The Message of Life, Part 3

Thanks for listening to the latest message from Him We Proclaim. In this encouraging series, Pastor John walks us through the resurrection of Jesus, the reality of eternal life. The grace of baptism, and the unshakable assurance believers have in Christ. I hope you have your copy of Scriptures along. We'll be looking at passages like 1 Corinthians, Luke, 1 John, and more.

To get gospel-centered reminders of God's faithfulness, power, and grace toward His people. Whether you're seeking hope, clarity, or a deeper understanding of the gospel, these sermons are rich with biblical truth and comfort. Let's dive now into today's message called The Message of Life, Part 3.

Well, that scripture reading was quite a treat, wasn't it? I don't know about you guys, but I was ready to stand up and just give a nice big amen. That was powerful. Thank you so much. Mm-hmm.

Pentecost. What is Pentecost? Today is Pentecost. And I was in the back, and Lee's son walked in. He looked at me and says, Pastor John, why is it so red in here?

And I loved that. It was great. It's because it's Pentecost Sunday and it is quite red up here, isn't it? But it looks nice. I like it.

But Pentecost, what is Pentecost? We just heard the Holy Spirit descends upon his people. And It says, we hear. Did you catch that? We hear.

What didn't they hear? the gospel spoken to them and their languages. What what does that mean? What does that remind you of? Babel.

Right? Because what happened in Babel? God came in judgment. He confused languages. And because of that, man is separated.

Fellowship. It is Impossible. What happens at Pentecost? The Holy Spirit descends through the work of Christ. And he begins to Reinverse.

the curse of Babel. He begins to create A fellowship. because of what has happened through Christ. through his death, his burial, and his Resurrection. The Holy Spirit descends.

And this is what John is talking about in First John. He says that this message, this message that they have, this, this. Life giving message. What is it? It's Jesus who is back from the dead.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Could you imagine that? And he says, the voice that we heard was Jesus. The body that we saw, it was Jesus. Our eyes looked at him.

intently our hands Touched him. This crucified, resurrected body of Jesus. Isn't that powerful testimony? And he says, because of this. This proclamation of this body that we touched.

You see how powerful the gospel is? It's not just an idea, it's not a philosophy, it's not a concept. It's an historical event. That the Holy Spirit took and he came down at Pentecost. And he creates this fellowship.

John says, We have seen it, we have touched the gospel, we've touched the message of life. We have seen it. We have heard his voice. And he says, when we proclaim this. Fellowship is created.

Fellowship with each other in the church. Fellowship with God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Fellowship, what happens? Babel, Pentecost Sunday today, Babel is being reversed. The nations are coming together, unified.

Diverse but yet unified, one people of God by the power of the Holy Spirit through the risen Christ. That's what John is saying here. And John shows us That fellowship between God And man, and fellowship between us. It's my Lord. Isn't that just?

Amazing how this works together. This this old person It's gone. Adam crucified. My flesh crucified. Separation.

Isolation. Very Do you know how many people are afraid of God. And because of the resurrected Christ, you don't have to be afraid of him. You don't have to be like Adam. We heard your voice, and I was afraid, so I hid myself.

You can come out of hiding. You can come into fellowship with your Creator God the Father, with His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah. You don't have to dread God. You don't have to doubt. You don't have to distrust.

You don't have to be confused. Who is Jesus? I don't know. No, John says, and we're going to tell you who he is. He's the Messiah.

How don't we know that? Because he rose from the dead and we have seen him. We've touched him. We've heard him. We examined him closely.

It was him. We ate. Fish with him. He cooked us a breakfast. And John says in the 21st chapter of his gospel, this is how Jesus revealed himself.

How? In the story of going fishing. And because of that, he has, because of this great resurrection, because of the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Fellowship. Love.

Intimacy, trust, joy with each other and with God is brought back and restored again. Eden is inaugurated, and we're going to see today that Eden will be glorified, consummated in the future.

Now What is the purpose? Of all of that. that you just heard. Look at verse 4. In 1 John chapter 1.

John explains the purpose. why he wrote this Bladder. Look what he says. These things we write. And here's the purpose.

So that... Purpose. Our joy might be made. Complete. Joy.

Joy brought to completion. No, there's several. questions that we have to answer here. First, what does John mean when he says, Our joy. Second.

What does he what does it mean by these things, these things we write. What are these things? And third, what is the nature? This joy that John is talking about First, What is he What do you mean by this? Our joy.

My home. Lots of discussion has taken place by scholars over this text because they're different. They're the Not to get technical, they're different variants that you can read. All right? Both of the variants are about equal.

But it can sit like this. These things we write so that our joy might be made complete. And where it could say These things we write so that your joy might be made. Complete. What is John saying here?

Which variant? How are we supposed to understand this? Because both have good Good evidence, good textual evidence.

Well I think it's best to understand that John is speaking about it in inclusive joy. This is what he's talking about: mutual joy, inclusive joy. These things we write so that our joy, your joy, little children. The apostles' joy, our joy, your joy, my joy, our joy. Do you see that?

It's this inclusive joy, all of us together in this together. He says we write this so that all of our joy might be made Complete. Second. What what are these things?

Well, these things goes back to the first three verses. Which is what? Is the apostolic eyewitness proclamation of Jesus and his resurrection? That's what he's saying. He's saying.

We write to you what we proclaim to you. You see, what they proclaim is the resurrected Messiah. What they write is the resurrected Messiah. For the purpose. Look, of mutual rejoicing together.

And this fellowship created by The gospel.

Now. Third, what is the nature of this joy? This mutual rejoicing together. In the fellowship created by the gospel, what is this joy?

Well, to understand this joy, you have to go back to the context. John's writing what? To assure his children, his spiritual children. Oh. On their salvation in the aftermath of this this dramatic split.

that had occurred in the fellowship of these churches. Why? Church members left and disrupted the fellowship of the churches. They denied that Jesus is the Messiah. They have ruptured the fellowship in the church.

So, what happens? The result of this Is that John's little children are filled with doubt? Uncertainty. Anguish. Lack of assurance.

Now here's the point. Anytime there's a breach in fellowship with God or with each other, what is the result? A loss of joy. That's how it works in marriage. If you have a conflict in marriage, The fellowship is breached.

How much joy are you having at that point? This is what This is what John is talking about. John says, you've lost your joy. There's an increase of doubt. There's anguish.

There's sorrow. And John writes this letter for the purpose of listening, replacing his children's doubts. with assurance. Replacing They're burdens. With joy.

Who wants joy? Who wants joy and fellowship with God? Fellowship with each other. Fellowship in the church. Fellowship with your spouse, your children.

Everybody. I've never met anybody who says, well, I would just not like to have a fulfilling life. I would just like to live in doubt, uncertainty, anguish, and sorrow, and grief. And John says. little children.

I know you have doubts. I know you have fears. I know you have uncertainty. I know you have confusion. This is why I'm writing to let you know you don't have to have it.

You can have joy in this fellowship. This is the kind of life that Jesus rose from the dead to give you. And John says that he will have, he and the apostles will have joy. when they're little children in the faith. Come to enjoy fellowship with God and with each other.

Because of what is happen And these churches Look at third John verses three and four. Look what And look what John says there. Listen, he says more. I rejoiced greatly. You see that joy.

I rejoiced greatly. Why did the pastor John? of these churches rejoice greatly. He says, when the brothers came and testified to your truth. Just as you're living according to the truth.

Look at verse 4. I have no greater joy. than this than to hear my children are living according to the truth. Do you know what makes a pastor happy? Happy.

When his people are confessing the truth of the gospel. Living out in accordance to it. Not perfectly, because we all sin, that's what we have. Chapters 1 and 2 of 1 John. We'll come to that.

But listen, when you're confessing Christ, the happiest moments that I have. When people come to the church. And they look at me like a dare in the heten lights and go, I don't understand what you've been talking about. And I say, I understand that. That's okay.

Just keep coming, keep listening, because faith comes from hearing.

So just keep coming. Just listen, hear. Mitten Week, two weeks a year or sometimes eighteen months later. It all is all different. They come to me and they go.

Man. I get it now. I get the gospel now. I understand what you've been talking about. Boy, that's good news.

I'm like, yeah, it is, isn't it? And that's joy. That is the greatest joy a pastor can have, is for a person to awaken to the centrality of the gospel for their life and go, I see it's like a light bulb going on. It just goes off, and all of a sudden, you just. You just get it and you're like, yeah.

Welcome, you know. That's joy, and that's what John says here. I have no greater joy than this. To hear that my spiritual children who've been attacked by these Antichrists, who deny that Jesus is the Messiah. Who have stripped them of their assurance, who have created doubts and sorrow and anguish in their hearts.

I have no greater joy that they have not listened to them, but they have continued to proclaim and to confess this apostolic proclamation of the gospel. That's my greatest joy. Uh 2 John verse 12. Look what he says here. He says, though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink.

But I hope to come to you and speak face to face So that your joy, our joy, may be made. Bruh. Do you know why you come to church? That your joy each week can be made full. And if you don't come to church and leave here with joy.

Your church leadership has failed you. Why? Because the gospel is good news. I'm going to come back to that. And it fills the believer's heart with joy.

Joy in the fellowship created by the gospel. John says, I want to speak to you. Face to face. This was first century, and they had to write letters. Let's do 21st century.

I'm sick and tired of zooming, you guys. Yeah. I want to get off Zoom and just come face to face with you.

So that's joy. can be made full. He was their spiritual father in the truth. This apostolic proclamation of crucified, buried, resurrected Christ. And John expresses his joy in the success of this message of life that has come to his.

Mm. Little children. And certain joy, where does it come from? Where does it come from? I grew up in Catherine's side of the family for a long time, and a certain person used to say, You make the choice to rejoice.

You make the choice to rejoice. And if you wake up and. And you get on the wrong side of the bed, and you're not feeling joyful at that moment. You know, the last thing you want to hear is: you make the choice to rejoice. I don't want to rejoice.

Yeah. I want to be cranky this morning. Right. You made the choice. Where does joy come from?

How do you get it? John tells us here joy Comes from the fellowship which is produced by the proclamation. Uh The message Yeah. The gospel. Joy comes from, listen, what isn't message of life?

The resurrection. It's the hope of the gospel. It is the key to everything. The resurrection of Christ. That's where joy comes from.

Here, what we have, John showing us, is passenger and people rejoicing together. in the fellowship created by the gospel. Isn't that a beautiful picture? Isn't that a beautiful picture? That is what God has designed for us to enjoy.

This is Eden. This is how it's supposed to be. Fellowship that produces joy. all of it coming from the resurrection. Back John chapter sixteen.

Jesus says that In just a little while, guys. I'm not going to be with you. You're gonna have sorrow. But then, in a little while, you're going to see me again. He's talking about his resurrection.

And he says, then you'll have joy. And I tell you this so that your joy might be made full. No, put yourselves back. In John's shoes, Peter's shoes, the disciple's shoes. And they're thinking Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of Man, Daniel 7, he's going to conquer Rome.

We're going to ride into political victory and we're going to be the big dogs in the kingdom. And the Son of Man looks at you, the conquering man looks at you and says, Hey guys, I'm about to go away. Yeah. You could just see the disciples going, what is he talking about? Yeah.

And he says, and when I leave, you're going to have sorrow. They were huddled. On Pentecost, this little group of people, a hundred and twenty, in fear. Because they're thinking What's going to happen to us? And all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit comes.

And they're filled with the power of the Spirit and begin to proclaim this resurrected Christ. But when Jesus does appear to them in his post-resurrection appearances, they had sorrow. What do you think happened to them when they saw him? It says that they were disleaving with. Joy.

Have you ever just encountered something so remarkable that it fills you with so much joy? But you're going, but God night. This is this is incredible. That's disbelieving with joy. That's what happened.

And then they went from sorrow to joy. Why? Because Jesus is resurrected. That's the hope of the gospel. It creates what it proclaims.

It proclaims joy, but it doesn't just proclaim it. The gospel doesn't just proclaim joy. You've got to understand that. It proclaims, but it gives what it proclaims. It creates it.

And so this, this, this dramatic split that had occurred as a result of the Antichrist false teaching about Jesus resulted in John's little children being filled with doubt. about their salvation, what is the opposite of assurance? Doubt? Anxiety, uncertainty, fear, distrust, hesitancy, confusion. What does that result in?

A loss of joy. And then it increases sorrow, anguish. and burdens. On this Pentecost Sunday, we note that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. More of Joy.

Peace. Patience. kindness. gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Why?

Is joy a fruit of the Spirit? Listen carefully. Because the gospel is a ministry of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3, verse 8. That's what Paul could do.

calls the gospel the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the resurrected Jesus, when his resurrection is proclaimed. This This heart that is filled with this message of life. will be filled with joy. and it replaces doubt.

It replaces sorrow. It replaces anguish. It replaces fear. Tensiveness, uncertainty. Burdens.

Why? Because the term gospel signifies a joyful message. Good news. Listen to what the angel announced in Luke chapter 2, verses 10 through 11. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid.

You see, there's fear. D don't be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great. Joy. Amen.

Which won't be for all the people. Why? Because Babel is being reversed, it's for everybody. It's for all nations, all people groups. For today in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ, who is Messiah.

In 1 John chapter 1, verses 1 through 3, this message of life signifies what? The joyful news not of Christ's birth, but the joyful news of Christ's resurrection. He's manifested in the flesh to his disciples. The resurrection of Jesus is joyful news. Why?

Because without the resurrection, there's no good news. That's what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 14. If Christ, if Messiah has not been raised, then our preaching is vain. And your faith is also In vain. Listen carefully to this.

Throughout 1 John, we see the proclamation of the resurrection of Christ. is joyful news that assures the believer and creates joy in the heart. Listen to 1 John as I go through this with you. 1 John chapter 1, verse 7. This message of life.

Assures us that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. That creates fellowship, ship, you see. And if I'm cleansed from all sin, what do I have? I have joy. Man is a burden.

Sand is not fun to carry. Cleansing is fun to carry. It feels so good. You see, we're supposed to not just know the gospel, listen, we are supposed to. Feel it.

We're supposed to feel it. Why do you think God gave us emotions to Feel good news because when I feel good news, I feel good and I feel alive. The message of life assures us that God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all. unrighteousness. 1 John chapter 1 verse 9.

1 John 2, verses 1 through 2, the message of life assures us. The resurrection of Christ assures us that when we sin, we have an advocate with the Father. Say that with me: I have an advocate. I have an advocate when I sin. I have an advocate.

We have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Messiah who's righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins. I have no more wrath to fear ever again when I sin. None.

The resurrection of Jesus assures me of this truth. The message of life assures me that I have overcome the evil one, the devil. 1 John 2, verse 14. The message of life assures me that I will not perish with this world. Who is that?

The Antichrist who deny that Jesus is the Messiah. I'm not going to perish. I'm going to live forever. 1 John 2, verse 17. 1 John 2, verse 25, the message of life, the resurrection of Christ, assures me of God's promise to me.

What is his promise? This is the promise he himself made to us. Eternal life. The message of life assures us that we can have. Confidence and not shrink away from Christ in shame and his coming.

1 John 2, verse 28. The message of life assures us that the Father has bestowed upon us His great love so that we would be called the children of God and been adopted and made loved forever in His family. The message of life, the resurrection of Christ, assures us that when he appears, we will be like him. 1 John 3, verse 2. The message of life assures us of God's love for us.

How? Jesus laid down his life for us. 1 John 3, verse 16. The message of life assures us that God the Father loves us and has sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4, verse 10.

The message of life assures us that we can have, listen. Confidence in the day of judgment. 1 John chapter 4, verse 17. The message of life, the resurrection, assures us that God has given us eternal life, and this life is found in His Son. 1 John chapter 5, verse 11.

Is that not joyful news? Is that not life-giving news? Is that not comfort? Is that not assurance? Is that not confidence?

All that you just heard is the reversal. Uh life. Ace it. of Eden. This is how God creates fellowship between God and us, and between us.

And what is present? Joy is present whenever this gospel-created fellowship is experienced. We are to experience it. But Here's the reality of life in a fallen world. is that and we can lack assurance.

We can lack joy. We can instead be filled with doubts and sorrow and uncertainty and fears and anxieties and burdens of all kinds and just beaten weighed down by them. Listen to how this author describes the current Christian life. He says, we have so much to thank God for as Christians, don't we? He has given us The m wonderful gifts of forgiveness for all our sins.

Adoption into his family, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the certain hope of heaven. We shouldn't be full of joy. But It is not all joy for the Christian. And these last days. We're not in heaven yet.

And so the Christians experience things. One of frustration as well as joy. Paul writes in this, he says, As we ourselves have the first fruits of the Spirit grown inwardly. as we wait eagerly for the adoption of sons, the redemption of our bodies. We have received So much the first fruits of the Spirit.

Yet, we still live in this fallen world. And yet God has given to us His Spirit. Who belongs to the age to come? We can't have a taste of heaven on earth. We're about to taste it right here.

We can have a taste of heaven on earth. We can know something of its blessings already. But our salvation is far from the far From complete. Listen to that phrase. Our salvation is far from.

complete. Look at verse 4 of 1 John. John writes, These things We write so that our joy may be made Complete. This phrase, made complete, implies that John's desire has an eschatological, this future-looking dimension to it. that points to the future, to the new heavens, new earth.

John understands that the fellowship that we experience is no real. It's imperfect. Why? Because the church is filled with Antichrists. His churches were filled with Anti-Messiah people, people who denied that Jesus is the Messiah.

The result of that was the Disruption of the fellowship And it killed joy. Fault. Teaching kills joy. and disrupt fellowship. And so because fellowship isn't perfect, the experience of joy, this new creation, is not always perfect.

But listen carefully because the message of life assures us of God's promise of eternal life. 1 John chapter 2, verse 25. John is saying, we can be assured that our joy will come. Come to its fullness. Wholeness.

It'll be made complete. One day we will be. Failed. We have joy. Constantly.

Brought to Fullness of joy. John points us in 1 John 3, verse 2, to this future joy when he says Christ returns. Beloved, now we are the children of God. Right? Now, right now, we can rejoice in that.

Now. And he says, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. He says, but we know that's confidence, certainty. that when he appears we will be like him Because we will see him just as he is. First John chapter 4, verse 17.

John says, We can have confident in the day. Of judgment. You're saying why? Because the future appearing, the future coming of Christ is a joyful occasion for believers. I have heard people who grew up in Baptist churches tell me this story over and over and over.

They were taught that when Judgment Day comes and Jesus returns, there's going to be this big giant movie screen. Everything you've ever done is going to be. blast it up there so everybody can see it. That is ridiculous. Because Jesus is your propitiation.

Yeah. Jesus laid down his life for you. You heard the gospel earlier proclaimed to you. Jesus has risen from the dead, therefore you have life. The old is gone forever.

It's never coming back, never being resurrected again. It's dead, gone. Adam and you is dead. And so the reason for Jesus' coming to judge is a comfort to believers. Listen to this.

Listen to This great sixteenth century Reformation theologian. From his commentary on the Apostles' Creed, The main purpose of Christ coming to judge is the glorification of the church. The main purpose of Jesus coming for us is to glorify us, to make us look what John says. Like him. To make us like him.

If you'ren't like him, what do you think the byproduct is? Joy Fullness of joy, joy made complete. That means, what is the glorification? That means. When sin and death had been fully abolished, And the enemies of the kingdom of Christ have been assigned to eternal punishment by a just judgment.

And thus, all offenses and obstacles, listen, that held back the glory of the sons of God. have been removed. Isn't that great? God can appear in his saints. fully and perfectly glorious.

When he appears, we will see him. We will be like him. Christ makes this reason and purpose clear to us when he calls that day, Ephesians 4:30, the day. of redemption. That puts a smile in your face, doesn't it?

That's joy. You see, the gospel doesn't just announce joy, it puts it in you right now, and you smile. That's what it does. It changes you. And so, our present experience of joy in this fellowship is a foretaste.

of the ultimate experience of joy and the fellowship which comes in the appearing of Christ. As we finish, listen to the prophet Isaiah. who prophesied about this coming joyful day. When both God and his people rejoice together in this perfected fellowship, Isaiah says, For behold, I create new heavens and that new earth. And the former things.

will not be remembered. Or come to mind. See, people have asked me, well, John, do you think I'll have regrets? Do you think I'll have fear? Do you think I'll remember all of it?

No. You're going to be so completely. Overwhelmed with the fullness of joy, you can remember the old stuff. Isn't that great? The former things will not be remembered.

Or come to mind. None of it.

So be glad and rejoice forever. Yeah. and what I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem. I create this new heavens and new earth.

For rejoicing. and her people for gladness. God's people rejoicing together forever. But listen, it just keeps getting better. I will also rejoice.

God. Do you hear that God Himself, I also will rejoice in Jerusalem, and I'll be glad in my people? You know absurd. It's that simple song we used to sing. We got kind of tired of it.

David Crowder song: He Loves Us. Oh, how he loves us. But it is true. He will he will rejoice. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people.

And therefore, there is no longer being heard in her the voice of weeping. and the sound of crying. John says, these things, the resurrected Jesus. We proclaim to you, we write to you, so that you, so that.

So that our joy might come to fullness. Be complete. Amen. Amen. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you. We just... We are overwhelmed at this. Great good news. It's unbelievable.

And like the disciples were filled with disbelieving joy. And we're thankful. And we pray on this Pentecost Day, I pray, Holy Spirit, that. You would just come and fill your people with the fruit of your spirit joy. And I pray every person.

person here who comes to receive your sacrament, they can taste and see. That the Lord is good. And when they taste, when they see. When they eat, when they drink. When they hear The words of life.

From red to none. I pray, Holy Spirit, grant joy to everybody here. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. John Fawnville sends his thanks for listening today.

And before we wrap up, can I tell you about an encouraging book you might want to get soon? It's called Hope and Holiness: How the Gospel Enables and Empowers Sexual Purity. You're not alone if you've tried to conquer sexual temptations and tried all the methods available, only to find yourself feeling defeated again. This book may be just what you're looking for. With his shepherding heart, John shows that the gospel, not practical steps or more self-discipline, is God's provision for the power to live a life of sexual purity.

and it's available to every Christian. What I like is the book is available in three convenient ways. paperback, audiobook, or Kindle. The links are in our podcast descriptions or check out. Just search for Hope and Holiness by John Fonville on Amazon to get a copy for you, and it's a wonderful book to go through with a small group.

Him We Proclaim is a ministry of Paramount Church in Jacksonville, Florida. You can find us at paramountchurch.com. We'll talk again soon.