We Declare

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-2:2 / Sermon Title: We Declare / Delivered: April 7, 2024

There was a three-word phrase I used to hear a lot when I was younger. Typically, it was spoken by one of my grandmothers, an aunt, or a lady in the church. At least in my mind it seems it was usually the women folk who were more likely to say it. I could be remembering that wrong. And I know I don’t hear it as often as I used to. I’m sure many of you here have heard the phrase before and quite likely have said it yourself. The three simple words are, “Well, I declare.” The thing is that is usually all that was said. They didn’t go on clarify or expand on anything they were thinking or opining about. It was just simply, “Well, I declare.” Of course, in most of those instances they really didn’t need to say anything more. The tone of their voice, the look on their face, and their body language usually filled in the gaps and the absences of the words left unspoken. It was always quite evident as to whether they were happy about a situation, upset about a situation, or extremely put out about whatever they were commenting on. Those three words were usually enough to get their point across.

The author of 1 John begins his letter with the phrase We declare. But in this case, he doesn’t leave his audience trying to guess his mood or state of mind. Instead, he begins to enumerate and list the things he wants the reader to know. In this passage we see not only what he wants to declare, but also why he wants to declare it.

First, he says “We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.” The word of life is of course Jesus. Whenever I read these words in 1 John, I can’t help but call to mind the beginning of the Gospel of John wherein we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

This letter was written about 50 to 60 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, the people of that era were approaching a period of time where most of the people who had actually walked and talked and seen Jesus with their own eyes were coming to the end of their lifespan. And with each passing year in which they had waited for Jesus to return as he promised and didn’t see it happen, divisions and disagreements had arisen among the believers. So John was writing his letter to this community to encourage them, strengthen their faith, and to counter some false teachings that were circulating in their midst. Later in Chapter 2 he addresses those false teachers, those who were now trying to say that Jesus was not the Christ or the Messiah. He is writing to help them to abide in Jesus and hold onto the promises and the revelations that he had given to all.

Listen again to how he starts the letter: We declare what we have heard, seen, looked at, and touched with our hands. Heard, seen, touched. All tangible actions that the author testifies to concerning the word of life. Again, testimony from one who had walked with, talked with, spent time with Jesus as he was here in the flesh and lived among them. Verse 2 he says, “this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it.”

We here now are called to be those to testify who Jesus, the word of life, is to those around us. It is up to us to declare what we have heard, seen, looked at, and touched with our hands. Of course we haven’t heard, seen, and touched Jesus in the same manner as the firsthand witnesses did. We have not had the opportunity to see Jesus in the flesh and to walk and talk and share a meal with him. Yet, we each have a testimony to share. We still have things to declare.

What we have heard. No, we haven’t heard Jesus speak. We can’t describe what his voice sounds like. But I’m sure you have heard Jesus. You have heard him in the exposition of sermons preached from this pulpit. You have heard him in the songs you have sung here in this church. You have heard him in the bible study discussions you have had with others. You have heard him in the private times of devotion and prayer with him. You have heard Jesus in those indescribable moments when you know the Holy Spirit is moving and leading you to some specific action or perhaps when the Spirit is steering you away from some action or behavior that is wrong or harmful. Those convictions, those feelings that sometimes seem to appear out of nowhere – that is the voice of Jesus speaking to your heart. You have heard Jesus. Just not with your physical sense of hearing. Instead with a spiritual sense of hearing with a spiritual ear to hear.

What we have seen. Again, no, we haven’t seen Jesus with our own eyes. We can’t describe his physical appearance or attributes. I could not and neither could any of you sit down with a sketch artist and come up with a drawn image of Jesus. Yes, there are many artist renditions of Christ in many forms. Perhaps you have paintings or pictures hung in various rooms here in your church. Perhaps one of your stained-glass windows have a depiction of Jesus. In my home church at Reeps Grove we have a stained glass window right behind the pulpit that shows Jesus carrying a lamb with a flock of sheep following him. So, every Sunday growing up I did kind of get a chance to “see” Jesus. Or at least what that particular artist had in mind of what Jesus looked like.

Now, I don’t want to stir up trouble and be controversial. But let’s be honest. Most of the paintings and drawings we see of Jesus are probably completely wrong and way off base. Jesus was most likely not a blue-eyed, blond- or light-haired individual. Considering where he was born that is most likely not the case. However, I am also not advocating we throw out all those paintings as false depictions. What I advocate is for people to be open minded to all kinds of depictions and renditions of what Jesus looks like. Jesus came to be a Savior for all people. I don’t think he minds if people of different races, ethnicities, and looks prefer to represent him in a certain way. Okay, now that I’ve taken a little side road let’s get back on track.

To reiterate the point. No, we have not seen Jesus with our own eyes like the writer of John has. But just as we have heard Jesus in our own way, we have also seen Jesus in our own way. We see Jesus in the actions that others do in his name and for his service. We see Jesus in that person who greets us, speaks to us, and asks how we are doing on a Sunday morning when we show up to worship. We see Jesus when someone tells us they are praying for us, or even more so when they take the time to pray with us and visit us during a difficult time in our life. We see Jesus whenever we see people give something of themselves, whether time, talent, gifts, or money, to another individual. I personally see Jesus every Friday at Christian Ministries when I volunteer at the soup kitchen. I see Jesus in each of those individuals who are providing a hot meal and/or a load of groceries to people who are in need of those items. I see Jesus in the volunteers who give their time. I see Jesus in the paid staff who aren’t there just to do a job for a paycheck, but who are responding to a call in their life to do work that is meaningful, helpful, and full of purpose. But I also see Jesus in those individuals who are there to receive a meal or a cartful of groceries. Because I often see them helping each other as much as they are being helped. I often hear words of encouragement and blessings from them to me as I am serving them a meal. Personally, I can declare, yes, I have seen Jesus.

What we have touched. Again, we admit we have not had the physical sensation of being touched by the actual hands of Jesus. I think of not just the disciples and followers of Jesus. But think of all those who had the experience of the touch of Jesus’s healing hands. I think of the woman who reached out and touched the hem of his garment and was healed of her sickness. I’ll be honest. I’m sometimes jealous of the people who had the chance and opportunity to actually touch, or be touched by, the Son of God as he was here on earth in physical form.

Yet, we too can declare moments of being touching or being touched by Jesus. I spoke about hearing and seeing Jesus in those encounters we have with our Christian family and community on Sunday mornings or even at other meetings outside of church. We touch Jesus when we shake hands in fellowship with others. We touch Jesus when we share a hug with another person. We touch Jesus when we pat someone on the shoulder or receive a pat on the shoulder from another in a moment of encouragement, sympathy, or acknowledgement. We are the hands of Jesus. When we share in those moments with each other we are all being touched by Jesus. There is a young man at my home church. From his teenage years and up until now well into his twenties he has always sought me out on most Sundays and given me the biggest bear hug. Have I touched Jesus? In those moments, I can honestly say Yes, I have.

As I think about how the author of John declared how he had heard, seen, and touched Jesus as compared to how we today declare how we have heard, seen, and touched Jesus the account of the disciple named Thomas comes to mind. I’m sure most of you have heard the story of Thomas and his reaction after the Resurrection of Jesus. Jesus had appeared to the other disciples, but Thomas was not there for some reason. When the disciples tell Thomas that they had seen the Lord, he replies, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” He is often referred to as Doubting Thomas. I have come to believe that that title is not completely fair to Thomas. Thomas does not necessarily express doubt or call the other disciples liars. Thomas simply asks for his own personal affirmation. Which he receives a week later when Jesus appears with the disciples again. Jesus offers Thomas the chance to do what he claimed he needed, that is to reach out and put his fingers in the marks of his hands and his sides. According to the account, Thomas does not do so. In just seeing Jesus and being offered the chance he declares, “My Lord and my God”. But then Jesus goes on to say this, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Blessed are those. I submit to you today that those called blessed in such a manner are us here today. No, we have not seen, we have not heard, we have not had the opportunity to touch Jesus in the same way those who followed Jesus did. But, as I have tried to express this morning we have indeed had a chance to see, hear, and touch Jesus in our own unique ways. Therefore, we like the author of John are called to continue this act of declaration concerning the word of life.

Today we assemble here a full week after Easter. Last week many of you assembled here and celebrated that special holy day. Some of you probably woke up early and showed up for a sunrise service to acknowledge and worship the resurrected Savior. Others maybe were just able to make it to a later service of worship. Because of my work schedule last weekend I did not get to attend a sunrise service, but I did make it to our regular worship time celebrating the Easter holiday. Whether you attended both or one of the other we can all agree that last week was a special day of worship that stands out above the rest. It was a special day reminding us of the hope and promise of eternal life promised to us. While Advent and Christmas are special too, we know that it is the celebration of Easter, the act of Jesus dying on the Cross and his resurrection three days later that is the linchpin or the hinge of our Christian faith. So, as I said we assemble here today a week after that celebration. The Easter baskets have been put away. The Easter eggs and candy have probably all been eaten. The Easter hats and bonnets have been stored away. The special Easter dresses and suits have all been hung in the closet. Yet, what we should not and what I hope we have not stored away or hung in the closet is the mystery, the awe, the hope, the promise, and the feelings that were inspired by the worship services last week. Last week was not just about posting pretty Facebook images declaring “He is Risen” and pictures of smiling families in their pretty spring-colored outfits in front of a cross. It was about the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and the promise of eternal life offered by his Resurrection.

The author of 1 John is writing to declare all that he has seen, heard, and touched. Today we are called to do the same. May we hold on to the beauty and hope offered last week to sustain us throughout the work that lies ahead. The work of sharing, or declaring, to others who Jesus is and what he offers. At the end of the passage, we read this morning John reminds his readers, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” That is a message for both us believers in Christ as well as those who have not yet heard, seen, or touched Jesus. Even those of us who strive to follow Jesus and his commands are sometimes going to fall short of the mark, which is the definition of sin. But the good news of the gospel is that we have Jesus who has done the atoning work on the cross for that sin. Now, to be clear we should not see that as a “Get out of Jail free” card like in the game of Monopoly. It is not a license to do what we want knowing we can ask for forgiveness later. Instead, it is a both a call and a promise tied up as one. A call to a new way of life as modeled by Jesus. But a promise that when we stumble and lose our way that Jesus is there to be an advocate on our behalf before God. An advocate who is willing to attest to our intention and desire to do what is right even when we fall short of those intentions and desire. Also, an advocate who is on our side, encouraging us to be more than what we believe we can be. And an advocate who is also working to reconcile and redeem us into what God wants us to be. Not just because that’s what God wants us to be for his own selfish reasons. But because that is what God wants us to be in recognition of who he created us to be.

One other thing of note. The author uses plural pronouns. We declare. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. He emphasizes community and fellowship. Fellowship with each other and fellowship together with God. I mentioned people attending sunrise service last week. Those who did acknowledge the sunrise did so together. They assembled together as believers or a congregation. They didn’t just get up, walk outside their front door, watch the sunrise and then go back in alone. It was a “we” thing that they did together. When the author of John writes, “we declare” I’m not sure who all he is including in the we phrase. But we should hold on to the communal aspect of that. Yes, there is an aspect of our Christian faith that is personal. There are devotions, readings, and prayers that we have one on one within the presence of God. But we are not called to just a personal faith. We are called to be in community with one another. With our local congregation, with our missional networks, and with the Church, with a capital C, as a whole. It is within this community that we derive our strength and encouragement to stay strong in our faith. We declare. May we all continue to declare. And unlike my grandmother, aunts, and others may we not stop at just the phrase, “Well, I declare.” Instead, may we follow up our declarations with what we have heard, seen, and touched. May we always be ready to testify and offer up our own testimonies of who Jesus is, what he has done, and what he offers to all.