How Do I Know?

1 John 1:1-4

By Pastor Stewart McCarter, January 11, 2026

John begins with communion, not a command God:

  1. The Substance of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1)
  1. “That which” John does not start with “He” or “Who”. He begins with “What”.This emphasizes the reality and substance of Christ before Bethlehem or before naming about whom he is talking.
  2. The “was” refers to continuing existence
  3. “From the beginning” means not when Jesus started but that He was there before anything else started. (John 1:1) Point: John is grounding our faith in Christ is historical, objective, reality. This is not a mere mystical experience or hallucination. The apostles did not later embellish the story.
  1. The Reality of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1b)
  1. John gives four statements of his experiences with Christ.
  2. Concerning the Word of Life
  1. The Message of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:2)
  1. Manifested: “made visible or revealed openly”
  2. This eternal life is made known and visible in Jesus
  3. This life is not discovered, it is revealed by God
  4. “With the Father” (greek pros - towards, in relation to)
  5. “Life, the eternal life” not life like we know it but a life that is eternal beginning now in Christ
  6. The phrase used here emphasizes the quality of life over the endurance of life. Yes it is eternal but is is tieless and wonderful.
  7. Eternal life is in Jesus Himself, not something He just gives you. He gives you Himself Jesus is not a messenger about life, He is life itself manifested in flesh.
  1. The Purpose of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3)

  1. We proclaim to you - John is telling you.this is the sense of an announcement with authority. “Hear ye, Hear ye” “Breaking News”

  2. This is Johns personal experience but he is making it public testimony

  3. For the purpose of you being able to have fellowship with “us”

  4. But even more, together we all can have fellowship God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ.

  5. Two fold fellowship, vertical and horizontal

  6. You cannot have the horizontal until you have the vertical.

  7. The vertical is not a private experience, but is shared with the others who have the vertical relationship.

  8. You cannot have “private faith” in that it is just you and God. We must have fellowship with one another in Christ.

  9. Destroys individualism and purely social relationships

  10. The Result of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:4)

  11. Joy is complete (filled to the brim)

  12. Joy comes from embracing truth and entering fellowship. It is not emotional hype.

  13. The apostle rejoices when the church walks in truth (2 John 1:4)

  14. The Church is full of joy when we share in life with God.

  15. Truth -> Fellowship -> Full Joy