Introduction
- Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God the Son, was born of human flesh.
- By the time Jesus was thirty years old, John could have himself been a late teen, living and working and growing near the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
- Daily, John learned to fish, and it was his proximity to that particular body of water which exposed him to Jesus.
- Jesus came along, preaching and teaching and miracle-working.
- John and his friends would have discussed Jesus and their thoughts about Him. Some in his circle had even interviewed Jesus privately and were growing convinced He was truly special (John 1:35-42).
- One day, John was on the seashore mending the fishing nets and Jesus called him. Nothing could turn him back. He would follow Christ.
- Fast forward from those early and youthful years to John's older years.
- All the other apostles had died, only John remained.
- He had pastored major churches and had written an entire account of the life of Christ, with an emphasis on Jesus' true identity as the Son of God, God the Son.
- He had pastored as well and was in special connection with a group of believers in modern-day Turkey.
- And because John cared for these churches, it grieved him to see them in a state of disrepair due to some who had broken off from them, proclaiming things about Jesus which contradicted Christ as John knew Him.
- Tediously, meticulously, he wanted to repair what was broken amongst them.
- The deserters, departers, and secessionists from Jesus, the True Vine, had made bold and attractive claims.
- For one, they said they knew God and were in right relationship with Him.
- Second, they claimed they were without sin, perhaps Adam's original sin, or maybe sin in their daily experience.
- Third, they claimed they were helping Christians with this new message which contradicted the gospel the Apostles preached.
- John would refute each of their claims.
- But all their claims, which John will build a case around, centered upon a larger postulation. They said Jesus had not come in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3).
- So he wrote, not to those in error, but the church.
- Over and over again, he spoke to them as if they were his own children.
- His purpose in writing, his mission, is stated in the first four verses. They are considered the prologue, a statement concerning the aims and goals of his letter. Let us consider each one of his goals.
Goal 1: Proclaim The True Jesus
1 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— 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 could not stand idly by and let these deceivers talk about Jesus as if they knew Him.
- Notice some of the statements John makes in these first two verses about Jesus:
First, John refers to Jesus as being "that which was from the beginning" (v1).
- They had not been present for those glorious days walking and talking with Jesus. John had been there from the beginning.
Second, John says he "heard" Jesus (v1).
- And hear Him, John had.
- He had listened to Jesus pour out His teachings to the masses, noting when Jesus opened His Sermon on the Mount with, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). He'd heard Jesus when he was forced to debate and argue with the religious leaders of the day, saying things like, "You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men" (Mark 7:8). He heard Jesus weep and mourn over people, and pray, saying things like "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39). And he'd heard Jesus cry out to God and others while upon the cross, praying for forgiveness for those who crucified Him, promising Paradise for a believing criminal next to Him, and, as He became sin for us, crying out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me" (Matthew 27:46). He heard Jesus, after three hours of darkness on the cross, say he was thirsty, drink, and then cry, "It is finished!" (John 19:28-30). Finally, he heard Jesus say, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46).
- And, before that, while Jesus was on His cross, John had heard Jesus' directions to his mother and John: "Woman, behold your son." And then to John, "Behold your mother" (John 19:26-27). Yes, John had heard Jesus.
Third, John says he had "seen" Jesus (v1).
- More specifically, he said he saw Jesus with his eyes. He didn't want there to be any confusion. Jesus was not a dream or hallucination. Jesus was not a spiritual being. No, John had watched Jesus, not in the metaphorical or imaginative sense, but with his eyes.
Fourth, John added that he had "looked upon" Jesus (v1).
- At first glance, this detail seems redundant, for he'd just said he'd seen Jesus, but it was a purposeful addition.
Fifth, John said he "touched" Jesus (v1).
- He had leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper. He had touched Jesus after His resurrection. He had broken bread with Christ. They would have hugged and kissed and high-fived all throughout Jesus' time on earth.
- This detail was necessary for John to mention, especially given the heresy circulating among the churches at that time. Some had begun to say Jesus hadn't come in the flesh.
Sixth, John calls Jesus "the word of life" (v1).
- This title might sound familiar to you on two levels. First, it reminds us of John's gospel, where he referred to Jesus as the Word -- or logos of God.
- But Jesus is also the word of life in that He is the message about life, showing us the way to the Father. Paul had spoken of Jesus this way in places like Philippians 2:16, and John was likely doing the same.
- Jesus came to show us the way to true life.
Seventh, and finally, John tells us Jesus was "with the Father" (v2).
This points us to the pre-incarnational (before He came to earth) location of Jesus. He was not created. Ever.
He is not merely a good teacher or prophet or even a mere miracle worker. He is not a Jewish Gandhi. He is God, and that is why He has been in existence from eternity past. There has never been a moment when Jesus has not existed.
Jesus Himself attested to this. He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58), which was a way for Him to speak of His preexistence, but also to take a title clearly reserved for God (Exodus 3:14). He spoke of Himself as being one with the Father, which everyone knew equated Him with the Father. He claimed to be equal to God the Father (John 5:18). He said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
John knew and heard these things, which is why he wrote, speaking of Jesus:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1).
"All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:3).
Goal 2: Promote True Fellowship
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.
You may have noticed how John continually says, "we." We heard. We have seen. We proclaim to you. This was John's way of speaking for the apostolic group.
- And they had worked so hard to proclaim Jesus to their world. They were very successful in the endeavor.
- When deceivers came, they invited people into "fellowship" with them. John pleads with his readers, and us, to have fellowship though, not with them, but with us. John takes their insidious invitation to fellowship and turns it upside down, asking Christians to reject that invite and come into fellowship with the apostolic group.
This is a major purpose of the letter, and of the apostolic proclamation throughout the whole New Testament.
- They wrote and spoke and preached so people would connect to what they said and build their whole belief system accordingly. And Jesus wanted this as well. Right before the cross He prayed, "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one..." (John 17:20–21). He had told the disciples the Spirit would "teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14:26). They would be the ones to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, taking all Jesus had taught them and telling it to the nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
- And, all through the centuries, this has been a major battle in the church. Will we connect to the Apostolic word or the dictates of man?
- And don't think for a second this is only a battle waged over doctrines between scholars. No, it's also a battle being waged right between your ears.
- Everyone and everything is preaching these days.
And why? It's simple. So that we might, with them, have fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (v3).
- John and the apostles want us to know God, in His entirety, the fullness of God.
Now, let me say, to announce to people they could have a relationship with the Living God is sometimes frightening.
God is all-powerful and eternal, but good. He is the originator of beauty, love, relationship, kindness, and all that is right.
"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God." (Psalm 42:1).
This infinite being, this transcendent God, this Maker, He beckons and calls and wills to be Father.
This is what our Christianity is all about. As the great pastor and scholar John Stott wrote:
We cannot be content with an evangelism which does not lead to the drawing of converts into the church, nor with a church life whose principle of cohesion is a superficial social camaraderie instead of a spiritual fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (John Stott on 1 John).
Goal 3: Produce True Joy
4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
One thing I love about John's writing is his willingness to directly state his reasons for writing.
- Here, we have one purpose. Fullness of joy is John's aim.
Later in the letter, John will say,
I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin (1 John 2:1).
Still later he will say,
I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you (1 John 2:26).
Finally, he'll say,
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).
Consider each purpose statement from John.
- First, he wrote so we might have the joy of fellowship with God, so he deals with the human problem of loneliness, isolation, and separation. Second, he wrote so that we might not sin, so he deals with the problem of slavery, guilt, and shame. Third, he wrote so that we might not be deceived, so he deals with the question of where we can turn for answers. Fourth, he wrote so that we could know we have eternal life in Jesus, so he dealt with the problem of fear, insecurity, and worry.
- All this to say, John is going to get after your heart in this letter.
- First, he wrote so we might have the joy of fellowship with God, so he deals with the human problem of loneliness, isolation, and separation. Second, he wrote so that we might not sin, so he deals with the problem of slavery, guilt, and shame. Third, he wrote so that we might not be deceived, so he deals with the question of where we can turn for answers. Fourth, he wrote so that we could know we have eternal life in Jesus, so he dealt with the problem of fear, insecurity, and worry.
But let's get back to what he said in our fourth verse. He said, "We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete."
First, John wanted the joy of the apostles, for whom he was the living representative, to be complete. This is why he said "that OUR joy may be complete." He knew that, as long as the deceivers abounded and the churches believed their lies, he couldn't have full joy.
Later, he would write,
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 4).
As a father to these churches, he knew there would always be something missing in his joy if these believers wandered from the truth.
And he knew, of course, it would lead to joy in the whole church. Our joy, he said, will be complete if we embrace the True Jesus, hold to the Apostles' doctrine, and enjoy our new relationship with God.
Have you believed this about your connection to the True Vine?
"I am the True Vine, and my father is the vinedresser." (John 15:1).
"I am the vine; you are the branches." (John 15:5).
"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11).
1 John will help us with this joy. It is common for modern believers to talk about a relationship with Jesus, but John is going to show us precisely what such a relationship looks like.
Applications
1 - Read Jesus.
2 - Read healthy and widely regarded systematic theologies.
- Systematic Theology, Henry Thiessen
- Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem
- Systematic Theology, Norman Geisler
3 - Read good apologetics material about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel
- More Than A Carpenter by Josh McDowell
- Reason For God by Timothy Keller