The Gospel According to John: John 1:1-4
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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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
Let’s start with our memory verse of the week:
Memory Verse of the week: John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Our main verse: (v. 4) “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
First, a reminder of last week, we get life in Christ two ways. First, life forever. It is eternal life. And Second, life to the full here on earth. This is know as the abundant life. The life in Christ is the promise of heaven one day and right now, heaven on earth your heart, mind and soul.
Today though, our focus in on the Light of Men. Specifically, how Jesus is the Light of men and what that says about Him and what it means for us. So let’s look at that together. Again, in verse 4.
(v. 4) “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
About light...
Jesus is the Light of Men and He is that light in two ways.
Jesus helps us see.
Jesus helps us see.
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
(v. 4) “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Jesus helps us see; and boy, do we need help! We are like the Church of Laodicea:
17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”
We have no shortage of voices out there trying to help us see but only one gives true sight and that is Jesus. We cannot trust the news because the news now tells us how to and what to think. We cannot trust ourselves because our hearts lie to us as well.
9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? 10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
In contrast...
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.
We need Jesus to help us see things the right way.
Remember our theme for 2020? Seeing 20/20 in 2020. Light helps with that!
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
We need the light of Christ Jesus so that we gain…
Perspective (from the word).
the truth about the who’s and what’s of this world
23 Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Purpose
the why’s
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Plan
the how-to’s
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Jesus helps us shine.
Jesus helps us shine.
Remember the key verse…
(v. 4) “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
To shine for Him
Matthew 5:16 “…give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
To shine like Him
6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
Peter and John shined like Jesus:
13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
God’s plan and purpose for us includes us looking and acting like Jesus!
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
But we cannot do that by trying, we must do it by dying.
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
And we are to do this every day!
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.