1 John 1 From the pen of the Apostle John:
I just have to tell you what Jesus has done for me He can do for you.
Did you ever have such an amazing experience that you can’t stop telling everyone you meet all about it? You want them to join you in the joy you have, to experience the same emotions you have. That is the setting in this brief letter the Apostle John penned many years ago. He was overwhelmed with joy as he recalled his exposure to the love and life of Jesus.
But I digress…
In the last chapter of his first letter he tells us that it all came together on Resurrection Morning when all of life came to a standstill and then moved forward at “warp speed.” As he listened to Mary tell him that the tomb was empty and Jesus was nowhere to be found, he sat dumbfounded. How could that be? But, grabbing his cloak about him, he ran with Peter to the tomb. At first, he stood outside while Peter boldly went inside. Then John could not stand it anymore—he too stepped into the empty tomb. By his own words, he said “then I believed.” His Master Jesus had risen just as He had said. For the next 40 days, John walked and talked with the risen Christ. And as his joy grew he began to testify about Him to others. Some would reject his words but others would listen and believe just as He did and their joy would also be beyond comparison to anything they had ever experienced. The years passed and John would be the only disciple to not experience martyrdom because God had another purpose for him. We are reading the words and the fountain of joy that God gave him as he penned this letter we have in our possession.
As John writes this letter, his joy of those memories came flooding back. He said I am still, to this day, like a spring bubbling up and overflowing and I am so full of joy that I just can’t stop telling everyone that simple yet profound gospel message:
Jesus lived, died, and rose again so men’s sins would be forever forgiven.
But why did John want to share this? His reason was simple; men have been deceived to think that they are not sinners. Men try to explain bad habits away or say that they will try harder. They try to put another name on it but it sin is still sin and that is what God calls it. That is why you and I and the world needs the gospel message of Jesus.
As I sit here writing, I want to share with you what one hymn writer said: It is no secret; What He has done for others, He can do for you …He can and will transform your life— just as it did for John and for this author.
Just stop and think; the very Creator Jesus spoke the universe into existence yet He left that glory to tell us of God’s plan of redemption for our sin. He is the Light that can penetrate our soul and open our eyes to see our sin and our need for His forgiveness just like he did for John. It is because of that John is overflowing with the joy that salvation brings and he wants you to know it too.
