Jesus, the Light
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Are you afraid of the dark?
Darkness (Banzai Cliff)
Light and darkness as graspable metaphors
Confusion
Cover for evil
Uncertainty
Ease of mistakes
Light into darkness as the work of Jesus
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the pow'rs of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John’s Prologue
John’s Prologue
“Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a beautiful, young princess…”
“It began with the forging of the great rings.”
The Word in the Beginning
The Word in the Beginning
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Echoes Gen 1:1
Ascribes full deity to the Word/Son
Not a god
Not godlike
He is the creator and sustainer of life
The Insurmountable Light
The Insurmountable Light
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
He gives life
Light is the initial creation
Light is the foundation of life
He reveals God to us
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
We can struggle to find an explanation to everything in the world, but it is only through God’s choice to reveal himself to us that we will ever be able to sea clearly
He conquers darkness
A Special Arrival
A Special Arrival
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
This text is about the Word coming into the World
Isn’t he already in the world?
Salvation
Judgement
Prophecy
Law
Theophany
Something new is happening here. The Word who is omnipresent is entering into the world in a special way – the incarnation
So What?
So What?
The prologue of a movie doesn’t demand a response, but this prologue does
Recognize Him
Recognize Him
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
We live in a world of counterfeits
Counterfeit pleasure
Counterfeit kings
Counterfeit religions
Look at what he does
Jesus tells the truth even when it makes him unpopular
Jesus commands nature
Jesus fulfils the law
Jesus offers an atoning sacrifice
Receive Him
Receive Him
11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
