Let’s go back to the basics. No, not spelling or addition — back to the basics of Christianity.
At church Sunday, Pastor Matt’s sermon talked about remembering the basics of the Christian faith: Who Jesus is and who we are.
So who is Jesus? Jesus was “from the beginning” (1 John 1:1) meaning He is the eternal God. God did not create Jesus. He always was with God and was God. According to John 1:3, “All things were made through Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.” Jesus is God and Jesus died on the cross for our sins, rising three days later.
And who are we? We are the Church. The Church is a fellowship created by the message of the gospel. Believing the gospel brings us into fellowship, ultimately with God. (1 John 1:3)
That’s it. Those are the basics of Christianity as presented in 1 John 1.
How often do we get caught in the weeds and lose sight of what really matters? Do we wake up singing the praise of God, thankful for another day and thankful for His grace? Or do we begrudgingly wake up, our minds already creating a to-do list for the day?
I believe this is why a morning quiet time is so important. Sure, things may be busy in the morning, but what better way to begin your day? Diving into fellowship with God as soon as your head lifts up from that pillow will no doubt influence the rest of your day. You will be more compassionate, more patient, filled with more joy.
But worship should not be confined to the morning (or to your quiet time whenever it may be). It should saturate every second of your day.
Everything around us should remind us of the power and majesty of God. That river you drive over on your way to school? God carved it. Those mountains stretched out below you as you fly over Colorado and Montana? God sculpted those.
We must be purposeful in remembering the grace Jesus has lavished on us. We must not become numb to the sacrifice of the cross or the unconditional love of God. I’m guilty of it too. I tend to live my day-to-day life without basking in the glory and majesty of God.
It’s there and I know it, but I’ve grown used to it. It doesn’t knock me face down onto my knees like it should. We should be in constant remembrance and thankfulness of who God is and what He has done.
On the flip side of that we shouldn’t abuse His grace and love either. As sinful humanity we will sin, but as Christians we can’t be content staying in our sin. We must strive to become more and more like Christ.
As Pastor Matt said, “John is still stunned by the glory of Christ. Are you?”
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” (1 John 1:1–4)
