Sermon Notes 1/19 – First John

A key word in First John is KNOW

***3 Meanings of the word KNOW

-Knowledge and information

-To experience, feel and sense

-To absolutely, positively and with total confidence know

     1 John 3:2

Beloved – means divinely loved ones and refers to Jesus loving all believers

-we can know that we are children of God – Romans 8:16

-KNOW – is to absolutely positively KNOW

-We can know that Jesus is coming back soon…..

Revealed – to become visible and to appear

     1 John 2:18

Little children – these are young immature believers

last hour – used twice in v18 – this is the last period of time in the history of humanity

Know – refers to experiencing the fact that we are in the last days

-we experience the last days by the signs showing the return of the Lord

-Matthew 24:36 – no one knows when the return of Jesus is happening

-Matthew 24 – – the beginning of sorrows

         ***this represents that the signs of the Lord will increase as His return gets closer and closer

-1 John 2:18 – we are experiencing more and more signs today in our culture

           antichrists – these are false teachers and doctrine

-The Next Great Event on God’s Calendar – THE RAPTURE

1. THE DEFINITION OF THE RAPTURE – Isaiah 26:19-21

rapture means to be seized, caught up and snatched quickly in a state of great joy.  It is a supernatural miraculous last days event

2. THE DIVINE INTERVENTIONS – 1 Thess 4:13-18

         Two Divine Interventions

                1.) The rapture of the church – for the church

                2.) The salvation of Israel during the tribulation

-the 7 year tribulation is not for the church – Zech 12:10 & 13:1

3. THE DRAWING AND PULLING AWAY OF BELIEVERS  – 2 Thess 2:1-8

-The Lord is a people mover

-the rapture is for all believers in the twinkling of an eye – 1 Cor 15:51-52

-believers go in the rapture because of God’s grace

-John 14:3

-the rapture produces a reunion of family and friends