The True Light of the World
Notes
Transcript
At Christmas time we are reminded of the nativity scene
There’s baby Jesus lying in manger, with Mary & Joseph standing around Him
For some people that’s all they know about Jesus - for them He’s still baby...
For others - able make connection to grown up Jesus & 12 disciples
Performing miracles, preaching to people, & eventually dying on cross
Can tie Christmas to Easter & resurrection
But how often do we come to Christmas story & think backwards...
To remember who Jesus was before he was baby lying in manger?
That’s where our lectionary reading in John takes us today...
& makes connection with 1 of themes / aspects of Christmas
Light - think angel’s appearing, star in sky, & Jesus - light of world (slide)
So let’s see where this passage takes today...
In the Beginning Was the Word...
In the Beginning Was the Word...
John begins Jesus story totally differently from the other gospel writers
There’s no genealogy explaining Jesus human heritage
No historical accounts about Jesus parents, Herod, or kings from East… (slide)
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.
John tells us - Christmas story of Jesus lying in manager actually begins back before time began
John 1:1 should sound familiar enough for those who read bible...
That they begin to make the connection to very beginning (slide)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
John forces us away from picture of baby Jesus - & pushes us to see Jesus as the Word
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God
That 1 short sentence with its 3 clauses communicates so much about who Jesus really is
It tells us Jesus is God’s words, God’s voice, in essence & being God’s written & spoken truth
Jesus - the word - existed before anything else - he has always existed
And there’s never been a time when he hasn’t existed - he’s eternal
Lastly John 1:1 says The Word was God - or to put in another way as one scholar wrote...
What God was so was the Word - both consist / made up of same substance / character
God & Word are equal - both hold same status, power, authority
Then John says - He was with God in the beginning.
In Greek it paints a picture of God & the Word facing each other
Its talking about 2 people in close, deep, personal relationship
That the Word / Jesus & God / Father have been from before beginning of time & creation
In a close, deep, personal relationship
Now that is a very different picture of Jesus isn’t it…
puts baby Jesus in completely different light (slide)
Illus - Who has seen Jurassic Park? There’s a famous scene in that movie
Let me play it for you… [play]... Now imagine if that’s all you saw…
What did these people see? What made them so shocked, in awe, amazed?
If = hadn’t seen rest of movie wouldn’t have a clue what was causing their reactions
Just seeing that 1 short scene there’s no real context to understand they why of it all
Same applies to Christmas story & possibly why Apostle John started his Jesus story... in beginning
What John does is ground Jesus story with context of who he really is… (slide)
which then leads on to next part of passage...
The Word Produces Life & Light
The Word Produces Life & Light
So John first establishes who Jesus is & where he truly came from
Now John pushes on & explains just how important & powerful Jesus (slide)
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
Again if we go back to Genesis we read… God was responsible for all creation
First thing God created was light - light never existed before outside of God’s own glory (Slide)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Now remember John refers to Jesus as the Word … (slide)
What’s interesting is Psalms says God spoke & through those words creation came into existence
The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
Then Paul expands of this & says - through Jesus - God created all things we visibly see
And even those things - spiritual beings / places / powers / authorities - we can’t see (slide)
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.
In other words it was throughJesus that universe & all creation came into existence
Notice Paul also says its Jesus who ensures universe & all life continues to remain as it is
So Word- God’s spoken truth - brings into existence first light to dispel or remove darkness / chaos
Then as we read in Genesis account - life is created spoken into being through the Word (slide)
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
Lastly through Word humanity is spoken into existence -
humanity retains some of God’s essence / His Being / character
Creation & Humanity share in God’s life & light (slide)
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
That’s why John says - his life brought light to everyone or his life brought understanding to us all…
(slide) Illus - Its like this advert - I want you to watch it & tell me what you think its advertising…? [play]
Brad Pitt is very attractive isn’t he… to the point of distracting...
And he’s saying a lot of words but I don’t think he’s making any sense - do you?
What do you think he’s advertising?...... (slide)
Makes no sense does it…?
How can Christmas story make any sense & how can we appreciate...
What an incredible miracle & gracious blessing / gift God gives us through Jesus arrival as baby
Unless we have proper understanding of just how important, powerful Jesus really is
Which leads us to reason for Jesus the Words coming into world (slide)
Word, Life, & Light Come Into the World
Word, Life, & Light Come Into the World
So after establishing The Word - his being, status, power, & authority
Apostle John jumps straight to what was the actual specific focus of lectionary reading for today
John the Baptiser’s testimony (slide)
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
Remember Word created light & life - now Word / Light / & Life converge into 1 being
It was John the Baptist’s calling from God to point people to Jesus
He is the light - He brings light, & life, & truth because he’s all of those things
& through light - darkness, chaos, doubt, fear are dispelled, removed, undone, conquered
Jesus came into world to give bring light, life, & truth to all people
Only condition to receiving this light is faith - to believe in gospel story of Jesus
That began before time & all creation...
And so we have Jesus story, witnesses who saw & experienced what happened & wrote it down
And we have creation & visible world around us -
both sources that reveal God’s existence, being, character, intentions for humanity
Which is why Paul can say in Romans 1 humanity is without excuse (slide)
They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
God’s existence, being, & character can be known by just looking / studying creation
God made it so we can find him, to know him - through creation & especially through Jesus
Because Jesus encapsulation; living human translation; 1 form in which we could all grasp...
who God is, What God is like, what his being / character is; what God’s truth is
Jesus is The Word, through which came Light & whose light illuminates God’s truth for us
(Slide) [play video]
So when we turn our Christmas lights on - or go visit houses that have Christmas lights
Let’s remind ourselves that those lights represent The Word, who bright true light into the world
And enabled us to know personally the one who was there before time & creation...
Let’s pray
Almighty God who is the light to all humanity
In the beginning you brought light into the darkness & chaos
We ask that you bring light to any areas of our hearts & minds that are filled with darkness, fear worry, anxiety or chaos
May your light bring the life of Christ filled with love, joy, hope, peace to us & our families
so that this Christmas we recognise that the baby in a manger is the Word who came into the world to bring light & life to all people
Amen