Certain Eternity Part 7 – Joyful Unity
1 John 1:4 September 29, 2024
*Please note, there is no pdf download slideshow for this sermon.
Introduction
I think it’s a fair statement to say that in today’s politically charged, partisan-
aligned, presidential election environment that unity is not necessarily the primary
objective of the many politicians vying for office.
If the self-interested and self-promoting political landscape around the world
today gives you a bad taste, one need only look throughout history to see that
this is how world politics has always been – and it’s often been much worse. The
pursuit of unity is regularly shoved aside in favor of winning, being proven right,
hanging onto or taking power.
Betrayal, lies, and deception litter the history books as men and women have
done whatever was necessary to get their way. One of my favorite stories of
playing the political game is a familiar one to anyone who has seen the movie
Braveheart. While the movie took many liberties, the basic story was historically
accurate. In the late 1200s William Wallace lead a Scottish rebellion against the
English ruler, Edward I. William’s rebellion won several victories and gained
momentum. At the time, Robert the Bruce, was in the line of the Scottish crown,
but his family had many lands in England as well as Scotland and so he played
the game and remained loyal to the crown.
While the movie portrays Robert betraying William Wallace at the Battle of
Falkirk, history is less dramatic. Robert the Bruce chose not to support Wallace
and instead let Wallace fight alone. Robert still wanted the Scottish crown, but he
refused to unify with Wallace. Wallace of course was defeated at the Battle of
Falkirk and was later captured and executed…many Scotsmen lost their lives
fighting in the rebellions as Robert the Bruce put his own ambitions over the lives
of his countrymen. Rather than seeking unity, Robert the Bruce, like so many
others, prioritized personal ambition and power, and the people around him
suffered because of it.
What does this have to do with 1 John? Let’s read the first 4 verses and dive in.
Joy-Filled Unity
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 looked upon and have touched with our
hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have
seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the
Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we
proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our
fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing
these things so that our joy may be complete.”
Gnostic thought present in Ephesus (secret knowledge, flesh feasting/fasting),
led to breach of fellowship. Many scholars believe that a portion of the Ephesian
fellowship splintered off because of the lies they were believing; that the church
in Ephesus had broken unity because of the deception of these early gnostic
teachers.
John is now writing this letter not only to reinforce the truth of the gospel and the
supremacy of Jesus Christ, but also as a call to those who have been deceived,
that they might turn from the lies they have believed and return to the truth.
Unlike Robert the Bruce, John didn’t ignore the broken fellowship and the lack of
unity, he called it out and sought to invite those back in who had turned from the
truth.
V3 “so that you too may have fellowship with us” is a call to those who are now
outside of fellowship with the body, and more tragically, outside of fellowship with
the Father and the Son (v4).
o Niko taught us the intricacies and nuances of the Greek word for
“fellowship” last week, koinonia, we’re not going to rehash in depth. In
short, the early church shared life together and devoted themselves to one
another in a way that allowed for a deep unity and a stark contrast to the
world.
The critical thing for us to understand for this letter is that this
fellowship has now been broken in Ephesus and the unity has been
lost because of the deception of the enemy.
Remember that the false teachers in Ephesus were claiming that
salvation came not through faith in Jesus – in fact they said all kind of
lies about Jesus that John is correcting in this letter – but in the
acquisition of secret knowledge that they would, among other things,
be able to become their own gods.
Doesn’t that sound a lot like the original lie that the enemy told.
Genesis 3:4-5 “4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will
not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your
eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good
and evil.””
And the continual lies that the enemy tells today through
various false religions and cultural movements?
o How many of you know that the lies of the enemy are almost always
calculated to break fellowship either with God or with our fellow followers of
Jesus?
1 Peter 5:8-9 “8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the
devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9
Resist him, firm in your faith…”
Lions pick of f the week stragglers…leave the herd alone
John calls out these lies throughout this letter – he already started doing so in
this opening paragraph as we’ve been studying. But rather than condemning, at
the very beginning he extends the hand of fellowship to those who have been
deceived that they may repent and be restored household of faith and fellowship
with the Father and the Son and with their fellow believers.
How intentional do we pursue repentance and unity?
o Ephesians 4:1-3 “4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in
a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all
humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Notice the qualities we are called to in pursuing unity: humility,
gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, eagerness for
unity
There is no self-interest there, no allowing of others to suffer so we can get our
way. Instead, there is the intentional pursuit of unity and the peace with our
brothers and sisters.
This is so important that in verse 4 John says that this is one of the primary
reasons he is writing this entire letter…that the restoration of the fellowship of
believers may bring joy to them all.
o Again, Niko talked about the depths of Joy last week, so we’re not going to
rehash that.
But it is critical that we see how our joy – that inner contentment,
cheer, and peace that comes from knowing that we have right-
standing, that all is well, with the Lord – can be hijacked or sabotaged
when the lies of the enemy are allowed to break the unity of the body.
Notice that John says that he wants everyone’s joy (“our joy” refers to everyone’s
joy, John’s and his readers) to be “complete”
o “complete” (Gk. plēroō) literally means to fill something to the brim
o The implication from John is that we can have Joy when we trust in the
Lord…a deep and abiding joy that is produced by the Holy Spirit
But if we are in broken fellowship and have disunity, then our joy will
not be full and we will be lacking some measure of the joy we could
have if we could share it with our fellow brother and sister in the Lord.
o John 17:13, 20-21 “13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I
speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves…. 20
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me
through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in
me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe
that you have sent me.””
o The Lord wants our joy to be overflowing from us as we walk in fellowship
with the Father through faith in the Son and in fellowship with one another.
This is such a strong motivation, that John is writing his letter in part to see
the joy of his readers get filled up even more through a deeper unity in
Christ and a recovery of those who have wandered.
And as that joy fills to overflowing in the unity of the body, it will be
noticed by the watching world.
And praise God that He is patient and merciful and abounding in steadfast love.
That as John will write in a few verses, 1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.”
Conclusion
After William Wallace died, it is said that Robert the Bruce regretted not
supporting his fellow patriot. The movie Braveheart captures this is in the final
scene where it shows Robert the Bruce calling on the memory of Wallace and
leading a united army of Scotsmen against the English at the Battle of
Bannockburn, where, in June of 1314, the Scot’s won their freedom.
We cannot be like Robert the Bruce, and so many others, and prioritize our own
selfish gain over others – especially our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
We must seek to maintain the unity we have in the Spirit.
If there is broken fellowship, repent of any lies you are believing, humble yourself
and as far as it depends on you, seek to restore that fellowship with God or man.
Let us walk in the fullness of joy with our God and with our brothers and sisters;
that our joy may overflow and be contagious to the watching world; that they may
find truth, turn to Jesus in faith, have fellowship with the Father, and be
welcomed into the joy-filled, unified family of God.
Amen. Amen.