Introduction: After writing his Gospel, heresies began to emerge about the identity of Jesus. Wanting to preserve the true faith, John wrote his epistles or letters which will be the next part in our journey through the scriptures. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. • His is that the joy of the believer might be made full or complete. • Worldly joy is dependent upon . • Christian joy comes from the of God. • Christian joy is a of the Spirit according to Gal 5:22. • This joy is somehow related to our being in . 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. • This joy comes from being in right with other believers and God. • John refers to this relationship as . • True fellowship is being with each other and God like Jesus is one with the Father. 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us • This life is . • Life is no life at all if Christ is not the and of it. • Jesus who is called life brings life, fellowship and joy. • This life (Jesus) took form. • This life (Jesus) is . • If Jesus was not truly man then His life could have been made to us but it could not have been made to us. • If He wasn’t then He wasn’t a sinless sacrifice and if He wasn’t He wasn’t a suitable sacrifice for mankind. 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— • John and Jesus want us to know that Jesus is the Son of God. • We should listen to John because He was more than an . • Furthermore, John’s testimony was by other eyewitness. • Many of these eyewitnesses gave their for their faith in Christ. • People will die for what they believe to be true but no one dies for what they know to be a false.