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SERMON SERIES: INTIMACY WITH GOD

SERMON TITLE: THE FOUNDATION OF INTIMACY WITH GOD

SERMON TEXT: 1 JOHN 1:1-4

SERMON INTRODUCTION

A. We live in a culture that wants to have intimacy with God, but on its terms not God's.

B. As a result, we live in a culture of religious tolerance and experimentation--attempting to experience God based upon reason,conscience, feelings, ect.

C. Our spiritual walk is based on a personal intimate fellowship with God and it influences our prayer life, our worship, and our ethics

D. However, in order to have a personal intimate fellowship with God, Jesus Christ must be central in our lives or there will be no fellowship with God at all.

SERMON LESSON

A. PROPOSITION: A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF CHRIST IS THE FOUNDATION OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

B. INTERROGATIVE: What makes Jesus Christ the foundation of intimate fellowship with God?

C. TRANSITIONAL: 1 John 1:1-4 shows THREE KEY FACTS

SERMON OUTLINE

I. FACT #1: THE WORD OF LIFE WAS FROM THE BEGINNING 1:1a

A. He existed from the beginning, that is, from eternity past

1. He was not created, He existed before creation

2. His eternal pre-existence shows that He is more than just a

ordinary man.

B. The Key Lessons

1. Jesus Christ is real, not a myth, mental idea, or symbol

2. Jesus Christ is God--one to whom all men will be accountable

II. FACT #2: THE WORD OF LIFE WAS MANIFESTED 1:1b-2

A. The apostles had personal contact with Him (before and after

the resurrection of Christ)

1. They heard Him

2. They saw Him

3. They looked upon Him

4. They handled Him

B. The apostles gave personal testimony of Him

1. They testified that the "life" was manifested (earthly life)

2. They testified that eternal life was with the Father and

was manifested to them (Person and work understood)

C. The Key Lessons

1. Jesus Christ possessed a real physical body: the incarnation

2. Jesus Christ is a real person--one can have personal fellow-

ship and intimacy with Him.

III. FACT #3: THE WORD OF LIFE WAS DECLARED 1:3-4

A. Purpose: That the listener may have fellowship with the

apostles--through faith in Christ.

B. Purpose: The the joy of the listener may be full--have a con-

tinual state of joy no matter what the outward circumstances

may look like.

SERMON CONCLUSION:

A. RESTATEMENT OF SERMON PROPOSITION

B. RESTATEMENT OF MAIN POINTS

C. GENERAL ILLUSTRATION

D. SERMON RESPONSE

Introduction

Sermon text with italics and bold and John 3:16 and v. 20.

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