“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.” (1 John 1:1-2)

In the opening of John’s first letter, he tells of his personal time with Jesus. He began with what he had heard. He had heard the testimony of John the Baptist and had heard Jesus call to Him. “’Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’” (Matthew 4:19) He had heard all the teachings of Jesus.  He had heard Jesus in the midst of a storm rebuke first their lack of faith, then His rebuke of the storm. “’You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” (Matthew 8:26) He heard Jesus say at the tomb of a friend, “Lazarus, come out.” (John 11: 43) And he did. He also heard Jesus from the cross tell Him to take care of Jesus’ mother. “Here is your mother.” (John19:27) He also heard Jesus from the cross say, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) He also heard Jesus after the resurrection say, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21) This is just a sampling of what John heard from Jesus.

While he had heard Jesus, he also saw Jesus. His eyes saw so much he was amazed. He saw Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and feed the multitudes. He also saw the compassion of Jesus as He cared for the children. “But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’” (Luke 18:16-17) He saw the hope Jesus offered to a woman who came alone in the heat of the day to draw water. She told the people of her community, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29) The woman who had lived a sinful life, Jesus gave her hope with the offer of “living water.” (John 4:10) John also saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah as the brilliance of God drove him to the ground as God spoke, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5) After the resurrection, he watched Jesus make them breakfast. This was after the Disciples had gone fishing and fishermen among them had caught nothing. Jesus instructed them to cast their net on the right side of the boat and they would catch some. They obeyed. John watched as they counted “153 large fish.” (John 21:11)

He also knew the physical encounters with Jesus from being handed the baskets of bread in the feeding of the four and five thousand to the washing of his feet at the last supper. All of these events gave him assurance that Jesus is the Messiah, the only hope for mankind. This would be John’s message throughout His life. It would be why he wrote his Gospel. “This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:24-25)

While we may not be able to experience Jesus as John did, we still experience Him as we to seek to follow Him and be His disciple. The Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent into our lives, comes to teach us and reveal to us Jesus. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:26-27) If we will hear the Spirit teach us, we will also find Jesus with us. “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21) The more we walk daily with Jesus, the more He will confirm to us that we are His. Then we are to be like John, proclaiming to others that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block