Introduction: Words That Matter
Tim Gustafson is the Editor of Our Daily Bread and shares his story: Early in my days of working as an editor for Our Daily Bread, I selected the cover verse for each month’s devotional. After a while, I began to wonder if it made a difference.
Not long after that, a reader wrote and described how she had prayed for her son for more than twenty years, yet he wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Then one day he stopped by to visit her, and he read the verse on the cover of the booklet that sat on her table. The Spirit used those words to convict him, and he gave his life to Jesus at that very moment.
I don’t recall the verse or the woman’s name. But I’ll never forget the clarity of God’s message to me that day. He had chosen to answer a woman’s prayers through a verse selected nearly a year earlier. From a place beyond time, He brought the wonder of His presence to my work and His words.
John the Apostle called Jesus “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). He wanted everyone to know what that meant. “We proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us,” he wrote of Jesus (v. 2). “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us” (v. 3).
There is nothing magical in putting words on a page. But there is life-changing power in the words of Scripture because they point us to the Word of life—Jesus.
Source: Tim Gustafson
I. The Word Was Proclaimed 1
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 —
A. In The Beginning 1a
1. This is reminiscent of both Genesis 1.1 and John 1.1
a. Genesis
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
—Genesis 1:1
b. John
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
—John 1:1
2. Do you think this is accidental?
a. In the Gospel of John, the Apostle purposefully tied the beginning of the World with the proclamation of the Word.
b. In the 1st Epistle of John, the Apostle purposely ties the beginning of the Epistle with the beginning of the Gospel.
B. More Than Mere Words 1b
1. John is writing in order for his readers to understand that he was an eyewitness to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. Which we have heard
i. John heard Jesus preach! John heard Jesus teach!
ii. John heard Jesus rebuke the Pharisees!
iii. John recorded the conversion of Nicodemus (was he there?)
b. which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon
i. John saw Jesus turn water changed to wine
ii. John saw Jesus heal Nobleman’s son
iii. John saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead.
iv. John saw Jesus after he had been crucified, buried, and resurrected.
c. Which we have handled with our hands
i. John took some portion of 5 loaves and two fish and distributed that to 5,000 hungry people.
ii. It was John who leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper and asked, “Who the Traitor?”
C. The Word Of Life 1c
1. It was important for Jesus to
a. Preach and teach
b. Do various miracles to establish that He was who He said He was.
c. Have a discipleship ministry with leaders of the first church.
2. None of that would have matters if he was not the Word of Life.
a. Let’s go back to John 1.1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
—John 1:1
b. Jesus is God!
c. It took the disciples a while to appreciate the fact that they had spent 3 ½ years dealing with God in the flesh!
3. But once they got it they got it!
a. This the reason that little band of men could make such and impact on the world!
b. Men like John, the only Apostle not to die a violent, premature death!
i. John not only got to live a long life and preach many sermons, but
ii. He also authored the following books
a. The Gospel of John
b. The Epistles of John I,II, & III
c. The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
c. Probably no human author of a Biblical book that has had more impact.
i. He wrote about the Word in the Gospel of John
ii. He wrote about the Word in the Epistles of John
iii. He wrote about the Word in the Revelation of Jesus
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants — things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.
—Revelation 1:1-2
II. Life Was Acclaimed 2
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 —
A. The Life Was Manifested
1. Again, the Apostle harkens back to the Gospel that bears his name.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
—John 1:4
2. Life was manifested gloriously
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
—John 1:14
B. Eternal Life Was Declared
1. Salvation is the plan of God
And it will be said in that day: Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
—Isaiah 25:9
2. Jesus is the author and we are the benefactors of that salvation
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
—1Timothy 1:15
C. Life Was Manifested To Us
1. It is not just that
a. Eternal life was manifest out there somewhere…
b. Or that someone said eternal life had been declared as an option…
2. Eternal life was manifest to us
but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
—2Timothy 1:10
III. Fellowship Was Attained 3
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.
A. Fellowship With Us 3a
1. John says, “You may have fellowship with us”, he’s probably not speaking about the Apostles.
a. I believe this book was written late in John’s life (80-95AD)
b. If this is true and I believe it is then all the Apostles would have been dead.
2. So if John is not speaking of the fellowship of the Apostles, what is he speaking of?
a. In the early church it was exactly this fellowship that was indicated.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
—Acts 2:42
b. But if an Apostle dies, does his doctrine die with him?
c. No!
3. This is the fellowship with the saints aka the church
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
—Jude 1:3
B. Fellowship With The Father 3b
1. But there is a further fellowship contained herein.
2. It is fellowship with the Father.
3. This is the fellowship of the saints of old.
a. The fellowship of Moses with God the Father.
b. The fellowship of Enoch with God the Father.
c. The fellowship of Noah with God the Father.
d. The fellowship of King David with God the Father.
e. The fellowship of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the Minor Prophets with God the Father.
4. This is the same fellowship that God still seeks with us.
C. Fellowship With The Son 3c
1. Found in the saints
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
—1Corinthians 1:9
2. Found in the Communion of Saints
So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
—Luke 24:15
3. Found in Spiritual Assemblies
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.?
—Matthew 18:20
IV. Joy Was Obtained 4
4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
A. Purpose – To Bring Joy
1. I’ve told you more than once that you have plenty of things and people who bring you misery.
2. The last thing I want to do in a church setting is bring you misery.
3. I want to bring you joy.
4. I understand that sometimes we have to experience pain before we experience joy.
5. But on the whole, I want our church experience to be a pleasant one.
B. Mission Accomplished?
1. A reported once asked President George W. Bush what his great regret as president was.
2. His reply, “Landing on the aircraft carrier and addressing the nation in front of a banner that read “Mission Accomplished”.
3. Our mission will not be accomplished until we see Jesus face to face.
V. Conclusion
