1 John 1:1-4

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

While it is essential to pay attention to what is written in the Bible, and in particular this letter, we also need to note what is not written. The miracles—or signs—of Jesus are not referred to in this letter. And neither is the resurrection mentioned directly, though references to eternal life and life in the Son are another way of highlighting this historical reality of Jesus’ resurrection. Writing maybe 40-50 years after Jesus was crucified and raised from death. John does not point the Christian community to these; he points them to the cross and to love.

But let’s look at what is written. John begins by stating the historical fact of Jesus Christ and the apostles personal and lived experience of being with him. We have seen, heard and touched, the Word of life, says John. Christianity is founded upon a real historical person to whom others testify to knowing. Christian faith is not the suspension of reality nor the assertion of belief in spite of evidence. Christianity is predicated upon an historical person and eyewitness testimony. People are free to disagree with the claims of divinity that these eyewitnesses ascribe to Jesus, but any serious historian and reasonable person cannot refute that these eyewitnesses knew Jesus of Nazareth and they wholeheartedly beleived him to be God’s Son.

But John is not writing just for something to pass the time. he is aware of threats to the young Christian community by way of false teaching and a distortion of the message about Jesus.

Cerinthus taught that there was Jesus the historical person who was a wise and good teacher, nothing more. And then there was a spiritual being called The Christ who descended on the man Jesus at his baptism and departed form him at his death.

Docetism comes from the Greek word meaning “to seem”. It taught that Jesus only “seemed” or “appeared” to be human and that his suffering and death were an illusion, not real.

Gnosticism was a great threat to the church whit it’s emphasis on a dualism between the spiritual and the material, and its insistence that salvation was not through Jesus’ death and resurrection but through secret knowledge

Now why was this such a big deal then- and a big deal now?

We are embodied physical beings. This is not a mistake; it was God’s original creation. Jesus did not come to save us and whisk us away to heaven. God created earth for us and GOd’s plan is to bring heaven and earth in union and harmony through Jesus. “You didnt want heaven without us” is true. But “You didnt want earth without You” is also true.

1. Jesus Was a Real Person- It’s always, only, ever all about Jesus

Imagine what it was like to see Jesus, to hear him speak, to embrace him, to walk along the road with him and to sit around a fire and eat with him? Even if you remove all claims to divinity and supernatural occurrences in the life of Jesus, the man himself as described in the 4 gospels is a stunningly luminescent individual.

Go into non biblical sources for Jesus

Apart form the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus, how many stories and events from the gospels can you identify in the NT letters? Why is it that hardly any events from the life of Jesus in the 4 Gospels, (apart from his birth, death, resurrection) are referred to in the NT letters?

But it is fascinating that John pays very little attention to the details of Jesus’ life beyond his incarnation and death. Why is this? In fact, very few of the NT letters from Paul, Peter, John and others have references to events in Jesus life. There are some, such as 2 Peter 2:16-18, where the transfiguration of Jesus is referred to. But no feeding of the 5000, walking on water, turning water into wine, raising the dead, healing the sic etc? And what about the parables and teaching of Jesus? To be sure, they speak much of his ascension to glory and his coming again.

When the early church leaders wrote to the churches they barely mentioned any of this. Why?

The Jerome Biblical Commentary Modern - New Testament Criticism, Section 64

For Bultmann, the kerygmatic nature of the Gospel precludes any attempt to reach the historical Jesus through the early Church’s confession of faith in Christ the Risen Lord. According to Bultmann, the early Church had no biographical interest in the historical Jesus of Nazareth but focused its gaze exclusively on the Christ of faith proclaimed in the kerygma. The historical Jesus was therefore irrelevant to Christian faith.

The Jerome Biblical Commentary Modern - New Testament Criticism, Section 65

Käsemann makes three important points in this article. First, if there is no connection between the glorified Lord of Christian faith and the earthly, historical Jesus, then Christianity becomes a nonhistorical myth. Käsemann strikes here at the danger inherent in Bultmann’s dehistoricizing of the kerygma—the danger of a docetic, nonhistorical kerygma. Second, if the early Church was so disinterested in the history of Jesus, why were the four Gospels ever written? The Evangelists surely believed that the Christ they preached was none other than the earthly, historical Jesus. Third, although the Gospels are products of Easter faith and it is therefore difficult to get to the historical Jesus, our faith requires confidence in the identity of the earthly Jesus and the exalted Lord of the kerygma.

Perhaps one reason is that in an oral culture where people relied on memory much more, these stories were well known and readily shared and told. When parchment and ink is limited and expensive, why waste resources on repeating what everyone already knew. The events and teaching of Jesus’ life were Christianity 101 and everyone knew about them.

Secondly, most of the letters are being written and sent because of threats, problems and challenges these local churches were facing. So they are contextual to those local realities. Fortunately for us, we get to see and hear the wisdom the Holy Spirit gave the early church leaders in addressing these challenges and threats, many of which we still face. However, if a patent comes to a doctor with a headache, it would be of little value to have the doctor put a bandage on their big toe. You want treatment at the root cause. Same with these letters, they go to the heart of the actual situations of each church and deal directly with that.

This does then raise the question as to why then did they not simply remind them of Jesus’ teaching more specifically, and are not the events of Jesus’ life such as healing, exorcisms and other events full of pedagogical value?

Thirdly, we mostly distl somones life into their gretest work and accomplishment. It’s 50 years this week since man walked on the moon. I bet most of us know next to nothing about the life and events of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong up until they stepped on the moon. We most likely know very little of their lives after this event. But EVERYONE knows that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and that is the most important fact of his life. It is the same with Jesus. We know next to nothing about him between his laying in a manger and the start of his 3 year public ministry 30 years later. And in the NT Letters, the writers then condense this 3 years down to 3 events: birth, death and resurrection—particularly his death and resurrection. These are the most significant events of Jesus’ life. And they highlight his Lordship and divinity now more than his earthly life. His earthly life was perfect, beautiful adn inspirational, but it was not an end in itself. The great challenge of Christianity is to hoped the right tension between the humanity an divinity of Jesus. Pull too hard on his humanity and you end up with a wonderful and very interesting historical person, but not someone worthy of worship and obedience. Pull to hard on the divinity of Jesus and you end up with...

We know that the earthly life of Jesus was central and important to the early church otherwise they would not have produced the four Gospel accounts. And keep in mind that the 4 sensory verbs used here—heard, seen, looked at, touched—all point to having listened to Jesus and seen his healings and miracles.

Believers Church Bible Commentary: 1, 2, 3 John Incarnation as Foundation

Without ever quoting Jesus’ teaching or pointing specifically to his deeds or life model, these initial verses provide a clear call to the church to return to one essential element of the faith: God has lived among us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

The song lyric in “What a Beautiful Name says “You didn't want heaven without us”, and it’s true though not the whole story. The other aspect is “You didn't want earth without You”

Believers Church Bible Commentary: 1, 2, 3 John Incarnation and Worldliness

Thus Louis Evely writes: “I often say to myself that, in our religion, God must feel much alone: for is there anyone besides God who believes in the salvation of the world? God seeks among us sons and daughters who resemble him enough, who love the world enough that he could send them into the world to save it” (Job and Shawchuck: 336).

Application: in this life you will suffer, have challenges and face great obstacles. A disembodied ghost like God is not much use. But a friend and saviour who suffered physically, got tired, knew what betrayal was like and rejection. He is one who can empathise, stand by your side through the power of His Spirit.

Application: beware of Gnosticism and an over-realised eschatology or an abnormally high Christology. Please explain

Application: Richie and Ellie are sytarting out in following Jesus, but all the time they, like those who have followed for decades, must keep returing to Jesus.

2. The Mission of the Early Church was to Proclaim Jesus

But not just Jesus as a baby, not just Jesus as a miracle worker, not just Jesus as a teacher, not just Jesus as champion of the poor and oppressed, but Jesus as Supreme Lord and Son of God. This was a divine title given to the Roman Emperors. . They proclaimed and announced the New King on the block, the one and only Lord and the one true God: Jesus Christ.

ἀπαγγέλλω - To announce and declare

The verb group lifts up the special significance of the event for Christian faith; i The compounds of ἀγγέλλω signify, then, more than just a comprehensive announcement of God’s will for salvation; they understand the announcement itself as an effective power. “The proclamation produces and confirms ever anew the faith and the state of salvation of the Christians” (R. Schnackenburg, 1–3 Johannes [HTKNT] 64). EDNT

The resurrection accounts are similar. In view of Lk. 9:36 (οὐδὲν ἀπήγγειλαν ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραῖς), Mt. 28:8, 10 == Lk. 24:9 (Mk. 16:10, 13) might almost suggest the message of the resurrection in a specialised sense (→ ἀγγέλλω). TDNT

The words are all synonyms of εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, from secular usage to the supreme sacral use in the cult of the ruler. In Hellenism as in the NT εὐαγγελ- is the central concept and the others are satellites. Yet it is from the synonyms that we gain our understanding of εὐαγγέλιον. The Word of God is message, not ratio, ecstasy, dogma, nor speculation. The terminology is taken neither from the language of philosophy,3 nor from that of high religion nor mysticism, but from the language of public life, the games and government. The rule of God and the rule of the Messiah is proclaimed. In the Word of God there breaks in the lordship of God. The apostolic word is the message of the risen Lord as Kurios. TDNT

A messenger brings news; the following of an order or a secret plan is recounted;1 or it is used V 1, p 65 of reports,2 of information given in letters etc.,3 often in official4 or Judicial5 style. TDNT

The word, also used in 1:5, has a formality about it akin to a legal court document or government policy document. Why do the NT witnesses choose this word as shorthand for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? One reason is that this event is not mere speculation or philosophy, nor is it solely mystical and the domain of private religious expereince. The coming of Christ has implications for all of human life, both civil and religious both public and private. The church was not trying to convince people of a philosphy or invite them into a spiritual expereince, but to announce a new reality. Our Western world, since the Enlightnement, has managed to relegate Christain faith solely to the private domain. There are good historical reasons fro the separation of church and state, but be aware it was the church that fought most vocivericouly for this, not the state. (CHECK THIS)

Illuatration: Israel Folau - it’s ok for him to have a private faith, but it must not be permitted in the public shpere- especually not the offensive parts to post-modern sensi bilites. The public space can still cope with the church issueing statments about inclusivenss and social justice matters such as concern for the poor and refugees, but this could change too in the coming years.

Application

The basis of evangelism is your persoinal expereince of Jesus. Has Jesus made a differnece in yor life? Does knowing God through Jesus have daily importance and impact upon you? If yes, share that; if no, perhaps you have never really known Jesus and his life or you are in a valley ir perhaps have wandered off.

Spurgeon Commentary: 1 John Exposition

A person talks to me about a certain medicine, how it is compounded, what it looks like, how many drops must be taken at a dose, and so on. Well, I do not care to hear all that, and I soon forget it. But he tells me that for many months he was bedridden, he was in sore distress and in great pain, and like to die. Looking at him as he stands before me in perfect health, I am delighted with the change, and he says that it was that medicine which restored him. If I am a sick man in the same state as he was, I say to him, “Give me the name and address, for I must try that medicine for myself.”

μαρτυρέω-

3. The Reason and Purpose of Jesus’ Life and Death is to Restore Community with God and with One Another.

Application for a Love-Shaped Community

Everyone preaches love, inclusuveness and acceptance these days. But what is love and where does it come from? How can we become and nurture a loving community if we don;t know where love comes from or what loves looks, sounds and feels like.

The message of Christianity is that love comes from God and love looks, sounds and feels like Jesus. A love shaped community seeks to let Jesus become flesh in our lives through faith, prayer, obedience and sacrifice. Jesus is paradigmatic for becoming a community of love. That’s what John is saying to the early church: don’t forget how all this got started and don't forget who started it: Jesus!

Apply it further: How did Jesus live?

He loved and studied and soaked himself in the Word of God

He breathed prayer in loving God His Father

He faithfuly and regulalry joined with the people of God in worship

He obeyed God

He loved people and welcomed them but also challenged them to change and grow

He was an agent of healing and mercy to the broken, hurting and lonely

He was courageus and passionate for justice

He loved simply and sacrificially

He loved the world and walked softly upn the earth.

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