God's Help for Hurting Hearts
1 John 1:1-10
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Series: The First Epistle of John
Grayson Baptist Church - November 3, 2013
(Revised October 29, 2023)
BACKGROUND:
*Today we begin a verse by verse study of the Apostle John's first epistle. And as we get started, it helps us to know a little about John, and why he wrote this letter. John Phillips explained that "John had been born at Bethsaida, a fishing village on the Sea of Galilee not far from Capernaum. He had been one of a family of four: his father, a well-to-do fisherman, his mother Salome who was the Virgin Mary's sister, and John's brother James who was the first Apostle to be murdered for his faith in Jesus Christ.
*Of all the Apostles, John seems to have been closest to the Lord. Not only was he the Lord’s cousin, he was one of the first two disciples called. And after all 12 were called, the Lord selected John, his brother James, and Peter to be with Jesus for special revelations like the Lord's mountaintop transfiguration. We find this truth in Scriptures like Matthew 17:1, Matthew 26:37, and Mark 5:37. We also know that in John's Gospel, the Holy Spirit led John to describe himself as 'the disciple whom Jesus loved.'
*By the time John wrote this letter, he was a very old man. Various sources estimate that it was written between 85 and 100 A.D. John Phillips explained that John was "feeling the weight of his years and aware that his days on earth were about done. A godly life lay behind him and a very long memory thrilled him. His native land of Israel was far away, for John now lived in Ephesus, a pagan city on the edge of the European world. Just as Jesus had prophesied, Israel had been crushed by the Roman army. Jerusalem had fallen, the Temple had been destroyed, and Jewish national life had basically ended.
*Also by this time, dangerous heresies were spreading spiritual poison in God's churches. For example, some false teachers denied the divinity of Christ. Others denied the humanity of Christ. And John denounced these false teachings in the strongest possible way. Even in the opening verses, he made a bold declaration for both the divinity and the humanity of Jesus Christ. And John was most qualified to speak on these matters, because he had been there from the beginning of the Lord's ministry. John had basically seen it all. On top of that, he was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit for every word he wrote. (1)
*So, one of the greatest themes in this letter is gospel truth, but another is God's love, God's kind of agape love. That's the kind, patient, giving, and forgiving love God has for us. And the kind of love God has for us, and the kind of love God wants us to have as followers of Jesus Christ. God wants us to have this kind of agape love for our neighbors, for lost people, and even for our enemies.
*But the special focus in this letter is for Christians to love one another. And we know that agape love is one of God's greatest priorities, because the original words show up 51 times this very short letter.
*With this background in mind, lets' read 1 John 1:1-10 to see God's love in action to help everyone who has a hurting heart.
MESSAGE:
*Years ago, Mary and I used to get into fusses on the way to church. Maybe it was the stress of getting two small children ready for Sunday school, or maybe the devil just tried to upset us when we were trying to worship God. Of course that's not the only time we ever argued, but it seemed really easy to get into a squabble when we were headed to church.
*Then as soon as we opened the car door, there was an instant transformation. We would put on the happy mask, and no one knew that we were going at it tooth and toenail a few seconds before. I'm happy to report that now by God's grace we both are much more patient with each other. (I am often amazed at the godly grace Mary gives to me.)
*But probably all of us have put on masks at church. Many times it's to cover up a hurting heart. They ask, "Hey, how're you doing?" You put on a big smile, and say, "Fine, fine," when nothing could be farther from the truth. Lots of people are hurting in our world, including God-fearing, Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians. One estimate I read said that probably a third of us are hurting right now. And if you aren't, one day you will.
[1] SOMETIMES WE HURT FROM THE GRIND OF LIFE.
*Think of a mom who works a fulltime job, then heads home to her other fulltime job. She is completely worn out, and it hurts. Think of a dad in danger of losing his job. Or he's got the job, but he can't make the money go far enough. Or he's got the money, but he can't get 25 hours in a 24 hour day. And the frustration hurts.
*Maybe you are sick. Maybe your wife, husband, child, or parent is sick. It may even be one of those times when there is nothing you can do about it. You feel helpless. And the helplessness hurts.
[2] WE CAN HURT FROM THE GRIND OF LIFE. WE CAN ALSO HURT FROM GRIEF.
*Isaiah 53:3 tells us that the Lord was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." By this time, so was the Apostle John. John had been there at the cross to see the horrible suffering of our Savior. Thank God, John also got to see our Risen Lord! But about 10 years later, Acts 12:1-2 tells us, "About that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword."
*We also know from John 19:26-27 that at the cross, Jesus had put His mother Mary into John's care. But now, many decades later, John probably would have had to bury Jesus' mother. John also had gone through the grief of seeing his whole nation destroyed. John was well acquainted with grief. And many families in our church have gone through the loss of a loved one in the last few years.
*But that's not the only kind of grief. Some of us have been through the loss of trust, the loss of a relationship with husband, wife, or friend. Or maybe you lost a child, -- not through death, but through a broken relationship. Years ago, a friend told me an old saying about children: "When they are young, they step on your toes. But when they get older, they can step on your heart." Sometimes that old saying is true, and it hurts.
[3] WE CAN HURT FROM GRIEF. AND WE CAN HURT FROM GUILT.
*2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us about "godly sorrow." It comes from the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. And the Apostle Paul tells us that this godly sorrow is a good thing. Why? -- Because it leads us to turn away from sin, and turn toward our Savior Jesus Christ.
*Sometimes we feel guilty, because we are guilty, and it hurts. But Psalm 34:18 talks about this kind of hurt and says: "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." And one of the things our Savior says in Isaiah 61:1 is God "has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted."
*No matter why we hurt, God wants to help. And today's Scripture shows us how.
1. FIRST: GOD WILL GIVE US FELLOWSHIP.
*One of the best things about Christianity is fellowship. And John mentions it four times here in God's Word. But what is fellowship? Somebody said fellowship means "two fellows in one ship." And Ed Wood explained that fellowship is the idea of having something in common. It means a partnership, community, participation. Tim Peck said that fellowship "describes 'mutual sharing,' whether it's sharing our lives, our hearts, our possessions, or our tears." (2)
*This is the kind of fellowship God wants us to have with each other. Listen to John in vs. 1-3. Here John called Jesus "The Word of life," and said:
1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life
2. the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us
3. that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
*As Christians, we get to have fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Even better, we get to have fellowship with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ! What a great blessing! And part of the blessing is both giving and getting the help we need.
[1] GOD HELPS OUR HURTING HEARTS THROUGH OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER.
*All of us will hurt from time to time, so God wants all of us to help each other. The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
*You and I can make a difference in the lives of hurting people. We can and we should comfort them with the comfort that God has given to us. God wants us to be conduits of His comfort. As John Jowett once said: "God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters." (3)
*That's why in Ephesians 6:21-22, Paul wrote these words: "But that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you; whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts."
*The best human help we will ever get will come from devoted Christians like Tychicus. And that's the way God wants us to be.
[2] GOD HELPS OUR HURTING HEARTS THROUGH OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER. BUT BEST OF ALL, GOD HELPS US THROUGH OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.
*If we believe in Jesus Christ, if we have received Him as our Lord and Savior, God helps us through our fellowship with our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
*Please listen again to vs. 1-3, where John was talking about Jesus and said:
1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life
2. the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us
3. that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
*We can only have fellowship with God the Father through God the Son, Jesus Christ. And all of us can have this fellowship, because God's Son came into the world. The eternal Son of God became a man. This fact is so crucial that John used four different verbs in vs. 1 to describe his experience with the God-man, Jesus Christ.
*First, John said he "heard" the Word of Life, Jesus Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, and whenever Jesus taught, John heard Jesus teach with God's own authority. When Jesus told people that their sins were forgiven, He spoke with God's authority, and John heard that. In Mark 4:39, Jesus and the other disciples were on the Sea of Galilee in the middle of a terrible storm. There John heard Jesus rebuke the wind, and say to the sea, "Peace, be still!'' And the wind ceased! And there was a great calm.
*John heard the Word of Life. In vs. 1, he also saw it with his own eyes. John witnessed many of the miracles Jesus worked. He saw Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, and the empty tomb. John saw our Risen Savior!
*John saw the Word of Life. But in vs. 1, John also said he "looked" at it. This original word means John stared intently at Jesus to study and know Him to the fullest. John had stared in amazement at Jesus after his resurrection from the grave. He looked carefully to make sure it wasn't a hallucination or a ghost.
*John looked at the Word of Life. And in vs. 1, he also handled it. John had touched Jesus with his own hands. He took Jesus by the hand. Surely John also hugged Jesus. John hugged God! (4)
*John had close fellowship with God the Son. Now we can too, because Jesus Christ came into the world, and because of His cross. John takes us to the cross in vs. 4-7, where he said:
4. . . these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
5. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
6. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
*The blood Jesus poured out on the cross cleanses us from all sin, if we believe in His crucifixion, if we believe in His resurrection, if we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. And when we have this faith in God the Son, we are automatically connected with our Heavenly Father, as we are born again by the Holy Spirit into the Family of God.
*So we can have fellowship with God the Father through His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful Father we have through His Son Jesus! Our Heavenly Father is a perfect protector and provider who loves us unconditionally.
*One of the best pictures of our Heavenly Father is found in the story of the prodigal son. In Luke 15, Jesus told this story about a stubborn and rebellious son. The selfish son demanded his inheritance before it was due. Then he ran away and wasted it on the worst kind of living.
*But the father loved his son and kept looking down the road in hope that one day his son would come home. Then one day the son did come home, full of sadness for his sin.
*Please listen to part of the story from the New Living Translation. In Luke 15:20-24, Jesus said:
20. "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
21. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'
22. But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet.
23. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast,
24. for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. . .'"
*That is the same kind of love that our Heavenly Father has for all of us, the same kind of love our Heavenly Father has for you! And we can have fellowship with God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ. If you are hurting today for any reason, be encouraged! God will help you! God will give us fellowship.
2. AND HE WILL GIVE US FORGIVENESS.
*There is no doubt that we are guilty. That's why in vs. 8 John said, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." Also in vs. 10, "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."
*There is no doubt that we are guilty. But there is also no doubt that God will forgive our sins. Verse 9 tells us that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Why will God forgive our sins? -- Because He is faithful and just!
*God is faithful. That means we can always count on the promise He gives us in verse 9. God is faithful, but He is also just. That means God had to do something about our sin. If God didn't do something about our sin, then Heaven wouldn't be Heaven. It would be as bad as the worst places on earth. God had to do something about our sin, and this truth takes us back to the cross. Jesus Christ is the only person who could ever pay the price for our sins. And that's what Jesus did when He died on the cross for us.
*Pastor Bob Russell told about the time he and his family were in bad a wreck in Pennsylvania. His wife was in a hospital 400 miles away from home, and they really wanted to get her to a hospital back home.
*Bob said, Dr. Russell Summay from our church flew up in a medical plane, picked up my wife and me, and flew us back home to a hospital in Louisville, where she could get some personal attention. I was extremely grateful, and said, 'Russ, I want to pay for the plane. How much is it?' He said, 'It's a gift, Bob, and believe me: you can't afford it.' I did some investigation, and he was telling the truth!"
*Then Pastor Bob said: "I'm going to tell you the truth. You can't afford eternal life. Heaven is the dwelling place of God, a place of perfection, and we lost our right to be there because of our sin. The only purchase price is the blood of a perfect person, and you and I don't qualify. So we can't earn God's forgiveness, and we don't deserve it. But the good news is that Jesus Christ stepped in to pay the debt for us." And He can forgive our sins, because He is faithful and just. (5)
*If you are hurting today, because of your guilt, turn to the Lord Jesus, and put your trust in Him. Jesus will take away the crushing weight of your guilt. God will give us forgiveness.
3. AND HE WILL GIVE US A FRESH START.
*One big question when we are hurting is this: What about the future? Is there hope for me? The answer is absolutely yes! God loves to give us fresh starts in our lives.
*We see this truth every morning, when God gives us a brand new day. And Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."
*God loves to give us fresh starts in our lives! There's another great example of this truth in today's Scripture. It's the cleansing we see in vs. 9 where John said, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." God certainly wants to give us this fresh start today.
*One of my all-time favorite professors was Dr. Don Wilton. He is a tremendous preacher and teacher, with a very British accent from his days growing up in South Africa. Years ago, "The Baptist Message" told an amazing story that happened back when Don was a seminary student in New Orleans. Don and another student had stopped at a local grocery store. There in the store they noticed a scruffy looking couple with a baby, who had nothing on but a diaper.
*God's Spirit moved those two students in a special way. They decided to open their wallets and give that family all the money they had. Don rolled up more than $200 in bills. Then he sneaked up behind the barefoot man, stuck the roll in the man's back and told him not to turn around.
*With a gentle voice, Don spoke to the frightened man and said, "My friend, you don't know who I am. But I want you to know that there is another man and I here tonight who love the Lord Jesus Christ. He has done something for us that we cannot do for ourselves. Because of Him, we just want to give to you something from the two of us." he man tearfully received the money and Don thought he would never see him again.
*Years later, Dr. Wilton was teaching at the seminary, and one of the new students recognized his voice. It was the man from the store. He told Dr. Wilton that they were desperate that night. They were so desperate that they had driven from their home in Alabama to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge in New Orleans. They planned to take their baby with them. But they decided to feed her first, so she at least would die with a full stomach. That's why they stopped at the store. But they were so encouraged by the kind words of the man who would not let them see his face, they changed their minds. (6)
*God used a kind gift and Don's brief testimony to give that desperate couple a brand-new start in life. Jesus Christ gave them a new start in life. They were born again with God's eternal life! Their sins were all forgiven. They became part of the family of God They were saved forever! And the same thing will happen to you if you will turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.
*But even after we trust in the Lord, even after we are saved, we will still need fresh starts in life. You can be a Christian for 50 years, and still need a fresh start. God will give you that fresh start today. He can do something that will take your life in a whole new direction!
CONCLUSION:
*I hope you are not hurting this morning. But if you are, be encouraged. God wants to give you His fellowship, His forgiveness, and a fresh start in life. Let the Lord meet your need today. And if you have never put your trust in our crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ, call on the Lord to save you now, as we go back to God in prayer.
(1) Sources:
-Adapted from EXPLORING THE EPISTLES OF JOHN by John Phillips, Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids - "Exploring John’s First Epistle - Introduction" - Downloaded to "Bible Study 6" from Olive Tree Bible Software, Inc.
-WORD PICTURES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT by Archibald Thomas (A. T.) Robertson - Published in 1930-1933 - 1 John - THE FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN - ABOUT A.D. 85 TO 90 - By Way of Introduction - Relation to the Fourth Gospel - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2021
(2) Sources:
-SermonCentral sermon "Jesus, the Hope of the World" by Ed Wood - 1 John 1:1-4
-Adapted from SermonCentral sermon "Joy for the Journey" by Timothy Peck - 1 John 1:1-7
(3) John Henry Jowett (1817-1893) - Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World - Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1992 - Entries 1501-1503 - Source: SermonCentral sermon "Blessed Comfort" by Mark Beaird - 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
(4) Adapted from SermonCentral sermon "Joy for the Journey" by Timothy Peck - 1 John 1:1-7
(5) Adapted from Easter Sermon: "If a Man Dies, Will He Live Again?" by Robert Russell - 1 Corinthians 15 - Monday, January 24, 2005 - www.lifeway.com/Article/sermon-easter-resurrection-new-life-1-corinthians-15
(6) Sources:
-2023 illustration: "The Baptist Message" - 06/27/2002
-2013 illustration:
*Robert Sumner tells about a missionary in Alaska, named Everett Bachelder. Everett and his wife, Mina, operated the Nome Gospel Home for over 30 years. One of the ways they shared the Gospel was by tossing more than a thousand mayonnaise jars and ketchup bottles into the Bering Sea. They were all crammed with Scripture messages written in 100 different languages. Kids from local churches helped Everett fix the jars and bottles.
*Now that may seem like a waste of time, but over the years, the wind and waves carried the story of God's love to the far corners of the earth. Everett got responses from as far as 10,000 miles away.
*One time a man in Singapore, was brokenhearted over a romance gone sour. He was about to commit suicide by jumping into the ocean from a cliff. But he saw a bottle wash up against the rocks below. Oddly enough, the man decided to jump when the bottle broke. But as he watched, it hit the rocks over and over without breaking. He got curious and climbed down the cliff where he found the good news of salvation in the cross of Jesus Christ. God's Word touched that man's heart. He found a missionary in Singapore, and got saved!
-Source: KERUX ILLUSTRATION COLLECTION - ID Number: 1182 - SOURCE: Biblical Evangelist - TITLE: Throwing The Word Of God Into The Ocean - AUTHOR: Dr. Robert Sumner - DATE: 8/10/01
