FELLOWSHIP

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

IF YOU LIKE THIS POST PLEASE FOLLOW US, SHARE WITH OTHERS AND PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS AND GIVE US A LIKE.

Translate this site into your preferred language, look for our Google translator in our home page: diningwithjesus.net

Traduce este sitio en tu idioma preferido, busca nuestro traductor de Google en nuestra página de inicio ve a: diningwithjesus.net

Let’s work through the New Testament book of 1 John. 

First John

This is a special letter that was sent out to all the churches known to be under the influence of the Apostle John and is therefore called a “general epistle” in biblical studies parlance. 

The opening of the letter to the church at large begins with a statement as to the authority of the author to speak to the truth of the Gospel as it was given by Christ. This opening section also points to the purpose of the letter, which can be heard in the passage that follows:

1 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.

(1 John 1:1-4 NIV11)

One Thought

In English, this passage is broken into five sentences, each of which conveys one big idea. This is normal in English and makes big ideas easier to comprehend. However, in the language of the day (Koine Greek) in which this letter was written, this entire passage was presented to the reader as one big sentence, one big idea.  

It is important to see that because in this one big idea, we need to see the one big idea. To help with that, we can work through the passage part by part and hear the heart of this letter as well as the heart of this introduction. 

Verses 1-2

In verses one and two we hear the voice of the Apostle John speaking to the church about his authority to speak about the life, the teaching, the person, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. John and some of his compatriots were with Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry and this is reflected in the opening lines of this introduction. 

Purpose

This experience with the person of Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which the Apostle John based the point of this entire letter. We can hear this purpose in verse three as John makes it clear that the reason for speaking to the person and work of Jesus Christ is so that others might join with the church in fellowship. 

Fellowship

This idea of, “fellowship” is worth diving into. The Greek word for this idea of fellowship is that of, “κοινωνία – Koinonia.” This is a joining together of two people, two ideas, two entities into a unified partnership. This is more than a social bond, it is a family like unity that takes two separate people and joins them together in a shared purpose and mission. 

A good example of this kind of fellowship can be heard from the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:6, “Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.”

The sharing between the teacher and student is one that creates a bond that feeds both. This is the idea of fellowship that is being presented in the letter of 1 John 1:1-4. The people of the church are to be bonded to one another in the same way that the Father and Son are bonded to one another. 

John

John wants his readers to be unified to Christ, unified with one another, and unified with the truth of the Gospel. This kind of fellowship is the goal of the entire letter. We will see more of this as read on later. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN

Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

Copyright © 2024 Ryan Laden – All Rights Reserved.