1 John, Joy in Fellowship with Jesus, 1 John 1:1-4 Trinity Church, Ripon, WI, November 13, 2011 By Jeremy Vander Galien

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1 1 John, Joy in Fellowship with Jesus, 1 John 1:1-4 Trinity Church, Ripon, WI, November 13, 2011 By Jeremy Vander Galien No greeting No greeting. No Dear so and so. John leaps right into his letter, sparing no time. Why is that? I think John skips right over the greeting because He is eager to talk about Jesus. John starts right in on the person of Jesus. Allow me, even this early in the sermon, to digress. John, if you do not recall, is in the vicinity of age or 60 years prior to writing this letter, John actually heard and saw and looked at and touched Jesus. He knew Jesus like we know a sibling or a best friend or a spouse. But now John is 50 or 60 years past hearing and seeing and looking at and touching the author of all life. Here is what struck me about the beginning of John s letter even 50 or 60 long years have not dampened but deepened His eager affection for Jesus. May it be like that for me, for us, Trinity! Why not us? Why should we not, even after 50 or 60 years of walking with Jesus not have a dampened but deepened affection for Jesus? My prayer for myself, for my family, and for this family of Christ, is that years only deepen and not dampen our eager anticipation of seeing Jesus. Assurance So the letter of 1 John is all about Jesus. But, as you also may remember from last week, the main purpose of John s letter was given by John in 5:13, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. John desperately wants us who believe in the name of Jesus know that we have eternal life. Oh that they would really, truly know that in Christ they have the sure hope of eternal life with Him is John s heart for this letter. I was explaining this to the youth last Sunday night. Maybe a way to understand what John means is to understand the difference between wishful thinking and having rocksolid and sure knowledge of something. Many Christians are more wishful thinking in their assurance of eternal joy with Jesus than rock-solid knowing. John does not mean wishful thinking as if he sort-of hopes the people he loves will sort-of, because God is good and they are pretty good, you know, end up in heaven some day maybe if everything works out he thinks. This is not what John is talking about. The difference between wishful thinking and knowing that you have eternal life is the difference between hoping you get something for Christmas and seeing the gift put in the shopping cart, purchased from the store, taken home and placed in a box and wrapped in paper and topped with a bow and put in a God-secured vault to be given to you at the exact right time. The gift is yours, but not just yet. Jesus has bought the gift of eternal life. He paid for it with His blood, guaranteed it by filling you with His Spirit, and will return to give it to you. It is not wishful thinking, uh, if that is OK with you. It is rock-solid, blood-bought, Spirit-guaranteed, God-kept-in-heaven-for-you, beyond-your-highestexpectations eternal life if you are in Christ. And this is what the letter of 1 John is all about. Assurance in Jesus

2 And this is why John is so eager to begin this letter with Jesus. John begins his letter that he has written to believers of Jesus in a local church so that they would know for certain that they have eternal life in Jesus. This is the part we often neglect, assurance is based on knowing Jesus, who He is and what He has done. John begins this letter with a profound statement about who Jesus is and what He has done so that as we know Him, we will know that we have eternal life. Thus, the main culprit behind our lack of confident that we have eternal life is our lack of knowing Jesus. Confidence in knowing you have eternal life is found in nothing else than in knowing who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. John s point is to show us that if we really know who Jesus is and what Jesus did for us on the cross, then knowing that we have eternal life will not be such a difficult thing. But if we are foggy on who Jesus is, foggy on what Jesus did for us in the gospel, then knowing that we have eternal life will be much, much more difficult. Think of it like this - If a total stranger were to approach on the street, someone you did not know at all, and he promised to give you a new car by the end of the day if only you will fill out such and such form and give him a $1000 dollar processing fee, you would not trust him at all. You would be a fool to give him any money. That is because you do not know him. But if your father or mother or best friend, someone you know deeply, came to you and made a promise you know that they were capable of keeping, you would have no reason to be suspicious or wary or distrustful but only confident in the promise because you are confident in the person. Jesus is the God who became man that we can have full confidence in. And because we have full confidence in Jesus (He can literally do anything and has done everything) than we can be confident in what He says. And what Jesus says is promise eternal life to all who believe in His name. So what does John tell us about Jesus? From the beginning The first truth John tells us about Jesus is that Jesus was from the beginning. What does that mean? We might be tempted to think that John is telling us that Jesus had a beginning, that Jesus is not eternal, that there was a time when Jesus was not. But if we keep reading, we would realize that this is not at all what John means. John says that Jesus was, the life that was made manifest, and that Jesus is the life that the eternal life, and that this eternal life of Jesus, was with the Father. So John is not teaching us that before Jesus was born He was nothing. John is telling us precisely the opposite. Jesus is eternal. This is precisely John s point with this statement, From the beginning. John is telling something amazing about who Jesus is. Jesus is the one who has always existed. Before their was time, there was Jesus, in divine relationship with the Father and with the Spirit. Jesus has always been, and there was never a time when Jesus was not. Evidence Yet, let s look at some evidence since from the beginning is not all that clear that it means Jesus is eternal. Here are some further evidences that John means, Jesus is eternal, by, from the beginning. First, as I just pointed out, what John says here in 1:1 is further explained by John in 1:2. From the beginning is explained by the word life at the end of 1:1 and in 1:2. The life that is Jesus is eternal, and is eternally

3 with the Father. This clearly means that Jesus has always existed. Jesus is eternal. Second, if you go to 1 John 2:13-14 you would find that John refers to the Father, that is, God the Father, in the last line of 2:13, You know the Father. Then John uses the exact same language from 1:1 in 2:14 about God the Father, You know him (the Father) who is from the beginning. Now, we know that the Bible says that God the Father is eternal and has always existed. Now we see John referring to the Father as the Him Who was from the beginning. This is the exact phrase that John uses about Jesus. This indicates two things. It indicates the Biblical truth that the Father and the Son, that God the Father and God the Son, Jesus, are equal. It also indicates that both the Father and the Son are eternal. So it is clear that the inspired apostle John, a man who knew Jesus, is teaching us that Jesus is eternal. Vital for assurance Here is why this matters and why John begins this letter by making sure we know that Jesus is eternal, that which was from the beginning. John s main point in this letter is that we who believe in Jesus become totally convinced that they have eternal life. How could we ever really know we have eternal life unless the One who has given us eternal life is Himself eternal? The good news is that Jesus is eternal. He has no beginning, He will have no end. Jesus is always and forever who Jesus is. This means, of course, that our hope of eternal life is in the hands of the One who is Himself eternal. Our hope is that when we die, Jesus will take us to be with Himself forever and ever and unending. Could that possibly a reality if Jesus Himself were not eternal? Could we know we have eternal life if Jesus were not Himself eternal? No way! But He is eternal. He is forever alive. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. And Jesus, who is from the beginning, has given us new, true, deep, real, satisfying, forever, eternal life if we look to Him alone. We can trust that we have eternal life because the One who gives it, Jesus, is eternal. Jesus came Let that stun you. Jesus is eternal. The One you look to for eternal life has life in Himself forever. But there is more to stun you about Jesus from John. Jesus, who is fully the eternal God, became a man. Jesus is God forever and ever. And about 2,000 years ago God took on flesh, became a real, alive, heart-beating, eyes-seeing, feet-walking, sleepneeding, food-eating, palms-sweating, bones-aching, ears-hearing, nerves-firing human. Let s just pause in wonder a moment. For so many of Christians these amazing truths have lost their wonder, their magic. God became a man. If you did not know this, and you read this in a book, you would think it was the greatest fiction, better than Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings and Jane Eyre and Santa Claus and The Tooth Fairy and Peter Pan. It is amazing, almost magical, fantasy, thrilling, beyond belief. But it is true because John witnessed the whole thing. But don t lose the wonder, the awe, the sense of holy magic that tingles your spine and makes your stomach flutter and your cheeks crease with a smile. Jesus, the eternal God, became a man. Progression John tells us something magnificent. He tell us what he himself with his ears and eyes and hands witnessed. Jesus is that, which we have heard seen with our eyes looked upon touched with our hands the life was made manifest we have seen it. Jesus is

4 the God who, became flesh and dwelt among us. But notice what John tells us about Jesus incarnation, that is, Jesus being the God who took on flesh as a real man. John shows us something awesome. John heard Jesus voice. That is good. But we can hear from someone and not really know them. We can be in a crowd hearing someone and not even see them. Many dead saints in the Old Testament heard from Jesus in His Word but never got to see Him. But John did not only hear Jesus, John saw Jesus with his own two eyes. But again, lots of people saw Jesus. There were crowds of thousands whose eyes saw Jesus but thought Him more like a circus attraction than the eternal and holy Creator God. But John did not only hear and see Jesus, John looked upon and touched Jesus. Looking implies studying. John was in such near proximity to Jesus, for such a period of time, that John did not just hear Him, John did not just see, John looked and touched and knew Him. John s hands touched Jesus. John actually leaned against Jesus at the final meal Jesus ate prior to being crucified. John actually felt Jesus wounds after Jesus was raised from the dead. John Himself spent hours with Jesus prior to Jesus ascending to heaven to sit at God s right hand. Eyewitnesses One truth to draw from this is to realize what we are reading. John is an eyewitness to true events that really happened in history. This is what makes Jesus and Christianity so unique. The truths that we are reading here in this letter are based on historical facts written by eyewitnesses. John not only heard, not only saw, but looked and touched and smelled and walked with Jesus. John knew Jesus. John ate with Jesus. John walked with Jesus. John heard Jesus teaching. John saw the spikes driven into Jesus flesh. John touched Jesus resurrected flesh. Gospel is fact This means that what we are dealing with here is not best thoughts from a really smart man, but historical fact. The gospel, the reality that Jesus is the God who came to earth and died on a cross for our sins and rose from the dead so that we can be made right with God, is not fanciful, inspirational, self-help thoughts from the Oprah Winfrey of the 1 st century. The gospel is based on historical events that happened. Jesus was really born of a virgin. Jesus was really God in the flesh. Jesus did really live a sinless life. Jesus did really die a death on a cross. Jesus was really raised from the dead. This is fact. These historical, real events were seen by real humans who wrote precisely what they saw under the power of the Holy Spirit. Let s connect the dots. Our confidence that we have eternal is based on Jesus who is Himself eternal. That is really helpful. Our confidence is based on the historical fact that Jesus, who is eternal, came to earth and lived and died and rose. That is really helpful, and here is why it is really helpful. Faith is not without sight. Faith is sight, it is just using the eyes and ears and senses of other human just like us who happen to be long dead but whose eyes and ears and senses have been accurately and powerfully preserved for us by the Spirit of God. We see Jesus, it is just through the first-hand, eyewitness account of others who have passed on. This should give you oodles of confidence. Again, no wishful thinking needed or welcome. Wishful thinking is not saving faith. Wishful thinking won t help on your death bed. Confidence in Jesus who is eternal and who loved us enough to come and pay the wrath-bearing penalty for our sin and the

5 true account of which is written for our confidence by eyewitnesses under the powerful work of the Spirit of God. We have little reason to not be confident. Why? And our confidence in Jesus is confidence that we actually do have eternal fellowship with God and with Jesus and with each other who love Jesus, We proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. This is John explaining his purpose in telling us about Jesus, the eternal God who became a man. Here we come upon great news. But the great news begins with bad news. It is clear that if John writes so that we might have fellowship then there is a time in our lives when we do not have fellowship with God and with Jesus and with Jesus people. Fellowship means participation together. It implies partnership, togetherness like fathers and sons. But we are born into this world without fellowship with God because we are born with a nature of sin. This means that we spend our life sinning against God, rebelling against Him because that is our nature. This ruins fellowship and places us not in participation with God but under God s wrath and bound for an eternity apart from God in hell. That is the bad news. But the good news is that John writes so that this fellowship can be restored with God. This means that there is a way to have the fellowship with our Creator, with our God, restored. Isn t that great news? Reconciliation with anyone is sweet. Reconciliation with a holy God totally opposed to you because of your nature of rebellion is infinitely sweeter, especially sweet because God paid the price of reconciliation with no tip by us needed. God s purpose But let s go behind the scenes a bit. Reconciliation between the holy, infinite God and sinful, finite sinners because of who Jesus is and what Jesus did is not mainly or firstly John s idea or purpose, it is God s. God designs and desires this reconciliation with Himself between sinners and Himself. We see clearly how loving and near and holy God is because of what John says. This is God s purpose way before, an eternity before, it was ever John s, or our, purpose or desire. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). When did God first start loving us? I think it was before we were even us (according to Ephesians 1:4). God Himself for eternity designed and desired fellowship, nearness, love, closeness, participation together with us, with you and with me in Christ. This does not imply that God is weak or lonely or just looking for something to do on a Friday night. It implies that God is holy and free and loving and designs out of His complete freedom and exuberance to show the world what He is like by creating a world, filling it people who will rebel against their Creator, and sending His Son, who is like us but unlike us to die in our place so that we can be reconciled to Him. Please feel that weight of this truth. There is the reality of fellowship with God. Through Jesus Christ, through His life and death and resurrection and reign, we who are nothing in comparison to God, who have rebelled against Him, can now have fellowship with Him. And this fellowship is not short-term, it is eternal. And, as we know, John writes

6 so that we who look to Jesus, who believe in His name, can know that we do and will have eternal fellowship with Him. And this is the earnest desire of God, to have fellowship with you provided you believe in Jesus. A happy old man All of this truth about the spectacular person who is God who is Jesus, and seeing a God who Himself designed and desires fellowship with us, makes me happy, fills my heart with joy, joy, joy. That is exactly what John experienced as his pen wrote this on paper, And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. Joy follows writing and thinking and meditating on Jesus and the purposes of God in redemption. But why does John say our, why not your? Because our is bigger and more inclusive than your. Our includes you and us and not just us. I like John, he is one happy geriatric. John is 90+ and seeking joy and oozing warmth and happiness. And John s joy is in Christ, but John s joy is also knowing that those he loves know that they have eternal life in Christ. John s joy is centered on other s joy Here we bump into something remarkable and remarkably convicting. John is a joyfilled old man. John s supreme joy is Christ, both immediately in the joy of knowing that he know Jesus, but also future-focused in knowing that one day we actually see Jesus again. But what John writes about here is not mainly joy in knowing Jesus, but joy in the joy of others knowing Jesus. John s joy is centered on other s joy. John is writing these things so that his joy may complete. Complete in what? Complete in those he is writing to knowing that they have fellowship with God because of Jesus. Complete in those he is writing to knowing for certain, with full confidence, because they know who Jesus is and what Jesus has done that they have eternal life. John s joy is in the joy of others. John is writing to people whose lives are hard. The ship of their trust in Christ is being rocked by a storm and is taking on water is becoming frantic and doubt-filled and scared. This is robbing John s joy because John cares so deeply for them, for them to know that they have eternal life and joy in Christ. John is writing to people, people maybe like you, who are believing in Jesus, but are doubting, or prone to doubt eternal life. The world they live in, the people they are surrounded by, the embarrassment of their sin, the weakness of their flesh, are all conspiring to weaken or reduce their confidence in Jesus in giving them eternal life to more of a wishful thought. And John s joy hinges, in part, on their knowing that they have eternal life. A call to us Let me end with one application. First, John s joy in other s joy in knowing they have eternal life is a call to us as Christians. This ought to be a major goal in our life. Our joy in Christ ought to be impacted by the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters in Christ s joy in knowing they have eternal life. John is spending his life working so that other s might know they have eternal life in Christ. His joy is their joy in Christ. I urge you to be like John in this. I urge you to intertwine and wrap up your joy in how other s are doing in

7 Christ. Pray and work and serve and encourage and meet needs and speak the gospel to your brothers and sisters so that they might know that they have eternal life. John is a man who the years have not dampened but deepened his joy in Christ. But John is a man deeply concerned for the welfare of his brothers and sisters in Christ, especially that they might know they have eternal life. This eternal life is secure and we can have confidence that we have eternal life if we believe in Jesus because Jesus is eternal, because Jesus is the eternal God who became a man and died on the cross for our sins. And because we know this, because we are confident and secure in Him who is eternal, we can spend our lives on behalf of others so that they may know they have eternal life in Christ and so that our joy maybe complete.