The Joyful Christian

BIG IDEA: Fellowship with God, through Jesus, leads to a life full of joy.

BIG IDEA: We are what we worship...

We were made to Have Fellowship with God:

1 John 1:1–4 CSB

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

The first thing that John desires for us to understand is that Jesus Christ is God. And because he is God, he has eternally existed.

“That which was from the beginning...”

John 1:1-4

Why would John start off his letter to his church with such a basic proposition? He is writing to Christians, people who profess to know and love Jesus, surely he can assume that these people know that Jesus is God.

John tells us that Jesus is “from the beginning.” This is an allusion to John’s gospel account of the life of Jesus where he wrote:

John 1:1–5 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:1–4 CSB

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

This is a phrase that we find in the Gospel that John had written years before

John is saying that Jesus as the Word of God, has existed eternally with God the Father. He is the author of creation and is co-equal with the Father.

In short, John is saying that Jesus is God the Son, second Person of the Trinity. He is awesome in power, eternal, ever present, the alpha and omega. He is in all things, above all things, and upholds all things. He is the author of creation, the almighty King of Heaven.

In fact, right now, as we are sitting here in this space there is a worship service going on in Heaven. God allowed John to witness this worship service and he wrote about it in . Here is what he wrote:

Revelation 4:1–11 CSB

1 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there was a throne in heaven and someone was seated on it. 3 The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 Flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were around the throne on each side. 7 The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like an ox; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come. 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say, 11 Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.

Revelation 4

And if Jesus really is God then it changes everything. Not just for John and the people that he is writing to in this letter, but it changes everything for us too. Because Jesus is God that means he is the final authority for life and we are not. As God, Jesus deserves our worship, our love and affection, our attention, our influence, our effort...our everything.

And here is why:

Because:

It’s through Jesus that we have fellowship with God (v. 3)

Fellowship with God leads to joy. (v. 4)

When Jesus takes His proper place in our lives, we have fellowship with God that leads to hearts that overflow with JOY!

God desires for you to have joy!!! But real, lasting, eternal joy only comes when we allow God to be God…It’s how God designed us…

St. Augustine said it best when he said,

“Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in you.”

-Augustine

So I want you to ask yourself this question...

Who or what is on the throne of my heart?

Whatever gets your time, your affection, your influence, your love, what is it that controls you? Whatever that is, that’s what you worship, that’s what is on the throne of your heart...

Sometimes we try to have Jesus on the throne along with other things…we want Jesus plus something else…but see Jesus doesnt play that game.

Matthew 7:21–23 CSB

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

God doesn’t compete with other things for our heart...

Look at verses 5-10

1 John 1:5–10 CSB

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

So the question tonight is simple:

Who or what is on the throne of your heart?

This is fresh for me tonight… Last night I laid in my bed with my wife and I wept because I felt distant from God...I had been allowing other things to take Jesus’ place in my life: success, money, fame, popularity, influence, ministry, marriage, my kids, my leisure time and pleasure...last night I just mourned over my sin because I had allowed good things to take the place of God in my heart. And because of that I had lost fellowship with God...

Look at what verses 5-6 say:

1 John 1:5–6 ESV

5 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. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

1 John 1:2–10 CSB

2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John

Here are the takeaways:

Sin destroys fellowship with God

God is light…this means he is perfectly holy…he cannot and will not tolerate sin (which is what John means when he says “darkness”)

Fellowship with God is determined by us walking in holiness (v. 7)

God doesnt expect us to be perfect, but he does call us to progress. We are called to pursue holiness and flee from sin.

The blood of Jesus is our hope

Progress toward holiness begins with Repentance (v. 9-10)

Repentance is the key to Restoring Fellowship with God (v. 9-10)

Jesus is our Hope (2:1-6)

If we walk in the light we have fellowship with God…

Jesus is our advocate with God when we sin

He

Jesus offered himself to free us from sins penalty…and sins power...

It’s through Jesus that we can have intimacy and fellowship God…we are sinners, who deserve God’s wrath, we deserve to be seperated from God, because we walk in darkness…but God’s grace is shown to us in Jesus Christ…and we allow Him to take his proper place in our hearts and lives we can expereince the fullness of Joy that John talks about...

The joy of knowing that we are saved and secure in Christ Jesus...

So...

WHO IS ON THE THRONE OF YOUR HEART TONIGHT...

Annoucements:

Bible Fellowship @ 9:15

Life Groups Sign Up

Explain these...

f260 Plan…cast the vision...

Jesus

Jesus is Equal with God

Jesus was (and is) a Man

Jesus

He’s the one who offers right relationships with God and others

He’s the one that

What Jesus Did:

Jesus Christ is the only way to have true fellowship with God

He’s the one who manifested life (abundant and eternal)

Jesus Christ is the only way to have true fellowship with others.

1 John 1:5–10 ESV

5 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. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 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. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Jesus Christ is the only way to experience true joy.

He’s the one who offers right relationships with God and others

1 John 1:5–10 ESV

5 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. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 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. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Why Jesus Matters:

Jesus offers us fulness of joy