The Sermon Notes of Harold Buls
On the Epistle Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia
Text from I John 1:1-4
Advent IV
1. From His conception into all eternity Jesus is true God and true man in
one indivisible person. It can be said that Mary gave birth to God, in the
person of Jesus. It can be said that man walked on the water, in the
person of Jesus. It can be said that God died and man rose from the dead,
in the person of Jesus. from birth until He was buried Jesus humbled
Himself. He did not always and fully use His divine attributes, though He
was true God. He proved His divinity by His miracles, His transfiguration,
and by His testimony about Himself. From His revivification in the tomb
into all eternity God has exalted Jesus. His human nature constantly uses
all the qualities of His divine nature. From resurrection to ascension He
appeared and disappeared but His human nature was everywhere. He has
ascended to God's right hand which is everywhere. His human nature knows
all things. At His second coming His human nature will appear on the
whole face of the earth.
2. The Jews denied Jesus' divinity. They still do and so do the Muslims.
Arius, who died in 336 A.D., denied Jesus' divinity. Many people today are
Arians. They deny Jesus' divinity. In the early church a false teaching
called Docetism arose. It teaches that Jesus was not true man, but only
appeared to be so. Our text for today stresses both natures in Christ, the
human and the divine. The Athanasian Creed stresses the twofold natures
in Christ. Luther's explanation of the second article of the creed also
makes this stress and its purpose. (See Russian Catechism, pp. 15-16).
3. In Greek our text is three sentences. The first sentence runs to the
middle of vs. 3. The second is the last part of vs. 3. The third is vs. 4. All
of vs. 2 is a parenthesis. It looks back to vs. 1 and also ahead to vs. 3. This
is followed very carefully in the KJ and NKJV versions. But both of these
versions combine sentences no.1 and no. 2. The Russian translations follow
the Greek very carefully. Other modern English versions have recast these
sentences in an attempt to make things clearer but, in our opinion, they
have failed.
4. Three times in vs. 1 and once in vs. 3 we read "that which." This refers
to "the Word of Life". This means both the person and the Word of Jesus.
The Word reveals His person. This usage of "the Word" is found also in Jn. 1.
The apostles saw, heard, beheld and actually touched the Word of Life.
They came into contact with this Word of Life in the person of Jesus.
Twice in vs. 2 says that this Word of Life _has appeared_. Twice vss. 2
and 3 say that _we announce to you_. They were witnesses of the God-man
Who is eternal life. He said "I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life." He
also said to the Father "Thy Word is Truth." In the God-man, Jesus Christ,
we have the true revelation of God and His everlasting life.
5. The purpose of the apostles was like that of John the Baptist. They were
sent out to testify about this eternal life. The book of Acts is about the
testimony of Peter, Paul, Barnabas and others. They went out to tell
people about the Word of Life. And that is our task, to testify about the
the Word of Life, Jesus Christ, the God-man.
6. Vs. 3 speaks about two kinds of fellowship. Because of the Word of Life
the apostles had fellowship with their hearers. They were united in faith,
life and destiny. And then John adds that the fellowship of apostles and
hearers is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus. This reminds us
immediately of Jn. 17:20-21: "I do not pray only for these (apostles) but
also for those who will believe through their (apostles') Word in Me, so
that all (apostles and believers) might be one, just as you, Father are in
Me, and I in You, in order that they may be one in us (Father and Son), in
order that the world might believe that You sent Me."
7. The better ancient manuscripts at the end of vs. 4 read "_Our _ joy"
meaning that of the apostles and all Christians. See Jn. 3:29; 15:11; 16:24
and 17:13.
The Sermon Outline of Harold Buls
On the Epistle Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia
Text from I John 1:1-4
Advent IV
THEME: Jesus, the Word of Life
INTRODUCTION
In three days we shall celebrate Christmas. Our text anticipates
Christmas by speaking twice about Jesus' appearance, both of them in vs. 2.
Jesus, true God, has been with the Father from all eternity. In Eden God
gave Adam and Eve eternal life but they lost it by their sin. This eternal
life is restored in Christ Jesus. He is the Word of Life.
I. How the Apostles knew the Word of Life.
A. They knew Him in His state of humiliation. Throughout the
ages Christian scholars have studied the Bible, searching
especially for what has been said about Jesus Christ. The early
church fathers and the Reformation fathers formed this
definition: The humiliation of Christ is that state of Christ, from
conception until burial, in which He was truly God and truly
man He did not always and fully use the attributes of His divine
nature." The disciples and people of Jesus' day did not know
that He was divine. He proved it by His miracles, His
transfiguration, and what He said of Himself. Peter said "Thou
art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Mk. 8:29. And
Thomas said, "My Lord and my God." Jn. 20:28.
B. They knew Him on very familiar terms. Our text says that
they They realized that in this very person God was revealing
His very life to their sinful nature they sometimes slipped
backwards. Peter denied Jesus. Thomas doubted. They all fled
when He was taken from the Garden acquainted with the Word
of Life. They had direct fellowship with God.
II. How we know the Word of Life.
A. The Apostles testify about Jesus and announce to us. The NT
contains the testimony and announcements of the 12 apostles
and of Paul, the one who was born out of due time, as he
himself said. Not all of these have left us written witness. The
main ones are Paul, Peter, John and James. That is what Jesus
was talking about when He prayed: "I pray also for those who
will believe in Me through _their_ (the apostles') Word so that
all might be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in you, so
that all might be one in us (Father and Son)." The Word of
Life, which is always about Jesus Christ, is the means whereby
we are kept in the one true faith, whereby we partake of the
Lord's Supper. There we hear the very testimony about Jesus
Himself.
B. This results in our fellowship and our joy. The word "our"
occurs twice, once in vs. 3 and once in vs. 4. The first reads:
"And indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His
Son, Jesus Christ." The second reads: "These things we write in
order that our joy might be complete." Whenever Jesus or the
apostles speak of this joy they speak of it as being complete. It
has no flaws. It transcends death. It transcends earthly sorrows
and joys. In fact we can be joyful in very sorrowful conditions.
See Mt. 5:12 and Hebr. 10:34. It is the joy that lay before Jesus
when He faced the cross. Hebr. 12:2. Nothing in all creation
can separate us from the Triune God, His fellowship and His
love.
CONCLUSION
By faith in the Word of Life we have fellowship with all the saints in
heaven, yes, even with the Triune God. By faith in Jesus our joy is
complete. It's not just a passing emotion but rather an eternal condition. A
well-known Christmas hymn ends with the words: "Oh, that we were
there!!" Yes, let us endure to eternal life.
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