Heard, Seen, touched

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. 2 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. 3 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. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
 
CAN you testify you have seen, heard and touched Jesus? That’s how the apostle John begins this letter, which many consider a sermon. As Peter, he was one of the 12 apostles. The gospel John  and 1, 2 and 3 John are John’s affirmations of Jesus as the Living Son of God. John wrote these about 85-90 AD from Ephesus before he was exiled to Patmos. Patmos was where he received the vision recorded as The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
   John begins this letter in a similar fashion to his gospel. He first refers to Jesus, not by name, but by his eternal essence: That which was from the beginning we…have heard… have seen…have looked. And our hands have touched. In the Greek language, “that which” meant “all inclusive”. The apostles continually testified to their personal experience with Jesus. They had heard him speak. They had seen him for three years. They had looked upon his humanity, miracles, empty tomb, resurrection and ascension. They had touched him even after his resurrection. That’s why they could truthfully testify to it and proclaim the life appeared was with the Father and has appeared to us. John is very purposeful in all of his writings to connect Jesus with the Father in heaven.
   The physical, historic evidence of Jesus as a man and Jesus as the Son of God is fundamental to the church. When John wrote this, he church had been through 50 years of challenges and false teaching that denied this truth. Persecutions had also tried to destroy this truth. John countered these lies to help us know Jesus is the Word of life.
   This knowledge leads to the fellowship of believers. Fellowship is much more than being together. The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia. It refers to spiritual and eternal life. Faith in the the Word of life connects people spiritually and eternally with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.   
   God’s law also required fellowship offerings as a remembrance of peace between the Jews and God. As the Jews in the Exodus journey obediently responded to God’s commands, they were at peace with the eternal God. To be at peace spiritually and eternally with God requires obedient faith in that which is the Word of life.
   John is passionate and hopeful for the church. After 50 years of responding to the challenges and the triumphs of a devoted apostle of the Lord, John’s greatest joy is the true fellowship of the church with the Lord Jesus Christ. What else matters?
   So then, what is your testimony? Are you in fellowship with God and with his church?