Jesus: The Word of grace and truth

Jesus comes into a world of 400 years of silence from God to mankind.

During these 400 years, the Roman Empire is established a the world power.

The nation of Israel has become observers of ritualistic spiritual life highlighted by differing groups.

- God cannot be seen by mankind.

No one can see God and live, but we can behold Jesus.

These verses show us how God feels about us and what He did about how He felt.

Jesus is seen and shown to be the pre-existent, pre-eminent, proclamation of God’s love for us.

1. Jesus came to us.

Jesus is the unveiling of God’s love for us.

God became man that man might become like God. —Augustine

—Augustine

Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (p. 141). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.Jesus is the unveiling of God’s love for us.

The Word of God was made human.

John does not here say that the Logos entered into a man or dwelt in a man or filled a man. One is at liberty to see an allusion to the birth narratives in and , if he wishes, since John clearly had the Synoptics before him and chiefly supplemented them in his narrative. In fact, one is also at liberty to ask what intelligent meaning can one give to John’s language here apart from the Virgin Birth? What ordinary mother or father ever speaks of a child “becoming flesh”?

- God cannot be seen.

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.

His divine nature was not laid aside. In becoming flesh He did not part with the rational soul of man. Retaining all the essential properties of the Word, He entered into a new mode of being, not a new being.

Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 50–51). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Jesus is the only begotten Son because there is no one else like him.

The tabernacle was the dwelling-place of Jehovah; the meeting-place of God and Israel. So the Word came to men in the person of Jesus. As Jehovah adopted for His habitation a dwelling like that of the people in the wilderness, so the Word assumed a community of nature with mankind, an embodiment like that of humanity at large, and became flesh.

Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 51). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

- God’s fullness dwelt in the man Jesus.

- The Messiah is the light of the world.

“The Logos of philosophy is, John declares, the Jesus of history” (Bernard).

“The Logos of philosophy is, John declares, the Jesus of history” (Bernard).

Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.

Jesus makes life with God possible.

Jesus has made it possible to receive grace from God.

In these two words the character of the divine revelation is summed up. “Grace corresponds with the idea of the revelation of God as Love (, ) by Him who is Life; and Truth with that of the revelation of God as Light () by Him who is Himself Light” (Westcott).

Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 54). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Grace is God’s gift to us.

Literally, the Greek for that last phrase says, “grace instead of grace.” What does John mean? How do you get grace instead of grace? As the grace you receive is appropriated and allowed to work in your life, more grace will come, and then more grace, and even more grace. Some translations helpfully read, “grace following grace” or “grace heaped upon grace,” attempting to convey the idea that grace continues to overflow

Literally, the Greek for that last phrase says, “grace instead of grace.” What does John mean? How do you get grace instead of grace? As the grace you receive is appropriated and allowed to work in your life, more grace will come, and then more grace, and even more grace. Some translations helpfully read, “grace following grace” or “grace heaped upon grace,” attempting to convey the idea that grace continues to overflow

Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe (p. 21). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Truth is not possible without Jesus.

- Jesus did not hide the glory of God that resided in Him

- We can receive Jesus and become God’s children by our expression of belief in the name and person of Jesus.

For those without grace, this grace is readily available. As Paul said, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (). There is more than enough grace to cover your sins and give you an overflowing, victorious life.

Hughes, R. K. (1999). John: that you may believe (pp. 21–22). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

The sinfulness of mankind required a Saviour.

2. John bore witness to who Jesus was.

Jesus is before John the baptizer.

Jesus existed before John the baptizer did.

John experienced His glory also.

Jesus is greater that John the baptizer was.

- Jesus is greater that John the baptizer.

3. Jesus is God’s compassionate expression of grace and truth to us.

Jesus reveals to us who God is.

God’s unfailing love and God’s unending faithfulness came to us through Christ.

Jesus has made it possible for all mankind to experience His glory.

His glory revealed under human limitations both in Himself and in those who beheld Him.

Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 52). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

- Jesus fulfilled the Father’s will in every way by the life He lived.

It is universally true that mankind needs saving because sin is universal.

Today, we need to understand that our basic need has not changed: salvation.

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Triumph of Truth

The late Martin Niemöller was one of Hitler’s prized prisoners. The famous German minister vigorously resisted tyranny. He was imprisoned for seven-and-a-half years at a camp where 238,756 persons were put to death. Yet he carried on a daring ministry at Dachau.

Pastor Niemöller was more than a former prisoner of war. He was a living testimony to truth. To talk with Niemöller was to visit a man who looked death in the face day after day and knew the power of the resurrected Christ. His remarkable life reassures us of the triumph of truth.