FELLOWSHIP WITH US

Sunday Morning: January 31, 1999

Text: 1 John 1:2-3 "(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal [the] life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

THEY KNOW THE TRUTH

1 John 2:21 "I have not written unto you because ye (Little Children 2:1,13; Fathers 2:13,14; and Young Men 2:13,14) know not the truth, but because ye know [oi+da, hoida, certain knowledge] it, and that no lie is of the truth."

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

HIDDEN FROM THE WISE AND PRUDENT

Luke 10:21 "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight."

THE FATHERS KNOW HIM

1 John 2:13 "I write unto you, fathers (wise person, a teacher), because ye have known him (Jesus Christ) that is from the beginning. ..."

YOUNG MEN WERE OVERCOMERS

1 John 2:14 "... I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one."

A LAWYER

A RULER

THE LAST DAYS

1 John 2:18 "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist (only in 1 John and 2 John) shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."

STOPPED THEIR FELLOWSHIP

1 John 2:19 "They (fathers and young men) went out from (stopped fellowship) us (little children), but they were not of us (little children); for if they had been of us (little children), they would no doubt have continued with us (little children): but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us (little children)."

CONTINUE IN THE SON AND FATHER

1 John 2:22-25 "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth (doctrine) the Father and the Son.

CONTINUE IN THE WORD

John 8:31 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word (the truth), then are ye my disciples indeed;"

CONTINUE IN THE GRACE

Acts 13:43 "... many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace (power of Christ) of God."

CONTINUE IN THE FAITH

Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith (pleasing God), and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."