MONDAY
Last week we started our Advent campaign. This year we are walking through 1 John 1:1-4.
1 John 1:1–4 (HCSB) 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us — 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
The Big Idea of this passage, as we discovered last week, is in verse 2—the life was revealed (bolded above). “The life” refers to the incarnate Christ and the meaning of the incarnate Christ—the gospel. Remember, John uses neuter pronouns so he is not simply repeating the same idea from the opening to his gospel in referring to the incarnate Christ. Instead, he is referring to the whole of the gospel here. This gospel has been from the beginning. It is the Word of life. It is the eternal life that was with the Father. This gospel, of course, is centered in Jesus.
This gospel that was a glimmer in the Old Testament is now revealed in full in Jesus.
This week we are going to focus on the highlighted portions above. Therefore, for the rest of today simply read over the text again slowly and focus on the highlighted portions.