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. 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. 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. We write this to make our joy complete. (1 John 1.1-4, NIV)

We’re going through very difficult times worldwide; it needs much prayer. It’s even hard for us to look at the news. Why is there so much senseless violence and war? Satan is still in control, he’s still prince of this world – and that’s why God had to send His Son to die for us, to break the curse that’s on us. Thankfully, those of us who have come to Christ know that Peace which the world so desperately needs. Our world needs Jesus!

John’s First Letter starts: “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 touched, the Word of Life – this Life has appeared, and we have seen it and testify to it…” He’s talking about Jesus!

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1.5-7, NIV)

John’s description of his time with Jesus is so very clear and emotional. It’s real. The message of Jesus is reality. John is saying, I’ve seen it, heard it, touched it! In my life – and this year I’m celebrating 75 years in ministry – it’s my testimony too. No, I’ve never seen Jesus, never spent time with Him like the disciples did. Yet in my ministry, I’ve ‘seen’ it, ‘touched’ it – it’s been so real to me. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh! John writes, “The Word of Life – what we have seen and heard, we declare to you!” John says, “The LIFE appeared, we’ve seen Him, we testify to it, we proclaim to you the ETERNAL LIFE which was with the Father.” Yes, what John is saying, is that Jesus IS ETERNAL LIFE!

He is the very Word of God and the evidence, the substance, the source of ETERNAL LIFE – He died for us and rose again – because He IS Eternal Life! The reason I work as an evangelist is because Jesus is so real to me. He’s a Person, He’s not a theology, He’s not a religion. We’ve got to get away from doctrine and see WHO GOD IS! Jesus is the Living Word of God, Life and Light. By living here, He demonstrated who God really is.

John in vv3-4 says the reason he is writing this letter is ‘so that we may have fellowship with him – that’s John – and with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, that our joy may be full’! He says, v5, “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: GOD IS LIGHT and in Him is no darkness at all!” Scripture says, in the Beginning God created the Heaven and the earth, and darkness was over the deep, and God said, “LET THERE BE LIGHT!” GOD IS LIGHT! That’s why John says, “In Him there is no darkness!”

Now John warns in v6ff, “If we claim to have fellowship with Jesus but walk in darkness, we lie – and we don’t live by the Truth! But if we walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the Blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

V8 is strong, “If we say we have no sin – this is a very important statement – we deceive ourselves and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, then He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” John is not speaking here to the unbeliever; he’s speaking to believers. V10, “If we say we have not sinned, we make God to be a liar, and His Word is not in us.”

Unfortunately, we are still living in a sinful world, and we are tainted by what we see and hear – sin is all around us! That’s why it’s so important: if we confess our sin, God will forgive.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2.1-2, NIV)

Jesus is with God in Heaven and speaks to the Father in our defence! He is pleading for us, and not only for us, but for the sins of the whole world!

It's an important point John is making, that as believers, we must not claim to be totally pure and holy… But if we do sin, Jesus, who died once and for all for our sin, now lives to make continual intercession for us in Heaven. Hebr 7:25. We NEED His constant intercession, He’s standing before His Father saying, “Father, I died for these people, forgive them!” We HAVE to be honest with ourselves, and if we confess to Him our sin, then He is ‘faithful and just to forgive us’. He is our continuing sacrifice. All the time we live down here – saved by grace, yes – but we still need an Intercessor in Heaven to stand before the Father on our behalf!