1 John 1

1 John 1:1

Claiming to possess super intellects, to be true thinkers, they were known as gnosticsor “the knowledgeable ones.” And these “knowledgeable ones,” these “enlightened ones” maintained that even if His followers claimed Jesus was God, they were embarrassingly naive to think He had a body physically, for anyone with any intelligence understood that anything in the material realm was inherently evil. Why did they make this claim? By arguing that everything material is evil, the gnostics absolved themselves of any responsibility for the activity of their bodies. In other words, their logic allowed them to position themselves as deep thinkers while behaving themselves as party animals. “It is impossible that God actually became a Man,” the gnostics declared. “Jesus was an emanation of God, but not God Incarnate.” And such thinking is the common denominator of all cults to this day. Here at the outset of his epistle, John says, “Wait a minute. Jesus wasn’t a phantom, an emanation, or a vision. We walked, hung out, and lived with Him. And we want you to have the same kind of fellowship with Him.” How can this happen? The same way it did for two men on their way to the town of Emmaus… “Why are you so sad?” asked the Stranger walking with them. “Don’t you know what’s happened?” they replied, not realizing it was the Lord. And they went on to recount to Him how Jesus had died on the Cross just a few days before. Then, beginning with Moses and working His way through the Old Testament, Jesus opened the Word to them, explaining how it all pointed to Him. Upon reaching their destination, yet wanting to hear more, the two men invited Jesus to dine with them. And it was when they saw Jesus break bread that their eyes were opened to recognize Jesus in their midst (Luke 24). Two things took place on the Road to Emmaus: Jesus opened the Word to the disciples, and the eyes of the disciples were opened to Jesus. Haven’t you experienced the same thing? “Lo, I come in the volume of the book,” Jesus says (see Psa_40:7). And truly this book causes us to have an awareness of the nearness of the Lord. When I don’t get into the Word, I miss Him. Oh, He’s still here, but, like the men on the Road to Emmaus, I don’t recognize Him as readily or see Him as clearly. Secondly, we see Jesus in the breaking of the bread at the table of Communion. “Take eat. This is My body broken for you,” He said (see 1Co_11:24). That’s why Communion is so very, very important. It’s not just a little cracker-and-juice-monthly ritual. It is infinitely more than that, for it is at the table that we are given the unspeakable privilege of seeing Jesus clearly once again.

1 John 1:4

John says that the reason to touch the Lord at the table of Communion and see Him in the pages of the Word is in order that we might be full of joy. Elton Trueblood, classic preacher from a generation past, put it this way: “The Christian is joyful not because he is blind to injustice and suffering, but because he is convinced that these, in the light of Divine Sovereignty, are never ultimate. The humor of the Christian is not a way of denying the tears but rather a way of affirming something that is deeper than tears.” We’re full of joy not because we’re trite or frivolous, but because there’s a deeper reality than the temporary separation from a loved one, the problem with the car, or the bankruptcy of the business. None of those things need rob us of joy because we know there’s a much bigger picture. The Wine of Joy A Topical Study of 1Jn_1:4 Having spent three years in the physical company of Jesus, no doubt John had countless memories of time spent with Him. After all, it was John who said that even the world itself could not contain the books that could be written about Him (Joh_21:25). Therefore, I wonder if, in writing about joy, John’s mind went back to an unforgettable day in Galilee, an account of which he was the only Gospel writer to record… The Production of Wine And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water.

And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.Joh_2:1-10 What was the reason for this miracle? Wine being the symbol of joy throughout the Bible, I suggest Jesus chose to do His first miracle behind the scenes, out of sight of most people, simply to add joy to a marriage ceremony. Now, if I were the Lord, I would have chosen as my first miracle to resurrect someone from the dead, cleanse someone from leprosy, or cast out a demonsomething spectacular or necessary. But Jesus chose to do His first miracle in a way that says very clearly to you and me, “I want people to be full of joy. Whether it’s a marriage that’s watered down or a life that’s washed up, I want to bring in one hundred eighty gallons of sparkling, bubbling joybetter than anything you’ve ever tasted before, better than anything the world can offer. I want to do something to bring you joyjoy in your parenting, joy in your profession, joy in your hearts.” Whenever people are with Jesus, close to Jesus, learning about Jesus, joy abounds. “If that be true,” you say, “how do you explain what I’m going through this week? How can you explain what I’ve experienced this month? If I John was written in order that our joy might be full, if Jesus declared He wants us to be filled with joy, why has the last week, month, or year been anything but joyful for me?” For the answer, turn to the Book of Jeremiah… The Purification of Wine Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.Jer_48:11 In Old Testament times, wine was made by pouring the juice of crushed grapes into a large vessel and allowing it to sit until the leesthe dregs, the impuritiessettled to the bottom. At just the right time, the winemaker would pour the wine into another vessel, leaving the dregs behind. This process would be repeated sometimes twelve to fifteen times. Why? If the wine wasn’t poured from vessel to vessel, it would begin to take on the bitter taste of the lees. So in order to make wine that was pleasing to the taste, smell, and sight, the winemaker would pour the wine again and again until there were no dregs left. When I begin to understand that this is God’s process for purifying people as well as wine, my life makes a lot more sense. You see, the Lord says, “I want to flood you and fill you with the wine of the Holy Ghost. This means that not only will I provide the wine of My joy in your lifebut that I will purify it as well.” Thus, when everything is relaxed and peaceful and wonderful, when I get settled, lethargic, and comfortable, the winemaker will stir up my life as He overturns my vessel. “Poor me!” I cry. “How could You do this? Why is this happening?” The Lord knows that what I truly desire is to be filled with the sparkling, bubbly, pure wine of joy, a wine that is pleasing to Him, a wine that is contagious for others. He also knows that stagnation and comfort will circumvent the purification process because when I get comfortable, all too often, I stop seeking God; I don’t go to church; I don’t read the Word. And as I am cut off from the One who is the source of joy, my life gets shallower, narrower, and smaller. And I become bitter as a result. So the Lord says, “Because I love you too much to leave you in the dregs and let your life become a drag, I’m going to overturn it regularly.” And finally, after being poured from vessel to vessel to vessel each time I get comfortable, instead of, “Poor me,” I hear myself saying, “Pour me, Lord. Pour me,” as I begin to learn that it is a process that produces in me a joy unspeakable and full of glory. It is a process that matures, deepens, and purifies me; a process that keeps me from becoming polluted and defiled by the dregs of my own complacency. My teenagers, Ben and Mary, are very differentMary is as feminine as Ben is tough. But there’s one exception. At the Santa Cruz boardwalk and Great America years ago, I was reminded of this exception once again. You see, my daughter Mary always loved scary ridesthe ones that spin and drop, the ones from which everyone exits with a green hue to their faces. On the other hand, my tough guy, Ben, was terrified by the Pirates of the Caribbeannot by the pirates, but by the little dip at the beginning of the ride. So here was Mary spinning around on all these huge rideswhile Ben rode the kiddy cars. Mary knew something that Ben didn’t understand. Ben was convinced that scary rides were deathtraps. Mary, on the other hand, had total confidence that whoever engineered them did so in such a way that they would be thrilling, unpredictable, and excitingbut safe. Mary knew the rides were designed to provide a thrillbut not to kill. Why, when they go through the twists and turns and “pourings” of life, do some people say, “Whoopee!” while others say, “Woe is me”? I believe it all has to do with trust. Regardless of the dips and turns in the career, the family, the sports field, or the classroom, one person says, “Although my stomach’s a bit queasy, I trust that God knows what He’s doing perfectly.” The other personeven though he may know God’s in control theoreticallysays, “This is it. It’s all over. I’m doomed. I’m going to crash.” Why? Because of his basic fear that God cannot be trusted in the pouring process, that His timing is wrong, that His pouring is too severe. What’s the solution? I suggest it’s found in the Book of Exodus… With the Egyptians barreling down upon them, they would have stoned Moses had God not parted the Red Sea. And when they had crossed over to the other side, Miriam grabbed a tambourine and led the children of Israel in a song of praise. “Our Lord has done gloriously. Horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.” As fitting as their praise was, how much better it would have been had the Israelites grabbed the tambourine before the water parted, saying, “We trust You wholeheartedly, Lord. We’re going to celebrate, sing, and dance right nowbefore we understand how You’re going to come through” (see Exo_15:20-21). There are those of us who shake the tambourine when the Red Sea partsbut not until. Others of us are learning to sing praise before the Red Sea parts, to say, “Lord, I trust You.” Precious people, we can trust God to purify the wine within us because of the cup of wine on the table of Communion. You see, in saying, “This is My blood shed for you,” Jesus is saying, “I’m deadly serious about My commitment to you. I’m totally and completely in love with you. I only want the best for you. And I prove it absolutely with the wine of My blood before you.” It’s impossible for anyone to go to the table of Communion in sincerity and contemplation without coming away, saying, “Lord, I don’t understand all the whys, but I trust You. The blood You shed for me, Your body broken on behalf of me proves absolutely to me that you’re in love with me and will only do what’s best in me.” Allow the Lord to have His way in your life. The pouring process He puts you through, the seemingly wild ride He takes you on won’t cause you to crash. Oh, it might be a bit interesting from time to timebut rather than wiping you out, it will fill you up with the wine of great, great joy.

1 John 1:5

People who are depressed in their spiritual lives because they think being a Christian is so hard, don’t match up with true biblical Christianity because John says there’s no dark side to God; there’s nothing negative about Him; there’s not a mean bone in His body. Therefore, a sour, dour, dark, and discouraged Christian is an oxymoron, a contradiction of terms. “Wait a minute,” you say. “Wasn’t Jesus the Man of Sorrows?” (see Isa_53:3). Yes. Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luk_19:41). He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (Joh_11:35). When Jesus wept, however, it was always for others. “What about when He wept in the Garden of Gethsemane?” you ask. The night before He would go to the Cross, Jesus sweat blood because He was terrified not by the pain of the Cross, the spittle that would run down His face, or the flagellum that would rip into His back. Jesus was almost literally scared to death by the thought of being temporarily separated from His Father when He would be made sin on our behalf. “What if I can’t pay the bills?” we ask. “What if the car doesn’t work?” “What if I lose a loved one?” These are the things that frighten us. But separation from the Father? We don’t even give it a second thought. God have mercy on us. We’re terrified of all the wrong things.

1 John 1:6

We cannot say, “I’m close to the Lord and I’m miserable. I’m walking with Jesus; I’m at the table; I’m in the Wordand am I ever depressed.” We’re kidding ourselves if we say we have fellowship with Jesus but walk around in darkness.

1 John 1:7

One of the ways we know we have fellowship with the Lord is that we have fellowship with other people. That is, if we’re truly in the light, our hearts will be full of joy. Therefore, we won’t gossip about, find fault with, or put down others. The Greek word translated “cleanseth” clearly speaks of a continual cleansing. If we’re continually cleansed, shall we continue to sin? “God forbid,” says Paul (Rom_6:2) because even though we are cleansed from the penalty of sin, the repercussions of sin remain. Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap (Gal_6:7). And there are no exceptions to this rule. “Be sure your sin will find you out,” Num_32:23 declaresnot “sometimes it will find you out,” not “perhaps it will find you out,” but “it will find you out,” bringing with it terrible, painful, and sometimes lifelong repercussions.

1 John 1:8

Who was saying they had no sin? The gnostics. “It’s not me sinning,” they said. “It’s just my body.” So, too, there are people today who say, “There are no absolutes. What’s wrong for you isn’t wrong for me. I may not be perfect, but I’m not a sinner.” John, however, says any person at any time in any culture who says, “I’m not a sinner,” is deceiving himself. He just doesn’t get it.

1 John 1:9

For a number of years in my own walk, this passage kept me in bondage. You see, somewhere along the line, I picked up the idea that if there was one unconfessed sin in my life, God would not hear my prayers. As a result, I would spend time at night on my knees by my bed trying to remember if there was any sin I hadn’t confessed that would keep me out of fellowship. I knew I could be forgiven; I knew I could talk to the Fatherbut only if I first confessed my sin. The problem with this kind of thinking is that it adds to what Christ did on the Cross. And in so doing, it is heresy. How are we saved? How do we walk with God? How are we allowed to enter heaven? Cults answer, “Believe on Jesus Christ, and…” “Believe on Jesus Christ and follow this teaching…” or, “Believe on Jesus Christ and knock on doors…” or, “Believe on Jesus Christ and wear holy underwear…” And I suggest that “Believe on Jesus Christ and make sure you confess every sin” falls into this category. When Jesus died on the Cross, He didn’t say, “To be completed.” He said, “It is finished. The price is paid. The veil is rent. The way is open.” Am I suggesting we are no longer to confess our sin? Not at all. Confession of sin is a needful practice because in constantly confessing our sin to the Lord, we allow the Holy Spirit to readjust our thinking and set us free. Do I confess sin? Constantlynot to earn forgiveness, but because I want to be free. And each time I confess my sin, I find myself celebrating, saying, “Thank You, Lord. As I talk with You about this sin, I’m even more amazed by Your finished work on the Cross of Calvary.”