Sermons

Luke 24:33-43 Jesus appears to the disciples and asks that they handle Him to prove He is not a ghost
1 John Background
• 1 John was written some 60 years after the ascension of Jesus.
• False teachers pushing Gnostic beliefs were infiltrating the church.
• Gnostics asserted that matter was evil and spirit was good.
o They believed Christ did not have a real physical body but just appeared to have one.
o Some even believed that Christ’s spirit possessed the man Jesus during His baptism.
o Some believed that since matter was evil it must be dealt with harshly (asceticism)
o Some believed that since evil was tied to the body that their spirits were not held responsible for the sins committed by the body.
1 John 1:1 John bears personal witness that he had seen and touched Jesus Christ.
John 1:14 John witness that the Word/Christ became flesh
Luke 1:1-2 Luke makes a similar statement as a personal witness
2 Pet 1:16 Peter also makes a statement as a personal witness
John 20:26-29 Christ has Thomas handle His wounds
1 John 4:1-3 Confession that Christ came in the flesh is a key indication of a spirit’s allegiance
1 John 1:2 John witnesses that Eternal Life/Christ was manifested to them
1 John 3:4-8 Eternal life was manifested to take away our sins
1 John 1:3 The first test of fellowship is belief that through Christ we are partakers in eternal life.
1 John 1:4 The reality of the gospel produces fellowship in eternal life which produces joy.
1 John 1:5-2:2 The second test of fellowship is affirming the existence of sin and our need for salvation through Christ

 
1 John 2:12-14 John describes 3 states of Christian spiritual understanding.
Little children are new Christians that have a basic awareness of God
Young men are those that have His Word in them but don’t know God in Word through life yet
Fathers are those that have experienced God’s Word through life