Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Who do you want to spend time with during the Christmas season and why?

We typically want to spend time with the people we love most of all.

It shows an intimacy in the relationship.

And, when we experience this, there is great joy.

My family growing up...

I treasure those memories!

But, as wonderful as family is, it is not the sole reason for the season.

The real and greater reason for the season is the coming of Jesus Christ; the beginning of the unveiling of God’s plans for the salvation of His people.

With the incarnation of Christ, God came to mankind more intimately than ever before.

Today we will see what an incredible blessing that intimacy gives to His people.

Christmas series from John 1…

Focal Verse: Verse 14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Last Week: “And the Word became flesh”

Good News of Great Joy: The preexistent, eternal Son became fully human like us so we can become children of God.

God loves us and we have hope!

“The Word…dwelt among us…”

What’s significant about the Word dwelling among people?

This literally means that the Word “tabernacles” or “pitched his tent” among people.

It was temporary;

It was a picture of God’s glory present with His people.

The tabernacle represented God’s presence with His people, His revelation to people, the place of sacrifice for the people, and the place of worship of the people.

Today, for believers, Jesus is God’s presence, His revelation, His sacrifice, and the focal point of worship of His people!

Verse 4 – In him was life…

Verse 4 introduces two key terms in John’s Gospel: life & light…

Life is a very rich term that holds the idea of physical and temporal life, but even more so of spiritual and eternal life.

John is saying that the Word, Jesus, is the source of all life (physical, temporal, spiritual and eternal).

John wants his readers to have life in Christ, because he knows that’s the only complete life.

Verse 4 - …the life was the light of men.

Throughout Scripture light and darkness are contrasted.

John does it here and in verse 5.

The idea being that the Word brought light, meaning he revealed God’s plan of salvation to people.

We may say it like this: Jesus brought a life that serves as the light for people.

This is because it brings both life in this temporary life, but even more so eternal life.

(The light of truth and the light of salvation.)

Verse 5 – The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Notice the present tense here.

The light didn’t simply shine at some point in the past.

It shines, even today.

Why is that significant?

Because even though the forces of darkness seem so powerful, darkness can never overcome the light of Christ.

The idea here is “defeat it.”

The darkness cannot defeat the light.

One of the main teaching points of this Gospel can be seen as the struggle between unbelief and belief.

With the high point coming at Thomas’ statement of faith, “My Lord and my God!” (20:28)

Verse 9 – True light, which gives light to everyone…

John wants all to know that Jesus is the true light, as opposed to any other false lights that have come or will come.

The light has been given to everyone.

What that means is everyone has been given enough knowledge to be responsible before God through general revelation and through conscience.

Thus, salvation is available to everyone, but not automatically applied to everyone.

It might be better, however, to interpret this verse that Jesus shines his light of truth on everyone.

Those who love the light repent of their sin and follow Jesus, those who love the darkness run from him.

This is probably more fitting with John’s overall premise throughout his Gospel.

Verse 9 – True light…was coming into the world…

And, in fact, as John will show in his Gospel, the True Light did come.

One of the truly remarkable things about God’s love, as shown throughout John’s Gospel, is that He loves a world that is so sinful to our very core.

Today many people believe that we in some way deserve God’s love.

Many, even within the church have this belief at their core.

However, God’s love only will be seen as truly amazing love when we understand that God loves a fallen, broken, sinful people who deserve nothing less than eternal damnation

Yet, God’s grace goes beyond our wretchedness!

This is illustrated well in verses 10-13

Many would reject the true light… (vv.

10-11)

The world would reject their Creator, and even more tragically, the Jews, who had special revelation, also rejected him.

This is not a case of not knowing any better.

This is conscious rejection.

But, some would receive the true light…(vv.

12-13)

The tragic nature of verse 10-11 are counter-balanced with the good news that some would not reject Him, but would receive Him.

These verses balance perfectly the important facts of salvation:

That is wholly a work of God’s grace, yet humans have a responsibility to respond to God’s grace with faith.

This is not simply making an intellectual agreement with some fact.

It implies personal trust, personal submission, and personal devotion.

Here’s Good News of Great Joy: In His incarnation, Jesus brings light and life to all who believe.

So What?

This is what we call the Gospel, or Good News.

The Gospel message is the we are sinners who need a Savior; that Jesus is the only person in history worthy to be that Savior because He is both fully man and fully God, God’s perfect Son; and though He never sinned, He would become the very embodiment of sin in order to become our sin-bearer on the cross, facing the full force of God’s wrath upon sin; therefore, all who believe in the Lord Jesus will be saved.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will have true life!

Temporal life – The Gospel changes how we live our lives today (for Christ)

Spiritual life – The Gospel reveals where we find our true meaning (in Christ)

Eternal life – The Gospel shows us where we find true hope (with Christ)

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will have true light!

The true light dispels the darkness.

But do we love darkness more than light?

Jesus always overcomes the darkness…we must learn, however, to trust Him!