1 John 1:1-4 - Jesus is Joy

I consider myself a mostly joyful person. I work at being content. I LOVE my Jesus, I love heaven, I love my wife and kids they are wonderful. I am content with work. Wish I did less of it but don’t we all, content with my home wish I could change some things but so do you. I eat good, I have a car, God has been good to me. I am constantly trying to get people to see blessings. Count your many blessings is a theme in my life. But that doesn’t mean I have perfect or complete Joy. I can become a debbie downer. Just ask my wife. She knows. I don’t really get super angry I get depressed.

But their are two things that can steal my Joy and that is what the book of 1 John is all about.

I don’t like mockery of Jesus Christ. That may get me the closest to righteously angry that I can think of.

You probably remember the satanic mockery of the last supper at the olympics. That made me angry.

You remember or I hope that you don’t but Satanic rituals every superbowl half time shows. And try to tell me that they aren’t a satanic ritual. But those mockeries of Jesus. I really don’t even mind too much Christians being mocked. We deserve that from time to time BUT DON’T you DARE Mock my Jesus! I think we need to make him more Holy!

The other if I am being honest is the homosexual agenda. (not the homosexual)

I am talking about the compromise, the indoctrination, the forcing of sinful ideology that makes no logical sense onto a society. I don’t really need to get into it. You see it every day. Sin is forced in your face. Forced to our children. And we comprimise. We let it creep into our lives. When these issues come up. It steals my joy. If I could be transparent with you, this single issue both inspires me to serve the LORD and makes me want to throw in the towel. There have been times it makes me feel like I want to quit being a pastor speaking out loud about the issues and just sit in the pew lifting my fist in anger without offering a solution. BECAUSE I feel inadequate. But what does the Bible say in your weakness I am made strong. These two issues will ruin my day and guess what you can’t open the news paper without reading about those two things. It breaks my heart and makes me cry out come quickly LORD! But I remember the LORD will return when He is good and ready. I agree with whole heartedly with anyone who says look at the landscape of the world around us. JESUS could return at any moment and we would welcome it.

I whole heartedly disagree with anyone who says it has to be this year. I get kind of angry when people put times on things. I will say this to get your attention. Remember Y2k I have shared this before at the age of 11mind you 11 I was I believed that Jesus had to come back in the year 1993 because then Jesus had 7 years of tribulation and then there would be 1000 year millenial kingdom like God used our calendar and was shackled to it. Then there was the 2012 Myan calendar thing. The internet went nuts. Jesus had to come back. I believe the next one is coming. The internet is starting to go crazy and people are already sending me videos about apophos. Do you know what that is. Apophos is an asteroid that is coming between the earth and the moon and it is the size of the empire state building. People will be able to see it flying over head and I believe the world is going to flip out. It already is. People are declaring that it is wormwood and that it is an answer to the book of revelation. Don’t do that! Is Apophos interesting, YES very intesting. Absolutely but don’t try to cram into the scriptures. Prophecy is a funny thing. Rarely can people see it clearly before it happens but we have 2020 vision after the event.

Off of my excurses and back to the book of 1 John chapter 1. It is going to examine your fellowship! Fellowship with God who is light love and life and your fellowship with others and try to bring you joy,

So John has two tests that combat false teachers in chapter 1 that combat the believers Joy and Fellowship which I believe go hand in hand and it the those two issues. The identity of Jesus and your relationship with sin.

Test of Fellowship #1

Who is Jesus?

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

John remember had already written a gospel and told his story. He was probably these peoples pastor and he was an old man. He doesn’t want to or have any thoughts about messing around he goes on no bunny trail and starts to attack the false claims right in verse 1 no pleasantries no introduction. JUST let’s get right to it, lets talkabout Jesus. The name Jesus isn’t in the verse but John will use it soon enough but He does use an idiom that His followers should be familiar with the WORD!

The Gospel doesn’t change.

Hebrews 1:1–2 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

The message of the OT was that Jesus the Messiah was coming to redeem the world. It goes all the way back to Genesis 3 Jesus message was the same to redeem the world. The gospel doesn’t change that is why John says

That which you have heard from the beginning

Jesus came with a purpose.

Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Jesus was supposed to come to find the lost. That is the message of the OT, the first four books of the Bible are that he is here to seek and save the lost and then it is where we are today. Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost that hasn’t changed.

John was the witness to eternal life found in Jesus.

1 John 1:2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

Jesus came to earth and men life John saw him and it changed their lives they saw Jesus and they saw the father.

John is an eyewitness of Jesus.

John 21:24–25 This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

We spoke last week about how John is the disciple who Jesus loved. This week I am doubling down on that John is an eyewitness to the truth of Jesus. You can deny the eyewitness accounts of the twelve apostles if you like. You may not like eyewitness accounts. There are eyewitnesses to bigfoot, aliens, ghosts, and the loch ness monster. BUT Jesus is different. The opposition to the eyewitnesses of Jesus resurrection actively tried to kill them and succeeded. Did they back down? NO They actively tried to squash the message. Did they succeed? NO! their message changed the world. The devil can’t stop it. The question is, what are you going to do with it? I don’t trust my great oration to convince you. Not one bit. I trust the HS who is going to take the message put it in your heart and convict you. What are you doing with Jesus! John is a witness. Listen to John

The WORD is God!

John 1:1–4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John makes a clear claim to Jesus being God at the beginning of His gospel. It anger me when people try to say, that’s not what John is saying. And they look at that one verse. If you read the entire gospel of John front to back their is no question that what he was saying in verses 1-4 is JESUS IS GOD!!!! not a god, He is THE GOD! One with the Father equal with Him and the Spirit. But we have made that case before but John isn’t here trying to make a case that Jesus is God, he has already done that. He is making the case that Jesus is also a man. Part of the gnostic false teachers problem was that they had a false view of Jesus they said that he wasn’t fully God and fully man they denied the humanity of the Christ or the full Diety of Jesus. They even went as far as to seperate the two parts individually John has to merge the two Jesus is 100% God and 100 % man from the conception of the Holy Spirit to eternity future. He is now and forever more the bridge between God and man.

Jesus became a man so that we can have fellowship with God.

1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Jesus came so that we could have eternal life.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

That verse above really fits the context because John is combatting false teachers. False teachers are every where and they want to steal your heart. They want you to think less of Jesus. When they mock him or make fun of Him don’t be surprised they are thieves that want to kill your faith and steal your joy. The next time you see a gross image of a mockery of the last supper remember those are the thieves that were sent by Satan to kill your faith and steal your joy. Don’t let them do that. Jesus is your joy! He is fully God and fully man. He is real and His reality changes everything

Jesus came to give His life for you.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

His purpose. the reason He took on flesh was to die for you! To die for you that you can be saved. That is the reason we are here. To point you to Jesus the Good Shepherd who died so that you could be saved and that salvation was purchased on the cross where Jesus Christ was both the good Shepherd and the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, the shepherd and the sheep both die in this story and they are one in the same Jesus Christ the God who became man. We

Jesus died so that we can have eternal fellowship with Him.

John 10:14–15 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Test one of true fellowship. Is do you know Jesus? That He is the God who became man to die on the cross for your sins. You aren’t here saying oh yeah I like Jesus. Jesus is good. NO! You are here saying JESUS Paid it all! Can I tell you, as a pastor here in the pulpit I direct the conversation. When I walk up to you I try to let you direct the conversation. Most of you love to talk about Jesus! I know that you have fellowship with Jesus He is an intimate part of your life. Some of you have never spoken to me of Jesus. Some of you don’t have a deep admiration and fellowship with Jesus! When I talk to you lets talk about Jesus! Our fellowship is all about him. We are here because of Him. I’m not here to be your friend, I am your friend, but I am here to make sure you are in heaven with Jesus! He is the reason we are here.

We have unfortunately never touched Jesus.

John 20:24–25 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

I read what John is saying. He is saying that some of you would deny the Christ was a man or maybe deny that Jesus was God, well I saw how that worked out for Thomas.

John had the privilege of touching Jesus.

John 20:26–28 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

If you don’t have fellowship today, I would encourage you to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. You may never have touched Him but you can believe in Him.

To know Jesus is eternal life.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

You too can have the priviledge of touching Jesus. Let me tell you I haven’t put my hands in his side. I haven’t touched the nail pierced hands but I know Him. I have fellowship with Him. I understand what fellowship with Jesus is like. All the time I am just talking to him. He is mine. And my eternal life is just beginning! Let me tell you. I am living for eternity now. It gets sweeter everyday. I challenge you know Jesus.

There are showers of blessings in knowing Jesus.

John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

If you are sitting here and you don’t feel blessed to know Jesus. Get to know him. Come to know him as your personal Savior. I believe that every Sunday there are 99 who know Jesus and one who doesn’t. Are you the one? Just like Jesus said. Are you the one? I am talking to you. I believe the 99 will worship the LORD today they will be equipped and edified. But I am only ever partially talking to them. They know that and they are ok with that. Because right now as I am talking to you, they are praying for you. Do you know Jesus!!!! That is what this is all about. He is God and Man fully God and Fully Man who left heaven to die for you. Do you have a deep relationship with him.

Jesus makes you full of Joy!

1 John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Remember this morning I spoke about the two things that drive me crazy, that anger me. One of them is mockery of Jesus Christ and gross propogation of sinful lifestyles. They often go hand in hand they are evil and dangerous. But when I see them I can have joy. I tell you what come February there will be a Super bowl they will probably once again be dressed up as devils or some pagan imagergy dancing around an idol with blood sacrifices and a pentagram. Or they will mock the last supper or the crucifixion. It will be so blatant that a blind person could see it. I am not going to let it steal my joy. OH I’ll be angry but I won’t let it steal my Joy. My Joy is in Jesus, I picture king Jesus coming back to stop the world’s black magic mockery of Jesus. He will set up His kingdom on this earth and destroy the enemy. I will hear (I refuse to watch the Super Bowl half time show any more) I remember being a kid and going to football games and some people only watched the comercials and wouldn’t watch the game or the opposite. Well if the halftime show comes on I am out the door. But it won’t steal my Joy because I know Jesus, the God who became man

Listen to these verses.

Have joy your name is in the book.

Luke 10:20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

I don’t lose heart about the evil of this world. Jesus will take care of it. It’s Ok I am going to heaven.

Have joy in salvation.

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.

You will have joy in the presence of the LORD.

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

The Bible is clear the only way to true joy is through knowing having fellowship with the God who became a man, His name is Jesus.