1 John 1_1_4 The Reality of the Incarnate Word

Title: The Reality of the Incarnate Word

Text: 1 John 1:1-4

Years ago a traveling entertainer billed himself as “The Human Fly.” He would climb up the sides of buildings or monuments without the aid of ropes or the protection of nets. Usually the whole neighborhood would turn out to watch him.During one performance, the Human Fly came to a point on the wall of the building and paused as though he didn’t know what to do next. Then he reached with his right arm to take hold of a piece of mortar to lift himself higher. But instead of moving higher, he fell back with a scream and was killed on the pavement below.When the police opened his right hand, it did not contain a piece of mortar. It contained a handful of dirty cobwebs! The Fly had tried to climb on cobwebs, and it just didn’t work.

We live in a world full of false teachings as did the recipients of John’s letter. False teachings are just like cobwebs, they have no substance!

5 books of the New Testament are attributed to John. The Gospel of John, 1,2,3 John, and The Revelation. Each of these have different emphases. The Gospel emphasis Salvation, “So you will believe.” The letters emphasizes Sanctification, Your present walk with the Lord. The Revelation emphasizes glorification, your future which awaits the believer and the sinner.

This letter is written to those in and around Ephesus who are being led astray by false teachers. There are those who reject that Jesus is the Christ. There are those teaching an early form of Gnosticism, that all matter is evil therefore Jesus could not have been human but remained Spirit only appearing to be human. Then there are those who are teaching against the deity of Jesus. Therefore, many believers are questioning their Sonship and Fellowship but John writes to them so they will know for certainty their sonship and fellowship with the Lord.

Interwoven through out this letter are a series of test that are to be used to expose your fellowship and sonship with the Lord. There is the MORAL test, “are you living in obedience to the Lord.” The SOCIAL test, “do you love the Lord and your fellow believers.” Finally, the DOCTRINAL test, “do you believe and live the truth” or more simply put, “do you have the right belief.”

John opens this letter stressing that Jesus is Very God of Very God and Very Man of Very Man as he sets up his argument against the false teachings at Ephesus.

CPS: Jesus is Very God of Very God and Very Man of Very Man, if this was not so then we would not have forgiveness of our sins because only God is good enough to die for the sins of the world and only man can die for the sins of the world.

I. The reality of the Incarnation Vs. 1-2

John exposes the reality of the incarnation of Jesus (who was from eternity) by using relative clauses to expose what he proclaims. He heard with His own ears, saw with his own eyes, looked upon (to examine closely), and touched with his own hands. Simply put, he bore full personal experience of the humanity of Jesus (Because Spirits can’t be seen, heard, or touched) declaring that Jesus the Eternal Word (Logos Zoe) became flesh and dwelt among us.

A. The Full Experience of the Word of Life

1. The Object

a. The Word of Life from Eternity

b. The Progressive Experience of His Manifestation

B. The Proclamation of the Word of Life

1. The Revelation of the Christ

TO SEE THE CHRIST IS TO SEE THE FATHER!!!

2. The Revelation of the Father

Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, “I am your king!” The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!”The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls Him, “the unspeakable gift!”

The reality is that John Personal experienced the Eternal Incarnate Word of Life and declared Him to the World. Though physically we cant see Him, nor touch Him, but because of His Coming, Crucifixion, and Reserection we have something better. He lives, He lives within my heart!

TO SEE THE CHRIST IS TO SEE THE FATHER!!!

II. The reality of Fellowship Vs. 3-4

What John and the apostles experienced is being declared so that sinners can enter into fellowship with the believers whose fellowship is with the Father and the Son. Through out this letter, John lists five reasons for writing this letter, the first is so that they may share in the Joy of Christ with them.

A. Fellowship with Believers

The word fellowship means participation. In the NT is the Idea of Communion, partakers of the blood and broken body of Jesus which bring intense joy and happiness.

Heb. 12:2

B. Fellowship with God

There can be fellowship with God only through the blood of Jesus.

1. Father

2. Son

C. Joy of Fellowship

1. Of the Gospel (1:5) We get to know each other 2. Of the Spirit (2:1) We get to know ourselves 3. Of His Suffering (3:10) We get to know Christ

Application: The reality is that Jesus did become flesh and dwelt among us and by in life, death, and Resurrection we can be in fellowship with God and His people. By faith this reality is rock solid unlike the cobwebs the Human Fly grabbed a hold of. This reality will not drop you nor let you down. Are you partaking in the reality or are you just holding a bunch of dirty old cobwebs in your hand?