Opening the Gospel of John & 1-3 John 

The Apostle John was saved when our Lord Jesus Christ called his brother James and him after he called Andrew and Peter, through the ministry of John the Baptizer, to make them fishers of men (Matt. 4:18-22; Mark 1:14-20). 

John wrote the Gospel of John, the three epistles 1-3 John and Revelation. The Gospel presents Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of the world (John 4:42), in the salvation of the woman in Samaria after Nicodemus the ruler of the Jews (John 3). The epistles of John were written to confirm our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ and establish us in the faith experientially. The Book of Revelation gives comfort to present sufferers in the faith of unfolding future events and the consummation of this present age and the physical God’s kingdom to come.

Christ is presented as the eternal “Logos”, the Word made flesh, the eternal God entered human history and dwell among men. The message is this, as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. This is termed “the new birth” (John 3). It means to have spiritual life, that is, communion and everlasting life with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. This is contrasted with physical life.

John 6:47 (KJV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Jesus explains the reconciliation of sinners to God through Him in the bestowment of eternal or spiritual life in a graphic illustration of physical food that sustains physical life – John 6:48-50 (KJV) I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

Jesus will do so through the sacrifice of Himself, His coming crucifixion to reconcile men to God – John 6:51 (KJV) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.  

He is the Light that will dispel darkness, symbolic of the sin of the world – John 8:12 (KJV) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

This will be accomplish by Christ giving Himself in life and death to give eternal life to man – John 10:7, 11, 14:6 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

It will be Christ’s resurrection from the dead that will bring life everlasting to sinners – John 11:25 (KJV) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

Christ will sustain the life through Himself as His disciples abide in Him – John 15:1 (KJV) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Biblical joy (chara) is defined as a thriving fellowship between God and man through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, emanating from the salvation of the soul and brings forth gladness, assurance, strength, happiness to the heart and to that life. This joy comes when the believer abides in Jesus Christ. The word “abide” means “join together” – 1 John 1:4 (KJV) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

This is a spiritual union between Christ and His church through the obedience of Christ’s commandments that is taught in 1 John 1-5.

2 John shows the importance of keeping our house (or house church) closed to heretics; 3 John encourages hospitality to traveling preachers and missionaries. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee