Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:03.919
Well, if you would please remain
standing and let's turn our attention now to
2
00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:08.990
the first letter of John. It's
towards the back of the New Testament,
3
00:00:09.429 --> 00:00:12.869
one of the last few books,
a small book, only five chapters,
4
00:00:14.589 --> 00:00:19.870
the first of three letters written by
the Apostle John that we have in our
5
00:00:20.030 --> 00:00:24.059
cannon. I'm going to read to
you the first four verses this morning.
6
00:00:24.699 --> 00:00:30.059
In these verses we learn why this
letter is so important. John begins to
7
00:00:30.579 --> 00:00:34.539
open up for us his themes and
what we have to look forward to and
8
00:00:34.939 --> 00:00:40.450
in the rest of the book to
come. So a John First, John
9
00:00:40.530 --> 00:00:51.600
Versus one through four, that which
was from the beginning, which we have
10
00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.159
heard, which we have seen with
our eyes, which we have looked upon
11
00:00:56.359 --> 00:01:00.399
and have touched with our hands.
Concerning the word of life, the life
12
00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:07.390
was made manifest. We have seen
it and testify to it and proclaim to
13
00:01:07.510 --> 00:01:12.109
you, the eternal life which was
with the father and was made manifest to
14
00:01:12.269 --> 00:01:18.700
us. That which which, that
which we have seen and heard, we
15
00:01:18.859 --> 00:01:23.420
proclaim also to you so that you
too may have fellowship with us. And
16
00:01:23.620 --> 00:01:29.900
indeed our fellowship is with the father
and with his son, Jesus Christ,
17
00:01:30.659 --> 00:01:37.849
and we are writing these things so
that our joy may be complete. Amn,
18
00:01:38.849 --> 00:01:52.120
you may be seated well before we
get to the specifics of these four
19
00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:56.680
verses in particular, I wonder if
a little bit of an inner introduction to
20
00:01:56.840 --> 00:02:00.280
this letter might be helpful, and
I think I can begin to explain it
21
00:02:00.430 --> 00:02:07.109
best by using a children's game.
One of the Games you get to play
22
00:02:07.150 --> 00:02:09.469
as a child, and wanted of
the games I enjoyed, was connect the
23
00:02:09.550 --> 00:02:15.110
dots. You remember, a bunch
of jumbled dots on a page doesn't look
24
00:02:15.150 --> 00:02:19.939
like anything until you draw a line
from one to another, to another to
25
00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:23.939
another, and then slowly a picture
starts to emerge. Maybe it's a flower
26
00:02:23.979 --> 00:02:28.259
or a clown or a house,
but what didn't look like a house before
27
00:02:28.419 --> 00:02:31.050
now, all of a sudden is
obviously house because you connected the dots.
28
00:02:32.610 --> 00:02:38.810
Well, we understand the history behind
behind first John in somewhat of a similar
29
00:02:38.930 --> 00:02:46.280
way. They're all these DOTS,
testimonies from church history, stylistic things in
30
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:51.360
the letter, connections between the Gospel
of John and here and various other historical
31
00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:55.840
and theological details. You have all
these dots, all of this information or
32
00:02:55.879 --> 00:02:59.949
evidence that you have to put together, but once you do it, a
33
00:03:00.150 --> 00:03:06.189
clear picture starts to emerge of the
history. It doesn't answer all our questions.
34
00:03:06.270 --> 00:03:09.789
Indeed Marror scholars who've spent lots and
lots of time answering questions that we
35
00:03:09.870 --> 00:03:15.180
still don't know the answers to or
trying to answer questions, but it does
36
00:03:15.340 --> 00:03:20.340
tell us we do know with a
great deal of certainty, quite a bit.
37
00:03:21.580 --> 00:03:24.979
So what's the story behind this letter? Well, to summarize it for
38
00:03:25.139 --> 00:03:31.210
you, the Apostle John wrote this
letter in likely when he was living in
39
00:03:31.449 --> 00:03:37.530
Ephesus or in working with the churches
around there. He was likely an elder
40
00:03:37.650 --> 00:03:43.919
saint writing in this area, and
we often think of Paul being the apostle
41
00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:47.000
to the gentiles, and he is
particularly in his calling, but it seems
42
00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:53.479
that John also served these same Christians. You remember that the Ephesian Church was
43
00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:59.949
likely planted by Paul in the early
s of the first century. Timothy had
44
00:04:00.030 --> 00:04:03.949
come first. Timothy was likely written
around sixty five a d. But now
45
00:04:04.069 --> 00:04:10.580
John Is there, but good time
after that too. This letter first John
46
00:04:10.740 --> 00:04:14.900
was probably written in the early s
in the lay at last part of the
47
00:04:15.020 --> 00:04:18.540
first century. So you kind of
imagine it. This church had been around
48
00:04:18.699 --> 00:04:25.329
for thirty, forty years. Seeing
at least a couple generations perhaps, of
49
00:04:25.569 --> 00:04:32.129
people come grow, children being raised
and pastors and people had having done come
50
00:04:32.209 --> 00:04:39.000
and various difficulties dealt with. Now
it's being addressed by this elder apostle,
51
00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:45.120
the last generation, maybe one of
the last apostles, one of the later
52
00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:53.149
books of the New Testament. But
there's a problem, though. The church
53
00:04:53.269 --> 00:04:58.670
in Ephesus and in the surrounding areas
had been established by Paul, cared for
54
00:04:58.910 --> 00:05:03.149
by Timothy, now mentored by the
Apostle John. They weren't without struggle,
55
00:05:03.189 --> 00:05:10.939
and no church ever is. Sometimes
people longingly think if only we were back
56
00:05:10.980 --> 00:05:14.779
in the early church, everything would
be perfect. That's not the case.
57
00:05:14.819 --> 00:05:19.660
At every moment in the Church's history
there has been difficulties and struggles, and
58
00:05:19.860 --> 00:05:24.050
this is why the letter to John, or the letter from John here,
59
00:05:24.089 --> 00:05:27.569
is very relevant to us. But
he can see, deals with the same
60
00:05:27.610 --> 00:05:33.209
kinds of questions that we face today. The particular circumstance seems to be that
61
00:05:33.329 --> 00:05:38.720
there were people who had once belonged
to that church, but we're now departing
62
00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:44.560
from the church. They were teaching
new things, they were progressing Christianity to
63
00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:48.759
the next stage, or so they
sought thought they were calling into question old
64
00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:54.629
things. They were claiming that those
who would follow them would find real truth,
65
00:05:55.589 --> 00:06:04.100
real fellowship with God, Eternal Life. We live many years removed from
66
00:06:04.100 --> 00:06:09.459
the early years of the Church and, sadly, we're now used to the
67
00:06:10.259 --> 00:06:15.379
den of sub Christian and Anti Christian
voices, but you can imagine what it
68
00:06:15.459 --> 00:06:18.889
would have been like to perhaps face
this on a large scale for the first
69
00:06:18.889 --> 00:06:24.329
time. Indeed, this only seems
to have expanded. Most of the writings
70
00:06:24.410 --> 00:06:28.970
that we have in the second century
are largely polemical writings against this sort of
71
00:06:29.089 --> 00:06:33.360
thing, trying to establish core doctrines
about, for example, the divinity of
72
00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:41.959
Christ, his humanity, his two
natures. The actions of these false teachers
73
00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:47.750
were casting serious doubts in the hearts
of true believers, doubts about whether or
74
00:06:47.790 --> 00:06:55.750
not they truly had fellowship and life
with God. John Knew Jesus, but
75
00:06:55.870 --> 00:06:59.949
I don't know Jesus. I never
saw him, I never touched him.
76
00:07:00.829 --> 00:07:02.779
You can imagine the kinds of questions
that they would ask, only a few
77
00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:12.660
generations away from the apostles that were
still living among them. John Rights is
78
00:07:12.779 --> 00:07:15.889
one who was in in those first
days. As one who was there and
79
00:07:16.129 --> 00:07:24.410
saw and felt and touched Jesus.
John writes during this challenging time as an
80
00:07:24.449 --> 00:07:29.930
elder churchman, inspired by the spirit, and what he does is he exposes
81
00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:34.360
and he warns the false teachers in
this letter, but it's not his primary
82
00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:42.120
aim. His main purpose is to
talk to true believers, to reassure them,
83
00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:49.069
to answer their questions. How can
I know the truth from a lie?
84
00:07:50.629 --> 00:07:56.670
How do I know whether or not
I personally have fellowship with God?
85
00:07:58.149 --> 00:08:03.779
Am I really a Christian? As
he says at the end of the letter?
86
00:08:05.819 --> 00:08:09.339
I write these things to you,
who believe in the name of the
87
00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:16.209
son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life. That's
88
00:08:16.209 --> 00:08:20.649
what John Wants to his original audience
and it's what he wants for us as
89
00:08:20.689 --> 00:08:26.329
well. It's what the spirit of
God wants for us. God is writing
90
00:08:26.449 --> 00:08:31.800
to us through his apostle, that
you, who believe in the name of
91
00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:37.600
the son of God may know that
you have eternal life. This is a
92
00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:45.870
letter of reassurance, it's a letter
of love, of comfort, but there's
93
00:08:45.870 --> 00:08:52.710
also testing and questions. It's not
easy. In some places are very difficult,
94
00:08:52.629 --> 00:08:56.700
but it's a letter that it's ultimately
aiming. How I mean to help
95
00:08:56.779 --> 00:09:01.139
us know the answer to these questions, that we can walk away with certainty
96
00:09:01.779 --> 00:09:07.940
about who we are and who we
are in Jesus. Now, most likely
97
00:09:07.019 --> 00:09:13.490
John had already written his Gospel in
which he had thoroughly answered questions about who
98
00:09:13.529 --> 00:09:18.529
Jesus is how we can have life
in his name. But just because you
99
00:09:18.690 --> 00:09:20.889
hear something ones doesn't mean you don't
need to hear it again. Right,
100
00:09:22.970 --> 00:09:26.200
and in this letter, John Ames
not so much to tell us who Jesus
101
00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:30.960
is and how you can have life
in him, but rather how you can
102
00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.639
know you have life in him.
And so it's an important letter, not
103
00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:39.190
just for those early Christians in Ephesus
and throughout the throughout the the world,
104
00:09:41.190 --> 00:09:46.309
but for anyone who's ever wondered what
does it mean to know Jesus? So
105
00:09:46.429 --> 00:09:50.230
now let's talk about these verses,
in particular, verses one through four.
106
00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:58.419
John Opens his letter up with these
very grand, proclamatory words. That which
107
00:09:58.580 --> 00:10:05.340
was from the beginning. Right.
We have other ways of starting things.
108
00:10:07.169 --> 00:10:13.649
I want to tell you a story. Once upon a time, this,
109
00:10:13.970 --> 00:10:18.289
to my mind, is elevated above
that, not just because it's scripture,
110
00:10:18.409 --> 00:10:20.919
and it is that, but the
way that he begins that which was from
111
00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:26.279
the beginning. It's a great way
to start and, in a way,
112
00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:31.679
though, it pushes US forward.
It asks us what was from the beginning,
113
00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:37.789
that which was from the beginning.
It's an incomplete thought. What was
114
00:10:37.870 --> 00:10:41.309
from the beginning? Well, for
those who remember the Grand Words of John's
115
00:10:41.429 --> 00:10:46.870
Gospel, the Gospel according to John, we know exactly what was from the
116
00:10:46.990 --> 00:10:50.779
beginning, because he begins in very
much the same way. The Gospel of
117
00:10:50.820 --> 00:10:56.019
John Sounds like this. In the
beginning was the word, and the word
118
00:10:56.179 --> 00:11:01.259
was with God, and the word
was God. He was in the beginning
119
00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:07.009
with God. So, this letter
having already been written, when John says
120
00:11:07.049 --> 00:11:11.049
here that which was from the beginning, he's making a connection. He's saying,
121
00:11:11.049 --> 00:11:15.330
okay, I'm going to tell you
and talk to you about the one
122
00:11:15.490 --> 00:11:22.159
whom you already know, clearly echoing
his famous words from the opening in his
123
00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:26.919
Gospel. So these words announce a
connection to what has been said before about
124
00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:33.549
Jesus. They proclaim Jesus, they
herald Jesus, even before he's mentioned his
125
00:11:33.669 --> 00:11:37.909
name. Now I'll just pause there
and side bracket a little piece of advice.
126
00:11:37.070 --> 00:11:41.309
If you want to understand first John
Better, it be great thing for
127
00:11:41.350 --> 00:11:46.750
you to start reading through the gospel
of John and his other letters as well,
128
00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:50.220
to read them in connection with one
another. What you'll find is there
129
00:11:50.259 --> 00:11:56.299
are so many things, so many
things that connect the two and will help
130
00:11:56.340 --> 00:12:00.740
you to mutually understand. This is, of course, true for all of
131
00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:09.769
scripture, but especially true here.
Back on track, these words that which
132
00:12:09.809 --> 00:12:15.649
was from the beginning. They teach
US something as well. The Christianity is
133
00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:20.440
not a faith, contrary to the
claims of these separatists, that changes and
134
00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:26.960
Morphs, that shifts with the Times. No, Christians are people who are
135
00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:33.149
always going back to the beginning,
back to Jesus, who is eternal and
136
00:12:33.350 --> 00:12:39.029
the beginning of all things himself.
This is Pritt made particularly. This point
137
00:12:39.190 --> 00:12:48.059
is made particularly strong later when Paul
says that our fellowship is with with God.
138
00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:54.500
Read again. This is verse,
Verse Three. He says that which
139
00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:56.379
we have heard, seen and her
or sorry, that which we have seen
140
00:12:56.460 --> 00:13:01.610
and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you two may of fellowship
141
00:13:01.649 --> 00:13:05.529
with us. And indeed our fellowship
is with the father and with his son,
142
00:13:05.690 --> 00:13:11.210
Jesus Christ. I'm emphasizing that word
our there because it's an unusual form
143
00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:16.360
of the word our. It only
occurs eight times in the New Testament.
144
00:13:16.840 --> 00:13:20.279
There's lots of other ways to say
our but here he's emphasizing it, he's
145
00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:26.200
using this special word to say our
fellowship, our fellowship, it's different.
146
00:13:26.309 --> 00:13:31.149
He actually one of the other eight
times it's used is in First John to
147
00:13:31.470 --> 00:13:35.990
twenty two, where he says Jesus
is the propitiation for our sins, not
148
00:13:37.190 --> 00:13:41.149
only for hours, using that word
again, but also for the sins of
149
00:13:41.230 --> 00:13:45.379
the whole world. It's this way
of emphasizing this, not just this,
150
00:13:45.700 --> 00:13:50.139
but this, and here he's using
the word to say our fellowship is different.
151
00:13:52.580 --> 00:14:00.370
These people that are leaving Christ do
not have Christ. Our fellowship is
152
00:14:00.490 --> 00:14:05.690
with the father. So in our
passage, what is John Saying? He's
153
00:14:05.730 --> 00:14:11.440
emphasizing already from the beginning that there's
a choice. He's preparing us for distinctions
154
00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:15.840
he's going to make between those who
confess the word of life and those who
155
00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:22.320
don't, those who walk into darkness
and those who don't. Our fellow sheep,
156
00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.789
he says, is with the light, with the father, and with
157
00:14:24.950 --> 00:14:31.110
the son for son. That's a
very offensive thing to say and I recognize
158
00:14:31.230 --> 00:14:37.710
that John is not speaking here in
a modern mode. He's not saying to
159
00:14:37.909 --> 00:14:43.059
each his own, he's not saying
everyone must find his own path or all
160
00:14:43.220 --> 00:14:48.980
roads lead to God. He's making
very exclusive claims. John is making a
161
00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:56.690
claim to exclusivity. He's saying that
only through fellowship with the Apostolic Word Can
162
00:14:56.809 --> 00:15:01.769
one have fellowship with God, the
father, and with his son, Jesus
163
00:15:01.809 --> 00:15:07.360
Christ. So, as you see, these are very strong things that he
164
00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:16.080
is saying and we ought to pay
attention. So let's go forward. After
165
00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:20.080
these grand words, that which was
from the beginning, John Begins to explain
166
00:15:20.750 --> 00:15:24.909
in more detail what was from the
beginning, and he describes it in this
167
00:15:24.029 --> 00:15:31.509
way that which we have heard,
that which we have seen with our eyes,
168
00:15:31.549 --> 00:15:35.500
which we have looked upon and touched
with our hands. Concerning the word
169
00:15:37.179 --> 00:15:43.700
of life, this phrase word of
life has a double meaning. First,
170
00:15:43.740 --> 00:15:48.259
it refers to Jesus, the incarnate
son of God, who is from the
171
00:15:48.419 --> 00:15:54.490
beginning and is the eternally living God. That John is referring to Jesus is
172
00:15:54.769 --> 00:16:00.330
clear from these first two verses,
especially if you already know about Jesus from
173
00:16:00.330 --> 00:16:04.840
the Gospels. The word of life
is Jesus, the one who was with
174
00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.919
the father, yet distinct from him, and yet eternally God with him.
175
00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:15.679
This Jesus that John is talking about. This word of life, the word
176
00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:19.950
that was in the beginning, was
with God and was God. Is Not
177
00:16:21.070 --> 00:16:26.429
an ideal or I'm or an idea
or a principle. He was God who
178
00:16:26.590 --> 00:16:30.309
was made manifest to us. That's
what he says here. He was revealed
179
00:16:30.389 --> 00:16:33.700
to us. And how was God
revealed to us? How was the word
180
00:16:33.779 --> 00:16:42.460
of God revealed in the flesh or, as we say, incarnated, or,
181
00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:47.529
to put it in very specific terms, he, being the eternal son
182
00:16:47.649 --> 00:16:52.889
of God, became man and when
he was on the earth he was fully
183
00:16:53.009 --> 00:16:59.889
man. That's why John says that
he and others at that time heard him,
184
00:17:00.409 --> 00:17:06.759
they saw him. I like how
John Emphasizes with our eyes. This
185
00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:11.160
isn't a metaphorical seeing. This isn't
a contemplation. You know, the Bible
186
00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:15.750
uses seeing in that way. We
use it in English that way. John
187
00:17:15.789 --> 00:17:19.430
Saying, I'm that's not what I'm
talking about. I saw him with my
188
00:17:19.910 --> 00:17:23.309
eye, and not just me,
we did. We all did. We
189
00:17:23.549 --> 00:17:33.099
looked at him, we touched him
with our hands. Kids. That means
190
00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:40.859
that, just like you can hear
my voice right now, John and Mary
191
00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:48.849
and James and many other people heard
Jesus's voice in the same way they heard
192
00:17:48.890 --> 00:17:55.289
him. They resonated, resonated in
one way in a big room, resonated
193
00:17:55.329 --> 00:17:59.599
another way in a small room.
They saw him with their eyes, they
194
00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:03.799
touched him with their hands. Just
as you can reach out and hold the
195
00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:08.279
hand of your mom or your dad, they could hold the hand of Jesus.
196
00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:12.109
In fact, in one place in
the gospel of John, we read
197
00:18:12.150 --> 00:18:22.150
about John Leaning on Jesus, resting
upon him. Jesus wasn't a dream or
198
00:18:22.230 --> 00:18:29.339
a ghost or an appearance of God. He was real human flesh. He
199
00:18:30.019 --> 00:18:33.259
was God incarnate, God in the
flesh. And that's what Jesus that's what
200
00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:40.980
he is referring to when he says
the word of life. He says that
201
00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:42.970
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched
202
00:18:44.009 --> 00:18:49.690
with our hands, concerning the word
of life. But John also means a
203
00:18:49.930 --> 00:18:56.839
second thing by it. Jesus came
as the word of God, as God's
204
00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:02.240
message to the world, the in
the flesh, message to the world to
205
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:08.079
love sinners and save them. Now
Jesus is gone, he's not here in
206
00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:12.349
his humanity. We can't touch him, we can't see him. We can't
207
00:19:12.630 --> 00:19:21.150
hold his hand, but even though
he's gone, John says that he continues
208
00:19:21.430 --> 00:19:26.859
to be with us, to come
to us, and he does it through
209
00:19:26.099 --> 00:19:30.819
the preaching of him, through the
preaching of the Bible, through the preaching
210
00:19:30.980 --> 00:19:37.609
of the Apostolic Message, what we
sometimes call the word. Here again what
211
00:19:37.690 --> 00:19:42.049
John says. He says the life
was made manifest. This is verse two,
212
00:19:42.329 --> 00:19:48.329
and we have seen it and we
testify to it and proclaim to you
213
00:19:49.410 --> 00:19:55.119
the eternal life. We are proclaiming
to you, the word of life,
214
00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:59.680
the eternal life. We are proclaiming
to you that which was with the father
215
00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:03.640
and was made manifest to us.
Listen to how he goes on in verse
216
00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.309
three. That which we have seen
and heard, we proclaim to you.
217
00:20:11.150 --> 00:20:15.549
This is an amazing thing. He
connects the word of life that was made
218
00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:22.099
manifest before their eyes with the same
word of life that is being testified and
219
00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:27.740
proclaimed. And notice how he also
says that the effect of the incarnate word
220
00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:34.619
is the same effect as the proclaimed
word. He says in verse three that
221
00:20:34.890 --> 00:20:40.450
which we have seen and heard,
we proclaim also to you, so that
222
00:20:40.809 --> 00:20:49.359
you too may have fellowship with us. Isn't that a remarkable statement to say
223
00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:53.759
I knew Jesus, I saw him
with my eyes, I touched him with
224
00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:59.720
my hands. I have fellowship with
him. I had fellowship with him.
225
00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:03.470
We were together, we were united. And you know what, you too
226
00:21:04.430 --> 00:21:10.230
can have fellowship with him, even
though he's in heaven, because of his
227
00:21:10.430 --> 00:21:15.190
word proclaimed. You can have fellowship
with the word of life. Through the
228
00:21:15.309 --> 00:21:22.460
proclamation of the word of life,
the effect of the message has the same
229
00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:29.420
effect as the man John and others
are proclaiming Jesus, who'd they have seen,
230
00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:33.329
so that those who, like us, who have not seen him,
231
00:21:33.930 --> 00:21:42.650
can have fellowship also with the word
of life. Amazing Fellowship with John,
232
00:21:45.410 --> 00:21:52.920
Fellowship with Jesus. Do you know
what this word fellowship means? It's a
233
00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:59.480
word that explains what happens when two
or more people share something in common,
234
00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:04.430
when they're closely knit together, when
they talk with one another or share something
235
00:22:04.549 --> 00:22:10.990
one another. It's a word that's
often used in the ancient world of marriage
236
00:22:11.069 --> 00:22:17.059
in particular, a high point of
human fellowship, of beat of coming together.
237
00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:22.180
Here at our church we talked about
having fellowship meals sometimes. Maybe you've
238
00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:26.220
heard that. Why do we talk
about fellowship meals? We have a fellowship
239
00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:30.009
meal. Will you come to our
fellowship meal. Well, we use this
240
00:22:30.089 --> 00:22:36.849
phrase to describe an event in which
we get together and we share together common
241
00:22:37.049 --> 00:22:41.210
food. I bring some Pasta,
you bring some salad, someone else brings
242
00:22:41.289 --> 00:22:45.599
some bread and together we share something. Together. We have fellowship. But
243
00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:51.559
of course we call them fellowship meals
because it's more than that. We not
244
00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:55.200
only share our food with one another, but as we sat and talk,
245
00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:03.109
we share our experiences, our ideas, are feelings, our lives. And
246
00:23:03.309 --> 00:23:08.549
what happens when two people share in
fellowship with one another? Well, if
247
00:23:08.630 --> 00:23:14.259
it's a bad kind of fellowship,
it can be ruinous. Paul, for
248
00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:18.460
example, warns Christians not to join
in the fellowship of marriage with unbelievers.
249
00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:25.900
He says this in second corinthiand and
fourteen. Do not be equally or sorry,
250
00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:32.769
do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For What Partnership has righteousness with
251
00:23:33.049 --> 00:23:40.410
unrighteousness or lawlessness? Or what fellowship, he says, has light with darkness?
252
00:23:41.369 --> 00:23:45.720
These things do not go together and
likewise you should not have fellowship in
253
00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:49.960
this way. But the fellowship John
Writes about is a fellowship that we should
254
00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:56.349
have, a good fellowship of Fellowship. We should strive for it's just the
255
00:23:56.470 --> 00:24:00.549
opposite of bad. It's good.
Listen to what he says in verses five
256
00:24:00.710 --> 00:24:03.549
through seven. I haven't read these
yet, but I'll read them now.
257
00:24:04.750 --> 00:24:10.099
He says, this is the message
that we have heard from him and proclaimed
258
00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:15.779
to you, that God is light
and in him is no darkness at all.
259
00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:21.819
If we say we have fellowship with
him while we walk in darkness,
260
00:24:22.619 --> 00:24:26.130
we lie and do not practice the
truth. But if we walk in the
261
00:24:26.250 --> 00:24:30.490
light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another,
262
00:24:30.049 --> 00:24:33.970
and the blood of Jesus, his
son, cleanses us from sin.
263
00:24:36.690 --> 00:24:41.839
This is a good kind of fellowship. This is the highest kind of fellowship
264
00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:45.599
that we had, can have and
ought to seek. So do you see
265
00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:49.720
what's going on here? Then?
John is saying that through the message that
266
00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:55.710
is proclaimed about the word of life, we actually receive the word of life,
267
00:24:56.349 --> 00:25:03.470
light, life cleansing from our sins. Jesus didn't come just to gather
268
00:25:03.710 --> 00:25:08.019
a small group of people around him
for a short period of time and then
269
00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:15.339
that was it. Jesus comes to
gather around him a multitude of people from
270
00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:22.049
all tribes and tongues and nations spanning
across history, past present. In his
271
00:25:22.250 --> 00:25:27.809
time and future for us. Now
we join with John and with many others
272
00:25:29.130 --> 00:25:37.880
in the fellowship of the saints through
connection with Jesus. When John writes to
273
00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.359
these people and he wants to reassure
them that life comes to them and that
274
00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:48.200
they have fellowship with God, he
was wanting for them a very great thing.
275
00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:53.069
It's why he concludes the section by
saying, we are writing these things
276
00:25:53.109 --> 00:25:59.589
so that our joy may be complete. Wonder if this sounds self centered to
277
00:25:59.670 --> 00:26:03.269
you. Why? Why are you
writing that your joy may be complete,
278
00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:07.940
John? Shouldn't you be writing that
our joy may be complete? Well,
279
00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:11.980
of course he wants their joy to
be complete. That's why he's telling them
280
00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:15.059
about Jesus. That's why he's reminding
them about who they are in him.
281
00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:21.769
But you know what John is saying
here? He's saying what every good pastor
282
00:26:21.930 --> 00:26:27.529
feels. Though he loves his people, the wellbeing of the church matters to
283
00:26:27.569 --> 00:26:33.000
him. It brings him joy when
they are well, when they are reassured,
284
00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:38.480
when they know that they belong to
Jesus Christ. The wellbeing of the
285
00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:42.519
Church of Christ matters to him,
just as it matters to Jesus, our
286
00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:49.390
savior. John wants us to remember, or maybe for some of us to
287
00:26:49.509 --> 00:26:57.750
learn for the first time, the
dramatic change that he and other disciples experienced
288
00:26:57.829 --> 00:27:04.460
in their lives when they started following
Jesus. He wants us to understand that
289
00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:11.099
this change that happened to him happens
to everyone who follows after him by hearing
290
00:27:11.180 --> 00:27:18.329
and believing his word. He wants
us to see how the people who first
291
00:27:18.329 --> 00:27:25.089
turned out of darkness and death and
sin into fellowship with God. It wasn't
292
00:27:25.130 --> 00:27:32.160
just for them that we too control
hearn from darkness and death and sin into
293
00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:37.599
fellowship with God who gives light and
life and forgiveness. He wants the churches
294
00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:41.799
around Ephesus to remember, and the
church is beyond that, and even us
295
00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:51.309
to remember, that Christianity is about
Christ it's about receiving him as he has
296
00:27:51.509 --> 00:27:56.470
come to us. John doesn't want
to give us anything other than the one
297
00:27:56.670 --> 00:28:03.019
that the he has heard and known
and seen and believed, because only in
298
00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:07.700
him will we find the cleansing of
sins, only in him can we find
299
00:28:07.859 --> 00:28:15.410
eternal life. Do you want to
know Jesus? Do you want to know
300
00:28:15.730 --> 00:28:22.609
if you're a Christian or not not? That's something Paul are John will address
301
00:28:22.730 --> 00:28:26.880
in the coming weeks. But the
answer to those questions will start right here,
302
00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:34.759
with knowing Jesus Christ, the one
who was seen and heard and touched
303
00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:41.589
and who now comes to us as
the one who has preached. Are you
304
00:28:41.750 --> 00:28:52.869
hearing him? Believe, receive and
you will have eternal life. Let us
305
00:28:52.869 -->
pray
