1 John 1:1-4 - Joy of evangelism

Scripture:

1 John 1:1-4
1 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 — 
2 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 — 
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.
4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
NASU


Thoughts:

As John is giving his testimony about Jesus, the Word of Life, he says something that to us may at first sound peculiar.  He says he is doing so that his joy (and that of his fellow witnesses) may be complete (verse 4).  Given that he is sharing the gospel, we expect him to say that he is sharing that the joy of his audience may be complete, but this is not what he says.

I think John is alluding to the joy that all Christians can have in sharing the gospel.  So often Christians are fearful of sharing their faith, particularly when they are not accustomed to doing so.  What a tragedy and work of the enemy this is!  There is no more exhilarating experience than to share the Word of Life with another!  Like John, we can simply share what we know (verse 3) and experience this same joy.


Prayer:

Lord, give me boldness to share my faith.  I pray for opportunities to do so.

People need You!  Without You, they will not be in heaven when they leave this life.  Forgive me for being content in my own salvation, while others face certain doom.

Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.