1 John 01:01-04 – Introduction to First John – audio

Old - G E L N D J J R 1S 2S 1K 2K 1C 2C E N E J P P E S I J L E D H J A O J M N H Z H Z M
New - M M L J A R 1C 2C G E P C 1Th 2Th 1T 2T T P H J 1P 2P 1J 2J 3J J R - Topical - All - Archive

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Text: 1 John 1:1-4

Introduction

1. When Jesus to earth, He came not only to LIVE a life, but to GIVE life: I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John 10:10

2. The GOSPEL of John was designed to produce faith so that we might have life – John 20:30-31

3. However, it is the FIRST EPISTLE of John which discusses the nature of that life in greater detail – 1 John 3:14

4. That we might be sure to live the sort of life God offers through His Son Jesus Christ, a careful study of First John is in order

Body

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

A. THE AUTHOR

1. John is the author, the beloved disciple of Jesus

2. Similarities between this epistle and the Gospel of John certainly give us INTERNAL evidence for this conclusion

3. There is also EXTERNAL evidence that this John is the author:

a. Polycarp, a close associate of John, makes reference to this epistle at the beginning of the second century, in a letter to the Philippians

b. Irenaeus, a student of Polycarp, quoted from it and attributed it to John

B. THE RECIPIENTS

1. No one is specifically mentioned

2. John was in Ephesus at the time, and this was a general epistle to the Christians throughout Asia Minor

3. However, John’s comments in 1 John 2:20 and 1 John 2:27 suggest that John may have been addressing a particular group of Christians possessing certain spiritual gifts

C. DATE

1. Estimations range from 60 A.D. to 100 A.D.

2. Most modern scholarship places it around 95 A.D

D. PURPOSE

1. As declared by John throughout his epistle, he wrote it:

a. that your joy may be full – 1 John 1:4

b. that you may not sin – 1 John 2:1

c. that you may know that you have eternal life – 1 John 5:13a

2. While these reasons may state the positive side of John’s purpose, it appears he was also responding to errors that were prevalent at the time – 1 John 2:26

a. If not fully developed in John’s day, there was at least a precursor to Gnosticism

b. Those who came to be called Gnostics

1) Claimed to have a superior knowledge (Greek word for knowledge is gnosis)

2) Believed all matter was evil

a) Therefore God did not create or have anything to do with the material universe

b) Therefore Christ could not have come in the flesh – 1 John 4:1-3

c. Their application to everyday living took two different directions; since all matter was thought to be evil:

1) Some thought one should abstain altogether from anything that would satisfy the flesh

2) Others claimed it did not matter what one did in the flesh (it was evil anyway), and to have full knowledge it was proper to explore everything

II. JOHN’S PROLOG (1 John 1:1-4)

A. CONCERNS THE WORD OF LIFE

1. Which was from the beginning has reference to the creation of the world – John 1:1

2. This Word of life was:

a. heard

b. seen with our eyes

c. looked upon

d. handled

e. all emphasizing that this Word was in the flesh; an reference to Jesus – John 1:1, 14

B. TO DECLARE THE ETERNAL LIFE

1. Which was:

a. With the Father

b. And then manifested to the apostles, who had seen and were bearing witness

2. Again, this is an obvious reference to Jesus Christ

3. But notice the use of the NEUTER gender throughout this passage

a. The emphasis appears to be on the life which Jesus had, especially that which is eternal

b. It is this same life which we can possess if we truly believe in the name of the Son of God – 1 John 5:11-13

4. Thus John is focusing on the eternal life which Jesus offers and made possible by His coming in the flesh

C. THAT YOU MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US

1. Here is the reason for declaring the Word of life, the eternal life

2. By declaring this life (revealed by Jesus and through Jesus), fellowship is possible

a. Fellowship involves the idea of sharing, communion

b. The sharing, communion that the apostles have is with the Father and His Son

3. John wanted his readers to participate in this same sharing

a. that you also may have fellowship with us

b. In other words, that you can experience what we are experiencing!

4. Why does John desire this? Read on

D. THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL

1. It is fellowship with the Father and Son that makes the life of a Christian so full of joy!

2. And just as Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10), so John now writes

a. That we may be sure to have fellowship with the Father and His Son

b. So that our joy may be full!

Conclusion

1. From 1 John 1:1-4, then, we learn that fullness of joy comes only when we are in fellowship with the Father and the Son

2. Only then do we have that eternal life, which was first manifested in the flesh by Jesus Himself, and now given only through Jesus – 1 John 5:11-13

3. In our next lesson, we shall see what John says is essential if we are to truly have fellowship with God – 1John 1:5-2:2

4. But if you are not a Christian, let me explain how such fellowship with God can begin Galatians 3:26-27