September 27, 2026
TEXT: I John 2:1-6
Introduction: “My little children” The Epistles are written to believers.
The Epistles are about living the Christian life in real life as a child of God personally or as a church collectively II Corinthians 6:13; Galatians 4:19; I John 2:1; 3:18; III John 4
“Beloved” Hebrews 6:9; James 1:16, 19; 2:5; I Peter 2:11; 4:12; II Peter 1:17; 3:1, 8, 14-17; I John 3:2, 21; 4:1, 7, 11; III John 2, 5, 11; Jude 3, 17, 20
I. God wants those created in His image to have relationship with Him (vv. 1-2)
A. God’s Word helps us know God in His greatness, goodness, and holiness
B. God’s Word helps us to trust in God’s redemption from our sins
C. God’s Word helps us to live to God’s glory as His children in doing His will
D. God’s Word helps us to benefit from our advocate with God for forgiveness
E. God’s Word helps us to share God’s propitiation with others through Jesus Christ
II. God’s wants us to know Him and know we are His child (vv. 3-4)
A. God wants us to be aware of His great love for us
B. God wants us to perceive the greatness of life lived with Him
C. God wants sinners to experience His new birth in them spiritually & live life in relationship with Him daily
D. God wants us to be confident in our eternal relationship with Him
1. By seeing the difference being made alive spiritually makes in their life
2. By benefitting from the Holy Spirit living in their spirit to make them alive spiritually
3. By resisting sin more often with the help of the Holy Spirit in their spirit
4. By being motivated to repent of sins they commit and seek to obey better
5. By being able to understand the Bible more and more as they read it and hear it
6. By desiring God and His Word in their life more and more as God’s child
E. God wants us to be able to explain to others how they can receive Him by faith
F. God wants us to be sure about how He wants His children to live life here on earth
G. God wants us to understand His will for His children in His work on earth; God uses both forms of knowledge to help us in our relationship with Him I John 2:20; I John 5:20
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true,
even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
III. God wants His children to follow the example of His Son their Saviour (vv. 5-6)
A. Follow Jesus’ example of doing God’s will (v. 5a; John 4:34; 17:4)
B. Follow Jesus’ example of abiding in God’s love (v. 5b; John 15:10-11)
C. Follow Jesus’ example of proclaiming God’s Word (v. 6; John 15:15)
D. Follow Jesus’ example of living God’s way (v. 6; John 8:29; 14:31)