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 25 we studied part 3 of “The Commandments of Jesus.” Now we are going to dive into part 4.
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.
Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. (Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27)
Love Jesus more than your family, yourself, or your possessions. Prioritize your dedication and commitment to Jesus.
Matthew 19:29-30 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. (Matthew 10:37)
Love one another. Lay down your life for your friends. Be known as a disciple of Jesus that loves others.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
John 15:12-13 (NIV) My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
John 15:17 This is My command to you: Love one another.
Love your enemies. Love people that do not love you. Reflect the perfect love that God has for people.
Matthew 5:43-47 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? (Luke 6:27-28)
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:39-40 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 19:19)
Make disciples of all nations, teach them to obey Jesus' commands, and baptize them.
Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. Prioritize your relationship with Jesus and make deliberate choices to follow His commandments.
Luke 13:24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
Make God's house a house of prayer.
Matthew 21:13 And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” (Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46)
Pay attention to how you listen and pay attention to what you hear.
Luke 8:18 Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
Mark 4:24 He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
Pay your taxes.
Mark 12:13-17 Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words. 14 “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?” 15 But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.” 16 So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they answered. 17 Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled at Him. (Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:25)
Persevere even when you are facing opposition and hate because of your relationship with Jesus.
Matthew 10:22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13, Luke 21:19, Matthew 24:13)
Revelation 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Pour new wine into new wineskins. Be open to change and letting go of old ways in order to obey the commandments of Jesus.
Matthew 9:16-17 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Mark 2:21-22, Luke 5:36-39)
Practice and teach Jesus' commandments.
Matthew 5:19 So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Pray for, love, and bless those who persecute you, curse you, or mistreat you.
Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:27-28 But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Pray like this.
Matthew 6:9-15 So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours. (Luke 11:2)
Pray privately and not to be seen by others.
Matthew 6:5-8 (NIV) “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Pray with faith and do not doubt.
Matthew 21:21-22 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations.
Luke 24:46-48 And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. (Luke 9:60)
Produce fruit for the kingdom of God.
Matthew 21:42-44 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Reap what you have not worked for. Go out into the world and share the gospel.
John 4:34-38 Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest. 36 Already the reaper draws his wages and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the hard work, and now you have taken up their labor.”
Receive eternal life. Know God.
John 17:1-3 When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. 2 For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him. 3 Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
Receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and be a witness for Jesus. Spread the message of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
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.”
Receive the Holy Spirit. Proclaim the message of God’s forgiveness through faith in Jesus.
John 20:21-23 Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” 22 When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Receive the ones Jesus sends. Support those who are sent to proclaim the message of the gospel.
John 13:20 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
Reconcile with others. Prioritize forgiveness and resolve conflicts quickly.
Matthew 5:23-26 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother or sister; then come and offer your gift. 25 Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Luke 12:58)
Rejoice and be glad when people insult you, persecute you, and speak evil against you, because of Jesus. Be blessed and remain steadfast in your faith.
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. (Luke 6:22-23)
Rejoice that your name is written in heaven.
Luke 10:18-20 So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Remain in Jesus and bear much fruit.
John 15:4-8 Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
Remain in the love of Jesus by keeping His commandments.
John 15:9-11 As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
Remove the plank from your own eye first before judging others. Examine yourself and repent of your sins before pointing out the flaws of another.
Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you will be judged. 2 For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Repent and believe in the gospel.
Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
Matthew 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. (Luke 12:31)
See that no one deceives you regarding false Christs and false prophets.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Matthew 24:4-8 Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Mark 13:5-8)
Matthew 24:23-25 At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you in advance.
Sin no more. Experience the mercy of Jesus and repent.
John 8:10-11 Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”
Take and eat the bread which symbolizes the body of Jesus. Drink from the cup which symbolizes the blood of Jesus. Celebrate the Lord's supper and remember His sacrifice.
Matthew 26:26-29 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, John 6:53-54)
Take My yoke upon you and learn from me.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Tell people about what the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.
Mark 5:18-19 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him. 19 But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.” (Luke 8:38-39)
Use your worldly wealth to make friends for eternity. Be shrewd and faithful with the worldly wealth your father has entrusted to you.
Luke 9:1-12 Jesus also said to His disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in to ask, ‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in an account of your management, for you cannot be manager any longer.’ 3 The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my position? I am too weak to dig and too ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I will do, so that after my removal from management, people will welcome me into their homes.’ 5 And he called in each one of his master’s debtors. ‘How much do you owe my master?’ he asked the first. 6 ‘A hundred measures of olive oil,’he answered. ‘Take your bill,’ said the manager. ‘Sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ 7 Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A hundred measures of wheat,’he replied. ‘Take your bill and write eighty,’ he told him. 8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to make friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings. 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. 11 So if you have not been faithful with worldly wealth, who will entrust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful with the belongings of another, who will give you belongings of your own?
Wash one another's feet. Serve with humility.
John 13:12-15 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.
Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.
Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Mark 14:38, Luke 22:46)
Welcome little children in the name of Jesus.
Mark 9:37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.” (Luke 9:48)
When you fast, do not be downcast or disfigure your faces.
Matthew 6:16 When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
When you host a dinner invite those that cannot repay you, the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.
Luke 14:12-14 Then Jesus said to the man who had invited Him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise, they may invite you in return, and you will be repaid. 13 But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Luke 14:21)
When you pray, forgive others, if you hold anything against another.
Mark 11:25 And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well."
Work for food that endures to eternal life. Prioritize seeking spiritual nourishment.
John 6:27 Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
Worship God in Spirit and in truth.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
Worship Jesus sacrificially.
Matthew 26:6-13 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste? 9 This perfume could have been sold at a high price, and the money given to the poor.” 10 Aware of this, Jesus asked, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful deed to Me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me. 12 By pouring this perfume on Me, she has prepared My body for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” (Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:44-47, John 12:7)
Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.
Luke 4:8 But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)
You must be born again.
John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
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Listen to these lessons over and over again. Let God’s Word penetrate you deeply, do what God is asking you to do, and help others to obey His will.
If you have any prayer requests please share them in the comments.
Thank you and God bless you!
~ Jeff M Newman
(Photo by Steve Busch on Unsplash. Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula. Berean Study Bible.)
Lesson 26 - The Commandments of Jesus - Part 4