Preface

This is not a study of the book of John. It is rather a time of guided fellowship between a Christian and a believing friend, or perhaps with a new convert, or even with an unconverted one seeking to understand the Christian life. (Of course, considerable adaptation is required.) The plan simply provides a stimulating series of guided fellowship times. Those Scriptures are pointed out and hints given to see that all the basic Christian doctrines are touched upon, along with the various duties of the spiritual life. If the leading partner is on his toes, he ought to be able to question, exhort and upbuild the other in each area of doctrine and duty.

The idea is not to attempt this in a class, but man to man, woman to woman. How different are the results from what is usually obtained through a class or congregational approach! This more personal, intensive method is often little short of wonderful in effect. The workman will, however, have to keep his faith alive and put in real, sustained labor.

An ULTIMATE GOAL in many instances will be to lift one who is taught to the place where he can in turn carry on the Spiritual Life Studies with others. In such cases it is of utmost importance to avoid giving the impression, "I'm telling you things just so you can pass them on to others in need." No, I must feel that this one with whom I now work has needs and should himself be helped. The other can come later.

All who sincerely share in SLS will become more open spiritually, more sensitive to the needs of others and more prepared for true spiritual fellowship. In addition, it is a large encouragement for the worker to see others rise up with a shepherding heart and stand along side him in the work. The Church is responsible to SHARE truths as well as to sit and receive them!

I believe every church member should have these studies. Incoming members should be met with this approach, regardless of how far along they seem to be. People are starving for such help. Here is a way to uncover and develop spiritual gifts in individual lives. The Sovereign God uses such means.

The whole idea of one believer meeting with another for purposes of spiritual upbuilding is taught in the New Testament. Paul commended the Roman believers because they were "able to admonish one another," (15:14). He himself followed the same approach, as he mentioned in his first letter to the Thessalonians (2:11), "As you well know, we dealt with you one by one, as a father deals with his children..."

May the Church recover this forgotten art of personal edification!



Preparing to Serve
This is a great privilege! Preparation of heart is all important. Satan will try to interrupt, to discourage, but God is on your side. You are doing what the Lord orders, and He will stand with you. See Matt. 28:20.

Thumb through the three main sections of this material:

1. Preparing to Serve
The section you are now reading will answer many basic questions regarding this plan of fellowship and mutual upbuilding. Read these first pages carefully more than once before your first study. Review them frequently to check on yourself.

2. Guide Thoughts
This section is intended to trigger the leader's memory concerning helpful material previously shared with him by his own leader.

3. Appendix of Helps
The final section is added to help those teachers who may need a little orientation on certain subjects. Do not let the notes lead you to say all you know on these matters each time they turn up on the guide! Rather, prepare to help your friend into a simple, clear understanding as you proceed week by week -- building as you go.

As You Begin
1. Arranging With a Partner

Let them know your own keen anticipation of the fellowship. Do not speak of the sessions as a "course" or "John Studies" nor present yourself as their "leader"; rather, use "partner". Inform them that the studies will be one hour in length and without refreshments.

Remember, never approach someone from the point of view that you are merely giving him what he can pass on to other more needy ones. It is for our needs. Your partner will not be given any written material. They must be directed to earnest study of the Scripture, in John's Gospel This could well serve as the location of their daily devotions. Direct them to give special attention to the first three chapters as you prepare for your opening meeting. No memory verse is assigned until after each lesson.

2. Leading the Fellowship Time<br>
Encourage an atmosphere of hearty fellowship. Pray together. Get them over the hump of stiffness and embarrassment. Folks need to know how to open their hearts and share with one another.

Never take for granted their spiritual assurance. Find out how they stand and lead them to proper footing in the Word and Spirit.

Never take for granted your partner's depth of knowledge. Again, find out at each point and exercise their understanding as much as possible.

Keep it fixed in mind that you are to take them down through three levels of each truth:

Comprehension: Do they really understand the facts?

Appropriation: Have they embraced it in their own lives?

Expression: Are they able to put the truth into clear, winning words to others?

To thus lead one down into a deeper grasp of God's truths will require constant use of questions. Ask questions, even when you know already that they have the answer; this shines it up a bit! Ask questions even when you are certain they won't know the answer; this makes them more open to receive and cherish it.

Aim at treating all phases of the Christian life. Consider each suggested doctrine or duty as another spiritual campsite. Sit there at its fireside for a time of sharing. While you must allow time for growth, never leave a single area until that duty or that doctrine is being practiced and understood. The printed comments are not to serve as a "weekly lesson." Do not carry the notes with you to a session. NOTICE THAT THE TEN WEEKLY SESSIONS CONCLUDE WITH A DEEPER LOOK AT OUR LIFE IN CHRIST. HERE IS YOUR GOAL. KEEP THE PRINCIPLES OF THE FINAL STUDY CONSTANTLY IN MIND, SO THAT ALL THE OTHERS WILL POINT TOWARD IT. Weekly memory verses appear at each lesson head.

Make all teaching practical and fitted to their particular life. Do not merely study cold doctrines.

Keep it interesting. This will mean not swamping them with more Scripture references than they can absorb. Resist the temptation to dig up every verse related to the subject at hand. Let God guide you to those which especially bless you and which the Spirit leads to use.

Especially as you begin with a partner, avoid plunging in too deeply and telling all you know on each subject. Next week will come! Remember the guide doubles back over the same subjects in later weeks. This will allow more normal learning as you review them, fill in details and lead on into deeper understanding.

Question them enough to develop a deeper awareness of their level of understanding. Do not be afraid of being too personal. Find out where the problems lie.

Cultivate their confidence to ask you questions. Do not feel under any pressure whatsoever to have all the answers. If God helps you answer, fine! If however, you feel uncertain, thank them for the question and assure them that you will take it up next time.

Open each session by hearing the assigned memory verse. Don't back down on this. Lead them to think it is expected, normal. It will prove well worth the effort. As you close the session, assign for the next time the memory verse that was listed at the head of the lesson just completed. Then encourage them to keep up their devotional times in John, making special preparation in the chapters to be covered next session.

Don't fail to use Help No6. Assist in arranging for baptism and church membership as required.

Sampling a Study
Let us look now into the first study for a few practical suggestions and examples.

Chapter 1

Notice that great detail is not encouraged - in the profound doctrines of the Trinity or incarnation. There will be ample time for that as the studies proceed in later weeks. (I believe this to be an advantage over the systematic indoctrination wherein one is bound to complete each subject in its order. Here the idea is to allow for growth and to lead the individual on to deeper things.) You will return again and again to those areas needing enlightenment.

1:29 Typical questions (constantly asked questions!) would be: Why is Jesus called the Lamb of God? Then: As the Lamb sacrificed, how does He take away sin? (The answers will be staggering at times. Rarely ever on the exact point and invariably "snowed under" with expressions unfamiliar to the man in the streets.) At this point, I usually begin teaching the two?fold work in salvation:

Righting our wrong record in heaven.
Cleansing and correcting our wrong life on earth.

The first point refers to our legal guilt before God and has nothing to do with our inner condition nor our feelings. The second refers to that condition of sin and defilement of heart that keeps producing our sins in word, thought, and deed. Every person you deal with will need to know release from sin in this two?fold way: Freedom from the penalty AND freedom from the power of sin. This whole matter will require repeated review, emphasis, enlargement until by the final lesson maybe it will come alive!

1:40 Here is the opportunity to examine them as to how much valid witnessing they do. Ask, "To whom are you now witnessing?" Get the name(s) down, so you can share the burden in prayer. Keep it all personal, practical.

2:23ff Since the Bible here says that some who have a kind of general faith in Jesus will be finally shut off from Him and lost, we need to make sure of ourselves. Inquire of your partner: Do you ever doubt your own salvation and perhaps wonder, "What if after all I should be lost?"

Watch for either extreme in the answer: Cocky certainty, on the one hand or dark introspection, on the other. If it would seem helpful, let your heart roam over the implications of the added texts listed here in the guide. All men need a deeper appreciation of their own depravity. Also this will fortify them for their struggle with others they attempt to help.

Note: Skipping most of Chapter 2 in the guide was on purpose, since our aim is not to teach the book of John. We will only employ those texts best fitted for our purposes.

3:16 Citing the word "perish" might sharpen their sense of urgency.

A Final Word
I will not yield to the temptation to comment on through the guide. You pray and earnestly ask God to lead you into those areas of discussion which will be most helpful. I know He will.

In conclusion, I remind you that the main aims are:

1. Find out what the individual knows --truly knows -- about the basic doctrines and then personally lead him into a deeper understanding.

2. Learn how he is doing in his own life. What is he like behind the closed doors of his home? Is there liberty in prayer between husband and wife, meaningful family worship, discipline, personal purity, love and self-control - Are hidden habits corroding the life?

This two-pronged approach of covering duty plus doctrine, if carried forward in the Spirit's power, ought to assist any willing believer into a meaningful life of fellowship, fruit, victory.

Amen!

REMEMBER TO REREAD THE PRECEDING PAGES OFTEN. BE SURE TO INFORM THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH OF THOSE WITH WHOM YOU ARE WORKING.

GUIDE THOUGHTS
Chapters 1-3 (John 1:12)
(Key verses are from John. Please check by these in your Bible for possible discussion along the lines suggested.)

1:1 What is meant by the term "Word"? Which verse in the first portion of the chapter most clearly indicates the answer to this question? (v 14). Jesus as the Word is the very expression of God.

1:14 Through miraculous birth from the Virgin, the Son also took on a human nature. Thus, this wondrous Person has two natures. He is God and man united forever. (Help No1).

1:18 Note that Jesus as the WORD of God meets man's basic need to know God. He is the explanation, the declaration of God.

1:29 Next, the Son is presented as the LAMB of God. As such He meets our other great need -- to be right with God, to be righteous. He takes away sin once and for all -- as guilt. Then there is daily cleansing, 1 John 1:9.

1:40ff A witness true. Note chain reaction. We must share Jesus.

1:50 Great things are ahead.

2:23ff The sinful condition of man is treacherous and deceptive, cf. 3:19f, 36; Rom. 3:10-23;
Ps.51:5 (Help No.2)

3:16 In love, God plans man's redemption. Otherwise, men perish.

3:3ff & 1:12f Becoming a Christian is to begin a wonderful, new life, 1John 3:1 & Eph. 2:19.

CHAPTERS 4-5 (1 Cor 10:13)

4: Witnessing: Jesus to the woman and the woman to others. Note especially, 28f, 39 and then v. 35 along with Mat. 4:19, Acts 1:8. Has there been any progress in your effort to witness?

4:23 Worship and prayer in general: How would you define worship? Look at Psalm 8.

5:14 Sin is a serious matter. This is especially so when there is a helpless returning to the same sin.

I Cor. 6:9f; Gal. 5:19?21; Eph. 5:3?7. The way out: 1John 1:7?9; John 8:36.

5:18 Equal with God
5:21-29 Son is Author of Life:
Creating, 1:3f
Bringing spiritual life, 5:24f
One day opening graves, 5:28f (Help No3)

5:39 Through the Bible (and prayer) we fellowship with, and learn of Jesus, 2 Tim. 3:16f. Scripture is God's vital testimony to His Son. Where are you reading daily in the Bible now? Or, do you just read different places at different times?


CHAPTERS 6-8 (Acts 1:8)

6: Consecration and Fellowship with Christ

6:9 He can use what we have and multiply it. Are you ever held back by feelings of inadequacy? Perhaps feeling along and inferior too much? Cf.Rom. 12::1-2 (Help No4)

6:35 Satisfaction. What is this hungering and thirsting? A sense of unmet need. Any need.

6:37 Assurance. (You are the Father's gift to the Son and He will keep you, 39, 44.)

6:48-58 Intimacy of eating and drinking teaches our sharing in Christ. He is our Redeemer. His life is ours.

6:64 Can't hide sin!

7:7, 12, 43 Divisions come because of Christ. Stand true, Mat. 10:28?39.
(If needed, have ready I Cor. 7:12-16 etc)

7:15f, 46 You too may have God's power in the Holy Spirit. Promised by Jesus to make His presence and power real to us and real to others through us, 37-39.

8: Who Jesus is (vss. 12 to end)
8:24 Why is it so important to have correct understanding about Jesus? Did He exist before His birth on that first Christmas? See 23, 58; 1:1?3

8:29 A good life?rule. Cf. Col. 3:17. Avoid questionable things. (Help No4)

8:42, 47 Compare these with 44 and see why some folks act as they do!

9:4 Urgency of the work.

9:16 Division.

9:25 You too can so testify, even though only a beginner.

9:39 Christ destroys man's false fronts, exposing him and bringing out the true, inner condition of the life.
10: Oursweet rest in the Good Shepherd's care

His protection, 10-13, Satan is real personal being. (Help No5)

His Personal Attention, 14

His Provisions: redemption price, 15 and daily spiritual and physical needs

Comfort of future hope in Jesus, 1-3. Where is Jesus now? What is He doing? See Heb. 7:25. (Help No3)

Prayer in His name, 12-14. See 1 Thes. 5:17

Help of Holy Spirit, 10-26 (Help No1)

Fruit of Spirit, Gal. 5:22f

Good deeds

Reproduction through our witness

15:2 What happens to those who are without fruit? What does the Vinedresser do to those who do bring forth fruit?

15:3 What is God's preferred instrument of pruning? What else might He use?

15:7 Note important relation between Word and our abiding in Christ. What are the conditions for this broad promise of answered prayer? Now notice marked connection between fruit and prayer by reading this verse (7) with 8. See it also in v. 16 and in 14:12-14.

15:9, 15 How many are the privileges of being His!

15:18-21 Cf. notes on 7:7 and 10:19. See also Mat. 5:44.

15:22-25 Cf. 9:39 note.

15:26f Spirit's aid in testimony, cf. Acts 5:32. Note all three Persons of Trinity in 15:26 and 14:16.

(Help No1)


CHAPTERS 16, 17 (Rom. 8:28)

16:1-4 Ministry of the Holy Spirit (Help No1) cf. 15:18-21 16:7-16

Convincing of sin, 8ff

Regenerating, 3:5-8

Comforting, 14:16-18

Manifesting Jesus, 14:21; 16:10, 14-16 (Thus, making us like Jesus,Gal.5:22f.)

Teaching, 14:26; 16:12f; 1 John 2:20, 27

Empowering to witness, 15:20f; Acts 1:8