Proclaim Fellowship

 

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

— 1 John 1:3

 

John said he and the other disciples proclaimed, they declared openly to everyone. He testified. 

 

Unless a person has experienced something with at least one of his/her senses, it is not a testimony. It would be hearsay, which is when no personal senses are involved. John declared he had a personal testimony proving Jesus is who He said He was. 

 

Which of John’s senses witnessed Christ? John wrote of what he personally had seen with his own eyes and heard with his own ears. He probably could have testified based on touch, too. As the “beloved” disciple of Jesus, John probably hugged Jesus before His death and after His resurrection. 

 

John said he and the other disciples openly declared their testimony to whomever would listen about what they saw and heard from Jesus, the Son of God. Did the disciples proclaim to gather a following of disciples for themselves? Did they proclaim so they would receive offerings that would provide them with an income? Did these disciples of Jesus declare their testimony to become famous? No. John said they spent their lives proclaiming their testimony about what they’d seen Jesus do and how He lived and what they heard Jesus teach and preach. They proclaimed so that other people could have fellowship with them. 

 

What did John mean by having fellowship with them? “Fellowship” comes from the Greek word “koinonia”. Koinonia is the absolute bond of love and care among believers in Jesus that unites them with and for each other no matter the cost. This bond unites believers in fellowship with God and Jesus. Koinonia is absolute love for the benefit of the community corporately and individually, whether in joy or crisis or in excess or need.  Koinonia was very visibly seen in Acts 2:44-45 after Pentecost when many people believed in Jesus. Luke wrote it as follows:

 

“And all the believers were together and had all things in common; and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.”

 

That is koinonia. Giving whatever you had to help others in need, doing whatever it takes to help. John and the other 11 disciples knew this sacrifice personally because of their fellowship with God and Christ and their witnessing of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension. These men did not only give up the right to income or a place to call home. In their decision to follow, believe in, and fellowship with Jesus, they absolutely gave up their right to their own selves. The disciples were persecuted. Many of them died in horrendous ways. John lived to an old age, but exiled from his people. Yet, he still had fellowship with God and Jesus.

 

Where do we stand in this? Do we openly declare our faith in Jesus? Do we give God the glory for the blessings we have received? Do our lives show a fellowship with God and Jesus by doing and giving whatever they request, even their blessings, for other people’s aid? Do we have an absolute bond of Christian love and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ so that what we have would be sold to help them in their need? This shows our absolute fellowship with God and Jesus. It is our living testimony of our faith in Christ and His work in us. This shows our fellowship with Him.

 

Do you have a testimony about your relationship with Jesus?

Do you openly tell it?

Do you have a koinonia fellowship with God and Jesus that causes a koinonia fellowship with and for other Christians?

 

Even to his old age in exile, John’s koinonia with Jesus led him to koinonia (fellowship) with other believers by testifying and teaching through something as simple as a letter. Do you have a heart like John, who had a heart for and like Jesus? That’s koinonia.

The Crux

 

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

— Galatians 2:20

 

I have purposely cast off—crucified— my old self with its earthly desires and agendas. Why? When I believed in Jesus Christ, I asked Him to cleanse me from sin. If I continue doing what I’d always done, I am not changed or saved. I just give lip service to Christ. When I trusted in Jesus, I entrusted my life, dreams, and future to Him. I gave up my right to myself, so cast off my old sinful, self-centered nature/life. In essence, when Jesus was crucified and I trusted in Him, I crucified my old sinful self and put my whole being now and forever into His hands for His purposes. 

 

This means I do not live to accomplish my agenda; I now live to obey God so others may come to know about and believe in Him. So, Christ lives in me, now. 

 

I live by faith and trust in Jesus, so I do not need to worry about my agenda, safety, or physical needs. He will provide all these just like He provided salvation from my sins. 

 

That’s how much Jesus loves me. Because He literally “loves me to death” (by His own crucifixion), I know I don’t need to worry about things in this life. 

 

CHRIST LIVES IN ME.

Christ Loves me.

Christ Gave Himself up for me, so I can be in an eternal relationship with God now and forever.

 

I can trust my whole being (heart, soul, mind, and body) to the One who chose to die in my place. 

 

Yes, Christ, live in me. I give myself anew to you today.

Justice Demanded

Justice, people seek, demanding for them.

Railing, begging, striving, and bribing for their suit.

Claiming validity, for their “just” sake.

Unjust they be, though supposed claiming the truth.

Justice is my right, people declare.

Seeking to obtain it for themselves is their claim.

Wanting the profit and advantage from its reaping,

Shouting for justice, requiring, demanding it be made.

Justice, we seek, when we are unjust.

Claiming to be weakened, received harm from a hand.

Obtained unjust actions and words that have harmed,

We cry for justice for us; it’s for what we demand.

Seeking justice when we’re unjust seems unbalanced, untrue.

Why do we seek for our purpose that which we don’t bestow?

Striving always to be ahead, caring not for other’s lives now;

Wanting what we can get, uncaring what they are owed.

Justice we seek, we cry for, we plead.

Justice is not what we give, what we think, or what we heed.

Justice requires a person to be just, an impossible human task.

No one is always just, always right, sin makes sure of that.

Justness, rightness, can’t be defined by humanity;

God’s character defines it, the always righteous Holy One.

Humanity strives but fails to do what is right;

Weakness, temptation, sin separates and makes alone.

For this reason, humanity’s sin and God’s great love,

The Father sent the Son to live as man yet sinless to be the One.

The One who lived to die so sins may be cleansed,

The One who died so God would make righteous, just, everyone.

Justice we seek as if we’re the most important person alive.

Christ came and loved to show each His love and make right.

Nothing we can give nor anything we can do

Gives the salvation Christ gives, and, with it, eternal life.

Come as a child, nothing to give, no way to earn;

Righteousness from God comes by belief in Christ alone.

Jesus taught belief in Him alone, God’s love justifies;

What God asks of you is belief, for His grace makes you whole.

Justice we demand, yet justice we don’t give.

God demanded nothing for your sins to be cleansed.

He provided everything needed for you to be justified;

You pay Him nothing for the redemption price of your sins.

Though you owe God everything since your sins caused your death,

He paid the whole price, redeemed you, now you are fully cleansed.

Once you believe in Jesus as the Redeemer for your sins,

God’s grace and His cost are fully repaid as He welcomes you in.

As one of His children, cleansed, saved, redeemed,

Your only requirement is to answer the “Follow Me” of Christ’s beckoning.

“Follow Me with your life, with your actions, words, and thought.

Love Me, love your neighbor with your whole being, your whole heart.

Sell all you have, give to the hurt, lost, and needy;

Give your right to yourself to serve Me and others to eternity.”

These things Jesus taught as He spoke to the faithful, rich man.

The utmost he wouldn’t give though he followed the law of the land.

All that’s written cannot give you righteousness and peace;

Only through God’s gift, Jesus’ sacrifice, can we be justified, find justice, and all we need.

This all that God gives is eternal life and relationship with Him;

It’s better than all we can think, ever want, demand, or conceive.

It’s the ultimate of God, the source for all good things.

The definer of truth, justice, and giver of everything we need.

Justice we demanded and justice God gave.

At the cost of His Son by Whom we received His grace.

The power of death held no sway over His mighty power;

He rose from the grave and gave us cleansing and victory for every hour.

Jesus calls to us as we called to the judge;

“Justice,” I give, “with mercy and love.”

“Seek Me and find Me, I wait for you to come.

Believe in Me and receive from the depths of My love.”

Come to the Savior, Who for your life He died.

Come see the cross where He was crucified.

Give Him your life, your heart, everything,

And He will give you grace, justification, love, and all you need.

“For it is My Father’s will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40 [NLT])

“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63 [NLT])

Note: Read Luke 18 and John 6 for more understanding of Jesus’ teaching as referred to in this poem.

Drops

On that dark and gray-clouded day

“What happened, what occurred?” the people asked.

            The stranger in the crowd, “Who is that man?”

            The follower on the rock, “My teacher. What wrong has He done?”

            The mother gasping in heart-pain, “My son. What did He do?”

            The solder standing at cross-beamed timbers, “Surely, He’s who He said.”

Then a lone woman fell on her knees at the base of Life, looking up in wonder at the greatest miracle ever heard, ever seen     

            as anguish crossed his face

            as His eyes looked upward

            as His words rang out true.

And as His blood drops fell before my bent knees, “I knew I was unworthy to be in His sight.

            then anguish crossed my face as I considered my sin-stain unworthiness

            then my eyes looked upward, and I knew love

            then my tears fell before His feet.

Unworthy though they be,

            my tears dropped one, then two, three and four.

            first around His blood drops,

            then increasingly more

            as my heart broke at my sin

            as I looked on His glory

                        drops of pain, aware of my sin

                        drops of gratitude, aware of His love

                        drops of thanks, aware of my redemption

                        drops of love, recognizing this Man as my Savior divine

                        drops of Joy, aware of my new story to tell.

Sin-stain. Love-gained. Redemption made Free.

Risen from the grave

Risen from my knees

His story because of my story.

I must tell

            of a woman on her knees weeping into blood drops

            of so great a love given my heart and soul made clean

            of His great love shared for the world to return

Redemption provided

Blood-death given

So all could be cleaned

                           forgiven

                           redeemed

                           made new

To live now and eternally with the God who never gave up on me.

Blood drops. Tear drops now mingled.

The lone woman now redeemed.

Romans 5:20b - 6:14 A Devotion

5:20 Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. [NASB]

Points to consider from this passage –

1. God’s grace is greater than the amount of sin people commit. His grace abounds. He gives righteousness for every sinner to cover all their sin through Jesus Christ.

2. Does that mean we can keep on sinning because God’s grace will forgive us no matter what? It is your decision to live the life Jesus Christ died to put into you.

a.    If you continue to sin because you say grace will always cover you, you are making yourselves slaves to sin again instead of living the freedom Christ gives to you through His resurrection.

b.    When we accept God’s gift of grace, we accept forgiveness and salvation as well as newness of life – escape from the old life of sin, which entangled us in sin from which we could not escape on our own. This new life is united with Christ Jesus so we have the power of Christ to overcome temptations and sin to be free from the entanglements in which Satan wants to keep us.

c.    So we understand since Jesus Christ rose from the dead to which Satan thought he banished Him with crucifixion on the cross and since we have accepted His gift of grace and salvation which gives us new life, we know we, too, are raised from the dead and are no longer slaves to sin and the resultant death it brings to us.

d.    We have the power to beat Satan and His schemes. We are alive to God in Christ Jesus.

e.    So do not obey sin and its lust so that it continues to reign in your earthly bodies, but give yourselves to God as alive from the dead. With God, sin will not be master over you.

3. Then we can say with Paul, “Thanks be to God that though you [I was] were slaves of sin, you [I] became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you [I was] were committed [the teaching that enslaved you to sin], and having been freed from sin, you [I] became slaves of righteous [which is freedom and results in sanctification, the being made holy and pure by God].”

Considering this passage from Paul and knowing he spoke the truth as revealed by God and experienced by himself, will we continue to choose to sin after we have been freed from it, from its enslavement. Make no mistake, choosing to sin imprisons you. One step towards it leads to another and then another, then you become blinded to the truth of God by Satan’s deceptions. Do not make that mistake. Take on the new life Christ died to give you, the life of truth, grace, love, and life. Do not let sin entangle you, then you can give thanks to God as Paul gave thanks to God for the Roman Christians who gave their lives to Christ. The life Christ died to give you is the taking on of His freedom of sin and receipt of eternal life as well as His attributes. It is the becoming more life Christ with each day. We each have to choose whether we will accept this gift from God or if we will continue to walk in the blindness of Satan and sin still more.

What will you choose –

God’s love, grace, forgiveness, and eternal life through Jesus Christ, who gives freedom from sin

or

Continuing in your old life of sin, which leads to slavery to sin/Satan and death?

Choose life. Choose freedom from sin.

Choose to live the new life Christ died to give you.