The Sweetest Fellowship This Side of Heaven

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: 1 John 1:1-41 John 1 speaks of our fellowship as Christians, which comes through the life that we have in Jesus Christ. In order to experience and enjoy the sweetest fellowship this side of Heaven, the Apostle John identifies three things we must know beyond any doubt.First, there is a fact established.“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life…” (1 John 1:1).Many false teachers and deceivers will claim Jesus was not a physical, literal, bodily human who walked the Earth, or that He was not who He said He was. But in 1 John 1:2, John confirms that Jesus is an eternal, physical, spiritual fact: “...the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…”Jesus was fully God, fully man, and apart from His humanity, we cannot be saved. And as a man, He depended upon the same power that we can depend upon: the Holy Spirit.Second, there is a fellowship experienced.“...that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).Fellowship means, “to hold things in common”; those of us who have experienced the saving grace of God have much in common. We have become partakers of the divine nature; not only do we have fellowship with God, but we must also have fellowship with one another. We have the same new nature, re-born from the same womb of grace.Finally, there is fullness enjoyed.“And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:4).There is no joy like the joy of knowing one another in the Lord Jesus Christ.Adrian Rogers says, “Happiness depends upon what happens, joy depends upon the Lord.”Happiness is at its fullest when it is mingled with joy, and that joy in the Lord is made full by our fellowship with one another.Apply it to your lifeAre you in sweet fellowship with other believers? Consider the fact of Jesus established in the Gospel, the fellowship experienced and the fullness enjoyed when in the presence of other believers.