True Story Series Discussion Questions

 

February 1, 2026 - To Know the Truth

  1. What were the last two conversations you have had about discerning truth from A.I.?

  2. Have you heard of famous people asking about the claims of Christianity?

  3. What did it mean for John to source truth in eternity? Why does he start "from the beginning"?

  4. Why is it so shocking for eternity to step into history in the flesh of Jesus?

  5. Why is it also shocking for John, Peter, Paul, James, and Jude to claim verifiable eye witness accounts?

  6. How has philology and archeology affirmed the historicity of Jesus and the Bible? How does this make Christianity unique among religions?

  7. How would you benefit from "nerding out" on apologetics?

    Suggested Apologetic Websites:

    Wes Huff: wesleyhuff.com

    Frank Turek: crossexamined.org

    William Lane Craig: reasonablefaith.org

    Mike Winger: biblethinker.org

    Recommended Podcast:

    Impact 360 Institute

    Alisa Childers Podcast

    Think Biblically

  8. What does it mean for this information to be relational? What does the Greek word “koinonia” communicate?

  9. Have you found a table to sit around? Why is this needed in life?

  10. John ends with the main point of verifying the word... it's meant to be transformational. Who is in need of transformation and how does sin fight against it?

February 8, 2026 - Momentous Effect in Abiding

  1. Have you ever messed around with mentos and sodas? Guaranteed results give us guaranteed fun.

  2. In today's passage, we find the guaranteed assurance we can find in Jesus' work in our lives from the inside out. How do you know that you are saved?

  3. In John 2:1-2, John emphasizes Jesus' advocacy and atonement. How are these connected to grace, and what does it speak to us about salvation?

  4. Grace has a CONTINUED effect on us. Read together John 2:3-6

  5. We know we have been saved if we "keep His commandments". Is this a new law that we are called to force upon ourselves? How is this a progressive reality of learning the heart and mind of Jesus?

  6. What does it mean to abide in Him? How important is it for John to drive home the foundation and need of abiding in Him?

  7. What is the effect of abiding in Him?

  8. What is the difference between being sinless and progressively sinning less? How is this connected to loving the heart and mind of Jesus?

  9. How did you hear this in the examples Michael gave?

  10. How do you find assurance of salvation in your heart’s desire to keep His word? What is the difference between living in anxiety and finding assurance?

  11. What areas do you need to hold in check before Jesus and continue growth in the keeping of His word?

  12. When our hearts and minds are changed to be like His, and we are living in the abiding power of His presence, then an external effect begins to happen. How does this new power change an old commandment?

  13. How should our love for people be connected to Jesus’ love for us?

  14. What was the progression found in the illustration of Michael's new house? How did his neighbors know someone new had moved in?

  15. What area of your life, head, and heart needs to be checked before the mind and heart of Jesus? What specific areas do you need to grow in obedience and understanding?

  16. Do your neighbors know you are His by the love they see in you? What needs to change in your heart to produce greater love expressed to people in your life?

February 15, 2026 - The Love God Hates

  1. When you think about Michael's heart when it comes to cleaning the house, what is the difference between Michael cleaning because he has to and Michael cleaning because he shares Stacia's heart for a clean house?

  2. We begin by looking at the love we are called to learn to hate, 1 John 2:15-17. What does John mean by "the world"?

  3. John breaks the love of the world into three implications; love of the belly, love of the eyes, and love of ones own agenda. How do they compare to Genesis 3 and Adam and Eves love for the tree of good and evil?

  4. Love for the world will fail you in these three ways; it will never give you what your belly needs, it will always fail to satisfy your eyes, and it will always be formed by your agenda and lead to death. What happens to your temptations or idols when you begin to see them through this lens?

  5. How can this be applied to specific areas of trouble and begin to change the way you feel (love/hate) this temptation?

  6. These three areas of temptation are defeated when you abide in His word and love forever.

  7. What do we learn from abiding in His love as children and fathers?

  8. How is the section of abiding in His love as young men connected to Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and in the garden? How does this love help us overcome the evil one?

  9. God is what our bellies need. God is what will satisfy our eyes forever. Finding our purpose in His agenda will always lead to life. How do you fall in love with this truth and allow it to shape your life and your struggles?

  10. Are you abiding more in the world or more in His perfect love?

February 22, 2026 - Know Where Not to Stay

  1. John gets the reader’s attention by framing their life with the reality of living in the "last hour". How did Jesus define the last hour and how does that impact the way we are to live in the last hour?

  2. Jesus made claims that separated Him from every other human in all of history. Take some time to talk through each of these points.

    He claimed to be THE Son of God

    He claimed to be THE only Redeemer

    He claimed to be THE Anointed Anointer

    He claimed to be coming back soon

  3. In the last days we are told that antichrists will be among us. Look at Matthew 24:4-5, 10-11, what did Jesus say about these false messiahs and false prophets?

  4. How did John experience this among the disciples?

  5. How do anti messiahs: Deny/Diminish Jesus being the Son of God, Distort Redemption, Deceive an understanding of anointing, and lead people astray?

  6. Why do we need to recognize and call these false messiahs out?

  7. John's ultimate solution and call to action protect us from false messiahs by making sure we are only surrounded with the true messiah. Why does John emphasize again our need to ABIDE IN THE WORD?

  8. How does abiding in Jesus give us assurance of salvation, confidence in living, and purpose toward what mattered to Jesus?

  9. When you think of Jesus' return what fills your mind? Excitement or anxiety? Abiding in the Word should fill us with comfort and direct us to the fruit of the Spirits work of righteous living. How does this change the way you live?

March 1, 2026 - Live Ready

  1. What stood out to you from this text and from the sermon?

  2. If Jesus were to return before the end of 2026, how would you spend the next 10 months?

  3. What habits in your life draw you closer to Jesus as you anticipate his return? What compromises erode your confidence as a Christ-follower?

  4. Christians are adopted sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. How does your adoption shape your identity? Where do you struggle to see yourself the way God sees you?

  5. If the true test of your theology is how you treat people, is your Christianity visible in how you speak about others? In how you love?

March 8, 2026 - Living out Love, or Child of Hate?

  1. According to 1 John 3:11–18, how does John define real love? What stood out to you most from this passage?

  2. John contrasts love with the example of Cain (v.12). Why do you think hatred and jealousy are so destructive in relationships?

  3. Verse 14 says that loving others is evidence that we have “passed from death to life.” What do you think John means by that?

  4. In verse 16, John says we should lay down our lives for others just as Jesus did. What might “laying down our lives” look like in everyday life?

  5. Verse 17 talks about helping a brother or sister in need. Why do you think it can be difficult for us to respond with generosity or action?

  6. John concludes by saying we should love “not in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (v.18). What is one practical way you can show that kind of love this week?

March 15, 2026 - Abiding in the Spirit’s Voice

  1. John says that whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our hearts. What kind of condemning voices do you find yourself overwhelmed with? Do you ever struggle with being completely forgiven or despairing over truly changing?

  2. What does it mean to abide in the Spirit’s voice of Grace? Read 1 John 1:9 and talk about the importance of abiding in these applications of Grace.

  3. Confess and Repent in Grace... How do you honestly let the Spirit convict you of sin and the true nature of sins you may struggle with?

  4. Affirm God's faithfulness and complete justice in forgiving you in grace. What does it mean to trust in the work Jesus has already done?

  5. Believe in God's ability to cleanse you of ALL unrighteousness. What does it mean to trust that GOD will continue to sanctify you?

  6. Abiding means to “remain in”. What does it look like to actively remain in conviction, justification, and sanctification? Can you hear and recognize the Spirit's voice through the consistency of prayer and relationship with Him?

  7. The voice of the world can be tricky and tempting. We have talked about the anti-christ and their deception through diminishing the person of Jesus. Today we focused more on the temptation to just give in and conform to the world's voice. Have you struggled with any of these temptations: "Is it really that bad?”, “Couldn’t we just give in on this?”, “Shouldn’t we progress with the times?”, “I don’t want to stand out.”, I’d rather avoid conflict.”, “How could I ever make a difference?"

  8. What does it mean to you for "the One Who is in you to be greater than the one who is in the world"?

  9. Abiding in the Spirit’s victory over the world can be broken down into three applications:

    Confidence in His way.

    Consistency in His way.

    Continued transformation in His way.

  10. What does it look like to actively remain in these three applications of the Spirit's voice?

  11. What is the proven outcome for a people who learn to abide here?

  12. What examples show this in Peter's life, Saint Patrick’s life, and our life in the PNW?

March 22, 2026 - How You Know That You Know True Love

  1. Imagine being 25 feet under water. How important is your air tank? Would you want to know that it has the right mix being put into the tank? How important would it be to make sure your tank is filled? Talk through this illustration. How many of you would get anxious underwater? How many of you would love to live underwater (for an appropriate amount of time).

  2. Let's talk about "True Love" in 1 John 4:7-12

    How do verses 7-9 show God's "sending love"? How did God initiate and come to us first?
    How does verse 10 demonstrate a "sacrificial love"? How else has God or Jesus demonstrated sacrificial love?
    How do verses 11-12 reflect a "staying love" and it's affect on us?

  3. How is a sending, sacrificial, and staying love contrasted to what we typically find in our world? A Self Centered Love is... self affirming, self pleasuring, and self preserving. Which of these do you struggle with the most?

  4. Next John walks us through the four effects that "True Love" will have on us.

  5. When you know true love you want to know more about true love. How is this said in verses 13-16? How should this change our experience in Bible study and prayer?

  6. Verse 17 speaks of what we find when true love is perfected or matured in our lives. We find confidence over insecurity. What is the source of our confidence and how should that change us? Imagine your tank running low. How insecure would you feel? Is that a comfortable desperation? What does this look like in real life when your tank isn't filled with His love?

  7. Verse 18 furthers the impact of abiding in 'true love". We find peace over fear. Divers natural response to oxygen loss is panic and fear. Could this be why we see so much anxiety, fear, and fighting for self preservation in our relationships? How does a full tank of God's love speak peace over us?

  8. John ends with the full picture thesis statement in verses 19-21. How did John imitate Jesus' love? What is the theater of your life showing the world around us?

  9. Take some time to evaluate the love you see coming out of your life. Does it look self affirming, self pleasuring, or self preserving?

  10. What does it look like for you to abide in His true love and keep your tank filled?

  11. Together spend time thanking God for His sending, sacrificial, staying love. How can that be seen more by those in your life?

March 29, 2026 - Transformational Truth

  1. In 1 John 5:1, John makes an incredible declaration, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God will be born of God.” If you believe, then God will give you new life! How is this new life supposed to be different than your old life? Take some time to share how different your new life looks because of the work Jesus has done in you.

  2. The first transformational truth that John celebrates is the overall picture of God's children being certain of having eternal life. What is the quantity and quality of eternal life? How does our certainty of these two change the way we live?

  3. Next John goes on to give us confidence in God when we pray to him. How does confidence in God's goodness transform our experience of Go, No, Wait answers to prayer?

  4. Do you ever lose hope in yours or other’s transformation? When have you seen someone become more like Jesus over a long period of time? Why is it important for us to hang onto 1 John 5:3-5? Why do you think sanctification is a process instead of a new, immediate reality?

  5. The last transformational truth is knowing that we belong to God. All throughout scripture we find "adoptive" language. How is this a good parallel to understanding how this truth can transform us? Why is meaning, belonging, and purpose so important for our lives?

  6. None of this would be true if Jesus was not the Son of God and part of God Himself. Cerinthus tried to lessen the nature of Jesus' divinity. What is at stake if Jesus is less than fully God?

  7. Jerusalem praised Jesus as the next big King on Palm Sunday. However, they failed to understand that He was the King of all Kings and the King of the Universe. They didn't believe He was The Son of God. As we consider Passion Week and Jesus' steps toward the cross can we also consider our perception of Jesus. Do you believe He is the True Son of the Living God?

  8. If you believe then His true life story should truly change the story of your life.