of life.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”(Luke 6:47-49)
Ask, seek, knock.
Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-13)
Ask in Jesus' name.
John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me or anything in My name, I will do it.
John 16:23-24 In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers into His harvest.
Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2)
Be careful how you speak, knowing that you will have to give an account for the words that you have spoken.
Matthew 12:36-37 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 15:8-11 (NIV) “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ”10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” (Luke 6:45)
Be a faithful and wise servant.
Matthew 24:45-47 (NIV) “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.(Luke 12:42-43)
Be a giver and be welcoming.
Matthew 10:40-42 (NIV) “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Mark 9:41)
Matthew 25:35-40 ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Acts 20:35 In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Be a loving, compassionate, merciful neighbor.
Luke 10:25-37 One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. 33 But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’ 36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 “The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Be deeply connected to Jesus like a branch is connected to the vine and know that the Father will prune you, so you can be more fruitful.
John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. 2 He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
Be a peacemaker.
Matthew 5:9 (NIV) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Be perfect.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Be poor in spirit. Recognize your need for God’s mercy and grace.
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Be prepared for persecution and hate.
John 15:18-25 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. 21 But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’ (John 15:20-25)
Be a servant of all.
Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:41-45, Luke 22:24-27)
Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Be shrewd, discerning, and wise as snakes. Be innocent, pure, and gentle as doves.
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Be clothed with power from on high. Receive power from the Holy Spirit.
Luke 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Be faithful even until death.
Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Be faithful with a few things, faithful with very little, and faithful in very small matters.
Matthew 25:21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
Luke 16:10 Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
Luke 19:17 His master replied, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you shall have authority over ten cities.’
Be full of light. Make sure there is no darkness in you.
Luke 11:34-36 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness. 35 Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.” (Matthew 6:22-23)
Be joyful when sinners repent and the lost is found.
Luke 15:8-32 Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” 11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. 17 Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! 18 I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate. 25 Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. 27‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Believe in Jesus.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.”
John 20:27-29 Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
Believe in the One God has sent.
John 6:29 Jesus replied, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
John 11:41-42 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
Believe Jesus came from God the Father.
John 16:27-28 For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
Believe Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Him.
John 14:9-11 Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe on account of the works themselves.
Be last.
Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. (Mark 10:31, Luke 9:48, Matthew 20:16)
Believe that Jesus is the I AM.
John 8:23-24 Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 That is why I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
John 8:54-58 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
Believe in the Father who sent Jesus.
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
John 12:44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in Me does not believe in Me alone, but in the One who sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
Believe the works of the Father.
John 10:37-38 If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. 38 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”
Be meek.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Be merciful.
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Luke 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Be persistent in your prayers, pray at all times, and don't lose heart.
Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: 2 “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect men, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to the words of the unjust judge. 7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He continue to defer their help? 8 I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Be pure in heart.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Be the salt of the earth. Impact those around you by obeying the commandments of Jesus.
Matthew 5:13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (Mark 9:50)
Be united together as believers with Jesus.
Matthew 12:25-30 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. (Mark 3:23-27)
John 17:20-23 "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one— 23 I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.
Beware of false prophets.
Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Luke 6:43-44)
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Beware of deceptive teaching from false teachers.
Matthew 16:6 “Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1)
Beware of the scribes. Beware of corrupt, self-serving teachers that seek attention and recognition and take advantage of vulnerable individuals.
Mark 12:38-40 In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.” (Luke 20:45-47)
Be willing to make personal sacrifices for Jesus.
Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. (Mark 10:29-31)
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Listen to these lessons over and over again. Let God’s Word penetrate you deeply, do what God is asking, and help others to obey His will.
If you have any prayer requests or praise reports, please share them in the comments. Also, please share a comment about what God is teaching you, any questions you have, or how you have been encouraged by the lesson.
Thank you and God bless you!
~ Jeff M Newman
(Photo by Angelo Casto on Unsplash. Cascate delle marmore, Terni, TR, Italia. Berean Study Bible, NIV.)
Lesson 23 - The Commandments of Jesus - Part 1