Here is the King! F.R.O.G

Y’all here we are the last message on Wednesdays for 2023. Can you guys remember where we started at in the fall? We started in 1-2 Samuel and our first message was Go to the King. We talked about how during that time they were in search for a King. They rejected God as their King, and wanted a human king. The human kings some were good, a lot were bad and led them to have bad and sinful habits that turned them away from God. Eventually the people were divided, and not only that but because they turned from God, God allowed other nations to rule over them, the city of Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed, but God continued to be faithful and provided a way for them to come back to the land and start to rebuild; however the people needed more than just a new building. Sin had infected their very heart and mind, and so they needed a new heart and mind. This was obvious because they kept falling into sin. SO God spoke through prophets/messengers to help people and there were moments of repentance, but no enteral solution UNTIL NOW and John writes this.

John 1:1–18 ESV

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 was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 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 have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Here is what we learn from this passage is that -

JESUS was the plan from the beginning. John 1:2

John 1:1–3 ESV

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 was not any thing made that was made.

Jesus from the very beginning of creation was the plan. It’s crazy to me that in OT when the people wanted a human king, and time and time again they failed, there was never one that was perfect in leading and shepherding the people, and God knew their desire for a human King , and i think that desire was deeper than what even the people knew, because from the beginning God’s plan was to be with His people, and before creation, Jesus was there, with God, Jesus is God the plan to come to be God with them, fully God and fully man, the King and Savior who would never fail. Wait Jesus is God? Yes, we believe in what we call the Trinity which is a word used to describe the nature of God. You will not find the word trinity in the bible, but it is evident in scripture and here is what I mean when I talk about the trinity -

“There is only one God, and He reveals Himself in 3 distinct and personal ways as God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, they are one, there is no division.”

So what does this mean, this means God himself, came in the form of a human, Jesus, to be God with us. Finally He is Here! The King who is perfect, faithful, selfless that does not fail or give up on His people. Jesus was always the plan.

How would he solve the people’s sin issue?

His plan was to give you and I life, by giving up His. John 1:4-5

John 1:4–5 ESV

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

I love how the Genesis creation story sets up the good news of Jesus perfectly in the first 3 verses, because you see that

Genesis 1:1–3 NLT

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

John here describes Jesus as the Light, later Jesus himself will say that He is the light of the Lord. But before light came, the earth was formless and empty and darkness cover the land and then light brought life.

The same is true for you and I and John says it here, Jesus was life and the life was the light of men. You see the OT law and prophets did not solve the sin issue that and made its way to peoples heart, it revealed it, but in Jesus God’s word tells us that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. He gives us a new heart and mind. Saying that doesn’t mean we don’t ever struggle with thoughts or bad things, but with Christ we see them from a different perspective. He convicts us and He helps to think and live differently.

God doesn’t want you just to be His creation, but He wants you to be a part of His family. John 1:12-13

John 1:12–13 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

For you to be a part of God’s family you have to be born again. You’re like Justin what do you mean be born again? Well Jesus has a conversation with an adult about this in John ch 3 and Jesus isn’t talking about a physical rebirth of you entering your moms womb again, but being born of the Spirit and we are born again when believe that He is God, Lord our lives, that Jesus paid and defeated our sin. So we can live for Him.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus is the King and He has come to give whosever believes in Him eternal life.

Jesus reveals the heart of God to humanity. John 1:16-18

John 1:16–18 ESV

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Despite what you have believed about God and His word before. Maybe you have thought God doesn’t care for you, you believe His word has been manipulated and changed, which we heard from Carter that His word is still the same, you have believed that God can’t help you, you think this is some sort of cult, or mealiness thing that we do, and although maybe “people who said they were christians didn’t reflect God well and hurt you” Jesus revealed perfectly the heart of God so that if you get to know Jesus you will see He loves you more than anyone else could.

One of the things I say often to Deacon my son is, “Deacon you know me and mom love you so much right, but do you know who loves you way more than we ever could?"

There is no greater love than this that God would come to you and I who do not deserve His love, but He has given and displayed it to us over and over.

Invitation:

- SO maybe you need to believe in Jesus for coming and making a way for you and wanting a relationship with you.

- As followers of Jesus we are to do as Christ has done. Christ revealed/reflected the Father’s heart so we should reflect/reveal it to others. Practice this. Give someone a good gift without expecting something in return.

- Tell someone about why you celebrate Christmas! Talk about how because of Jesus you get to live free.

God gives one final proclamation through the Prophet Malachi that He would send a messenger ahead of the Messiah and then for 400 years no one heard from God. They had the words that were written but no new revelation or word from God until God sent a angel to the Priest Zechariah and said he would have a son named John that would prepare the way for the Savior for the King. So look with me at John 1 we started in 1 Samuel with GO TO THE KING, and we are wrapping this all up with this message tonight where we see JOHN write HERE IS THE KING.