How many of you have seen The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy?  How many of you have read the books by J.R.R. Tolkien?  You get extra credit if you’ve read the books too.

This morning we’re beginning a series of messages that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with J.R.R. Tolkien.

Having said that - the basic plot of the books and the movie is what?  There’s this ring - the One Ring of Sauron - that’s given to Frodo - who is suppose to take this ring - which is the embodiment of evil - take this ring and destroy it by throwing it into this volcano - Mount Doom - in the dark and evil land of Mordor.

To help Frodo destroy the ring a group is assembled - The Fellowship Of The Ring.  Which is an unlikely fellowship.  Not in our wildest dreams would we ever think of putting these individuals together - 2 humans who really don’t trust each other - a dwarf - an elf - and three other half size hobbits.

This Fellowship is guided by the white wizard Gandalf - who is the Christ-like figure.  He passes through death into life.  Gandalf guides and preserves Frodo as he travels to destroy the One Ring.

A Fellowship of eight individuals who will stand by each other - give their lives for each other - sacrifice everything for their common purpose.  Eight individuals to whom is entrusted the future of Middle Earth. 

So here we are - a pretty unlikely collection of interesting people.  Share that with the person next to you.  “You’re an interesting person...  and so am I.”

We’re called together into fellowship - The Fellowship of the King - Jesus.  Called together - not to destroy evil - which Jesus has already done.  But to stand firm in His victory - entrusted with sharing the Good News of His victory - the Gospel - with others.  Over the next several Sundays - we’re going to be looking at the letter of 1st John - and what it means to be that fellowship.

Please turn with me to 1 John 1:1-4 - or if you would take out your sermon notes - you’ll find the verses there.

When John wrote this letter - 1st John - he was the last living Apostle.  Its about 60 years after the resurrection.  The church has been around for several decades.  John’s ministry is one of calling the church back to the basics of the Gospel - what it means to have a relationships together in Jesus Christ.  While the Gospel of John is a theological and historical record of the ministry of Jesus.  First John is the practical application of the Gospel to our lives.

1st John 1:1-4 - let’s read these verses out loud together.  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 - and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us - what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.  These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

There are three truths here about fellowship here that I’d like to focus on.

First, is that God desires to have fellowship with us.  Let’s say that together.  “God desires to have fellowship with us.”

The whole foundation - the basis of fellowship - begins with God.

John experienced a very special fellowship with Jesus.  As John writes here in verse one - John was with Jesus “from the beginning.”  He was one of the first disciples that Jesus called.  He was one of three disciples in Jesus’ inner circle.  He was one of the three disciples at the Transfiguration.  He was the first disciple to the empty tomb - the first disciple to believe in the resurrection.  Only John is described specifically as the disciple whom Jesus loved.

John describes that fellowship here in verse one.

“We heard”  We don’t know if Jesus was a bass, a baritone, or a tenor.  But, John knew.  He’d heard His voice.

He’d heard Jesus share the parables.  Parables that dealt the deep issues of life.  He could remember the sermons - the preaching and teaching.  He’d heard the Sermon on the Mount first hand.

He remembered the words shared with a leper - a blind man - a little girl who died in that upper room - “Child arise.”  Words spoken in the midst of mourning and wailing.  “Remove the stone.  Lazarus, come forth.”  To the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you.”

John’s mind was filled with the words of Jesus.  He could hear them as clearly as in “the beginning” - so many years ago.

Then John says, “We have seen with our eyes.” 

Brown or blue?  John had looked into Jesus’ eyes.  John knew.  John saw Lazarus come forward from the dead.  He saw the paralyzed walk - the blind see.  Saw Jesus in blazing glory on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Saw Jesus gather children to Himself.  Saw Jesus tear up the Temple and throw out the money changers and dove sellers.  Watched Jesus head off alone in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  Saw Jesus hanging on the cross.  Saw Him resurrected from death.

Images emblazed on his memory.  As vivid as in “the beginning.”

John writes, “we have looked at and touched with our hands.”

He’d seen the strength of Jesus grip - that day when Jesus pulled Peter out of the water.  John had felt the warmth of Jesus’ flesh.  At the Last Supper - as John reclined on Jesus’ breast - he’d felt the beating of His human heart.

There’s something more here that we don’t want to pass by.

The Greek word here for “looked” is “theomai.”  It’s a different Greek word than the earlier word “seen.”  “Theomai” has the idea of looking at something and thinking about its meaning - seeing with the mind engaged.

At Passover, when Jesus said, “This is My body which is given for you” - John touched the bread - tasted it - and - as he had on many occasion - pondered Jesus’ meaning.  He tasted the cup - and wondered at the words, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.”

Touching goes beyond mere physical contact.  There’s a connection with the person touched.  Touch is personal.  It opens the possibility of understanding a person on a much deeper - more lasting - level.

John writes, “What was from the beginning - what we heard - saw - touched…”  That’s the depth and fullness of fellowship that John experienced with Jesus.  He knew Jesus.

“What was from the beginning - what we heard - saw - touched - is the Word of Life!”

In his Gospel - John describes the “Word of Life.”  John 1:1, “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 apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Walk with me through this incredible description of Jesus Christ.

Who knows our thoughts besides ourselves?  And even then maybe we’re not too sure.  Who else besides us can - with 100% accuracy of intention - feeling - understanding - whatever - who else besides us can put into words what we ourselves think.

Jesus is the Word.  Scripture asks several times, “Who knows the mind of God?”  The answer is, “Only God.”  Jesus speaks the reality of God’s thoughts - the Word.  Jesus knows the mind of God because Jesus is God.

Jesus is the Creator - not a creation.  Before anything existed - Jesus was.  He is God.  

Jesus is life.  Real life - life as it was intended to be lived by God.  Not this struggling - imperfect - groaning - thing we call life.  But, life as a living soul - complete - abundant.  Life with God - now and forever.

Jesus is light - God’s absolute - shining in the darkness of this world.  None of the delusions - the phoniness - the deceptions - the half-truths that we live in.  But the absolute revelation about ourselves and God and life.

John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father - the unique Son of God - Jesus - full of grace and truth.”

In First John, he writes, “We heard, saw, touched, Him - the Word of Life - Same Jesus - and the life was manifested - revealed to us - God incarnate - God in the flesh - born in manger - the same Jesus - we have seen and heard and testify and proclaim to you - the eternal life - which was with the Father and has been revealed to us.

Imagine the Almighty creating God of the universe becomes flesh - allows Himself to be heard - seen - touched - desires to have that depth of fellowship with us - with you - now and forever.

God initiates fellowship - desires fellowship with us.  The foundation - the basis of fellowship - is Jesus.

Second truth:  God desires for us to have fellowship.   Let’s say that together.  “God desires for us to have fellowship.”

1 John 1 - verse 3:  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 

We need to understand what fellowship is.  What God has given us.

The Greek word is “koinonia.”  How many of you have heard that word?  By definition it has the idea of making something common - communal. 

In Acts 2 - a familiar description - Acts 2 - beginning at verse 42 - tells us that the early church was continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship - koinonia - to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  All those who believed - not just some - or a few - or just those who were of like mind - all those who believed were together and had all things - not just some things - had all things in common - same word - koinonia.

Day by day they were continuing with one mind - selling their property and sharing with anyone who had a need - taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart - praising God and having favor with all - not just some - but all of the people.  And great numbers of people were coming to trust in Jesus as their Savior. (Acts 2:42-47)  Don’t you just long for that depth of fellowship?

Too often the church feels like two roosters tied at the legs and thrown over a clothesline.

There’s a difference between having a relationship and having fellowship.  Many Christians are content - having only a relationship with Jesus and their brothers and sisters in Christ without experiencing fellowship. 

At Thanksgiving we went down to Fowler - the cultural hub of the western hemisphere.  Karen has family down there.  We shared a meal and did a lot of talking.  Its was great - a good time as a family - a great time getting reacquainted and meeting relatives.

All of us have things in common with others.  We share human life.  When we repent and accept Jesus as our Savior we come to have a relationship with Him.  We become a part of the family of God - the Church.  Like we’re related to our human families.

But, John is talking about something unique.  The fellowship John writes about - is not just because we have mutual interests or family relationships or because we come here Sunday after Sunday for services.

Fellowship is much deeper.  Fellowship means experiencing life in Christ.  Relationship puts us into the family of God.  But, fellowship permits the life of that family to shine through us.  Relationship means that all God has is potentially ours.  But fellowship means we’re actually drawing upon that source.  Relationship is our possessing God.  Fellowship is God possessing us.

It’s the “oneness” that Jesus prays for in John 17:  “That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”  (John 17:21)

That depth of fellowship only found in Jesus Christ.  It touches every aspect of our lives - physical - mental - spiritual.  It transcends every socio-economic cultural geographic boundary.  It transcends our human limitations.  It is a depth of knowing of each other that God desires for us and that only God can create in us.

In America today - the people that study these things say that - In America today there are more than 25 million people who are profoundly lonely.  More than 70 million adults are struggling to find some meaning and purpose in life.  50 million plus Americans have endured divorce - and the continuing strain of divorce on their lives.  An unknown number of adults and children suffer from physical and emotional abuse - usually by members of their own family.  The most frequent concern expressed by teenagers in America today is that they do not receive unconditional love from their parents.

The majority of people around us are trying to find some healing for their lives - whether in some type of physical addiction - pornography - unhealthy relationships - toxic spirituality - wealth and possessions - or some other empty form of false hope. (1)

Which touches our lives and where we live.

This church is often like coming to group therapy.  Have you ever felt like that?  People here are wrestling with some pretty serious issues.  I often wonder, “Why God has put me here?”  Don’t answer that.  Oh my, do I belong here.  I’ve gained so much by being a part of this congregation.

Isn’t it great that the Church can be a place of refuge - a place of healing - of hope - a place to be renewed and gather strength as we move back out into the hurting world we live in.  That the Church can be a community where each of us can feel free to be vulnerable - open.  The place where we’re encouraged and uplifted by others.

God gives us fellowship with Him - the foundation - and then gives us fellowship with each other.   That fellowship is essential.  We need it.  The world needs to see it lived out in our lives.  God calls us together to make a difference - to impact - to transform - to be powerful in ministry - strategic in our placement in time and location - a people necessary to this community. 

God desires to have fellowship with us.  God desires for us to have fellowship.

Third truth:  God desires for us to have joy in fellowship.  Try that with me, “God desires for us to have joy in fellowship.”

Verse 4:  “These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.”

Linda - a young woman - was traveling alone up the highway from Alberta to the Yukon.  Linda didn’t know you don’t travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic.  So she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture.

The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5:00 a.m. wakeup call - so she could get an early start.  She couldn’t understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request.  But, as she awoke to a dense fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood.

Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast.  Two truckers invited Linda to join them - and since the place was so small -  she felt obliged.  “Where are you headed?” one of the truckers asked.

“Whitehorse.”

“In that little Civic?  No way!  This pass is dangerous in weather like this.”

“Well, I’m determined to try,” was Linda’s gutsy - if not very informed -  response.

“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested.

Linda drew back.  “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!”

“Not like that!” the truckers chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear.  In that way, we’ll get you through the mountains.”

All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains. (2)

God has given us each other.  We’re moving together to where God is taking us.  It’s a hang-on-to-the-edge-of-your-seat adventure with all kinds of awesome possibilities.  Its wild.  Unknown.  In a dangerous world.

Joy comes in fellowship when we finally realize that its God who creates fellowship and we so let go of ourselves that we truly experience Him in our midst.  Something amazing happens to us when we begin to realize that God uses us in each other’s lives - uses us to impact the world around us.

We begin to long for each other - sense something missing when we’re apart.  We find joy in sacrifice and service and the giving of ourselves.  We get excited and celebrate and praise and worship God together - because of what we see Him doing.

John coveted that fellowship.  It completed him.  Brought him joy.  To be part of what God is doing and to have others come to life in Jesus and join in that adventure.

This morning we have the opportunity to take communion together.  “Koinonia” - the Greek word for fellowship is also translated “communion” - the celebration of life together in Jesus.

Bread - Jesus used to symbolize His own body - what was seen and touched.  His body - broken - sacrificed on the cross - taking the penalty for our sins - our condemnation to eternal death - taking all of that upon Himself.

Wine - Jesus used to symbolize the relationship we have together in Him.  He said, “This is cup is the new covenant in My blood.”  Remember, God is the Covenant God?  He establishes fellowship with us - and the relationship we have together - through the shed blood of Jesus.

As we share communion together - on this first Sunday of the new year - the first Sunday of looking together at fellowship - I’d like to encourage you to think about these things.  Fellowship doesn’t focus on us - it focuses on God.  Fellowship is a celebration of God’s grace and a renewing of our relationship together in Jesus Christ - a joyful coming together to experience life as the Body of Christ.

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1. George Barna in the forward to “Churches That Heal” by Doug Murren
2. Attributed to Chuck Swindoll, Growing Strong In The Seasons Of Life