Hanging out ∙∙

Hanging out ∙∙

After these things, Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. – John 3:22

1 John 1:1-3

1 This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched. He is the Word of life.
2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.
3 What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

The Power of Being Present

What does it mean to “hang out?” In the 21st century, “hanging out” often occurs through the screens of our mobile devices. We text, video call, chat, and sometimes even send emails (though emails now feel outdated). But in the past, hanging out had a different meaning. It meant physically spending time with people—family, friends, or colleagues. Relationships were built by doing life together. Bonds deepened and grew stronger through face-to-face time.

The Lord Jesus Christ beautifully demonstrates this approach during His time on earth. He spent intentional time with His disciples, giving them the opportunity to know Him deeply and develop trust in Him. It wasn’t rushed or perfunctory; it was deliberate and relational.

A Lesson from Jesus’s Time

John 3:22 provides a glimpse of Jesus’ approach to spending time with his disciples, stating, “After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them.” The Greek word for “spending time” here is diatribo. It literally means “to rub continually,” “to wear away,” or “to wear smooth by rubbing.”

Think of how jeans are worn down over time. Some people even cut or tear their jeans to achieve a worn look. Interestingly, the English word “diatribe” comes from this same Greek root. While today it refers to bitter and abusive speech that can wear someone down, in the New Testament, diatribo paints a much more beautiful picture. It speaks of “closely passing time together, rubbing shoulders, or simply hanging out, or perhaps even burning daylight.”

When we spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ, we rub shoulders with Him. When we come into close proximity with Him, we are the ones who are changed. We become smooth as His presence wears down our rough edges. His love and truth refine and transform us.

This process is evident in the lives of Peter and John. Acts 4:13 states, “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

Spending time with Jesus had reshaped them. His presence gave them boldness, wisdom, and a clear identity.

Being Transformed in His Presence

The invitation to spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ is extended to all children of the King. He doesn’t demand perfection or qualifications. Instead, He simply beckons us to come to Him. Matthew 11:28-29 records His open invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

It is in spending time with Jesus that we begin to change. Just as His disciples were transformed, so too will we experience His refining work in our lives. Whether through prayer, reading His Word, or quiet reflection, His presence works to smooth out the rough areas of our hearts and minds.

REFLECT & PRAY

We are invited to come and spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ. The choice to come is ours to make. Imagine the warmth of His loving arms enveloping you as you step into His presence.

Father, I long to feel the comfort and closeness of Your loving presence. Too often, I feel distant or blocked by barriers of my own making. Please remove those barriers and draw me closer to You.

INSIGHT

Of all the Apostles, Who was Closest to Jesus?

John 13:23 recounts a moment that reflects the intimacy between Jesus and the one with whom He was closest: “One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at the table on Jesus’ bosom in a place of honor.” [John is the disciple whom “Jesus loved. ” This is explained at the end of this reflection.**]

This bond was extraordinary. John’s closeness with Jesus allowed him to physically rest his head on His chest. Pause for a moment; what would it be like to experience the rhythm of His breath and the beating of His heart? Can you imagine the depth of comfort and trust that moment brought? It was a privilege that speaks volumes about Jesus’s love for John and their intimate fellowship.

Now, close your eyes and picture this scene. See John leaning in, feeling the warmth and presence of the Savior. It’s beyond words, isn’t it? Awe-inspiring doesn’t even come close.

The Bosom of the Father

Interestingly, in John’s gospel, the word “bosom” or “reclining” appears once more, in John 1:18. This time, the reference isn’t to John but to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It says, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

This moment highlights the incomparable intimacy shared between the Father and the Son. Their tender close affection is unparalleled, a perfect union of love and trust. Reflecting on this truth, we can see how John was privileged to experience a shadow of that same intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry.

A Memory That Lingers

For John, those moments spent with Jesus were priceless. The closeness, the shared conversations, and the love they exchanged left an indelible mark on his heart. Imagine the emotions John would feel as he looked back, recalling those cherished moments. As the memories flood back into his consciousness, can you see the tears of joy and belonging welling up in John’s eyes?

You can sense John’s excitement and awe bursting forth in the opening words of his first letter. His joy is almost palpable, contagious in its enthusiasm. He can barely keep it to himself as he writes to fellow believers, exclaiming how he not only saw the Lord but also touched Him.

He states this in 1 John 1:1-3 with great fervor and enthusiasm: “This is what we proclaim to you, what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched concerning the word of life.” The life was revealed, and we have seen it, and we testify to it and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and revealed to us. What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us. Truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”

John proclaims his privilege of seeing, hearing, and touching the Word of Life. He didn’t hear of Jesus secondhand or see Him from afar. He experienced the living God up close and personal. He touched the Messiah, the King of Kings, with his hands.

The Power of Touch

The Greek word translated as touch in 1 John 1:1 is pselaphao, which means “to grope for” or “to feel with one’s hands.” Its original meaning carried “an element of searching, often with uncertainty.” It’s the same word used when describing people “searching aimlessly for God” (as in Acts 17:27).

But John turns this idea on its head. While the world gropes blindly for God, John emphasizes that he wasn’t searching in vain. John uses the same verb in just the opposite sense. He was not vainly groping without effect. Instead, John touched the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ. His proclamation is not built solely on seeing or hearing but on intimately interacting with Christ.

As Kruse points out, this particular usage conveys more than a casual interaction. It speaks to a deliberate and direct physical contact, underscoring that John’s testimony stems from firsthand experience. John had personally laid hands on the word of life.

Faith Our spiritual connection

While John had the privilege of seeing and touching Jesus physically, all children of the King are called to seek Him through the eyes of faith. For some, that spiritual connection is so vivid that it feels just as real as physical touch.

Hebrews 11:27 reminds us, “By faith… we see Him who is unseen.”

Reflecting on Intimacy with Christ

John’s relationship with Jesus invites us to pursue closeness with the Savior. Just as John leaned in and rested on Jesus, we are encouraged to draw near to Him. He invites us into His presence.

May we, like John, be captivated by the wonder of walking with the Savior, always longing to know Him more deeply and to draw as close as we can. And may our lives reflect the joy and transformation that come from spending time with the One who invites us into intimate fellowship with Him.

[**The disciple described as “the one Jesus loved” was John, the writer of the fourth Gospel. He refers to himself as “the one whom Jesus loved” to maintain anonymity and avoid drawing attention to himself. However, his identity is revealed by Peter in John 21:20-24: Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.]

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© Dr. H 2025