July 21, 2013
Morning Service

IJn. 1.

Recently we have concentrated on the Scriptures that speak of the return of the Lord.  We looked at His departure from the grave, the accounts of His return from Peter, Paul, James, and Jude.  This morning we will change directions and look at what God gives us from the last of the Apostles.  John, who began his walk with the Lord, as one of the sons of thunder, is eventually called the Apostle of Love.  This John writes the Gospel of John, 1, 2, 3Jn. And the book of Revelation.  The writings of all of John’s letters are the last to be written.  The dates of his writings are somewhere between AD. 60 and 90. 

Paul calls him one of the pillars in the church at Jerusalem, in Acts 15.  History will tell us that John left Jerusalem, and ministered in the area of Ephesus, and the seven churches of Revelation.  It is believed that John wrote his letters from this area.  John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, for his faith in Christ, and from there he received the Revelation of Jesus Christ, in which he shares with the church.

This morning we want to begin studying IJn.

 

1Jn 1:1-10  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

·         In John’s gospel he describes the deity of Jesus, and confirms to us that He is the Christ, the very Son of God.  Listen to him; 

·         Joh 1:1-5  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2)  The same was in the beginning with God.  (3)  All things were made by 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)  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

·         We can see how John stresses the divinity of Jesus.

·         He says I heard Him speak, and no man ever spoke like this man.

·         I saw him with my own eyes perform many wonderful works of God.

·         Many times have I embraced Him, and felt the love that He possessed.

 

(2)  the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—

·         John is giving us his personal testimony concerning his walk with Jesus.

·         It’s times like this when we have our own personal study time, that we examine our walk with the Lord.  Am I close enough to see Him, to touch Him, to feel the love that comes from His very being?

·         Is our testimony believed, as was John’s?  John will soon challenge us to forsake the world, and to draw closer to Jesus.

(3)  that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  (4)  And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 

·         John writing to these churches who know his way of life.  A life of denial, a life of devotion, a life dedicated to servitude, all because he has been with Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.  Deity.

·         John was permitted to see Jesus transfigured before his very eyes, something you would never forget.

·         Mat 17:1-6  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,  (2)  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.  (3)  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.  (4)  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.  (5)  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.  (6)  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

·         John writes, and speaks with confidence.  He knows what he knows, and no one can take this away from him.

·         This is the kind of experience that we need to have with the Lord in order to be a good witness, and have people believe what we say concerning our experience with the Lord.

·         Paul told the church at Thessalonica;  2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

·         Why did they believe Paul’s testimony???  Because of the life he lived while in their company.  Like that of John, a life of denial, a life of devotion, and a life of servitude. 

Paul said;

·         1Co 9:25-27  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  (26)  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  (27)  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

 

Now let’s notice how John encourages us to enjoy our walk with the Lord.

 

(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. 

·         Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

·         To me, this is what is so important of being a follower of Jesus Christ.  A changed life.  I see so many young people walking around with no hope, no goals, or direction in life that will give them happiness.  Just frustration, and the feeling of hopelessness.  So many.  Jesus said, “look on the fields they are white for harvest.”  Meaning, there are so many that need His guidance. 

·         I believe it is our duty to reach these people with the gospel, and let Jesus guide them to a life of happiness, and joy.  A life of steadfastness, and faithfulness to the Lord’s teachings.

 

Notice the importance of our testimony:

(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. 

·         Walking in darkness, is to walk in a life of practicing sin.  It is one thing to commit a sin, and another to practice sinning.  And remember sin is to walk contrary to the teachings of the Lord.

·         If we walk in the light, ( or practice living by the Lord’s teachings ), we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

(8)  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

·         I have found 5 definitions of sin in the Bible.  I will not mention them at this time, but if we will honest with ourselves, we will admit that we are sinners saved by grace.  We should always strive to eliminate sin from our lives, and the older we get the easier it should become. 

·         But we will find that even though we try to do our best, sin is still a big problem, so how will I handle it?  

 

Listen to John.

(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.

·         I think this is very clear.  We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Son of God.

·         Our Father which are in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name…………………………………………..