Where All Stories Begin

I. Intro.-

A. Primary vs Second hand witnesses

B. Read 1 John 1:1-4, Pray

C. Intro Statement

II. Background on 1 John

A. Criticism of Authorship

John doesn’t name himself in any of his letters or John (Jn 21:20-25)

Remarkable similarities between this and the Gospel, at least 15 instances were similar verbiage is found

B. Criticism of Recipients

There is nothing known from the letter itself to indicate a particular group or Church.

There is strong evidence that this was written to Ephesus where a man was teaching a form of gnosticism

C. Criticism of Occasion

A form of gnostic heresy is creeping its way into a particular

What is Gnostic?

III. Establishing Authority (v1-2)

A. The Word of Life

When was this beginning?

Heard and seen, in perfect.

Seen and felt in the aorist.

B. The Witness

Continuing what he revealed about Jesus to pull authority

Was with the Father, imperfect, indicating eternality

Again, came down to earth in physical form

IV. Establishing Purpose (v3-4)

A. Proclaiming What?

The eternal life from v2

What was seen and heard

B. Why?

They can have fellowship with us, not we with them.

Why is fellowship important?

C. Importance

John has fellowship with God and Jesus.

A completeness of Joy

V. Conc.-

A. Establishing Authority

B. Establishing Purpose