In the Beginning

Introduction

John 1:1–4 ESV

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.

Pray

1. The Eternality of the Word (v.1)

John 1:1 ESV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John takes us back, not to the manger, but to the cradle of creation. He takes us back to the very beginning

With God -distinction

Was God - union

Some people claim that Jesus never claimed to be God

The problem is that Jesus very much did make the claim.

The words, “I am God,” being said by Jesus about Himself are not recorded in Scripture, but that does not mean that He never claimed to be God.

Illustration: Let me give you an illustration to help you understand this. Suppose that I tell you, I have 4 sons. They all have the same mother and are the only children that she and I ever had. Their names are Nate, Andrew, Elijah, and Caleb.

Let me ask you a question. Have I told you that I am a father without using the words, “I am a father”?

Of course I have, I have met the qualifications of fatherhood and given you multiple statements that can only mean that I am a father.

I have four sons by one mother. There is not chance that I am referring to sons that are mine by marriage. I have told you that she has only had these sons and I have only had them. I have told you that I have four sons and I have given you their specific names.

You get the idea. But what about Jesus? Did He ever claim divinity, even if He did so without using the words, “I am God.”

He did, and I would argue that He even used the words more directly than people realize.

I and the Father Are One

John 10:30–31 ESV

30 I and the Father are one.” 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

He claimed one in essence, or unity, with God. The Jews were not confused over what He was saying, because they sought to stone Him for blasphemy.

Before Abraham was, “I AM”

John 8:57–59 ESV

57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Again, Jesus claims to be God, but He also uses the sacred name, “I AM” and applies it to Himself

Exodus 3:14 ESV

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”

Again, the Jews understood what He was saying and picked up stones to stone Him

This name is invoked again in the Garden of Eden when the soldiers and Judas come looking for Jesus and Jesus questions them

They fall down at the response, I Am

In fact, Jesus used this title so much it is not even realized a lot of times. All of the “I am” statements are using the Greek phrase “Ego Eimi” which is I am the I AM.

If You Have Seen Me, You Have Seen the Father

Jesus on multiple occasions claimed that if you have seen Him, you have seen the Father

John 12:44–45 ESV

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.

John 14:6–7 ESV

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.”

John 14:9–11 ESV

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

These verses are only a snapshot of the multiple times that Jesus claims divinity without using the specific phrase “I Am God.”

However, perhaps the most clear evidence, aside from performing miracles that only God can do, is that Jesus died and rose from the dead. The resurrection is the greatest proof of the deity of Christ.

What does all of this mean?

It means that Jesus is eternal and though He was born to a virgin, it had to be a virgin birth for two reasons.

Jesus had to be able to represent us and have a human nature added to the divine

Jesus had to be able to be unlike us and not be affected by Adam’s fall and original sin

False Religions argue that

Jesus was "a god" - Mormons

Jesus and God are the same - Oneness Pent.

Jesus was created - had a beginning (JWs+ Mormons), Islam

2. The Fellowship with the Word (v. 2)

The second thing we notice is that while Jesus is divine and He is God, He is also distinct in person from God. Jesus is the 2nd Person of the Godhead, and not the 1st or the 3rd.

The first Person of the Godhead is the Father. The third Person of the Godhead is the Holy Spirit.

There is a unity in their essence. There is one what. Yet there is a distinction in their personhood. There is unity in diversity.

Look again at v. 2.

John 1:1–2 ESV

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.

Notice John says that Jesus was “with” God and that in verse 2 he writes that Jesus “was in the beginning with God.”

With means alongside God. The phrase in the Greek actually is literally translated “face to face” with God. To be face to face with someone is to bein their presence.

Let’s look at what the Bible says in Genesis 1:1-3.

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.

So we are told that God created the heavens and the earth, we will come back to that.

Notice the three Persons of the Godhead present.

“In the beginning, God” - there is the Father

“The Spirit of God was hovering...” - there is the Holy Spirit

“And God said...” - There is the Word or the Son of God

We can try to understand the unity and distinction of God with earthly analogies, but we will not be able to come up with a perfect analogy, because they all fall apart at some point.

The best way we can illustrate this is by a chart and it is not perfect.

Show Chart

3. The Creative Activity of the Word (vv.3-4)

Moving on we also see that Jesus was the creator.

Remember Genesis 1:1 says,

Genesis 1:1 ESV

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

“God created”

John 1:3-4 says

John 1:3–4 ESV

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.

Jesus is the one who made all things, but Genesis 1.1 says God made everything. Which is right?

Both! Jesus is God and was involved in creation

Let me explain to you why Jesus cannot be a created being like an angel or even his own created being made by the Father, but has to be the eternal creator.

Look at what verse 3 says again.

John 1:3 ESV

3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

What does it say was made through Jesus? (all things that were made)

What was not made by him? (anything not made - divine things are the only non-created, self-existent, eternal things)

So look at this chart to explain this.

See Chart

Anything in the box on the right is going to be what is made. These things all had a beginning because they were created.

That box includes donkeys, horses, whales, fish, stars, planets, you get the idea. It also includes created spiritual beings like angels and demons. ANYTHING that had a beginning or was created.

Now, it is a logical impossibility that something can create itself. If you look around at everyone in the room, you will see that everyone had a set of parents. Everyone was born. We all have that in common.

Jesus did not have a beginning, because he made everything that had a beginning and He cannot make Himself.

God the Father did not make Himself either. We have an eternal, self-existent God who exists as one essence in three Persons.

4. The Illumination of the Word (vv. 4-5)

John 1:4–5 ESV

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.

God's word is revelation

God's word brings light into our darkness

God's word created life physically and also spiritually

There is no earthly analogy to God that does not lead to heresy-> there is only a chart * Refutes Oneness theology -> there isa distinction t unity