Have we got something worth doing?

Last Month I wrote to you about keeping our eyes focused on the “main thing”. Recently I've been reading in both the Gospel of John as well as some of Johns Letters. What I discovered this morning sheds some light on who we are as a church and some of the vision to which we are called. Look at 1st John 1: 1-7
The Word of Life
 1That 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. 2The 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. 3We 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. 4We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
Walking in the light
 5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.

These are the words of John, the Apostle, but also John the beloved disciple who walked with Jesus. John, who was with Jesus at the cross and was given the task of caring for Mark Jesus' mother as Jesus was dying. A side note: John was not simply needed to care for Mary as Jesus was dying, since he would rise again, but also in preparation for Jesus ascension when he as Mary's son could not be there to take care of his widowed mother.

Anyway, this John, writes the words you just read to the early church, giving them his thoughtful summary years after the fact of what it meant to have walked with Jesus. No talk of miracles or sublime moments of prayer. No words about epiphanies hearing Jesus teach the Word to them. Just a simple summary of what Jesus means to the World.

Go back and read his words again...
He gives his account that this is what he saw, felt and experienced. Not academic theology but experience of walking with Jesus, and yet this walk leads him to conclude that Jesus is Life. He also says that he is sharing it with them for a purpose. Not to make them “get right with God.” Not to “make the world a better place.” Not to “save sinners”. Even though all of these things are wonderful side effects.

He shares his account so that The joy of the believers might be complete, seeing those outside now “have fellowship” with us joining with us in the fellowship we have with God the Father and with Jesus the Son. Surely we are forgiven. Surely we live better lives. Surely we make the world a better place. But best of all we walk with God and invite others to ENJOY that too.

Now, do we have something worth doing?

In Christ and On the Shepherd's Path,
Mark