"This is My Story”

or

“Full of Joy”

Clear Way to Fellowship

1 John 1:1–4 KJV 1900

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, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

I want to invite you all to turn with me to 1 John, and we will read in chapter 1, verses 1-4.

I’m thrilled to be able to preach to you all tonight, and Pastor Chad has given me the green light to preach through 1 John on the Sunday nights that he gives me the opportunity to preach.

1 John deals with the fellowship and sonship we have with the Father. And you have probably heard Pastor Chad mention this in the past, but 1 John is also a great book for anyone that has doubts about their relationship with Jesus.

2. Reality of Sin (v. 5-10)

Why?

Well it’s a letter to the Children of God. And for you, if you have experienced doubt, can go back and read and see what proper fellowship looks like for the Children of God and what Sonship (daughtership) is all about.

Chapters 1-2 talk specifically to fellowship

Chapters 3-5 deal with sonship.

So tonight, we are going to begin by taking a look at a personal testimony from John.

Introduction:

Before reading, though, I want us to understand the tone John uses in these verses. He is talking to believers, but there’s something that’s been going on around these Christians.

1. Some false teachers called “Gnostics” have made their way around and have taught false things about Jesus!

Now is trying to not only encourage the believers, but also just to relay truth to them about who Jesus really is, and why He came.

These Gnostics taught that Jesus came in a spirit form, and that in order to be saved, you had to experience and accept that deeper knowledge.

Well based on the Bible that’s not true at all, and we are going to learn more about that shortly.

But I want us to see one side issue with what they were teaching...

2) some of the believers began to doubt if they really were saved...

Have you ever been there?

Let’s read in and see what John has to say.

and see what John has to say.

After reading this, knowing the tone that John had, and understanding that this is to the Christian, I want you to see a few things with me

1. The Means for Fellowship // The Process for Fellowship // The Instrument of Fellowship

verses 1-2

We must have in mind that the person we come here to worship is much more than just an ordinary man!

93% of Americans believed Jesus Christ was a real person who actually lived.

63% of Americans say they have made a commitment to Jesus and that’s important in their daily lives

Of those who believe that Jesus was real:

43% - believe He was God among humans

Notice that Jesus came to give us fellowship with God:

31 % believe He was uniquely called to reveal God’s purpose to the world

9 % - believed He embodied the best that is possible in each person

John gives us a proper view of who Jesus really is, and just in these few verses, we can learn and begin to appreciate a little bit more of how GOOD this fellowship we can have with God really is:

John teaches us of his own firsthand experience of who Jesus was:

1. Proper Perspective of Jesus

verses 1-2

John starts this whole letter by basically saying… “Hey boys, I’m just going to lay it out there for you… and this is what I know...”

Barna Group released a study in 2014 around Easter, where they asked Americans what they believed about Jesus.

a) Jesus is Eternal God

93% of Americans believed Jesus Christ was a real person who actually lived.

63% of Americans say they have made a commitment to Jesus and that’s important in their daily lives

Of those who believe that Jesus was real:

43% - believe He was God among humans

31 % believe He was uniquely called to reveal God’s purpose to the world

9 % - believed He embodied the best that is possible in each person

John gives us a proper view of who Jesus really is, and just in these few verses, we can learn and begin to appreciate a little bit more of how GOOD this fellowship we can have with God really is:

Jesus is Eternal God

Look at this first statement from John, “ that which was from the beginning...”

8% -

“… from the beginning...”

based on context this speaks to Jesus’ beginning of ministry.

but then look down there in verse 2

“… eternal life… which was with the Father...”

Genesis 1:1 KJV 1900

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

John 1:1 KJV 1900

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Jesus is eternal, He had no beginning, and He is God!

Did you know that based on a study done by Barna Group:

93% of Americans believe that Jesus was a real person. (That’s great)

why did He have to take on flesh?

63% of Americans have committed their lives to Jesus

43% of Americans that believe He was real believe He was God

31 % believe he was uniquely given the task to share God’s plan.

America has it wrong folks… Jesus is the One True God, and we as believers HAVE to have faith in that!!!

what else does John tell us?

a) Jesus is the Word of Life

“… the Word of life.”

this is both a title (), and I believe it speaks to Jesus’ ministry (the spoken Word on how to have eternal life).

He is THE WORD about Eternal Life.

Herb Reavis used this once, and I like it so here goes.

If I think of a blue car in my mind, I have the image of it in here.

When I use my Words to describe it, however, you can then imagine it.

Jesus is the description of what God’s plan was! He came to this earth to seek and save that which was lost! He came to set free lost and dying sinners to a life and life eternal!

We need to have a proper perspective...

but we also need to see based on John’s testimony that:

2. Physical Person of Jesus

We have the proper perspective of WHO Jesus is. He’s God and the Word about Life.

But remember how we mentioned that the false teachers were saying that salvation was just based on Jesus being a phantom or spirit? well, I want you to notice what John says about Jesus in verses 1-2

John says, “I know you may not have seen Him, but boys, I heard Him, I saw Him, and I touched Him.”

v. 3 - that we could have fellowship

Jesus had a body!

but not only did He have a body… He had to have a body.

You know, in order for Jesus to suffer and die, He had to plan it way ahead of time. Remember He is God! He couldn’t die!

I bet John would tell us this:

“Mt. Pisgah, please know that I saw Jesus. I touched Him, I heard Him, and I saw Him. Ya see, there are these false teachers out there trying to make us believe that He was just a phantom, but Jesus wanted to die for you so bad that He left the portals of heaven, and He clothed Himself with a body.

You guys, He needed a body, so He could be tempted just as we were yet without no sin ().

He needed a body so He could be an example for us to get baptized (John 1)

He needed a body to speak water into wine ()

He needed a body to go into the temple and flip those tables ()

He needed a body so He could have a voice to speak to Nicodemus about how to be saved ()

He needed a body so that He could rest, and get thirsty, and get tired. So He could minister to the Woman at the Well (John 4)

And to minister to the man by the pool of Bethsada

He needed a body with feet to walk on water.

He needed hands to break the fishes and loaves ()

He needed a body so He could have a finger to write in the sand to set the adulterous woman free (John 8)

You see, the plan for Jesus to have a body was perfect in that He needed hands to touch blinded eyes. ()

He needed tear ducts to weep over Lazarus ()

He needed a body to be annointed by Mary with the oil ()

And thats just what I recorded… Matthew, Mark and Luke would tell you that Jesus needed a body so He could:

He needed feet to go to the lepers who were outcast.

He needed eyes to see the broken hearted.

He need a lap to hold the children in and bless them

He needed a chest for John, the beloved, the writer of this passage, to lay his head in.

He needed knees to bend so He could humbly wash our feet.

He tear ducts to cry over Lazarus’ death.

He needed ears to hear the crowds chant, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!’

He needed muscles in His face to smile and laugh, and reflect the joy of God!

He needed a voice to be heard.

Praise God!

Oh, but Jesus also needed a body for another reason.

a cheek of flesh for Judas to kiss.

He needed a forehead for the crown of thorns to be pressed in.

He needed a broad back for the whip… and hands for the nails. He needed hands and feet for the nails.

He needed nerve endings for the pain to be fully felt.

He needed a body, why? for the blood to be shead...

He needed this body… without a body, there would be no blood.

Hebrews 9:22 KJV 1900

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

have you seen Jesus?

We can see Him through the eyes of faith.

It might not be perfectly clear, but can you see Him?

3. Prime Purpose of Jesus

Why did He do all of this? John why?

John lays it out there perfectly for us:

1:3 - that we could have fellowship

3:5 - To take away our sins

3:8 - To destroy the works of the devil

4:9 - So we could experience love and life!

Tony Evans’ Illustration about the judge dealing with a woman that was speeding.

she couldnt pay her ticket, and began to pray quietly to herself.

The judge then stands up, unzips his rob, and goes over to a nearby coat rack and grabs his coat. he stand by the woman and says, “I’m here to pay her debt. I’m here to pay her fine.”

He takes His jacket back off and goes and puts his rob on.

This is what Jesus has done for us. His purpose was while He was in heaven, he saw our need and when He was capable of judging us, He unrobed himself and put on a jacket

Have you experienced the purpose of why Jesus came? That was to set you free!!

4.

v. 2-3 - the way to fellowship has been revealed through Jesus, and John is declaring it to them. it’s been revealed and declared!

4. Plenty of Pleasure from Jesus

verse 3-4 -

We’ve spent a lot of time looking at Jesus’ person and point of Him coming based on John’s own testimony.

But John leaves us with a couple things to remind here in these verses, and how we can have pleasure in knowing Jesus.

One result of knowing this Jesus is:

a) Fellowship

for us to have fellowship. We will get into Fellowship with the Father later on.

but this speaks of the believers’ fellowship with each other.

If you are dealing with doubt, it’s going to be hard for you to feel at home here.

b) Joy

Our joy cannot be full unless we are walking hand and hand with the true Jesus. The one that came from heaven to earth for you and me!

Closing:

Is this your story? You’ve trusted in Jesus, and

Do you have a proper perspective of Jesus?

Do you believe that Jesus came and took on flesh for you, and can you celebrate in that?

Do you know why Jesus came for you?

Are you living in that fellowship and joy?

Two prisoners were on their way to death row. Both we bad men but they were set free.

one walked in freedom and was so thankful and joyful.

the other couldnt believe that after being so bad, he would be set free!