Companionship & Happiness: Where can I find these?

Text: I John 1:1-4

Introduction:

True companionship & happiness are two things that many people are looking to have. These two things strangely go together, and we often don’t realize how important they are to us until you start to see how the lost of companionship or the loss of happiness impacts us.

When we are mistreated by someone we thought we could trust, we become highly insecure. We have a hard time trusting others because we were hurt.

When we lose the happiness that we thought we had, we become numb. What once made us happy now seems to be escaping our grip.

Losing companionship and happiness can lead to us feeling hopeless. Again, these two things are often linked together.

Illustration: About 10 years ago, a dear sweet man that I knew lost his wife. They had been married for a long time, and he spiraled into depression. His depression was so deep that one night, he decided to put a gun to his own head. Fortunately he did not pull the trigger; but this is one of many examples of how companionship and happiness go together.

Why is it like this?

What are some reasons we might want someone's companionship?

Love

Pleasure

Prosperity

Provision

Loyalty

Trustworthiness

Similar scars (life experiences)

What will make us happy?

Money

Family

Spouse

Kids

Entertainment

Absence of trouble

Absence of a person

Absence of poverty

What if all of these are wrong? What if the place of true companionship and true happiness is not in any of these things?

This is one reason that this first letter of John is so important because there is such a thing as living a confident happy life, but it is NOT the way the world tells us.

How & Where can I find true companionship and happiness?

Body:

(1) There must be the right starting point: Eternal God (v. 1)

Illustration: In a relay race, there is a starting point, and there are mid-way hand-offs. When you are running the have the right starting point or the race is lost.

Notice I John 1:1

1 John 1:1 KJV 1900

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, of the Word of life;

The right starting point is the eternal God who was from the beginning. We have to consider what this means.

* There is an eternal God.

Question:

Do you realize that having true companionship and happiness in this life does not begin with other people, but it begins with the God who created you?

(2) True Companionship requires honesty (compare: Jesus Christ)

There were people back then who saw him (v. 2)

Illustration: Many of you are familiar with what happens when someone has to testify in court. Typically, the person is asked to place their hand on the Bible and raise their right hand...

What John is doing here is showing that this eternal God has entered history and there are witnesses. Notice I John 1:2

1 John 1:2 KJV 1900

2 (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;)

Why is the manifestation of God so important? He says that this confirms that there is a real eternal life - which is knowing the Father. We know that God is real because Jesus came historically.

A second and important aspect of this that seeing Jesus confirms that there is a godly standard. If we want to know what God is like, we look at Jesus.

Illustration: Two pieces of paper that are different colors. When we put contrasting sheets together the edges (off-set) show themselves for clearly.

The coming of Jesus shows more clearly why we need Jesus. Jesus is so pure and holy, it reveals that we are not as pure and holy as he is. We need Him.

Question:

Have you considered your life in comparison to the Holy Son of God?

Do you understand that true companionship and happiness requires that we be honest with ourselves before Jesus?

(3) True companionship begins with agreement about Him (v. 3)

Illustration: Consider a Triangle. At the top is Jesus; you are at one end, and others are at the final point. This is the picture we should consider when we think of true companionship and happiness. The more we know Jesus, the greater our love for one another increases.

Notice what John says in I John 1:3

1 John 1:3 KJV 1900

3 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.

Question:

Do you really know Jesus?

If you know Jesus, how are you intentionally growing in knowledge of Jesus through his Word?

(4) There's no true happiness apart from trusting the written instructions about this Person (v. 4)

Illustration: True celebration can happen around the written truth of God’s word, which reveals Jesus Christ.

Notice what John says in I John 1:4

1 John 1:4 KJV 1900

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

The danger here is that we often allow ourselves to think that we know God’s word more than we really do.

Also, another danger is to think that there is some unrevealed truth that the Holy Spirit needs to tell me.

Conclusion:

Concluding Application Questions:

(1) Do you really have a relationship with this eternal God?

(2) Are you looking for lasting companionship and happiness in dead end spaces?

(3) Do you understand that true companionship begins with Jesus Christ?

(4) Have you seen how perfect Jesus Christ is and how sinful we are?

(5) Have you received Jesus as your Master?

(6) Are you growing in knowledge of Jesus through the scriptures?

True, lasting happiness and companionship is found ONLY in Christ.

Illustration:

Adam & Eve