Seminary
1–3 John; Jude

1–3 John; Jude

Overview

The Apostle John wrote about God’s love for the Saints and how this love was manifested through the saving mission of Jesus Christ. He taught that our love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can motivate us to keep Their commandments. He also taught that God’s love for us can inspire us to love others.

Prepare to Teach

The following information provides teachers with ideas of what may need to be prepared in advance for each lesson.

1 John 1–5

Lesson purpose: This lesson is intended to help students feel God’s love for them.

  • Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared to share different ways they could accurately complete the following statement: “God is …”

  • Videoconference teaching suggestion: Consider beginning the lesson by inviting students to complete the statement “God is …” in as many ways as they can. Students could answer verbally or write their answers using the chat feature, or the whiteboard feature could be used to display the phrase “God is …” and enable students to share their responses. An online polling application could also be used to draw out students’ responses.

1 John 2–4; 2 John

Lesson purpose: This lesson is intended to help students understand how they can show love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by keeping the commandments.

  • Student preparation: Invite students to ponder how they feel about keeping the commandments. They could also ask people they know what motivates them to keep the commandments.

  • Videoconference teaching suggestion: When asking the questions that follow the statement of principle in the lesson, consider inviting students to make a social media post with their answers. They could type their answers on a social media site and share their screen with the class. Or they could draw the bubbles and icons of a social media platform on a piece of paper, fill in their answers, and show their paper to the class.

1 John 2–4

Lesson purpose: This lesson can help students understand and apply the commandment to love others as they love God.

  • Student preparation: Invite students to come prepared to share experiences in which they showed love to others or others showed love to them and the impact it had.

  • Videos: “Taking upon Ourselves the Name of Jesus Christ” (10:24; watch from time code 4:43 to 6:15); “Now Serving” (2:18)

  • Videoconference teaching suggestion: Consider inviting one or two students to bring to the videoconference a friend or family member who they feel is a great example of loving others. After the class identifies the truth in 1 John 4:21, these students could introduce their guests and talk about how the guests show love for others.

Doctrinal Mastery Review 23

Lesson purpose: This lesson will give students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of and explain truths found in the 13 doctrinal mastery passages from the second half of the New Testament.

  • Student preparation: Invite students to briefly review the 13 doctrinal mastery passages from the second half of the New Testament and then choose one they would like to understand better.

  • Content to display: The chart of 13 doctrinal mastery passages

  • Materials for students: A piece of blank paper and a writing utensil for each student

  • Videoconference teaching suggestion: Consider modeling the activity in the lesson by displaying one of the doctrinal mastery verses on screen and inviting students to use an annotating tool to circle any phrases they have questions about or do not understand. Then ask students to share their specific concerns or questions. Students could also ask any general questions about the verse or verses using the chat feature.

Assess Your Learning 11

Lesson purpose: This lesson is intended to help students evaluate the goals they have set and the personal growth they have experienced during their study of the New Testament.

  • Student preparation: Invite students to ponder what they have learned about Jesus Christ and ways they feel they are becoming more Christlike.

  • Images to display: A drawing of a mountain (originally from the lesson on 2 Peter 1); several images of Jesus Christ teaching in different settings; an image of Joseph Smith as a youth

  • Videoconference teaching suggestion: During the activity under the heading “Teaching like Jesus Christ,” invite the students to write in the chat feature a realistic question someone might have about one of three principles of the gospel (see step b in the activity). Then invite students to read through all the questions listed and select one or two they would like to discuss.