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. We write this to make our joy complete.
1 John 1:3-4 NIV
The author of this letter is generally believed to have been John, one of Jesus’ closest followers. He started this letter by sharing his own experience with Jesus. He had seen Jesus and physically touched Him. There was no doubt in John’s mind about who Jesus was, the eternal life that was with the Father and had taken on humanity (1 John 1:1-2).
John then gave two reasons for writing this letter. First of all, he was sharing his experience with Jesus so that he and his readers might have fellowship together. A fellowship that is with both the Father and Jesus, His Son. John is looking back here at Jesus’ prayer for His disciples and those who would come after them. That we might all be one as the Father and Son are one (John 17:11, 20-23).
The second reason John gave for writing is that sharing his experience of Jesus with others made his joy complete. It gave him great joy to tell others about Jesus and invite them into fellowship with God. This makes me examine my own life. Do I find great joy in sharing Jesus with others? Is it something I am eager to do? Nothing should give me greater joy than fellowshipping together with God’s people and inviting others into that fellowship.
