The Word Became Flesh

Introduction to John’s Gospel

Who Was John

Was a fisherman, one of the two “Son’s of Thunder”

Picked by Jesus to be part of the inner three disciples

John was the oldest surviving apostle (died in his 90s while exiled)

Regarded as a “pillar” of the early church

John’s Gospel

Written between 80-90 AD

The last gospel written

John was most likely had the first three gospels

Includes things that the other three gospels do not have

Major theme

John 20:31 “Written that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Distinctives of John’s Gospel

His Gospel is more spiritual and theological in nature

Emphasis on the Deity of Christ

His Gospel also fights against Gnosticism

A early heresy that believed that Jesus was only spirit and did not come in the flesh. (More details later when we discuss verse 14)

John 1:1-5

John 1:1–5 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. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Verse 1-2

In the beginning...

John bypasses the genealogies and jumps straight into the eternal nature of Christ

The other Gospels have genealogies and things like that but only in John’s Gospel does it begin with his eternal nature.

“In the beginning” reads and sounds similar to the creation account in Genesis

Genesis 1:1 ESV

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

Nothing is older than the beginning. Christ is eternal. He has always been and will always be.

Was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Just as the prophet Isaiah claimed, Jesus is everlasting being one with God!

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one. (Doctrine of the Trinity)

One God, Three Persons (Augustine)

John 10:30 ESV

30 I and the Father are one.”

John 17:5 ESV

5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Verse 3: All things made through Him

John 1:3 ESV

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

Everything was made through Jesus Christ. The one we are going to discuss over the next few weeks (Jesus Christ) is the one by whom and through whom everything has been made!

Colossians 1:16 ESV

16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Hebrews 1:2 ESV

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.

1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV

6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

Psalm 33:6 ESV

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

Verse 4-5: Christ as the light and Life

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.

The terms “light” and “life” appear periodically throughout John’s Gospel.

John 12:46 ESV

46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Christ has brought us from darkness to light!

John 11:25 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Verses 6-8: John the Baptist as the witness

John 1:6–8 ESV

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.

“So that all might believe through him”

Like John the Baptist we should also be witnesses to light of Christ to others around us.

Like lighthouses on a seashore guiding ships through foggy and rocky shores. We too should be lights for Christ!

Verses 9-13: Children of God

Verse 10-11: The World despised him

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Verse 12-13: Children born of God

Galatians 3:26 ESV

26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

1 John 3:23 ESV

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

1 John 3:1 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Children born of God should not act like people of this world!

1 John 3:9 ESV

9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Flip to Colossians 3:1-17 and read

Verses 14-18 The Word Became Flesh

Verse 14: The Word as Flesh

John 1:14 ESV

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.

According to C.S Lewis, the greatest Miracle is the incarnation of Jesus Christ! The Word becoming Flesh!

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Verse 16: Grace upon Grace

John 1:16 ESV

16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

How deep the Father’s Love for us that He would send his son!

Ephesians 3:14–19 ESV

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Verse 17: Law through Moses, Grace through Christ

John 1:17 ESV

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Law shows us our sin and need for a savior.

Romans 5:20–21 ESV

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Verse 18: He has made him known

John 1:18 ESV

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Matthew 11:27 ESV

27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Make Christ known in your lives. Teach others to serve him show them His light. How can you do that this week?