Joy in the Journey
1 John 1-2:2 (Amplified Bible)
1 John 1
1[WE ARE writing] about the Word of Life [[a]in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands.
2And the Life [[b]an aspect of His being] was revealed (made manifest, demonstrated), and we saw [as eyewitnesses] and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life [[c]in Him] Who already existed with the Father and Who [actually] was made visible (was revealed) to us [His followers].
3What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may [d]realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a [e]distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
4And we are now writing these things to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be full [and [f]your joy may be complete].
5And this is the message [the message of [g]promise] which we have heard from Him and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [[h]no, not in any way].
6[So] if we say we are partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].
7But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].
8If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our hearts].
9If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
10If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
1 John 2
1MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father--[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].
2And He [[i]that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Let us pray.
The first thing we need for our spiritual journey to be joyful is the right foundation. That’s what we see in vv. 1-2. The first thing we notice about this letter is that it really doesn’t sound anything like a letter. Most of the 21 letters contained in the NT start out by stating who the letter’s from, who the letter’s addressed to, followed by a blessing or a prayer.
Now the "word of life" here is Jesus Christ himself. As the gospel of John already tells us Jesus is this word, that this word was with God in the beginning, yet this word became flesh among us-what John here describes in v. 2 as "appeared to us". The eternal Son of God--God the Son--appeared among human creatures in what Christian theology calls the Incarnation, God himself taking on human flesh. John emphasizes that both he and the other apostles were eyewitnesses to this incredible event of God entering into human history through the person of Jesus Christ.
2. The Right Companions (1 John 1:3-4)
But not only do we need the right foundation for our journey, but we also need the right companions. John is sharing his experiences as an eyewitness so we can enter into fellowship with the apostles. We learn here that true fellowship is based on a common fellowship with God and God’s Son Jesus Christ. In v. 5 we also learn of John’s desire that there be joy in this spiritual journey, that this joy might be full.
Here we find the necessity of having the right companions in our spiritual journey. OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY IS JOYFUL WHEN IT IS SHARED WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS.
Many Christians today try to live the spiritual journey alone…just me and Jesus. Yet the Bible pictures the church as the place to find that biblical fellowship, not because the people are so perfect, but because they live in fellowship with Jesus Christ.
3. The Right Source (1 John 1:5)
In v. 5 we find an emphasis on the right source. This image of God being light is common in the Bible, and it describes God as being majestic and fully righteous. But perhaps most of all this image of God being light describes the fact that God reveals himself, he makes himself known to us as people. Just as it’s the nature of light to shine and dispel darkness, so it’s the nature of God to reveal himself. This is picturing the spiritual journey on a dark road, that we can’t find our way to our destination unless we have light…the kind of light God provides. For us today, the source of God’s light is our Bibles.
Psalm 119:105 tells us, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:130 says, "The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple."
4. The Right Goal (1 John 1:6-7)
In verses 6 and 7 we find John hint at one of the misunderstandings that was circulating among the Christians in Asia Minor, Apparently some people were claiming to be in close fellowship with God, but these same people were living lives of moral and spiritual darkness. Now that means that for all their pious talk about God, their lives were characterized by disobedience, sinfulness, and rebellion. Yet John tells us that such a life is dishonest and impossible, that it’s impossible to live in close communion with God--who is light by nature--and then to live a life of darkness. Your words may sound good, but your choice of direction in the journey gives you away, because there’s no darkness in God, not even a shadow. You may tell me you’re heading toward the beach, but if you’re going North your direction gives you away. Now this doesn’t mean Christians have to be perfect, but it does mean that in this spiritual journey Christians will strive to live in God’s light.
That’s John’s point in v. 7, that if we walk in the light as God, the byproduct of that will be fellowship with each other and purification from our sins. Notice he doesn’t say forgiveness our sin, but he uses the word "purify" which means to erase the stain caused by sin.
Here we find the right goal. OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WILL BE JOYFUL WHEN IT LEADS TO TRANSFORMED LIVES.
You see the point of the journey isn’t just to get to the final destination, but it’s to be transformed along the way. Like a caterpillar that becomes a butterfly, so also God is transforming our lives as we walk this journey with him.
Conclusion
People today are striving for joy in the journey, turning over every rock along the way to try to find the secret. Some pursue it in pleasure and success, still others in money and security. John would tell us that joy is to be found by having the right foundation, the right companions, the right source, and the right goal. If we build our spiritual journey on reality, share it with other Christians, based it on God’s revealed truth in the Bible, and allow it to transform our lives, our joy will be full, even as John’s was when he wrote this letter.
How is your joy today?
