Who is Jesus - The Gospel of John - Part 2 - Who Is Jesus? Jesus is God!

GREET EVERYONE-

Good Morning Loved Ones

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

The Reason Stonewater Fellowship is here -

The Reason God planted Stonewater as His local Church was simple -

Is to engage people into a multiplying relationship with Jesus!

In other words - TO make disciples of Jesus.

Welcome

Invitations and Events

The Wrecked Crew

Baptism Class

Cultivate

Kairos -

Elder Led Prayer

INVITATIONS

1- Family Meeting

2- Season of Prayer and Fasting

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to The Gospel of John Chapter 1 This morning as we Continue our new preaching series where we will expose How God, through the Scriptures, answers the question: “Who is Jesus?”

THere are many many many descriptions of who Jesus is in this world.

SO many descriptions that in fact it can be rather confusing.

God Tells us who Jesus is and we will be exposing what God says through the best friend of Jesus while he was here on earth - The Apostle John

NOW If you don’t have a bible or simply would like a new one!……..

PRAYER OVER SERIES

My prayer over this series is for all of us -

That all of us would come to know in the most intimate way the person of Jesus.

And for some of us that may be for the very first time - This may be, for you and the journey you have been on, an introduction to Jesus.

For some you may have known Him for years.

My prayer is that EVEN if this is our first time introduction or if we have known him for years.

That we would know Him more -

That we would understand Him more -

That we would begin to see Him resurrected, and moving and working and change things about us and in us through the power of the Holy Spirit every day.

And That Any question - that any of us may have about Who is Jesus - Would be answered as we begin, this morning to walk through the Gospel of John together.

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

IS that we would all come into the Fullness of the truth of the Scriptures this morning.

1- We would understand that Many people, including some very religious people, people who would call themselves Spiritual, get Jesus wrong.

2 - That we would understand the severity of the truth that Jesus is in fact GOD in the Flesh

The Severe truth He takes away SIN that we all have,

The Severe truth that there is not a human being born on this earth that is born a child of God.

The Severe truth that Receiving Jesus as Lord and Master, Trusting in His Name as the Only Name by which, all people everywhere, men and women and children, can be saved from the wrath of God,

that is what makes us Children of God, by the Adoption of the Holy Spirit and nothing else, becasue Jesus is God, He Gives Life and He is the light.

ENGAGEMENT –

Light is an interesting subject in our day in time.

When we hear the word Light - I thing for most of us we pretty instantly think of Light we read by or light we see by or day light.

but there is another meaning in our culture that has been pretty pervasive over the past 60 plus years and that is the idea that light has this connotation of Understanding.

Enlightenment -

Have we been enlightened - Have we been opened to the New Facts or New Ideas or New Patters of thought of understanding.

The Idea of ANY enlightenment or Having Light of thought or understanding is under- girded by two things -

1- There is hidden knowledge that we can all come to know and understand and that is important to move to so lets know more

2- There are those with this knowledge and there are those without

And the current Age of Enlightenment began about 1685 - about 185 years after the Bible was first translated into English form the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic manuscripts that has been discovered in remote places in the middle east through out the prior 500 years.

Here is what it did -

It began to question old methods of Government, Religion, Science and reason.

And as a result in our History we saw great improvement in this time period of human flourishing.

BUT Here is what happened becasue of our broken humanity, it culminated into The Enlightenment of the 1960’s and 70’s across the modern world.

We began to focus on self

Communal benefit turned into Self Reliance

Human and social flourishing became Self Improvement

Modesty was shunned for self expression

Sobriety was shunned for Self Expansion

Faith and divine forgiveness was moved aside for self forgiveness

Tradition was moved aside for Self Defining ideals.

and the world became a darker place.

TENSION

You see what happens when we take the idea of enlightenment into our relationship with God is begin by believing that a persons experience with God and a persons understanding of God can go Beyond Jesus

Can Redefine Jesus

or Be exclusive of Jesus.

That Jesus is just one of the many.

That Anyone can get to God any way They want to .

That each individual person can define God on their own terms and it is valid not only in conversation, but that it is valid in terms of Eternity.

That My definition of God no matter what that is, will have earned me and granted me eternity.

The Evidence of this is no more real than what is proclaimed at every funeral we have ever been to.

Every single open of them we have been to no matter what the persons individual faith was - Having faint in something or having faith in nothing.

We all say - “They are at rest and in a better place”

You see what has happened to us in our culture of “Enlightenment” where we have elevated Self -

Death has become the gateway to heaven!

We have adopted the Idea, in oh so subtle ways, that all we really have to do is die and we will be in a better place.

John Begins His Gospel specifically dealing with Jesus being the highest plane of enlightenment -

The highest understanding -

The only philosophy that brings True Life.

The Only Person who Brings Ever lasting Life.

The Only person of God and the Only Person who is God and the Only was anyone can get to God.

BACKGROUND

A little background on the Gospel of John.

Gods used the Apostle John, by the power of the Spirit, to write this Gospel.

and Just as a side note for all of us.

Every single one of the Gospels of Matthew Mark, Luke and John were written with in the lifetime of the Eye witnesses of Jesus.

Johns included and it is the last Gospel to be written. John wrote it late - Very late.

What we can so easily see is that John’s account of the Life and influence of Jesus is written to a different audience.

A historical account of Jesus life to Everyone.

we can accurately think about the relationship with John and Jesus as John is Jesus best friend.

And John Begins the Gospel, writing after experiencing the Enlightenment of His Day - Which was saturated in the Greco Roman philosophies of guys like Aristotle, Plato, and Specious, Lucretius, Epictetus and the Roman Emperors.

UNPACKING

In the First 5 verses of the Gospel what John Does is lay the foundation of answering the question “Who is Jesus!”

He begin by Saying “in the beginning was the word”

What beginning is He talking about?

He is talking about the beginning of all things. You see back then there were very few people who did not thing that everything had a beginning.

SO John is referring to the beginning of everything, back when the entire universe including earth and life was created.

We need not forget that John was also a Jewish Person and in His talking about the beginning He would also be referring to the Beginning Narrative of Genesis.

Which starts

Genesis 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

John is referring to the “Word of God that God Spoke”

God “Said” something - God said “let there be light” and John is saying that the word that God spoke is the Word of God.

And the word was with God and the Word was God.

HE is personifying Gods spoken word -

He is literally saying that What God Spoke and who God is are all GOD.

In VERSE 2 -

John then begin to take this personification of the word of Good to its natural conclusions and John Says

John 1:2–3 ESV

2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

That this personified word was with God and and this personified word Made Everything -

and those truth claims will become oh so important here in a little bit later on in what He will be writting .

But Watch where He goes with this Idea -

VS 4 - That this personified word - who was with God and who was God - That in Him that is this personified word that was with God and was God.

VS4 In Him - Was Life.

The Word that Created all things This personified word Gave Life to all living things and then watch what John Does -

He says -And the Life was the Light of Men!

This is such an interesting statement -

In Him was Life - God is the source of all Life -

And the Life - was the Light of Men -

What does that mean?

Light?

No you and I may very easily think to our selves that this Life that was the Light of men was actual Light - Like - Sunlight or Light that comes from a source like a light bulb.

When we look up the original language of the New Testament - Light like shinning form an object like Sunlight is actually the smallest of meaning.

For nearly 500 years the primary meaning of Light - was What is Grasped or understood intellectually pr philosophically .

And by the time we get to Greek Speaking Jewish People - At the time of Jesus - “Light means What is Grasped philosophically in terms of Salvation”

This is what we would call “enlightenment unto Salvation”

So recap - In the Beginning was the word - This word is personified - The word was with God the words Was God and this personified Word, now has a pronoun “He” and This personified word created all things with God and all things as God and this word Has Life and the Life He has is the “intellectual and philosophical Grasping of of knowledge unto salvation”

VS5

Fantastic Verse - This knowledge that can be grasped and understood unto salvation - Shines - and the darkness has not overcome it.

VS6 - 8 John Takes a Side note -

The reason He takes a side note is becasue he wants to inform original audience that He is not the only one who knew this that there was another -

A Witness that was sent in advance - One that was sent before.

Taht witness was not the Light but gave testimony to the Light.

VS9- This is what john the Baptist was Giving witness to.

This Light - This Knowledge that could be grasped for Salvation was Coming into the world.

It is Given to Everyone - Illumination - Int he Laguage of the New testament there is a slightly different word used in Verse 9 in the place of the second light - That light means Illunmination - The Idea of lighting a pathway in the darlkeness -

VS 10 - John then writes about a super interesting cunundrum -

This PErsonified word that created the world the word did not know Him.

The Whole world didnt know Him when they saw hiom and the John narrows the field when Heget to verse 11 -

God from the beginning of time has called a people to Himself -

The Jewish People - And John Says

His own people did not receive Him as who He was.

You see who He was suppoed to be recieved as by His own people was as the messiah The Promised one of Israel - The One who the prophets told of His coming -

The Holy one of God - The Only begotten Son of God - The King whos reigh would last forever and they did not recieve him

VS12 =

One of the greatest and most miss understood verses in all of the new testament.

The Promise of God first the Great part -

it starts with BUT

Here is where John goes - He has just said “The world he created didn't know Him -

His own people didn't receive Him as the promised King that would sit on the thone of david forever -

BUT - to all

To some?

To a few?

Nope to All

Everyone say “ALL”

TO all who did receive him as the promised King - To all who Believed in his name as the light - This knowledge that can be grasped unto salvation-

Look what Happened - HE - this personified word that created all things , gives life to men and the Light - Knowledge grasped unto salvation.

He - Gave them the right to become “children of God”

This Directly implies that it is only those who Receive Jesus for who He was prophised to be and Believed Trusted in His name as the Name promised from old to save the world as spoken oif by the prophets.

Only Those can be Children of God - NO ONe Else -

Verse 13 John then tell everyone who read this how that Happens and how it does not happen and drives the exclusivity of Chirst all the way Home.

Not by blood meaning blood relatives -

Not by the Will of the flesh - not the Will of Man -

But Only of God.

For Loved ones it is only God who produces His Children - It is only God who gives faith to people - IT is a work of God.

VS14 - John then takes the Personification of this word that he was speaking about in vs 1,2,3 and

and he amps up His personification -

This Word that was With God that Was God that Creatd all things -

This Word became Flesh and dwelt among os.

John Says - He not only dwelt among us we have seen His GLory as the only SOn of God for the Father - ANd just like the Father Full of Grace and truth-

John then takes a circle bask in VS15 - Back to John the Baptist and says : This one is that One John was crying out about.

VS16 and 17 John is sharing how Important it is that Jesus came, in the flesh and dwelt among us.

That we have recieved Grace - VS17

and that God has made Jesus known - VS18

Now watch what Happens as John Shifts his letter -

He begins to moves His letter to an over arching view to a stap by step historical narrative

And watch what the religious leaders react to the news of Jesus.

John then begins in Verse 19 of an account of John The baptist.

VS19 - The Religious leaders Come to John and ask - Who are you?

You see what John was doing is he was Baptizing people, people who were agreeing with John that they were in fact a sinful people.

He was baptizing for the forgiveness of Sin - The Scripture is going to make reference to what John was doing actually calling it “the Baptism of John”

This was not a baptism of salvation - We could think of it more as a baptism of preparation.

And John is drawing a crowd! and He is getting the attention of the religious leaders of the Day -

Those people who believed that they had more enlightenment more understanding than everyone else.

They ask him “who are you?

Watch what john says VS20 “I am not - the Christ - (the anointed one of GOd)

Now notice these jewish leaders didnt ask that!

John the Baptist offered that up! I am not the Promised one of Israel.

You see the jewsih leaders werent even looking for Jesus to come.

You can tell this by what they ask John the Baptist -

Are you Elijah? A Prophet?

John says Nope- They say then Well

Who are you then? We have to tell people who sent us?

John says “I am the witness!

I am the voice crying out in the wilderness -

I am the witness that the Prophet Isaiah talked about.

Watch the strange response -

John has Just said - I am telling you the Lord is coming - Make streight His way -

Notice what they do not say?

They do not say “Is he here? What do we do?

Nope - THey then turn and look for validation of the witness - Their attitude is: Well if your not Him or one of these the Why are you doing what you are doing? Why are you being a witness? Why are you baptizing?

Look at His answer in Vers 26-27

He says - Notice He does not answer the question:

He says “I am baptizing with water and there is one among you, You do not KNOW Him- that is so great I am not worthy to even untie His saddles”

In the other 3 Gospels John Says “I am baptizing with water and I am not worthy to even untie His sandels but He will baptize you wth the holy Spirit and with Fire.”

VS29

The very next day - John the Baptist sees Jesus and I want you to watch and see what John the Baptist Says - because there are several things.

In the Spirit he Recognizes Jesus and He shouts out

1- “Behold the Lamb of God who Takes away the Sins of the World!”

Not that is a Phenominal statement - and Loved ones this is Good news of Great Joy -

The One who takes away Sins, the Fact of Sin the COnsequesce of Sin, the Eternal effect of SIn. Behoild - Look.

John THe Baptist COntinues -

This is He - THis is the ONe I awas speaking about “who rankes before me becasue He was before me”

Watch - I did not know Him - But this is why I was baptizing with water so that He might be revealed to Israel - He might be revealed to His own Peolple.

Vwese 32 almost feels like John the Baptist and John the Apostle were haveing a later conversation and John the Baptist says “I saw this “Spirit”

decend on Him like a dove and it remained on Him.

Watch what John the Baptist says: VS33 I did not know Him -

I had no clue who this was -

But it did ot matter - I was sent to baptize and so I did and the one who sent me said “when you see this supernatural phenomenon that is the Sign that you will know that this is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

Baptize - Such an Important Word -

I means to Immerse - To Completely Cover over.

John the baptist - Who was completely covering over people with water - Says - This is the one who will Completely cover over people with the holy Spirit.

VS34:

This is John the Apostle speaking now - He completes the narritive of Jhohn the Baptist and John the Apostle speaks

And he says” I have seen these thing and I have bore witness - Meaning I have carried the knowledge of these events and This person”

I have carried this Information that This is the Son of God.

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION

This is so important for us to Graps how complete of a conclusion the Apostle John Just made -

This word -

This personified Word -

This word that was with God and was God,

This personified word that has a pronoun -

This personified word that created all things.

This personified word who possesses and gives life

This word who Is life is the Light - The Knowledge that can be understood and grasped both with the mind and with the heart for salvation.

The Illuminated Pathway for all men!

This Word, That is and has life and is the Light of salvation Became Flesh and dwelt among us.

This one who dwelt among us, from the father - Full of Grace and truth Just like the father.

Witnessed about by others -

Through whom we recieved Grace upon Grace.

This one who has a name - Jesus Christ. Who the Father Has made known.

This one the world didn’t even look for.

This one his own people didnt recieve

This one on who the Spirit landed -

This one is indeed the Son of God.

The ONE - who promise is tru and good that Who Ever recieved HIm, as King that He was promised to be,

AS Savior That He was Promised to be,

AS God in the flesh as He was promised to be.

Who Every receives HIM - and Trusts - And Believes in His name - Those who live out trust in His name,

Those who trust on this Personified word that, created all things, that took on flesh and dwelt among us, was witnessed about, whom the spirit fell and remained - This Son of God -

He is the One who Gives ANYONE the right to become Children of God -

Born of God - Not of flesh and blood - Not of will of man - But by the very power and presence of God.

and loved ones that IS Good news of Great Joy

STICKY POINT

We cannot leave this morning without the question:

Have you recieved Him as He is proclaimed to be -

Have you Received Him as Lord and Master of your life?

Have you trusted in His name - Believed in His name?

Is He your light - IS He to you That wich can be grasped by your mind and heart for salvation or do you think in the gravest of error “there is more”?

Do you accept the fullness of Christ Jesus as the All suffencient Lord and Savior or do you have ANY through that in our intelect and in our reason and in our knowledge we have outgrown Christ?

If so loved ones repent -

Trune top the Living Personified word who Created all things - - THe One who can take all your sins away - The Only One who can, by the very work of the Father - Make you a true and everlasting Child of GOd.

APPLICATION OR IMAGINE

PRAYER TEAM