Have You Heard or Thought…?

1. “You can just sense the excitement!”2. “I look forward to Sunday morning all week long!”3. “I’ve never felt so at home!”

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

1 John 1:1-2

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

1 John 1:3-4

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word [logos] of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

1 John 1:1-2

In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word [logos] was with God and the Word [logos] was God.

John 1:1

• Clung tightly to their proud heritage (Abraham, Moses, David, etc)• At the center of their theology was a devotion to the Word of God• This Word was written in their native tongue and was the

authority of God through appointed men• The Word signified the presence and action of God breaking into

human history with unparalleled power and authority• God’s Word indicated action; an agent accomplishing the will of

God (Genesis 1-2, Isaiah 55)• Jewish Targums• Example, Exodus 19: “Moses brought the people out of the camp

to meet [the Word of] God.”

The Hebrew People

• Clung tightly to their proud heritage• Very philosophical heritage, whereas Hebrew was more

experiential• Emphasis on discussion, philosophy, understanding• Heraclitus

The Greek People

• “Weeping Philosopher”• Face on Greek coins in Ephesus• Believed…

• The creation of the world• The ordering of all life• The immortality of the human soul• …were all made possible solely by the logos that was the

invisible and intelligent force behind everything we see.• Taught that it was the logos through which all things were

interrelated and brought into harmony• Life/death, good/evil, darkness/light, gods/people

Heraclitus

• Said truth could be known, and wisdom was found not by a knowledge of many things, but instead by a deep and clear awareness of one thing – the logos.

Heraclitus

• To the Greek, conveyed the fact that the world is governed by a universal intelligence.

• To the Jews, conveyed the idea from their rich history of God extending Himself into creation.

Logos / Word

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word [logos] of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

1 John 1:1-2

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

1 John 1:3-4

complete = pléróo

FinishedPerfect / Lacking nothing

Full to the point where nothing more can be added

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.

Philippians 3:20

You don’t have a soul. You have a body. You are a soul.C.S. Lewis

The Life appeared; we have seen It and testify to It, and we proclaim to you the eternal Life, Which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:2-3

The Life appeared; we have seen It and testify to It, and we proclaim to you the eternal Life, Which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have koinonia with us. And our koinonia is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:2-3

Bowling Alone

1. Americans’ social lives are enriched and educated through the social discourse that occurs when people gather together.

2. Through the enriching of each American’s social life, communities, then States, then the nation is informed, strengthened and enriched.

3. Since 1950, there has been a reduction in all forms of social interaction.

4. Because of this, Americans are less informed and, therefore, less involved in civic affairs.

Over the last 25 years…

1. Attendance in club meetings has dropped 58%2. Frequency of family dinners has dropped 43%3. Frequency of having friends over has dropped 35%

John makes the proclamation of Christ the basis of his fellowship with other believers.

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is

with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:3-4a

Since our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, the only way we can cultivate fellowship with you is to proclaim to you what we know about Jesus, whom we have seen and heard.

1 John 1:4a-3