The Creator Comes Near - John 1:1-13.
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Structure
Intro
Goal - you can hang your entire life on Jesus. You can give him your everything. Because he is the Messiah, the Son of God.
The focus of these talks is on a person - Jesus Christ.
3 groups of people.
The Unshakeable/ Christians - strengthen you in your faith. Give you confidence that Jesus is the real deal.
The Unsatisfied/ Doubters - You don’t need anything else this world offers. Jesus is all you need. Dont be pulled away by the world.
The Unconvinced/Non-Believers - Convince you that you need Jesus.
Main images:
Globe, Light, Gift that turns into a cross.
Jesus Made Everything (vv 1-5)
Jesus Can Do Everything (vv 9-13)
Gospel - children of God (vs 8).
Introduction.
Introduction.
Well g’day it’s good to see you
Why dont you turn the person next to you and say
Geez you’re lucky you sat next to me tonight!
boy are you in the for the ride of your life.
Because over the next five talks, we’re going to be focusing on a person.
This person is a big deal
He is strong
he is kind
this person is dangerous
but he is good
and in fact when you know him,
when he calls you his friend
it completely transforms your life.
such is the power of this person.
This person, is Jesus Christ.
Im not talking about what you imagine Jesus might be like
or pictures on the internet
or how TV shows portray him
Im talking about the real and living Jesus
the one who we meet in the bible.
And over the next 5 talks as we look at a specific part of the bible
and it’s going to paint a really detailed picutre
of who Jesus is.
I want to convince you that you can hang your entire life upon Jesus
that you can give him everything
you can put your life into his hands.
If your life was a bank card
I want to convince you that you can hand him that bank card
and you can trust him to do whatever he wants with it
But do you know at a camp like this
there’s all sorts of different people here arent there?
some go to your school,
some dont
some of you go to youth group
some of you don’t.
and that’s ok
Here’s the three types of people in this room right now.
The first group - are the christians.
you guys believe in Jesus,
you love him
you feel grounded in your faith in him.
my goal for you guys is that as we look at John over the next 5 talks
is that you would become even more confident in your faith
That as we look at Jesus it would bring you great assurance
dont just tap out because it might sound familir.
let these talks strengthen your faith as you’re reminded of who Jesus is.
The second group here
are the the unsatisfied.
You guys know about Jesus
you might have even been going to youth for a long time
you might have once even reponded to Jesus
by turning away from your old life and having faiyh in him
but you have niggling doubts about Jesus
you aren’t sure if this Jesus stuff is true.
and the voices of the world around you are loud
your friends, social media
they all have loud voices
they say you need different things.
that other things are true.
I want to convince you, over the next 5 talks
that Jesus’ voice is the only voice you need to listen to
that despite all the loud voices pulling that are slowly pulling you away
I want you to know that he is the only voice you need to listen to.
for true meaning
and for true life.
The Third group.
You guys are the unconvinced.
You know in yourslef,
that you do not need Jesus
You dont even want to know Jesus.
you might just be here at this camp
because you were made to be here
or to have fun
and that’s fine.
I want you to know,
that I am going to try and convince you that you need Jesus
and that you can trust him.
you need Jesus - in the same way you need water to survive.
you need to know Jesus and you need to believe in him.
And just as a challenge.
as a little side quest throughout these talks - im talking to the unconvinced
I want you to think of all the reasons why you shouldnt trust in Jesus
Bring your best reasons why you shouldnt trust Jesus
and bring them to me or to your leaders on camp
think of the best evidence for why Jesus isn’t worth believing in
and we’ll chat and compare to see what the bible says about it
because the bible, right here
is the best evidence
that you need Jesus.
We’re about to dig into our first talk.
Before we do I’m going to pray,
that God would help us to understand what he has told us in his bible.
lets pray.
1) Jesus is Big (vv 1-4)
1) Jesus is Big (vv 1-4)
Well what is the biggest gift you could ever imagine receiving?
a car?
a new house?
what about, heaps of money?
or a really big ability
would you like to be gifted as a professional athlete?
Last year
my family went through some real sorrow
when we found out my step-dad was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer.
the best and biggest gift you could have given me in that moment
was that the cancer would just disappear
What’s the biggest gift you could receive?
Now John, at the very start of his book about Jesus
he doesnt talk about a gift
but he makes a big claim.
He fact says that Jesus
is really big.
Jesus himself is big.
The reason he gives is that before anything was made,
Jesus was alive
At the vey beginning
before time itself existed
Jesus was there.
Before the biggest and tallest tree’s in the world had grown
Jesus was there
before the great mountains of the world had risen from the ground
Jesus was there.
How is that possible?
Because he is God.
Jesus is far bigger than anything you could imagine
because he is God
In the first two verses,
the first two sentences of his book
John says
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
Before anything existed,
Jesus was there,
because he is God.
It’s important to know
He is distinct from God the Father,
yet of the same divine essence.
So Jesus is big
because as God he was alive is before creation
And then John says
all things were made through him.
Everything is created through Jesus
Jesus is big because he was before everything
and then everything was made through him
Think about it with me
Evything you see
the great swaying gum tree’s in the bush
all the fish that swim in the sea
the warmth that you feel from the sun
was all made through Jesus
you and I *smack your arm
were made through him
he gave you your sporting ability
he gave you your love for art
or for drama
or for reading
he made your unique fingerprint on your thumb
he made every single hair on your head
Jesus made everything,
even the things we feel
love
that sense of belonging
the feeling of having fun
Through Jesus
all things have been made.
and without Jesus
none of it would exist.
In fact he is the very centre of the entire universe.
All things revolve around him
he doesnt revolve me or you
you aren’t the centre of everything.
and Jesus is just some add on to your life
Everything revolves around him.
Jesus is the centre of all things.
Apply
I once had a conversation with someone
I was telling them about my faith in Jesus
and why I trust him with my life
and they said “oh that sound’s great for you
that’s your truth
that’s your spirituality
but I’ve got my own spirituality”
have you ever heard that before?
That Jesus is good for some people
but you dont have to subscribe to who he is or what he says
you have your own truth.
John says Jesus is the centre of everything.
It’s not just my truth or a youth leader’s truth
Jesus is the centre of all people and all things,
whether we accept it or not.
He is still God,
he still the Creator,
and all things still revolve around him
Light and Life.
Jesus is big.
Because all his creation revolves around him
but also
because all things depend on him.
You know a plant needs water to survive
or a fish needs water to live
All creation, needs Jesus to be able to survive.
Im not making this up,
listen to what John says about Jesus in vs 4
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
Did you notice the two “L” words John uses
Light and life.
Jesus is big because he is the light
Grab croc light
When you think of light
you might think of daytime or warmth
but here light means a whole bunch of things
light reveals
light makes known
light illuminates the darkness
light is the truth
and light,
gives life
for something to survive,
it needs to live in the light
Jesus is the one who reveals and exposes the truth
he is the one on whom we are dependent for life
In Jesus is the source of life
Jesus’ life doesnt have an expiry date like you or me
living things find their source in Jesus.
If you don’t drink water
you’ll die
If you do drink water, you’ll live
The very reason you have life now
the reason the blood runs through your veins
the breath in your lungs
as you breathe in and out
is because Jesus has given it to you
Your life comes from Jesus.
and it depends upon Jesus
Jesus Can Do Everything.
Jesus Can Do Everything.
Jesus is big
And
Jesus can do everything.
That the second point to this talk
Jesus can do everything.
You know those people at school who are just really gifted at everything they do?
its almost unfair how good they are at doing everything.
and they’re usually just really nice people aswell
so you can’t even be mad at them
But listen to what John says Jesus can do
If you’ve been reading or listening carefully
you would have heard the nickname that John gives to Jesus
right at the start
Did you pick that up?
what does John call Jesus in his very first sentence?
The Word
Why does he call him that?
Bit of a strange thing to say.
Here’s what he means - don’t miss what im about to say ready.
When we read God’s word,
we see who God is
We can see what God is like
when we read his words in the bible
Just like if i tell you about myself
I give you information about me using my words
you understand what Im like
Like if I say to you
my friends call me a chaos magnet
you get an idea of what im like
or if people call me “the dad-joke factory”,
it tells you that I use alot of dad jokes right?
When you read God’s word - any part of God’s word, the bible
you see what he is like,
because he is telling you about himself.
And so when Jesus is referred to as “the Word”
it means that Jesus shows us what God is like.
Jesus is like a mirror,
pointing toward God
and showing us what God the Father is like.
Jesus can do anything
because he shows us what God is like
I cant reveal what God is like
you cant show me what God is like,
Jesus on the other hand
is the eternal sermon of God
the eternal communication of God
Jesus can do everything
because he shows us who God is
Jesus can do everything
and now this next reason is one of my favourite reasons
are you ready?
Jesus can do everything
because he comes to the world he created
Listen to what John says in verse 9
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
Carry Croc light onto the globe.
Jesus, the true light
the one who made all things
the one whom the world revolves around
the one whom all things depends on
the one who gives light to everyone
the one who shows us what God is like
was coming into the world.
the big,
becomes small
or even better
the big
comes near
Jesus can do anything
because he comes to his creation
Now Question: Why?
why would Jesus do that?
Answer: Jesus was coming into the world
to bring each and everyone one of us
a gift.
The true light came into the world 2000 years ago
to bring you and me a gift.
Listen really carefully to these words
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Jesus can do everything
because he can give you
the biggest
greatest gift you could ever receive.
Gospel - Children of God.
Gospel - Children of God.
Look at me - dont miss this
When I receive Jesus
he gives me the right to become a child
he gives me a title to become part of God’s family.
Just like being given the title of school captain
or sports captain
gives you a right to meet with the principle of the school
or to lead your house at the athletics carnival
in the same way,
If i will not reject Jesus
but will receive him
he gives me the right to enter into the family of God.
To become a child of God
and to enter into God’s family.
But for that to happen
I need to stop pretending that I am God
I need to stop pretending that I am the centre
that all things revolve around me
I must recognise Jesus as the one through whom all things were made.
When I don’t,
when I dont recognise him
my stance before God is offensive.
when I pretend to be the centre and fail to recognise Jesus as the centre
the bible calls this sin.
But do you know why this gift to become part of God’s family is so good?
It’s because I can be forgiven by God.
My offensive stance before God can be forgiven
because of Jesus doing away with the sins of the world.
Open up gift into cross
The greatest gift - to become a child of God
is given when I acknowledge that Jesus died on the cross
for the wrongdoing that I have done to God.
You see to receive Jesus is to be forgiven.
he dies, so I can be forgiven
He is the great conquoror of death
and he is the King forever
this is who Jesus is
And so let me ask you
have you responded to Jesus as he is?
Because when Jesus died he didnt stay dead
he rose up from the dead
Jesus is alive,
he is seated at the right hand of God
right now
and one day
every single one of us will meet him face to face
And do you know the person we meet on the last day
at the end of time
the person we will meet
is the person we meet when we read John
If you arent convinced by this now
you wont be convinced of it then
You don’t respond to Jesus now
you wont respond to him then.
But you will discover that it is for real.
There is no better evidence than the evidence we’ve got.
The tragedy
is that people dont recieve him
they push him aside
Yet the wonder,
is for those who receive him.
And they say Lord Jesus I will have you to be the King over me
I will trust you for my forgiveness.
And what will happen then?
You will be caught up in the family of God
you will be right on the inside.
To be in the family of God
means you are not on the outside.
you are on the inside
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
To be on the inside is to be linked to Jesus
when he brings you into God’s family.
I wonder do you have a membership at any exclusive clubs?
One time I was going to a very fancy restaurant for lunch
and as I approached the door a very big security guard stepped in front of me
and he “excuse me sir are you a member here?”
i was very nervous
until my friend came up next to me and said
its alright George he’s with me
And George jumped back like a spring loaded gun
and he let us in
it’s alright, hes with me
that’s enough to get you in to the exclusive club
that is the family of God.
Are you on those sorts of terms with Jesus?
Will he say that for you?
alternatively he might say
“sorry i dont know you
I never knew you”
those are our options.
Suppose the balloon goes up today
you know that in 20 minutes, you’ll meet Jesus face to face
What do you suppose he’ll say?
Will he say
it’s Good to see you old friend
or
“we havent met have we”?
Wouldnt today be a good day to get that settled.
to be on good terms with Jesus
to say
I want to receive you Jesus as my King
I want to put my trust in you
as the one who died for me.
In fact im going to pray a prayer right now
that receives Jesus for who he is
that acknowledges him as the centre of all things
and can offer forgiveness for your sin
and trusting in him as the one who died for you
And if that’s you I want you to pray along in your heart with me
Ill say something like this
Lord Jesus i dont want to reject you, i want to accept you
Im asking if you’ll forgive me
and take me into the family of God,
as one of the children of God.
Would that be a good prayer for you?
If it is pray along in your heart with me now.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus i dont want to reject you, i want to accept you
as the King of my life
Im asking if you’ll forgive me
and take me into the family of God,
as one of the children of God.
Amen.
