The Word Of Life Was Manifested

JUNE 24, 2020 STUDY NOTES 1 JOHN 1:2 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES THE WORD OF LIFE WAS MANIFESTED INTRODUCTION Verse two is a parenthesis and explains the first verse Verse three will be a continuation of the thought of verse one In verse 1 John presented the “Word of Life” which can only be Jesus Christ Jesus Christ who has always been God, He was before the beginning of creation Jesus was the beginning of creation all things were created by Him and for Him John now presents to us another beginning, the Eternal Word of life was manifested to us 1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) “Manifested” means to make visible, the Eternal “Word of Life” became visible to all humanity When Jesus came, life came, when Jesus appeared, life appeared, Jesus was the appearance of life When Jesus came to the earth life was unveiled, life became visible Jesus came to make known to man the truth of life, life that can only come from God From the birth of Jesus to the ascension of Jesus, the life of God was manifested Paul explains how Jesus, the Word of Life, was manifested, Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: Jesus was made in the likeness of men through the virgin birth, Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Paul explains why Jesus took upon himself the form of a servant, Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. John will also tell us more about the life that was manifested, 1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. The manifestation of Jesus was because of God’s love for the world, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John tells us why God’s love gave us His Son, why He was manifested to us, 1Jn 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. The same word translated “manifested” is used to tell us about another appearance of Jesus, Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. John is going to explain to us that he was an eyewitness of the first appearance of Jesus All of creation will be an eyewitness of the second appearance of Jesus, Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. At that time, the lost world will be filled with grief, they will mourn because He has appeared John is going to explain to us what the saved will experience when Jesus appears the second time, 1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. John wants to be sure that we personally see the same Jesus that he saw He shares three thoughts with us in 1 John 1:2 John had a personal experience with Jesus, he saw Him His experience became the life that he lived, bearing witness of who he saw His life was a communication of truth to others, we show unto you that eternal life John could tell and show others the “Word of Life” because of his personal experience with Jesus and we have seen it, “We” refers to the Apostles who followed Jesus throughout His earthly ministry “Have seen” is the same word John used in verse 1 which identified with a personal experience The original word means more than the act of seeing something The idea is the actual perception of what is seen, John knew that he had seen the Messiah When he saw Jesus, he knew that he saw something that called for his undivided attention When he saw Jesus, he saw “Life Manifested,” he saw a life that he knew could be his He saw life that became his life because he committed his life to what he saw The Apostles committed their lives to following Jesus and to what they saw in Jesus Philip wanted to see the Father, Joh 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. (We will be satisfied, content) Today we can sing, “Satisfied with Jesus” Jesus said, “See me and you will see the Father, Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Jesus told Philip that His words and works were of God, Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. To know Jesus is to know the Father, Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. The Apostles learned firsthand from Jesus Himself the truth of life and they “bear witness” and bear witness, Life was confirmed to the apostles through the life of Jesus The Apostles were to “bear witness” of what they saw and heard in the life of Jesus The word “witness” refers to a legal witness, one who has knowledge of something One who can give evidence to the truth of something, one who can present the facts One who has “seen” and can now “show” (Show and tell) John was doing what Jesus told him to do, we are told to do the same thing The apostles were to confirm to the world the truth that life is found only “in Jesus” Their witness was to tell what they knew to be true of Jesus A witness for Christ is one who tells the truth about Jesus Christ That is known as a “personal testimony,” to tell others what you have personally experienced The Apostles were qualified to bear a witness for Jesus because of the Holy Spirit, Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: The Holy Spirit testified to them and then through them, Joh 15:27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. Christians today are qualified to “bear a witness” for Jesus, Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We have received the power of the Holy Spirit in-order to be a witness for Christ It is important that we share and show others the truth of life that is only found in Jesus Christ What a joy it is to show others the “Word of Life” that was manifested to us and shew unto you that eternal life, The word translated “show” means “to give a report” or “to tell the story of what happened” The same word is translated “declare” in verse 3, 1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. The Apostles want us to know the complete story of the life of Jesus The reason John wants us to know the truth of Jesus will be explained in verses 3 & 4 John gives us one phrase that sums up the story of the life of Jesus A phrase that we can personally come to know and experience, Jesus is life that is eternal The life that John speaks of is the life of Jesus, referring to the fulness of life found in Jesus John is saying that Jesus Christ is “that eternal life,” He is the “life,” which is the “eternal” The “Life which is Eternal” is the life that was manifested to John, it is the life that John saw The life that he is now showing us is none other than “Eternal Life” Jesus Christ is “that Eternal Life” and eternal life is what He came to give to us The life which Jesus came to give is more than an “endless life,” it is more than a quantity of life “Eternal life” identifies more than the duration of life, the emphasis is upon the quality of life It is the life that God wants us to receive through Jesus, Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Eternal Life is a quality of life because it is God’s Life that has been given to the believer Jesus explained to Martha the “Eternal Life” that He is, and the “Eternal Life” that He gives Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: Jesus gives life to those who are dead in sin, the believer’s death to sin issues in new life Christians may die physically, but they will never die spiritually, Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Eternal Life is believing in Jesus Christ, Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. The witness that Martha gave is the same witness that John is giving to us It is the same witness that all Christians should give to those who do not have eternal life To be a personal witness is where John wants us to be, by the time we get to the end of his letter John explains “eternal life” to us, 1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. The life of Christ is to be lived through the life of the Christian, Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. The story that needs to be told is that Jesus Christ is the “true God and eternal life” That is what John now says to us--which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) Before Christ was manifested in the flesh, He existed in a “face to face” relationship with God Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. There was an intimate fellowship with God the Father throughout eternity, Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God. There was “face to face” communion and fellowship between Christ and God the Father Between the Father and the Son there was a special relationship of eternal fellowship Which was manifested to the Apostles They witnessed the true character of Jesus they saw him as a man with their physical eyes They saw the deity of Jesus through their spiritual eyes They understood that Jesus “was with the Father” The “Eternal One” was revealed to the apostles, their eyes were opened to the truth of Jesus He was not just a good man, He was not just a great teacher and miracle worker He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. John wants us to know that very same life which was in face to face relationship with God Is the very same life that appeared to the Apostles and that same life is now manifested to us The appearance of that life was the historical virgin birth of the Messiah, Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Jesus identifies Himself as “the Son of man” which identifies Him with humanity He told Zacchaeus why He came to be the “Son of Man,” Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Paul tells us of the purpose of the Incarnation, 1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 3:16 should be as popular as John 3:16, 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. The “mystery of godliness” refers to all-of the truths related to the Gospel The Gospel is the Good News of salvation for all sinners who can be forgiven of their sins The truth of salvation begins with, “God was manifest in the flesh” John liked that word “manifested,” it is found 9 times in 1 John He used it when he spoke of the first coming of Jesus, 1Jn 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. John used it when he spoke of God’s love toward us, 1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. John used it when he spoke of Jesus defeating the devil, 1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Sin is the work of the devil and Jesus came to deliver us from sin To “destroy the works of the devil” means that Jesus set us free from Satan’s power Satan ties the life of the sinner up with the ropes of sin, but Jesus unties us He cuts us loose from Satan and sets us free by His blood, Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, John used the same Greek word in the Gospel of John to identify the resurrected Christ The word is used to describe the revelation of Christ after His resurrection, Joh 21:1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. (Shewed is the same word, used twice in this verse) The same word is used again in-reference to the resurrection of Jesus, Joh 21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. John used the same word when he spoke of the Second Coming of Christ The word “manifest” means “to appear” and “to make known” Jesus will once again appear and make Himself known, 1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, (same word) we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. In His Incarnation Jesus appeared and was made known At His resurrection Jesus appeared and was made known At the time of His Return, He will appear and be made known When Jesus comes the Second Time, why He came the First Time, will be “made known” Jesus came the first time that we may become the sons of God, 1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Jesus will come the second time that believers might become like Him We will become like Him because we will see Him as He is In 1 John, John is showing us who Jesus is so that we might see Him today He wants us to have the same experience that the Apostles had, 1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; John is telling us that we can hear Jesus and we can see Jesus today In verses 3 and 4 John will explain that experience as “fellowship” Today we can experience “fellowship” with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ John wants all Christians to experience what the apostles of Jesus experienced--FELLOWSHIP John not only tells us how to enter fellowship but also how to continue to have fellowship Because we are saved, we can have fellowship with God When we live like we are saved we will have daily fellowship with God and one another THE WORD OF LIFE WAS MANIFESTED 1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) Let us leave with that word in our heart tonight Let’s stand and sing a song that agrees with it HYMN #261 “WONDERFUL WORDS OF LIFE”