“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched, concerning the Word of life — the life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and announce to you that which we have seen and heard, that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things to you so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:1-4 MEV)
There is much, much to ponder in this passage. The first thing that should be obvious to us, is the fact that everything about the Apostle John was wrapped up in the message he had to share. He did not share something he just had thought about, or pondered for a while. He did not share something he did not thoroughly experience. Notice what all he included in that experience; his hearing, his seeing, his touch. He thoroughly experienced the Lord Jesus.
So often our learning is hear-say, or something we heard someone teach or preach, or our background, or some book we have read. The Apostle John had no such references. He was sharing what he had experienced as he walked and lived with Jesus for over three years of life – including the Lord’s death, burial, resurrection, ascension and the out-pouring the the Holy Spirit. He experienced it all and now that is what he is sharing.
The purpose of his sharing it with these folk (and now all of us) is so that through fellowship together in these matters, we might experience what he will experience — the completeness of joy.
I will write on fellowship and this complete joy in other posts to come. But it is sufficient for us to embrace John’s way of sharing. The expectation is that we would also hear, see and touch in such a way that the revelation of Jesus would be ever present and ever experiential in our daily living. Then what we share as we live in and among others would be the precious fullness of the person of Jesus.
John did not experience something that is not available to us now! We will discover more of that as we work on another day with “fellowship” – what it means and where it takes us, and then the matter of “complete Joy,” – again what it means and where it takes us in Him. It is enough to now understand that He is personally present to hear, see and touch. He has not gone away and left us to a book. He poured out the Beloved Holy Spirit to guide us into all such truth – so much so that we hear, see and touch Him and eternity as we dwell in Him.
Lord, open our hearts and spiritual eyes, so we can see what is very plain in the Spirit realm. Thank you for enabling and empowering us to be people of person, power and presence.
Mannaword 