2 JOHN 4-6: More Than Words: How God's Love Transforms Lives in Kenya Prisons

Ever feel like you’re trying to build a solid faith, but it feels more like a rickety deck with wobbly boards? You believe in Jesus, but sometimes actually living it out, especially when tough stuff hits, feels a bit fuzzy. Like, what does "love your neighbor" really look like when your neighbor's dog won't stop barking? We get it. Today, we're diving into a passage that gets right to the heart of building a faith that truly sticks. This isn't just theory; we've got an incredible, real-life story from our friends in Kenya that connects perfectly with what we're studying.

By the way, don't miss the videos from the Kenya outreach down at the bottom of this guide.

For over a year, YourJesusJourney has had the privilege of teaming up with a dedicated group of pastors in Kenya, offering support, encouragement, and teaching. Every Saturday morning, we gather online for a Bible class, helping 8 to 10 pastors and lay leaders learn how to teach God's Word in its proper context. Through these weekly lessons, they've been growing in their understanding and immediately turning around to teach it in their own churches.

As our friendship has deepened, so has our understanding of the daily struggles and ministry challenges they face. One significant hurdle was that many people in their congregations didn't even have Bibles. About a year ago, the YJJ family rallied, purchasing, donating, and sending over 300 Bibles to Kenya so members could personally have their own copy. If you haven't seen the video of this effort, I encourage you to give it a watch and be encouraged!

As these faithful leaders have poured into the people God placed before them, He has remarkably opened doors for them to reach and teach even more—now not just in churches, but in prisons across Kenya. These prisons come in three types: smaller local jails, farm prisons, and maximum-security facilities, each with versions for youth, men, and women. In the past six months, our Kenyan friends have faithfully traveled to several of these prisons, preaching the Gospel and inviting people to repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

The fruit of their labor is astounding. A few months ago, at a men's farm prison, over 300 men stepped forward to accept Jesus. Just last week, at a different prison several hours from their hometown, they were overjoyed to witness about 200 men commit to follow Christ.

An interesting and poignant detail emerged from their prison ministry.

A crucial need for prisoners is basic hygiene supplies: toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, and soap. Our Kenya team works tirelessly, raising money through extra work in their own trades, seeking help from their churches, and asking us at YJJ to help fund these simple staples. Pastor Daniel explained to me that when they visit the prisons, the guards actually ask how much soap and toilet paper they have. Only that many prisoners are then brought out to hear the Gospel message. In other words, if they bring 400 bars of soap and 400 rolls of toilet paper to a prison holding 800, only 400 prisoners will be allowed into the yard to hear the message, worship, and pray. This method, Pastor Daniel clarified, helps prevent arguments or fighting over these highly desirable items among the inmates.

This insight sparked a thought in me: to reach more prisoners with the Gospel, we simply need more soap and toilet paper.

That seems like a solvable problem! It's a need that the wonderful people of YJJ, like you, could truly help with! If this resonates with you, please consider making a monthly recurring donation to YJJ or a one-time gift. Your support will go a long way to help us partner with our brothers and sisters in Kenya and serve others here as well. Please click the button below and visit the secure online giving page on our website to support this exciting, impactful ministry.

Before we dive into 2 John 4-6, take some time to read it on your own. Grab your Bible and read it in at least two different translations. We suggest choosing two from this list: NIV, ESV, NLT, NKJV, NASB. This will help you get a better feel for the passage before we break it down together.

Setting the Scene 2 JOHN 4-6: Building a Faith That Sticks: What Love and Truth Really Look Like

Today, we're digging into 2 John 4-6. This short letter was penned by old man John, one of Jesus's closest buddies, to a church family. Back then, being a Christian wasn't easy; a lot of fakes were trying to mess things up. John's letter hammers home two core ideas: truth and love. These aren't just church words; they're the absolute foundation of following Jesus.

John starts off pumped because he found some of their folks "walking in the truth." This means they were actually living out God's way, not just talking about it. As scholars like N.T. Wright and Craig Keener point out, early Christians lived their faith. It's a journey, a consistent moving forward with God.

Then John pivots to love. He reminds them of an old, core command: "we gotta love each other." This isn't a new idea; Jesus taught it, and John has been pushing it for years. It's the first rule of being a follower of Christ.

Here's the kicker that ties it all together: "And this is love: that we walk according to his commands." See, love isn't just a feeling or a polite "God bless you." It's about doing what God tells us. As N.T. Wright puts it, love is how you live out your obedience. It's not about blind rules; it's about showing God you love Him by doing what He says. And when you do that, you naturally show love to others. Truth and love are stuck together; you can't truly have one without the other if you're serious about Jesus.

So, for us today, "walking in the truth" means living by God's Word, even when the world tells you to do something different. It means being honest, doing what's right, and letting God's way guide our choices. And "loving one another"? That means actually helping your buddy, forgiving those who mess up, and genuinely caring for people, even when it's tough. It's about putting feet to your faith.

There's more to this STUDY GUIDE

BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN FURTHER FOR:

• Questions to chew on and discuss (or for your journal)

• A Journey Group Discussion Starter (use in your small group time)

• Modern Day Application Ideas

Want to watch the video version of the Daily Bible Podcast Episode that corresponds to this study guide? Here you go!

Questions for You to Chew On and Discuss

• John says we should "walk in the truth" by "walking according to his commands." What's one specific thing you can do this week to show you're actually living out God's truth, not just knowing it?

  
  

• How can we, as Christians, show the world that truth and love go hand-in-hand, especially when it feels like everyone else is picking one or the other?

Journey Group Discussion Starter

Think of someone you know who truly "walks in the truth." What did they do that made you see their faith was real, and how did it make a difference to you?

JOURNEY GROUPS

Videos of the Kenya Ministry in action:

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN

Ready to dig into God's Word with some good folks who actually want to talk about this stuff? Seriously, it's not as dry as it sounds (mostly!). Join a Journey Group today! You can find out more, get connected with a group, or learn about starting one yourself by visiting https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/journeygroups. Don't go it alone in your faith journey; even Jesus had a crew!

If you're tired of sifting through all the noise, you'll want to visit our website, YourJesusJourney.com, to learn more and grab our Free Resource, "Stop Reading the Bible Wrong: 7 Strategic Shifts that Change Everything." Just hit the Free Gift button at the top of the website, and we'll send you this game-changing E-Book today.

Go to https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/journeygroups to learn more about Journey Groups, get connected in one, or even learn how to start your own. It's like a spiritual potluck, but instead of questionable casseroles, we share insights and grow closer to God. See you there!

You can also get our FREE in-Depth Bible-Study Guides delivered to your inbox: https://forms.wix.com/r/7330608166566101604.

To learn more about YJJ, Thad and Kaila, and Your Jesus Journey, check out our ABOUT US section: https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/learn-about-thad-and-kaila-and-the-journey-church-online.

There's lots more to see and learn on our website, from our "what we believe" page to hundreds of blogs. We encourage you to swing on by and take a look around at www.YourJesusJourney.com!

EXCITING DREAMS TAKING SHAPE

From road life to dream home base! 🚚➡️🏡 After years of traveling, God led us to an incredible spot in Arizona to build a ministry hub & bless others. You won't believe how it happened! ✨ Watch our new video to see the first glimpse! 👇

For the past three years, Kaila and I have been living life on the road, exploring and serving wherever God leads us. It's been an incredible journey, but carrying everything we own and constantly navigating started us dreaming of something more: a home base. A place to lighten our load, simplify, and most importantly, create a space where we can truly bless others. This video is the first glimpse of that dream!

As full-time traveling missionaries and founders of YourJesusJourney.com, we live on a modest income, relying on the generosity of others to support our three-fold ministry vision: helping people understand the Bible in context, finding Christian friends, and equipping disciple makers. So, you might be wondering, how are we able to pursue something this ambitious? About a year and a half ago, Kaila’s beloved dad passed away. With his passing, Kaila inherited their expansive family home and horse property on the breathtaking North Shore of Lake Superior, in beautiful Ontario—the place she grew up, where she rode her first bike and horse, and learned to drive. After much prayer and seeking God’s guidance, we decided to sell the property. What you see here came as a result of that incredible blessing, and all the work unfolding in the next year or two will also be funded by it.

Ultimately, it’s all God’s money, God’s land, and God’s resources—we simply want to be faithful stewards, investing what He’s entrusted us with to serve our family, friends, and help countless others experience God and the lessons of the Bible in a whole new way. We prayed and searched high and low, from Texas to Idaho, and God consistently drew us back to this breathtaking location in Northwest Arizona. Imagine: a spot overlooking the world's densest Joshua Tree forest, just minutes from the Grand Canyon, with epic mountains in our backyard! Our deepest desire for this place is to be a haven for renewal. A spot where our kids can visit, Kaila's mom can stay, and friends can gather. But even bigger than that, it's a launchpad for new ministry—a place to invite people to rest, recharge, share meals, grow friendships, and truly be renewed in the desert sun. We're already dreaming of leading hikes, teaching Bible lessons, and hosting retreats.

There’s a lot of exciting work ahead, but we're stepping out in faith, trusting God every step of the way. We’re so excited to share this new chapter with our family, friends, and all of you! If you want to learn more about our ministry, please visit YourJesusJourney.com. And if you have any questions, or just want to send your prayers or encouragement, please fill up that comment section or reach out directly at YourJesusJourney@gmail.com.

We've journeyed through the Bible, verse by verse, for over 15 books now! We take each passage and break it down into easy-to-understand chunks of plain English. Along the way, we uncover fascinating historical details and explore the cultural context, truly bringing the scriptures to life in a way that resonates. Forget dusty footnotes and words that send you reaching for a thesaurus – we make God's Word approachable and meaningful for everyone. And because we know you're eager to dig even deeper, make sure to subscribe to the Daily Bible Podcast and catch the video podcast each day that complements these blogs!