John 1:1-18 Revelation
Notes
Transcript
Find the “BIG IDEA” >> a. What is the author talking about? b. What is he saying about what he is talking about?
a. Who I Jesus?
b.
Find the FCF >>
1. What does the text say?
2. What spiritual concern(s) did the text address (in its context)?
3. What spiritual concerns do listeners share in common with those to (or about) whom the text was written?
[Kids Time!]
[Introduction]
[Introduce Text]
QUICK RECAP (Should be < 3 minutes...):
John 1:1-18 >> John’s Prologue: The Incarnation of the Son of God
His Eternality (v. 1-2)
His Pre-Incarnate Work (v. 3-5)
His Forerunner (v. 6-8)
His Rejection (v. 9-11)
His Reception (v. 12-13)
His Deity (v. 14-18)
We’ve looked at His Eternality, His Pre-Incarnate Work in Creation and Salvation and what Great news that is!
>> 2 Implications we unpacked:
because Jesus is God the Son, active before His incarnation in both creation and salvation…
Jesus is a BIG deal
>> All things were created through Him and for Him
>> What is our only hope in life and death?
>> That we are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus is trustworthy
>> Everything God the Son has done before His incarnation was to the glory of God and for our good
>> That includes our salvation… Jesus came to save sinners!
… and now, we’ll finish this section on His Pre-Incarnate Work in the act of God’s revealing Himself to us via the
Doctrine of Revelation
… Not the book Revelation at the end of the bible, which happens to by written by the same John…
Before we give definitions, let’s read our Prologue together this morning, giving special attention to verses 4-8:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 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. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 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 bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
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. 15 (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.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
[Prayer]
[Explanation]
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We’ve covered the Pre-Incarnate work of Jesus in Creation heavily here, including some important implications…
1. Creation (v. 3)
2. Revelation (v. 4 and 5)
Now let’s unpack a bit of God the Son’s work of Revelation
>> again, we read:
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
>> Life, Light, and Darkness are HUGE themes throughout the gospel of John and within his other three letters.
>> This light and darkness speaks to God’s revealing Himself to His image bearers. This is called
Revelation = God’s revealing Himself to man
>> Will
>> Character
>> Purposes
>> and is divided into two distinct categories:
Important Distinction:
General Revelation vs. Special Revelation
JT English summarizes these two means of revelation nicely in You are a Theologian:
General Revelation
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Ps. 19:1–2 esv). These words of the psalmist summarize what theologians call general revelation. Put simply, God makes Himself known in what He makes. Anytime you gaze on a sunset, anytime you inhale the scent of spring blossoms, anytime you marvel at a snow-capped mountain or the blazing colors of fall, you are not just witnessing the beauty of God’s creation; you are witnessing a testimony to God’s existence and nature. Creation is glorifying and revealing its Creator. God makes Himself known in what He has made. [J.T. English (2023). (p. 66). You Are A Theologian. B&H Books. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
>> This means of revelation is “general” in it’s scope: Everyone receives general revelation.
>> Alternatively, there is special revelation:
While all humans receive general revelation of God through His creation, only some receive special revelation. It is “special” in the sense that it has a specific audience (believers) and a specific purpose (salvation). God reveals knowledge sufficient for salvation in Christ and in the Scriptures. [J.T. English (2023). (p. 67). You Are A Theologian. B&H Books. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]
Before we dive into the implications of verses 4 and 5, lets unpack what’s going on here with verses 6-8:
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
His Forerunner (v. 6-8)
John identifies the man, commonly known as John the Baptist, as Christ’s Forerunner.
>> Forerunner: “One who goes before, announcing the coming of another”
>> John the Baptist is introduced to us through his miracle conception and birth account from Luke 1.
>> John the Baptist was even making way for Jesus when they first entered the same room as each other. It wasn’t along the Jordan that they first met… Check this out:
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
>> John the Baptist was the forerunner for the revealed light of the world… the life of men.
>> Here are Jesus’ own words concerning John the Baptist:
32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
So let’s ask, what are the implications of Jesus as the revelation of God? “So What?” I’ve got 3:
1. There is no excuse — God is knowable
2. We NEED God’s Word!
3. Be confident and comforted in the Light
1. There is no excuse — God is knowable
The second step an AA addict must confess in the twelve steps is concerning a “higher power”:
Step 2
“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
>> I love that, “restore us to sanity”. Believe it or not, it actually takes more “faith” to disbelieve in the existence of God than it does to believe in the existence of a God!
What about what Paul writes in his letter to the Romans:
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
>> Fortunately, God is knowable. However, unfortunately, there are millions of people who live in the dark… Their “foolish hearts are darkened”.
>> So, do they get an out?
When Matt and I were teenagers, we played indoor soccer for the first time. Matt went in to take a free kick, and the first thing he does is start sprinting forward dribbling the ball. And the ref, kindly but firmly, snagged the ball, put it back where it was, and told him to try again.
>> Just because Matt “didn’t know the rules”, didn’t mean he is without excuse when he makes a mistake or cheats
>> The same goes for us, God is knowable, we have no “free pass” as if God has been holding out on us. Shall we remind ourselves?
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
If that’s not enough, we have the testimony and prophetic word of all the prophets.
>> It seems to be completely expected that God should send John the Baptist as a Forerunner for the Messiah.
>> John the Baptist did as his forefathers had done, namely, the prophet Isaiah. Look at what Luke says of John the Baptist:
3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
And what about what we read last week from the book of Hebrews:
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Which brings us to our next important implication:
1. There is no excuse — God is know able
2. We NEED God’s Word!
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
>> Remember the way Matt describes himself, clinging to the Word like a life line. Well, it is, in fact, our life line!
>> Later in John’s gospel, Jesus says to His disciples He is going to prepare a place for them. After his explanation, He has this dialogue with them:
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
>> Jesus is The Word. He is the ultimate means of Special Revelation, and the only source of life. Shortly before Christ’s ascension, He gives this charge:
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
>> It is “in him” that life is found. Although Jesus lives and reigns, sitting at the right hand of the Father today… He has given us Himself in the Word:
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
>> Of the 27 books of the New Testament, 23 of them are epistles or letters, “teaching the Church to observe all that Jesus has commanded you”!
>> We are a Bible Believing Church for these reasons. We cling to the Word because He is the single source of our “life” and “light” in a darkened world.
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
And lastly,
1. There is no excuse — God is knowable
2. We NEED God’s Word!
3. Be confident and comforted in the Light
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a season where I felt crushed, isolated, and alone. I had so many responsibilities I felt insufficient for in my work and my church, and frankly, as a leader in ministry, I felt my “brokenness” and personal weaknesses were disqualifiers for me to be useful for the Lord. I didn’t know to what I could turn to for hope and comfort without burdening someone else… So, I’d listen to this worship album by Jonathan Ogden over and over and over in my car, going to sleep, during my work days... And there was one song specifically that nearly brought me to tears every time I heard it with the way it reminded me of the Lord’s provision and kindness, in light of my brokenness. The verse that got me from the song said this simple sentence:
You still fill a vessel, though the water pours out
When the Night Comes Around by Jonathan Ogden
That’s how I felt. Like a weak, leaky vessel… drained, empty of value, spent.
And after some time, I did some homework on that song and realized it drew inspiration from these truths God’s Word reveals to us about Himself:
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
Recap:
1. There is no excuse — God is knowable
2. We NEED God’s Word!
3. Be confident and comforted in the Light
[Illustration]
I stoop to look Blakely Face to Face...
God stoops to look us Face to Face…
[Worship Team Can Come up]
>> Metanarrative?
>> Jesus is the image of the invisible God?
[Pray]
[Communion]
1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (ESV)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
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His Rejection (v. 9-11)
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
Mark 12:1-12
>> Parable of vineyard owner, sending his own son, who is not received but beaten and killed...
2 Corinthians 3:7-4:6
>> Lots of rich stuff on the “veiled” hearts of those who do not receive the Lord… Really good
His Reception (v. 12-13)
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Luke 2:22-32
>> Simeon has Holy Spirit upon him (v. 25) and thus receives even the infant, incarnate, Lord with full revelation
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His Deity (v. 14-18)
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. 15 (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.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
[Application]
[Conclusion]
