This We Know: Knowing Full and Lasting Joy
10.25.2020
10.25.2020
Have you ever wondered if you could really know if the Christian faith is real? Or if you could really have fellowship with a God that you can’t see? Or can you really have joy in a world such as this? As we kick off our series in 1 John, we will find the answer to these questions and more.
With so many conflicting views out there, what can we really know about Jesus? Tyler Briggs kicks off our series in 1 John by highlighting a true understanding of Jesus, as rooted in history and revealed through the Bible. Not only can the believer know the true Christ, but the believer can know true fellowship with the triune God and know true joy in all circumstances.
Purpose of 1 John: To provide assurance so that we can know complete joy through fellowship with God. As marked by the phrase “this we know”.
Point #1: You can know the message about Jesus is true.
In John’s letter to his fellow believers, he confronts the false teachings of his time about the true Christ. John passionately pleads with the people of God to trust his eyewitness account of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Ultimately, coming face-to-face with the risen Christ led the once-fearful Apostles to faithfully proclaim the message of their Messiah.
Point #2: You can know genuine fellowship with God.
As Tyler rightly reminded us, “Christians are not just called to a right knowledge of God, but a right relationship with God.” The disciple’s fellowship is intended to be a daily-deepening, personal participation in the life of God. Rather than merely trusting our feelings, we must trust the fact that God is always with us and spend time with Him through the Word, prayer, and a life of worship.
Point #3: You can know complete joy.
In verse 4, John proposes fellowship with God as the path to know true joy. Tyler defined joy as “the soul fully satisfied in God – a contentment and unshakeable strength, regardless of circumstances”. As we individually and collectively find ourselves in crisis after crisis in a fallen world, pursuing a right relationship with the one, true God and true joy in Him must remain our first priority.
Application