WHAT A FELLOWSHIP, WHAT A JOY DIVINE!
1 John 1:1-4
by Cleavon Matthews
November 28, 2004
INTRODUCTION
Error is combated by affirming the truth. John writes to the church under attack by early forms of Docetism and Gnosticism. These two inseparable philosophical and theological ideas plagued the church. The insidious nature of these heretical beliefs struck the church as they aimed at discrediting and discounting the preeminent Head of the church, Jesus Christ!
If Christ the foundation of the church could be successfully neutralized then the entire household of faith would crumble in destruction and lie in ruins. If these intellectual scholars of academia could use their mental faculties to prove their fallacious ideas concerning human reason then there would be no ground for hope.
The Historical reality of the union of Deity and humanity in the Person of Jesus Christ is the affirming truth argued by John. John subjugates human reason to Divine reality. John joins the defense and takes the stand as a material witness on behalf of truth. John and the apostles were not concerned with the attempted theological explanations of these heretical adherents to the baggage of carnage they carried into Christianity.
John is the ‘no middle ground’ apostle. He explains reality in dichotomy. You are either in light or darkness; a child of God or a child of the devil; and you either love your brother or hate your brother. John has neither the time nor the inclination to beat around bushes or play games. Souls are in jeopardy, truth is being challenged, the church is being assailed, and Christ is being dethroned by those who were perpetrating both philosophical and theological lies.
There is something eerily familiar with the opponents to truth in John’s time and those in our time. This brigade of renegade teachers defected from the path of truth (2.19) and sought to sway the community of the called into their vice of corruption. Ironically they abandoned the only hope of achieving their goal. They sought ‘eternal life.’ They sought a life based on truth but favored their own reasoning instead of accepting reality. Like so many people in our day these false teachers claimed to be true followers of God but abandoned the truth presented by the Apostles of Jesus Christ!
These false teachers wanted to have things their own way! There are so many who want heaven without hearing and heeding the word. They want peace without price. They want blessing without behaving. They want salvation without sacrifice. They want rewards without righteousness. They want unity without humility. They want praise without precept. They want singing without soul saving. They want Christ without the Church. They want deliverance without dedication. They want edification without endurance. They want favor without faithfulness. They want glory without godliness. They want joy without judgment. They want knowledge without study. They want to overcome without obedience.
In order to affirm the truth John goes back to the beginning! Sometimes in order to get on the right track you must go back to the beginning! When it comes to faith and Christianity you must go back to the beginning! When you start at the wrong place you invariably will come to the wrong conclusions! In regards to Christianity you must start with Jesus!
I.THE MANIFESTED PERSON
1 John 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, of the Word of life,”
In the original language verses 1 thru 4 are one sentence. All four of the clauses in verse one are direct objects of the verb in verse 3 “declare,” or “proclaim.” Jesus ‘the Word of life’ is the direct object of the Apostolic message! The message of the Apostles centered entirely on the manifested person of eternal life!
Jesus is both the origin and the object of eternal life. John uses the neuter form to express each of these clauses because his focus is on both the manifested person and the message proclaimed. You cannot divorce the ‘Word’ from the word! Truly Jesus is the ‘Word of life.’ John affirms what Jesus established in the Incarnation. Both the words and the actions of Jesus in the flesh are the foundation of eternal life. As the Word of life, Jesus is the revealer of the thoughts in the mind of God. But as the Word of life, Jesus is also the executioner of God’s salvation plan. The false teachers who denied the Incarnation of Christ relied more on their ‘so-called knowledge’ than the Word of life. Consider the significance of Jesus as ‘the Word of life.’
• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1.1
• And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1.14
• No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. John 1.18
• It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6.63
• He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words has that which judges him- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. John 12.48
• I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17.20-21
In this quartet of evidence John includes a trilogy of personal testimony. The Word of life in the person of Jesus Christ was ‘manifested’ to John and the apostles. They heard Him speak! They did not get the word second hand. They didn’t read His words in a book. They heard Him speak with their own ears and hearts!
They heard Him say to the questioning Jews, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’
They heard Him say to Nicodemus ‘unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’
They heard Him say ‘lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!’
They heard Him say, ‘hour was coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth the good to the resurrection of life and the evil to the resurrection of condemnation.’
They heard Him say, ‘the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’
They heard Him say, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’
They heard Him say, ‘for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’
They heard Him say, ‘if you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.’
They heard Him say, ‘I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.’
They heard Him say, ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.’
They heard Him say, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’
They heard Him say, ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.’
They heard Him say, ‘By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.’
John and the other apostles not only heard Him speak but they also saw Him and touched Him. They saw Him with their own eyes. They saw the Spirit descend on Him like a dove at His baptism. They saw Him heal withered hands and straighten crooked backs. They saw Him evict fevers and cleanse lepers. They saw Him evacuate demons and denounce diseases. They saw Him erase blindness and open closed ears. They saw Him return speech to dumb tongues. They saw His glory unveiled on the Mt of Transfiguration. They saw Him destroy scientific hypothesis by walking on water. They saw Him open a restaurant on the hillside and feed a multitude. They saw Him enter into sick rooms, stop funerals, and call the dead out of the grave. They saw Him correct blindness without laser surgery. They saw Him get money to pay taxes by commanding a fish. They saw Him command the wind and the sea!
They also handled Him. They touched Him with their own hands. He was no phantom. He was no ghost. He had flesh and blood. John leaned on His bosom at the Supper. Thomas put his finger in the print of nails and his hand was thrust into His side. They ate a fish breakfast with Him. They felt His hands washing their dirty feet with the towel.
II.THE MESSAGE PROCLAIMED
1 John 1:2-3a “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; that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you,”
John wanted the church to understand the message proclaimed by the apostles was authentic, accurate, and authoritative! They did not conceive the message they received the message! The Lord sent the apostles into the world to declare or proclaim the message! In His prayer the Lord said, ‘As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world’ (17:18). This commission is stressed again in John 20:21-23, ‘So Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
The Lord told Peter in Caesarea Philippi He would give him the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matt 16:18). Furthermore the Apostles were gifts given to the church by the Lord Jesus (Eph 4:11). The household of God is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ as the Chief cornerstone (Eph 2:19). The apostles were sent to make disciples of all nations, to baptize them and teach them to observe all things commanded by the Lord (Matt 28:19-20). Nothing would be missed or overlooked because Jesus said according to John 14:26: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
John and the apostles were the agents used by Jesus to announce or proclaim His message of eternal life. They alone had the authority to announce the terms and conditions of salvation. The Lord was absolutely clear in His intentions for the apostles. Watch the process of proclaiming eternal life. “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)
III.THE MAGNIFICENT PURPOSE
1 John 3b-4 “that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
John and the apostles had fellowship with the Father and the Son. Fellowship means close mutual association. It means partnership and participation. They had communion. They were joined together with them. The apostles announced or proclaimed ‘the Word of life’ so others could be included in this fellowship. There was only one fellowship! The Lord did not create a multiplicity of fellowships. Everyone who wanted to have fellowship with the Father and the Son had to accept and follow the Apostolic message about Jesus Christ.
The false teachers John is dealing with claimed to have fellowship with God but John makes it clear that fellowship with the Father and Son means to be together with the message proclaimed by the Apostolic witnesses. God only authorized one fellowship. This fellowship was originated by Jesus. It was proclaimed by the apostles and entered into by abiding in the message. To abandon the message was to abandon the fellowship.
Doctrine and fellowship are inseparable. Acts 2:42 says, ‘they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship…’ The content and the agreement of the message makes fellowship possible. John said, ‘Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son’ (2 John 9). The prophet Amos asked a pivotal question: ‘Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?’ (3:3). In order to have fellowship with God you must be in agreement with Him! John said you can’t walk in darkness and be in fellowship with God because He is light and in Him is no darkness at all! Paul was able to have fellowship with James, Cephas, and John because they were in agreement with the Gospel and they extended to him the right hand of fellowship (Galatians 2:9).
There can be no spiritual fellowship between those who ‘abide’ in the doctrine and those who ‘abandon’ the doctrine! There can be no spiritual fellowship between those who deny the Deity of Christ and those who uphold Him. There can be no spiritual fellowship between those who retain the Old Law and those who live by the New Covenant. There can be no spiritual fellowship between those who claim salvation is granted by saying a sinner’s prayer and those who practice baptism for the remission of sins. There can be no spiritual fellowship between those who uphold experience as the proof of practice and those who uphold the Bible. There can be no spiritual fellowship between sectarians and Christians. There can be no spiritual fellowship between those who believe the miraculous gifts are operative and those who believe they have ceased!
You must be critically careful when it comes to fellowship! Paul warned the Corinthians about having fellowship with demons. “Rather that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons” (1 Cor. 10:20). Righteousness and lawlessness cannot have fellowship. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15). God’s people must be critically careful about fellowship! Listen to Paul; “and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret” (Eph. 5:19-20).
The magnificent purpose was for others to have the joy of fellowship with the Father and the Son! Fellowship with the Father and Son bring peace and joy to the heart. Fellowship with the Father and the Son bring sweet consolation to the mind. Fellowship with the Father and the Son bring bountiful blessings to the life. Fellowship with the Father and Son illuminate the pathway of life. Fellowship with the Father and the Son protect the soul and prompt the power to live! Fellowship with the Father and the Son motivate and mobilize believers. Fellowship with the Father and the Son invigorate participants and encourage the fainthearted. Fellowship with the Father and the Son means fellowship with the Spirit also. “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Phil. 2:1-2).
CLOSING
What a fellowship!
You can read about this Fellowship in the Bible!
You can participate in this Fellowship.
You can have joy in this Fellowship.
This Fellowship is a Joy Divine because Jesus is both the center and circumference!
Before He went to the cross Jesus spoke to His disciples saying, “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you” (John 16:22)
Sorrow filled their hurting hearts.
Pain gripped their grieving spirits.
Lamentation loaded their minds.
Because Jesus was going to the cross!
But hold on! Wait one minute! There is some good news!
‘I will see you again!’
John I’ll see you again!
Peter you will deny Me but I’ll see you again!
Thomas you will doubt Me but I’ll erase all doubt when I see you again!
Matthew I’ll see you again!
James I’ll see you again!
Andrew I’ll see you again!
Philip I’ll see you again!
Bartholomew I’ll see you again!
James son of Alphaeus I’ll see you again!
Thaddaeus I’ll see you again!
Simon the Canaanite I’ll see you again!
And when I see you again your heart will rejoice and it will be a joy no man can take from you!
They might persecute you but your joy will still be complete!
They might put you out of the synagogue but your joy will be full!
They might put you in prison but your joy will be complete!
They might beat your backs but your joy will be full!
They might ruin your reputation but your joy will be full!
They might put in snare in your path but your joy will be full!
They might judge you unfairly but your joy will be full!
When you are in fellowship with the Father and the Son you can’t help but to have joy!
