As Real As It Gets
Text: 1 John 1:1-4
Someone asked me the other day, why I preach through books of the Bible rather than topical? My response to them was I found a few years ago, after I surrendered to the ministry and began preaching nearly every week it was difficult to just find a topic to preach on each week. Then when I took my first full-time pastorate, I found it beneficial in my own personal study time to stay focused on one book of the Bible at a time.
Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Heber Springs, Arkansas and sit and listen to, who I think is the best Bible expositor and preacher I have heard; Dr. David Miller. Bro David said this in one of the meetings, “Preaching line by line, verse by verse, a preach of the Gospel cannot help but preach and teach the full counsel of God’s Word.” (Not an exact quote)
The Apostle Paul warns of a time in which folks will “not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” My dear friend I believe we are living in that time right now.
All around us are pulpits filled with a message of “Be all you can be,” and “Just feel good about yourself and God will bless you.” A message of good feelings and lacking in sound fundamental doctrine and dealing with the issue of sin and a calling to repentance in Christ.
One of my favorite preacher I enjoy listening to on Sunday afternoons is Dr. Ralph Douglas West, Pastor of Brookhollow Baptist Church in Houston. Not long ago he was telling of two pastor friends of his that are working on their doctorates in preaching; their dissertation he said was on philosophical preaching. He went on to say, “We don’t need any more philosophical preachers today… we don’t need any more Dr. Phil’s behind the pulpit… we need more God called men that will open up God’s Word and declare Thus Saith The Lord… and I say amen and amen…
In this place where I minister, I see many people that come from this new wave of evangelism as some call it, people that are not living to their full potential to a life fully committed to Christ. I believe we need all kinds of churches, and although I may not agree with the methods of some churches of how they get people to the church, I disagree with the ways the Gospel is presented today. I sat in a church two Easter Sundays ago and heard during the invitation time, I you want to go to heaven, there is a paper in your visitors packet and if you want to go to heaven, check yes and then fill out the perforated side and let us know your decision to go to heaven. The of all things, I had a family call me up to visit their father who was dieing of cancer. One of the sons told me someone had come to the bedside and shared with this man “When you were born you received a ticket to heaven. But somewhere along the way, your ticket becomes invalid. You need to ask God for another ticket.” When I heard this I had to tell the man there is more to just asking God for a ticket to heaven. I read the Romans Road and told him about sin; our need to repent and ask for forgiveness and place our faith in the finished work of Jesus at Calvary.
Where this book might not address the issue of false teaching and heresy head on, it does address a life fully committed to Christ. It insists that true Christian faith requires knowing that Jesus the Christ came in human flesh, lived a human life, and died in the flesh. But the evidence of that faith is measured by the genuineness of one’s Christian lifestyle, not so much by what one "knows." The knowledge that God is light is tested by whether one walks in that light and obeys God’s commands. The knowledge that God is righteous is tested by whether one lives righteously as befits one born of God. The knowledge that God is love is tested by whether one loves fellow believers even as one loves God. The radical requirement for love and obedience in this Epistles recalls the truth of Jesus’ own teaching and the radical response he required of those who would follow him.
Now more than ever do we need to address this counterfeit Christianity that is being taught and caught by so many around us. Without sounding legalistic a walk and a life with Christ is real and will be real to those around us. Let’s look at this life John tells us about…
I. This Life Is Shown 1 John 1:1
A. By His Creation
· Romans 1:20 says; “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”
· Now I need to be honest for a moment; there are times in my life I feel like the author of the poem “Footprints in the Sand.” But I am reminded over and over again, when I do not see God that doesn’t mean He is not present and active in my life.
· But there is one thing I cannot deny; every morning when I wake up and take a drive to the office, I see the beauty and masterpiece of God’s workmanship all around me. His creation shouts of His existence.
· Even though we see God’s fingerprint everywhere we look, and even though we can see His power in creation, creation alone could never tell us the wonderful story of God’s love for us.
B. By His Character-found in Scripture
· The Apostle Paul tells us in his 2nd letter to Timothy in chapter 3:16-17; “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…”
· In a word picture this means that God breathed into those that wrote this book, the holy knowledge and discernment and truth of His character and His love for all mankind.
· All throughout Scripture God is revealing Himself to us. He is telling us of His plan and purpose and desire for an intimate relationship with us.
· Some people debate and discuss to great lengths that the God of old is not the same as today. But listen to what Scripture tells us.
· Psalm 102:25-27; “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands, They will perish, but You will endure; yes they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will change them, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.”
· Several years ago my former pastor and I visited with a very successful and wealthy businessman that had began attending our church. During our visit the pastor asked about this man’s belief in God. I will never forget his answer. He said I used to be an agnostic; then I realized there had to be something in control of all of this. Then he said I became and atheist; maybe by chance there is a God but I choose not to recognize him, her or it. Then he said Now I am beginning to think this about God and Jesus has some validity because I see the faith and beliefs in my wife and children has made a difference.
C. By Christ
· God’s final and complete revelation of Himself is final and complete in Christ Jesus, His Son.
· Jesus said in John 14:9; “He who has seen me has seen the Father;”
· I don’t know much about music. I tried to learn to play the guitar awhile back but it was hurting my lips. I have picked up a few phrases though. One is called sympathetic response. Here is an illustration: say you have two pianos or two guitars in a room. If you strike an “A” note on one instrument the other instrument will respond by making an “A” note caused by the vibration. It responds sympathetically.
· Because of our sin condition, God the Father responded sympathetically to that need. He in the form of Jesus, took on flesh and bone, yet still remaining fully God, the form of man. And Jesus, know our need was to redeem sinful man to Himself, died a sacrificial death to make atonement for our sin.
· Everyone has heard John 3:16; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
· Verse 17 goes on to say; “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
· As we read this and other Scripture it gives to us God’s revelation of Himself to man, and also the life of Jesus. Jesus is our example to this new life in relationship with God. But it is not just a life of imitating Jesus.
So not only is this Life Shown…
II. This Life Is Shaped 1 John 1:2
A. Personal Experience
· If we read these first 4 verses we can only be lead to understand that John had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
· One of the false teachings that was being taught was that Jesus was not human, but a spirit or a vision. And the greatest false doctrine was that Jesus was not God
· John had first hand real life experience, of the life of Jesus. He had seen Him; he had touched Him; He heard His teaching; He witnessed His miracles.
· This is where some would argue the point and say; “If I could see all the disciples did, my faith would be stronger.”
· This was not the case. Their lives were fully committed to following Jesus. Jesus Christ was real and exciting to John and the other disciple because they had committed themselves and trusted Him.
B. Practiced Experience
· Some may disagree with me at this point but I believe the John that is writing this epistle is the same John that writes the book of Revelation and the Gospel of John. I believe he is the same John we read about in Acts 4:1-13. In this passage of Scripture we are told the event of Peter and John being arrested for healing the lame man at the gate of the temple that is called Beautiful and taken before the Sanhedrin. We find that after Peter preaches a message to the counsel and in verse 13 we read; And they (the Sanhedrin) realized that they had been with Jesus.”
· It was not just the healing and the miracles that were evident in the lives of these men, especially John, something was noticeable about their lives.
· Have you heard the old adage that when a man and woman have been married for a while they begin to look like each other. I tell folks because I have been married to my lovely, beautiful wife for 22 years now, I’m beginning to get better looking.
· A life spent in the presence of the Savior will be a life that will touch others.
C. Proclaimed Experience
· Now this is the part I love to talk about.
· John says here because I have “seen” now I “bear witness” and “declare” to you.
· John by repeating himself and using these phrases seen, bear witness, and declare is refuting the false teachers that have come into the church wrongly teaching about a Christ thy probably had never seen or know.
· My dear Christian friend. you and I may not have seen Jesus walk this earth, we may not have witnessed His miracles; we might not have seen His death, burial and resurrection, but we can testify and bear witness to what He has done in our lives.
This Life is Shown; it is Shaped and …
III. This Life Is Shared 1 John 1:3-4
· Once you have experienced this wonderful life that is offered to us through a personal relationship with Christ, you will want to share it with others.
A. That we might have Fellowship
· The word that John uses here for fellowship is an important word to Christians, especially we Baptists. We enjoy our fellowship. And usually when we think of the word fellowship the thought that comes to mind is meals and eating.
· This word we find here for fellowship is the word koinonia.
· It has been translated "fellowship," "communion," "participation," "share a common life," and "partnership"; its root meaning is "common" or "shared" as opposed to "one’s own." Hellenistic literature uses it to describe partners in business, joint owners of a piece of property, or shareholders in a common enterprise.
· What is it that we as believers have in common or in fellowship with one another.
1. We have received forgiveness of our sins.
2. We are gifted and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
3. We are children and heirs of God.
4. We have the promises of God in His Word.
5. We have the hope of Heaven.
· But we also have the same task to fellowship in the ministry of bearing witness and declaring the Gospel message.
· No matter how hard people may try and put up a front, all of us desire company with other. No one truly enjoys being a lone.
· We are reminder in Hebrews 10:25; “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
· We need to share in one another’s good times as well as difficult times. But when we get together we do so as believers to corporately and collectively worship. We need to gather together with brothers and sisters in the Lord under the authority of God’s Word and be encouraged, equipped and edified.
And also…
B. That we might have Fullness of Joy
· This fellowship in Christ and with other believers brings us an answer to the lonliness we face in life.
· The joy that is available to us in Christ is the answer to the emptiness and void this life brings.
· John used this word joy only once, but it seems to run through the entire epistle.
· Although there are many that will tell you to “live as you please,” or “if it feels good do it.” Sin is what brings unhappiness and disappointment to our lives. Sin promises joy but brings with it sorrow. You see the pleasures of sin are just temporary.
· In Hebrews chapter 11 we are told that “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”
A life that is real in Christ produces a joy that is real in Christ.
When I worked for Coca-Cola, they often changed their slogan every year or so. I remember for the longest time the slogan was the real thing. Other soft-drinks may look like Coke but only Coca-Cola was the real thing.
A real life can only be experienced through a relationship with Jesus. My prayer is you have come to that place in your life where you have accepted Him and the abundant life that is offered to you.
