Today we begin a new sermon series as we study the book of 1 John. The Apostle John was used by God to write five books in the New Testament. He wrote the gospel that bears his name, he wrote three general epistles, and he was also given the Revelation as he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos. The letters of John have a clear connection with John's gospel in this way: the gospel was written that we would "believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in his name" (John 20:31). The letters were written "to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). In other words, we need to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah sent from God and we should have assurance of the salvation found only in Christ. Scripture text is 1 John 1:1-4.