REALITY CHECK

Reflection:

1 Corinthians 1:4–9 ESV

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

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1 John 1:1–2 ESV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—

INTRODUCTION

Many of us are settling for the FALSE HOPE of this world, running after FAKE RELATIONSHIPS that are skin deep at best, AND chasing EMPTY PLEASURES that keep us unfulfilled and constantly needing more.

By contrast, in the first few sentences of this powerful letter (which reads more like a sermon) from John, we find THE REAL SAVIOR, REAL FELLOWSHIP, AND REAL JOY that nourishes us!

It's time for a REALITY CHECK!

BACKGROUND

THE APOSTLE JOHN

If the Apostle PETER was known as the apostle of FAITH.  

And the Apostle PAUL was the apostle of HOPE.  

Then the Apostle JOHN is clearly the Apostle of LOVE.  

(FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE)

In fact, of the 221 instances of LOVE in the NEW TESTAMENT, 42 APPEAR IN JOHN'S EPISTLES.

He experienced it firsthand.  Of the 12 disciples, John was 1 of the 3 closest to Jesus.

(This fuels ONE OF OUR MAIN discipleship models at Mission.)

Jesus spoke to large crowds infrequently

Jesus did much of life with a Small Group (12-30)

Jesus pulled 3 closer in for deeper lessons in discipleship

The Apostle John gave us

these three epistles (1-3 JOHN),

the Gospel of John,

and the Book of Revelation.

1-3 JOHN

These three epistles form a single package.

2 JOHN - The Cover Letter to the CONGREGATION

3 JOHN - The Cover Letter to the PASTOR

1 JOHN - The Main Sermon / Letter to the CHURCH

(BTW) The Church of Ephesus was made up of groups meeting in homes that would gather together for worship as often as they could.

THEMES​​​​

John contends for

TRUE DOCTRINE,

OBEDIENT LIVING,

AND FAITHFUL DEVOTION in this epistle.

FALSE TEACHERS ABOUND teaching BAD DOCTRINE - presenting a FALSE HOPE in works, or worse yet, ANOTHER JESUS - denying his humanity or his divinity.

FAKE RELATIONSHIPS WERE HARMING PEOPLE - people were settling for less than biblical fellowship with God and with one another.  

John also could that folks who were distorting DEVOTION TO GOD into a religious ritual were robbing themselves of the blessings that God promised from a living relationship with (and through) His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ!

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1. ENGAGE THE REAL SAVIOR (v1-2)

1 John 1:3 ESV

that which we have seen and heard 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.

2. ENTER INTO REAL FELLOWSHIP (v3)

3. EXPERIENCE REAL JOY (v4)