Sermons from the Book of 1 JOHN

Other sermons from 1 John

Sharing The Word Of Life (1:1-3)
The Eternal Word Of Life (1:1-2)
What A Fellowship (1:3-7)
If We ... (1:6-10)
A Defense Attorney That Never Lost A Case (2:1-2)
Keeping The Commandments (2:3-6)
How's Your Love Life (2:7-11)
Living For Another World (2:15-17)
Religious Con-artists Pt. 1 (2:18-27)
How To Keep From Being Spiritually Conned Pt. 2 (2:18-27)
How Do You Want To Meet Him? (2:28-29)
The Believer's Past, Present, & Future (3:1-3)
Why A Christian Should Hate Sin (3:4-6)
The Children Of God & The Children Of The Devil Pt.1 (3:7-10)
The Children Of God & The Children Of The Devil (Pt. 2) (3:7-10)
The Timeless Message Of Love (3:11-18)
Secrets To Effective Prayer (3:20-21)
Don't Believe Everything You Hear (4:1-6)
Loving One Another Pt. 1 (4:7-8)
Loving One Another Pt. 2 (4:9-12)
Loving One Another Pt. 3 (4:13-16)
Loving One Another Pt. 4 (4:17-19)
Loving One Another Pt. 5 (4:20-21)
How To Know You're In Love (5:1-3)

This series of sermons is presently being preached and will be added to as available

The book that is before us bears its author’s name—John. In fact, the Holy Spirit used John to write 5 of the books of the New Testament (Gospel of John and 1-2-3 epistles of John & Revelation). The Epistle of 1 John was the last book of the New Testament written and was written by John in his old age after his exile on the isle of Patmos . He unlike the other disciples died a natural death at a ripe old age.

In the opening verse (1 John 1:1) John gives his personal testimony. He tells us how he came to faith in Christ and the factors that were involved in his salvation. He tells us at the very beginning that he had met the “Word of Life.” In verse 1, John in effect says, “Let me tell you what happened to me. Let me tell you what I heard, what I saw, and what I handled.” Yet, as John declares in verse 3, he was committed to telling others how the same thing could happen to them.

On one occasion, D.L. Moody walked up to a man and asked if he was a Christian. The man snapped back, “That’s none of your business.” Moody quickly replied, “Sir, that is my business.” The business of every believer is sharing the Word of Life. We that know the “Word of Life” must share with others the “word of life.” This is our commission therefore it demands our commitment. As we look at John’s testimony, we find what is true about our salvation, and what will be true when it comes to the salvation of others. In his personal testimony we find certain factors that must be a part of our sharing the Word of Life.

1. THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION
THAT WAS AUDIBLE

John speaks of that “which we have heard.” Involved in John’s salvation was what he had heard. John had heard the message of the gospel from the very lips of the Lord Jesus. Like John, our salvation involves the matter of hearing (Cp. Romans 10:17 ). Behind the salvation of every person is a hearing of the gospel. If people come to Christ they must hear the message of the Gospel. Let me say two things about what is heard.

(A) There Is The Message We Have To Tell Others

The message we have to tell centers around the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our message is more than one of social achievements and moral accomplishments. It is a message about a person—the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice how in the opening verses John speaks of the Lord Jesus.

First, we see that John speaks of the eternal existence of the Lord Jesus. He speaks of "That which was from the beginning” (Vs.1), “The Life” (Vs.2)] and the “Eternal Life, which was with the Father” (Vs.2). He states that the Lord Jesus was from the beginning. At the beginning, the beginning of all things and time as we know it, the Lord Jesus was there. He was with the Father – co-existent, co-equal, co-eternal with the Father. Jesus is the eternal One, the Eternal Life. Please understand that when John said that He was from the beginning, he is not saying that Christ had a beginning. He is saying that He was there at the beginning. There has never been a moment when the Lord Jesus did not exist. He is eternal.

He also speaks of the earthly appearance of the Lord Jesus. He writes, [“For the life was manifested” (Vs.2). The word "manifested" means, "to appear, show forth." He (the Lord Jesus) that existed in eternity stepped into history and made Himself known. John spoke of Him as the “Word of Life.” In a similar fashion, John declared in John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Words reveal our thoughts. Our words are the vehicle by which we "manifest" or make known what we are thinking. Christ revealed the heart and mind of the Father. Someone has said that Jesus is the noun of God, the verb of God, and the adjective of God. The incarnation, when the Life was manifested, the Lord Jesus revealed God’s love for sinners and God’s way of salvation.

Peter the First, emperor of Russia , at one time decided to play the part of a beggar in a certain village. He laid aside his royal garments and dressed as a common beggar. From door to door he tramped asking for help. Only one poor man showed him any kindness. The next day the royal carriage came to a stop before the door of that poor home, and the man who had befriended Peter the Great was invited to live in the palace at Moscow .

In eternity past, the Lord Jesus was! But, then there was that moment when He became flesh and dwelt among us, manifesting Himself to mankind. He became one with us, one of us, that He might die for us. That is the message that we have to tell others, that Jesus Christ came to this earth from eternity to be the Savior of the world.

(B) There Is The Message We Have To Take Others

John says, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you” (Vs.3) The word "declare” means "to announce, report, bring word." We are to bring this message to others. As someone brought this message to us, we are to take the message to others. In verse 2, John spoke of how he and others "bear witness” of the Life being manifested. The words are a legal term that speak of testifying and giving testimony in court. A witness in court is someone who is called upon to give testimony to what they know. We that have been saved and have experienced God's saving grace are to give testimony of what has happened to us and what we know. In other words, we are to take this message to others.

John, as well as every believer, has "heard" this message. This hearing involved an audible communication of the message. Someone told us and we are to tell others. This means that there is an audience we must seek as well as a message we must share. We are to take the message to the people.

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was on one occasion invited by King Edward VII to Buckingham Palace in 1904. King Edward said to him, “You are doing a good work—a great work, General Booth.” When the king asked Booth to write in his autograph album, the old man—now seventy-five—bent forward, took the pen, and summed up his life’s work:

Your Majesty,

Some men’s ambition is art,

Some men’s ambition is fame,

Some men’s ambition is gold,

My ambition is the souls of men.

Is your ambition to tell and take the glorious message that the eternal Christ became flesh, identifying with sinful men, that He might save them from their sins? May God help us all to make the great aim and ambition of our life the telling of THE LIFE! Secondly, we see:

2. THERE WAS AN ILLUSTRATION
THAT WAS VISIBLE

John had not "heard," but he had also "seen." He says in verse 1, "we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon.” His salvation not included what he had heard but also something he had seen. The word “seen” speaks of the act of looking. He had actually looked upon the Lord Jesus. He had been with Him and had seen him. The word “look” means to watch, gaze upon with intensity. He had not only looked upon Him, but had observed Him, carefully watching Him. The result was, he had saw something in the Lord that changed his life. What he saw, was seen in his life as he told and took the message to others.

Just as John saw something in the Lord Jesus, as we share the Word of Life, there must be something seen in our life. What did John see in the Lord Jesus that must also be seen in us?

(A) He Had Seen the Realness of the Love of Christ

John had seen the Lord Jesus weep over sinners (Cp. Matthew 14:14 ). He had seen the depth, height, length and breadth of the love of Christ at the cross. He saw One that loved him, and not just him, but the whole world. He saw One that cared and cared deeply about a world that was lost. As we tell others about Christ, we must never forget that this world will care not what we say until we show that we care.

A train was pulling into the depot. On the platform stood a very small, crippled body. His basket was filled with fruit and nuts to sell the passengers. The train had not yet come to a full stop, when a businessman swung himself from the train and in his haste collided with the boy on the platform. The basket was overturned and its contents scattered. The man saw what had happened, but, as the crippled boy was the only one concerned and as the man was in a hurry, he walked away toward the city without a word. Just then the train stopped and a traveling man alighted. He, too, had important business in the city, but here was a boy in trouble. The traveling man comprehended the situation in a glance—the scattered fruit, the crippled boy, the distress on his face, and the tears in his eyes. The man said nothing, but set down his bag, and quietly but rapidly, assisted the boy to gather and replace in the basket the fruit and packages which could be rescued from amid the hurrying feet. The task was completed and the traveler was about to leave when he reached into his pocket, and taking out a silver dollar, he placed it on top of the basket. As he did so the boy looked up through tears into the face of the man and said, “Say, Mister, be you Jesus?” “No,” said the man, “I am not Jesus, but I am one of His followers, and as I go about, I try to do the things which I think He would do if He were here.”

We are not to be cold-hearted witnesses in the witness box of life, merely testifying to cold hard facts. We that have been shown the love of God in Christ Jesus, are to show that same love and care to others. We are to be an example and model of the Lord's love for sinners. As He loved, we are to love. As He cared for sinners, we are to show that same care to others.

John had not only seen the realness of the love of Christ, also:

(B) He Had Seen the Fullness of the Power of Christ

John had seen the power of the Lord Jesus displayed and demonstrated on many occasion. During the time he had walked with the Lord during His earthly ministry, he had been an eye-witness to demonstration after demonstration of His glorious and might power. He had seen miracle after miracle. John was well acquainted with the fullness of His power.

As a witness of the Lord Jesus and for the Lord, this world must see something in our life that is more than the ordinary. They must see God at work in our life. The church is crying, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah” while the world is asking, “Where are the Elijah’s of the Lord God?” This world must see something in our life that cannot be explained from the saving grace of God and His power to save and transform poor hell deserving sinners.

I think of the story of “The Ancient Mariner.” There is a part where the old mariner represents the corpses of all the dead men rising up to man the ship—dead men pulling the rope, dead men steering, dead men spreading sails. We are not representatives of the dead. We are an illustration of those who have been raised from the dead! A dead church never reaches a lost world. A dead Christian will never impact a lost world. We are to show this world what Jesus can do in a person's life!

Furthermore:

(C) He Had Seen the Holiness of the Life of Christ

John had saw in the Lord Jesus one without spot or stain. He had saw a life of sinlessness and holiness in the Lord Jesus. He had walked with Him for nearly three and a half years and had never heard him utter one vile word. He had never seen Him do one evil act. He had seen Him in public and private and had seen One that was completely without sin.

No doubt the greatest hindrance to sharing the gospel is the unholy lives of believers. Many a person has and is going to hell because of people that are going to heaven. Ghandi once said, “I would be a Christian if not for other Christians.” How tragic, that we who name the name of Christ, would live careless and sinful Christian lives.

It is one thing to say you are a Christian (John will have much to say about this later) and to live as a Christian. Whether we like it or not, the world in which we live watches how professing Christians live. A poor example of being a Christian can be the reason why others are not Christians. Just as John saw in the Lord Jesus a life of holiness, the world is to see in us a life that reflects the One who lives within us.

Just as John not only heard something, but saw something in the Lord Jesus that played a part in his salvation, this world must see something in us. As we go and tell them, may they see in us what John saw in Jesus!

Lastly, we see:

3. THERE WAS AN EXAMINATION
THAT WAS TANGIBLE

John had not only heard and seen, but he had felt something as well. He says in verse 1, "our hands have handled." The word “handled” simply means to, " touch, feel." There were no doubt many times that John touched the Lord Jesus, but in all probability John was specifically referring to the hour when the Lord Jesus invited him to touch his wounds (Cp. Luke 24:36-39) His invitation was to touch Him for the purpose of proving that He was the Lord Jesus. In a same fashion we have “touched” Him and found Him to be real. What did we find when we touched Him?

(A) There Is The Evidence Of A Redeeming Christ

Just as John touched the wounds in his hands and feet, the wounds by which his salvation was purchased, we have found that He will save and redeem us. We have been personally brought into contact with His death on the cross and His saving power. We are the evidence of His finished work on the cross.

(B) There Is The Evidence Of A Resurrected Christ

He not only died for our sins, but glory to His name, He rose again from the dead on the third day. He is alive and ever liveth to make intercession for us. We have found Him to be a living Lord and Saviour in our life.

Jesus is real! His salvation is real! His power is real! We are the evidence! This world can know that He is real. We have a message to tell and take to others, a message to model in our lives, a message if received, will do the same for others that it did for us. John, once experiencing this message in his life, devoted himself to others hearing the same message. We have heard, seen, and handled this message. Why would we not want others to hear, see, and handle it (Him) as well?