12/15 1 John 1:3

³ 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.

John was telling the recipients of the letter that the apostles did not invent the story of Jesus. They actually heard His voice and touched His physical body. Jesus took on a human body in the womb of Mary, as human as you and I but without our sin nature (1 John 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). John was sharing the words of the One who came down from heaven so that his readers would be able to fellowship with other believers. By receiving the Word of God, we are born again (1 Peter 1:23). We can commune with the Father and the Son.

In this new life from God, we are able to share with one another what the Spirit of God reveals to our spirit through His Word. That is what John is calling fellowship. It is mutual participation in life in the Spirit. As we commune with God in the Word and prayer, we have insights to share with one another. As we share this new life, we experience great joy in the Lord.

Why is it then that when we get together with other believers we often revert to meaningless talk about the weather and affairs of the world? Perhaps we may not have spent the time with the Lord to receive fresh manna-insights and lessons-from heaven. We may fear our convictions differ from one another. Or maybe we don't want to be seen as the super-spiritual one. Whatever our excuse may be, we are missing too much to hang on to it. We need to take time with the Lord and share our insights with others to edify them.

Remember: Walk in the Spirit and you will have fellowship with the Father and the Son as well as with your fellow believers.