Christmas: The Life was Made Manifest
1 John 1:1-4
Christmas is a wonderful time of year. But it’s also quite a production. On average each person spends $800 on gifts, decorations, and cards. 2 billion Christmas cards will be written, stamped, mailed. 30 million Christmas trees will be sold.
But you can do all that – presents and cards and trees – and miss the point of Christmas.
This morning I want us to listen to someone who has personally met the meaning of Christmas. I want us to learn from him about what Christmas is all about.
Let’s turn to 1 John 1. If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we will bring one to you. 1 John is on page 1021 in the Bibles we are passing out.
1 John is a letter written by John, a fisherman whose life was transformed when he met Jesus. And this letter is all about his discovery of life. He discovered that there’s more to life than breathing and eating and working. You can do all those and not experience real life. And he writes this letter to tell us about this life.
But before we look at what John says – think about yourself. Where do you seek life? What do you pursue to get energized, feel passion, or feel fulfilled?
Last week Justin Henson sent me a fascinating article written by Eric Weiner called “Man Seeks God.” In it he describes his search for life. Listen to what he says – and see if you can relate –
“The 17th-century French philosopher Blaise Pascal coined the term “God-shaped hole” to describe the yawning void that is the human condition.
“Over the years I’ve attempted to fill my God-shaped hole with all manner of stuff: food, sex, bags, success, more food, travel, drugs, books, more food, leather-bound notebooks, red zinfandels, Cuban cigars, yet more good food, pretentious foreign films, and once, briefly and ill-advisedly, a concoction of Guinness and Jack Daniel’s imbibed through a plastic funnel. “None of this has worked.” (Eric Weiner, “Man Seeks God,” US Airways Magazine.)
Notice -- he describes the human condition as a yawning void. We are all looking for something to fill that yawning void – something to give us life. But nothing he pursued filled that void. Nothing gave him life.
But here in 1 John 1:1-4 John tells us that he has found life. He has found something that fills his yawning void. Look at what he says --
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
So what life is John talking about? That’s John’s point in this letter. But he gives us enough clues in these verses to figure out exactly what this life is.
First, John says this life was from the beginning. That’s in the first words of v.1 –
That which was from the beginning.
So this life which satisfies our yawning void existed before the Civil War -- before the
Then second, I noticed that this life is eternal. You can see that in v.2 --
… the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life,
This life is eternal. Careers end. Movies stop. Death brings an end to everything in this life. But the life John is talking about is eternal -- it will never, ever end.
So this life that fills our yawning void was from the beginning, it is eternal – but what is it? John gives us a huge clue in v.2 --
the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father …
So the life that fills our yawning void was with the Father from eternity past. So who or what has been with God the Father from eternity past? If you have read John’s Gospel you know the answer – it’s God the Son – Jesus Christ.
To show you that’s what John means turn to 1 John 5:12 --
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
So the life that will fill your yawning void is Jesus Christ the Son of God.
But how can we know this life is real? You might think it’s because John just believed. He didn’t need any evidence -- he just had blind faith. Lots of people think the Bible says faith should not need any evidence.
But that’s not what the Bible teaches. That’s not what John says. Here John tells us how he can be sure Jesus is real – and that the life found in Jesus is real. Look at v.2 --
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
When something is “made manifest” it’s made real to us, made visible to us, made tangible to us. So when did God do that? To answer that turn to what John writes in his Gospel – John 1 (p.886).
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus, our life, who Himself was fully God and who had always been with God the Father – became flesh and dwelt among us. That happened 2,000 years ago in a little village outside
Now with that picture in mind – turn back to 1 John. How did John know this life found in Jesus was real? Not because he took a blind leap of faith. But because this life was born as a baby, grew up to be a man, and John heard him, saw him, and touched him.
That’s what he says in v.1 –
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
John heard this life with his own ears. John heard Jesus teach truths that filled his soul with peace and made his heart leap for joy.
John saw this life with his own eyes. John saw Jesus heal blind Bartimaeus and calm the gale-force winds and waves and raise Lazarus from the dead.
John touched this life with his own hands. After his resurrection Jesus said to John and all the disciples – “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see” (Luke 24:39).
Lots of people have opinions about what life is really all about. It’s like there’s a curtain, and behind it is real life, and all of us are out here with opinions about what’s behind the curtain. Some say that life is all about The Buddha, others that it’s about the unity of all things, others that it’s about Krishna, others that there’s nothing behind the curtain – that this is all there is.
But here’s the good news. We don’t need to rely on other people’s opinions. Because God has opened the curtain. In the birth of Jesus God has opened the curtain so we can see, hear, and touch that which is really life.
That’s what happened to John. John heard, saw, and touched. And then John turned from whatever else he had been trusting to fill the yawning void – and turned to trust Jesus to fill the yawning void. And for the first time John tasted the life that God had for Him – the life of knowing Jesus Christ.
That’s how we can know that this life found in Jesus is real.
So what does it mean to have this life? Look at how John describes it in v.3 –
… that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
This life is all about fellowship. The word “fellowship” means sharing in something, experiencing something, personally knowing something. So this life is all about sharing together in having fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus.
See, lots of people think Christianity is just agreeing to the truth about God the Father and Jesus the Son. That’s crucial. But Christianity is much more – it’s experiencing the presence of God the Father and Jesus the Son. Big difference.
Here’s a jar of honey. You all agree to the truth about this honey – that it’s sweet, that it’s locally produced, that it’s clover-based. You believe the truth – but you aren’t experiencing the presence of this honey.
Here’s experiencing the presence of honey – mmmm. That’s fellowshipping with honey. And then when others experience the presence of honey – we can fellowship with them in our common fellowship with honey – mmmm.
So the life that fills our yawning void is not just agreeing to truths about God the Father and Jesus the Son. It’s actually knowing, experiencing, fellowshipping with God the Father and Jesus the Son.
So why does John tell us about this life? John gives us two reasons.
First, because he wants us to experience this life. You can see that in v.3 –
that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
You might think that the only people who can experience this life are those who personally heard, saw, and touched Jesus. Not so. Jesus Himself taught that when He ascended to heaven He would pour out the Holy Spirit – and the job of the Holy Spirit is to make God the Father and Jesus the Son real to us – honey-tastingly-real.
So who can enjoy this life? Everyone reading his letter. John proclaims to us what he has seen and heard in Jesus – so we may have fellowship with him – in the fellowship he has with the Father and the Son.
So – you can experience this. How?
First, confess your sin to Jesus. Sin means seeking other things to fill the yawning void – that’s what’s behind pride and lust and greed and unforgiveness. That’s sin. And God is just – and so every sin must be punished. But there’s good news. On the Cross Jesus was punished in our place for our sins. So if you will confess your sins, and ask Jesus to forgive you and change you, He will.
And then second, trust Jesus as your Void-filling Treasure. Trust Him as your life. Seek Him in prayer. Meet Him in the Word of God. Pursue His presence by obeying Him. Confess your sin when you disobey Him. Trust and follow Him as your void-filling Treasure.
When you do that – you will have this life.
So that’s the first reason John tells us about this life. But there’s a second reason – because he wants to increase his experience of this life. That’s in v.4 –
And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
My dad likes to quote a Swedish proverb – a shared joy is a doubled joy. That’s how the life of fellowship with God the Father and Jesus the Son works.
When you feel and experience and know God the Father and Jesus the Son – you will be so filled that you will want to share it with others – because sharing it with others will increase your joy. So John knew that as he drew us in to fellowship with him in the fellowship he has with the Father and the Son -- his joy would be increased and completed.
So being a follower of Jesus means being so filled with the life of Jesus that everywhere we go and everyone we meet – we share our joy – we seek to bring others into the fellowship we have with the Father and the Son – for their good and our joy.
So do that this Christmas season. In your families. At your workplace. In your neighborhood. Everywhere you go and everyone you meet – share your joy – bring them into your fellowship with God the Father and Jesus the Son – for their good and your joy.
And you will be experiencing the true meaning of Christmas.