In 1 John 1, Jesus’s beloved apostle shares about his eyewitness experience with Jesus. John is bursting with excitement about having seen, heard and touched the Messiah, the Word made flesh.

John wants others to know Jesus, so they, too, can enjoy fellowship with our eternal God the Father. This is what John says he needs to fill up, to complete, his joy. (See 1 John 1:1-4)

John wants others to know the joy of Jesus. John is not content to just enjoy Jesus for himself. John’s joy is somehow incomplete if others don’t share in his joy.

In 3 John 1:4, John reiterates this idea, writing, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” John’s greatest joy is hearing that those he has shared Jesus with are continuing in the faith.

All too often we as Christians are content to keep Jesus to ourselves, content to hide God’s Word and our personal testimonies in our own hearts, while all around us are people devoid of hope, peace and joy.

In honor of the fifth anniversary of the “Memphis Exalts Jesus” worship celebration, the Kindle version of my book “God is Real: The Eyewitness Testimony of a Former Atheist” is on sale for $0.99 this weekend April 4-6 at Amazon. I hope you get a copy for yourself, and share a copy with a friend. Be encouraged and equipped to share your own testimony of the joy available through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.