5. Essentials of the Faith Pt 4: The Message

The Message

Last month we finished John’s introduction with ‘so that your joy may be made complete’. Under the point ‘The source and means of joy’ there were several subpoints.

-our joy flows as we come to a greater understanding and acceptance of the fact of God’s love and acceptance of us.

-our joy flows as we delight in the Lord Jesus Christ

-our joy and delight is in the things of God

- our joy and delight is in fellowship with believers

But it is a struggle to maintain joy. We read or listen to what’s going on in the world the bad news far outweighs the good. From a human perspective it is difficult to see the growth and spread of the gospel without hearing also the imminent and deadly threat of persecution. I am speaking to the growing church in Afghanistan which is now facing the threat of being wiped out.

But how can we know with certainty this is true? Because of the testimony of the Word of God. The message that the Apostles received from Jesus and the church receives from them.

1Jn 1:5-2:6 And this is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Three Points in this Verse

The Message

The Message Proclaimed

The Message Explained

This morning we will look at the first point – The Message.

1. The Centrality of the Message

2. The Proximity and Timelessness of the Message

3. The Distinctiveness of the Message.

These are found in the first phrase of verse 5 ‘And this is the message’

I. The Centrality of the Message

And, which is present in the Greek but not translated in the RSV points to the continuation of the thought in the previous verses, particularly verse 4 1Jn 1:1-4 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— (2) 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— (3) 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. (4) And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

There were three essential truths set forth by John. 1) They were proclaiming the eternal life 2) They were proclaiming the eternal life so that there was fellowship with the Apostles and ultimately the Father and the Son, 3) and they were writing these things so that ‘our’ joy might be made full.

Verse 5 is the verse that not only ties the introduction with the main body of the letter but states absolutely that the message that God is light and in in Him there is no darkness at all is the measure by which everything we believe, everything we do is measured. In a world that says there are no absolutes this statement there absolutely is. Therefore the message that the Apostles received from the Lord Jesus Christ and every message given by the Spirit of the Lord is light and life and there is no darkness in it at all. Christian, do you believe this? This message is central to our salvation, this message is essential in our understanding God, it is essential in how we should live before Him. It is essential in our joy being made full. Ps119 gives us a very good picture of the centrality or the essentialness of the Word of God in life. Read it. Meditate on it. The message or the Word of God has many names in this Psalm: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, and rules. In all of His word He has chosen to reveal who He is, His redeeming of His people, what He requires of us and it is when we live by it we know the fullness of joy.

Psa 19:7-13 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; (8) the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; (9) the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. (10) More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (11) Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. (12) Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. (13) Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

II. The Timelessness of the Message – This is

We see that the message is near. John uses the pronoun ‘this’ is a definitive, or definitive adjective, denoting something that is present or near in place or time, or something just mentioned. How is It near? We have the culmination of the revelation of Christ given by the Spirit His apostles in the Word of God. Every Bible believing church faithfully proclaiming the Word of God proves the nearness of it to us everyday. Rom 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);

We see too the unchanging nature of the message. The verb is, is a present tense verb. Though John’s letter war written a pat tense event in time, yet the message is ever present. It is the same today as it was when John wrote the letter, the same when Jesus proclaimed it to the disciples. And the message Jesus delivered to the disciples was no different from the message delivered from the prophets of the OT. Heb 1:1-2 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, (2) but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

There are some who would say the Bible is a relic and not relevant to today. Andy Stanley, son of Charles Stanley, said this. ‘Stanley says, “Christianity does not exist because of the Bible any more than you exist because of your birth certificate.’ A Methodist Mr. Schaefer does NOT believe what the word of God says, and in fact he says regarding scripture, “we are trying to find out what that truth really is”.

IN a past sermon on the promises of God from 1 Peter I made the statement that the surety of a promise is only as good as the one who makes the promise. The same principle holds for the message. It is as eternal as God Himself. All things find their existence sustained in the Godhead for in Him we live and move and have our being.

Isa 40:6-8 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said,“What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. (7) The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. (8) The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

As Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, so His word.

III. The Uniqueness or Distinctiveness of the message.

John says ‘The’ message not a message. The definite article points to the uniqueness of the message. There is no other like it. It is not ‘a way of salvation’ that the demon possessed girl of Acts was saying walking behind Paul. Act 16:17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” In the Greek there is no definite article so it literally reads a way, not the way. It was a lie, implying there are other ways to salvation and not the only way. Act 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

And this is currently the lie that is being propagated in many of the churches in the west today. That Jesus is not the only way. Sin is not a problem to be repented of. God is the God of love, He doesn’t judge. We are not under the law but under grace therefore let us sin all the more that grace may abound. Just repeat the sinners prayer and you will be saved. The bottom line to all the error and heresy that is being promulgated in churches today come from the devil whispering into the ear of those religious that are his’ has God really said?’ Sowing the seeds of doubt and reaping a harvest of weak kneed, trembling, soft, professing Christians who neither know God or are known by Him. I am sure the Afghan Christians have no doubt about the message of the gospel, who will not hide but as has been reported going door to door proclaiming the gospel message until the Taliban come knocking. God, grant us the assurance of truth that we may stand in the face of certain death and proclaim to live is Christ to die is gain.

The message is this ‘God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.’ This statement is the truth that the entirety of John’s letter rests upon. It is the entirety of what the entire Bible is built on. In addressing the error encroaching on the churches John sets for a theological truth that has no comparison in any of the world’s religions. Right doctrine leads to right practice. Establishing God in His absolute perfection in all His glorious attributes gives the final authoritative stamp to everything John lays out in this letter.

This one sentence sums the entire life and ministry of Jesus Christ who is the exact representation of God. Heb 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Application: How do we apply this? And we go back to the statement of right doctrine leads to right practice. Not all are gifted to preach and teach. But all are gifted in understanding the truth of Scripture. We all have been given the Holy Spirit, and it is He who teaches us, He who reveals what the word of God says. 1Co 2:12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

Know the Scriptures, study them, memorize and meditate on them. Later we will dive into the matter of God is light. May God be pleased to continue reveal Himself in His word to us.