The first letter of John and chapter 1 and we can read at verse number 5.
! 1 John 1 at verse number 5.
! This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.
And so on down to the end of this chapter.
When we read our Bibles and we learn our Bibles, we understand that the Bible is about God's mission for his world.
And all of the books of the Bible give expression to that mission in different ways.
And when we read different books of the Bible, they give expression to the mission of God based upon the needs of those who are going to hear these letters read as they were or who are to read these letters in later generations.
Letters are designed for particular people in particular situations so that they will understand the mission of God and so that they will come to understand the grace of salvation.
This letter is exactly like that.
It is of course in line with the mission of God.
And it is in line with the mission of God because John wants people to know that they are the children of God.
And when we read through the letter, we understand that the reasons that he is writing the way that he is, is because there was a lot of misunderstanding.
There was a lot of misunderstanding.
There was a lot of misunderstanding with regard to who Jesus was.
There was a lot of misunderstanding with regard to how they should live their lives as the children of God.
There was the misunderstanding as to how they should live their lives in relation to each other.
And all of these three elements, they are not exclusive to those who are going to hear the letter from John.
They are elements that we face and are challenged with in the whole life and the experience of Christ's church in the world.
And John, in addressing the needs of the people, we could say that he has a double focus in this letter.
And the first of these is, in the verse that we read, God is light.
And then we have, in chapter 4, the whole idea that God is love.
And these two great proclamations of these, God will hang everything that he is going to say that should affect their thinking,
should affect their living, and should affect their relationship with the Lord Jesus.
And when we look even further behind the issues that the hearers are facing in their lives,
we understand the way in which John, in particular, in these verses and these strands are through,
that in particular, he wants to remind them what faith means,
and what it means for those who have a faith,
that there is a particular lifestyle and living that is essential,
and is also confirmation of the very life of the children of God in their hearts.
And we read through the letter, and it's full of John's love for the people,
his pastoral care, he's speaking to his family,
because he cares for them.
And today, from these words, we want to think of the character of God and the life of discipleship.
And the first thing we want to notice is the perspective,
how we view objects in relation to one another.
And the perspective is the character of God,
that in verse 5, God is light.
He is absolute illumination.
The psalmist tells us in Psalm 104 that he is clothed about with light as with a robe.
Wherever we are going to find God,
he is the God who is light.
Paul speaks in writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 6,
that God dwells in an approachable light.
It's the brightness and the glaring of light that the human eye cannot behold.
And as we read our Bibles,
we see that the light that is God,
that it shines and makes itself known in two particular ways.
It makes itself known, first of all, in the work of creation.
There was darkness, there was chaos, there was confusion.
And God said, let there be light, and there was light.
The Spirit of God hovering over the water brought about order,
brought about light,
and continued to bring about the beauty of God's creation.
When I hear that God is light,
I think of the name of God made known to me in the work of creation.
He separated light from the darkness.
He is the God who is light.
But when I read my Bible also,
I'm reminded that I see the light of God
in his salvation.
And we saw that in the Psalms that we sang.
Psalm 27,
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The same psalmist in Psalm 43 prays,
Send your light forth and your truth.
God is light.
God is light in his salvation.
He shines into the world
because of his desire to save.
And the third way in which we recognize
the Bible speaking about God as light,
it is with regard to his relationships
with the people that he has created.
The light speaks of his holiness,
of the brightness of the shining of his character.
And I read about Isaiah in chapter 6,
and he saw the brightness of the shining of God
and as soon as he was aware of the brightness
and the holiness of God,
he cried out,
I am lost because of a man of unclean lips.
He was a sinner.
He was confronted with the light of the glory of God.
Whatever God shines in his light,
as he did also on Mount Sinai
with regard to the children of Israel,
he was going to come down
and he was going to shine brightly.
And he told Moses,
tell the people not to come near this mountain
because I am coming down
in case they perish.
The God who is light,
who shines brightly in creation,
who shines brightly in salvation,
and who shines brightly in his relationship
with all of his created creatures.
That's the perspective.
And God wants us today to recognize that
so that wherever I go in life,
I'm going to view every object before me.
I'm going to view everything that I do.
I'm going to view the places that I go to
all under the perspective that God is light.
Under the perspective of the shining of his beauty
in creation,
under the perspective of his promised salvation,
and under the perspective that
everything that I do
has to do with my relationship with God.
And the great display of the light,
of the character of God,
we have, of course,
in the passion of the Lord Jesus.
We may think of the distribution of light.
We may think of connectivity.
But there is distribution and connectivity
when God sends his Son into the world,
into the darkness of the world.
The light shone in the darkness,
and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Jesus says,
I am the light of the world.
He knew who he was.
And John tells us in John chapter 1,
that no one has ever seen God,
that the only Son has made him known.
In him was life,
and his life was the light of men.
The perspective of the God who is light,
now brought into close proximity with us
in the oppression of his Son.
And that's why Jesus says,
in that chapter that we read,
in John chapter 12,
and also in John chapter 3,
he speaks of the way in which,
if they will follow me,
they will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.
Light illuminates.
The other thing that light does,
it unveils our true identity.
Because under the perspective that God is light today,
God wants us,
and Jesus wants us to understand,
that our response to God being light,
is to become disciples of the Lord Jesus,
and as soon as we do so,
that we walk in his light.
And if we are not doing so,
and if we don't do so,
then we continue to walk in darkness.
The light of God revealed to us
in the passion of the Lord Jesus,
embodied in his passion and in his work,
that reveals and unveils your identity.
And as we move on,
that today is critical.
If we are to understand the mission of God
in building his church,
in forming his own family,
in having children in the world
that are going to be in his eternal family home,
it is critical
that as surely as John's hearers
we're going to understand
that this light shows them
the kind of people that they are,
we need to understand
that as we worship God,
we need to ensure
that we are not confused in our thinking,
but that we let the light of God
through Jesus and through his word
penetrate our lives
and show to us
whether a relationship with God today
is the right one
in the sense of being at peace with God
or whether it is the wrong one,
alienated from God
and described by Paul
in Romans chapter 5,
enemies of God.
The perspective.
Let's not think
it's for 60 minutes
on the morning of the Lord's Day
that we think of
God as light
as our perspective.
It's a perspective
for the whole of life
and it shines into our lives
to prove who we are
and to enable us
to see the things
that are around us.
The perspective.
That leads me secondly
to participation.
If light is in Jesus
and God's kingdom is in light
and disciples are to understand
who Jesus is,
then how do we participate?
How do we become part of God's family?
John uses a word
which speaks to us
of coming together.
In verse number 7,
he speaks about
having fellowship.
It's having
something in common.
Something that we have
a shared interest in.
Something that is
really precious to ourselves
and precious to other people.
And in a wider world
in which we live,
people will use
the idea of fellowship
for so many different things
beyond the Bible.
There's a fellowship
because we gather
around a particular constitution
or a particular organization
and we share
the same interest
and we gather together
to discuss these interests.
That is a fellowship
that speaks of relationships
out in the world.
But here,
there is a fellowship
which is
with the Father
and with the Son,
Jesus Christ.
This is the true use
of the word fellowship.
fellowship
that we have
a shared interest
in God
as the Father
who sent His Son
and God
as the Son
who came into the world
and in God
as the Holy Spirit
who shows
Jesus
to us.
It's a fellowship
of sharing
that unites
the people of God
in order to
give expression
to the faith
that they have
and the love
that they have
for God.
And perhaps
at a general way
of gathering
to worship God
on the Lord's Day
is that sense
of fellowship.
We have a shared interest,
we have a common interest,
a common desire
to gather together
before God.
We are here
because of that
shared sense
of our need
to come
to worship God.
and that in itself
of course
is to be encouraged
and is commendable.
But we understand here
that those to whom
John was writing
that they were
confused.
They were confused
about what it meant
to live as the children
of God.
In verse number 6,
if we say,
this was their claim,
if we say
we have fellowship
with him
while we walk
in darkness,
we lie
and do not
practice the truth.
They were making
a claim.
They were basically
making a claim
that they were
the children of God.
And in making
that claim,
their lives
were lived
in a particular way.
They were walking
in darkness.
The whole idea
of walking
in the Bible
in very simple terms
is to walk
about on my patio.
In other words,
it's walking
about in my space
in the world.
And wherever I go,
I have my space
and I do certain
things in my space.
My patio
is the way
that I live my life.
The way that I walk
around in the world.
And my patio
should be
the kind of
area to live
in my life
and that is
there as sanctioned
by God
and by the Word
of God
so that I walk
around in that space
where God's light
shines on my life
and where I'm
walking in that light.
But they are
claiming that they
have fellowship
and yet
they are walking
in darkness.
The space
that they occupy
in this world
is a life
lived
in the service
of darkness
with no light
of salvation
with no light
of God
with no light
of Jesus
walking about
doing the things
of this world.
And John speaks
throughout this
lecture
of the way
in which
the love
of the world
and the things
of this world
they are not
the things
that are of God.
They are the things
that belong
to the devil
himself
the God
of this world.
And immediately
we have
not only confusion
but a complete
contradiction
that they are
claiming one thing
and living their lives
in another way.
And John tells them
that
they are lying
and they do not
practice
the truth.
Not simply
that
they are not
agreeing
with what
the Bible says
but living
their lives
in complete
opposition
to what
the Bible
says.
And God
wants
you and I
today
to be
on our guard
with regard
to this
very thing
that we may
make a claim
that we are
the children
of God.
We may make
a profession
that we are
the children
of God.
but we need
to be
on our guard
that our lives
are not lived
in a way
that contradicts
that.
That the space
that I occupy
in life
is no different
to the space
occupied by those
who have no faith
and who have no God
and have no desire
for God.
And if I
say today
that I am a child
of God
and I am so
immersed
and blended in
with a lost world
in its darkness
that there is
no distinction
then I am
getting confused
and I am
risking
the whole
of my salvation
because of my
confusion.
It is not
something that
was alien
or specific
to those
who were
hearing this
letter from John.
It is something
that appears
time after time
in the history
of the church
that you
and I
can be
so confused
in our thinking
that we think
we can become
Christians
and be Christians
and our lives
don't change
at all.
The confusion.
There must be
conformity
in order
to prove
participation
in salvation
and to confirm
that we are
the children
of God
in verse
number 7.
But
if we walk
in the light
as he is
in the light
we have fellowship
with one another
and the blood
of Jesus
son cleanses
from all sin.
If the space
that I occupy
is light
and when I
think of that
space that I
occupy
which is
light
I think
of three
particular
sources
that give
light
into my
space
that govern
my thinking
and govern
the way
that I
live
and I
think of
the God
who is
light
who speaks
through creation
who speaks
through his
relationships
with me
I think
of the God
who is
light
I also
think of
the sun
who is
the light
of the world
and all
that he is
in his
passion
and all
that he has
done
in his
work
that is
the light
that shines
into my
space
and thirdly
I have
the light
of the
word of
God
so that
there are
three
closely
linked
sources of
light
radiation
of light
into my
life
that
enable me
to walk
in a way
that is
in harmony
with God
consistent
with the
word of
God
and the
means of
establishing
that
fellowship
that
communion
that
walking
with
God
that
not only
confirms
that I'm
the child
of God
but where
I find
the blessing
Abraham
was a
friend
of God
God
told Abraham
in Genesis
17
walk before
me and
be perfect
occupy
the
sun
in this
world
defined
by me
walk in
that
place
be
perfect
go on
in your
relationship
with me
the Bible
also tells
us
with regard
to Enoch
in Genesis
chapter 5
that Enoch
walked with
God
and he
was not
because
ultimately
God
took him
to be
with himself
it is
that sense
of friendship
with God
that sense
of communion
with God
it is
that sense
of having
our lives
permeated
by the
word of
God
walking
in the
light
we have
fellowship
with one
another
and notice
he does
not say
that we
have
fellowship
with the
father
and with
the son
we have
fellowship
with each
other
and here
is the
formation
of God's
family
who are
the others
who is
going to
have
fellowship
it is
John
and the
other
apostles
with all
of the
people
in the
churches
that they
are
speaking
to
it's
the
gathering
of people
around
the Lord
Jesus
and around
the word
of God
we have
fellowship
with
each
other
and that's
what
defines
ourselves
today
as the
people
of God
that because
of the
way in
which the
light shines
into our
lives
because we
are persuaded
to be
disciples of
the Lord
Jesus
that because
of that
we have
fellowship
with each
other
we worship
God together
we talk to
each other
about God
we talk to
each other
about our
experiences
as the
children of
God
we have
fellowship
with
each other
and there
is a
vital
ingredient
at the
very
center
of that
participation
which
ensures
that our
participation
in the
fellowship
and in the
communion
goes on
forever
dare I
say
wherever
there is
fellowship
wherever
there is
commonality
or community
there will
be
issues
and problems
and John
wants them
to understand
here that
that will
surely be
the case
in the
relationship
with God
because of
the kind
of people
they are
but he
says
the blood
of Jesus
son
cleanses
us
from all
sin
my walk
with my
God
and with
my
savior
in the
zone
defined
by him
and my
relationship
with my
God
is
maintained
by God
through the
passion of
Jesus
and through
the cross
of Jesus
that my
heart is
washed
continually
by the
blood of
Jesus
so that
the sin
that would
separate me
from God
and does
separate me
from God
is removed
and wiped
away
so that
there is
continuity
not only in
my relationship
but in my
friendship
with God
and in my
walk with
God
participation
how much
does
the space
that you
occupy
how much
is it
filled with
God
and with
Jesus
and with
his word
and how
much is
the space
that you
occupy
filled with
a sense
of growing
appreciation
of the
preciousness
of the
cross of
Jesus
that wipes
away your
sin every
day
and how
much is
your space
filled
with a
sense of
marvelling
that
the God
who is
light
that he
is also
the God
who is
love
and that
he
pours that
out into
your life
every day
there is no
participation
if we're
walking in
darkness
walking in
the light
confirms
our part
in the
family of
God
and gives
to us
every day
a sense
of belonging
a sense
of care
and a
sense
of God's
love
for us
perspective
participation
and finally
prescription
they were
confused
about the
kind of
life that
they should
live
they were
also
confused
about
their
sinnership
and in
verse 8
and in
verse 10
we see
two aspects
of that
confusion
and in
verse 8
we read
if we
say we
have no
sin
they
didn't
understand
that they
were sinners
by nature
as David
learned
they didn't
understand
that they
had a
sinful
condition
at all
living
life
oblivious
to the
fact
that by
nature
they were
sinners
in the
sight of
God
and in
verse 10
they are
saying
if we
say we
have not
sinned
the two
things
they
didn't
have a
sinful
condition
and they
didn't
practice
sin
every day
total
confusion
about the
thing that's
at the
center of
the
breakdown
of their
relationship
with God
and that's
where we
can be
today
they were
here
as part
of the
Christian
community
that John
was writing
to
and despite
being part
of the
Christian
community
have an
understanding
of the
word of
God
despite all
of that
they were
confused
about their
status
and they
were confused
about their
practice
as sinners
and it
is a
fearful
thing
that you
can be
here today
and be
equally
confused
unmoved
by the
very mention
that you
are a
sinner
unmoved
by the
very mention
that you
sin
in thought
word
and in
deed
confused
into
the sense
of
dismissing
and going
to
as far
as
making
God
a liar
it's not
a means
of
sitting
on the
fence
or being
neutral
when I
don't
recognize
my
sinnership
when I
don't
recognize
that I
sin
I
am
saying
that
God
is
a
liar
and
that's
a
serious
matter
that I
can
live
my
life
that
everything
that I
do
and
practice
every
day
of my
life
that it
speaks
out
against
God
that it
says
that God
is a
liar
because
I
fail
to
conform
what
is the
prescription
in
verse
number
nine
if we
confess
our
sins
he is
faithful
and just
to forgive
us our
sins
and to
cleanse
us
from all
unrighteousness
if we
confess
our
sins
to put
it simply
it is
saying
the same
thing
about
something
as someone
else
it comes
with that
sense
of agreement
and so
in the
context
here
it is
saying
something
about
my
sin
that
someone
else
God
says
about
my
sin
and it
is
with
regard
to
my
sin
there
is
an
agreement
between
what
God
says
and
what
I
say
with
regard
to
my
sin
and
using
that
triangle
and
these
points
on that
triangle
that's
where
my
confession
comes
I
see
my
sin
and
I
begin
to
see
it
the
way
God
sees
it
I'm
seeing
it
through
the
eyes
of
God
because
of
the
word
of
God
and
because
of
the
spirit
of
God
and
what
God
says
with
regard
to
my
sin
that
it
is
worthy
of
eternal
punishment
then
I
agree
with
that
I
say
the
same
thing
as
God
and
in
the
whole
idea
of
confession
it
is
not
enough
to
think
the
same
thing
as
God
because
the
very
heart
of
confession
and
of
turning
away
from
my
sin
is
to
verbalize
what
I
think
of
my
sin
and
to
take
what
I
think
of
it
in
the
light
of
what
God
has
said
and
to
say
the
words
over
to
my
God
because
God
wants
to
hear
me
verbalizing
my
changed
attitude
to
my
sin
and
when
I
do
that
God
is
pleased
God
promises
to
forgive
my
sin
to
carry
away
the
guilt
to
remove
the
burden
that
David
had
in
Psalm
32
which
we're
going to
sing
shortly
the
burden
that he
had
because
the
hand
of
God
was
heavy
upon
him
and
he
went
on
to
lay
bare
his
sins
before
God
he
went
on
to
speak
of
the
guilt
that
lay
within
him
being
carried
away
and
that's
the
center
the
heartbeat
of my
relationship
with
God
that it's
concerning
my
sin
that I
confess
my
sin
to
God
say
the
same
thing
about
my
sin
as
God
does
see
what
God
says
about
my
sin
with
regard
to
its
condemnation
and
see
what
God
says
about
my
sin
with
regard
to
the
cross
of
Jesus
and
when
I
see
both
these
things
and
say
these
things
then
God
in
his
grace
and
consistent
with
his
character
he
takes
my
sin
away
and
today
as
we
close
and
we
leave
this
building
let's
think
of
this
prescription
and
let's
think
of
not
just
leaving
a
building
but
let's
think
of
leaving
our
sin
behind
because
God
has
taken
it
away
and
let's
verbalize
our
sense
of
sinnership
in a
heartfelt
way
so
that we
may
come
to
wonder
and
to
find
peace
and
joy
in
having
our
sins
forgiven
there
is
no
greater
joy
than
to
have
that
burden
of
guilt
taken
away
and
to
have
peace
with
God
and
may
God
help
us
today
to
go
forward
with
the
perspective
of
the
fact
that
he
is
light
on
regard
against
being
confused
about
what
living
as
a
Christian
might
mean
and
being
on
regard
against
the
confusion
about
our
sin
and
ensuring
that
we
are
on
the
same
page
as
God
with
regard
to
our
sin
and
on
the
same
page
as
God
with
regard
to
the
cross
of
Jesus
and
then
we
have
peace
then
we
are
children
then
we
know
who
we
are
and
we
know
where
we
are
going
may
God bless
his
word
let us
pray
most
grace
God
we
rejoice
in
every
way
in
which
you
speak
into
our
lives
we
give
thanks
to
you
for
your
light
we
give
thanks
to
you
for
your
light
and
the
person
of
your
son
give
thanks
to
you
for
the light that shines from the darkness of Calvary's cross
and help us today, O Lord God, to have the light of your truth
upon our hearts, the light of your spirit upon
the person of your Son as Savior and bring us to that place
where we embrace him and receive him and accept him
as our own personal Savior for today and for life and for
eternity. So hear our prayer and accept us for Jesus' sake. Amen.
So our closing psalm is
Psalm 32 and we're singing it in Sing Psalms.
It's on page 38
and the tune is Arlington. Psalm 32
at verse 1.
How blessed the one who has received
forgiveness for his sin, whose sins are covered from God's
face, whose debt is cancelled in God's grace, there's no
deceit in him. We stand to sing from verse 1 to verse
Mark 6 to God's praise.
How blessed the one who has received forgiveness for his sin, whose sins are covered from God's
from God's grace, whose death is cancelled in God's grace, there's no deceit in him.
When I kept silent all my bones, whose death is cancelled in God's grace, there's no deceit in him.
When I kept silent all my bones, with gold in God's grace, there's no doubt beneath your heart.
I felt in trouble, O day and night my strength was up,
As in the summertime, Then I lit bare my sin to you,
The guilt that lived within.
I said, O Lord, I have transgressed,
And you forgive when I confess,
You pardon all my sin.
So let the calling bring to you,
While you are to be found.
Surely when waves are sweeping past,
On mighty waters rising past,
You'll keep them safe as come.
So please allow me to go to the main door after the benediction.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
The love of God, the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
Be with you all now and forevermore.
Amen.