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Show Me the Way

(Finding Assurance of My Salvation)
PURPOSE !o hel" #y students gain assurance of their salvation$ O!%ER !&!'E OP!&O(S )Without a *ou+t,- )&n Search of .ertaintyMA!ER&A'S (EE*E* !wo gos"el tracts for each student. I recommend either Steps to Peace With God, by Billy Graham, or The Four Spiritual Laws by Bill Bright. (We will use one this week and next as well. Why repeat it? Remember that it takes time or things to sink in. In Billy Graham crusades, a person usually has to attend about three nights be ore he!she will make a decision." !he song The Wall, +y /ansas, or Show Me the Way, +y Sty0, i you choose to use this option.

%&(! #ou may be able to get more than two lessons out o this. I you generate a lot o discussion or $ust see that you%re running short o time, wrap things up and co&er the rest another week. 'his is too important to skim through.

Introduction
'o kick o common. this lesson, I%ll describe two guys and then ask you what they ha&e in

'he irst guy is an incredi+le foot+all "layer. (e was a record)setting, pro essional superstar * the type hero that many athletes would worship. But while this +uick and power ul running back was con ident on the playing ield, he wasn%t so con ident about a bigger issue. ,ne day, an inter&iewer asked him what he eared ) an interesting +uestion or a player so +uick and power ul that his opponents eared him. But his answer was re&ealing. What did he ear? In his own words, Dying and going to hell. But hope don!t, "ecause !#e "een a good person. $Found in Sports %aga&ine' 'he second guy is .hris Farley, the comedian$ -an you name some o the '. shows and mo&ies he played in? ((ere are some/ Saturday (ight Li#e, To))y Boy, Blac* Sheep, Be#erly +ills (in,a, -dwards and +unt, t!s a Dog!s Li.e and /l)ost +eroes.' Be ore he died in 0112 at 33 years o age he re&ealed his serious side in an inter&iew. (e admitted, Lust, gluttony, "oo&e and drugs are )ost o. the things con.ess to. can!t help it. hope to God that God will .orgi#e )e )y sins. don!t *now. $!S(L! alu)!s death echoes Belushi!s,4 'he 5tlanta 6ournal and -onstitution, by 7yle .. (arris, 08)01)12, p. G98"

ID-.: Consider *sing and dis/*ssing the songs Show Me the Way "Sty0) or The Wall "1y 2erry #i gren of 2ansas%) "Don3t /onf*se the latter with the 4in$ 5loyd song +y the same Title%) 1oth songs 6aint a i id 6i/t*re of the agony of s6irit*al do*+t% Dis/*ss the songs after they are 6layed% #i gren later +e/ame a Christian, and has a 6owerf*l testimony%

DISCUSSION: So, what did these guys ha#e in co))on0 $Were all outwardly success.ul, "ut inwardly they were trou"led "ecause they didn!t *now whether or not they would go to hea#en.'

'hese three guys had what most people think it takes to be happy. 'he irst was a success ul athlete, the second a success ul entertainer. But their outward success didn%t gi&e them an inward peace. 5nd no matter how much ame we achie&e or money we gain in this li e, we can still go to bed at night earing the uture i we ha&en%t dealt with our spiritual doubts. :o this week and next, we%re going to attack our doubts head on. -ould anything be more important than making sure we ha&e a place reser&ed or us in hea&en? 5s 6esus put it, What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his ery self! "#$% &:'() 7et%s pray as we begin. ;ach o you pray silently that God will speak to you today to clear up whate&er doubts you are acing.

&$ &s .ertainty Possi+le1

&*EA 2ideo &nterviews. Go out during the week and ask students or people in general i they think a person can really know or sure, this side o hea&en, whether God will let them into hea&en or not. :how portions o the &ideo to introduce this point to your class. 'his is the irst big hurdle to cross. <any people don%t think anyone can know or sure where they would go i they died today. :o let%s go to the Bible to see what it says. Who will read I 6ohn =/03 or us?

I write these things to yo* who +elie e in the name of the Son of ,od so that yo* may $now that yo* ha e eternal life%

*iscussion What does this &erse say to those who don%t belie&e they can ha&e assurance o their sal&ation? (We can know that we ha&e eternal li e." :o i it%s possible to know that we ha&e eternal li e, nothing is more important or us to igure out while we%re here on earth. (ow can we get that assurance?

&&$ %ow *o & .lear U" My *ou+ts1

When we recei&e 6esus (6ohn 0/08", we recei&e (is :pirit (Rom. >/1" who leads us (>/0?", gi&es us a relationship with God (Rom. >/0=", and testi ies with our spirit that we are (is children (>/0@A cr. I 6n. 3/8?A ?/03". :o God%s :pirit has a part in assuring us o our sal&ation. *&S.USS&O( But according to the &erse we $ust read (I 6ohn =/03," some -hristians still ha&e doubts. What do you think causes doubts? (7et them respond." 'his week and next, we%ll try to help the common kinds o doubters we ind. I none o these doubters look like you, then let%s talk urther a ter the series is o&er.

*ou+ter 34 )!heodore !hin5er- (Bot to be con used with 'heodore 1lea#er,

better know as The Bea#er." * !he Sy#"to#s !) ,ust not sure the Bi"le is God!s Word. When 'heodore thinks about other religions, he wonders i they might be right and -hristians might be wrong. When he sees hypocritical -hristians and all the e&il in the world, he wonders i God might not be so good a ter all. Co you doubt your sal&ation because you ha&e doubts about the Bible? !he Prescri"tion 'oo5 u" these verses to find a "rescri"tion for see5ers$ I you%re not sure about the bible, take the prescription yoursel . I that%s not your problem, listen care ully so that youDll know how to help others. Who will read each o the ollowing &erses? 5 ter each is read, someone else tell me how you think this &erse applies to E'heodore 'hinker.4

%int/ Con%t tell students the principle ( or example, EFray4" be ore they read each &erse. I they can draw the principle out o the :criptures themsel&es, then they will a) realiGe that they can understand and apply :cripture themsel&es +) remember it better c) stay awake longer during the lesson (since they are in&ol&ed" d) understand that the authority or these answers rests in the Word o God, not you.

4$ Pray

This is the /onfiden/e that we ha e in a66roa/hing ,od: that if we as$ anything a//ording to his will, he hears *s% .nd if we $now that he hears *s 7 whate er we as$ 8 we $now that we ha e what we as$ed of him% (& 6n$ 7 48,47) *iscussion :omeone tell me in your own words what this &erse is saying. (I we ask God or something that%s in (is will or us to ha&e, we%ll get it." (ow does this apply to people who aren%t sure i the Bible is true? (We know it is God%s will or us to belie&e. :o i they ask God regularly to show them that the Bible is the Word o God, (e will answer." & 6n$ 7 48,47 * /s* is in the Greek present tense, which could be translated continually as*. :o, this &erse doesn%t promise that a person who asks only once should expect an immediate answer. &''US!RA!&O( Da#e was a co))itted 1hristian student, who not only stayed out o. trou"le and attended youth .ellowships, "ut had also led )any others to 1hrist. But in his own heart, he was trou"led "y dou"ts a"out the 1hristian .aith. So he "egan to pray regularly that God would show hi) the truth. 2#er ti)e, and "y applying the .ollowing principles, God helped hi) o#erco)e his dou"ts. 5re you troubled by doubts about the Bible? 'hen pray daily that God will lead you out o doubt and into aith. (In some groups it would be appropriate to ask a &olunteer to pray out loud or those in the group who struggle with doubts."

9$ :e willing to follow 6esus

"9es*s is s6ea$ing) If anyone /hooses to do ,od3s will, he will find o*t whether my tea/hing /omes from ,od or whether I s6ea$ on my own% "9ohn ::;:) *iscussion ,kay, in your own words, what is this &erse saying? (I we%re willing to obey God, we will know whether or not what 6esus said was rom God." :o, i you%re a E'heodore 'hinker,4 what do you do with this principle? (-heck your heart to make sure you%re willing to ollow God." &''US!RA!&O( Ste#e, a student at the 3ni#ersity o. Georgia, was sharing his .aith with a s*eptical student, who said he had intellectual pro"le)s with the 1hristian .aith. Ste#e wanted to cut through the .lu.. and )a*e sure where the real road"loc* was. So he as*ed, . could de)onstrate to you that 4esus really did all the )iracles +e clai)ed to do, pulled o.. +is own resurrection, and was truly the Son o. God, would you "e willing to gi#e +i) your li.e0 The student *ind o. s)iled and said, suppose that!s the real pro"le). !) ,ust not willing to gi#e up )y partying. 'his guy had a heart problem that was disguised as a head problem. I you want to clear up your doubts, make sure that you%re heart is open. I you%re not willing to ollow God, don%t expect (im to clear up all your doubts $ust to satis y your curiosity. RE2&EW :o, i you%re a 'heodore 'hinker, start by praying, then check your willingness.

;$ Read the :i+le

Conse<*ently, faith /omes from hearing the message, and the message is heard thro*gh the word of Christ% (Ro#$ 4< 4=) *&S.USS&O( In the light o this passage, what should a doubter do? (Read the Bible." O:6E.! 'ESSO( ((old up a sealed en&elope." 'ell me, do you belie&e the contents o this letter? ('hey will respond, E(ow can we? We don%t e&en know what it says." Right. 5nd many people who doubt the Bible don%t e&en know what it says. <any ind that their +uestions are answered by simply reading the Bible. ;&en i you%re not sure i the Bible is true, read some in it each day. Because .aith co)es .ro) hearing the )essage.

8$ Study the evidence

"S6ea$ing of 9es*s) .fter his s*ffering, he showed himself to these men and ga e many /on in/ing 6roofs that he was ali e%"./ts ;:=) *&S.USS&O( Is God against using e&idence to pro&e our aith? (Bo. I 6esus ga&e Emany con&incing proo s4 or (is resurrection, then e&idence is not a bad thing."

&''US!RA!&O( 5e)e)"er Da#e, the high school student who was trou"led with 6uestions. +e went through this whole process. +e prayed, chec*ed his heart, continued to read the Bi"le, and .inally "egan to do so)e serious study o. e#idence .or the 1hristian .aith. +e read "oo*s li*e 4osh %cDowell!s More Than a Car6enter, and - iden/e That Demands a >erdi/t. -#entually, God used these "oo*s to gi#e hi) a solid .aith, and help hi) to reach others. :o, doubts can be a way to a stronger aith and more power ul ministry, i you attack your doubts by seeking God. Remember 6esus% disciple that some call ECoubting 'homas?4 (e said that he wouldn%t belie&e in 6esus% resurrection until he saw the nail marks in his hands, put his inger in the nail holes, and his hands in to his side. (6ohn 89/8?,8=" 5 week later, 6esus appeared to (im. 5nd instead o rebuking him, (e showed him the e&idence. (e told 'homas, 4*t yo*r finger here? see my hands% @ea/h o*t yo*r hand and 6*t it into my side% Sto6 do*+ting and +elie e% Thomas said to him, My #ord and my ,odA "9ohn 'B:':,'C) I you eel that a book like %ore Than a 1arpenter would be help ul to you, tell me a ter class and I%ll get you a copy.

*ou+ter 39 )Forgetful Fred!he sy#"to#s prayed a prayer .or sal#ation years ago, "ut now can!t re)e)"er e7actly what thought and prayed. What i. really didn!t understand0 ,ther people dri t away rom God a ter their decision or -hrist. 5nd as they look at the way they li&e, they wonder they wonder i they were e&er really sa&ed at all. &''US!RA!&O( +a#e you e#er had an e#ent that you had to wa*e up really early .or, and your parents weren!t around to )a*e sure you were up0 Whene#er set )y cloc* .or so)ething really i)portant, usually turn o.. the la)p, "ut then "egin to wonder i. really set it .or /% instead o. P%, or whether le.t the alar) switch on or o... So roll "ac* o#er, turn on the la)p and chec* the alar) to )a*e sure set it right. thin* it!s only natural that when you!#e got a lot riding on so)ething, you want to )a*e sure you!#e done it right. For so)e o. you, it!s ti)e to dou"le chec* to )a*e sure your sal#ation is secure. !he Prescri"tion >ou can solve this "ro+le# +y co#ing +efore ?od with a +oo5let that e0"lains how to +eco#e a .hristian$ ((and out the booklet o your choice. I recommend either The Four Spiritual Laws by -ampus -rusade or -hrist, or Steps to Peace With God, by Billy Graham." :imply pray, God, 8ou *now the dou"ts that !#e "een struggling with. )ay ha#e already )ade this decision "e.ore, "ut can!t rest until )a*e sure. don!t want to go another day without *nowing that !) really headed .or hea#en. 5t this point, go through the booklet page by page, reading the :cripture and making sure you understand it all. :incerely pray the prayer at the end.

&''US!RA!&O( 2ne student wrote his na)e and the date on the "ac* o. the tract. Then he loc*ed it in a s)all sa.e he *ept in his "edroo). /.ter that, whene#er Satan ca)e to hi) with dou"ts a"out what he said or thought or did when he recei#ed 1hrist, he si)ply too* the "oo*let out o. his sa.e so that he could see e7actly what he had done.

-,B-7H:I,B
5s we said at the beginning, there%s nothing more important than making sure you are headed or hea&en. 7ook o&er the booklet by yoursel today be ore you go to bed. Fray the prayer i you%re ready and are uncertain whether or not you did it right in the past. 5nd don%t miss next week, when we%ll talk about other problems that make us doubt. Who will pray or us as we dismiss?

Show Me the Way

(Finding Assurance of My Salvation)

Wee5 9

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MA!ER&A'S (EE*E* A "encil and "a"er for each s#all grou" to record their insights$ A "encil and "a"er for each student to list his sins$ Enough tracts for the entire grou"$ (& re/ommend The 5o*r S6irit*al #aws, +y :ill :right, or Ste6s to 4ea/e With ,od, +y :illy ?raha#$)

&ntroduction
&''US!RA!&O( t was the 9:;< World Series, the "otto) o. the ninth inning, and Goose Goslin $who was e#entually inducted into the hall o. .a)e' was up to "at .or the Washington Generals. The Generals were down one run and desperately needed to tie it up. The pitcher .ired the "all. Goslin connected, sprinted .or .irst "ase, then rounded second and third as the Generals! .ans cheered hi) on. /nd !) sure they went a"solutely wild in that .inal stretch as they watched hi) "eat the "all to ho)e plate. But to e#eryone!s utter dis)ay, the u)pire ruled hi) out. +e was o"#iously sa.e. Was this o..icial "lind0 The u)pire stepped up to the )ic, cal)ed the .urious crowd, and e7plained, The runner )issed .irst "ase. ((eard rom a speaker. Con%t ha&e documentation." :ome o you are doing some neat things or God. #ou%&e made some positi&e changes in your li e. #ou attend -hristian meetings. #ou may e&en pray, read the Bible, and tell others about 6esus. But although things on the outside are looking up, you still can%t get that peace on the inside that they are right with God. Ferhaps the problem is that although you are doing a lot o -hristian things, you ne&er started the -hristian li e right. 7ike Goose Goslin, you%re sprinting around the bases, but you ne&er really touched irst base. 7ast week we began a series that we entitled, E:how <e 'he Way,4 to learn how we can gain an assurance o our own sal&ation, how we can know that we%re right with God, how we can be certain that i we died today, that we%d be in hea&en tomorrow. 'oday, we want to make sure that we%&e all touched irst base. PRA>ER I%ll gi&e you a moment to pray silently that God will touch your heart as we co&er perhaps the most important message you could e&er hear. &''US!RA!&O( n a pri#ate con#ersation, a con.ident, cool high school student was as*ed i. he ga#e any thought to spiritual things. +e answered, Do* $now, sometimes I stay *6 nights E*st wondering if I3m going to hea en when I die% We!re doing this series to help you clear up those agoni&ing dou"ts. RE2&EW@*&S.USS&O( 7ast week we tried to help two doubters, Theodore Thin*er and Forget.ul Fred. What caused E'heodore%s4 doubts? What would you suggest to help him? What about EIorget ul Ired?4 Bow let%s meet Dry -yed Donna.

*ou+ter 3; )*ry Eyed *onna-

!he Sy#"to#s ) didn=t get e)otional when recei#ed 1hrist. Conna sees some people get &ery emotional when they recei&e -hrist. :ince she didn%t, she wonders i her experience was or real. &''US!RA!&O( / high school student went .orward at a re#i#al ser#ice to recei#e 1hrist as his personal Sa#ior. But he al)ost returned to his seat when he noticed that a lady near hi) was in tears, while he didn!t .eel any special e)otion. But he decided to go through the counseling and )a*e his decision anyway. /lthough he didn!t get e)otional, !) sure the decision was real. The student!s na)e was Billy Graha)> This is how he descri"ed his sal#ation e7perience? (o "ells went o.. inside )e. (o signs .lashed across the ta"ernacle ceiling. (o physical palpitations )ade )e tre)"le. wondered again i. was a hypocrite, not to "e weeping or so)ething@. si)ply .elt at peace. $4ust /s /), pp. ;:AB9' !he Prescri"tion ?o +ac5 to first +ase and #a5e sure youAve done what 6esus as5ed of you$ 7ook up 6ohn 3/0@ and re lect on it. "9es*s s6ea$ing) 5or ,od so lo ed the world that he ga e his one and only Son, that whoe er +elie es in him shall not 6erish +*t ha e eternal life% 6esus is telling us who will ha&e eternal li e. Coes (e say, whoe er wee6s when he belie&es has eternal li e? Bo. Coes (e say whoe er gets ery emotional when he belie&es has eternal li e? BoJ (e says whoe er +elie es in him shall not 6erish +*t ha e eternal life% Bow think with me or a moment. 7et%s imagine that a person belie&es in 6esus, trusts (im to sa&e him, but he doesn%t get eternal li e. What would that say about God? ((e would be a liar." :o i we are trusting 6esus, belie&ing in (im or eternal li e, then our salvation is as secure as ?odAs "ro#ise$

*ou+ter 38 )E#otional Roller .oaster Rhonda!he Sy#"to#s ) So)eti)es don=t feel close to God. Rhonda%s li&ing or God, but she%s not as bubbly as some other -hristians she knows. :ometimes she gets down, e&en depressed about things. But these other -hristians seem perky, bubbly, and enthusiastic all the time. It makes her wonder whether she%s got the real thing or not. !he "rescri"tion ?o +ac5 to first +ase and #a5e sure that youAve done what 6esus said you need to do to +e saved$ 7et%s look back at 6ohn 3/0@. Cid it say, Whoe er has a +*++ly 6ersonality will +e sa ed! BoJ It says that )whoe er +elie es has eternal li e. 5re you like ERoller -oaster Rhonda,4 +uestioning your aith because o your eelings? Remember, sal&ation is based on .acts, not .eelings. I the Bible says tells us that whoe&er truly belie&es is sa&ed, then you can rest assured that God doesn%t lie. #ou%&e $ust got to learn to trust (im.

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*ou+ter 37 )Wishy Washy Willie!he Sy#"to#s I donFt a/t li$e a Christian sho*ld a/t% Willie goes to church on :unday and an occasional outing with his youth group. (e e&en prayed a prayer or sal&ation at a retreat one summer. But he seldom opens his Bible at home and $ust blends into the crowd at school. Iact is, he li&es his li e $ust like the non)-hristians that he hangs around. :o sometimes he +uestions whether he%s a -hristian at all. !he Prescri"tion !a5e a long, hard loo5 at your lifestyle$ 5lthough the &erses will assure some doubters, they may gi&e doubts to some o you who are alsely assured. 'hey will com ort the a licted and a lict some o the com orted. We%ll $ust let the Word do its business in each heart. :&:'E SEAR.% A.!&2&!>/ 'he book o I 6ohn contains many passages that tell us how to know i we are really God%s children. 7et%s di&ide into small groups and appoint a reader and a secretary to record your insights. In this Bible search, you%re looking or how to tell a true belie&er rom an unbelie&er. 5 &olunteer reads a &erse, another tells what the &erse says about assurance. 5 ter each group has had su icient time, ha&e one person report to the whole group what they learned. :omeone can record the results on an o&erhead or chalkboard. (7arge Group option/ (a&e a person read a &erse, ask or another &olunteer to say what the &erse says about assurance, and ha&e another person to write the insight on a blackboard!o&erhead." (O!E 'he Greek tense o these &erbs is important. When the &erses speak o Ewalk in the light4 or Ekeep his commandments,4 the Greek present tense is used. 'his tense signi ies continual action, and indicates a habitual li estyle, not per ection. :o, as you read these &erses, ask yoursel , or example, EIs my day to day walk one o walking in the light, or walking in the darkness?4 I 6ohn 0/> clari ies that we%re not speaking o per ection. If we /laim to +e witho*t sin, we de/ei e o*rsel es and the tr*th is not in *s% (:ee also 6ames 3/8."

A# & a .hristian1 (& 6ohnAs 'ifestyle E0a#)

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K:tudy note ) 5lthough some commentators (e.g., BL-, :chnackenburg, Brooke" takes Ethese things4 in I 6n. =/03 to re er exclusi&ely to the immediate context, most commentators that I read persuasi&ely argue or it re erring to the entire book (so Westcott, Bruce, Codd, (aas, <arshall, Flummer, BB-, WB-, ;G'". But whate&er you take as the re erence o this &erse, there can be no doubt that a (i not the" dominant theme o the book is/ E(ow can -hristians know that they ha&e eternal li e?4M

Real -hristiansN
9 ;,8 * ha#e co)e to *now hi) is in the Greek per ect tense, describing a past experience which has continuing results. o"ey his co))ands doesn%t speak o per ect obedience. E'he +uestion is whether I am trying (and to some extent succeeding" to keep God%s commandments.4 (<arshall" 9 7,B * It%s not clear in the Greek whether Ethis4 points to what ollows or what precedes. <arshall concludes it points orward, but suggests it makes little di erence, since to walk like 6esus is simply a concrete, practical way to express keeping his Word.

Ein him4 ) While <arshall and others see this as another way to express Ethe state o the true -hristian,4 BLsees it as speaking o our ellowship with (im rather than our permanent relationship with him.

obey God%s commands (9 ;,8A cr. 0/@A 8/02, 3/8?A =/8,3"

We $now that we ha e /ome to $now him if we o+ey his /ommands% The man who says, I $now him, +*t does not do what he /ommands is a liar, and the tr*th is not in him%

walk like 6esus walked (9 7,B"

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1*t if anyone o+eys his word, ,od3s lo e is tr*ly made /om6lete in him% This is how we $now we are in him: Whoe er /laims to li e in him m*st wal$ as 9es*s did%

lo&e their brothers (; 48,47A cr. 8/1)00A 3/09,0?)0>A3/83A?/2)08,01)80"

We $now that we ha e 6assed from death to life, +e/a*se we lo e o*r +rothers% .nyone who does not lo e remains in death% .nyone who hates his +rother is a m*rderer, and yo* $now that no m*rderer has eternal life in him%

belie&e in 6esus (7 4A cr. 8/83A 3/83, ?/0=A =/09)08"

- eryone who +elie es that 9es*s is the Christ is +orn of ,od, and e eryone who lo es the father lo es his /hild as well%

do what is right (9 9CA cr. 3/09"

If yo* $now that he is righteo*s, yo* $now that e eryone who does what is right has +een +orn of him%

don%t continue to sin (; BA cr. 3/2)1A=/0>"

No one who li es in him $ee6s on sinning% No one who /ontin*es to sin has either seen him or $nown him%

lo&e God (7 4,9"

- eryone who +elie es that 9es*s is the Christ is +orn of ,od, and e eryone who lo es the father lo es his /hild as well% This is how we $now that we lo e the /hildren of ,od: +y lo ing ,od and /arrying o*t his /ommands% Bow again I want to emphasiGe that 6ohn%s not talking about per ection. :ome people get so sensiti&e that when they miss a +uite time they +uestion whether they are sa&ed or not. But $ust the act that you are trying to meet with God, and eel bad when you sin, shows that the :pirit is working in your li e. :o, i my li estyle is centered around me, me, me, rather than lo&ing others and li&ing or God, I shouldn%t ha&e an assurance o my sal&ation. It doesn%t matter how much I cried when I prayed at that retreat or re&i&al years ago. .//ording to I 9ohn, the way I $now if I was really +orn again at that retreat is to loo$ at how I3m li ing now% 5re you belie&ing in 6esus now? 5re you ollowing 6esus now? Co you lo&e your brothers and sisters in -hrist now? &''US!RA!&O( Let!s i)agine that Terry $perhaps use the na)e o. an outgoing guy in your group' goes out .or .resh)an .oot"all. The coach says that he can ,oin the tea) as long as he co))its hi)sel. to attend practices and do what the coach says. Terry gets

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all e7cited and tells the coach he!ll do it. But the ne7t day in practice his coach "egins to note so)e odd "eha#ior. When Terry!s supposed to "e running laps, he!s sitting under a shade tree reading %ad %aga&ine. What are your doing0 de)ands the coach. Well, this issue ,ust ca)e today, and was getting a little tired a.ter the .irst lap. !) not really into the sweating and getting out o. "reath thing. By the end o. the wee*, Terry "egins s*ipping practices altogether. The coach .inds hi) at school and as*s i. he!s "een sic*. (o, Terry e7plains. ,ust didn!t reali&e that practice would "e .ro) B?BCAD?CC. Do you reali&e that you!#e scheduled practices when the reruns o. Gilligan!s sland co)e on0 ne#er )iss the). *&S.USS&O( What do 'erry%s actions tell you about his original commitment to the coach to play Ireshman ootball? ((e either didn%t understand the commitment or didn%t really mean it." FreciselyJ 5nd I think that this is exactly the point I 6ohn is making. I you%re goo ing o in your relationship with God today, you%d better take a hard look at that decision you made years ago. 5s someone said, The .aith that .i&&les at the .inish, was .lawed .ro) the .irst. I you +uestion your aith because you are a EWishy)washy Willie,4 it%s time or you to wake up and realiGe that you may not be in the aith at all. I you want assurance o you%re sal&ation, I challenge you go get o the ence, repent and recei&e 6esus today. ?E!!&(? &! &(!O >OUR '&FE 2ne student who struggled with dou"t read slowly through the "oo* o. 4ohn. /s he ca)e to each o. the a"o#e passages, he put a chec* "y each passage as he reali&ed that he passed each test.

*ou+ter 3B )Sha#eful Sally!he Sy#"to#s D I don3t thin$ ,od /o*ld e er forgi e my 6ast% :ally looks at the ways she hurt her parents, her riends and others, and can%t belie&e that God could e&er orgi&e her. <aybe she got strung out on drugs, got pregnant, or killed someone in a gang ight. :he considers hersel the worst o all sinners. !he Prescri"tion E 'et #e introduce you to a worse sinner than you$ %ereAs what he wrote

4 4; * 'he Greek word or #iolent means Ea &iolent, insolent man4 (5G" Kinsolent means insulting or disrespect ul (dictionary"M

GI was on/e a +las6hemer and a 6erse/*tor and a iolent manG% Here is a tr*stworthy saying that deser es f*ll a//e6tan/e: Christ 9es*s /ame into the world to sa e sinners 7 of whom I am the worst% 1*t for that ery reason I was shown mer/y so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ 9es*s might dis6lay his *nlimited 6atien/e as

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an e0am6le for those who wo*ld +elie e on him and re/ei e eternal life% (& !i#othy 4 4;,47,4B) Co you know who wrote that? It was the 5postle Faul, the guy who wrote most o the books o the Bew 'estament and one o the most incredible -hristians who e&er li&ed. Co you know what he was like be ore he became a -hristian? (e blasphemed 6esus, tried to orce -hristians to blaspheme him, and was such a &iolent man, and so uriously enraged at -hristians that he persecuted the church and 6esus, imprisoning -hristians and ha&ing them beaten and killed (I 'im. 0/03A 5cts 2/=>A >/0A 1/0,8,?,=A 88/?,=,2,01,89A 8@/1)00". But Faul wants you to know that i God can still ha&e mercy on him, then nobody%s too bad or God to sa&e. :o, you think you!#e been badJ (a&e you beaten or killed any -hristians lately? ;&en i you ha&e, I%&e got good news or you. It%s in I 6ohn 0/2b/ Gthe +lood of 9es*s, his Son, 6*rifies *s from all sin% Irom how much sin? ()all sin-)$ -an you say it with me? ()all sin-) -an he puri y us rom hurting our parents? ()all sin-) rom premarital sex? ()all sin-) rom pornography? ()all sin-) rom killing -hristians? ()all sin-)$ Bow do you see why the word gospel means good news0 'here%s no sin in your past that%s so black that God can%t take out the stain and lea&e you as white as snow. (is orgi&eness is there or the asking. 7ook at I 6ohn 0/1/ If we /onfess o*r sins, he is faithf*l and E*st and will forgi e *s o*r sins and 6*rify *s from all *nrighteo*sness%

'he Greek word or Econ ess4 is deri&ed rom the legal usage. :peaks o con essing or acknowledging sins. (onestly acing a act. (Cict o B' 'heology"

A.!&2&!> Write down a list o things that you%&e ne&er elt completely orgi&en or. (Con%t worry. I%ll ne&er see this listJ" Bow write in bold letters o&er this list I 9ohn ;:&% Bow, wad it up or tear it into small shreds and throw it into this garbage can.4 It%s gone. Cropped into the deepest sea. Iorgotten. Coesn%t it eel greatJ

*ou+ter 3= )!ry %ard !erry!he Sy#"to#s D How /an I e er $now if I3 e done eno*gh good deeds! 'erry thinks that in order to get into hea&en, his good deeds ha&e to outweigh his bad ones. :o how can he e&er know i he%s done enough good?

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!he Prescri"tion E >ouAve #issed the #ain "oint of the gos"el$ -heck out ;phesians 8/>,1/ 5or it is +y gra/e yo* ha e +een sa ed, thro*gh faith 7 and this not from yo*rsel es, it is the gift of ,od 7 not +y wor$s, so that no one /an +oast% *&S.USS&O( 5ccording to these &erses, what sa&es us? (God%s grace, through aith" 5nd how do our works help us get sa&ed? ('hey don%t." What do you think it means that Eno one can boast.4 (5t $udgement day, no one will be boasting about how many good deeds they did to earn hea&en. God will get all the credit or sa&ing us." Coes it say that we ha#e "een sa#ed or are hoping to "e sa#ed? What di erence does it make? (I don%t ha&e to wait to see i God has sa&ed me. When I recei&ed -hrist, (e sa&ed me then." 'hat%s how 6ohn could speak o knowing that we ha e eternal li e (I 6n. =/03", rather than waiting to see i we recei&e it in the uture. :o, although our li estyle pro&ides e&idence that we are sa&ed, it is not our li estyle that sa&es us. ,nce a person is sa&ed through aith, his!her li estyle will change.

&&&$ An O""ortunity for .ertainty$

We introduced this lesson with a baseball player who lost out because he missed irst base. :ome o you may be unsure whether or not you e&er touched your spiritual irst base. Co you know or sure that i you died today, you%d be in hea&en tomorrow? (ere%s how you can know. (7eader, take a tract o your choice, gi&e a copy to each student, and go through it with them. I time has run short, simply lea&e them with a tract, and go through one next week. #ou don%t want to rush through something that is so important. #ou want to gi&e them time to think it through, and e&en ask +uestions i they don%t understand it." &dea &f you have students who have +een trained in how to share the gos"el, divide u" into s#all grou"s and let the# go through the gos"el with the grou" using a tract of your choice$ (%ighly reco##ended Four S"iritual 'aws, .a#"us .rusade for .hrist, Ste"s to Peace With ?od, +y :illy ?raha#$)

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,&erhead :heet

Week 0

Show Me The Way

(How to Know That Youre Headed For Heaven) Introduction
An entertainer and an athlete that have something in common. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and !et lose or forfeit his ver! self"# ($u%e &'())

I. Is Certainty Possible?
* write these things to !ou who +elieve in the name of the ,on of -od so that !ou ma! %now that !ou have eternal life.# (* .ohn )'/0)

II. How Do I Clear Up My Doubts? Doubter #1 Theodore Thinker

02

*llustration' 1ave Has His 1ou+ts# 2rescri3tion' Pray (* .ohn )'/4'/)) Be willing to follow Je u (.ohn 5'/5) *llustration' ,teve 6uts Through the Fluff# !ead the Bible (7omans /8'/5)

9+:ect $esson' Whats *n This $etter# Study the "#iden$e (Acts /'0; .n. (8'(5 (<)

Doubter #% &orgetful &red

*llustration' ,etting That Alarm# 2rescri3tion' 2ra! again this time for assurance. 9verhead sheet Wee% (

Show Me The Way

(How to Know That Youre Headed For Heaven) Introduction
*llustration' The 7unner is 9ut=# *llustration' ,ometimes * .ust ,ta! >3 ?ights#

Doubter #' Dry "yed Donna

*llustration' ?o @ells Went 9ff *nside Ae# 2rescri3tion' .ohn 0'/B

Doubter #( ")otional !oller *oa ter !honda

0>

Prescription: John 3:16

Doubter #5 Wis y Was y Willie!

I Johns Lifestyle Exam: What are real Christians like? Ill stration: Terr! -oes 9ut For Foot+all#

Doubter #+ Sha)eful Sally

Aeet the 6hief of all ,inners= (* Timoth! /'/0 /) /B) Heres the good ?ews= (* .ohn /'5 &)

Doubter #, Try -ard Terry

!he Prescription: Ephesians ":#$%

III. "n #pportunity $or Certainty

:tudent :heet

Week 0

Show Me The Way

(How to Know That Youre Headed For Heaven) Introduction
An entertainer and an athlete that have something in common. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and !et lose or forfeit his ver! self"# ($u%e &'())

I. Is Certainty %%%%%%%%%%%?

01

* write these things to !ou who +elieve in the name of the ,on of -od so that !ou ma! %now that !ou have eternal life.# (* .ohn )'/0)

II. How Do I %%%%%% %%%%% My Doubts? Doubter #1 Theodore ...........

*llustration' 1ave Has His 1ou+ts# 2rescri3tion' (* .ohn )'/4'/)) Be .............. to follow Je u (.ohn 5'/5) *llustration' ,teve 6uts Through the Fluff# !ead the .......... (7omans /8'/5)

9+:ect $esson' Whats *n This $etter# Study the ............ (Acts /'0; .n. (8'(5 (<)

Doubter #% &orgetful ..........

*llustration' ,etting That Alarm# 2rescri3tion' 2ra! again this time for assurance. 9verhead sheet Wee% (

Show Me The Way

(How to Know That Youre Headed For Heaven) Introduction
*llustration' The 7unner is 9ut=# *llustration' ,ometimes * .ust ,ta! >3 ?ights#

Doubter #' Dry "yed .............

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*llustration' ?o @ells Went 9ff *nside Ae# 2rescri3tion' .ohn 0'/B

Doubter #( ")otional .......... ........... !honda

Prescription: John 3:16

Doubter #5 Wis y Was y %%%%%%%%%%%!

I Johns Lifestyle Exam: What are real Christians like? Ill stration: Terr! -oes 9ut For Foot+all#

Doubter #+ Sha)eful .............

Aeet the 6hief of all ,inners= (* Timoth! /'/0 /) /B) Heres the good ?ews= (* .ohn /'5 &)

Doubter #, Try -ard .............

!he Prescription: Ephesians ":#$%

III. "n %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% $or Certainty