Walking with Jesus | Part 2 | Matt Johnson

The letter of 1 John frames walking with Jesus as an intimate, active fellowship rooted in truth, light, and obedience. Eternal life centers not on mere future hope but on knowing the Father and the Son; relationship replaces mere doctrine. The incarnate Word entered history to restore the broken relationship caused by rebellion in Eden, and the call to follow Jesus begins with embracing that reconciling work. Truth matters because it produces true fellowship: testimony about the living Word—what was heard, seen, and touched—creates union with God and with other believers. Claiming fellowship while clinging to falsehood only severs that union.

Walking in light demands transparency. Darkness and duplicity undermine relationship and crush the soul with hidden guilt; walking openly before God and others frees a conscience, invites cleansing by the blood of Christ, and sustains communal trust. Confession does not invite condemnation but restores alignment under a just Savior who paid for sin once for all. Pretending sin does not exist breeds self-deception; honest acknowledgment opens the way to cleansing and transformation.

Obedience grows out of trust. Keeping Christ’s commandments functions less as a list of burdens and more as the fruit of knowing and trusting the One who intercedes. The presence of an advocate—Jesus as propitiation and mediator—means failure does not end fellowship; it clarifies the path back to covenantal union. Stories of life reviews and courtroom imagery underscore that every action reverberates beyond the self, yet the final verdict hinges on whether Christ claims a life by his atoning work.

Practical life on mission flows from union and participation: the church as bride enters the world to embody and extend God’s kingdom, praying “Your kingdom come” and living by trust rather than self-reliance. The call invites transparent community, steadfast truth-telling, and obedient trust so that daily living becomes sacramental participation in God’s reconciling work. The path Jesus opened leads away from isolation and back into covenant fellowship with the Father and the Son.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Eternal life is knowing God Knowing God reorients hope from an abstract future to a present relational reality. Eternal life means entering the Father–Son relationship through Christ’s reconciling work, so daily choices flow from intimacy rather than duty. Knowing God transforms identity and priorities, making obedience the natural fruit of love and trust. [36:31]
• 2. Speaking truth produces true fellowship Truth anchors communal life; honest proclamation of the incarnate Word invites union with God and with others. When testimony rests on what was seen and touched in Christ, it resists idolizing human mediators and keeps eyes fixed on the Savior. Truthful speech prevents the collapse of trust that comes from placing fallible people at the center. [39:01]
• 3. Walking in light requires transparency Light exposes hiddenness not to shame but to cleansing and freedom. Living transparently shortens the road to repentance, removes the burden of double lives, and lets the blood of Christ apply healing without pretense. Openness cultivates a community where forgiveness is normal and growth honest. [47:41]
• 4. Obedience flows from trusting God Commandment-keeping marks those who truly know Christ, not as legalism but as evidence of transformed allegiance. Trust sees Jesus as advocate and propitiation, so failure provokes confession and restoration rather than despair. Obedience thus becomes participation in God’s mission, sustained by grace, not performance. [57:19]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:53] - A daughter’s small mercy
• [32:11] - Series: Walking with Jesus
• [33:14] - John’s witness and purpose
• [36:31] - Eternal life defined: knowing God
• [39:01] - Truth produces fellowship
• [47:41] - Walk in light: transparency
• [57:19] - Trust, obedience, and advocacy
• [59:34] - Courtroom vision: the advocate
• [65:38] - Invitation and closing prayer

Bible reading
1 John 1:1-10 (ESV)
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. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But 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 cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

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Observation questions

1. According to 1 John 1:1-3, what specific experiences did John and the other apostles have with Jesus, and what was the purpose of proclaiming these experiences?
2. What does John say about the nature of God in verse 5, and what is the implication for those who claim to have fellowship with Him but walk in darkness?
3. What two benefits does John highlight in verse 7 for those who walk in the light?
4. What warning does John give in verses 8 and 10 about claiming to be without sin?

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Interpretation questions

1. Why do you think John emphasizes physical sensory experiences (hearing, seeing, touching) in his testimony about Jesus?
2. How does walking in the light practically lead to both fellowship with others and cleansing from sin?
3. What might it look like for someone to “deceive themselves” by saying they have no sin, and why is this so dangerous?
4. How does the idea of Jesus as “advocate” and “propitiation” (1 John 2:1-2) change the way we view failure and confession?

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Application questions

1. Eternal life is knowing God—not just knowing about Him, but being in a real relationship with Him. How would you describe the difference between knowing God and knowing facts about God? What practical steps can help move from one to the other? [36:31]
2. Truth produces true fellowship. Are there areas in your life—thoughts, habits, or relationships—where you’ve been less than fully honest? How might embracing truth in those areas deepen your connection with God and others? [39:01]
3. Walking in the light requires transparency. Is there something you’ve been hiding or minimizing, even from yourself? What would it look like to bring that into the light through confession, trusting that God’s response is cleansing, not condemnation? [47:41]
4. Obedience flows from trusting God, not trying to impress Him. Where do you most often slip into performance-based living? How can remembering Jesus as your advocate free you from the fear of failure? [57:19]
5. How can we cultivate a community where confession and forgiveness are normal rather than scary? What would it take for your small group or church to become a place where people can be transparent without fear of judgment?
6. Jesus is the perfect mediator who stands for us. When you feel accused or ashamed, how can you practically remind yourself of His advocacy?
7. What is one specific way you can “walk in the light” this week in your family, workplace, or community? How might this simple act of obedience become part of God’s mission to restore fellowship?