What Does It Mean to Be One with God?

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, April 25, 2010

1 John 1:5-2:2 - “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

He puts his headphones over his ears and reaches over to the volume knob to crank it up as far as possible, then he lays his head back and, in his mind he says, “Time to let myself go… time to get close to God…”

She pulls out her special mat and lays it across the living room floor. Then she crouches down into that certain position, with her legs crossed and her arms outstretched, “Time to shut out the world. Time to meditate on the divine…”

He pays his dues to get it, whether it be by way of sexual means or through the use of mind and mood altering drugs and alcohol, he’s aiming to go there, to get there through orgiastic ecstasy, to enter into an altered state of consciousness, to be unified with the universe…

What does it mean to be one with God? What does it mean to have fellowship – intimate, joyful communion – with your Maker?

Some would say what it means – and the way to get there is through ‘zoning out’ by way of loud and repetitive rhythms and words, “crank up the volume, I’ll be one with Him!” Others claim that the only way to be One with God is to enter into some sort of altered state, to engage in some form of spiritual or physical ecstasy – to “get high” on sex, drugs or alcohol. Still other pull out their yoga mats, cross their legs and meditate on the lint in their navel, thinking, “that will get me there, that will put me into a oneness with God…”

It’s interesting, a little bit amusing, and, most importantly, very sad to see the ways people go about trying to fill up that hole in their lives that is God-shaped! And, yet, try as they might, using these and other means, they never get there! They never really get there! Why is that? What DOES it mean to be one with God? What does this Book – the word of the One with Whom we desire that fellowship, that ultimate communion – what does He have to say about the subject?

We skimmed across it in our previous messages from this portion of scripture, but this morning, as we open up this subject and this text that instructs us and informs us on this subject, I want you to notice something with me, right up front. 1 John 1:3-4, we didn’t read them earlier, but let’s do so now, shall we?

1 John 1:3-4: “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”

Oneness with God, fellowship with God – do you see it? You see it, don’t you? That you and I might possess and participate in joyful fellowship with God and with His Son Jesus Christ. This is one of the Apostle John’s primary purposes for writing this letter, isn’t it? He wrote this letter to Christians like you and me, to describe and explain this fellowship, to secure and safeguard it from that which would harm and hinder it, and perhaps most crucial of all, he wrote this letter – God’s Spirit guided his pen to the end that fellowship with God might be the outcome. In other words, John wrote what he wrote to encourage and, yes, even to facilitate this oneness with God!

But saying that he is writing to us so that we might have fellowship with God immediately presents us with a problem – and I mean a huge problem! Take a look with me at verse 5 of our text:

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

What does it mean to have fellowship with God? Answer – verse 5 – it means to be one with Someone in Whom there is NO darkness at ALL! “Whoa!” Are you thinking what I’m thinking? To be one with Someone who is totally, and utterly Light! Why, that’s impossible! Indeed it is – and on at least two accounts, right? Number one, it is impossible for you and me to be one with God if He is that way – why? Because He IS that way! And, then - you know what the second reason for this immediate road block to fellowship with God is, don’t you? You can’t be one with God – I can’t draw near to God – because of what WE are like! “No darkness at all?!” “I mean, that will never describe me!”

To be one with Someone in Whom there is no darkness at all! How is that possible? Could it be that somehow, someway God lowers His standards, that He somehow lessens His holiness or allows His utter ‘light-ness’ to diminish so that we can enter in? Look again at verse 5 and let the answer from this Book soak in. God does not diminish His purity, His holiness to allow for fellowship with the impure! No! If He did, then He would cease to be God! No! Rather, what He does is He extends to us His grace! My loved ones, it is God’s sheer grace that makes fellowship with Him possible. Yes, in His grace He gives us new birth and in that new birth He gives us, by His grace, a new nature; so that the Apostle John could rightly say, as he does several times in this letter, “You are God’s children – you have been begotten of God.” (See 1 John 3:1-3; 5:1-5)

What does it mean to have fellowship with God? To be one with Him? Orgiastic ecstasy is not the way! Zoning out by way of the music and the headphones is not the way! Neither is stooping down to get into the lotus position! No. God’s grace is the way! But, then, notice what John has to say in verses 6 and 7 of our text.

1 John 1:6-7: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Oneness with God, according to this Book – according to the One who issues the invitation to begin with – it is more basic than meditating on your navel lint! It is more behavioral in orientation than that! What does the text say> In so many words, it says that oneness with God, to enjoy full and glad fellowship with God, we must walk where He walks! We must live our lives, spend our time, our energy, our resources at a place called ‘fellowship with God!’ John puts it this way: “Don’t walk in the darkness, and claim to be one with God! No! That’s a lie! That’s false! Rather, walk where God walks, in the light, in the truth, in righteousness, in Christ-like love for others!”

What does it mean to be one with God? There are a lot of answers being offered out there to that question. But, listen, none of them will ever really get you there! Why? Because they are MAN’S answers, not God’s! God says, “to have fellowship with Me, first of all, I must make the way, by means of My grace!” Secondly, He says, “If you want to be one with Me, then you must walk where I am walking! You must pursue what I am pursuing!”

But, then what? Verses 8-10, notice the next things we need to learn about fellowship with God.

1 John 1:8-10: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

What is the Apostle John aiming to tell us through these verses? Well, whether it be rooted in an ungodly arrogance and pride – “I’m a Christian, I have no sin!” Or in something we now call ‘DENIAL’ – “I haven’t sinned!” Through these words in verses 8-10, John aims to clear up a misunderstanding about fellowship with God, and about what it means to be a Christian. Listen closely: what does it mean to be a Christian, and to be one with God? Does it mean that all of the sudden you and I are sinless, morally and spiritually perfect? No! That’s not what it means!

Rather, as someone else put it, and as John implies here in the text, to be a Christian does not mean to be sinless, but it does mean that you and I – with God’s help – are seeking to SIN – LESS, and too confess our sins more. So, how does all of that relate to our fellowship with God?

Two things – number one, to be one with God, to have fellowship with Him, means that you and I have received yet another expression of God’s grace. Verses 7 and 9, we have received – we DAILY receive – forgiveness of our sins. Jesus Christ’s blood keeps on cleansing us from all unrighteousness! Yes, as we come clean with God as far as our day-to-day sins and mess-ups are concerned, He is faithful and just to forgive us! And thus, to maintain that fellowship with Him!

What does it mean to be one with God? It doesn’t mean that you and I have to claim that somehow, someway we are sinless! No! That’s what false professors claim!

Rather, true professors confess what God already knows about us today, what He knew about us yesterday, and what He’ll know about us tomorrow – that we will sin, that we do sin and that we have sinned! Daily fellowship with God means that God has provided that essential ingredient for it to continue un-interrupted: forgiveness of our sins, when we confess them to Him!

Which brings us then, to our final point about oneness with God. 1 John 2:1-2, what does it mean to be one with God, to have fellowship with Him? It means to have an Advocate with God.

1 John 2:1-2: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

It’s been a long time ago now, thank God, but I still remember it rather vividly. At 16 years of age, I stood before the judge at the Dallas County Municipal Court, to face the music – the speeding ticket I had incurred was due to be paid, and I was there to plead my case. To say the least, I was frightened. But, thankfully, I wasn’t alone. My Dad was there with me. When my turn came to approach the Bench, the judge asked my name, and why I was there. Then, my Dad spoke up, and began to try to persuade the judge to be lenient – “After all, He’s only 16, and it was his first ticket. Sure, He drove more than twice the speed limit on the Interstate Highway, but he has learned his lesson. He won’t do it again – ever.”

Now, listen closely, because the rest of what I’m about to tell you didn’t happen. After saying what my dad just said about me, imagine the judge leaning over to my dad and saying, “Mr. Kautt, how about we take a look at your driving record for a moment?? Ticket here, warning there, speeding infraction there. Mr. Kautt, I’m throwing your testimony out of court, you’re no better than your son!”

What does it mean to be one with God? It means to have unending fellowship with the One in Whom there is no darkness as all, no darkness. And to have that fellowship because God has supplied us with Someone like Him – not like us – to plead our case when we fail! “But if anybody DOES sin [and it’s inevitable, even for the best of us, isn’t it?] we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One.” And not only an Advocate – a righteous, just-like-God, Advocate – look at verse 2. We also have a propitiating Advocate with God, too!

Our fellowship with God is possible not only because God has given us an Advocate Who is like Him, but also because God has given us an Advocate Who takes away from us what makes us not like Him! Namely, our sin and our guilt!

What does it mean to be one with God? Beloved, do you know it? You should know it, and you should walk out of here shouting it! The One whose atoning death split the temple veil in two. The One Whose shed blood broke down the middle wall of separation (Eph. 2:14-18). The One Whose gracious sacrifice at Calvary wiped out the hand-writing of requirements that was against us. The one Who took what was contrary to us and removed it from us by nailing it to His cross (Col. 2:11-15). What do His out-stretched arms say? What do they say?

Enter in, draw near to me, and enter in…

A PORTRAIT OF JESUS BY ONE WHO KNEW HIM WELL

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday morning, April 18, 2010

1 John 1:1- 4 – “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, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”

Have you ever had the opportunity to hear somebody speak, who, after you heard what they had to say, you knew that they had been there, that they really had seen or heard or done what they were describing for you?

You fellows are going to like this. Before last Tuesday, I could not have anymore told you what a crankshaft seal looked like, nor where it was located on my vehicle – than the man on the moon… But, look, now I’ve got the greasy fingernails and skinned knuckles to prove it. With the help of my son, Caleb and some extra kind neighbors, Caleb and I have now been farther and deeper (and dirtier) into that old 350 V-8 than I ever would have thought possible. We changed out the timing chain and timing chain gears, replaced the oil pan gasket and oil pump - we even unbolted the exhaust system partially so as to be able to work on it more easily. Now all we have to do is put is all back together, and in the right way… you can pray for us on that one!

Some people talk about thus and so, they tell you what they think they know, others of us have been there!

This morning, as we embark on an exciting, and I believe what will turn out to be a very meaningful and helpful study of this portion of Scripture we call First John. Today, we do so realizing that the one whose words we will be reading and studying – the Apostle John – his words are the words of someone who has ‘been there’.

What John sets forth for us – what he declares to us – is not just an accumulation of ‘Book-Learnin’! His knowledge of the subject he’s about to explore with us and explain to us is not merely theoretical – derived from some ivory-towed classroom somewhere! No! His knowledge of the subject was what we might call ‘EXPERIENTIAL’. “That which was from the beginning…” Look at how he put it here in the text – “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, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you…”

So, what are we talking about here? As we pick up the Word of God, what do we have here? The first thing we have here is the proclamation – the joy-filled declaration of somebody who had been there; an eye, ear and, yes, even ‘hand-witness’ to the things he was setting forth. I found it interesting to learn that this word translated ‘declare’ or ‘announce’ in verses 2 and 3 of our text is the same word Luke, the historian and divinely directed writer of the book of Acts, uses in Acts 12:14. Do you remember the scene? It’s kind of comical, if I may say so! Hold your place in 1 John for just a moment, and find Acts 12. The apostle Peter had been jailed by King Herod Agrippa the First – Herod had already killed the apostle John’s brother James, and saw how that murderous act had pleased the unbelieving Jews. Now, he wanted to add to that legacy, by getting rid of Peter also! But God had other planes, and, far, far greater power than an old, puny king by the name of Herod! In fact, God sent an angel to the very jail cell where Peter was being held, and by His power – by God’s power, unleashed through God’s people prayers – Peter’s chains were loosed, the locked jail doors were opened, and Peter was a free man! So, what does Peter do? Acts 12:12 and following. Read it with me, will you?

Acts 12:12-17: “So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to here, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” Now Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

The apostle John’s proclamation – his joy-filled announcement pertaining to the One he calls the ‘Word of Life’ – what was it? You know what it was! Just like that young servant girl, Rhoda, we just read about in Acts 12, his proclamation was testimony-based, eye, ear and hand-witness based! He had been there!

But, then there’s something else we need to discern here from our Scripture passage in First John chapter one. There’s something else that we need to know and observe about John’s declaration. What is it?

Well, take a look with me, please, at verses 3 and 4 of our text for a moment. In those verses the Spirit of God led John to write these words:

1 John 1:3-4: “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”

One of the things I regularly struggle with when I am studying the Bible, and even when I am teaching and preaching it, is – what’s the POINT of this passage? What am I supposed to learn from this passage? And, what does God want me to DO about what I’ve learned from this passage? My father-in-law, Julia’s dad – calls that the task of answering the ‘So what?’ question of Bible Study.

Imagine you and me siting down with the Apostle John somewhere, having with us a microphone and a tape recorder or one of those new-fangeled MP3 player recorders in hand – in order to ask John the ‘So What?’ question. Okay, John – so you did see and hear and even handle all these things, so what’s the POINT? What are we supposed to learn from it? What does God want us to DO?

Look again at verses three and four and note specifically what John says about WHY he wrote what he wrote.

1 John 1:3-4: “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”

How about if we put it this way? John’s proclamation – his joyous declaration of the Word of Life – was not without a goal, a target, a purpose in mind! No! “I declare all of this to you that you also may have fellowship with us, fellowship with God the Father, and fellowship with Jesus Christ the Son! Yes, I declare all of this to you – I even have gone to the extra effort of writing it down! Why? Verse 4, so that your joy – your gladness might be full!

Lesson number two from this text is this: not only was John’s proclamation TESTIMONY-based – ear, eye and hand-witness based, that’s point number one, lesson #1. But also, lesson #2 – John’s proclamation, his joyful declaration was OUTCOME-oriented! He said what he said, he wrote what he wrote to meet a goal! To answer the ‘So What’ question!

Now, listen, we’ve already seen and observed some rather important things in looking at these first two lessons from these verses – but listen – stay with me, please! Those two lessons are only the beginning. In fact there really is nothing eternally-significant about those two lessons, if this third and final lesson is not a part of the package! Okay, so what’s the third lesson?

Well, before we answer that, look again at the text with me, would you please?

1 John 1:1- 4 – “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, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”

John’s proclamation is the testimony of an eye witness, right? That’s lesson #1, that’s the ‘How?’. And, secondly, his proclamation is the declaration of someone driven by a goal to be reached, an outcome to be attained – “that you may have fellowship with us…” “That your joy may be full!” That’s the ‘Why?’. Okay, so where does all of leave us? Lesson #3 – it leaves us with the ‘What?’ and the ‘Who?’. “John, you’ve told us how your proclamation came about – you were an eye, ear and hand witness to the things you are writing here. And, you’ve told us why you’ve written what you’ve written. Now, please, tell us WHAT it is you want us to know – describe for us WHO or WHO’s involved!”

“That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard… that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we have looked upon and our hands have touched…” You see it, don’t you? Maybe, what I should say is, “you see HIM, don’t you?”

At the center of John’s testimony-based, outcome-oriented proclamation is Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ – He is “That Which!” John describes so simply, and so beautifully here! Jesus Christ, the word – capital ‘W’ – the Word of Life. Who is He, John? Who is He?

Notice, quickly, with me 3 things John tells us about this One he had heard and seen and touched. Number one, Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word – He is the Eternal Word! Have you looked at your birth certificate lately? Have you looked at someone else’s DEATH certificate lately? Look them over, and what will you find there? You will find out when that person began to ‘speak’ – he or she was born on such and such a day. And, yes – on the death certificate you will find out when that person’s voice stopped speaking… Now, look at this first verse again with me, and think about Jesus Christ – the One the Apostle John describes as the Eternal Word! Jesus Christ, Who is He? He is the One who was from the beginning! He is the One the gospel according to John, chapter one, verse one describes like this: “In the beginning…” – Sounds like Genesis one, verse one, doesn’t it? John one, one “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!” Who is Jesus Christ? The Apostle John through his eye-witness testimony and his outcome-oriented declaration, proclaims to us that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word! His speaking did not have a beginning – except as far as our relation to time is concerned. And, even more amazing to consider is this fact: His word, Jesus Christ’s speaking will never, ever have an end! He is the Eternal Word!

Secondly, He is the Manifested Word. I love this truth, don’t you? Jesus Christ is the Manifested – or we might say the REVEALED – Word. The Word, John 1:14 says, Who became flesh and dwelt among us! It’s staggering, isn’t it, to know that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word – no birth or death certificate for Him – no beginning, and especially, no ending to His speaking! But, then, think about the Word actually appearing to you, talking to you, touching you – that was John’s experience! And, for that matter, the experience of many, many other who lived during the time when Jesus walked on this earth! How would you say it? Jesus Christ is the MANIFESTED word and – because He’s been here, faced what we’ve faced, been tempted and tested like we are – then what? Then, we are comforted, we are assured by the fact that the One John declares to us here became flesh – was manifested – and dwelt among us!

Last of all, “John, would you tell us WHO you are proclaiming to us here?” 1 John 1:1-2 – “My friends, I am declaring to you the LIVING Word! The Word of Life!”

Everywhere you and I look – Oh, I know this world in which we live is beautiful to an extent, and the people and creatures that inhabit it are beautiful, too – but, listen, everywhere we look because sin is a part of the equation pertaining to God’s creation – everywhere you and I look there is beauty, but there is also ugliness. There is pleasure, but there also is pain. There is vigor and energy, but there is also cancer. There is joy when a new baby is born, but there also is death, and with it great sadness! So, what… John? SO, what?

Listen to John’s Holy Spirit-directed answer: to a world marred by sin and it’s ugliness, pain, cancer and death – I proclaim to you the Word of Life, I declare to you the Living One! More than that – I John 5:11-12. Here is my testimony: 1 John 5:11-12 – “God has given us eternal life and this life is in His son… He who has the Son has life… He who does not have the Son, does not have life!…”

Do you have the Son?

A Transformed Life: Christ's Resurrection Power at Work

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, April 11, 2010

1 John 1:1- 4 – “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, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”

What is the biggest – we might even say – what is the best evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Last Lord’s Day – what a special day we enjoyed, didn’t we, my friends, as we celebrated not only the empty tomb, the stone rolled away from the door, and the grave clothes that had been wrapped around the lifeless body of Jesus lying there in that empty tomb – but, more significantly, as we celebrated the Risen Savior, our Risen Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Resurrection Day – last Lord’s day – our focus was on a Person, the risen One, Who is our joy, our hope and our peace…

Today, however, is not Sunday, April 4^th – Resurrection Day. But today is Sunday, April 11^th, one week AFTER Resurrection Day – and the question of the hour, the important matter to be examined and explored is: what difference does it make that the tomb is empty? What difference does it make that the tomb is empty? What difference does it make that the stone has been rolled away from that tomb’s door? What difference does it make – in you and me – that Jesus Christ is alive?

I asked a question a moment ago that I want us to find an answer for, as we study the Scriptures today. The question is: What is the biggest, or best, evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? You know, Beloved, there is a lot of evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus – for example, there is an otherwise immovable stone – moved, and there is an empty tomb, a tomb, by the way, that not only had once housed the lifeless form of our Lord, but also a tomb that had been marked and identified both by Jesus’ friends – those who assisted in burying Him, but also marked and identified by His enemies – the Jews, and the Romans. And, there is the testimony – the eye, ear and even hand witness testimony of man, many people who saw, heard, ate with, and even touched Jesus, alive after His crucifixion. Good evidence, wouldn’t you say, that He really did conquer death? But listen, we are not there yet… we’ve still got a ways to go on this trek toward finding out what the biggest and best evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ really is. But let’s not give up on our quest – let’s press on till we find out, shall we?

This morning, I’d like to initiate a new study with you – one that I believe will prove to be not only fascinating, but extremely helpful in our walk with Christ. I’m talking about a look at the words, the Holy Spirit inspired teaching, of the one who was known as the Beloved Disciple – the disciple whom Jesus loved – the Apostle John, as recorded here in his first letter.

The Apostle John – and his divinely-supplied insight and instruction for us through this letter – how much do you know about him, and about what the Holy Spirit has to say to us through him?

First, some basic facts that you can verify at places like Matthew 4:18-22 – the Apostle John, he wasn’t always Jesus apostolic representative. In fact, he grew up in and around a Galilean village by the name of Caperneum, in the home of a man named Zebedee (his father), and had at least one brother, who also became a disciple and apostle of Jesus – a fellow named James. He knew a lot about fishing, for fish, that is – until one day, our Savior called him and his brother AWAY from the fish and the fishing, away from their father and family business – in order to set out to catch men, to fish for men, you remember the account, don’t you?

But is that all there is to see and know about his man? Zebedee’s son, James’ brother, a fisherman from Caperneum? Actually, there’s more – quite a bit more – to learn about him, as we sort of lay the ground work for our study of his letter, the one we call, ‘First John’. For example, did you know that he is called – he is referred to – in Scripture at least 5 times as Jesus’ ‘beloved disciple’, or ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’, the one who leaned on Jesus’ breast in the Upper Room?

All that to say, as our text, 1 John 1:1 – 4, makes clear – that John was a witness, an eye, ear, yes, even a hand witness to the life, the death, and, most of all, a witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As he indicates in our study text, “…the Word of Life” – that’s one of his characteristic titles for the Lord Jesus. Verses one and two, he says, “the Word of life was manifested [He appeared] and we have seen and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…”

John, the apostle – what do you know about him? What is there to find out about this man? He was a fisherman from Caperneum and he came to be – was called by Jesus to learn HOW to be a fisher-for-men. He was an eye-witness, and, I believe, therefore a credible source of information about the life of Jesus Christ. And, yes, as we stated, he is identified as Jesus’ beloved disciple. All of that paints all-in-all a favorable, if not rather rosy picture, of this man. But, did you know that there’s more? That there is more to learn about this son of Zebedee than what we have seen so far?

One of the things that makes me believe that what I hold in my hand, right here [the Bible] is not simply the product of the minds of men, a merely human document. But, rather a word – a revelation from God – an unveiling of His mind and His will, and yes, even of His viewpoint and insight into things as they really are. One of the things that I believe confirms that this is God’s Book, not man’s book, is that it is always so honest, so gut-level, so painfully, honest in it’s presentation of people as they really are!

Guess what? The same is true of the Apostle John – the same is true of the disciple whom Jesus loved… Mark 3:13 – 19. It is the record of Jesus calling to Himself 12 men, whom He “appointed… that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach and to minister in His name…” Take a look at the list there, next to Simon, the one we usually refer to as Peter, and James, his brother – notice who is listed third: John, James’ brother and Zebedee’s son. But then, take a little longer look. What else does the 17^th verse tell us about John and his brother James? Jesus calls them, He nicknames them “Boanerges” – the “Sons of Thunder”.

The “Sons of Thunder”. What could that title possibly mean? What does it tell us about John and his brother?

Well, hold your place there, and go with me to Luke 9:51 – 56:

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Why would Jesus nick-name a man named John – whose name, by the way, means “the Lord is gracious” – why would Jesus call him a “Son of Thunder’? “The Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them…” But John, and his brother James – it seems that, at least at that moment - they were intent on calling down fire from heaven to wipe the unbelievers off the map!

A vindictive – we might even say, a hateful spirit – is that the John you know anything about?

Then, there’s Mark 9:38 – 41. Talk about painfully-honest camera angles – take a look at this side of the beloved disciple.

Mark 9:38-41 – “Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

Do you see what’s going on here? It stings a little to think about it – John’s viewpoint was, “This fellow’s not following us, so therefore he’s in competition with us. So let’s set him straight, let’s tell him to join us or to keep his mouth shut.” But, what was Jesus’ viewpoint? “If he is not against us, he is on our side…!”

Vindictiveness, sectarianism – What was underneath these aspects of John’s life that we’d rather not know about? Mark 10:35 – 45 – Read it with me, if you would:

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Mark 10 – this passage, set off – book-ended – by Jesus’ third prediction of His death and resurrection and by His compassionate, servant-like ministry to a blind man named Bartimaeus – this passage marked off by these two other passages – what does it do? It tells us – it shows us in living color – what Jesus was all about: His passion, His mission and – and what John and his brother, and really, what all the rest of Jesus’ disciples were all about! He had come to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many, but they wanted only to be first in line!

Now fast forward the tape only about a week to John chapters 19 and 20, and keep in mind – don’t forget about our leading question: what is the biggest and best evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? John chapter 19 – the record of the crucifixion, suffering, and death of Jesus. We know where Jesus is – right where He said He would be – “lifted up” on a cross that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life – serving and giving His life as a ransom for many! We know where Jesus was, but where was John?

John 19:25-27 – “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

The beloved disciple – the one through whom we find out about Jesus’ tender regard for His mother, the one through whom we learn about the piercing of Jesus’ side and the blood and water that poured forth from the wound, the one through whom we heard Jesus’ triumphant shout, “It is finished”, where is he? Where is John at this crucial hour? He is at the cross, he is there next to his dying Master and Friends – end of the story? This one who had previously been driven by self-seeking ambition, watches his Friend lay down His life for others! This one who had been so filled with hate that he asked to call down fire from heaven – where is he? He is there, at the foot of One whose overwhelming love drove Him to die for His enemies! Is this the end of John’s story?

You know it – or, you should know it, my Loved Ones. Just as we marked last Lord’s day, the fact that Good Friday is not the end of Jesus’ ‘story’ – so this scene of death and grief is not the end of John’s story either! John chapters 20 and 21 – we don’t have time to read the entirety of both of these important chapters, but allow me to read these few verses:

John 20:1 – 10 – “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Where was John on Good Friday? He was at the foot of the cross. And, where was he on the first day of the week – Sunday morning? He and Peter were having a foot race to see who could get to Jesus’ tomb first. He was at the empty tomb - once again, I ask: “end of story?” No, listen, my friends – what we have at these two crucial events is the turning point, the life-changing moment in the man Jesus called “the disciple I love…”

We’re nearly out of time, so let me wrap it up this way, and come around once more to our leading question: what is the biggest and best evidence for Jesus’ resurrection? A stone rolled away? An empty tomb? Grave clothes left, but no body, no corpse found? No! The biggest, and I dare say, best evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus is a life – a life driven by vindictive zeal, a sectarian spirit, and even hatred – a self-centered life, changed 180 degrees, to a life passionately propelled by the fact that “I say Him – the Living One! My Lord, and my God!”

I’ve got a question for you to consider as we close. If you were arrested, for being a follower of Jesus, what would the evidence, the evidence of your life, determine as to whether you are guilty, or not guilty?

How do you know, how do I know that Jesus lives?

We know it, or should know it, and other ought to be able to see it – we know it because He lives, His life-altering, eternity changing, resurrection power LIVES within our hearts!

Peace in the Risen Christ

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Resurrection Morning Worship Service, April 4, 2010.

Joy, hope – and now, Resurrection word number three: peace. Peace. I pointed out in the early morning service that the word “Rejoice!” was the first word Jesus spoke to anyone, following His resurrection. He spoke it, as we discovered, to the women who came to the tomb to embalm His body! In this text, however, the Apostle John focuses his attention – switches on his 'microphone' to record a different word coming from Jesus' lips. A word He uttered at least 3 times – the word 'peace'. Now that word, 'peace' or 'Shalom' as the Jews would have said it, was the sort of their normal way of greeting each other. Kind of like our 'Hello.” But, here in these verses we read, there seems to be something more to Jesus' use of this word than simply a greeting. First of all, notice the element of fear at work in the hearts of Jesus' disciples. Verse 19 – they had fastened their door shut, they were afraid the Jewish leaders might come after them, seeing that the dead body of their prized prisoner was missing. The disciples were fearful, and they needed something, someONE to calm them. Jesus was that someone with the word they needed to hear – Shalom – “peace be to you!” The same someone, by the way, with the same simple, yet powerful word, as when they had been in the storm out on the Galilean Sea – 'Peace'. It's surely a timely word, a needed word, when you're afraid. But, the scene is different now, wouldn't you say? The One Who had been telling them all along about Calvary, and a tomb, and a rising from the dead – the One Who had let them in on all of this while ou in the boat – all of the things He had predicted and come true. Thus what He had said about Himself, about His identity must be true, too! But, what does all of this mean?

Peace... Writing several years later, what we know now as his first letter, the Apostle Peter explained it this way. He said that peace, soundness, wholeness, and the tranquility of heart that goes with all of that, is to be found, not in a greeting, but in a person. In a relationship with the Living One. 1 Peter 5:14 - “Peace to all of you, who are in Christ Jesus!”

In other words, peace - not simply the absence of conflict - but peace in this deepest and fullest of senses begins with what we might call a vertical dimension. It begins by being in a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Peace, do you know that peace?

Now, maybe you're wondering, “What does Jesus Christ have to do with my being at peace with God?” My friends, He has everything to do with it! Everything – the Apostle Paul declares in Ephesians 2:14, that Jesus IS our peace! And that is true – verse 16 – Paul says, because Jesus Christ has reconciled us, made peace with God for us, through His death on the Cross! In other words, Jesus Christ is not merely our peace Negotiator, He is our peace Offering. Or, as the Apostle John drives home in his first letter, Jesus' death on the cross, His propitiating death and cleansing, shed blood makes it impossible for us to have what we CANNOT have otherwise – fellowship with God!

Maybe you've never looked at it this way before, but listen, Jesus' words to the repentant thief - the one who, as he hung on a cross next to Jesus, asked Him to remember him when He entered into His kingdom – what did Jesus say to this man? Do you remember? He said, “Truly, assuredly, today you will be with Me in paradise...” How could Jesus make such a statement, such a promise? He could make a promise like that because He, the One hanging from the cross in the middle, came to make a way for repentant thieves, and humble prostitutes and brokenhearted liars and adulterers – and homosexuals – and, yes Jesus came to make a way for even church members – to be forgiven! He is our peace vertically! He is the One who endured God's righteous wrath and judgment against us and against our sins – upon Himself! He is our peace!

Oh, but there's more! I can't tell you how many times, as a minister I have had people tell me the sad and painful stories of their lives with their families – broken marriages due to jealousy and selfishness and infidelity; children abused, neglected, sometimes even abandoned all together; brothers and sisters at war with each other; long-held grudges and bitterness over past sins and failures - where's the peace in all of this? To put it bluntly, there isn't any – at least, not if He is absent!

I'm not sure why Jesus said, “Peace to you” each time He suddenly showed up in the disciples' midst those first few hours and days following His resurrection. Perhaps one reason was to bring some wholeness and even some tranquility to the disciples' relationships – who knows? Maybe these men in that brief period between Jesus' death and the confirmation that He really was alive again – who knows? Maybe they were blaming themselves – perhaps even blaming each other for the sad outcome of it all. But, then suddenly, unexpectedly He shows up among them and says, “Peace!”

Ever have any arguments under your roof? You say you had one on your way here this morning? Doesn't make for a very good mood with which to worship, does it? “Shalom,” Jesus says, “Peace to you!” You see, not only is Jesus our peace, our peace maker – our peace-making sacrifice – vertically, He also came – look at the direction toward which His arms were out stretched. Jesus also came to be our peace horizontally – on a person-to-person, husband-to-wife, parent-to-child, brother-to-sister, basis! Do you need His peace in this way, in your life? Many do. How about you?

Finally, maybe you're like everyone else in this room – you have 10 fingers and 10 toes, 2 eyes, 2 ears and one nose. But, what you don't have is what you yearn for the most: peace within, internal harmony, peace of mind. Did you notice the signboard message out on the lawn? There are two restaurants back over this way, they're advertising to provide you with that peace of mind. “Come on in, we'll show you a good time! Have a few cold ones, watch the Big Screen, sing along with the live band – we'll get you there!” That's quite a promise, if you asked me... Do you believe them? From what I can tell, a lot of folks do! But, do you?

Are you fearful? Fear has a powerful way of robbing one's peace, doesn't it? The disciples of Jesus were fearful – so afraid in fact, that they locked the doors. Oh, but Jesus, the Peace Makers, He didn't need a key! He could walk through walls! More to the point, He could breathe His Spirit of peace upon someone, and he or she would become willing to stare down even the fiercest enemy!

Do you have doubts? Questions? Uncertainties? Ever heard of Thomas, before – doubting Thomas? What was Jesus' initial exhortation to this fellow who as wavering between faith and un-belief? “Peace to you!” The word peace is a Resurrection word, too. Do you see it? Because doubters like Thomas, and like you and me, need it – need the certainty that the Living One offers, here (hands), here (side) and here (in the Bible).

Peace – Hope – Joy. 3 powerful Resurrection words found and summed up, not in anything Hank's or Hooter's offers, but in Jesus – in Jesus! But, why is that so? JOY – HOPE – PEACE. Those powerful Resurrection words are powerful – why? Because of these Good Friday words:

“Father, forgive them... for they know not what they do...” “Assuredly, this day you will be with Me in paradise...” “Eloi, Eloi, Laman Sabbachthani – My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” and, “It – is – finished!”

If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, let Jesus come into your heart.. If you want hope, living hope, certain hope, let Jesus come into your heart. If you want peace, true peace, lasting peace, let Jesus come into your heart...

All hope, all peace, all joy was gone – GONE! Until Easter's dawn. But we are free, FREE, because God's love found a way!

Psalm 30:4-5, 11-12 - “Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”