The Word Among Us: Seeing Jesus Clearly

The first song book by Ellie Holcomb?

Start with the end “Jesus with Father, revealing who God is”

1. Jesus is the true light that breaks through darkness. vv. 6-9

Who is this John in v. 6?

Jesus’ possible cousin, but relative nonetheless (6 months older than Jesus, Elizabeth and Mary were related)

One prophesied of Isaiah 40:3 “A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

Older Parents, many believe he became part of the Essenes at Qumran (living style, wilderness (Matthew) and baptism practices)

What does the text say bout him?

John 1:6–7 “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.”

Sent by God

Came as a witness

So that all might believe through him

1 Timothy 2:3–4 “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

“John is not supposed to be the exclusive witness to the “light.” All believers are to witness to Jesus’ redemptive work, showing the world that the savior has come to roll back the darkness of sin and death… we bear witness to the human flourishing people will experience when Jesus restores all things. This is the kind of witness that brightens a dark world, beckoning others to follow the God who is shining his renewing light into the darkness.” Miguel Echevarria

Journey through John with someone.

Greg Ray (God is so intentional)

Invite the conversations when people have questions.

2. Jesus is the living word who makes us children of God. vv. 10-13

This section might is incredibly heart wrenching and yet so hopefully at the same time.

The Heart-wrenching

John 1:10 “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

Colossians 1:15–20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

Yet as Jesus came to his very creation, he was rejected. This was prophesied

Isaiah 53:3 “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Not just creation, but his very people (v. 11) the nation of Israel.

Imagine the pain a parent feels if they raise their child and the child disowns them?

The Hope

John 1:12–13 “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.”

Because God is revealed, veiled on flesh and made known to us, if we believe in Jesus, we are reborn bearing the name of God.

Says about vv. 12-13 “In fact, what is said in these verses encapsulates the purpose of the Gospel as a whole: that those who encounter the Word/Jesus through this Gospel might believe in him and become children of God, enjoying the eternal life that is the portion of those who believe.” Colin Kruse

3. Jesus is the glory of God, full of grace and truth. vv. 14-18

“Dwelt among us” John 1:14 “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.”

This singular Greek words means “God tabernacled with us”

OT Reference-God’s presence is with Mankind. What he desires above all.

Genesis 1-2

The absent of the Ark of Covenant and the lying to the people.

Maybe that’s you today, you show as if you dwell with God, but really on the inside, He isn’t there.

“Full of grace and truth” is the OT “steadfast love and faithfulness”

Connection to Moses and God walking before him (Exodus 33:19-20) as well as throughout the Exodus and Old Testament.

God has been and will always be steadfast in his love and faithfulness

Collin Kruse interpretation of Greek words “Grace and Truth”

Grace: Hesed in hebrew, grace or love.

Truth: root meaning of ‘reliability’, that God is reliable in both his words and actions.

“As good as done”.

John 1:15 is extrapolating that John the Baptist came to bore witness of Jesus.

John 1:16 “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

What was the grace upon grace that was recieved throughout John’s gospel?

Was it the wine from the Wedding at Cana?

Was it the food for the 5,000+ hungry?

Was it the the saving from the violent story and bringing the boat back safely?

Yes, but it was so much more than this, this grace is the forgiveness of Sins.

In John's Gospel, there are 7 signs that structure the text, there are other signs and even John says in John 20:30–31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Always Jesus meets physical needs, most the time there are clear meeting of spiritual needs, but when there are not clear meeting, it leads to belief in Christ.

Think about your life, how have you experienced and lived out “grace upon grace”?

“The Christian life is the constant reception of one evidence of God’s grace replacing another.” Edwin Blum on v. 16

As we wrap up this section let’s look at John 1:17–18 “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.”

The law never saves, only reveals to us that WE CAN’T DO IT!!

We need someone outside of ourselves, we need Jesus!

V. 18 Jesus is said to be God “The only God, who is at the Father’s side” side here means closeness, intimacy.

Is Jesus clear to you? And are you making him clear to others?