I John 1:1-4 Proclamation, Fellowship and Joy.

 I John 1:1-4   Proclamation, Fellowship & Joy

What produces joy in your life?  A care-free life?  Friendships?  A car that runs?  The list can go on.  John starts his letter with telling us how to have joy that is everlasting and will allow us to get through the difficulties, problems and situations that we cannot handle by ourselves.  God is life, light and love in John's letter.

1.  The proclamation of eternal life produces fellowship and joy in our lives.  

There is the story of John Wesley who had no joy and he considered himself a failure.  He was up at 4 am to pray for 2 hrs and then read the Bible for an hour before going to jails, prisons and hospitals.  Once on the way back from America a great storm at sea continued and the ship was about to sink.  Wesley feared he was going to die that hour and he was terrified.  He had no assurance of what would happen to him when he died.

Despite all of his efforts to be good , death was now for him a big, black, fearful question mark.  The ship made it back to England.  Wesley went to London and found his way to Aldersgate St. and a small chapel.  There he heard a man reading a sermon by Martin Luther called, " Luther's Preface to the Book of Romand".  It described what real faith was.  It is trusting Jesus Christ only for salvation----and not in our own good works.  Wesley suddenly realized he had been on the wrong road all his life.  That night he wrote these words in his journal:"  

About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.  I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone , for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

" I John 1:2 ---we have seen and are bearing witness ( martyr) and we are proclaiming to you the eternal life"  Eternal life is a gift by grace Ephesians 2:8-9.  We cannot change our own nature to enter heaven.  The Holy Spirit must change our hearts to make us fit for heaven!   An lemon tree with oranges stuck on it is still a lemon tree.

John's eyewitness acount of the Word of life helps us to know Him too .  He saw and touched Jesus.  I John 2: 25"  And this is the promise which He Himself made to us---eternal life."  5:13  

We should be like the woman in John 4 who desired eternal life.  Give me this water she told Jesus.

We should know that we have eternal life.  EE asks, " Have you come to the place in your spiritual life that you can say for certain that if you were to die today you would go to heaven?"

But how available?  Dwight L. Moody said, " I prayed for faith and that that someday faith would come down and strike me like lightning, but faith did not come.  One day I read in the 10th chapter of Romans, ' Now faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.'  I had closed my Bible and prayed for faith. Now I opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since."

2.  The true proclamation of eternal life produces fellowship.  I John 1:3

'That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that you may have fellowship..."

koinonia to share in common.  Acts 2:42 " And they were steadfastly continuing in the teaching of the apostles and in fellowship and the  breaking of bread and prayers"

We have fellowship " that you also may have fellowship with us and with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ"   This was partially directed at the false teachers who said Jesus the man was not the  Son of God.

John Stott in his wonderful commentary says it well,"  It is their common possesion of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit which makes them one"

Our unity comes from participation in Christ and in His body the Church.  It is like rowing a boat.  Jesus in John 17:21,23 " that all may be one...I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected in one"

Nehemiah knew this.  4:14 " They will come up against us from every place where you may turn.  Then I stationed me in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall with swords...when I saw their fear I rose and spoke to the people,' Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome.' "

Remember how great a work you are doing and the importance of your message.

Chuck Swindoll, Hand Me Another Brick " Nehemiah said to his people,' You've got your eyes on the rubbish, the debris, your own individual project.  Get your eyes on the Lord.'  People who are discouraged are thinking mainly about one thing---themselves..so Nehemiah unified them around the same goal...Then he turned their attentio to the Lord."

How is our fellowship?  Its quality is related to where our eyes are.  

This is the message I Jn 3:1 " See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should called children of God ...and such we are."

3.  This true spiritual fellowship produces joy.  1:4  not a false joy.

" And these things we write, that our joy may be made full."

During the War, President Lincoln was so besieged with applicants on various errands that he could not see all, and men of influence could not see him when they wished.  Many went away from the WH disappointed unable to see the President.  But there was a loved son of the President little " Tad" who came and went when he pleased.  Such is the privilege of the children of God!

John 15:11  " These things I have spoken to you, that joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

Conclusion.  Same as the Intro!  What produces joy in your life?  A care-free life?  Friendships?  A car that runs?  The list can go on.  John starts his letter with telling us how to have joy that is everlasting and will allow us to get through the difficulties, problems and situations that we cannot handle by ourselves.  God is life, light and love in John's letter.

But we have to receive Him.