The Study of I John 1:7

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I John 1:7

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

THE STUDY

          We now see contrast #2 which is a positive opposed to a negative. John shares two things that comes from walking in the light: fellowship with one another and a cleansing of all sin. Over the last few days we have covered the idea of fellowship with one another. Today we want to focus on this new thing that John inserts in this passage of scripture. It can be looked at as something new due to the fact that up to this point John didn’t include it in the prologue. John states that not only do we have fellowship with one another but we are cleansed from all sin. What does this mean?

          As a Nazarene pastor I have a certain belief in regards to understanding sin and the cleansing of it. I believe (as does the Nazarene Church) that we are forgiven of all of our sins when we ask, believe and confess. We ask Christ into our heart, we believe He died for our sins, and we confess and ask for His forgiveness.

We can walk away from this relationship but we can also walk in the light that can empower us to live a life that is victorious over sin. The writer of I Corinthians states this best, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 15:54-57)

This doesn’t mean we are sinless but that we can wake up every morning and choose not to sin. Through the Spirit that dwells inside us we can be victorious in doing just that.

          In this verse we read how Jesus cleanses us from all sin. This word “cleanse” is the same word used in Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Being cleansed is an act from God not something that we do. We receive this cleansing by the faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way for us to be reconciled to God.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

• What needs to be understood from this verse is the fact that walking in the light is an action done by man (us). Cleansing of sin is the action done by God.

• God’s extended hand of mercy and grace is available for ALL who will acknowledge and accept the act of Love Jesus displayed on the Cross.

CONCLUSION:

          My son and I were out taking a walk on my in-laws country road. It was fall and the leaves were starting to turn those beautiful reds and yellows. We walked about a mile or so and came across a house that had been abandoned. We could tell by the fact that some of the windows had been broken out and the front door was hang on one hinge. My son said, “Dad, why does that house look so old and run down?” My reply to him was, “no one is living inside it to keep it clean and fixed.” I thought about that for a moment and then said to my son, “the same can be true with our bodies.” If we don’t have Jesus dwelling inside us, we would start to look like that house, old and run down.”

          What we need to realize today is that walking in the light allows us communion with God. Along with that there is a cleansing that is needed in order for us to be new and transformed. Praise be to Jesus, our Lord and Savior who washes away all of our sins so we can be the vessel that God desires.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

The Study of I John 1:6

View the video blog for this lesson:   I John 1:6

I John 1:6

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

THE STUDY

          I want to reiterate the fact that John is presenting this epistle in response to a group of people (Gnostics) who didn’t believe in the fullness of the Christian belief. John does this by starting from the beginning, as the foundation, and applies layer after layer constructing the truth.

          Yesterday we read how John revealed the message of this epistle, GOD IS LIGHT. Light is positive, darkness is negative. In his writings, John habitually contrasts opposites, including light and darkness, truth and falsehood, love and hate, right and wrong, life and death, faith and unbelief. He writes, “In [God] there is no darkness at all.” Using the emphatic negative, John stresses the positive. God and darkness are diametrically opposed. Anyone who has fellowship with God cannot be in darkness. He is in the light, glory, truth, holiness, and purity of God.^[1]

Today we are going to see the next layer that John adds to make this point. Verses 6-10 are examples of this contrast between positive and negative. Contrast number 1 (Verse 6) is negative; “we lie and do not practice the truth.” The sinner, who refuses to set his life in harmony with God’s will, cannot claim to have fellowship with God.^[2] I believe this can be a very hard fact to swallow but it’s the truth. We cannot claim to have fellowship with God yet walk in darkness.

By “walking” John means, our daily life, our movement and activities in the world. This activity will inevitably express the fellowship in which we live.^[3] When John writes, “we lie and do not practice the truth,” he is referring to the fact that we are false, both in word and in deed. John was concerned about the TRUTH believing it is not just confined to our language but to our conduct as well.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

•  John acknowledges the fact that we lie (sin) if we are professing fellowship with Jesus yet continuing to live in the very sin He released us from.

• He also shows us that a lie is not just words mis-spoken but played out in our conduct. Let out conduct match our words spoken toward our Lord Jesus Christ.  

CONCLUSION:

          I remember when the big fad in Christian culture was the WWJD bracelets. My wife and I had one and we wore it like a badge of honor. Nothing wrong with wearing this bracelet but as I have grown older I believe this question was asked with the wrong response in mind. WWJD is not a question to be answered, “do I respond Christ-like or UN-Christ-Like?” This would present itself as if believers have an option. Meaning, whatever we choose we would still be OK in our relationship with Jesus. As a Christian we are to be like Christ, no if, and's or but about it. WWJD should be a question/statement that is lived through our daily walk with Jesus. 

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (242). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[2] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (243). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[3] The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (4). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The Study of I John 1:5

View the video Blog for this lesson:  I John 1:5

I John 1:5

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

THE STUDY

          This begins the main body of this Epistle. In the prologue we read how John was revealing what they had heard, seen, and touched. He starts verse 5 by stating, “This is the message we have heard from him.” What is it they heard? God is Light!

John uses the phrase “God is light” as a running theme throughout this epistle (John 1:4-5, 7-9; 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46; Rev. 21:23)^[1]. We see John presenting two aspects to the idea of “GOD IS LIGHT.” 1. The Positive side to walking in the light (Verse 5 - 2:6). 2. The Negative side: things or people to avoid (2:7-28).

          We don’t have to be scientist to know that darkness cannot consume light. When you walk into a dark room and turn on a flashlight it disperses the darkness. There has never been a case when someone has been in a lite room and turned on darkness and it consumed the light. If you really think about it there is only one way darkness can become present, when the light is either turned off (man turning lights off with a switch) or it chooses to leave (sun setting in the evening).

          As we look at this passage today we need to focus on the message John is revealing to the readers, God is Light! In the Greek there are 3 names used to describe God:

Theos: Greek word translated “God.” Primary name for God used in the New Testament. The writers of the NT used this name to teach us that He is the only true God (Matt. 23:9; Rom. 3:30), unique (1 Tim. 1:17), transcendent (Acts 17:24; Heb. 3:4; Rev. 10:6), and He is the Savior of the World (John 3:16). This name is used of Christ as God in John 1:1, 18; 20:28; 1 John 5:20; Tit. 2:13; Rom. 9:5; Heb. 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:1.

Kurios: Greek word translated “Lord.” Stresses authority and supremacy. While it can mean sir, owner, master, husbands, it is used mostly as the equivalent of Yahweh of the Old Testament.

Despotes: Greek word translated “Master.” Carries the idea of ownership while kurios stressed supreme authority (Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; Rev. 6:10; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4).

          The one used in this passage is the word “theos” to define God. John formulates short statements that describe God’s nature. In other places he says, “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and “God is love” (I John 4:16). Here, in verse 5, he reveals God’s essence in a short statement of three words: “God is light.” God is not a light among many other lights; he is not a light-bearer; God does not have light as one of his characteristics, but he is light; and although he created light (Gen. 1:3), he himself is uncreated light. Moreover, the light of God is visible in Jesus, who said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

          I think we need to stop at this point. I believe we can walk away with this in mind ….

• Where there is Light there can be no darkness. Where there is God there will be no evil, where Jesus dwells there will be no Satan.

• This name of Jesus is so powerful that when we speak it, demons HAVE to flee. Like darkness disappearing due to the light that is penetrating, Satan and his demons have to vanish due to this one named Jesus.  

CONCLUSION:

          If you are sitting in a dark room with no windows, you can't see the objects in the room.  Even though the objects are there, you aren't aware of them because you're in darkness.  However, if someone turns on the light switch, the things previously hidden from your eyes are now obvious. 

          Don't get angry at people in spiritual darkness for not being able to see what's obvious to you.  Instead, bring them some spiritual light.

          I was preaching once and I ask this specific question, "What is a saint?" A little boy pointed up at one of the stained glass windows which had an apostles portrayed in it. He cries out, "People who let the light shine through!" Let your light shine through today!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1 Jn 1:5). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[2] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (242). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

The Study of I John 1:4

View the video blog for this lesson: I John 1:4

I John 1:4

And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

THE STUDY

Translations differ on the wording of this text. Some have the reading “And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” (NKJV). Others, among which is the New International Version, follow the Greek manuscripts that read, “We write this to make our joy complete.”^[1] For the purpose of this lesson we are going to follow the Greek manuscript.

As I read this verse two things jump out at me:

1.   John made a point to say, “we are writing these things.” Why?

2.   I was intrigued by the fact that our joy can be complete. How?

First, let’s look at the “we are writing.” We discussed in the beginning of

this study who the author was, JOHN! Twelve times in this letter he says “I write” or “I am writing” (2:1, 7, 8, 12, 13 [three times], 14 [twice], 21, 26; 5:13). Is he putting himself with the readers in one class?^[2] The pronoun we must be understood literally, because John, like the other apostles, preaches and writes as an eyewitness and ear-witness. Thus John is not the only one to testify orally or with pen and ink. He stands next to his fellow apostles. He says, “We [all the immediate disciples of Jesus] write this to make our joy complete.”^[3]

          Secondly, he talks about “our Joy can be complete.” The Greek word for “JOY” is Chara (Kara) which literally means “Joy.” No big surprise here just thought you would like to know the Greek word for Joy. Whereas Gnosticism, by denying the atonement, and “the personal office of God in the salvation of the world,” cuts off one great sphere of God’s love, and consequently one great cause of the believer’s joy. The greatest joy to fill the heart of the apostle John and those with him is to see the believers increase in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants them to have full fellowship with the Father and the Son, so that the believers live in full communion with God.^[4]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

- John writes his Gospel to share of this union we are to have with Christ. In his epistle he writes that we all may find joy in this union with Christ. Today let us find joy in being one with Christ. It should be a joy and not a struggle.

CONCLUSION:

When my kids were younger I was indoctrinated with kids programs. Winnie the pooh was one of my favorite. I remember preaching a sermon once and used the illustration of being either a “Tigger” or an “Eeyor” Christian. What I was trying to point to was the fact we should be filled with joy and allow it to be displayed in our lives. Church, it takes 72 muscles to frown—only 14 to smile! Let us find our union with Jesus joyous, not a burden.

           

Blessings
Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (238). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[2] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (238). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[3] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (239). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^[4] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (239). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

The Study of I John 1:3 (Part 3)

View video blog for this lesson:   I John 1:3 (Part 3)

I John 1:3 (Part 3)

 … that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

THE STUDY

Today we will conclude verse 3 and all God’s children said, “AMEN!” The thing I am learning about studying God’s word is that you never know were the Holy Spirit is going to take you.

Verse 3 concludes the foundation of which John is building his case toward the Gnostics. Joining the disciples in fellowship is the same as joining the Father and the Son, Jesus! This fellowship is looked at as a way of life more so than a club to join. It’s dependent on one’s reception of life, which is, in turn, dependent on one believing reception of the Word of life, Jesus as the incarnate Son of God. “Fellowship” further denotes the “oneness in community” with other believers, with the Father, and with his Son that results from faith in this Son. Such fellowship for John is, in fact, inseparable from having eternal life: to have eternal life is to have fellowship with the apostolic witnesses who have testified concerning the Word of life. Fellowship with these witnesses is, in turn, nothing less than fellowship “with the Father and with his Son, Jesus the Christ.”^[1]

I find it interesting that John states “the Father” first then “the Son.” Again, John is connecting with the reader with common ground. The readers (mostly Gnostics) believed in God but were not acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God. John brings the two together in this verse, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  John finishes this passage by joining together the idea that fellowship with the Disciples is on the same level as fellowship with the Father and Son.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

          I believe in today’s devotion we can walk away with a couple of things ….

1.   The great importance of fellowshipping with other believers should be viewed as the same importance as fellowshipping with God. If you are joining the team with the disciples then you are joining God’s team as well. They are one in the same.

2.   Don’t believe the old lie from Satan that you can worship God without having to attend church. I agree that you can! But if we make that our practice for fellowshipping with God we will soon stop. You have heard the old expression, “I was at church every time the doors were open.” Let that be the passion we have today for fellowshipping together. Anytime there is an opportunity to fellowship (with the Father/Son, or other believers) let us make time for it!

CONCLUSION:

          A question was asked of me once, “Can I be a Christian without joining the church?” I responded, “Yes, it is possible. It is something like being:

A student who will not go to school, you are a student, just a bad one. An author without readers, your name is on the book but nobody wants to read it. A football player without a team, you’re a football player with no one to join you on the field of play. Finally, yes it is possible but highly unlikely of being a successful one.”

          Being a Christian, is more than knowing Jesus and his followers. It’s living it daily in front of Jesus and all who are watching.

Blessings

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Akin, D. L. (2001). Vol. 38: 1, 2, 3 John (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (57–58). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

The Study of I John 1:3 (Part 2)

View Video blog for this lesson:  I John 1:3 (Part 2)

I John 1:3

... that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

THE STUDY

As we studied yesterday, John was “proclaiming” what he and the other disciples had heard, seen and touched. This was not an announcement so much as it was a report from those who were present. He was reporting the fact that they heard, seen, touched and was touched by Jesus Christ. Not just a mere man but the one who was from the beginning, was made manifest, and was with the Father.

The purpose of John's Epistle is to invite the readers to the fellowship of the disciples who are eyewitnesses of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus.^[1] We read next, how John states the purpose of this writing, so that you too may have fellowship with us. The word “fellowship” has an interesting meaning in this passage. John uses the same word that is found in Philippians 3:10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. The word “share” is the same Greek word used in I John 1:3 “fellowship.” The word is Koinonia which means, community; fellowship; participation. Paul states in Philippians that he may not just understand but participate in every aspect of the life of Jesus. This is not one who longs to hang around the team but someone who desires to be on the team.

In I John we get the feel of the same passion found in Philippians. John invites the reader to join the team (have fellowship with us). Not just walking along side of them but participating fully in this relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every year my oldest son would ask me, “Dad, can I play football?” And every year I would tell him “When you are older and bigger.” What my son was asking me every year was “Can I join the team?” He did not want to watch from the sidelines any more. He wanted to play the game. He no longer wanted to be a spectator but a participator in this game called football.

John is telling these "worshipers of another god," they were spectators of a false god. But, they could come and participate with the disciples who were worshipers of the one true God. He is encouraging them to be a part of the team of Jesus Christ.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

·         - Let’s stop being spectators and become participators in this walk with Jesus.

o   Stop watching and start being.

o   Stop talking and starting doing.

·         - Let’s be like John and invite others to come and be participators as well.

o   Jesus is not someone who we should keep all to ourselves.

o   He demands to be shared with others who don’t know Him.

CONCLUSION:

          The 1935 game between Dartmouth and Princeton was played in a blinding snowstorm. A Dartmouth man was on his way to a touchdown, with no Tiger player within ten feet of him, when from the sidelines a spectator suddenly scampered onto the field and made a perfect tackle.

          This is a great example of someone who no longer wanted to be a spectator but a vital participator. I am not encouraging everyone to go to a football game and tackle the other teams running back as he runs for a touchdown. What I am encouraging us to do is invite someone to join the team. As a matter of fact, if you have been watching from the sidelines, now can be a great time to join the team.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (237). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

The Study of I John 1:3 (Part 1)

Link to the video blog for this lesson: I John 1:3 (Part 1)

I John 1:3

That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (ESV)

THE STUDY

          Continuing from yesterday, verse three brings everything together and concludes this long sentence. What was John trying to do? He writes this epistle for the purpose of the readers, so they might have fellowship with the disciples who have fellowship with Jesus who has fellowship with God.

          In the first part of verse three we see John using repetition, that which we have seen and heard, to help burn into the minds of the readers the authenticity of what he is sharing. The disciples have seen it, and they have heard it! He is not speaking on hearsay or rumors! He was there and saw everything! He goes on to say that these very things the disciples saw and heard is what he “proclaims” to the reader.

This word (proclaim) is defined as [to report or inform] and is the same word that Luke uses in his Gospel 7:18.  The disciples of John reported all these things to him. John is not saying he announced something, but that he reported something. John gives us the feel of spy’s who come back from a mission to report on the enemy. They are sharing what they have seen, heard, and possibly touched.

John is doing all of this to warn the readers against false doctrines that deny the human nature, physical appearance, and bodily resurrection of Jesus.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

          This is a great place to stop. We will pick up tomorrow with part 2 of verse three. What we can walk away with from today’s lesson is ….

·         John shares and reveals the very thing we should be sharing and revealing “JESUS.”

o   Our methods change but the message is the same!

·         What we need to glean from this verse and apply to our methods today is to share what we have heard, seen, and touched or been touched by!

o   Reciting scripture is great and has value but applying our experiences with scripture has so

    much more authentication.

CONCLUSION:

If we look into the New Testament we see 40 people who suffered from the same disease. They all were healed by Jesus. Of this number, thirty-four were either brought to Jesus by friends or He was taken to them. Only six of those people found their way to Jesus without assistance. Most of the people who find their way to Jesus today do so by someone who is concerned about the welfare of their souls.

The Study of I John 1:2

Video Blog Link for this Lesson: I John 1:2

RECAP LAST WEEK

Let us recap what we have learned so far when it comes to our study of I John.

·         I John is an Epistle not a Letter: the difference is ….

o   - Epistle: is to a group of people and to be circulated among the body of believers.

o   - Letter: is to an individual and very personal.

·         The main reason for this epistle is to address the issue of Gnosticism.

o   Definition: a set of religious beliefs and spiritual practices. A common characteristic of some of these groups was the teaching that the realization of Gnosis (esoteric or intuitive knowledge), is the way to salvation of the soul from the material world. They saw the material world as created through an intermediary being (demiurge) rather than directly by God.

·         John addresses this cultic sect by starting on common ground.

o   In the beginning ……. Jesus!

·         John builds his case against the Gnostics layer by layer. He talks about hearing, seeing and touching this one named Jesus. (Common Ground).

·         John ends verse 1 by giving Jesus one of His many titles “Word of life.”

THE STUDY

I John 1:2

[The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us]

A literal translation of the first clause in this text is, “And the life appeared.” Although most translations omit the conjunction and, some render it “for,” “when,” or even “yes.” It can be best translated to help us understand what John is trying convey by saying, “indeed the life appeared.”

Verse 2 is considered a parenthetical remark. What does that mean? A parenthetical remark is a word or clause within a statement that has been added by the speaker as an explanation or comment. John adds this clause to further explain the word “LIFE.” One of the commentaries states there is significance to John stating “the life” instead of just “life.”

Remember who John is dealing with, Gnostics. They had a belief that dealt with a figure called the DEMIURGE which means “Craftsman.” This craftsman was considered a Divine Being ascribed by Plato in his account of the formation of the visible world. The Gnostics used the word “God” disparagingly to their inferior deity to whom they ascribed the origin of the material universe. This word distinguished him from the supreme God.^[1] John is introducing Jesus as “the life” opposed to this one the Gnostics believed in.

In verse 2 John emphasizes a few things to help solidify his point.

(1)He shares that this “Life” is eternal. Both in the Gospel and in his first epistle, John employs the expression eternal life repeatedly. In the Gospel it occurs seventeen times (3:15, 16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47 [everlasting], 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2, 3). And in I John it appears six times (1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20).

(2) Next, John describes this life as more than a concept. It stands for Jesus Christ, as John shows in the clause “that which was with the Father.”

(3) Finally, John writes that “the life appeared” and “the eternal life … has appeared to us.” John refers to the historic event of Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and personal visits after his resurrection.

All of this was done by John to build his case against the Gnostic. He does this by starting with Jesus.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

·         First, we need to remember Jesus is forever! Don’t let anyone tell you any different.

·         Secondly, Jesus is not a concept, HE IS and will ALWAYS BE!

·         Finally, don’t let anyone take away your testimony. John was sharing his testimony with the Gnostics and this is the foundation that he uses to reveal the TRUTH!

CONCLUSION:

Just one letter of the alphabet makes all the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. A non-Christian loves the world, where as a Christian loves the Word. May God bless you because of the love you have for the “WORD OF LIFE.”

Blessings

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Cross, F. L., & Livingstone, E. A. (2005). The Oxford dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed. rev.) (471). Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press.

The Study of "First John!" - 1:1-4 (Part 4)

Video Blog for this Study: I John 1:1-4 (Part 4)

I John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life

THE STUDY

     In the last part of verse 1 we see the phrase “word of life.” In the Bible Knowledge commentary it reads …. By capitalizing the term “Word” the NIV interprets this as a title for the Lord like that found in John 1:1, 14. But there, this title has no qualifying phrase such as the expression “of life” which is used here. It seems more natural to understand the phrase in the sense of “the message about life” for which Philippians 2:16 furnishes a parallel (see also Acts 5:20).^[1] Let me try to explain what this commentary is saying in terms that I can relate too. In John 1:1 we read “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In all three of these instances John capitalized “Word.” But in his Epistle he chooses not to capitalize it. This may be due to the fact that the phrase “of life” follows the word and in the Gospel of John it is without any phrase connected to it. We also know that in Philippians 2:16 … holding fast to the word of life, refers to “the message about life.” Either way it seems to be consistent to the fact that one of the many titles Jesus has, “Word of Life” is what John is alluding to.

     The NIV adds the wording “This we proclaim” to summarize and complete the sentence that was started in the beginning of this verse. All of this is done so that those who read this passage will understand “That which was from the beginning (ESV)…. this we proclaim concerning the Word of life (NIV).

     John is laying down the foundation for his dealings with the Gnostics. He started with “in the beginning.” He finds common ground with the Gnostics. From this he brings the understanding that Jesus was heard, seen, and touched by those who were with Him. John ends this verse with one of the many titles Jesus has been given, “Word of life.”

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

     This is a great place to stop so let’s see what we can walk away with today.

·              *    Let us remember that Jesus, who is called the Word, speaks God’s word with authority. The next sermon  you listen to let this thought resonate within you, “IT’S THE AUTHORITATIVE WORD OF GOD!” We cannot take the word and water it down, cut and paste what we like or dislike, or only receive what makes us feel good. If we are living in Christ then we must realize Jesus is the living Word of life and for us to have life in Jesus we must live in the Word.

CONCLUDE

     We will be doing this study 5 times a week. The next time we are together will be Monday. I look forward to getting back together with you. Remember, Jesus loves you and his Word reveals that!

Blessings

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1 Jn 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The Study of "First John!" - 1:1-4 (Part 3)

View the Video Blog for this Lesson: I John 1:1-4 (Part 3)

     I John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our 
                 eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life

THE STUDY

     Yesterday we looked at John laying down the foundation for combating the Gnostic view. He starts with the beginning, Jesus, and today we will read how he starts to build from that. As we read, John not only states "That which was from the beginning" he brings all of us into the picture. He does this by using three of the five  human senses; hearing, seeing and touching. There might be some debate on the word "We." Is John talking about the disciples or is he referring to all who the Epistle was written to?  I personally believe it is not important the debate of WHO heard, seen and touched, but what John brings importance too is that "WE" is inclusive. WE, being all who have heard about, seen close up or far away, and has touched or been touched (emotionally or physically) by this one named Jesus. John is revealing or reminding, those who are listening, what he and others have heard, seen, and felt from Jesus. Yes, John was privy to the inter-personal relationship with Jesus but as for the overall message Jesus lived and shared, all were exposed to it.

     John continues to build his case by applying layer after layer. What do I mean by that? John starts off with stating, "which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands"! If you look at this closely you can see a natural progression; hearing, to seeing to touching. I know that as human beings we are not the most trusting of creatures. If someone tells us something we hear it first, then we will need to see it, and then the final straw is usually when we have that item in our hands. John reminds the reader that not only did they hear about Jesus, not only did they see the life and miracles of Jesus but they touched and was touched by this one named Jesus.

WALK AWAY WITH THIS ...

     This is a great place to stop for today. We can walk away with this in mind .....

* Once we hear about this one named Jesus we are forever accountable to the fact. We will not be able to stand before Jesus on judgement day and say, "I never heard of you!"
* Many of us are at different points in this walk with Jesus! You might be at the point of hearing about Him. Others may have progressed to the point of seeing Jesus working through others. But finally, some of us have felt the touch of Jesus in our hearts.

CONCLUSION

Whatever the case may be, keep on keeping on! Don't stop at hearing about Him or stop at seeing him once or twice, or ever stop after He has touched you. He has so much more to offer in love for you and I. There is a banquet table of blessings He has for us. Step up to the table and taste and see how good Jesus is!
Blessings my friends!

The Study of "First John!" - 1:1-4 (Part 2)

Video Blog for this Lesson: I John 1:1-4 (Part 2)

     Let me say what an honor it is not only to study the word of God but to do it with you. I hope you have a hunger like I do to sink your teeth into the meat of scripture. No longer drinking of milk but tasting and digesting what is needed to become a healthier follower of Christ! Lets get started!

THE STUDY

      1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.

     Let us not forget what and who John is combating, Gnosticism: a belief that their way is a better way. John starts to lay down the foundation for his presentation to address this issue. He starts with "THE BEGINNING!" This seems only natural for John being that he does the very same thing in his Gospel of John (1:1) In the beginning was the Word. This can be compared to the O.T. passage found in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning. John is finding common ground with the Gnostic's. They professed to give their approval and patronage to the gospel of Jesus as well as the Jews.(1) So John starts "in the beginning" on common ground.

     One of the commentaries (Bakers NT Commentary) I  read focused on the the first two words of this passage "That which." Baker writes, that the first word in this epistle is “that” instead of “who.” Instead of saying, “Jesus Christ, who was from the beginning,” John writes, “That which was from the beginning.” The term that is broader than the word who, for it includes the person and message of Jesus Christ.(2) I find this difficult to digest. The question comes to mind, "Is their a difference between the Person of Jesus and His message?" If we look at who John is dealing with I then understand why he would use this wording. But the question in my mind still remains, is there a difference?



     I think this is a great place to stop for today! We need to answer this question in our hearts and minds. Is there a difference? Does it matter if there is or isn't?



WALK AWAY WITH THIS ......

      We need to remember some important facts when it comes to our walk with Jesus:
* He was, is, and will always be! Meaning, there was never a point in time or history when Jesus didn't exist.
* Our entire belief system stems from the understanding of the Trinity. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
* If we don't consider Jesus as "the way , the truth, and the life", Houston we have a problem!

CONCLUSION:
     Concerning leadership, John Maxwell states, "everything rises and falls on leadership." I understand the context of which that statement is made. But let me say when it comes to our faith, our eternal existence, or our purpose on earth "Everything rises and falls with Jesus!"

Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod

(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (iv). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
(2) Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (234). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

The Study of "First John!" - 1:1-4 (Part 1)

Video Blog to this lesson: I John 1:1-4 (Part 1)
I Jn 1:1-4
      That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (Underline is my emphasis)
   
     As we study scripture one of the first things to look for is words that are repeated in a passage. In First John 1:1-4 we see a few words that are repeated; Which (6), seen (3), heard (2), manifest (2), and proclaim (2)! This should draw our attention to and cause us to start looking them up to see if they are all the same word. We need to understand why different words are being used. Understanding the style or purpose of the writing helps us to answer some of these questions.
     John writes this epistle to address the influence of Gnosticism. He does this with simple but yet direct wording and phrases. The ideas which he places before us are among the deepest mysteries of revelation: man’s relation to God, to the evil one, and to the world; the Incarnation; the Atonement; the judgment to come; the Son’s relation to the Father and to the Spirit; the essential characteristics of the Godhead. And all this is stated in propositions, which commonly contain simple words in a very simple construction. “Now are we children of God.” “He that doeth sin is of the devil.” “The world is passing away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” “The Father hath sent the Son, the Saviour of the world.” “The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” “God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all.” “God is Love.” What form of expression could be more simple? There is not a dependent sentence or a relative clause in any of these statements, much less an involved construction. And the words used are of the simplest. Yet who can fathom the depth of such statements?(1)
     What we need to do is look up each of these repeated words and their definitions. Your homework today is to do just that. We will come back tomorrow with this information and see what God has revealed to each of us.
     I will start today with the word "which!" It is  found 6 times in the first 3 verses. In the Hebrew, this word (Hos) is defined as (Who, or Which)! This is a singular pronoun which means it is addressing one noun! All the other times the word "which" is used it means the same thing except in verse 2. The word used here is (Hostis) and the meaning of this word is (Whoever, or Who)! This word is found to be a relative pronoun. This means that it qualifies a noun by relating it to another phrase or sentence. In this case John relates Verse 1 and 2a to the latter part of Verse 2. This connection is JESUS!
      So to conclude today let us walk away understanding that John is constant in his writings. In the Gospel of John and in this epistle (I John) he introduces Jesus. If you would like to know what that may look like today take a look at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix3MHV_RfeM. If today, you might be reading this and thinking to yourself, "I don't know Jesus" let me introduce you. He is the one who will love you, care for you, lift you up when needed, and tell you when you are doing wrong. This is who John is revealing in his writings found in the Bible. Blessings my friends!

Pastor Rod

(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (ix–x). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

The Study of "First John!" - Introduction

Video Blog for Today's Study: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJnNDLpvmcA

Good morning,
   
     Over the next few months we are going to be walking through the First Epistle of John. Today I would like to share with you some interesting things concerning the reason why the epistle was written and some discussion on the debate of calling it an "epistle" or a "letter?"

     First John is authored by the Apostle John or as he refers to himself as "Jesus' beloved." He likes to remind us of this. There is not a great debate on who authored this epistle. The debate comes in the assessment of whether it is an epistle or a letter. You might be asking yourself what is the difference? A letter is considered a writing that is directed to a specific person and is not something that is required to be circulated among other churches. An epistle is a writing that is viewed as to be circulated and is addressing overall issues opposed to individual ones. Summing this up it looks like this:

          - Epistle: is to a group of people and to be circulated among the body of believers.
          - Letter: is to an individual and very personal.

     The main reason for this epistle is to address the issue of Gnosticism. You might be asking, "What is that?" It was not an open enemy of Christianity. It was a sly, come in the back door after the leaders leave, seduction that was affecting the church at large. Gnostics had “a more excellent way.” They understood the gospel better than the apostles themselves. It was a mistake to suppose that the historical facts and moral precepts of the Scriptures were to be taken literally. It was a still greater mistake to suppose that the Scriptures contained all that was necessary for man’s spiritual well-being. There was a higher knowledge, a more profound gnosis; and this the Gnostic could attain to and impart. Illumined by this, men would see that everything else was comparatively of unimportance (1).

     How did this skew ones view of Christianity? It did three things, (1) Righteousness was made of no account in comparison with intellectual illumination. (2) Scripture was made of no account in comparison with a knowledge which partly transmuted and partly superseded it. (3) The work of Christ was made of no account; for there could be no need of an atonement if there was no real evil in sin (2). As you can tell this was a cancer that was infiltrating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. John was referring to those who were teaching this as “Liars,” “seducers,” “false prophets,” “deceivers,” and “antichrists!”

     Gnostics may boast of their knowledge; but believers in the Incarnation have their knowledge too. They know that they have passed over out of death into life (1 John 3:14). They know that they are children of God, and as such are freed from sin by his Son (1 John 5:18, 19). They know that the Son of God has come in the flesh, and has given them a mind wherewith to know, not the remote abstraction which the Gnostic calls God, but the loving Father in whom they can abide through his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 5:20).

     We will be reading I John 1:1-4 tomorrow and discussing it over the next few days. Please join me in this wonderful time. Blessings

Pastor Rod

(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (iv). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
(2) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (v). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Childlike Faith! (Mark 10:13-15)

Mark 10:13-15
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

     Do you remember as a child not having a care in the world? Every day was an adventure! You didn't worry about how much money you had, what you were going to eat for lunch, or just the everyday life situations that we deal with as adults. You didn't have a care in the world! Oh, how I miss those days. I remember waking up in the morning and going to the woods or the playground. When I was hungry I would go to a friends house or back to my house and eat. The only rule I really had when I was a child was I had to be home for dinner. If not, I didn't eat! My Mom's saying was "the kitchen was closed after dinner." A child's life back then was so different than it is today. Society has changed but I don't think the heart of a child has changed that much. I believe there is still a sense of TRUST, LOVE, and BELIEF in children as was in my day.
     In this passage of scripture we read how Jesus scolded the people because of their attitudes toward children. Jesus takes this opportunity to not only show the people their "wrong" attitudes toward children but he reveals the "proper" attitude toward salvation. It is not something that is earned but a gift from God that is to be accepted as such. Entering the kingdom of God is the same as being saved. Jesus shows the people that just like the faith of a child (TRUSTING, LOVING, and BELIEVE without having to see) we "must" have the same.
     My prayer this morning is "God, let me live in FAITH not FACTS! Help me to trust you more, love you unconditionally, and believe that you want to use me as a servant for You!" Amen!

Blesssings
Pastor Rod

The Race! (Hebrews 12:1)

        I was not a big fan of running when I was younger. As a matter of fact, I despised it! Running track in High School was not at the top of my list of sports to try out for. Running short or long distance was not appealing to me unless a football was involved. But as I have grown older I've come to appreciate and even enjoy, running. I was running about 3 miles a day, 5 days a week for about 6 months. All of this stopped when my back went out. My doctor told me that with my condition, I should not run anymore. It was too "high impact" for my back so I bought an elliptical machine and I exercise with it now.
        When I was able I found that after 15-20 minutes into the run I was ready to quit but I would push my way through mentally and finish the run. It was as if I had to break through a barrier or remove a weight that was holding me back but once I released it or broke through it seemed like smooth sailing to the finish line.
        In the book of Hebrews Paul uses the imagery of running a race when it comes to our walk with Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 reads, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"! I have seen so many people accept Jesus as their personal savior and take off running. Most of the time, though, they are running by themselves! This is not the way Christ set things up nor is this what Paul suggested in this passage. Paul states, "since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses," implying that we are not alone but being encouraged/mentored by those who have been down this road before us. What happens to those who take off alone is they start to struggle. They become weighed down with "issues" or "sins" that seem to hard to let go of or release. They quit!
        I found that when I was running I wanted to have the lightest close and shoes on! This was so I could be more at ease and accomplish what distance or time I set for myself. If we take this analogy that Paul gives us in this passage we can see three important things when it comes to running this "RACE" of life with Jesus!

1. We need Mentor's! (a cloud of witnesses) 
        This is not a new concept that has been discovered and now is making its way through the church as the latest fad. What we are seeing is a reintroduction into the church and being taught as one of the basis for a spiritually healthy church. My encouragement today is for us to be mentoring someone as well as being mentored by someone. In this race of life with Jesus we should not be running alone. Christ wants to use his people to reveal himself to others. We can be Jesus to someone and someone can be Jesus to us through being a mentor.

2. Get rid of Hindrances/Sin! (Lay aside every weight, and sin)
        As a runner you want to be as light and arrow-dynamic as possible so you can run without being hindered. The same is true with our race in life with Jesus! We should want to be as "hindrance free" as possible so we can, not just run the race but finish it. Paul talks about these hindrances in Col. 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Jesus says something along the same lines, Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life. We want to be able to run this race with the best possibility of finishing and finishing well.

3. We must Persevere! (let us run with endurance)
        In this race of life with Jesus we find that not everything goes as planned and road blocks are in the way. Paul uses the Greek word (hypomony) that is defined as "patient endurance!" We must persevere through those moments when it gets difficult. Those moments when we feel like quitting let us remember it's a race that does not require us to finish first, JUST FINISH!

        My prayer, today, is that if you have not entered this race of life with Jesus, start today! If you have stopped in the middle of  the race and quit, start back up! If you are in the race of life with Jesus and it is getting hard, don't quit! If you are in the race of life with Jesus, enjoy it! What a race it is!

Blessings
Pastor Rod