What is a Christian?

1John 1:1-4

1. Once upon a time there was a king who fell deeply in love with a common maiden. As Soren Kierkegaard tells the story, the very nature of love is that it seeks equality and unity. It is only in equality and unity that an understanding can be achieved. For a king to love a commoner there are problems .In his love he desires nothing less than the happiness of the beloved. How can he achieve this sense of equality? The story develops three alternatives to the kingly problem.

The first is that of marrying his beloved and ignoring the differences between them. This might appear a good move on the surface, but the king has thought long about the nature of their love and desires above all her happiness. Would she be able to forget the differences of the past that after all she was a commoner and he was the king? There might come a time in which their love would blighted by the memory of the past and the glory of their love be spoiled. There might be a time in which the king would awake from sleep to find his beloved weeping over the inequality of their love. This is not a viable alternative for the king.

The second alternative is one that might be suggested by a counselor: the king could display all of his power, majesty, greatness and prestige to his beloved and she could fall at his feet accepting him as her king. Such a suggestion would mean that the king would be doing the maiden a kind deed for which she should be grateful. But such an alternative deprives love of its basic aim to unite equals.
This second alternative amounts to treason against his beloved. For such a thoughtless suggestion the king might take off the head of such an adviser. Kierkegaard's story relates that it would be harder for the king to be her benefactor than to lose her.

A third alternative must be sought and it is only implied in the story: the king can abdicate and become a commoner and be the equal of his beloved. At this point, the story is retold with its application to God who is the lover seeking to have a loving relation with His created image: mankind. How can God express his love when love requires equality?

The first alternative is like the king. God can accept man, fill his life with joy, and man might be inclined to accept this relationship unchanged. But there is the memory of the past rebellion, self-deception on man's part, and there might come the time when man is haunted by his past, and love would be spoiled.

The second alternative is that God could display openly His majesty, holiness, greatness and power. Man could fall to his knees and have a worshipful relationship with God. But God desires not His own glorification, but His beloved. This alternative is even more complicated than the king's problem. There is a statement about God from the past that "no man could see God and live." "Who grasps-this contradiction: not to reveal oneself is the death of love, to
reveal oneself is the death of the beloved! " (p.23)

Thus if God chose this alternative man would not survive in His holy presence. But if love is not expressed to the beloved, love is lost. Consequently, God cannot pursue this alternative for the safety of the beloved -- man. Another alternative must be sought.

The story indicates a third alternative :God can abdicate, descend and become a commoner, an equal of man .The humblest one is a servant. This is how love can find equality. If God is love, He doesn't send a substitute, He comes Himself. This is what happened in Bethlehem--God came down! There He grows up and walks beside the Sea of Galilee - God with us! Since this is not play acting God must suffer all things, endure all things. make experience of all things. He must suffer hunger in the desert, He must thirst in the time of His agony, He must be forsaken in death,
absolutely like the humblest - behold the man." (p.25)

This story shows the importance of God's act for our understanding of God. We come to know God because God has come down. God comes in love because love assumes the initiative. God comes in a way that is protective for man's life. But also, God comes sin redemption and help for His people. Some of this truth is expressed in the Gospel of John that the Word was with God and the Word was God. Then the striking phrase comes: "The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us." (l: 18) There are many reasons people celebrate Christmas, but the most profound one is that God's love is expressed in an event that is common to man, but which carries the
uncommon fact of God's love expressed in or being incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth.

2. Before we turn to this paragraph in I John, some words about the letter are in order. There was an ideology in the culture that will help us to understand the letter better. Very early in the beginning of Christianity various groups of people attempted to use Christianity for their own purposes and doctrines. They infiltrated the church and sought to divert it. They were known as Gnostics. They stressed a secret knowledge that was higher than the Gospel. This knowledge was to be imparted to their disciples which was really the addition of their philosophy on Christianity. If one had their knowledge not too much attention need to be paid to the Scriptures.

Third, they were dualists, meaning that the spirit was good, the body was evil. The result of this was two-fold. If the body is evil then one must subdue it with extreme punishment so that the spirit may be free. Or, it took the form of indifference to what the evil body did and some of them were sexually immoral. As one reads the whole letter one can see the Christian reaction against these errors.

3. We can now look at the implication of the Great story of God coming down.

I. We can have a concrete personal fellowship with God. v. 1.

1. John knew his fellowship to be with a Person who was the Son of God. This immediately puts the Christian beyond a mere ethical norm, adopting a religion, having a set of ru1e, pursuing a philosophy of life. These things have their place, but the most important issue
is this vital relationship with Christ. Jesus was real, He was not a dream, a phantasm, or illusion.

Notice the many verbs used. "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have gazed or looked upon, touched with our hands. There was no mistaking the reality of his appearance. Jesus had preached to the multitudes as he stood before them. John had heard the voice of Christ as he called the people to himself. It was John who reclined on the Lord's breast as they shared the last supper.

John's message is further emphasized in the use of the word which is not apparent in our translation. John gazed on him. Not only did he merely see, touch, and hear, but he gazed upon Christ. The ancient Greeks had a word which meant to view attentively. contemplate. It was often used in reference to the public shows where one eyed every detail.

He declared the awesome person of Jesus. Perhaps one might grasp the meaning of the word "gaze" if we think of a male college student walking across the campus and seeing a girl more lovely and beautiful than he has ever seen. He cannot keep from looking at here and admiring her. In the best sense we can see he is gazing at her. She is not a phantom. She is real and he knows it.

2. In the early life of the church a creed came into being. One phrase used in the article concerning Christ was, "I believe in God Almighty and in Christ Jesus, his only son, our Lord who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary." The phrase "Virgin Mary" was inserted to clearly state that Christ was real and that he was no illusion. This is the very same thing that John is stressing here. Interesting enough, nearly 2000 years later the Virgin Birth becomes the hallmark of the fact that He was Divine.

3. What does all this mean? It means that we can have a personal relationship with Him Who is the source of Life itself. It can only be in a context of personal interchange. This source of life
was manifest. In other words, the source of life which was once unknown to man has now been personally made known. God has torn open the cloud of mystery that has separated man from
God and God has come to man to show his love and mercy. God has shown that He is not indifferent to the world. Life is not fatalistic. Life is not based on the movement of the stars, but on the Life of the Son. God has shown that behind all the heartaches which man can heap upon himself there is One who cares.

4.Commitment involves an act of asking and pledging. A man dates a woman and may then ask her to be his wife. In so doing he commits himself to her. At same time she has to accept the proposal if there is to be a union of two lives. If she does not accept him there is no marriage, no union.

In a similar situation, Jesus has come to mankind making a proposal of union of lives, his for ours, and he requires a response of acceptance. That acceptance brings a union of Savior
and believer, Lord and disciple, Redeemer and redeemed. If there is no response of acceptance of Jesus' proposal, there is no redemption, no union. There is no other hope for a relationship
with God. (John 14:6) There has to be an accepting response to Jesus' proposal. Have you made that positive response?

There is a thrill in knowing wonderful people. How about knowing the Greatest Person ever? You can know Him by asking Him into your heart.

II . A Constant Fellowship v. 3.

1.The term fellowship has been much exploited. We usually advertise a family night as fun, food, fellowship. We use the term also to speak of fellowship with God and we probably mean having personal devotions in reading the Bible, maybe praying. There is a larger sense in the New Testament in which fellowship is the idea of personal interaction, joint participation, community, association, or partnership. I like the idea that God has bestowed upon us some sense of partnership with Him.

When I speak of constant fellowship I mean that sense of knowing that we are in continual partnership with him. There is more to the idea of fellowship than a dedicated 10 minutes a day one would spend in Bible study and prayer.

Let me take the example of partnership in married. Two people live together in marriage and love each other. There are the moments of expression of love, and the exchange of tender affection. At the same time when the husband goes to work he does not forget the love of his wife and forget about her love for him. He does not think about it all day, nor does she. As both do their work they are doing in a context of partnership. What he is doing is related to his love for his wife, and what she is doing is related to her love for him. There is a fellowship of love that permeates all of their actions.

2. When we speak of fellowship with God and it being a constant and abiding fellowship, let us think in these broad terms. Our fellowship with Him is not limited to a devotional period of family worship. We have a sense of fellowship or partnership as we live through the day.
We need to remind ourselves that God is with us and that we are with God. It is this kind of awareness that can uphold us as we work through the day doing what is difficult, what is boring, what is delightful

There is a phrase in the Old Testament about Enoch walking with God. A little girl was supposed to explain the story of Enoch to a playmate-and she said, "Enoch walked with God. One
day they walked so far that God said, "My house is just over the hill. Why don't you go home with me. And so they did."
This gives a lovely picture of our continuing fellowship with God. Not only here, but in the future when God takes us home to the deeper fellowship which He has promised to us.

3. How much attention do you give to your side of the fellowship with God? The year 1956 will be remembered as the first year that Americans spent as much time on a single leisure occupation as on their jobs. That single occupation was watching TV. It was noted that the average television audience for the 10 o'clock news is larger than the electorate that chooses a President of the US. Viewing habits may have changed but there is still a large amount of time spent in diversion rather than devotion.

Friendships must be kept up. I made contact with a high school friend and then he wrote me that we ought to keep in touch, but after that he never wrote anymore. Friendship must be kept up, and our fellowship with God involves that also.

Ill. A Complete or Satisfying Fellowship v.4

1. The verse reads, "We are writing this that your joy may be complete. Or, as I would translate it, "We are writing this that your joy may be flooded over and remain so." There is a decided emphasis on a continuing fullness of joy. What is this cause of joy? It is joyous to know that God has revealed Himself as a seeking Father who seeks to bring back wayward people to himself. It is joyous to know that God loves us. It is joyous to know that there is forgiveness with Him.

2. Let's ponder the word complete or satisfying. The Greek word gives the idea of "To make complete and full and remain so." The word. "flooded over' is true. The idea is that in true fellowship with God there is completeness in joy and spirit that can compare to nothing else. Financial security, food, sex, clothing, and everything else offers a perpetual craving. But the joy that God seeks to give is complete.

3. Christians have been made to think in negative terms as expressed in the poem.
My parents told me know to smoke, I don't, I don't.
Or listen to a naughty joke, I don't, I don't
they made it clear that I must not win at pretty girls, or
even think about intoxicating drink, I don't, I don't.
To dance or flirt is very wrong, I don't I don't.
Some play at carts the whole night long, I don't, I don't
I kiss no girls, not even one; I do not know how it is done,
You wouldn't think I'd have much fun, I don't, I don't.

4. Many of the things we call pleasures are only means of diversions. It is a happy thing that we read about the early Christians that they were a joy people. They were full of joy and consequently happy. If you pursue happiness only there will be no joy. If you pursue joy you
will be happy

Concl:
1. This is the essence of Christianity. It is a person to person encounter with Christ. It is a continuous fellowship and communion. He offers Joy that gives serenity to the soul and spirit. Have you received God's great invitation to give you Real Life? You can't have this relationship without asking for it.