Actively Rejoicing in Christ

1 John 1:1-4

Rev. Juvenal Cervantes, Pastor
St. John’s United Church of Christ, Greeley, Colorado
August 22, 2021  

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 at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.

A mom texts, “Hi! Son, what do IDK, LY and TTYL mean?” He texts back, “I don’t know, love you and talk to you later.” The mom replies, “It’s OK, don’t worry about it. I’ll ask your sister. Love you too.”

Generational gaps do exist and some things are more clearly understood than others. We never have to struggle about what it means to be a true Christian. A true Christian know that Jesus is real, has fellowship with God and his family and rejoices in the Lord. Last week we reflected on the importance of believing that Jesus is real. Today we’ll talk about our need for fellowship and rejoicing.

2. A REAL CHRISTIAN APPRECIATES OUR FELLOWSHIP THROUGH JESUS.

In verse three John writes, “What we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

The word for fellowship is koinonia. Koinonia means sharing, intimate affection. It’s a relationship that goes deeper than friendship.

Every time I gather together with believers, I think about what a wonderful fellowship we have in Christ. This kind of fellowship doesn’t exist in a fraternity, sorority, country club or a civic club. You don’t find this kind of fellowship anywhere else on the face of the earth except the fellowship among Christian believers. This fellowship can be understood in two directions.

(1) WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FAMILY.

Someone said fellowship is just two fellows in the same ship. And together we’re all in the Lordship of Jesus. We have entered into him and were in it together now. Because we all share this Lordship together, we share fellowship as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Years ago, Bill Gaither wrote a great song entitled “The Family of God.” We all know the chorus, but let me share the first stanza with you. “You will notice we say ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ ‘round here. It’s because we’re a family, and these folks are so near. When one has a heartache; We all share the tears; And rejoice in each victory; in this family so dear. I’m so glad I’m a part of the Family of God. I’ve been washed in the fountain; cleansed by His blood; Joint heirs with Jesus; as we travel this sod; For I’m part of the family; the family of God.”

(2) WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON.

What does our fellowship with the Father represent? There is a horizontal koinonia we have among ourselves. We enjoy getting together with our Christian friends and enjoying fellowship.

But there is also a vertical relationship that we have with our Creator. God created you to have a loving relationship with Him. In James 2:23 the Bible says that “Abraham believed God—and it was credited to him as righteousness. And he was called a Friend of God.”

One of the most exciting truths you’ll ever discover is that God exists, and that He exists because He wants to be your friend. We will expand more on this idea in our next message.

3. A REAL CHRISTIAN ACTIVELY REJOICES IN JESUS.

The first key of the book is in the fourth verse where we read, “We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” The Christian life is characterized by joy. If you research the number of times where the Bible speaks of joy and rejoicing you’ll discover that there are 794 verses that speak of joy, rejoicing, or being of good cheer.

When Paul was chained in prison wondering every day if this would be his last day, he wrote these words, in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” When we’re sick, we don’t rejoice in our sickness, but we can still rejoice in the Lord.

When we’re discouraged, it would be odd to rejoice in our discouragement -but we can still rejoice in the Lord. Whatever tough situation you are in, you can still rejoice in the Lord. Let me remind you of three reasons we can rejoice.

(1) JOY IN OUR SALVATION

Joy is the birthright of a Christian. Salvation isn’t a religion to be endured, it is a relationship to be enjoyed.

Way back before email and social media, there was something called pen pals. It’s where two strangers would write snail mail letters to each other. During World War II many soldiers would write pen pals back in the states, and many marriages resulted from their correspondence. There were no phone calls or personal visits—they might exchange photos, but their only contact was by mail. But many of these couples fell in love without every seeing each other. You can imagine the joy when they would finally meet face to face.

That’s a little like the Christian life. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:8-9, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

One of my favorite songs that I sing at home and when I’m driving. “I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart. Down in my heart. Down in my heart. I’ve got the joy joy joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay!”

(2) JOY IN GOD’S WORD

Have you found that if you’re ever feeling worried or discouraged, that you can read the Word of God and your sadness is replaced with joy? The Bible says in Psalm 19:8: “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”

The best medicine you can take is the Word of God. The Bible says laughter IS the best medicine. If you’re feeling a little low, why don’t you try a dosage of Psalm 103. Side effects that may occur include a cheerful attitude, a positive outlook, an irresistible urge to smile, a brighter countenance, a sense of inner peace, a grateful heart, and reduced stress and worry. If these symptoms persist, talk to Dr. Jesus and He’ll double your dosage.

(3) JOY IN LEADING OTHERS TO CHRIST

Jesus said that there is joy in the presence of angels over one sinner who repents. What creates joy in Heaven should create joy in our hearts. Evangelism is just planning seeds of the Gospel.

And the more seeds we can plant, the greater the Harvest will be. Are you planting seeds of the Gospel?

The Bible says, in Psalm 126:5-6 “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”

I was studying the word “sheaves” this week and came across a story of a fellow minister. He said, “When I was a boy growing up in LA, we had a solar-powered clothes dryer. It was called a clothesline, and the sun dried the wet clothes. My mom worked as a nurse, so all three of us kids had chores. I can remember carrying a basket full of heavy, wet laundry to the clothesline. Then we’d take clothespins and hang them up. It was a lot more fun to bring them back in than to take them out. They were dry and light.

There’s a fresh smell to sheets that have been hanging out in the sun to dry. We even had a song at church about those sheets. So as I brought in the laundry I would sing, “Bringing in the sheets, bringing in the sheets. We shall come rejoicing bringing in the sheets.” Of course that song wasn’t about sheets. But that’s what it sounded like to me! The song was actually about bringing in the sheaves but I didn’t know at the time that sheaves were bundles of wheat.”

When we go out with a burdened heart- weeping for the lost, and plant lots of seeds, there will be a harvest and we will rejoice when we see how many people have come to Christ due to the seeds we sowed.

CONCLUSION

I heard a story of man named Charlie Green who recently died of COVID. Charlie was a prayer warrior and had a burden to see lost people saved. He belonged to the Gideons who have given away millions of Bibles. But Charlie had a unique way of planting seeds.

Whenever he got a letter that had a postage paid return envelope, even if he wasn’t buying the product, he would put Gospel tracts in there and mail it back. Whenever he paid all his bills, he would put a Gospel tract in with his check. His wife Brenda said he had been doing that for decades.

He planted tens of thousands of seeds. I can imagine the scene in Heaven recently. Some stranger walked up to Charlie and asked, “Are you Charles Green from Denver, Colorado?” Charlie said, “Yes.” That person said, “Mr. Green, I’m here because of you. I had a boring job receiving payments at the electric company. You always put a little booklet in there about Jesus. I kept those, and one night I was desperate to find a reason to live, and I remembered your little booklets. I took them out and read them. One of them was about steps to peace with God. I read the booklet and I prayed that prayer, and that’s why I’m here today. Thank you for the seed of the Word that you planted in my heart.” And I can almost hear Charlie shouting for joy in Heaven. Because Jesus said, “There will be joy in the presence of angels over one sinner who repented.”

A real Christian knows Jesus is real. A real Christian fellowships with God and with the Family. And a real Christian rejoices in the Lord.