Author
Ben Fetterolf
Follower of Jesus | Husband | Father | Pastor at Hampton Park Baptist Church of Greenville, SC
User since 2019
Ben's proficiency badges
Ben's published pages
The gospel is a comfort. But the gospel is also a call on our lives as believers. We need to hear both: the comfort AND call of the gospel.
Romans 8:1-9
How do you view God? Do you view him as angry at you? Or committed to you? This prophet helps us see how we *should* view God.
Obadiah 1-21
Livestream is a technological gift. But have we adequately thought through the potential downsides to this particular methodology?
Hebrews 10:24-25
I have died. The significance of that statement can't be overstated. I must believe it and live in light of it in order to truly live.
Romans 6:1-14
There are two realms (or kingdoms!) in which to live. The realm where death reigns and the realm where righteousness reigns.
Romans 5:12-21
Most conversations about biblical manhood/womanhood go to a few NT texts. But what God says in the very beginning sets a solid foundation.
Genesis 2:18-25
In what or whom do you find your joy? Does it last through the varying circumstances of life? Where can true, enduring joy be found?
Romans 5:1-11
"No list of sins I have not done; no list of virtues I pursue; no list of those I am not like can earn myself a place with you..."
Romans 4:1-12
What do your words say about your heart?
James 3:3-12
Trials bring dark days. But those times are most important to remember who God is and who we are.
Hebrews 10:32-39
What do you feel you are lacking today? Are things spinning out of control? Anchor yourself in God's character and promises.
Psalms 23:1-6
How do you respond to disappointments and discouragements? Do you run from them? Avoid them? Paul teaches us how God intends to use them.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Grace, gift, faith. These are the words that dominate this foremost text on how to be made right with God.
Romans 3:21-31
What is the role of the law in the life of a believer? And what does the law teach us about God?
Romans 3:1-20
How highly do you view your words? Are you more likely to encourage others to listen to you or to listen to God?
James 1:19-21
Why do you call yourself a Christian? Your answer to that question is significant and identifies where you rest your hope.
Romans 2:17-29
Have you ever thought about how many sermons you've heard in your lifetime? Knowing is useless apart from faith and repentance.
Romans 2:1-16
We often think of God's wrath on the last day. But how is his wrath manifest in the present day?
Romans 1:18-32
Why do you like spending time with other Christians? Because you have mutual interests? Or because you long to see God at work among them?
Romans 1:8-17
Why did Paul write Romans? What is Romans about? These important questions are answered from the very start of the letter.
Romans 1:1-7
What role, if any, do works play in being made right with God?
Romans 4:1-5
Does God keep you in His love? Or do we keep ourselves in His love? Jude answers this very specifically.
Jude 17-25
Contending for the faith initially seems external. But the greatest battle for the faith may need to happen in my own heart.
Jude 8-16
You're probably familiar with loving others on Sunday. But what does love look like on Monday through Friday?
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
view all (25 total)
Evangelism through Joy
1 John 1:1-4
Has your evangelism been fueled by guilt? Why not fuel it with joy?
#evangelism
#joy
Published December 23rd, 2019; Updated December 23rd, 2019
Author
Share / Groups / About Author
Main point summary
Bracket
Meditations
notes
Main point summary
We are testifying to you about what we observed so that you may join us in our fellowship and in our joy.
Bracket
editing
NT
1 John 1:1-4
esv
mine
a That which was b from the beginning,
(I am writing to you about) that which was there, existing in the beginning,
c which we have heard,
and which we have heard with our ears,
d which we have seen with our eyes,
and which we have seen with our very eyes,
e which we looked upon
and which we have considered (with our minds),
and f have touched with our hands,
and which we have even touched with our very hands.
progression
ideaexplanation
concerning the word of life—
(I am writing to you) concerning the word which is life (and brings life).
g the life h was made manifest,
This life about which I speak was made flesh.
and we have seen it,
As a result, we have seen this life
and i testify to it
and now testify to the life
and proclaim to you the eternal life,
and proclaim to you not a mortal life that ends like ours but an eternal life,
a which was with the Father
which was with the Father from the beginning
and h was made manifest to us—
and was then made flesh so that we could observe it and know it ourselves.
locative
c that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you,
We are telling you about things that we witnessed with our very eyes and heard with our ears
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
in order that you may have fellowship around this same life with us;
and indeed j our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
and truly, this fellowship about which we speak is a fellowship with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
actionpurpose
actionresult
And we are writing these things
The reason we are writing all of this to you
so k that our 1 joy may be complete.
is because your participation in these joyful truths increases and completes our joy.
ground
discourse
Meditations
The reality of Jesus Christ is a tangible truth . He was not an immaterial spirit. He was a person. He had a body. He lived among other people and could be seen. He talked among other people and could be heard. He spent time with his disciples and could be touched. The eternal life about which John speaks was tangible. And this should give us great confidence in our faith. We are not relying on someone's recounting of a dream. We are not relying on someone's recollection of a spiritual experience. Jesus came to earth in flesh and blood. He was seen by thousands. Our beliefs are founded upon eyewitness testimony. May that give us confidence in our faith! Jesus' coming was a tangible expression of God's pursuit of fellowship with his people . God has always pursued his people. This began (by promise) in Gen 3:15. It continued in God dwelling with his people in the tabernacle, in the temple, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, and one day face to face. God has been pursuing fellowship with his people, and Jesus' coming was part of that pursuit. True fellowship with God comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. And this is the foundation of all fellowship between believers. Our shared joy in a relationship with God through Jesus is the bond of our fellowship. Our joy increases as we share our joy with others. C. S. Lewis, in "Reflections on the Psalms" says, "I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed." I think John is expressing something similar here. Their joy is made complete in sharing their joy with the readers. And the reader's joy in the same truths will only serve to increase John's joy. In this way, God's people should be a "joy factory" in their relationships with one another, continually expressing more reasons to each other to take joy in who God is and what he is done. And this is the foundation of our evangelism as well, sharing our joy with those who have not yet experienced the same joy.
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.