Introduction

                At the beginning of 2019, about three years ago, I set the motto of Victory Presbyterian Church, which I serve as the senior pastor, “Love each other,” and set three small goals: Gratitude, Forgiveness, Sacrifice.  The motto bible verse was John 15:12 – “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”  Focusing on this New Year’s motto, small goals, and Bible verse, I thought about which Bible book out of the 66 books of the Bible would be suitable to preach.  And then I chose the Book of 1 John and began to preach from 1 John 1:1-4 (sermon title: The Gospel of Jesus Christ we preach) to the last sermon on 1 John 5:13-21 (sermon title: You have eternal life) on Sunday, December 26, 2021.  It took me about two years and nine months in preaching the Book of 1 John.  Looking back, within few weeks of starting to preach on 1 John, I thought the the Book of 1 John was not an appropriate fit for the motto “Love one another”.  But after I finished preaching 1 John, I realized that the thought I had before was not exactly right.  The reason is because even in 1 John chapter 1, the author, the Apostle John, is speaking of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is God and eternal life (1:1-3).  But what was really interesting was that last week's sermon on 1 John, the Apostle John was talking about the true God and eternal life, the Son of God, Jesus Christ again in 1 John 5:20.  After all, the beginning and the end of the Book of 1 John is speaking of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is God and eternal life.  That's why I titled this first book of 1 John, “Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life.”  I hope and pray that as we read this book, we will all come to know more and more who Jesus Christ is and the love that He gave His life for us (3:16), so that we can be able to love one another according to His commandment (v. 23).

“More about Jesus would I know, More of His grace to others show; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me.  More, more about Jesus, More, more about Jesus; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me” (Hymn “More About Jesus Would I Know” verse 1 and refrain),

James Kim

[December 30, 2021, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, …” (Phil. 3:7-8)]