Who Is Jesus: John 1:1-5
Gospel of John: So That You May Believe • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 viewsJesus is the Eternal, Creator, God. Who is Jesus? This sermon begins to answer that question.
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Introducing Jesus
Introducing Jesus
Hello, Good Morning and Welcome to Confessors of Christ Church
Today our journey continues in the Gospel of John, though now we find ourselves at the beginning in verse 1.
Last week we started in the back of the Gospel to get an over view of the book.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Before we look at our text I want to encourage you with what we are doing. From an experience that I had last week.
Bonfire Illustration.
Pallets
Powerful fire, burning hot, stayed back
The more fuel on the fire, the hotter it burns (Notre Dame Cathedral)
Once the fire burned through its fuel, the powerful blaze was out and a graveyard in its place.
The Christian Life is illustrated in the same way.
Studying the Word, going to church, participating in community and serving, sharing the Gospel add fuel to your spiritual fire.
Flame dwindles when we slow down, eventually going out
We are left in a spiritual wasteland of what once was.
The Gospel of John is meant to be lighter fluid for your soul. Fuel for your Spiritual walk.
Let me encourage you to join us each and every Sunday
Make every effort to join our small groups, serving opportunities, and fellowship with other believers.
Let us be refueled through His Word and live out what we believe to walk in our purpose to the glory of God
Let’s open our Bibles and Scripture Journals, or turn them on if that is your preference to the Gospel of John, Chapter 1 Verses 1-5
Let us behold the wonder, beauty, and glory of our Savior as written by the Apostle John through the Power of the Spirit.
These are the words of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Today we are going to explore together this all important question, who is Jesus?
John right from the very beginning tackles this question and wants you to know with certainty the answer.
And it is the most important question we can answer.
Getting this question wrong has eternal consequences.
Today, many many people have the wrong answer.
It could be because they have never been told.
They may have never been taught
Or perhaps they have rejected the right answer, as it goes against their desires. It goes against their narrative. In their selfishness they reject.
If Jesus is who He says He is, then it changes everything, and it requires us to change everything.
Getting this answer wrong also leads to gross immorality that is in direct rebellion against God Himself.
We see the consequences and effects all around us.
Currently we are seeing the murder and slaughter of unborn babies.
We see the growth of secularism and Islam.
Post Modernism is the new trend. Which teaches that we can know nothing for certain and therefore you create your own truth.
This only happens when we get Jesus wrong.
Jesus says He is the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. Jesus is Truth.
When we reject Jesus we have insanity. Where facts no longer matter and truth is a fancy way of saying opinion.
When our government gets Jesus wrong: we end up with the legalization of gay marriages and feeding our daughters with puberty blockers as if they are candy.
All in the name of being woke and enlightened.
When culture gets Jesus wrong we look to ourselves as gods and anyone who rejects our whim of the week, well they must be silenced.
Or as our society triumphantly proclaims, cancelled. As if this is a good thing.
When we get Jesus wrong, we will be constantly changing our positions, our reality, our morals, and our beliefs, searching for ultimate utopia and continuing to fail miserably.
If you do not know your history you are doomed to repeat it.
Yet we repeat it joyfully and then shocked when we realize there is nothing new under the sun
Then try to find the next tired and played out fad, that will repeat the same narrative but with new shiny colors.
This is what happens when we get Jesus wrong.
So who is Jesus? That is our question today and John is ready to rock our worlds.
Especially when we discover that our world is not one made by random accident and collision of stardust.
Especially when we discover that “our truth,” the one we made up, is a lie that we have convinced ourselves of being right.
Let’s see together as we look at John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John starts us off with three words that make all of us stop and go, I’ve heard those three words before.
In the Beginning.
Genesis 1:1 at the very start of our Bible we see those same three words.
In the Greek Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. The one that was commonly used in Jesus’s day. Use the exact same words for Genesis 1. It is N-Ar-Kay
John, writing in “KoinA” Greek, chooses the exact same words.
John is wanting you to see that what he is about to tell us is the same as what Moses told us when He wrote the same concept in Genesis 1. In the Beginning.
We know from Genesis 1 that God existed before the beginning and was there in the beginning and thus created what we know as the beginning.
John continues that in the Beginning was the Word.
A strange term for sure. What is this Word? What does this mean? John will give us the Who in verse 14, let’s check that out now.
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.
This Word is none other than Jesus. The Son of God.
Do you know then what John is saying here? He is saying that In the beginning, Jesus was there. Jesus is eternal.
You may think of Him as a man, You may think of Him as a good teacher, perhaps a unique philosopher, but John is saying, oh no.
He is much much more than that. He is much more than a finite man. He is eternal.
Jesus being eternal is one of the three big points John is going to make for us today.
But why did John use the Word to describe Jesus? Why didn’t he just come right out and say in the beginning was Jesus?
Well because John is answering the question, Who Is Jesus? Jesus is the Word.
Let’s hold this thought and dive into it more when we get to verse 3 where it will be easier for us to unpack it.
Let’s continue verse 1: This Eternal Word, Jesus, was with God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Now John is showing that Jesus, the eternal one, was with God.
The word chosen here for with, can also be translated, toward God.
This gives us the impression of the relationship between the Father and Son.
It wasn’t as if Jesus was off in His room playing video games or off in some other area of the unknown.
No, Jesus was with God and toward God.
This is such a vital statement because it shows us very clearly that Jesus and God the Father are not the same person.
We see this very clearly throughout the Gospel of John and throughout the New Testament.
Let’s take a look at just 3 of those examples.
Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.
I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Here we see at Jesus’s baptism all three together but separate.
The Father speaking, the Son being baptized, and the Holy Spirit coming to the Son.
So we have the eternal Word, Jesus, being with God the Father toward God the Father, but distinct from God the Father.
Then what do we see next?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
This is the a-ha moment. This is the part where everyone steps back in amazement.
The eternal Jesus, who was there in the beginning, who is distinct from God the Father, is also God.
This is a major verse that speaks to our understanding of the Trinity.
The word Trinity is not found in the Bible, but it is a word that helps us understand what the Bible speaks of.
Jehovah’s Witnesses
I get a kick when I speak to Jehovah’s Witnesses because they will often start by saying the word Trinity isn’t in the Bible. They believe in a heresy known as Arianism that Jesus is not God but a lesser god, created by God the Father.
- I respond by saying, Arianism isn’t in the Bible either, but here we are.
- Then they will respond, well no that just represents what we believe Jesus to be.
- And I’ll go….wait for it…….
So we see here that Jesus was not a lesser God, but fully God.
Christianity believes in the trinity which states there is 1 being of God in three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
But it is not just here that we see this. 7 times in John Jesus calls Himself the I AM, the name God gives Himself in the Old Testament.
The reason the Jews wanted to stone Jesus was because He claimed to be God.
The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
Thomas calls Him God and Jesus accepts His proclamation and does not correct Him.
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Let’s now move to verse 2. In this verse it seems like John is answering a question that he is anticipating will come after this profound revelation.
He was in the beginning with God.
You can almost see it playing out.
Are you telling me that Jesus really is eternal?
I would have expected the question to be, is Jesus really God?
But it seems to John more people would have an issue with this than the later.
John doubles back and makes sure there is no doubt in our minds.
Yes, He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John now dives deeper.
Jesus was in the beginning with God.
Thus gives us an opportunity to see clearer why he chose to use Logos or the Word as Jesus.
First John addresses the positive side.
All things were made through Jesus.
Next John gives us the negative side.
Without him was not any thing made that was made.
Giving positives and negatives bring forth clarity to what the positive is.
If you go to our website at www.ThisisC3.com we give a list of what we believe, but we also give a list of what we do not believe, in order to bring clarity to the aspects that we do believe.
John is doing the same thing here.
What we see is the answer to the 3rd revelation of the question, Who is Jesus? Jesus is the all powerful, Creator.
Which makes sense why John clarified in verse 2 that He was in the beginning with God.
John was setting us up for what Jesus was doing in the beginning with the Father.
What John is showing is that Jesus was the agent the Father used in Creation.
The Father’s plan and words were carried out through Jesus.
Which means, Jesus is our Creator, along with God the Father!
This is one reason why John chose the Word to describe Jesus.
Because Jesus is the agent used to bring forth the Word spoken by the Father.
Thus Jesus is the Word.
All things were spoken into existence through the Word.
Are you beginning to see why it is so important we understand the question: Who is Jesus?
Without Jesus, was not anything made that was made, including humanity.
So here is the reality. We are here because God created us. Thus this is not our world, but God’s World.
Therefore, we do not get to make up our own rules, create our own ways, and go our own path.
We are to follow God’s rules, God’s way, and God’s path.
We see the insanity of the world clearly when we see them rejecting Jesus and deliberately or accidently misunderstanding who He is.
The reason we have so much depression, and anxiety, and confusion in the world today is because we are following man’s path.
The reason everything is constantly changing is because the world is not following Jesus.
What was right in their eyes last week is wrong in their eyes this week.
This is what points us to Jesus. The fact that everything is so chaotic reveals to us something isn’t as it should be.
When you have a government that is not following Jesus as our Eternal, Creator God then we are going to get the insanity we have today.
When we have a society that is not following Jesus as our Eternal Creator God then we are going to get the insanity we have today.
When we have culture that is not following Jesus as our Eternal Creator God then we are going to get the insanity we have today.
That is why our voices are being silenced is because not only does government, society, and culture, want to do things their way, they are adamantly opposed to submitting to God’s way.
If a believer declares that God made only two genders then they could be fired, humiliated, and even physically attacked.
If we say God did not make any mistakes and it is our fallen sin nature that is the problem of our identity Crisis.
If we proclaim culture’s current confusion is rooted in the rebellion against God and His way (just like it was back in the Garden) then get ready.
This is why we are the exiles, the outcasts, the hated, and the narrative is flipped so that we are the haters.
God is love, yet society redefines what love is and calls what they do love and what we do hate.
Society says we need to approve of everyone and this is the definition of love.
There is no concept in their worldview that disagreeing could also be a form of love. .
Even saying what I’m saying could very well get us kicked out of here.
But even if that happens, it doesn’t change what the truth is and we will become another statistic in the insanity that our world lives in.
However, you can see clearly that government, society, and culture is desperately looking for truth, something to believe in.
John is telling us today that if we are looking for truth and someone to believe in, then look no further than Jesus.
Jesus is the eternal, all powerful, all mighty, Creator and God.
It isn’t just John who believes this, Paul echos it and even takes it a step further.
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.
We see that not only all things were created through Jesus but all things were created for Jesus!
Not only is Jesus the Creator but Jesus is also the recipient of Creation.
The Father spoke and all was created through Jesus and this was done because it was for Jesus.
Creation is all given to Jesus!
(Intensify)Do you see why getting Jesus right is so important?
Do you see why following Jesus is now so important?
Do you see why aligning our thoughts and ways to Jesus is so important?
This is why I can’t stand all these man centered sermons I’m seeing. How to do this better how to overcome that better.
Jesus doesn’t exist for us, we exist for Him!
When all we are focused on is what Jesus can do for us we miss the whole point!
When we are not preaching through the Bible and instead preaching to our felt needs, then we will not fully grasp this and we will be starving for spiritual food.
We will end up being a flicker of a flame, but boy will we feel awfully good about ourselves.
We are called to be a raging fire!
So what does this mean for you?
Are my problems and issues not important?
No, they are important. But, we often deal with them wrongly. We elevate them to status of god in our life.
How do I deal with my depression, my anxiety, my fears? Do you know who your Jesus is? Like really? Do you have any clue who your Jesus is?
How am I going to get over my fear of man and my timidness when sharing my faith? Do you know who your Jesus is?
How am I going to get through this life and deal with all of the insanity in this world? Do you know who your Jesus is?
The problem we have is that we spend so much time looking at our issues that we look away from Christ.
We focus so much on what we don’t have, what we need, what we are hoping for, what we can’t seem to obtain, and it continues to take us away from gazing at Jesus.
We are not the hero. Jesus is the hero. We are not the point, Jesus is the point. We are not the purpose, Jesus is the purpose.
Do you see who Jesus is!
Jesus is not your home boy. Jesus is not your little cute picture on the wall, or some little charm you wear around your neck.
Jesus is the eternal, all powerful, all mighty, creator God. But get this:
You are His.
You were made for His glory not your own.
You were made for His purpose not your own.
Jesus did not die on a cross to help you achieve your best life.
Jesus died on a cross to bring you our of rebellion and into a purpose driven life that will bring you ultimate satisfaction and God ultimate glory.
These last two verses should help us to really see the love that Jesus truly has for us and why He is worthy of our praise and attention.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Now get this. Jesus, this eternal, all powerful, all mighty creator, whom we will discover is all knowing and many other attributes on our journey through John, this Jesus is also your Savior.
This Jesus has purchased you to be in His family.
This Jesus has taken all that has separated you from Him and won your life so that you are His.
Maybe what we need to do is spend so much more time looking away from ourselves, looking away from our problems, looking away from our situations, and casting our eyes upon Him.
In Jesus is life.
You want to grow your faith? You want to be strengthened in Christ? You want to have boldness?
Then grow your knowledge of Jesus.
Understand who Jesus truly is. As strong as our finite minds possibly can.
This Jesus is life and the life is our light.
Jesus is the light out of whatever dark tunnel you find yourself in.
Jesus is the light of whatever deep hole you have fallen into.
Jesus is the light when everything around you has gone out.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Do you see the Gospel here? Do you hear the good news? Do you see Jesus?
The light that is shining in the darkness of the world.
The light that shone at the point of Creation.
In the void of darkness at the time of creation Jesus shone forth
In the void of darkness in this world, Jesus shines forth.
In the void of darkness that is in your heart and mind, Jesus shines forth.
Darkness has not overcome this light nor will darkness ever overcome this light!
Oh these are just the first 5 verses of John and to think we have so much more to see, hear, and experience.
Welcome to the Gospel of John.
Welcome to who Jesus is. Let us pray.
BENEDICTION
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.