Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Gospel of John I: The Overture*

*John 1:1-18*

*/April 27, 2008/*

 

 

*Prep: *

·         Sermon: Phil 8, Phil 9, leftovers,

·         Bible: passage in Greek, creation account, Exodus 33-34

·         Commentaries: Logos, DPL (light, life, darkness, glory, witness, believe), each gospel’s distinctive.

*opening:*

·         Day of Prayer (Thurs: 12:00 courthouse, 7:00 pm Bethany Cov.)

 

Beginning of *new* *series*, today provides *background*.

Not a lot of *application*, because John is likewise setting the stage for his story, but it is a very *rich* *passage*.

*Why John? beyond sunday school HERMENEUTICS*

 

It is important to return to our *focus* to *Christ* himself frequently.

I tend to *avoid* the *Gospels* because they are much more *difficult* to *interpret*.

·         Jesus’ acts *amaze* me, but his words *confuse* me.

·         “Unless your *righteousness* *exceeds* that of the Pharisees...”?

 

His words have to be examined in the *context* of his *goals* and *mission*; a *simple* *reading* will not always suffice.

As we go through John, we will get to *know* *Jesus* *better* than we have ever known him.

Together we will *discover* who Jesus *was*, what he *said*, and how it should *change* *us*.

·         This is the process of *hermeneutics*, bridging the gap between these *two* *horizons*.

It’s *not* *clean* simple work, and will frequently jar us out of our “*Sunday* *School* *Hermeneutic*.”

*That you might believe *

 

But our *purpose* in studying John is the exact *same* John’s for writing the book:

 

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

/John 20:31 NIV/

 

You may think, “I can save you the work, I’m already a Christian.”

But believing is far *more* than a “*sinner’s* *prayer*.”

Belief, in a Biblical sense, is to *believe* and *act* *on*, not merely believe.

That is why Paul can say “No one *can* *say* Jesus is Lord except by the *Holy* *Spirit*.”

·         It is to *radically* *reorganize* and *continually* *revaluate* our lives according to the reality of who Jesus was and is.

And as the life of Christ *infects* us and *affects* us to greater and greater measures, we will find that we will have *more* and *more* *abundant* *life* in him.

*BTW:* Here is an example of “Sunday School Hermeneutics”: I have always thought “*have* *life*” means “go to *heaven*,” but John’s idea of eternal life extends far beyond that: It is *greater* *life* *today* and *forever*.

·         Like my *marriage*, heaven *begins* when God begins to call us, and *increases* as we *increasingly* *believe* in Jesus as Lord.

\   Our *goal* in studying the Gospel of John is more *fully* *believe* that Jesus is our *Lord* and *God*, and hence more *completely* *obey* him, and hence *glorify* *God* and have *life* more *abundantly*.

*Background to John*

 

John is the *most* *unique* of the four *gospels*.

Whereas the other three share much of their content, telling the same stories, *90%* of *John* not found in Synoptics.

·         John is the most *theological* and *philosophical* of the gospels.

Not that is not *historically* *accurate*, but not only does he report historical realities, but explains the *theological* *repercussions* of these acts.

He emphasizes Jesus *divinity* more than the others.

He presents Jesus as “*Liar*, *lunatic*, or *Lord*”

 

Ä  In addition to the *theological* *nature*, it is important to understand the *historical* *background*.

In 70 AD, an event occurred the shook the foundations of Judaism: The *destruction* of Jerusalem and *temple*.

·         Interestingly, many Christian were *saved* from *slaughter* because they *fled* *Jerusalem* because of *Jesus’* *predictions*.

The destruction of the temple meant Judaism had to either entirely *reinvent* itself or *die*.

John goes to lengths to describe *Jesus* as the *replacement* of Jewish *traditions*, and hence, in Christ, Judaism could continue without a temple, because he *was* the *temple*.

Ä  One final question before the passage: *Who* wrote John?

 

 

*Who wrote John?*

 

Unlike *most* *NT* books, the author never names himself, other than identifying himself as “the *disciple* *Jesus* *loves*.”

The evidence leads us to believe that this was the *Apostle* *John*, who also wrote the *Epistles* of John and *Revelation*.

·         *Ireneus* said that it was *John*, and he heard that from *Polycarp*, who was *John’s* *disciple*.

*The overture*

 

Ä  Turning today’s passage, it is one of the *richest* and most *poetic* passages in the Bible.

This passage is very much like an *overture*.

Overtures were designed to *prepare* the *hearer* for what is next, containing *themes* from the *rest* of the work:

 

\\ ·         Life

·         Light

·         Darkness

·         World

·         Witness

·         Truth

·         Glory

\\  

Ä  Teaching through John will be a lot *different* than *Philippians*.

We typically won’t go through *verse* by *verse*, rather looking for the *themes*.

·         I have *never* *taught* through a *Gospel*, so this will be a *learning* event for *all* of us.

And this passage requires a much *different* approach than the *rest* of John.

Because this is an *overture*, we are being *assaulted* with a lot of important *ideas* and *themes*, all of which *John* will *develop* *later*.

·         I will be using a little bit more of a *midrashic* approach, *reading* though the passage and *comment* on it.

I trust that this is the *only* *passage* I will have to handle this way – I prefer to develop a *theme* and its *application*.

·         Today’s *objective* is to be *immersed* in *John* but also to *behold* the *glory* of Jesus.

*Logos*

 

Ä  But first we have to look at what “*The* *Word*” means.

As many of you know, the Greek work is “*logos*.”

It means *thought*, a *teaching*, or *reason*.

But it has a rich background.

*Greek* philosophers: The *rational* *order* behind the universe.

*Philo*: The *divine* *wisdom* behind the creation of the universe.

*Hebraic*: The *word* of God in *action* (as in creation).

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.*

*/Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV/

 

John was working from more of a *Hebraic* mindset, but he also knew that his *audience* was *varied* and this word had deep meaning.

And he knew that that this passage would be *scandalous* to both his *Greek* and *Jewish* audiences:

 

·         Scandal to Jews: Logos was God.

·         Scandal to Greeks: Logos became flesh.

*the passage*

 

Ä  With that *background*, let’s know *dive* into the text.

*Bring* your *Bibles* so you can make *notes* in the *margins*.

1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 He was with God in the beginning.

·         (1) Direct reference to the *first* *words* of the Bible.

·         “*With*,” /pros/ unusual choice, indicates “in the *presence*.”

·         Greek *word* *order* emphasizes his divinity.

·         (2) There was never a time he *wasn’t* *there*.

 

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

·         Again, *reference* to *Genesis*: Jesus was the *creative* *power* and word that *accomplished* the *creation*.

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.*

*/Colossians 1:16   /

 

This is *frequent* *theme* in the NT, demonstrating very *early* belief in Jesus *divinity*.

From the *beginning*, those who knew Jesus best knew that he was *more* than a *good* *teacher*.

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

·         *True* *life*, as meant to be *before* *death* *entered* the world.