Today we will be starting a new series in the epistles of John, and today we will be focusing on 1 John 1, 1-4 in particular. So if you would like, you may turn in your text to 1 John 1, 1-4. There are many great qualities and themes to the epistles of John which could be brought out and focused upon, but I would like to entreat you to be considering these few as we work our way through the epistles, including love for and communion with God, love for the brethren, assurance, the importance of truth, and a testing of the faith. So, to boil that down a little bit more, love, assurance, truth, and testing. And to give some background as we start into these letters, it would appear that the author of the Epistles of John is the Apostle Paul. who wrote these letters, and they share much of the same themes and content and style as the Gospel of John. And their common attribution in history and by the church has been unto the Apostle John. So then, who is this Apostle John? He is the disciple whom Christ loved, the one whom loved Christ so that he outran the others to reach his Lord's tomb first, the one trusted at the inner circle of Christ, shared amongst himself and Peter and James alone. the apostle who had a zeal for Christ, such that when Jesus was rejected by a Samaritan village, he sought to call down fire upon it. He was a lover of the truth, so such that in one commentary there is a documented incident of him as having entered a bathhouse and discovering a heretic present, fleeing that bathhouse, saying, let us fly, lest even the bathhouse fall down, because Serentis, the enemy of the truth, is within. This is who the author of John was. John, who experienced great love and communion with God and had a zeal for Christ and his truth, pours himself out upon the pages of his letters. These letters were probably written in the latter 90s, shortly after the writing of the Gospel of John, and likely written from Ephesus. His audience develops from general to specific. In the first letter, we see a letter written to the churches in general. In the second letter, I believe we see a letter written to a particular church. And then in the third letter, we see a letter written to an individual, Gaius in particular. Then a particular philosophical concept to have in mind while we are reading John, of which John is addressing, is that of Gnosticism. Gnosticism is a dualistic approach in which the spirit is understood to be good and material evil. There are major issues in this which relate to John's writings in Christian theology. One being, according to Gnosticism, Jesus could not have had a physical body, because the physical body is material and thus bad. John addressing this says, we heard, saw, and felt him. This understanding denies Christ's propitiation, for man must live for and die for man, and under Gnosticism this cannot be so. This is of further importance for our complete salvation includes the salvation of our bodies. And so if the material is inherently bad, there is no redemption for the body. For in Gnosticism, redemption is the separation of the soul or spirit from the body, which is material and thus bad. And so there's no resurrection of the body. But as we know, Christ's resurrection is a first fruit of ours. And as he rose physically, we know we shall as well. it also affects our living. For since in Gnosticism we shall shuck our old bodies, and that is our salvation, to be separated from the body, all the evil and vile things we do in the body then stay behind with it at this separation. And so when we leave the body, we leave our sin behind. This led to lives of vile wickedness, as this made a free pass for sin, With these things in mind, we'll focus upon the passage for today. Today's passage, 1 John 1, 1-4. John tells us how we may know joy by knowing Jesus. And this is quite the proposition today, is it not? For many, and particularly those outside the faith, and even for some in Christ who falter on the truth and get swept away by false ideologies, this is a big proposition to know joy. If you consider Christmas, which is coming in but a few short weeks, we all know the kind of hallmark, perfect, picturesque family, and there's been much of that. This was probably a familiar picture for many growing up and commonplace for several previous decades. There's a happy, cohesive family unit, smiles on faces gathered around a fire and festive garb, presents under the tree, decor all around. And I will spare you hearing me sing anymore, chestnuts roasting over an open fire. You get the picture. There's happiness. And while this is still experienced and may be by you, this experience is becoming less and less. Our Christmases aren't so jolly anymore. And why might this be? Could it be that true joy was traded in for false ideologies, which boasted happiness and can bring a selfish happiness for a while, bolstered by some remaining Christian trappings until it all falls apart and things are not so happy anymore? Could it be that true joy was traded for consumerism, which brings happiness by the acquiring of stuff, but in this acquiring, One can never find happiness, for you only need more and better. And that is harder to do year by year as our economic situation is largely not as well off as it has been in the past. Or festive tradition, which may superficially uplift for the holiday season, There is the pursuit of a selfish happiness in divorce which tears apart happy, unified families. There is the sucking of love from the presence of the family by devices in which family would rather look at their stocks, games, or football than to give meaningful, interested, devoted time unto their family. So while our culture clings to a decaying picture of happiness and failing ideologies and tradition, I believe in these first four verses of John, 1 John, John tells us how we may know joy, and that is by knowing Jesus. So my purpose in preaching this message to you is that your joy may be full in knowing Jesus Christ. Let's read the word. 1 John 1, 1-4. 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 handled concerning the word of life. The life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Let's pray. Lord, we, we thank you for your many blessings. Lord, you have been so gracious and merciful unto all of us. Oh Lord, for an eternity past, you have elected us to know you, to enjoy you, to praise you and make your name known. Oh Lord, I pray that we would engage in that, that we would hear, meditate, sing, share your word amongst all generations unto all peoples. Lord, for you are glorious and ought to be known. Lord, in these tellings we may tell of your choosing of sinners. Well, we're yet sinners. Well, we're yet rebellious. Lord, you graciously have chosen. And you've not left us alone in this choice, but you have sent forth your son. That he may walk among us to bear our burden to fulfill the law. As only a human can do for human. but to do so perfectly only as God can do. Lord, and to die, to shed his blood for our souls. Lord, in these acts, there's great joy for all the world, for he invites those to come, to partake, to enjoy the blessing. Lord, may they come and know you, hearing, seeing, and touching, come into a deeper relationship with you, abide in you. In your name, I pray. Today's sermon will have four main points and will follow a similar train to the reformed proposition of faith, namely that faith is composed of three parts. Notitia, or knowledge of the object, a census, a belief or conviction about the notitia of the object is true. A fiducia, or a trusting of ourself unto the object. we now know and believe to be true. And like this understanding, I would say John presents the object of joy of which we must have notitia. We must have knowledge of this object. John relays he and the disciples familiarity of joy or their testimony of their personal witness of the object of joy. So there is great reason for a census or belief in the object of joy. Third, there is an offer of joy in which John, having presented the notitia and reason for a census, thus invites them to fiducia. He invites them to something greater than a simple understanding of the facts concerning the object of joy as being true. but to experience communion and fellowship, trusting in the object of joy." As a result, John writes his purpose in saying these things, probably the rest of the letter as well, but these things in particular, he says, it is so that your joy may be full. So the final point of the sermon is that knowing the object of joy, believing the familiarity of joy, and receiving the offer of joy, you may experience the fullness of joy. First, we must see the object of joy. John writes of this in the first part of verse one and verse two, that which was from the beginning, the life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life, which was with the father and was manifested to us. First, we must know the object of joy. We must know what this object of joy is, or rather, who this object of joy is. John says in the first part of the passage, firstly, I will say, as we have said before now, the object of joy is Christ. That is who, but then we must know who this Christ is. And John shares that with us. He fills us in about who this object of joy is. As John presents Jesus, he tells us several things about him which are necessary for understanding who he is. So who is Christ? John says he was from the beginning, so it is eternal. It is good that this phrase is here, for it should remind us of another place in scripture which speaks of who Christ is. While we are looking at 1 John 1, 1-4, I believe we would be remiss if we didn't at least glance at John 1. This shows the continuity between the letters that we've talked about before in the introduction. I believe you've all probably heard much of the relationship between these texts. And in reading them, you will gather much of the relationship as well. So I'd like to just read the passage and very briefly comment on it. So I do not simply repeat what you've heard better elsewhere and use up the rest of the time for the sermon. If you'll turn to John 1, we'll read verses 1 through 5. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and all things were made through him. And without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life. And the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. So Christ was in the beginning, we see the eternality. Was being a past imperfect verb showing continual action, so maybe a way to understand this would be he was existing in the beginning with God. He is creator as we see in Colossians, and in him there's life and light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him. Yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. He has came into the world, or been manifested. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. We'll continue on and into verse 18. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Glory is the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness about Him and cried out, This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me. For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the Father's side. He has made him known. He has become flesh or been manifested. We have seen him. He was before John. Before John was, which implies his eternality, he is God, for he was manifested God. He's at the Father's side, so distinct from the Father in person, but the same in nature. Also probably worth mentioning, since both of these passages have a close relationship to Genesis 1, is the usage of the plural form of God, which God ascribes to himself when he calls himself Elohim. And it was Elohim who created in Genesis 1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And in all this, we see the eternality of Jesus. He was there, already present from the beginning, creating with the Father. He was with the Father, which shows His deity and shows the Trinity. He was with the Father. This would be an ascription to the deity of Christ, for He is with the Father in His most glorious acts, attributing credit for those things which credit or glory must be given to God alone. and particularly in creation and the bringing, possessing, or giving of life and redemption. This also shows the distinction between the persons of the Godhead, for the Son is not the Father, and the Father is not the Son. They are together with each other. For if they are the same person, they could not be with one another. This is something which can and should be known of the object of joy. He is one of the three persons of the Holy Trinity. John says He is the Word. He is that Word described in John 1. And in Him is all the power and might of the Godhead. For it is by Him the Father created. For nothing which was created was created without Him. So existing in perfect harmony with the Father. The Father creates by the Word, power of the Word, and the Word sweetly complies with the creative work of the Father. And so there is no friction or discontinuity, but they work in perfect union with no break or disconnect in desire. So more to know of the object of joy is that He is all-powerful and in complete and total unity with the Father. He is the Word of life. And even more than just being, No, just being probably isn't the greatest way to put it. But he is not only the word in power, but the object of joy is the word of life. He as creator is the wellspring of life. He as Elohim breathed life into Adam and Eve and is the creator and sustainer of all life from then on unto eternity. And this life he now brings is the light of men, illuminating, bringing to life the inward darkness of man. Whereas he is the word which brought about creation, he is the word of life which makes a new creation in the hearts of man. The object of joy is the word of life. The object of joy is the Son of God. This tells us much about Jesus, for He is the Son of God, must be God as well, for there are many who are sons of God, but He is the singular Son of God. This tells of a loving relationship and reinforces the idea of unity. It expresses to us purposes and functions within the Trinity and the economy of redemption. He does as the Father desires, but in unity, so as this is His desire as well. It was the Father's desire to create, redeem, for the Son to come to man. And so this desire to create, to redeem, to come unto man is Christ's as well. And so He does. He's the Christ, or the Messiah. The object of joy is the Christ. And there is much that could be said of this, but perhaps helpful to understand is the term Christ used after Jesus is not simply a second name. It is a title in Greek as to who or what Jesus is. He is Messiah, the promised deliverer of God's people, prophesied and spoken of all the way back to Genesis in the skull-crushing seed of the woman. to Abraham's offspring, to David's son, yet David's Lord, for in him his coming and work is the fulfillment of the whole of the scriptures. So then why is he the object of joy? So that is who Christ is, and there is more which could be said, but for the sake of time we must keep it brief, and I'll try to only stick with the descriptors which John gives here, which are sufficient. But having looked at who the object of joy is, we must look at why he is the object of joy. First, he is the object of joy because of who he is. If you'll recall what we've just spoken of, He is the Eternal, All-Powerful, Creator, the Word, the Word of Life, the Christ, the Son of God, with the Father. And you may ask what all this has to do with you. And that is a fair question. So then we must look at what He has done. Because Jesus is who He is, Jesus does what He does. Or Jesus does what He does because of who He is. And though who he is has been explained to you, facts presented, yet these facts need to become personal. For thus Jesus is not the God of the deists who is far away and impersonal, but rather he is near, so near in fact that he has come into his very own creation." So first, why is he the object of joy for who he is? And second, what he has done. And what has he done? He has come. He is the life manifested. He is the object of joy because he being vastly superior in every way imaginable to you has willingly come, has condescended to be present in this very own fallen creation. Experiencing the world and coming in such a way as to bring God's very presence among us. Second, he existed in human flesh. He was manifested to us. And this very God among us became fully man, lowering himself so that he may experience what you and I experience. He very literally walked a mile in our shoes, but he all the while lived perfectly while doing so, so he may represent us perfectly. Third, he created you. This Jesus created all things and he created you. You are not the result of random circumstance, but are the result of an intensely personal decision by the Lord of the universe who knit you together in your mother's womb. Fourth, he brought redemption. He brought redemption for his elect. In life, he came and lived perfectly in obedience of the law, fulfilling all righteousness for the fulfillment of the law and to positively merit righteousness. In death, he bore the curse of the law and sin. For because he was a man, he could bear the sin of man, and as God, he could merit salvation for all those he has chosen. He could bear eternal wrath. And in his resurrection and ascension, he leads the way, defeating the curse of the law, defeating sin, death, and hell, and in doing so, brings new life to sinners. So you see, in all these things, though knowing the facts about Jesus is great, they are not simple, ethereal propositions to simply be understood. They are meant to be believed and brought in, realized in our own hearts, rested in, and taken joy in. For in these, there is great joy to be had in knowing the object of joy, Jesus. Next, we'll look at the familiarity of joy in the second half of verse 1. John says, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life. In the second point of the sermon today, we see the familiarity with which John and the others experienced the object of joy. He employs the use of the human senses to really press the truth that Jesus came incarnate, to assure the reader of the validity of their witness, but also to ensure of the close relationship they possessed with the object of joy. We'll look at the senses, which John describes here. First, they heard. John says, with our ears, John begins this series of sensory witness with hearing. This is a vital sense, for it is by this means Christ communicates his truth unto his disciples. This verified Jesus' humanity, for in his condescension he was given a mouth and tongue so as to speak to the peoples. It ensures the reader of the validity of their witness, for their hearing of the truth is not secondhand or made up of their mind, but heard in person from the mouth of Jesus himself. Further, it ensured them of the close relationship with which they had to the object of joy. In fact, you may think of the closeness associated with speech. If someone asks me if I know Andy, I can say, yes, I know Andy. Andy exists. But how convincing is that? If you take me at my word, sure, I guess. I can say yes, and I've spoken with Andy. I've spent time with Andy and got to know him by hearing him. And likewise, John proposes this truth with evidence. His very own hearing, the voice of God in Jesus Christ. Secondly, he presents visual evidence. He was seen with our eyes. John continues his sensory witness by including sight. He says, which we have seen with our eyes and looked upon. This is an important sense as well, as we find sight to be an important factor in determining truth. In fact, court cases having video evidence is often crucial for establishing claims. We have sayings, seeing is believing, or if we're going to get a little bit more modern, maybe pics or it didn't happen. In this, we see the immense impact of sight for the confirmation of the truth. It verified he was in physical body, for he was sought after to be seen by shepherds and wise men at his birth, witnessed day after day by his disciples in his ministry, and reveled in by his followers, gazing upon his glory at the Transfiguration. This confirmation of sight should ensure the readers of the validity of John's witness as well. He saw this Jesus himself, so he is a personal, reliable witness. This also assures of the familiarity of joy, because in a similar vein to hearing, if someone asked me if I know Andy, I can say yes, or I can say yes, and I have seen him. I saw him when he first came to this church. I've seen him in worship. I've seen him in prayer meeting. I've seen him splitting wood. I've seen him in my home. And likewise, John may say, I have seen him, the object of joy. Jesus, when he came to me on the sea, in his ministry, feeding the 5,000, walking on water, cooking us a meal, I have seen him risen and glorified. What a sight to share. Third, John presents their hands. Our hands have handled. The final sensory witness John gives is touch. And there is a sense of finality in this. For in the hearing, a voice may be thrown. Or in the seeing, smoke and mirrors may be employed. But in the touching is the substance of the matter. Where the Gnostic may say, you just saw and heard a visible and audible representation of the immaterial, the disciples can say, no. We felt him, we touched him with our hands, we ate with him, handed food to him. He was really and physically there. So he truly came in, came in and was resurrected in the flesh. This lends to their witness as well, for there is something of a sharper assurance and witness to a testimony which tells of the feeling, to describe and bring forth the sense of the feel. And this increases the witness of their familiarity with the object of joy, for they were in so deep a relationship that they touched. Going back to our Andy illustration, thanks for being here today, Andy. I could say, yes, I know Andy. Or I could say, yes, I know Andy. I have shaken his hand, held his hand in prayer at the dinner table. We've carried items together. We have hugged. And likewise, John can express his familiarity in this very personal way. He can say, yes, I and the disciples know Christ. We have touched him. For Peter's sinking and the waters reached out unto Christ, taking hold his hand. and John who felt the touch of Jesus' hands as he washed the disciples' feet. And this all culminates into this great witness of John in which he decidedly says, Christ was present in body. Christ is real. He exists. And I know him personally, for I have heard, seen, and touched the object of joy. There's perhaps no better representative illustration of this than in John 20, in which the Lord Jesus appears to the disciples post-resurrection, and my only comment on it will be to hear the witness which John gives, and to heed the exhortation of John, as you hear with your ears, see with your eyes, and touch with your hands the word of God. John 20, starting in verse 19. It says, on the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, peace be with you as the father has sent me, even so I am sending you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. Now, Thomas, one of the 12, called the twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, we have seen the Lord, but he said to them, unless I see in his hands, the mark of the nails and place my finger into the marks of the nails and place my hand into his side, I will never believe. Eight days later, his disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. And then John writes the purpose of his writing. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name. Third, we see this offer of joy. As we saw John offer at the end of his prior book, we see the offer of joy. John in verse three says, that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son, Jesus Christ. So now knowing who the object of joy is, and hearing, seeing, and touching in the familiar witness of John, and thus being given all the reason to believe in the object of joy, John now offers this joy. In the offering of this joy, we see it as a declaration, it is experiential, it is unifying, and it is triune. First is a declaration. John says, that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you. This is an emphatic statement. There is behind this. This is no mere offer to be ignored, but this is a declaration of truth in which the hearer must either receive and believe or deny. And it is hearing this and believing this by which we receive salvation for the mechanism given for the spread of Christian truth is by the declaration of the word. Paul tells us this is the means in Romans 10 when he says, how will they believe if they have not heard? And so John, with firm conviction and knowing his own personal familiarity with the object of joy, declares this unto his audience. That Jesus, for I believe this is referring to Jesus, that that Jesus which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship. Which brings us to our next point. It is experiential. This is the next point John makes in this passage. Believing in the object of joy is experiential and ought to lead to a trusting in or experience of the believed object of joy. John tells his audience they too may have the very personal relationship which he just attested to. They too may have communion with or fellowship with the object of joy. And this is what Jesus calls us to as well. For in John 15, Jesus uses the illustration of the vine to address his relationship with believers. In this passage, Jesus says he is the vine and we are the branches. And for us to actually be a part of the vine, we are to be in fellowship or communion or tight, intimate, intergrown relationship with. That is the proper Christian walk. And having believed in the object of joy, John says this should lead to the same intimate familiarity with him as he himself possesses. It is unifying. We have fellowship with us. She said, you have fellowship with us. We get a bonus. And that is truly what this is for primary fellowship in belief. And thus this trust is God, but we get more. We get exceedingly abundantly more than we could ever ask for. We get intimate fellowship with the object of joy, but in abundant joy, we receive fellowship with other believers. through the unifying factor of Christ. So I get not only Jesus, which is more than enough and the greatest thing, but I get Andy and Donovan and Tyler and Catherine and Grace and all of you wonderful people here today. This is a wonderful thing. And it is because of this trust in and fellowship in Christ, which we have fellowship one with another, my dear brothers and sisters. And more than fellowship or union with Christ, we receive fellowship with the Godhead. So in receiving the object of joy, we receive the whole Trinity. This fellowship is triune. Though it is just the Father and Son mentioned here as the Father and Son and Spirit are one. So to come into union with them or into fellowship with them is to come into union with all. So this declarative offer from John is to know the object of joy, to believe in this familiar object of joy, and to join into fellowship, trusting upon, and in so doing, being joined together with the church, Father, Son, and Spirit. And in this, there is fullness of joy, which John concludes on the fullness of joy. In these things, we write to you that your joy may be full. brings us to our final point, the fullness of joy. I would say that there are two things represented here when John says these things. I believe in an immediate sense he is speaking of the preceding passage, and in a broader sense he is speaking of the whole of the letter, secondly. First, John speaks of the preceding passage. This is the primary means of having fullness of joy, for the next means flows out of it. It starts with knowing of Christ, a knowing of Christ, a believing of Christ, and culminates in trusting, experiencing, fellowshipping of, communing with the object of joy. For to do so is to possess that joy. And this is the result Jesus tells us we should expect. Should we do so at the conclusion of his illustration of the vine in John 15? We should expect this looking at the conclusion of his illustration of the vine in John 15. If you'd like to turn there, we'll read verses 7 through 11. He says, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this, my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so approved to be my disciples. As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. In the conclusion of this passage, the first order issue of possessing the fullness of joy is possessing Jesus. the object of joy. It is to abide in Him, to be connected to Him, or having fellowship or communion. This is the first and primary means of joy unto any man, is to be connected to Christ. For it is only by abiding in Christ we receive the benefit, not just knowing who Christ is, but in having who He is or what He has done applied to us. If you remember at the beginning, a question was posed, what has all this to do with me? Well, here's where the rubber meets the road. For knowing, believing, and abiding in the object of joy, we have the benefits and effects of both who Jesus is and what he has done applied to us. Communion with God, justification, adoption, sanctification, love, and all joy. All this in knowing, believing, and trusting in the object of joy. But likewise, there is something else which furthers the fullness of joy, which Jesus says is keeping his commandments or his word. There is something integrally related about abiding in Christ's love and keeping his commandments, and thus having fullness of joy. Second, John speaks about the whole of the letter. In this letter, John speaks much about the Christian life, and as a convenient means to give an overview of the letter, these are the things which John speaks about. These are Christ's word or commands to his sheep, that they walk in the light. that they understand Christ's intercession for us, to love our brother. There's a testing of the faith, a warning against the love of the world, a warning of antichrists, abiding in Christ, loving one another, assurance, communion with God, a testing of the spirits, knowing the love of God, overcoming the world, and more. But we see our themes. love, assurance, truth, testing. This is important to John so much so that it is the very life of his letter. If you pull these things out, there is very little left in them. In these things, there is the fullness of joy. For this is the truth of the word. Yes, there is fullness of joy in Christ, and that being the primary thing, but this very Christ has also given us a new command. And in obedience to our Lord's word, we find joy. For we are not finding joy in the command itself, but in the connection to and love of the object of joy who gave it. Christ loves you, RBCKC. Find joy in his word to you. I would like to present to you two examples as we close. These two examples are living flesh and blood testimony to the reality of these truths. The first we should be familiar with as we recently read most of his story. The first example is Judas. Judas is a fitting example for though Judas knew the object of joy as well as most of the disciples, though he walked with him, though he knew him, knew the truth about him, heard him, saw him, felt him, he witnessed him just as the other disciples, and yet he did not truly abide in him. Though Judas knew and believed, he did not trust in the object of joy, Jesus. When the truth of Christ was declared around him with every possible sense that could be employed, he rejected, he refused fellowship, and thus Judas knew not joy. For this may be a bit of a spoiler, for Judas, though he received the money he loved and trusted, he died sorrowful and full of regret. He rejected the object of joy and thus died without it. Yet there is another example, one whom we have already heard much about, the Apostle John. He, hearing and seeing and feeling the declaration of the truth about Christ, believed this truth and thus rested in and trusted in the object of joy. And in this trust, John found joy so much that he wishes his audience to experience this joy as well. So much so that joy in Christ oozes from John's writing. So this is the reality for you today, and I encourage you to choose wisely. Having heard the truth, seen the truth, and held the very truth of God in your hands today, do not go forth as Judas, rejecting the declaration of the object of joy, which will result in regret and sorrow, death and decay, but rather hear the witness of John. Having heard, saw, and felt and run to him. Know, believe, and trust in this Jesus, and know the fullness of joy in communion with him and obedience to his word. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word and how it abundantly makes clear your truth, how by it we may know you, come into communion with you, to know of the truths that we have spoken of today in your election, in your propitiation, in your coming unto us. Lord, in these things, may we find immense joy. Help us to hear and to meditate on these things. And as we meditate on them, may our joy overflow into praise. Though it be less than you deserve, may our joyful praise be pleasing to you because of Christ. Lord, and in this praise, may we share of your word. Lord, and at this time, I pray that you'd help us to take joy in your presence here with us today. Lord, for you are with your church when it is gathered. May we in taking this joy look back upon your coming Look back upon your death, burial, and resurrection, as this is what today is for, is a remembrance of that. Lord, may we take special joy in that coming of you unto us as man, God and man, so that we may have all these blessings that we do today, so that your glory may be known among the nations, that you may destroy and defeat the curse wherever it is found, for in you, There is joy that overwhelms any sorrow. In your name I pray, amen.