1. 1 John

2. 1 John SPIRAL has recurring TOPICS—all wound around one another:
GOD JESUS
CHILDREN OF GOD
SPIRIT LIFE
LOVE
COMMANDMENTS
RIGHTEOUSNESS SIN
FAITH/TRUST
WORLD TRUE & TRUTH

3. A Topic that Spirals around, but is easy to miss:
“KNOW” -
in the English translations
38 times in the NIV of this very short 5 page letter
Can make it more if you add “see” and “hear” or make it less if you separate the Greek words

4. A LITTLE HELP FROM THE GREEK WORDING—different kinds of “knowing”
There are things the writer wants us to:
“UNDERSTAND” – (Oida in Greek) and
“BE CLEAR ABOUT” (Phaneroo in Greek)
“KNOW BY EXPERIENCE” (ginosko in Greek)
and “SEE” by life experiences
-----EXAMPLE– 1 John 3:1-2

5. Renee ended her teaching last week with:
1 John 5:2-4  This is how we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep God’s commandments.  3 This is the love of God: we keep God’s commandments. God’s commandments are not difficult,  4 because everyone who is born from God defeats the world. And this is the victory that has defeated the world: our faith/trust. (based on Deut. 30:11-16)

6. SCARY or RE-ASSURING?
1 John 5:2-4 This is how we know (experience) that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep God’s commandments. 3 This is the love (wanting what is best for God) of God: we keep God’s commandments. God’s commandments are not difficult, 4 because everyone who is born from God defeats the world. And this is the victory that has defeated the world: our faith/trust (based on Deut. 30:11-16)
- I plan to come back to this text near end of teaching

7. My assignment today: Ending of the letter– SCARY OR RE-ASSURING?
1 John 5:18-21 We know (understand) that everyone born from God does not keep on sinning, but the ones born from God guard themselves, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know (understand) we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 We know (understand) that God’s Son has come and has given us understanding (a framework) to know (experience) the one who is true (authentic/real). We are in (a relationship with) the one who is true (real/authentic) by being in (a relationship with) his Son, Jesus the Messiah. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols!

8. THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND?”
MY SON’S T-SHIRT READ:
“WHAT IS IT ABOUT
KNOW
THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND?”

9. As I re-read 1 John I thought:
“WHAT IS IT ABOUT
KNOW
THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND?”
Quite a bit!

10. How can I “know”. I was not there
How can I “know”? I was not there! Only by “TRUSTING” JESUS’ LIFE & WORDS!
1:1-3 We announce to you what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have seen and our hands handled, about the word of life. 2 The life was revealed, and we have seen, and we testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. 3 What we have seen and heard… - he says, that he had all these 1st-hand experiences; we haven’t -- one issue we have to navigate about “know” – Jesus: “blessed are those who have not seen, and yet trust”

11. 1 John 3:1-2 – WHAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE NOW, AND WHAT WE CANNOT
1 John 3:1-2: See (Greek=horao) what kind of love the Father has given to us in that we should be called God’s children, and that is what we are! Because the world didn’t recognize him (ginosko-experience him for who he was), it doesn’t recognize us (experience us for who we are.)
2Dear friends, now we are God’s children, and it hasn’t yet appeared (phaneroo in Greek=”been made clear”) what we will be. We know (oida in Greek= “understand”) that when he appears (phaneroo in Greek=”is made clear”) we will be like him because we’ll see (Greek=horao) him as he is. 

12. SCARY or RE-ASSURING?
1 John 5:2-3 This is how we know (experience) that we keep on loving the children of God: when we keep on loving God and keep on keeping God’s commandments. 3 This is the love of God: we keep God’s commandments. God’s commandments are not difficult…. (based on Deut. 30:11-16) Commands: -Tell truth -want best for vs. ego communication -share resources and gifts –faithfulness in relationships –work for justice for oppressed = this actually works!!!

13. EXPERIENCE RE-ASSURANCE
EXPERIENCE RE-ASSURANCE? – (1) keep practicing AND (2) know GOD IS BIGGER!
1 John 3:18-21
18 Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth.19 This is how we will know (experience) that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts in God’s presence. 20 Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows (experiences) all things.21 Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence (boldness) in relationship to God.

14. COMMUNION: Let’s “COME BOLDLY” into the FELLOWSHIP and the JOY offered in 1 JOHN
What we have seen and heard, we also announce it to you so that you can have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus the Messiah.  4 We are writing these things so that our joy can be complete.