Jesus: The JOY of Fellowship

1 John 1:1-4

SUBJECT:  FELLOWSHIP/ INTIMACY

THEME: John gives an absolutely sure testimony of the Reality of Jesus Christ the Son of God.   Then He invites us to join him in fellowship with the Living Word.  Our fellowship with Him today should be as real as it was for the Apostle John 2000 years ago.

INTRODUCTION: Is Jesus Christ really who he said he is? Some have said He was, “a good man . . . yes . . . perhaps one of the best who ever lived . . . but just a man.”  Others disagree claiming that he suffered from delusions of grandeur-----a “messiah complex.”  And the argument continues to rage over Jesus’ true identity.   Whoever he was, they all agree that Jesus left his mark on history(Wierse).

  Hearing these discussions could cause even Christians to wonder and doubt.  Is Jesus really God?  Did he come to save sinners like us?  Was His death of any Atoning value?  What, if anything, does He expect of me?

1.  The Question of Jesus’ Identity Was a Topic of Discussion Even in Our Lord’s Day.   

Matt 16:13-16, When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?  14  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.   15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?   16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

2.  The Questions of Knowing Jesus Today. The appropriate Questions today are, “Who do you say Jesus is” and “Do you know him with an intimate knowledge?”  “Is he as real to you today as he was to John almost 2000 years ago?”

      A.  John Claimed That He Was Currently Enjoying Intimate Fellowship With Christ Even After Our Lord’s Ascension. 1 Jn 1:3,   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.

There is nothing like the testimony of an Eye Witness.  There is nothing more valuable to a court case then an Eyewitness.  A conviction is almost certain in such cases.

John the Beloved here is an Eye Witness of the Person and Ministry of Jesus Christ. John is a Witness to the personal benefits of fellowship with Christ.  John was perhaps the closest disciple of Jesus Christ and his testimony is of Great Significance, value, and interest to us as believers today.

Is he as real to you today as he was to John almost 2000 years ago?  Are you enjoying fellowship with the Son of God?  Do we really understand the implications of the truth?

       B.  The Apostle Paul’s Life Was a Glorious Quest Of Acquiring the Treasured Knowledge of and Enjoying Precious Fellowship With Jesus Christ.  Phil 3:10, That I may know (complete knowledge) him, and the power of his resurrection, (Experiencing Christ) and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

 Do we really know him?  Will we ever move beyond knowing about him in our orthodox doctrine to actually knowing him intimately and experientially? Today we know the faith, the fundamentals, but do we know our lord?

1.  This is the reason why we do not know the will of God for our lives and ministries, but when we engage in fellowship with our Lord He will share this insight with us.

2.  This is the reason why we walk in fear, defeat, sin, turmoil, anxiety, powerlessness, insecurity, purposelessness, and confusion!  We have no Peace, No Joy, No Faith, No Sense of Security, No Direction, No Confidence, and No Love because we do not KNOW HIM. When Jesus becomes a reality to us these problems I have mentioned will soon be dwarfed by His Presence, Power, and Splendor!

ILLUSTRATION: Acts 4:13, Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.  So it is with all who have actually been with Jesus!  We desperately MUST see our gross NEED to get back to Him!  These men knew God’s purpose for their lives because they were intimate with Him!

MESSAGE:

I.  THE FOUNDATION OF FELLOWSHIP.  (VS 1-2)

Jesus Christ Is the Foundation of Our Fellowship with God!   By Foundation, I mean that Christ is absolutely essential and central to our sharing together with God and our knowledge of God.  Without Him real Fellowship with God is impossible!

        A.   THE GLORIOUS FACT: JESUS HAS ALWAYS EXISTED; HE IS THE ETERNAL GOD OF HEAVEN.  Vs. 1, “That which was from the beginning”

John 1:1-2, 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.

Rev 1:8, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.  (Also 1Tim 3:16)

Fellowship with God is only possible because God made it possible, this evidences His grace and His desire for our fellowship.

ILLUSTRATION: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  God created man for fellowship.  This is the principal reason for our creation!

        B.    THE GLORIOUS PROOF:   JESUS CHRIST IS GOD INCARNATED; JOHN HEARD, SAW, LOOKED UPON, AND HANDLED HIM—HE IS REAL!  Vs 1,  “. . .which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled”

John 1:14,   And the Word was made 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.

               1)   John Heard Him Who is Life.  He Spoke, Preached, Comforted ect.

               2)   John Saw Him Who is Life.

               3)  John Looked Upon Him Who is Life. ‘Looked upon’ means to study and gaze to grasp the meaning and significance of Christ.

               4)  John Handled Him Who is Life. ‘Handled’ means to hold something for the purpose of close examination.

John made a complete and thorough investigation of the Person of Christ and concluded that this is indeed the Word of Life.  John used every physical and intellectual examination tool at his disposal to look deeply into the person of Jesus Christ and after his careful and penetrating exploration, he not only knew Christ intimately but he was powerfully motivated to share Him with others. He wanted others to fellowship with Christ as He did; he yearned for others to know Jesus as he did.

APPLICATION: Have we really put the time and energy into knowing Christ intimately on a daily basis? Could it be that we don’t trust Him because we don’t know Him?  Have we merely adopted conclusions and views of Him that someone else shared with us or do we really know Him for ourselves? He can be as Real to us as He was to John!

                

APPLICATION: The clear fact of it all is that Jesus Christ is God!  This is the final analysis of John’s complete investigation.  Therefore, John’s testimony of Christ is reliable. He was an Eye Witness; He had Personally Experienced Him.  We cannot know God until we know Jesus Christ and as we learn of Him we simultaneously learn of God!  Through Christ God is not some far off unconcerned being.  God can no longer be perceived as unapproachable, distant and uncaring.  He has not forgotten us and left us in our sin.  God loves and cares for us and He has proven His love by sending His precious Son into the world. This was very evident to John! Now therefore we who are saved must endeavor to know that same Christ intimately and as we do we will discover the meaning and purpose of our Christian life-INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. As a result we will discover our mission to this lost and dying world!

      C.  THE GLORIOUS REVELATION: JESUS CHRIST IS THE WORD OF LIFE   VS 1-2      Vs 1,  “. . . of the Word of  life;”

John 14:6,   Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 1:4,   In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Jesus Christ made it absolutely clear who God is and what He is like.  The Person of Jesus Christ is the literal living communication of God to man unveiling Himself to the human race.   Jesus is to God what our words are to each other.  Therefore, He is called the Word of Life.  Just think, . . . how  would you reveal yourself  if  you  were God?   Jesus Christ is the Way that God Chose to express Himself to mankind.  Christ revealed to us the Person, Mind, and Heart of God; he is the living communication between God and men.  To know Jesus Christ is to know God!  Do You Know Him?  Are You Saved? He Is Absolutely Essential And Foundational To Our Fellowship!

                  1) He ‘Manifested’ Himself; He was Revealed or Appeared!  The Eternal Invisible God was now manifested in the flesh.  Again John Knew Him Who is Real Life. Vs 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;)”  INCARNATION (1 Tim. 3:16)

                  2) He Identified With Man, He Gave Us The Opportunity to Know Real Life through Himself.  Jesus Christ is The Foundation of our Fellowship with God and if we know Him then we Know God.  We can enhance our fellowship with God and each other by completely embracing the Revelation of  God in Jesus Christ.

ILLUSTRATION: THE NEW HYDRAULIC TEST STANDS AT WHITEMAN AFB

When the Test Stands first arrived at the shop no one knew anything about them.  I had the opportunity to work on them, learn them, study their systems and subsystems, disassemble and reassemble them.  By time I was done working on those stands I knew them well enough to operate them with my eyes closed. I could even tell you what stage in its operation cycle it was at just by listening to it run.  I knew that piece of equipment because I carefully investigated it and spent much time learning it. 

We would know our God more intimately if we took the time to study the person of Jesus Christ.  Like John, we would conclude that He is REAL!  But not only that, I was excited about teaching and training others on that piece of equipment!

ILLUSTRATION: It is the same as reading a love note from your spouse.  You may read it several times wondering exactly what she or he really means by each phrase.  We need to be reading the Word of Life (Jesus Christ) so carefully that we literally comprehend some things about our God.

II. THE FULFILMENT OF FELLOWSHIP.  (VS 3-4)

Fellowship with God Will Bring Fulfillment and Joy.  I Jn 1:3-4, 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. 4, And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Many are leading very empty, meaningless and unfulfilled lives because they fail to live in fellowship with God. We must all ask ourselves a question, “What value will my life have 500 years from now?”   The emptiness or void in our lives should be filled with PURPOSE & JOY; Real Joy is a product of living in fellowship or communion with God.  This should wet our spiritual appetite for fellowship like a T-bone Steak would our physical appetite!

          A.  THE MOST GLORIOUS PURPOSE IN LIFE: FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

This is the purpose that Christ came into this world and the purpose for which John is writing to these Believers—Fellowship!  John is inviting us to enjoy and share in the deep sense of satisfaction and purpose that knowing Christ and walking with Him brings.

                    1.  FELLOWSHIP IS SHARING YOUR LIFE WITH GOD: "communion, sharing in common, to share together"; “to have in common”

BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATIONS:  1) There is the Fellowship or Communion of the Lord’s Table, (1 Cor. 10:16, 20-21). 2) There is the Fellowship, Contribution, or Sharing in the Offering for the Saints in Jerusalem, (2 Cor. 8:4; Rom. 15:26). 3) There is the Financial and Prayer Fellowship or Sharing in the Gospel in Missions Endeavors, (Phil. 1:5). 4) Then there is Fellowship or Communion with God, (1 Cor. 1:9; 1 Jn. 1:3, 6 & 7). Throughout this book fellowship refers to Sharing in Personal Knowledge of God and a heartfelt Obedience to God through Jesus Christ.

EXAMPLE; A set of Identical Twins would have much in common in their appearance. A Man will marry a Woman if they both have much in common, spiritually, intellectually, socially, and culturally. Two Young Boys will get along well and develop a deep bond if they both like fishing, hiking, camping, sports, card collecting, playing marbles, and video games—they have much in common. Their communion would be a real source of joy and fulfillment. Our lives should be an expression of our communion with God.  How much do we have in common with God? The More we have in Common with God the greater our fellowship will be!

                    2. THE PROBLEM IN OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD TODAY. The reason we have so very little JOY is because we have so little fellowship.  The reason we have so little in common with God is because we don’t know God—Ignorance, sin, error.  Therefore, our lives are not a grand expression of communion with Him.  We know something ABOUT Him, but we don’t know Him INTIMATELY nor by EXPERIENCE!  We only have a Fellowship of Knowledge, but we need a Fellowship of Experience with Him on a personal basis!  There is no wonder we have so little joy; we have ignored the source of Joy.  Jesus!

                   3. Fellowship with God is to be the goal and purpose of every Christian’s life.  Not the Ministry, not the Mission Field, not Preaching the Gospel, not Soul Winning, not Giving, not Church Attendance, not Bible Reading, not Prayer, nor Church Planting.  But fellowship with God!  But if we are in fellowship with God all these things will be a part of our fellowship experience. All these things we’ll have in common with Him! And all these things will enhance our fellowship and experiences with Him and thus bring greater fulfillment and joy to our lives. But the ORDER must be Fellowship first—Obedience—Ministry—then comes the Joy!

APPLICATION: 1. We must resolve that our fellowship with God is the MOST IMPORTANT THING! 1Jn. 1: 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.”   We are Invited to Join John as He Fellowships With God; This is still possible for us today; God wants to fellowship with YOU!

2. John Wrote That We Might Know the Joy of the Lord Through Fellowship!

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

It is obvious here that our Joy comes from our fellowship with Christ.  The reason so many Christians claim that their Christian lives are miserable,  confused, empty, frustrating, and unhappy is because they have failed to recognize that the source of  Real Life is also the source of  Real Joy!

3. Thirdly, the reason we have no joy is because we have believed the lies and promises of Satan concerning Sin.  Sin will give some sort of gratification for a season, but it will sever your fellowship with God and thus you have no Joy!

QUOTE BY W.  W.  WIERSBE

“Once upon a time . . . .”       Remember how exciting those words use to be ?  They were the open door into an exciting world of make-believe, a dream world that helped you forget all the problems of childhood.

Then----pow!  You turned a corner one day, and “Once upon a time” became kid stuff. You discovered that life is a battleground, and fairy stories were no longer meaningful. You wanted something real.

The search for something real is not new. It has been going on since the beginning of history.  Men have looked for reality and satisfaction in wealth, thrills, conquest, adventure, power, influence, learning, and even in religion.

There is nothing really wrong with these experiences, except that by themselves they never really satisfy.  Wanting something real and finding something real are two different things.   Like a child eating cotton candy at the circus, many people who expect to bite into something real end up with a mouth full of nothing.  They waste priceless years on empty substitutes for reality.

     John had discovered that satisfying reality is not to be found in things or thrills, but in a Person—Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  Jesus Christ is a Living Reality. . . .”

Now that you and I have tried everything else in life, pursuits for money, position, power, influence, things, thrills, learning and even religion.  Why don’t we choose the one who is REAL LIFE?  There is NO satisfaction, Fulfillment or Joy outside of Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION: We as Christians Must Spend Time Getting to Know Our SAVIOR if we are going to experience fullness of Joy.  Place your Gladness in the Unchanging Hands of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Life will be miserable for the Christian that tries to live on every other HIGH while they ignore the Source of all Joy—Jesus Christ.  We need to stop looking to things and thrills and look to someone Real who can give Real Joy—Jesus Christ! We need to start digging into the inexhaustible Mine of Spiritual Wealth!  Let us make Fellowship With Christ the very purpose and priority of our lives!

          B.   THE MOST GLORIOUS REALITY IN LIFE: AN INTIMATE LIFE WITH GOD HIMSELF. The deeper our fellowship with God, the broader our ministry capacity and the greater our Joy! John is inviting us to experience God!

ILLUSTRATION: GOD WILL SHARE MORE WITH THOSE WHO ARE MORE INTIMATE WITH HIM.  John the Beloved or the Revelator illustrates this truth.   Jesus had many disciples and out of them He chose 12 to be his closest disciples.  He would teach these 12 men more than any of the others.  Jesus would use them more than any of the others.  They would live, eat, travel, pray, preach, and serve with the Lord.  From those 12 he took three (Peter, James & John) and shared more with them than the others. These would have more meaningful and significant experiences with the Lord.  They would witness the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter in Lk. 8.  They would go farther with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Mk. 14 than the others.  These three witnessed the transfiguration and saw Jesus in His Glory on the Mount. They also heard the testimony of God concerning the Sonship of Jesus Christ Mk. 9.  From these three there was one young man who was especially close to the heart of the Savior,  John the Beloved.  This is the one disciple he revealed the Betrayer Judas Isacariot to.  This is the one disciple that was not content to sit beside the Savior at the last Supper, but he wanted to lay his head on the Savior’s chest where he could hear his heartbeat.  It was John only who appeared at the foot of the Savior’s Cross while Peter followed afar off.  This disciple was the one He committed the care of His mother to in John 19.  This is the same disciple that arrived first at the Lord’s empty tomb, the first to believe in Christ’s resurrection John 20.  This disciple was the one our Lord revealed the future of Heaven and Earth to in the Revelation.  Throughout John’s Life he Grew Deeper in His fellowship with the Lord and so should we!

As a result Jesus shared more with him and used him in more significant capacities.

APPLICATION: 1. We all need to determine to go deeper in our fellowship and therefore experience more of the Joy in knowing our God Experientially and then Ministerially.

2.  Secondly, Expect God to share more direction, wisdom, power, grace, and a greater ministry with you as you draw closer to Him! Rev. 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. )  I believe that Jesus wants to share His Life and Joy with us!  I believe that Jesus is now at the door of our hearts tonight and He wants to fellowship with You.  Why not let Him in?   Some have barred the door to their hearts with Things, Thrills, Possessions, Power and Personal Ambitions. Some have locked the door with “Their Will” for their lives. Some have cemented that door closed by their refusal to see the world’s need.  As a result Jesus can not come in and share more with them; typically they have no Joy and no real significance in life!

CONCLUSION:

1. God’s Son has come to the earth, and John here gives an Eyewitness account of Him and what He made possible through His death and resurrection-----Fellowship with God!   God is not disinterested and unconcerned about this world.  He is so interested in your and my welfare that he stepped out of Heaven for a period and went to a Cross so that we could have Fellowship with Him and each other.

2. My friend God has something special that He wants to share with you.  But you must draw closer to Him if you want to know what that something is.

3. We are saved for fellowship with God, but in many cases we want to keep God out of as much of our lives as we possibly can---shame on us . . . .We are out of fellowship with God therefore we walk around empty and unfulfilled. 

4.  We run from this thrill to the next trying to get a cheap substitute for Real Life, Real Significance, and Real Joy.  Why don’t we stop looking to everything else and look to the person of Jesus Christ-- He was  real to John and He wants to be Real to us today. Make it your life’s pursuit to continually and eagerly draw closer to God!

5. Could we today convince anyone as to who Jesus really is?  Do we know Him for ourselves?  Do we know Him by experience?  Should we become intimate subjects of His?

Have we been trying to serve Him when we don’t even know Him?  Have we been trying to share with others someone we don’t know ourselves?

Is Jesus as real to you today as he was to John almost 2000 years ago?  Are you enjoying fellowship with the Son of God?  Do we really understand the implications of the truth that life can be an intimate reality with Jesus Christ our Lord?  Let me encourage you with every fiber of my soul to begin today to discover the reality of Jesus Christ on a daily basis!