The Word (Introducing Jesus) John 1:1-18

The Introduction of Christ

We have an introduction to many things, but perhaps not an introduction is as significant as the introduction of Christ. This morning I introduced myself to you guys so you knew who I was. Think of the passage we are looking at today as the introduction of Christ. The writer of John was introducing Jesus to a Jewish audience. Today we will explore some of the many attributes of Christ that can be seen.

Sometimes people get the introduction wrong like people can get your name, job title, purpose, etc. wrong. We can trust this introduction to be accurate because it is the Word of God.Context of John

This passage is the introduction to John's gospel. The gospel of John was in many ways focused on affirming the deity of Jesus Christ as God incarnate. The view accepted today is that a Jew wrote the gospel of John with the intention of reaching a Jewish audience. In particular, you see verses like John 9:22, 12:42 , and 16:3. Have a distinct focus on how following Jesus relates to the Jewish traditions and how the Jewish leaders react to the new followers of Jesus. In addition, the Greek word Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios), which refers to Jews, shows up more time in this gospel than in the other three gospels. The purpose of this book is very likely to demonstrate the deity of Christ to the Jews.

John 1:1–18 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Christ as the Greatest

Christ as Creator.

Present at creation (Jn 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” )

Made Everything (Jn 1:3 “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

Christ as the “Word” (Logos)

Words carry a very important meaning in humanity. They are what allows us to communicate ideas. Think of Christ as the ultimate idea or concept which is communicated through Him by God.

Ultimate idea or concept (“Logos”).

In a number of cases in the nt, logos is used to express the idea of divine revelation. Most important for such a discussion are its uses in John 1. In John 1:1, the logos is identified with God; later in that chapter, the logos takes on flesh (John 1:14). The Gospel shows that Jesus is this logos, and is, therefore, the ultimate divine revelation.(LTW)(Michael Scott Robertson, “Divine Revelation,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

Christ is the greatest revelation of God that humanity has ever had. Christ is “the revelation.”

speech in progress) (sermo, uerbum, ratio), (a) a word, an utterance, speech, discourse, saying, frequently of God through his messengers; the gen. expresses either this origin or the subject of the word; διὰ λόγου, by spoken word, by word of mouth; ὁ λόγος, the Gospel news, e.g. Lk. 1:2, Ac. 14:25; (Alexander Souter, A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1917), 147.)

The most important thing to know is Christ because it is the greatest communication.

The Life of man is Christ.

John 1:4 (NKJV)

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Spiritual life comes through Christ alone.

Romans 6:1-11 formally we were dead to sin.

Romans 6:1–11 (NKJV)

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This gives believers motivation to not sin. Romans 6:2 “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

We have been raised in the likeness of Christ's resurrection to new life.

Physical life comes through Christ. Christ breathed life into Adam.

4. Christ is light.

The life we have in Christ produces light John 1:4-5

John 1:4–5 NKJV

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The spiritual life that Christ gives brings light to every man walking in darkness.

The light of every man. The only way for men to have light is through Christ. (Jn 1:9

John 1:9 NKJV

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

The true Light. The only light that is true and effective in the lives of men.

5. Christ is glorious.

When he came to earth, His glory was seen. Jn 1:14

John 1:14 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Christ as Redeemer

Christ extends sonship to those who receive him Jn 1:12

John 1:12 NKJV

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

The adoption of the believer into the family of God is an amazing and powerful truth that can motivate us in our pursuit to follow Christ.

We are now given a spiritual inheritance of eternal life which is sealed by the Holy Spirit. (Eph 1:13-14 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” - This passage speaks of redemption through Christ.

2. Redemption is not of your own willpower Jn 1:13

John 1:13 NKJV

who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God alone works our redemption. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation.

Our family ties can’t save us.

Our own will does not save us.

Grace and truth came through Jesus. Jn 1:17

John 1:17 NKJV

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The word here is χάρις (charis). n. fem. grace, good will, favor. Conveys the sense of a gift of kindness and favor given to a person or persons. (Joshua G. Mathews, “Blessing,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

God granted us undeserved favor and forgave our sins, and enabled life-long sanctification being free from the grip of sin.

“Truth” the word here is ἀλήθεια (alētheia). n. fem. truth, true, sincerity, integrity. Indicates the quality or state of being real or genuine—often in the sense of visible and verifiable reality, demonstrated by facts, actual events, or proven character.(Douglas Mangum, “Truth,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

Christ brings truth, and his message does not lie in its effectiveness to redemption.

The father has declared Christ verifying the truth of His work and message Jn 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

John as the witness of Christ

John tells others of the coming of Jesus Jn 1:7 “This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.”

John was sent by God Jn 1:6 “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”

We are also sent by Christ to proclaim the message of the light Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 NKJV

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

John was a humble witness

John acknowledged Christ as greater Jn 1:15 “John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ””

John sees Christ as a creator and eternally existing.

John can serve as an example for you and I in the proclamation of the gospel.

Some will reject Christ as they did when he came Jn 1:10-11 “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”