A gospel message - John 1:1-13

Scripture Reading

John 1:1-13 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.

Our Scripture today focuses on who the Son of God is and who we are. In many ways it summarizes the gospel message. I want to take four points from this text today and focus on them.

Jesus is God

Jesus is light and Jesus is life

Man is sinful

Faith in Jesus alone saves

Our first point - Jesus is God

-  In the beginning was the Word

- The phrase in the beginning is a direct reference

- Genesis 1:1  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

- When John says the Word WAS in the beginning     - he is telling us the word WAS before the beginning.      - The Word existed before the creation of the universe.

The Greek the apostle uses here is quite interesting, it is logos.

It is where we get the word logic from. 

We might think of the Word spoken of here as being reasonable, having a sound mind, or even good wisdom.

This word would have meant something to both the Jews and the Greeks during the time of Jesus.

It carries with it how God is the source of divine knowledge, how God is the source of divine wisdom.

However what the apostle John is teaching them, is just as important today as it was for them.

If we are trained in Scripture much like many of the Jews in the days of Jesus, we often refer to the Bible as The Word of God.

Indeed God has given us this inspired written revelation for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

However John is making it clear that the Word that we can often see as something impersonal, something that give us knowledge.

Is some ONE very personal, some ONE that is eternal.

I think what the apostle John wants to help us here is that sometimes we can place our trust only in written word.

And while the written word of God is given to us by God; it is meant to point us to Him.

Sometimes we misunderstand the Scripture and its promises because we are hoping to get something from God, rather than humbling ourselves before God and recognizing that He knows what is best for us.

He is our eternal Creator and the true source of life who keeps his promises to his children.

I am reminded of ...

John 5:39-40 Jesus once told Pharisees: You search the Scripture because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

When John tells that the Word was in the beginning, it is because the Word is more than just Words on a page, the Word is eternally found in God.

 Then John tells us that the Word was with God

After John opens our eyes to see that the Word is more than just pages in a book He shows us the Word is more than just one person.

There has been an eternal relationship between “the Word” John is describing and Father God

He shows us that the nature of the Word has eternally been with God.

Not only is the Word with God but the

Word was God

This second person spoken of here as the “the Word” has been in intimate relationship with God the Father throughout all eternity.

Now our eyes are opened even further to see that the Word being described here is not just Father God but this is The Son of God.

Philippians 2:6–8 “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

When John tells us that the Word was God he is saying that the Son of God is equal with the Father.

Today at least in America we have a great misunderstand of what equal means.

We think that to be equal means to somehow be equal in authority, equal in roles, even equal in our gender.

Here in America many people do not even know the difference between a boy and a girl anymore.

However the equality that John speaks about here is equality in value.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons with three distinct roles.

Yet they are all fully One God, equal in their nature of being God.

Col 2:9 For the entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ.

The Son of God has the fullness of God's nature

Although The Son of God humbled himself to be with us, that fullness dwelt among us.

Jesus was “Immanuel God with us”

Then we read in verse 3 of John chapter 1 - “All things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made”

The Son of God was not only involved in creation but all things were made through him.

The Son of God was the agent by which the Father created the universe.

Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Hebrews 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.

Our second point - Jesus Christ is life and light

John 1:4–5 “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.”

Jesus is the life.

Not only is this a reference to the reality that Jesus gave us life at creation

Breathing the breath of life into Adam, He upholds our very breath

But moreover it is a reference to the eternal life he now offers those who believe in Him.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live."

John 14:6 Jesus told him " I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

- Jesus is the light

- Here John uses a phrase that many trained in Scripture would think of as being morally pure.

- John declares here and throughout the book of John that in Jesus is the light!

-  John 3:19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

- John 12:46 I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me would not remain in darkness.

The light of Jesus Christ shines in the darkness of the devils kingdom.

The light of Jesus shows us our sin and the way of salvation.

The forgiveness offered through his blood at the cross, will drive out the darkness of sin and bring eternal life.

the darkness can not overcome it

In the same way the darkness of a room cannot destroy the candle that brings light to the entire room.

We can see the light of Christ in the darkness of this fallen and broken world.

When we receive Christ and follow Him, He will be the lamp for our feet and the light for our path.

John 1:9 “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

The light of Jesus is the true light, which gives light to everyone, and He has come into the world.

Our third point - Man is sinful

John 1:10–11 “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.”

The light of Jesus came not only into the world but it came to a people that were called by his name.

Because of the faithfulness God, he kept his promise to send a Messiah and deliver God’s chosen people from sin.

However, the people that were called by his name rejected their salvation and their own Messiah.

This shows us how man is sinful by nature and it is not simply identifying ourselves with God but it is about trusting in Him and the Messiah Jesus Christ.

It shows us that it does not matter what nation you come.

It does not matter how much money you make.

It does not matter what titles or degrees you have.

Man is sinful by nature and without trusting in the Messiah Jesus Christ alone, all men are condemned to eternity in hell.

Our last point - Faith in Jesus alone saves

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

The apostle John tells us that there was a remnant that did recieve him.

Among the people of Israel there was a group of fishermen, political zealots, and even a tax collector that were willing to accept Jesus.

When Jesus found them he called them by name

Is Jesus calling your name today?

Jesus is the light of eternal life.

When a gift is given we must receive it.

What does it look like to receive the gift of God's grace?

It looks like believing on the person of Jesus Christ

To turn away from our pride and sin and turn to the living God

To turn away from building our own kingdoms in this world to an eternal kingdom that has no end.

To believe in Christ alone for salvation. To know that Jesus Christ is enough.

When we believe on His name, He gives us the right to become a child of the Most High God

When we believe in the name of Jesus we become a citizen of heaven.

We are given the right to be called a child of God.

We are born into an eternal family.

John 1:13 “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Who were born not of blood

Being a child of God does not come from your national heritage

John is making it clear that the Israelites are not simply going to get into heaven because they are Jewish.

Neither will anyone get into heaven because they came from a family of believers.

Nor of the will of the flesh

There is nothing we can do through an act of our flesh that can save us.

We can not expect that by doing something in our strength we will be saved.

We are not saved by being baptized.

We are not born again just because we said a prayer.

Nor of the will of man

It is not through our own wills that we are saved.

It is not because we know a lot of Scripture that we are saved.

But of God

We must be born of God.

We are not born of the flesh but we are born of the Spirit

We must surrender to the work of God's Spirit on our heart when we hear the message about Christ.

We must recognize that it is not us that saves but it is Christ that has saved us at the cross.

It is not our will that saves but we are willing to receive the salvation that he has already provided.

We bring nothing but God offers us everything. We are week but He is strong.

Has God been prompting your heart today to turn from the kingdoms of this world and to salvation found in Jesus.

Stand with me as a child of God. In a new family. In the eternal kingdom.

If you know Jesus as your LORD and Savior stand now, raise your hands to heaven and give glory to the One True God!

- Ephesians 2:8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,