 Good morning, everyone. Welcome to BC103, class on New Testament survey, even before we could begin our session today on 1st, 2nd and 3rd, John, I request one of y'all to please lead us in prayer. Father God, we thank you for this wonderful time and we come before your throne and we submit all the students in your hand. Give us the wisdom and knowledge that we can understand your word from Bible and whatever we will learn today, give us the revelation, new revelation that we can know something new from your word God. Amen. Amen. So last class we studied on which are the two letters that we studied yesterday, James and 1st and 2nd Peter we studied on. So today we would be covering 1st, 2nd and 3rd John along with the letter to Jude in the 3rd arm. Okay, so I request y'all, okay, I see Abinas has joined the class. Sorry, you're using, okay, just give me a minute, please. Okay, let's turn to 1st John, 1st John chapter 1. Okay, so who's the author of this letter? Okay, let me share the presentation. Everyone can view the presentation. Okay, and the voice is audible. Okay, thank you, thank you. So let me check if I change. Okay, the presentation is changed. Okay, so who's the author of this letter 1st, 2nd and 3rd John? Apostle John. Okay, so John the Apostle who wrote the Gospel of John is the same person who's the author of 1st, 2nd and 3rd John. So in 1st John is referred to the Book of Love. The 1st letter to John is referred to as the Book of Love. So John is often referred as a disciple of Jesus Christ, Jesus loved, whom Jesus loved. Even when we studied the Gospel of John, he addressed himself saying that the disciple whom Jesus loved. So he is sometimes called as the Apostle of Love because it's primarily because, you know, in the 1st Book of John that he gives this title. And the same thing is used like love is used more in this little book than in any other book. It is used over 50 times in this little book than in any other book. So that may be one of the reasons why they have titled this letter as the Book of Love. So John, as we read through the letter, we see that John was concerned about the lack of true Christian love among the body of believers. That may be one of the reason why Apostle John is emphasizing on love. We also see that John was also concerned about the heresy that was spreading across the place where they were ministering to on Gnosticism. Because it was particularly concerned about the teaching on Gnosticism that was against the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Where the Gnosticism believed that all matter was evil. And they also believed that the spirit was good. And in order for Jesus to be fully God and fully human, it was impossible for Jesus to be in flesh and in blood. So the Gnosticism questioned the deity of Jesus Christ of being 100% man and 100% God. Gnosticism also believed that Christ did not literally die on the cross but he just appeared to be on the cross. So this was the teaching, this was the false teaching that was spreading across the region of which Apostle Paul was concerned about. So Paul was writing to encourage the believers in that place and he gives certain reason from this letter for the believers of the church to hold upon. He says that we need to encourage ourselves in prayer so that we may have fellowship with God. And through that fellowship we might have joy in fullness. He also says when we pray and when we are connected with Jesus Christ, we may not fall into any sin. He also instructs saying that when we are connected with Jesus, hardly we will be deceived with any of these false heresies that is spreading. And he also assured when we believe Jesus Christ, when we believe on Jesus Christ, we have the eternal life. And he continues to share the gospel by saying that Jesus was the true Messiah. He was the Son of God. This is what has been shared in the first letter to John. With that we will move on to the second letter. As he's been the same author, the first letter emphasized more on love. That's why the first letter to John was addressed as book of love. Now the second letter to John has been addressed as the book of truth. Second letter to John has been addressed as the book of truth. Because this letter focuses on having the love and the truth is by walking in the truth. So the second letter to John in the New Testament is addressed specifically addressed to a woman by saying the elect lady and a children. The letter is addressed to the elect lady and a children. Or in the other versions we find the chosen lady and a children. This is just exactly, you know, some of the scholars may say this is just the personification of the universal church. Where the church has been addressed as the mother church and the believers as the children. But in this case, Apostle John is not writing to a universal church because the second letter was not circulated to all the churches for us to go with that. But then he clearly mentions it is to elect lady, it is to a chosen lady. That means there was a woman in leadership in the church of Babylon to whom he has been addressing to. So even in the scriptures when we read verse 4 in second John, when we read verse 4, the first, sorry, we'll read from verse 1 onwards to the elect lady and a children whom I love and truth and not only I, but also all those who know the truth. And I'm moving on to verse 4. I rejoiced greatly that I found some of your children walking in truth as we received commandment from the fathers. So here we see that and also can I request one of you all to read verse 10 and 11 and 13. 10, 11 and verse 13. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house and welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. Verse 13, the children of your sister who is chosen by God send their greetings. Thank you. So what we see verse 4, we see that they had believing children were obedient to the truth. And again in verse 10, we see that she has used a home for the church gathering, for the church people to meet there. So the believers to meet and worship God. We also see in verse 11 that she was known for a tremendous hospitality towards greeting one another. And also verse 13 we see that you know her knees and nephews were friends with John. So with that we will move on to the third letter to John. So third letter to John has about 14 verses. So the first letter to John talks about the book of love. The second letter talks about the book of truth where he emphasizes on truth. And even in the third letter we see that this letter also emphasizes the truth. So it is known as the book of truth. But more on the practical side of walking in truth rather than having a doctrinal front, but then more towards practical side where we can walk in truth. So the third John was written to a man named Gaius. The third letter was addressed to a man named Gaius. There are several men by the name of Gaius in the New Testament. So how do we separate which Gaius was this? When we read through the book of Acts 19, there was a man of Macedonia who traveled with Apostle Paul. And his name was also Gaius. And there was another man who also traveled with Apostle Paul when we read through Acts chapter 20 verse 4. We see that there was another man from Derby who accompanied Paul in his missionary journey. And the third man, he was a resident at the Church of Corinth who was baptized by Apostle Paul. And he hosted Apostle Paul when he wrote the book of Romans. But this guy is to whom Apostle John is addressing to was the person who was ministered by Apostle John himself. He was the convert or he was the person who was ministered by Apostle John in his ministry. And he came to receive, he received Jesus as the Lord and Savior in his ministry. So here Apostle John is mentioning to the guy is whom he has encountered in his ministry. So can I request you all to please turn to third John and read chapter 1 to 4 please. Sorry verse 1 to 4. Hello good morning, can you hear me? One person read verse 1 to 4 and the other read from verse 5 to 8. Can you hear me? To the beloved guys, I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers. For I rejoice greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved you, do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for the strangers who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well because they went forth for his name's sake taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore are to receive such that we may become fellow workers for the truth. Thank you. Can I request you all to read, I mean the whole chapter 9 to 12 and the other person 13 to 14. I wrote to the children, but Deotrifice, who loves to have the premences, premenence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds, which he does, pertaining against us with malicious words and not content with that. He himself does not receive the brethren and forbids those who wish to putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all and from the truth itself. And we also were witness and you know that our testimony is true. The last two words please. I have many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pain and ink. But I hope to see you shortly and we shall speak face to face, peace to you, our friends, our friends, greet you, greet the friends by name. Thank you. So what we learn from this letter is that Gaius was a person who was converted or ministered by Apostle John in his ministry. And he seemed to be a respected leader in the church and he was a man who walked out of his faith. And also we see that he is noted for his good nature and hospitality. At the same time, we also see there's another person called Deotrophus. We read about him in verse 9. Deotrophus was a man who was self-seeking and a troublemaker. He caused a lot of cures among the people. He was not ready to host or have any missionaries or any people who were visiting the church or treating them well. In fact, he also stopped from others hosting the guest in their house. So John writes in this letter saying that, I wrote to the church but Deotrophus, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing because he was spreading maliceous message against the church with others. And he was not satisfied with that and he even refused to welcome other believers into home. And he also went beyond and stopped from the other believers who were hosting the guest at home. So he says that when I come, I will try to bring a correction to Deotrophus. So it looks like Deotrophus is the leadership and he seemed to be an influential member in that local church. And he was not very supportive to what Gaius was doing. He seemed to be always opposing the church authority against hosting the believers at home. So on the other hand, John commends Gaius for his good nature, for showing the hospitality to the itrant preachers or the visiting preachers who are visiting the church to share the gospel or pass through the city. So we see that John knew what the people need there. So he is encouraging the people. In the first letter, we see that he is asking them to follow the commandment of Jesus. Love yourself and love your neighbors. Love the Lord your God and love your neighbors as your self. So he is talking more about love and faithfulness that is required by God. And here we see that he is also encouraging Gaius for the good nature that he has and he is commanding him for his hospitality towards the preachers. Yeah, we also see that the period of this letter that was written, it was approximately written at written from Ephesus just before John's exile to Pachmos between 85 to 90 AD. So when we go through the first John, let's turn to first John. First John, we see there were five chapters. The first chapter to second chapter was 11. We see that it talks about living in the light. That means living a clean life, a life of obedience where we see that when we live a life of obedience, there's a reward to it. So he's also encouraging how do we live a life of obedience is only by having a fellowship among the believers of Christ is where you can live a life of obedience and live a life in light. And in chapter 2, chapter 2 verse 12 to 27, he's talking about discerning life. That is how do you discern? It is very important to discern to stay in that light of life. So he's encouraging the believers to perceive the truth to perceive the Holy One. That is Jesus Christ that we may not fall into any sin nature. So again in chapter 2 verse 28 to chapter 3 to mid of chapter 3. Here Apostle John is encouraging and talking about loving life. He talks about love, the practicing, the righteousness and love toward God. Actually from chapter 2 to chapter 5, he talks about responding to God's love. So how do we respond to God's love? We all know that God is love and here Apostle John is encouraging each of the believers. How do we respond to God in love? So he is saying by pursuing him more deeper, much closer, follow the truth and the truth will set you free. So that there were a lot of gnostism, the false heresies were spreading. So one way that the disciples held on to it, even as we studied the Gospels, you see that even the Paul and Epistles, we see that Apostle Paul never went on to talk about the heresies and to give any explanation. But the thing that he did was he emphasized on the Gospel message, he emphasized on the truth. Here Apostle John is also doing the same thing to come against the heresy of Gnosticism. He emphasizes the truth. He shares the Gospel message and he shares it with love of God by having confident knowing that if you know God, he is love. Loving God and he shares the Gospel in this way so that the people may not fall into the deception of Gnosticism. And let us to first John talks about Jesus is the word of life who is God come in the flesh to bring eternal life to those who believe him. This is the message that Apostle John is sharing to the church in first letter. In second letter, we see that one chapter with about 13 scripture verses, he starts with introduction and goes on to talk about walk in truth. He is emphasizing on truth, walk in truth and in love, stand against any evil. So he is actually emphasizing the truth and in letter three is actually sharing on the practical side. That is, as he emphasized on the truth, he is also encouraging the believers to put it in practice, walk in that truth, walk in that truth. And here he is addressing this letter to guys and he is encouraging guys for the good nature that he has and them so that they may not be carried over by the other. We are confronting the church that is deotrophis. Okay, one of the reason why Apostle John is emphasizing the first letter about love and the second and third letter. He emphasizes on truth and the practical side of truth, which is practical side of truth is because he was one of the eyewitness who witnessed Jesus as flesh and blood. Because this was the heresy that was been spreading by the Gnosticism that Jesus was not 100% man and 100% God. They were questioning the deity, they were questioning of his human nature. So John being the eyewitness of Jesus is saying that I have seen and heard Jesus personally with my own eyes and ears. So he goes ahead and says that I have touched Jesus, I have handled him because he moved very closely with Jesus. And he said, he affirmed saying that Jesus was in flesh and in blood and we must receive this truth because I have seen him. John is also gives a description of Jesus saying that he is the true Son of God. He is the advocate with the Father and he is our propitiation for our sin. And he is the only one and he is the true Christ. He is affirming the deity of Christ Jesus. He is also depicting of someone who is born of God. He is talking about you and I. When we receive Jesus as a Lord and Saviour, we have been born of God. So when we have been born of God, we should keep his word. As John defended Jesus, now he is telling each of our believers, he is instructing the believers as you believe Jesus is the Lord and Saviour. So this is something that has been expected from you that you need to keep the word. You need to practice righteousness so that we may not fall into sin. And when we practice righteousness and keep the word, it is easy for us to love God and love others. And it is easy for us to believe that Jesus is the true Son of God through which we can overcome the word. And also John compares between God's love and our love in the first letter. So he says God's love for man is manifested on the cross. How? Because Father loved us so much. John 3.16, he is disemphasizing on the scripture saying that God so loved us that he sent his only begotten Son into this world to lay down his life for you and me. He gave his spirit to us so that we can be called, we can call our Father and we can call us his children. The restoration between the Father and the child or the sonship relationship between God and us has been restored. And now he goes ahead and explains the love for God from us. How love for God should be manifested in us. That is by reading the word and keeping the commandment. And knowing that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son because that was the heresy that was spreading and questioning. So he's saying he's emphasizing on that we need to believe if we are the child of God, then we need to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And love God and love others because this was the commandment given by Jesus to us. Because this was the lack in the church those days. The Christian love was not the true love that they carry. So John had to emphasize on that love. If you love God, then you need to love others. You need to love others as yourself. In fact, Jesus laid down his life for us so that we may love each other and lay down our life for others. That's nothing but he's saying just like what Paul preached, Apostle Paul preached. Consider others better than yourself. Put others before us. Share your position in love, not just in words, but in action. Show in the practical side. So well, in the third John, he emphasizes on the Eiteran ministry. The people, the ministry leaders whom John is sending from church to church and he's encouraging the believers in the church to host these people in their house and show them a good hospitality. And he also commends guys for showing the hospitality to these Eiteran preachers or the ministry leaders. And he's also encouraging the other believers saying that you need to host people in your home who come to share the word of God and show them the good hospitality. Treat people as how you treat God. In this third letter, he's also mentioning about another person called Demetrius who has a very good testimony. He has led a good life. So he's also encouraging people saying that he has a good testimony and he has led a good life in relation to the truth. But do not be like Demetrius who's against the church, who's a self seeking, who stops from doing good to the believers and to the church leaders. So with that, we complete the letter to John. But what is our learning from this three letters? What is our learning? What is apostle John trying to share a message through this letter to each of us today? How are we being ministered through this letter? Anyone from the class? Yes. From the first letter to love God and love others as God loves us. And from the next two letters, hold on to the truth that you may not fall prey to any of the false teaching. And let this truth be the practical side when you hold on to the truth. That means God is asking us to love God and love others. So we need to love our brothers and sisters in the same way how we love God. So when we love God, we need to be hospitable towards others, posting others in love, taking care of them, putting their need as the priority. So we need to be mindful of others and have the Christ likeness, the Christ like nature in us. That should be the learning from this letter. So we can take a short break and join back for the second letter. So we will give a 10 minute break and join back for the letter on Jude. Okay class. Okay. Thank you so much. So we will take a break and join again. Thank you. God bless.