I John 1:1-4
Get a real life – Part 1
“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”
1John 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--
1John 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--
1John 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.
1John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
Pray
Into
√ Written by John “the beloved”
Following John’s style he never actually mentions himself by name within the text. However, all of the early Church fathers attribute these letters (1st, 2nd & 3rd John) to John the apostle of Jesus Christ.
√ Written to Christians
Very important to understand that this letter was written to Christians!
Note 1 John 5:13 (key verse)
1John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Whereas John’s gospel was written primarily to non-believers.
John 20:30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
John 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
We’ll see why that’s an important distinction in our study next week, however, for the purpose of our study this morning make a mental note that John is writing to believers.
So, what was the purpose of his writing?
√ Written to encourage & warn
1John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Note the two reasons for John’s letter…
“that you may know that you have eternal life,”
And…
“that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God”
1) John wanted those who had read his Gospel and trusted in Jesus for salvation to know for sure that they were saved!
Why?
Because he understood the fear and doubt that the devil inflicts upon the souls and the minds of those who have believed on Jesus for salvation.
John wanted to provide a means of assurance so that we could test our lives by the scripture and know that we are really saved!
2) John wanted to warn Christians about the false teachers who were floating through the church and seducing believers from their faith in Jesus.
Note…
“that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God”
John calls these false teachers’ “antichrists”. His concern for believers is that they would not be seduced from the Truth concerning the Person of Jesus Christ.
Ap. What’s in it for me?
John’s message is timeless, while written over 2,000 years ago it remains as relevant today for humans as when he penned it.
Why? Because the way in which he goes about encouraging & warning Christians is by reminding us that this new life that Jesus promised…
Is for real!
…and that we can experience it for ourselves!!
How’s that?
Listen, since the dawn of time human beings have longed for the real thing, not some vain substitute, not a shadow of what we hope is real…
…but something solid, something that we can actually experience for ourselves.
Ex. Solomon
Represents “every man” in the sense that he sought to find fulfillment, real life, by pursuing every avenue available to Man. The difference, he had the means to actually pursue satisfaction through…
Giving himself to self gratification
Obtainment of wealth & possessions
Stretching his intellect to become the wisest man
Accomplishment and a job well done through massive building projects
…only to find that all of it was empty – like giving a starving man some cotton candy!
At the end of his searching Solomon found that only God can give us the real life that we are all seeking…
Ecc. 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.
Ecc. 12:14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Which brings us back to John’s letter…
√ Jesus is real
John had discovered that satisfying reality is not to be found in things or thrills…
…but in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
What about you?
Are you living the life that is real?
Have you settled for just a shadow of the real life?
Are you still trying to find the real life in something (or someone) else?
We’ll look at the real life that John wants us to know about in two sections…
This week – Real Life Revealed
Next week – Real Life Experienced
– Real Life Shared
Real life revealed (vs. 1-2)
1John 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--
1John 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--
√ Revealed!
You’ll notice as we go through John’s letter that there are certain words that he likes to use.
Ex. “manifest”
Note vs. 2…
“the life was manifested”
…in fact, 7 times John tells us that this real life was manifest to them.
That is, this real life that we all desire is not something that we have to look for, it’s not hidden…
…rather, God has revealed (manifested) it openly!
Ex. If you were God
How would you communicate to people? How would you tell them about, and give them, the kind of life you wanted them to enjoy?
God has revealed His existence through His Creation.
God has revealed His nature & moral law through His Word.
But, His final and complete revelation of Himself is in His Son, Jesus Christ!
The writer of Hebrews says…
Heb. 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
Heb. 1:2 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;
Jesus said…
“He who has seen Me has seen the Father”
John 14:9
The point is that God has revealed “real life” to Mankind through
the Person of His Son! Because God has
chosen to do so, you’ll note that Jesus has a special Name…
“the Word of life” – vs. 1
For those familiar with John’s Gospel you’ll
recall that he introduced us to Jesus with the same Name!
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Why does John call Jesus the Word of life? Because Jesus is to us what our words are other people!
Our words reveal to others what we think, how we feel, who we are.
In the same way, Jesus reveals to us the mind and the heart of God!
Jesus is the living means of communication between God and Mankind – to know Jesus is to know God!
√ Jesus is God in human flesh
John is very careful to make sure we are not confused about who Jesus is.
To be wrong about Jesus Christ is to be wrong about God!
Note that what John tells us about Jesus…
“and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” 1:3
1Jo. 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
1Jo. 2:23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
And…
1Jo. 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
1Jo. 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
So, the person who tells you that Jesus is…
Just a man (a prophet, or great teacher – “spirit of Christ”)
An angel (the brother of Lucifer)
A phantom (no physical body)
…is by John’s definition an “antichrist”!
Ap. Beware of the spirit of antichrist
We hear “antichrist” and picture a man with horns on his head and “666” tattooed on his forehead!
“anti” = “against” or “in place of”
The spirit of antichrist then (as defined by John) is any teaching that is against, or put in place of, the truth that Jesus is the Christ – the Son of God – come in human flesh.
√ The mystery of the Trinity
Many people struggle with the concept of the Trinity, One God manifest in Three Persons. Yet, John makes that truth very clear in all his writing.
Ex. Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
1Jo. 4:2 By
this you know the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
Here we have a reference to each member of the Trinity, or the Godhead.
You won’t find the word “trinity” in the Bible, rather, it is word we use to describe this mystery revealed in the Bible.
“Tri” = 3
“unity” = 1
Or, three-in-one, or one-in-three!
Please understand that Christians don’t believe in 3 Gods, rather, we believe that One God exists in 3 Persons…
Father, Son & Holy Spirit
We also don’t believe that God merely reveals Himself in 3 ways.
Ex. Me – a husband, father, and a son
Rather, the Bible reveals that God is One, but that He exists in Three Persons!
Please understand that the concept of the Trinity doesn’t have to fit our human logic to be real. Rather, we believe it because God’s Word reveals it to be the Truth.
As one saint said…
“Try to explain the Trinity and you many lose your mind. But try to explain it away and you will lose your soul!”
Remember, John writes…
1Jo. 2:23 Whoever
denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has
the Father also.
To be wrong about Jesus Christ is to be wrong about God!
Ap. Don’t be wrong
about Jesus
Close
√ Real life is found only in Jesus
Do you know Him?
Are you experiencing the real life?
I John 1:1-4
Get a real life – Part 2
“Would you open your
Bibles with me to...”
1John 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--
1John 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--
1John 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.
1John 1:4 And
these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
Pray
Into
√ Real life
John had discovered that satisfying reality is not to be
found in things or thrills…
…but in the Person of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
That is, real life
is found and experienced only in a vital relationship with Jesus Christ.
To the extent that you know Jesus is the extent to which you
will experience that real life for yourself.
Ap. What about
you?
Are you living the life that is real?
Have you settled for just a shadow of the real life?
Are you still trying to find the real life in something (or
someone) else?
We’ll look at the real life that John wants us to know about
in two sections…
Last week –
Real Life Revealed
This week –
Real Life Experienced
–
Real Life Shared
Real life is experienced (vs.1-2)
1John 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--
1John 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--
√ A personal
encounter with Jesus
As we re-read the first 4 verses of John you can't miss the
fact that he had a personal encounter
with Jesus Christ!
Note…
" 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" - vs. 1
" we have seen" - vs. 2
" that which we have seen and heard" -
vs. 3
John's experience was no second-hand relationship inherited
from someone else. Rather, he and the
other disciples knew Jesus face-to-face.
They had spent 3 years with Him
Watched Him
Heard Him speak
Ate with Him
They had carefully followed every move He made and knew that
He was no phantom, or vision. He was a
real Man with flesh and blood and had proven to them that He was also the
Almighty God they worshiped as Jews.
So, John wanted to remind his readers that the Jesus he
preached was real and that in a relationship with Him they too could experience
real life!
Ap. What about me?
You might be thinking…
"I was born about 2000 years too late to know Jesus the way
that John did!"
Ah, that's the beauty of what John is sharing - it was not
his physical proximity to
Jesus that changed his life…
…it was the spiritual
proximity!
You see John and the other apostles had trusted their lives
into the care of Jesus.
They trusted Him as their personal Savior and Lord
They trusted in His work on the Cross to save them and grant
them eternal life
It was in trusting Jesus that they had come to experience
real life - eternal life!
Ex. There were many
who were physically close to Jesus
There were many people who were close to Jesus in a physical
way when He ministered in Israel. Yet,
many of them never actually experienced the real life that John is talking
about.
The unbelieving religious leaders
Pontus Pilate
Even Jesus' own family!
John 7:1 After
these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea,
because the Jews sought to kill Him.
John 7:2 Now
the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
John 7:3 His
brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your
disciples also may see the works that You are doing.
John 7:4 “For
no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If
You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”
John 7:5 For even His brothers did not believe in
Him.
In fact, they thought Jesus had lost His mind!
Mark 3:21 But
when His own people heard about this,
they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
The point is that even Jesus' own
family was "near" Him in a physical sense, yet, they had not experienced the real life
that John is talking about!
That's because the real life is experienced when a person is
born again and made alive spiritually!
In fact, John speaks of the new
birth 7 times in this letter!
1John 5:1 Whoever
believes that Jesus is the Christ is born
of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten
of Him.
So, a person can only experience the real life through a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ that begins when one is born again!
Ap. Reminds us that
there are no grandchildren in the KOG!
You and I cannot experience the real life, eternal life,
through another person's experience with Jesus.
That's why John wrote his Gospel - so that individuals would
come into a personal relationship with Jesus!
- John 20:30-31.
A person is not "saved", nor experiencing the real
life, if they do not know Jesus Christ!
They may "look" like Christian, do good works, be
kind and even very religious…
…yet, if that person doesn't know Jesus they're nothing more
than a counterfeit.
Ex. Counterfeit money
If I have a counterfeit $10 and use it to buy gas, then the
gas station owner uses it to buy supplies, the supplier uses it to buy
groceries, the grocer bundles it up with a stack of tens and deposits it at the
bank…
…the bank rejects it because it's a counterfeit!
The point? While the
counterfeit was in circulation it did a lot of "good", but when it
got to the bank it was put out of circulation.
Ap. So with the
counterfeit Christian
He or she may do a lot of good while they're on earth, but if
they don't know Jesus personally…
…when they stand before Him they'll be put out of
circulation!
Jesus said…
Mat. 7:22 “Many
will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
Mat. 7:23 “And
then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness!’
Friends - each of us must come before the Lord and do an
honest evaluation of our lives.
"Am I a child of God, or am I a counterfeit?"
The answer is found in the testimony of our lives - are we
experiencing the real life? Or are we
just playing a game?
You can tell that you're a child of God by the evidence of
the transforming power of His presence in your life.
If you're a counterfeit, if you're not experiencing the real
life - God has promised that it is available for the asking! Read I John 5:9-15 today and get a real
life!
Real life is shared (vs. 3-4)
1John 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.
1John 1:4 And
these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
√ Real is
life is shared
The real life in Christ in not only to be experienced on a
personal level…
…it also to be shared! Note John's desire for his readers…
1John 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.
John was so excited about the life that he found in Jesus
that he wanted to share it with others!
It was simply too good to keep to himself!
So, John along with the other disciples committed their
lives to sharing the life they found in Jesus with anyone, and everyone who
would listen!
Ap. Witnessing
Many people, including Christians, have the idea that
"witnessing" means debating the differences between our faith and
theirs.
The end result is that most Christians don't witness because
they don't want to "argue" with people.
The truth is that witnessing for Jesus means sharing our spiritual experiences
with others - by the words we speak and the life that we live!
So, you don't have to argue with people - simply share with them what having a
relationship with Jesus has meant to you!
Ex. Your testimony
√ Sharing
Jesus with others
John speaks of five purposes for sharing this real life in Christ
with us, and also that we can share with others!
1)
That we may have fellowship
John tells us in vs. 3 that one of the reasons he was
writing was to remind us that we have "fellowship" with God and with other Christians.
Fellowship "koinonia" = "to have in common"
The wonderful truth in Christ is that we now have something
in common with God!
Before you and I became Christians we had nothing in common
with the Almighty - holy - perfect - sinless - Creator of the universe.
Nothing in common - no fellowship!
But! God sent Jesus
to die on the Cross so that our sins might be washed away and that those who
trust in Jesus might exchange their unrighteousness for His righteousness!
Now we have something in common with God! Now we can have fellowship with God because we have become partakers of His
Nature through the blood of Jesus!
What an exciting truth to share with others! Fellowship with God is the answer to the
loneliness that people who don't know Jesus feel.
Ex. My own testimony
2)
That we may have joy
Note vs. 4…
1John 1:4 And
these things we write to you that your
joy may be full.
Fellowship with God is the answer to loneliness, joy is the answer to the emptiness
people feel in their heart.
In the beginning God created Man to live a life filled with
joy. Sin brought unhappiness into the
world and has robbed Man of joy ever since.
Interesting because sin always promises joy - but we always
find out that it doesn't last!
Because it's not real
joy!
Sin can never satisfy our human need to experience joy.
But, a life with Jesus produces a real joy because the
person who is walking with Jesus is living a real life!
John 15:11 “These
things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Carl Marx wrote…
"The first requisite for the people's happiness is the
abolition of religion."
Yet, after a little more than a hundred years of communism
the painfully obvious truth is that in those societies that removed God from
the human experience…
…there is an absence of joy!
John shares with us that the only real joy is found in a
real life with Jesus Christ!
3)
That we may not sin
Another exciting promise that John wants to share with us,
and that we can share with others, is that in Jesus Christ there is power
available that we might not sin!
Note…
1Jo. 2:1 My
little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if
anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
The awesome truth is that for the person who has trusted
Jesus as their Lord and Savior there is power by the indwelling presence of the
Holy Spirit to live free of sin!
Ex. No longer
addicted to heroin etc.
But, John also recognizes that while the power is available,
we don't always take advantage of it!
So, when we sin (and Christians do) - we have an
"Advocate" to represent us before the Father!
The point is that the real
life is a life of victory!
What a great promise to share with people who are bound by
sin!
4)
That we may not be deceived
You'll remember that I told you last week that John wrote to
encourage, and to warn Christians.
Note…
1Jo. 2:26 These
things I have written to you concerning those
who try to deceive you.
John wanted to remind Christians that the real life is also
a life of discernment!
It's very important that Christians make a clear distinction
between Truth & Error.
Often times believers are hesitant to judge a person's doctrine,
or teaching, because they think that to do so would be unloving.
Yet, all of the apostles and Jesus Himself warn us - in fact
exhort us - to test what people are saying about God.
Here's the cool part - God has given believers the Holy
Spirit to lead them and guide them in discernment!
1Jo. 2:27 But
the anointing which you have
received from Him abides in you, and
you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you
concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught
you, you will abide in Him.
Jesus promised…
Joh 16:13 “However,
when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He
will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will
speak; and He will tell you things to come.
So, the real life found in Jesus is a life of discernment!
Ap. Test what you
hear by the Word
There are many people today who claim to speak by the
anointing of the Holy Spirit. Remember,
the Holy Spirit will never contradict the Word He has spoken as recorded in the
Bible!
5)
That we may know that we are saved
Finally, the real life is a life of assurance - the firm
conviction that we can know that we are
saved.
1Jo. 5:13 These
things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal
life, and that you may continue to
believe in the name of the Son of God.
The real life is not built on empty hopes, or wishful
thinking of human reasoning. Rather, it
is built upon the firm promise of God!
God confirmed the promises made by His Son when He raised
Jesus from the dead.
John was there - he saw Jesus crucified, dead, buried, and
then 3 days later he saw Jesus alive!
We can know the truth of that fact by the life changing presence
in our life.
Ex. Personal
testimony
I know He's alive because He lives in me! I can sense His power, I can see the changes
He's made in my life, I know that He is with me.
So, the real life is a life of assurance.
Ap. Share the real
life
Other than Jesus there isn't really anything that we can be
sure of! People are desperate for
something that is sure.
We can share the real life we've discovered in a
relationship with Jesus and the assurance we have of His love, His forgiveness,
and His promise of eternal life.
Who wouldn't want all that!?
Close
√ Real life
is found only in Jesus
John wants us to experience it, and share it with others