God is LIGHT  

• 1^st – Seen and touched… vs. 1-4
  • 1^st – From the Beginning… vs. 1
    • That which was from the beginning…
      • BEGINNING [ἀρχή] – to be the FIRST or the ORIGIN…
      • WHO [not that] was in the BEGINNING – Jesus Christ!
      • John opens up this LETTER in almost the same way he opens his GOSPEL!
      • John 1:1 – “In the beginning [ἀρχή] was the Word… and the Word was God.”
    • Jesus is GOD…
      • As John is going to be writing all about who Jesus is – LIGHT – LOVE – LIFE…
      • He starts by telling us that Jesus was there in the BEGINNING of the world – Genesis 1:1
      • Not that He was created in the beginning – Jesus is God – who CREATED everything!
      • God SAID – the WORD of God – and the world was CREATED – Genesis 1:3
      • Colossians 1:16 – “By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth.”
      • Hebrews 1:2 – “Through whom also He made the worlds.”
      • John 1:3 – “Jesus created everything there is. Nothing exists that he did not make.”
      • There is great diversity within the Body of Christ – I Corinthians 12:27
      • And we can agree to disagree and a VAST collection of non-essentials…
      • But the DEITY OF Jesus – is the RED line that cannot be crossed!
  • 2^nd – Word of life… vs. 1
    • Which we have heard – which we have seen with our eyes!
      • WHOM [not which] we have HEARD [perfect] and SEEN [perfect]
      • When John HEARD and SAW Jesus – it left a permanent [perfect] impression on him…
      • It was not just John – WE – there were others with him [up to 500] – I Corinthians 15:6
      • The question is WHAT did they SEE  – that was so POWERFUL!
    • Which we have looked upon!
      • LOOKED [θεάομαι] – to LEARN by seeing something new…
      • Acts 1:11 – “Jesus… will come in like manner as you saw [θεάομαι] Him go into heaven.”
      • John – LOOKED – as Jesus was taken up into heaven…
      • Erasing ANY doubt as to who He was – He was God returning to His throne!
    • And our hands have handled!
      • HANDLED [ψηλαφάω] – to touch or feel
      • Luke 24:39 – “Behold My hands and My feet… Handle [ψηλαφάω] Me and see…”
      • John – TOUCHED – the risen Christ after He had been THREE days in the tomb…
      • Erasing ANY doubt that He was physically resurrected from the dead!
      • John was NOT talking about – something that happened to someone else…
      • He was giving his PERSONAL firsthand account of what he had experienced!
      • If I told you I HEARD that there was a good restaurant in Bacolod – you might go…
      • But if I told you I had just BEEN – and experienced the most amazing food – you WOULD go!
      • If we just talk about Jesus in terms of other peoples experiences – not very powerful…
      • It is when we PERSONALLY experience the Lord – people are going to LISTEN!
    • Concerning the Word of life!
      • What John SAW – TOUCHED – HEARD – convinced him that Jesus was the WORD…
      • WORD [λόγος] – the beautiful name John uses for Jesus…
      • The WORD – our BIBLE – is the instructions from God on how to have LIFE…
      • The WORD – our BIBLE – is all about one PERSON – Jesus – making Him the WORD of LIFE!
      • You may have noticed we talk a LOT about Jesus – EVERY Bible study…
      • That is because the WHOLE Bible revolves around ONE person – Jesus Christ!
      • Hebrews 10:7 – “The volume of the book [βιβλίον] it is written of Me.”
  • 3^rd – Declared to you… vs. 2
    • The life was manifested – and we have seen – and bear witness!
      • MANIFEST [φανερόω] – to reveal something that was previously hidden…
      • WITNESS [μαρτυρέω] – someone who has experienced something personally
      • John uses TWO more words to EMPHASIZE his firsthand encounter with Jesus!
    • And declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us!
      • DECLARE [ἀπαγγέλλω] – to be a MESSENGER [ἄγγελος] from God…
      • The MESSAGE – Jesus who is ETERNAL life – came down to die for our sins – the GOSPEL…
      • John did not just SEE and HEAR – he was always [present] TELLING others what he saw!
      • The work God does in our life – is not just for us – it is for others to hear as well…
      • We might be nervous about sharing our faith with others…
      • We think we need to have all the answers to all the questions…
      • But it is God who speaks through us the words that are needed – Matthew 10:19
      • All we need to do is be willing to open our mouths – and share Jesus!
      • Acts 8:35 – “Then Philip opened his mouth…”
  • 4^th – Brings Fellowship… vs. 3
    • Which we have seen and heard we declare to you – that you also may have fellowship with us!
      • The REASON why John DECLARED [ἀπαγγέλλω] the Gospel…
      • FELLOWSHIP [κοινωνία] – to have a connection or friendship – TWO ways…
      • FIRST – we have a CONNECTION to other believers!
      • The relationships we have in church – can be even closer than FAMILY…
      • Perhaps you have noticed – brothers and sisters in the Lord are our closest friends…
      • The bond we have in Jesus – the LOVE of Jesus – make us part of the FAMILY of God!
    • And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ!
      • SECOND – we have a CONNECTION to the FATHER and JESUS…
      • Because through the GOSPEL – we have been given access to the throne of God!
      • Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace…”
      • If I am busy studying – my door is closed – and my phone is off…
      • But Hallel knows she can ALWAYS burst through the door any times she wants!
      • God is NEVER too busy – He is always available and wants to spend time with us…
      • No matter the question – no matter the time of day – we can bust into the throne room…
      • And we can find GRACE – because we have FELLOWSHIP with the Father and Son!
  • 5^th – Full of Joy… vs. 4
    • These things we write to you that your joy may be full!
    • The FIRST of the TEN reasons why John wrote this LETTER…
    • He was HOPING [subjunctive] that we might be FULL of JOY…
    • JOY [χαρά] – from the same root as GRACE [χάρις]
    • The only way to have JOY – is to receive the GRACE that comes from Jesus…
    • Because apart from Him – there is only fearful JUDGMENT – Hebrews 10:31
    • But when we have GRACE – we are FORGIVEN – and that FILLS us great JOY!

• 2^nd – The LIGHT… vs. 5-6
  • 1^st – God is LIGHT… vs. 5
    • 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!
    • John did not just SEE and TOUCH – he also HEARD a message…
    • MESSAGE [ἐπαγγελία] 53x in NT – every other time translated as a PROMISE…
    • The PROMISE John declared – was a CONTRAST between LIGHT and DARKNESS…
    • LIGHT – is a representation of all that is GOOD – God is LIGHT [good]
    • DARKNESS – is a representation of all that is EVIL – there is NO darkness [evil] in God!
    • According to SCIENCE – DARKNESS does not exist – you cannot measure DARKNESS…
    • DARKNESS – by definition – is simply the ABSENCE of LIGHT!
    • By way of application this answers a powerful question – why is there EVIL…
    • There is no questioning that there is EVIL – it is all around us…
    • But EVIL was not created by God – it is the complete ABSENCE of God…
    • But just as when you turn on a LIGHT – DARKNESS has no choice but to leave…
    • The moment you bring JESUS into any equation – EVIL likewise has to FLEE!
  • 2^nd – Response to the LIGHT…
    • Having told us he had SEEN – TOUCHED – and HEARD the LIGHT…
    • John is going to go on to give us FIVE possible responses [IF] to the LIGHT…
    • They are broken up into TWO categories – POSITIVE and NEGATIVE…
    • John will go back and forth between the TWO – as he looks at how we REACT to the LIGHT!

• 3^rd – Response to the LIGHT… vs.  7-10
  • 1^st – Evidence of LIGHT… vs. 6
    • If we say that we have fellowship with Him – and walk in darkness!
      • FIRST – we could have a NEGATIVE response:
      • It is EASY to SAY [subjunctive] we are in the LIGHT – but what is the EVIDENCE…
      • What do we DO – if we WALK [present] in DARKNESS – then we are NOT in the LIGHT!
      • It is NOT about our WORDS – it is about our ACTIONS!
      • If we SAY we are Christians – but still ACT like the world around us – where is the LIGHT…
      • Our lives after we BELIEVE in Jesus should be DIFFERENT…
      • Do we live in DARKNESS – ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives…
      • If we are wondering where our WALK with the Lord is – we should EXAMINE ourselves!
      • II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves – that Jesus Christ is in you.”
    • We lie and do not practice the truth!
      • Those who LIVE like the WORLD – but THINK they are saved – are LYING to themselves…
      • They are NOT in the LIGHT – because they do not PRACTICE the TRUTH!
      • Too often we make EXCUSES for our SIN – but we only FOOL ourselves…
      • The ONLY way we can be FORGIVEN – is to stop LYING to ourselves…
      • The FIRST step to being BLESSED in life – is to ADMIT we need HELP…
      • When we come to the LORD is HUMILITY – He responds with GRACE!
      • I Peter 5:5 – “God resists the proud – but gives grace to the humble.”
  • 2^nd – Walk in the LIGHT… vs. 7
    • But if we walk in the light as He is in the light – we have fellowship with one another!
      • SECOND – we could have a POSITIVE response:
    • We can RESPOND to the LIGHT – by letting it REVEAL our SIN…
    • If [subjunctive] we are WALKING with Jesus – who is the LIGHT – John 8:12
    • Then we will be in FELLOWSHIP – have friendship with Jesus!

• When we first get up in the morning – we might think we look pretty good…
• But when we turn on the LIGHT – get closer to a MIRROR – lots of imperfections!
• As we walk with Jesus – walk in the LIGHT – we can see clearly…
• The closer we get to Jesus – we get to SEE just how much of a sinner we are…
• Diving us to hold all that much tighter to Jesus – crying out for His GRACE!

• And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin!
• The RESULT will be – His BLOOD will CLEANSE [purge] us from ALL of our SIN!
  • Victory over sin in our life – is a direct result of our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus…
  • The more TIME we spend with the Lord – the more we find we OVERCOME our sin…
  • Jesus changes our desires – so we do not want to do the things that are wrong…
  • Instead we will want to do those things that please the Lord!
• The LIGHT shows us how to WALK…
  • How do we know what God has called us to do – He LIGHTS the way for us…
  • We go to the WORD – His LIGHT for our path – so we can see how to WALK!
  • Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Admit we NEED Jesus – and be filled with JOY – as we are FORGIVEN of all our SINS!

3^rd – Avoiding the LIGHT… vs. 8

If we say that we have no sin!

THIRD – we could go back to a NEGATIVE response:

We can RESPOND to the LIGHT – by JUSTIFYING our SIN…

If [subjunctive] we are SAY we are NOT [present] sinning…

Not that we DENY we are SINNERS – we just think we can take care of it on our own!

We deceive ourselves – and the truth is not in us!

We are DECEIVED [πλανάω] – where we get the word PLANET – the WORLD…

We are AVOIDING the LIGHT – because we do not want to admit we are still in DARKNESS!

People try all kinds of things to find VICTORY over their sin…

Some think they can change their HEARTS – but our heart is WICKED – Jeremiah 17:9

Some think they have the strength to CONTROL sin – but we are WEAK – Matthew 26:41

Some think they can LOOK for answers in others – but we are BLIND – John 9:39

They are only LYING to themselves – they are in DARKNESS!

4^th – Confess to the LIGHT… vs. 9

If we confess our sins!

FOURTH – we could have the best POSITIVE response:

We can RESPOND to the LIGHT – by CONFESSING our SIN…

If [subjunctive] we are WALKING in the LIGHT – and as a RESULT see our SIN…

The CURE for SIN is as easy as CONFESSING it to the Lord…

CONFESS [ὁμολογέω] – to say the same thing – or to agree…

God says we are NOT good – we are lost SINNERS – Romans 3:23

CONFESSING is AGREEING with God we are in DARKNESS – and need HELP!

I do not have a LOT of hair – most of it has abandoned me…

But I can recall when I was a younger man – being in DENIAL…

I would comb my hair a certain way – I would wear a hat so you could no see it…

But the PROBLEM with DENIAL – until you admit there is problem – there is no SOLUTION!

In order for God to CHANGE us – we have to ADMIT we need to be CHANGED!

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins – and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!

FAITHFUL [πιστός] – the adjective form of the noun – FAITH [πίστις]

JUST [δίκαιος] – someone who follows the LAW…

The LAW say there has to be a PRICE paid for SIN – and the price is death – Hebrews 9:22

Therefore God was JUST – and paid the PRICE for us – by DYING on the cross…

So we could be FORGIVEN [ἀφίημι] – to send away – or to remove a DEBT!

Psalm 103:12 – “He REMOVED our SINS as far from us as the east is from the west.”

I love that it is the EAST from the WEST – and not the NORTH from the SOUTH…

Because if you go SOUTH – you will eventually go NORTH – and vice versa…

But if you go EAST – you will NEVER go west – and vice versa…

Meaning God sent our sins one way and us the other – NEVER to meet again!

We are sinners – we have made countless mistakes – but we have NO DEBT… 

When God looks down on us – He does NOT see our MISTAKES…

He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as PERFECT!

Hebrews 10:17 – “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

5^th – DENYING the LIGHT… vs. 10

If we say that we have not sinned!

FIFTH – we could have a final – devastating – NEGATIVE response:

We can RESPOND to the LIGHT – by DENYING our SIN…

If [subjunctive] we SAY we have NEVER [perfect] sinned…

The suggestion is someone will ARGUE – there is NO sin!

Did you ever WONDER why people are SO determined to DENY God today…

People have come up with elaborate ideas like EVOLUTION – to deny God exists…

The reason is because if there is no LIGHT – then there is no DARKNESS…

People want to ERASE the standard – so they can deny their SIN!

People will try to convince themselves they are GOOD…

They try and JUSTIFY their lifestyle – EVERYONE is doing it…

They may even pass LAWS – to try and normalize SIN!

We make Him a liar – and His word is not in us!

To SAY there is no SIN – is to call God a LIAR – Romans 3:4

But the TRUTH is – if we DENY there is SIN – it is because Jesus [λόγος] is not in us…

We DENY the LIGHT – because we LOVE the DARKNESS!

John 3:19 – “This is the condemnation – that the LIGHT has come into the world – and men loved [ἀγαπάω] DARKNESS rather than LIGHT – because their deeds were EVIL.”

Like a LIGHT shining in the DARKNESS – Jesus reveals the SIN of the world…

Therefore the world hates Jesus because He convicts the world of their SIN…

If it were not for Jesus men could do whatever they wanted without consequence!

Because men LOVE [ἀγαπάω] sin they hate the LIGHT that reveals it…

They do not want to stop SINNING – they do not want to come into the LIGHT…

They would rather have their SIN – than eternal life with God in Heaven!

LOOKING at the options – lets come out of the DARKNESS – and WALK in the LIGHT