Video illustration: Are you Amazed!
Series: Find Joy in the Journey in 2019
Thesis of series: Joy needs to be experienced in the journey of life! But Joy, like any other attitude, can come and go. It is not guaranteed simply because we are born again believers. We must put ourselves in the places where experiencing joy is a possibility. We need to go after and find joy in our journey of life. What are you doing to cultivate joy? Remember joy is a choice!
Introduction to Series:
Quote from Chuck Swindoll’s book “Laugh Again”: “I know of no greater need today than the need for joy. Unexplainable, contagious joy. Outrageous joy.”
Studying about joy in Scripture, looking at verses which speak of joy, helps build an understanding of how to put ourselves in places where it is possible to find and maintain an attitude of joy in our journey of life. Scripture reveals it is possible to find laughter and joy in living life in a sin-filled world! The Apostle Paul teaches us this can be done!
Scripture Texts for 2019:
Phil. 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
John 15:11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Sermon 5: Joy in the Journey – Love – 1 John 1
Thesis: John tells us life is found in the Word and by falling the light and God is light we find joy in the journey of life. But this means we need to discover the Word of life – as revealed by the Light. He notes God is Light and later John tells us that God is Love – real authentic love comes through a connection with God the Father through Jesus the Word of life. Joy will not come from a connection to the false teachings which minimize sin, promote darkness and have a redefinition of love.
Outline: Life – Light – Love = joy in the journey!
Scripture Texts: 1 John 1:1-10:
1 John 1: The Word of Life
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete.
Walking in the light
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
1 John 1:1 “1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.”
1 John 1:3-4: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”
I John 1:5: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
1 John’s key verse is 4:7 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”
This whole book is about life – light and love – it’s about a connection to the Father and The Son and with that connection is joy. The book or letter focuses in chapter 1 about life – life is found only in the Word and its revealed through His light.
1. The Word
a. The message of life in the Word 1 John 1:1-4:
i. John says what I teach about and write about to you what I have seen, heard and even touched.
1. John as we know traveled with Jesus so what He writes about is something tangible – alive – filled with life – it’s Jesus. He knows he experienced Him face to face!
2. Don’t miss this point: “I touched Him, I saw Him with my own eyes, I listened to His Words of life – He’s real – He ‘s not a ghost – but real – real flesh but also spirit!”
a. John’s favorite words are” life – light – love” and “abide” – which means “remain in Jesus” – “connect with Him!” and “Don’t leave Him!”
b. John as we know was the closest disciple to Jesus and outlives the others:
i. John loved Jesus and he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
1. So, the love was reciprocal!
ii. Crosby from his book “The One Jesus Loves” states: John the beloved no only loved Jesus, but he followed Jesus, left all for Jesus, believed Jesus, leaned his back against Jesus at the Last Supper, stood with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus prayed (not his most glorious moment), remained, stayed, held tight, yielded, surrendered, depended and yes, continued to abide in Jesus all the way to the cross and beyond” (Page 252)
iii. A.W. Tozer described this practice of abiding that John seemed to so diligently practice as “Spiritual receptivity” (Crosby page 253).
3. Life, light and love are found only in Him!
a. Talking about Him gives me joy says John – your believing in Him gives me greater joy!
i. Question: Does talking about Jesus give you joy?
ii. Question: Does seeing people come to Jesus give you greater joy?
ii. Jesus is the Word of Life sent by God the Father to us - if we connect with Him - we find fellowship in the Body of Christ – in that fellowship we discover His light – so we can see in the darkness and through the darkness of this world.
2. The Light
a. We hear and read John say with clarity and even passion, “God is Light” in 1 John 1: 5-10:
i. He is saying to us “I have seen the light” – It leads me out of darkness – it leads me still today.
ii. He goes on to say, “If you are lost in the darkness then you are not following the light of Jesus.”
iii. He goes deeper and says, “If you live in sin and deny you’re a sinner you are engulfed in darkness and not part of the fellowship or the family of God even if you say you are.”
b. The key to life – joy – a connection with Jesus is found in seeing and following the light out of the darkness of this world. So, let’s talk about light for a moment!
i. Illustration: Turn off main lights and turn on spot lights in front of stage.
1. Scientists are baffled by the mystery of light they can study it but still don’t understand what light is. God is light according to the Bible and he’s as mysterious as light in the natural sense but like scientist we can study God and understand what light does in our life.
2. Scriptures which speak of the light:
a. I John 1:5: 5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
b. Psalm 74:20: Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land.
c. John 8:12: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
d. John 1:1-12: 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
e. Matthew 5:13-16 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
3. A few years back I was sitting in the doctor’s office and picked up the Oct. 2001 edition of the National Geographic. It had an amazing article on the “Power of Light”. The articles introduction caught my attention:
a. “Light reveals the world to us. Body and soul crave it. Light sets our biological clocks. It triggers in our brains the sensations of color. Light feeds us, supplying the energy of plants to grow. It inspires us with special effects like rainbows and sunsets. Light gives us life- changing tools, from incandescent bulbs to lasers and fiber optics. Scientists don’t fully understand what light is or what it can do. They just know that it will illuminate our future (3).”
i. After just reading this introduction in the article I said, this article has spiritual insight for us as Christians. So, I read on and the verses on light in the Bible just raced through my mind. Wow I thought! The Bible tells us that God is light. John said that!
ii. Let’s explore some spiritual application points from the scientific study of light for a moment.
1. Scientist’s tell us that light reveals the world to us. I thought this is true God himself reveals the real world to us!
a. We never see the real world until God illuminates it to us through the lens of his word and his presence.
i. Psalm 119:130 “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
ii. 2 Samuel 22:29 David sang, “You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.”
1. In Charles Swindoll’s book called, Simple Faith He made this comment about light,” What is the purpose of light? The answer is not complicated. Light dispels darkness “(60).
b. Light helps us to see with the eyes of God and see things that before we could never see when we were in darkness.
i. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
ii. I can relate to this thought - Here are just a few things I saw after God’s bright light shined into my life at 18.
1. I discovered I was lost and going deeper into the dark pit of hopelessness. His light showed up and showed me how to get out of the pit of despair.
2. I felt his nudge to:
a. Walk toward the light.
b. Repent of my sin.
c. Die to myself and invite Jesus to come in to my heart.
d. I was encouraged to seek him with my whole heart, mind and soul.
e. I was promised by Him - If I did these steps then I would never be trapped in darkness again.
c. I recall a time I spent a day in darkness. My dad and my Cub Scout troop went to some caves in Penna. We spent the day down in these caves it was pitch black in them-no light. If we would not have had our flashlights we would have never been able to explore the cave or been able to find our way out.
i. I hated this time in the cave that we were in for 4-5 hours.
ii. But when we came toward the end of the cave I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I ran out of that dark dingy cave into a beautiful sunny day. It was a great feeling of refreshment. My attitude changed. I felt overjoyed with the sunshine and the beauty I could see in the surrounding mountains. I thought to myself there is no way I am going back into that black hole ever again.
iii. Today I am reminded that It was the same when Jesus illuminated my life and brought me out of darkness.
1. I could see the purpose of life and I knew my calling.
2. I felt joy in my life like never before.
3. I felt hope rush into my soul- all because of His light.
4. I felt the warmth of His love.
a. Don’t forget my first sermon was on love – pull it out – wow – life-light-love!
d. We have discovered that God’s light reveals the world to us. We also learn from the study of light that our body and soul crave it. Let’s explore this truth.
2. Scientists say, “Body and soul crave it.” Yes, light! I agree! I remember that my Body and soul craved God who is light.
a. The scientists tell us that light is essential to our daily lives. This is why we crave it and desire it. Light is as important as air we have been told. Fish need water like we need light.
i. God is as important as air as a matter of fact he breathed life into man in Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.’
b. Scientist’s tell us that light gives us Vitamin D for healthier bones. It’s called the “Sunshine vitamin.”
i. God’s light makes us healthy and strong.
ii. Proverbs 3:7, 8: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.”
1. Achenbach tells us on page 14 of the National Geographic, “Visually impaired children swarm around a light table to learn shapes and colors at Marquette School in Detroit, Michigan. “The Kids crave light so much, “says Carol Walker who works with 30 students in the Detroit public school system. “The light levels in most homes are inadequate for them. They need more light to stimulate their vision.”
iii. Light gives us sight and keeps us cheerful. God’s light gives sight to the blind.
1. Psalm 19:8: “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”
2. 1 Peter 2:9 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
iv. Achenbach illustrates on page 18, “ Moods darken when the sun goes into exile during winter in the northern Russian village of Lovozero… A shortage of light can unleash the winter blues, diagnosed as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
1. Many medicate this disease with drugs and alcohol.
2. Suicides increase
3. Domestic violence increases
4. When you don’t have light you have SADNESS.
v. God is one that dispels depression and sadness.
1. John 16:20-24 20I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
2. Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
c. We have learned how are bodies and souls crave God’s light spiritually and we also need to learn that light – God’s light will light up our future.
iii. Scientist’s do not fully understand what light is or what it can do.
1. Achenbach says, “There has been light from the beginning. There will be light, feebly, at the end. In all its forms-visible and invisible-it saturates the universe. Light is more than a little bit inscrutable. Modern physics has sliced the stuff of nature into ever smaller and more exotic constituents, but light won’t reduce. Light is light-pure, but not simple. No one is exactly sure how to describe it. A wave? A particle/ yes, the scientists say. Both.” (8).
2. It’s like God - man has tried to dissect Him - but God is pure but not simple. No one knows exactly how to describe him. We give bits and pieces of Him to others but to totally describe and understand Him is not easy. We have described him as the Father, yes! We have described Him as the Son Jesus, Yes! We have described Him as the Holy Spirit, yes! Theologians say. He is all three!
a. I agree God is someone I don’t fully understand. But He is the light. I see his light in this dark world breaking holes in the darkness. But I don’t fully understand all that He does in lives.
b. God is far beyond my simple understanding.
i. He is all knowing, according to the Bible- How’s does he do that?
ii. How could God be manifested in three ways Father, Son and the Holy Spirit?
iii. He is in all places. Wow I have just wanted to be in two places a few times and I could not do it.
iv. He sees everything that’s going on in this world! Amazing he must have a lot of eyes.
v. God can do more than I could have ever thought was possible. Things that I have said are impossible become possible with Him.
vi. He can heal supernaturally when there seems no hope.
vii. He can do miracles in lives.
viii. He can change people’s hearts.
ix. He can bring about so many amazing coincidences in my life that I sit there and scratch my head.
iv. We do not fully understand the Lord but we know He will illuminate the future.
1. Scientists just know that light will illuminate our future. I shouted there right! When you find God’s light it will illuminate your future.
a. He will guide you and lead you.
b. He will tell what to do and what not do!
c. He will show you which path to walk down!
d. In Revelation 21:23 – 27: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
e. Yes it’s true! In the end we will not need the sun or the moon because God’s light is what lights up Heaven. Why? Simple God is light!
3. The Love
a. John wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit John 3:16: The most famous verse of the Bible!
i. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
1. This passage is the most famous and the most familiar passage of the Bible. It is quoted the most and its reference numbers are seen at football games, parades, graffiti, and the like.
2. Max Lucado shares this about our verse from His book 3:16: “A twenty-six-word parade of hope: beginning with God, ending with life, and urging us to do the same. Brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in a moment, yet solid enough to weather two thousand years of storms and questions. If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here. We all need the reminder. The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. And God’s treatment is prescribed in John 3:16. He loves. He gave. We believe. We live. The words are to scripture what the Mississippi River is to America-an entryway into the heartland (Page 8).”
3. I add at the core of this verse is that wonderful word Love!
a. Max states, “We’ve all but worn out this word. This morning I used love to describe my feelings toward my wife and toward peanut butter. Far from identical emotions. I never proposed to a jar of peanut butter (though I have let one sit on my lap during a television show). Overuse had defused the word, leaving it with the punch of a butterfly wing (page 34).
b. Max also adds why this is the most excellent way on page 39 of his book; Love explains why he came. Love explains how he endured…’Observe how Christ loved us…he didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us’ (Eph. 5:2 MSG).
c. This is why Paul calls love the most excellent way in 1 Corinthians 13– God is it and Jesus showed it to us with his life and death and therefore we too need to embrace it as a way of life.
b. When you compare that “God is Love” to what the world calls “Love” you quickly discover it’s for the most part “lust” – God’s love is the one which leads to happiness, blessings and fulfillment in life while the other leads to discontentment, guilt, curses and despair in life. Which will you choose?
i. We all have scar tissue on our lives from sexual sin. This sin is ripping our culture apart today and it’s destroying the fabric of this nation. It’s responsible for ripping the family unit apart today more than ever.
ii. Lust today is called love by movies and media but lust is not love! We watch the news and we see one family after another family being attacked and maimed by sexual sin. We see the Hollywood stars jumping from one bed to another and seeming to have little regard for traditional marriage. They are applauded for being free and progressive in their lifestyle– free from what – free to be deceived? They propose that the sexual sins of the world is a normal and even accepted way to live. Lust is promoted while Biblical love is criticized and mocked by the world. They say lust is real love buts it’s not and lust will never bring satisfaction or fulfillment in life.
iii. Lust and its path into sexual sin is addressed by Jesus in Scripture. I am always amazed at how relevant the Bible is to society today. The problem of sexual sin is not new it’s the same as it was back in the Bible days. God and Jesus are never afraid to talk about sexual issues.
iv. The world’s distorted view of “Love” or “Lust” This deceptive feeling is often confused with love, but it is a purely physical attraction and has no lasting effect or commitment to another person.
1. It’s the worst way to live your life.
2. It will bring destruction to a person’s life.
c. Love is defined as the most excellent way by Paul: Why is love called the most excellent way? (1 Cor. 12:31).
i. The comparison of love verse lust:
1. Love’s consequences:
a. Gives us everything we desire!
b. Love is patient
c. Love is kind
d. Love does not envy
e. Love is not boastful
f. Love is not proud
g. Love is not rude
h. Love is not self-seeking
i. Love is not easily angered
j. Love does not keep record of wrongs
k. Love delights in truth
l. Love protects
m. Love trusts
n. Love hopes
o. Love perseveres
p. Love never fails
q. Love is the greatest
2. Lust’s consequences:
a. Steals away everything we desire
b. Lust is impatient
c. Lust is cruel
d. Lust envies others
e. Lust is boastful
f. Lust is prideful
g. Lust is rude to others
h. Lust is self-centered
i. Lust is easily angered
j. Lust keeps score of wrongs
k. Lust hates truth
l. Lust takes advantage
m. Lust distrusts others
n. Lust has no hope
o. Lust gives up
p. Lust always fails
q. Lust is the worst way to live
Conclusion:
Life is found in The Word – The Word is Jesus – John saw Him, touched Him and heard Him it brought him great Joy – His charge was stay connected to Him by following His light!
Charles Swindoll gives us some interesting advice as we close today talking about the mystery of Light. He states:
When you live in darkness, you not only have no ray of light, you don’t even know where home is. That is the way it is for the majority in the world. Some folks are born, raised, and die in cultures that have never seen their first flashlight of hope. Imagine it! When the truth of that hits me, I find myself a little impatient with Christians who do nothing but shine lights for themselves. They even have what we might call flashlight parties where they just shine the light on each other. Lots of light! Too much light to be hoarded! Jesus says to shine for the world. Shine your light into the darkness; that’s where it is really needed. Spend less time in your own little well-lighted all Christian world and more time there in the darkness (63)!
Truth is our culture has been engulfed in darkness. Our city here has darkness over it and we are to be the light in it. Jesus tells us we must let our light shine. Light will draw attention from those in darkness. They will move toward the light. Just like mariners follow the lighthouse we can be a lighthouse in this bay of people for the Lord. They will come if we shine!
So, we have to let the light of Jesus shine if we want to lead others out of darkness!
Truth is this:
No God – No Light – No sight
Know God – Know light – Know sight
Choice is yours! Will you let His light shine?
When we connect with The Word of Life – Jesus – and decide to follow His Light out of the darkness we will discover real Love – God’s Love and be able to discern what is true love and what is a false love!
Life + Light + Love = Joy in the Journey!
Altar time: Ashley play song “Love came for me!”
Open the tables for Communion!
