1 John 1:3 Fellowship with God (Sermon 3)

Last time we began to look at the Prologue to John's First Epistle

Firstly: John traces the Existence of the Son of God back to the beginning.

• John tells his readers about "The Word of Life … which was from the beginning."
• The Docetists denied the Deity of Christ & many deny that same truth in our own day.

However, the Word of God categorically declares that Jesus is the Eternal Son of God.

Secondly: John refers to the Historical Foundation of Christianity

• John gives an 'Eyewitness Testimony' concerning Jesus, the Word of Life.
• He speaks about: "That … which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,

which we have looked at & our hands have touched. "

• He is telling us about the Real Historical Jesus, whom he knew as a real person.

Thirdly: John says that this is the Only Message which he Proclaimed.

• John says: "That which we have seen & heard declare we unto you. "

We have nothing else to proclaim except the things we have seen & heard concerning Jesus.

In ch 1: 3-4, John goes on to tells us Two Reasons for Proclaiming the 'Word of Life'.

He tells us why we must Declare the Truth about the Deity & Humanity of Christ.

Firstly, so that we might have Fellowship with God.

Verse 3: "We proclaim to you what we have seen & heard, so that you also may have

fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father & with his Son, Jesus Christ. "

Secondly, so that we might Experience the Joy of our Salvation.

Verse 4: "We write this to make our (or your) joy complete. "

This evening we shall consider the First Reason - Fellowship with God.

Firstly: We must begin by asking a Fundamental Question:

Why does John deal with this issue of Fellowship at the beginning of his Epistle?

Might I suggest one Major Reason why John deals with this vital Doctrine:

• John was dealing with the Historical Foundation of Christianity.

• John gives an Eyewitness Testimony about things he had: " heard, seen, looked at & touched "

But, John had also been an Eyewitness of the State of the World in which he lived.

• He saw a world whose greatest need was for Fellowship with God & with One Another.
• He saw a World full of Discord & Deep-seated Unhappiness.
• From the Old Testament Scriptures, he knew that this had been the State of the World throughout History & that the Future would be No Different.
• He saw a World that had a Fundamental Historical Problem, which could only be put right through men & women regaining Fellowship with God.

Toward the end of this Epistle, John tells us about the Root Problem of the Whole World:

"We know that we are children of God, and that

the whole world is under the control of the evil one " (1 John 5:19).

He remembered the words of Jesus to the Jews (John 8:44):

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire."

As we look at the world in which we live today, we see a world full of discord & disharmony.

• We see a World that is: 'under the control of the evil one'.

• We see a World where wars & rumours of wars are constantly making the News Headlines.

• We see a World where major national problems are debated at Political Party Conferences;

Teenage pregnancies, drugs & violent crime are at the very top of the political agenda.

Politicians, Psychologists, Sociologists, Philosophers & the man & woman in the street

ask the same question: What is the main problem? Why is the world in such a mess?

• They come up with many theories for the rise in immorality, drug taking & crime.

• They talk about lack of traditional family values & unemployment black spots;
• They talk about the problems created by run down inner city areas.
• They propound a whole host of other reasons why there are so many problems in Society.

The Apostle John gives his Readers a stern warning, which also informs them about

the most Fundamental Problem in the Whole World:

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the

Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of

the eyes & the boasting of what he has & does - comes not from the Father but from the

world - (i.e. from the god of this world, the devil)" (1 John 2:15-16).

• People are motivated, either by love for the Father, or by love for the world.

The Apostle Paul gives us the same Assessment as the Apostle John concerning

the Fundamental Problem in the Whole World:

• Paul says to the Ephesians (2:2-3):

"As for you, you were Dead in your Transgressions & Sins, in which you used to live

when you followed the Ways of this World & of the Ruler of the Kingdom of the Air. "

You were "disobedient" to the commandments of the Holy God.

Your former aim in life was to: "Gratify the cravings of your sinful nature, following its desires & thoughts", which are the complete antithesis to the ways of the Living God.

When the Apostle Paul spoke to the Greek Philosophers in Athens, what did he do?

• He preached the Good News about Jesus & the Resurrection (Acts 17:18).

• In effect, he tells them to forget all about their political theories & their philosophy!

• He tells them stop worshipping idols & return to Worshipping the Living God.

• He tells them to stop their Rebellion against God, which is the

root cause of All the Trouble in the World.

• He tells them that: "God commands all people everywhere to Repent of their sin" (17:30).

• He tells them that all men will be called to account on the Day of Judgement (17:31).
• He tells them that, in the final analysis, on the Day of Judgement,

all their Political, Economic & Social Theories will be utterly inadequate.

The Bible Traces the Fundamental Problem Back to Man's Rebellion in the Garden of Eden

• The Book of Beginnings, Genesis, tells us that Adam & Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden in a State of Paradise & Perfection - in a State of close Fellowship with God.
• But, they rebelled & disobeyed the command of God saying:

"You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good & evil,

for when you eat of it you shall surely die " (Genesis 2:15-17).

• They listened to the voice of the Prince of this World - the old serpent, Satan (Gen 3:1-7).

It was that Original Act of Rebellion which led to All their Other Troubles.

• They were thrown out of the Garden of Eden and lost their intimate Fellowship with God.
• The Woman was to endure greatly increased pains in childbearing.
• The Man was to reap a harvest through painful toil all the days of his life (3:16-19).
• The Lord God told their son, Cain: " Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it". He failed to do so, and killed his brother, Abel (Gen 4:1-14).
• Cain was banished from the land & became a restless wanderer on the earth (4:10-12).

• One sorrow came after another, and this has been the History of the World ever since.

From the very Beginning, the Lord God of Heaven & Earth, made it absolutely clear that Man was Created to Live in Fellowship with God; to Glorify God & to Enjoy him forever!

• Instead, man Rebelled against God & refused to obey the commands of the Living God;

• This is the Real Reason why there is so much disharmony, unhappiness & sinfulness.

Saint Augustine put it this way:

"Thou hast made us for Thyself, & our souls are restless until they find their rest in Thee."

• There is always something missing until people repent & renew Fellowship with God.

• This is the Reason Why, at the beginning of his First Epistle, the Apostle John emphasises the fact that the Supreme Need of every single individual in the Whole World,

is to have an Experimental Knowledge of God & to have Fellowship with Him.

This is why the Apostle John begins this First Epistle by saying:

"We proclaim to you what we have seen & heard, so that you may have fellowship

with us. And our fellowship is with the Father & with his Son, Jesus Christ" (1 Jn 1:3).

• The message of the Apostle John to the Whole World is clear:

"Men & women cannot possibly have true fellowship with one another,

until they have Fellowship with God & with his Son, Jesus Christ."

We are looking at John's reference, in his Prologue, to Fellowship with God:

Firstly: Why does John deal with this issue of Fellowship at the beginning of his Epistle?

• It is because of the Fundamental Problem in the World - Man's Rebellion against God.

Secondly: What is the Meaning of this phrase 'Fellowship with God'?

• The word 'Fellowship' in our English N.T. is a translation of the Greek word 'koinonia'.

• This word 'koinonia' literally means 'having in common'.

This word expresses the idea of sharing or communion, or about sharing at the deepest level.

• The word 'koinonia' also means 'partnership or joint participation'.

However, a simple definition of the word Fellowship is really not enough.

• We need to look at this word Fellowship in the light of everything we are taught

in the Bible about Fellowship with God.

• It is not a matter of simply sharing some kind of Intellectual Knowledge about Jesus Christ.

• It is not a matter of simply sharing the same Faith, even though that is important.

• If we look at the context, John is saying something more fundamental than that.

The Scriptures emphasise Two Things concerning the Believer's Fellowship with God.

Firstly, the Bible tells us that a Christian is someone who is a Partaker of God's Life.

Secondly, we are Partners with God in the sense that we are Sharers in God's Purposes.

• John is arguing that the Most Important Thing in Life is to have Fellowship with God.

John emphasises this fact by using the word translated as 'Truly' in the A.V.

" Truly our fellowship is with the Father, & with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3).

• The Greek word means 'certainly or beyond doubt'.

• The word also implies a suggestion of astonishment or amazement.

• John is saying that it is absolutely amazing that Man can have Fellowship with God.

You can imagine the Apostle John speaking directly to the Docetists, saying:

" You Docetists believe that there are thousands, or even millions, of aeons, or beings,

between the Holy God & Man, who lives in this evil world. But I am telling you this

absolutely astounding truth. You can have Direct Access & Fellowship with the

Living God through his Eternal Son, who has come directly to this World in the Flesh."

 

The Main Question is this: How can we have Fellowship with God?

The Answer is Found in the Terms which the Apostle John Uses in the first two verses:

"We proclaim the Word of Life; The Life appeared; we proclaim to you the Eternal Life. "

• John is saying that he wants his readers to be sharers, or partakers, with himself of the

Word of Life, the Life which Appeared, the One who possesses Eternal Life.

• John wants us to be partakers of the Eternal Life which Jesus brought into the world.
• He is saying that the Christian is someone who has become a Partaker of the Life of God.

• That is a truly astounding statement - but that is what the Bible teaches us & nothing less.

John expresses a desire that his readers should have fellowship with himself.

• But, fellowship, at the deepest level, is only possible if they have something in common.

• The essential pre-requisite of true Fellowship with One Another is that

we have Fellowship with God, by being Partakers of the Life of God.

Remember that John is the Gospel Writer who recorded what Jesus said to Nicodemus,

the Religious Leader who mistakenly thought that he had Fellowship with God (John 3:3):

"I tell you the truth, unless a man is Born Again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."

In other words: "Unless a man is Born Again, he cannot have Fellowship with God. "

• Jesus said that this is the very reason why God the Father sent him into this world:

"So that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have Eternal Life " (John 3:16).

• Jesus said to Nicodemus:

"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be Born Again' " (John 3:6).

• Only those who are Born Again of the Spirit can have Fellowship at a Spiritual Level.

In his First Epistle, the Apostle John says (1 Jn 5:11-12):

"And this is the testimony: God has given us Eternal Life, & this Life is in his Son.

He who has the Son has Life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have Life."

Listen to what the Apostle Peter says at the beginning of his Second Epistle (2 Peter 1:3-4):

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life & godliness through our

knowledge of him who called us by his own glory & goodness. Through these he has

given us his very great & precious promises, so that through him you may Participate in

the Divine Nature & escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

• Peter tells us that Christians have a 'Knowledge of God'. But, he doesn't stop at that.

He goes on to say that 'we have become Like God' - 'we Participate in the Divine Nature'.

• The Christian is a person who is a Partaker of the Life of God, and, therefore,

he is someone who Develops the Divine Character - we have a longing to be Holy, like God.

Let me put it like this. Ask yourself the question: What is a Christian?

• A Christian is not simply a man or woman who has been born in a Christian Country.
• A Christian is not simply someone who was christened or christianized as an infant.
• A Christian is not simply someone who tries to live according to Christian Principles.
• A Christian is not simply someone who Believes in set of Christian Doctrines.

Essentially, a Christian is someone who is a Partaker of the Divine Life.

• He is someone whom the Scriptures describe as: born again, a new man, a new creation.
• He is someone whose life has been completely changed.
• He is someone who manifests the Divine Nature or Characteristics.

You cannot transplant this life in a physical sense, like having a heart transplant.

• You cannot cut open the physical human body & find this new life.
• Nevertheless, that life is there & True Christians are aware of it.

There is a being inside us that says: " I no longer live, but Christ lives in me "(Gal 2:20).

This is the amazing change which comes over someone who is Justified by Faith in Christ.

This is the change which Paul describes in terms of 'Death & Resurrection'.

The Law's Demand of Death, as punishment for sin, was satisfied in the Death of Christ.

By being 'united to Christ' in his Resurrection, we been made alive in him (Gal 2:19-20).

John Stott, in his commentary on Galations, says:

"Once we have been united to Christ in His Death, our old life is finished; it is ridiculous

to suggest that we could ever go back to it. Besides, we have risen to a new life. In one

sense, we live this new life through faith in Christ. In another sense, it is not we who live

at all, but Christ who lives it in us. And, living in us, He gives new desires for Holiness,

for God, for Heaven. The whole tenor of our life has changed. Everything is different

now, because we ourselves are different … No Christian who has grasped these truths

could ever seriously contemplate reverting to the old life."

The Scriptures constantly emphasise Two Things concerning our Fellowship with God.

Firstly, the Bible tells us that a Christian is someone who is a Partaker of God's Life.

Secondly, we are Partners with God in the sense that we are Sharers in God's Purposes.

• Fellowship means much more than companionship or comradeship.

• It means a common thought & common interest.
• It means a state of unity & harmony of purpose.
• It means that Believers have a unity of purpose with God in his Eternal Purposes.
• It means that Believers are Partners with God in his Great Plan of Salvation.

C H Spurgeon, comments on John's statement about the Believer's Fellowship with God:

"In order to have Fellowship with any man, there must be a concord or unity of heart.

'Can two walk together unless they be agreed?' (Amos 3:3). At the very bottom of

Fellowship there must be a likeness; we must have like wishes, like desires; we must

have espoused like ends, & our spirits must be welded together in the intention to effect

like purposes. Now, I think we can avow, in the first place, that we do feel sweet concord

with God in his Eternal Purposes. "

The Apostle Paul refers to this Second Meaning of the word 'Fellowship' in Philippians 1:5:

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of

your partnership (AV fellowship) in the gospel from the first day until now."

• They worked together in the Gospel, by giving Paul their Prayerful & Financial Support.

The Lord Jesus illustrated this Second Meaning of the word 'Fellowship'

when he called his First Disciples:

• Remember how Simon (later called Peter), & the sons of Zeberdee (James & John)

had worked hard all night on the Sea of Galilee and caught nothing.

• Jesus commanded them to let down their nets, & look what happened (Luke 5:9):

"Simon Peter & all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken."

Doctor Luke describes these Fishermen, Simon, James & John as 'partners' (5:10).

They were 'fellow fishermen', men who had a 'common purpose', to catch fish.

Jesus tells them that if they believe in him & follow him, he will give them a New Purpose:

"From now on you will catch men. " (Luke 5:10).

Jesus is saying:

"This is the turning point in your life. From this moment onwards, your whole aim in life

will change dramatically. You will become partners in a far more important sense.

Instead of catching 'fish', you are going to catch 'men'.

Instead of catching in order to kill, you will be catching in order to impart life.

You will be God's instruments in bringing 'life' to those who are 'dead' in sin. "

Jesus clearly indicates that this Altered Purpose in the Disciples Lives begins here & now.

• Jesus stresses the continuity of this work of catching men:

They were to leave their nets & follow him; From now on they were to be Fishers of Men.

• Day after day & year after year; they were to be engaged in this Great & Glorious Task.

When Jesus called Matthew, he made the Purpose of this Work clear , by saying:

"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance " (Luke 5:31).

They were to share in the task for which God the Father had sent his Son into the world:

"He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for prisoners & recovery of sight for the blind " (Luke 4:18).

The Apostle John tells us about this work in his First Epistle (1 John 4:9 & 14):

"God sent his one & only Son into the world that we might live through him …

We have seen & testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. "

Those who have 'Fellowship with God' in the First Sense of being Partakers of God's Life,

must have Fellowship with God in this Second Sense, of being Partners in God's Purposes.

• We will share God's attitude towards life in this world, which is full of sin & disharmony.
• We will share our Saviour's Compassion for Sinners.
• We will share in this vital task of telling the whole world about God's Plan of Salvation.

We will have the Attitude Jesus told us about in the Parable of the Great Banquet:

"The lord said unto the servant, 'Go out into the highways & hedges, & compel them to come in, that my house may be filled'" (Luke 14:23).

We will have a Great Desire to Obey the Great Commission of our Lord & Saviour:

"All authority in heaven & on earth has been given to me. Therefore go & make disciples

of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit,

& teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:18-20).

We will look at the world in the same way that God looks at this wicked world:

• We will be grieved by the sin of this world.
• We will weep over the City of Sunderland like Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Mtt 23:37-39).

• We will see Satan as the arch-deceiver, instead of a mythical man with horns & a spiked fork.

• We will look at this world as a teeming mass of Sinners who are in Need of a Saviour.

There is a further aspect of the Believer Sharing in God's Purposes,

which is a means of Comfort & Encouragement:

• A Believer's Fellowship with God always involves Communion or Communication.
• A Believer is someone who has a genuine desire to have Fellowship with God in Prayer.

The Apostle John, in effect, is saying:

"We want to have Fellowship with you as Believers. But never forget that our Fellowship

& your Fellowship is, primarily, with God the Father & with his Son, Jesus Christ."

• The Almighty God is no longer a stranger to us.

Remember the message of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians (2:12-13 & 18):

We were "separated from Christ … without hope & without God … But now in Christ

Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ

… through him we both (Jew & Gentile alike) have access to the Father by one Spirit."

• The Christian is someone who can come into the Presence of the Living God, in the name of Jesus Christ, and address him as: 'Abba, Father'.

• As 'children of God', we can delight in the fact that we have Constant Access to the Throne of Grace through the blood of Christ. We can Talk with our Heavenly Father constantly.

• At any time of the day or night we can: 'Approach the Throne of Grace with confidence', knowing that we will: " Receive mercy & find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16)

If we claim to have Fellowship with God, we will have a desire to Talk with God in Prayer.

• We will obey the exhortation of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by Prayer & Petition,

with Thanksgiving. Present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).

Such Fellowship with God, says Paul, will cause us to have

"the Peace of God, which transcends understanding" (Philippians 4:7).

• We will also obey the exhortation of Paul to Timothy:

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession & thanksgiving

be made for everyone - for kings & all those in authority, that we may live peaceful &

quiet lives in all godliness & holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

• As true Believers, we must understand that our Prayerful Fellowship with God

has a great effect on the rest of our life.

• We will have a desire to bring Everything to God in Prayer.
• We will not be happy unless we talk to the Lord every day.

If we have genuine Fellowship with God, we can also have the Assurance that

our God will speak to us & lead us through life.

• The Psalmist David was so sure of God's Love & Care for his sheep, that he could say:

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Ps 23:4).

• This Psalmist, who was a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14), could say:

"Surely goodness & love will follow me all the days of my life,

& I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (Ps 23:6).

• This same Psalmist could pray a prayer for Guidance, knowing that God will answer:

"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God … Show me your ways, O

Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth & teach me, for you are God my

Saviour, & my hope is in you all day long" (Ps 25:1 & 4-5).

We are looking at John's reference, in his Prologue, to Fellowship with God:

Firstly: Why does John deal with this issue of Fellowship at the beginning of his Epistle?

• It is because of the Fundamental Problem in the World - Man's Rebellion against God.

Secondly: What is the Meaning of this phrase 'Fellowship with God'?

• The Scriptures constantly emphasise Two Things concerning our Fellowship with God.

Firstly, the Bible tells us that a Christian is someone who is a Partaker of God's Life.

Secondly, we are Partners with God in the sense that we are Sharers in God's Purposes.

• It means that Believers are Partners with God in his Great Plan of Salvation,
• It means that we have the responsibility of being Fishers of Men.

• A Believer's Fellowship with God also involves Communion or Communication.
• A Believer is someone who has a genuine desire to have Fellowship with God in Prayer.