“Who is Jesus?”
John 1:1-18
“The Word”
“Who is Jesus?”
One of the most important sections of Scripture in answering that question is John 1:1-18. These opening verses are most often called the Prologue. They are a summary of John’s most reflective convictions about our Lord. John was Jesus’ dear friend. Perhaps John, from among all humans, was Jesus’ closest friend. As we make our way through this gospel, tuck that in the back of your mind. These are the inspired, revered reflections of an intimate friend. In these verses, we find one of the most elevated statements concerning Christ’s identity in all of Scripture. If not an early Christian hymn,(it may be) if not poetry,(it may be) it is at least “high prose”.
There are seven units of thought, or stanzas.(with a triad explaining the statement to follow) Each of these provide incredible information toward an answer to that question, “Who is Jesus?” Whatever else you may come to know about Christianity, know this. Know what is taught in these 18 verses. The rest of the gospel unfolds these 18 verses.
John focuses upon the central fact of our Christian faith: Christianity is not a philosophy, it is about a Person, and that Person is fundamental to our faith. To remove Jesus from Christianity is like taking numbers out of math, the sun out of daylight. It is to strip Christianity of its most essential component.
While other world religions focus upon the teachings, ideas, philosophies of their founders and teachers, Christianity is about a personal relationship with a Person. That is why Jesus Christ is the most astonishing individual in human history. More books have been written, music composed, pictures painted, and drama performed about Jesus than any other person. Why?
Why did other great figures come and go? Why do others fade into the annals of history but Jesus Christ looms as large in modern society as he did 2000 years ago? Why is he the most powerful personality to ever appear on this planet? That is the question John answers in the prologue…Who is Jesus?
We will see (in v. 14, 17)that “the Word (Logos)” is John’s descriptive word for Jesus.
Greek philosophy taught that there was a rational center to the universe. The Logos. Part of that logos was in every person. It held the universe together.
Hebrew religion recognized that it was God speaking that brought the world into existence. “God said, “Let there be light…”
They also saw that the “Word (Logos) of God” came to God’s prophets giving them a message for the people.
In a broad sense, John is saying that the philosophical yearnings of man and the theological revelations given by God are met in Jesus. The Logos is a person.
Jesus was the Living Word... because God needed to speak a word... to move toward His creatures.
He'd spoken through creation, the conscience, the prophets, ultimately what He had to say could only be said through His son.
So, His Son, "the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His being", because He is God.
A. The Word and Deity (1)
1. “In the beginning was the Word,”
The Word is eternally God. In those few words, John informs us that the Word has existed from all eternity. At the beginning of time, the word was there with God. The Word has existed eternally. When your mind can comprehend that incomprehensible “time before time”. The Logos already “was” when time began. At creation, the Word was already present.
Let it grip you. Let it drive you to worship.
Also, John states that the Word was with God (pros: face-to-face). John indicates that the Word is separate and distinguishable from the Father. He is a separate person. He was there with God (1 John 1.2: the Word of life was with the Father and was manifested to us).
In just a few simple but profound words, John offers a glimpse of the Trinity. The word has existed from eternity past, yet at the same time, He is a separate Person from the Father. He is eternal yet separate.
2) The Word is equally God.
Those final five words at the end of v.1 are some of the most important words in all of Scripture in understanding who Jesus is: “and the Word was God.” (not “a god” as the JWs would have you believe [proper syntax will not allow it]). He was God. As much as the Father is God, even so, the Word is God. He was with God and He was God. He is equal with the Father. And the Word was God.
B. The Word and Creation (2,3)
In v. 3, John turns from the Word’s relationship to the Father to His relationship with the creation. The apostle informs us that not only was the Word present at creation, He was also the agent of creation. “All things were made thru Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made.” Everything that exists owes its existence to the Word. He is the Creator. Apart from him, there is no existence. Worship Him.
Col. 1:15-17: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones of dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
C. The Word and Life (4,5,9)
John moves now from creation in general to the most significant element of creation, life itself. Life is one of John’s distinctive characteristics. He uses the word 36 times (whereas no other NT book uses it more than 17x). The spiritual concept of life is very important to John.
The gift of physical life is precious.
Ill. Doctor said, “Good news & bad news.” Good first—you have only 24 hours to live. Good? What is the bad? “I should have told you yesterday.”
John is not saying "a heartbeat and brainwaves like every baby born into the world"
He refers to spiritual life - self-existent, non-dependent life
Jn. 5:26 " For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in Himself."
God differs from every created thing. Everyone else is dependent upon something else for life. Jesus had that in Him .
That life was the light of men.
" " was the light that shines into the despair of the darkness of mankind who hungers for life.
That eternal, abundant life of Jesus is the only hope of mankind. The only hope. That is the difference between a man and an animal. Animals look around them for what sustains the only life they know. Man looks upward, to the giver of life.
D. The Word and the World (10)
Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
Romans 1:20-21
Humanity is in a state of rebellion against its Creator. Left on our own none of us would ever comprehend him, even though there’s ample evidence in what was created to prove his existence.
…all people …are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, "No one is good - not even one. No one has real understanding; no one is seeking God. Rom. 3:10, 11 (NLT)
We cannot relate to the One who desires a relationship with us. Apparently, we have no natural inclination to even seek God.
Jorge Rodgriguez was the orneriest bandit on the Texas-Mexico border. The guy would often slip across the line, raid the banks of South Texas, and steal ‘em blind. Before they could catch him, he would race back into Mexico and hide out. No matter how hard the law tried, they could never catch him. Finally the Texans got fed up with this nonsense and decided to put the toughest Texas Ranger they had on the case. After only a few days of searching, the Ranger found Jorge in a dusty, dingy saloon south of the border. He bolted into the bar, pulled both guns, and yelled, “Okay, stick ‘em up Jorge; you’re under arrest! I know that you’ve got the money!” Suddenly, a little guy over in the corner butted in. “Wait, wait . . . just a minute, senor,” he said. “Jorge does not speak English. He’s my amigo, so I’ll translate for you.” The Ranger explained, “Look, we know that Jorge is the bandit who has taken 100’s of thousands – about a million bucks actually – from our banks. We want it back NOW! If he doesn’t give it back, I’ll fill him full of lead. You tell him that!” “Okay, okay, I’ll tell him.” So the little boy turned to Jorge and repeated everything the Ranger had said. The Ranger, not knowing any Spanish, waited for Jorge’s reply. Jorge, listened, frowned, then responded in Spanish, “Okay, they got me. Tell him to go down to the well at the end of town, count four stones down from the top of the well, then pull out the loose stone. All the money I’ve stolen is hidden behind that stone.” Then the clever little translator turned to the Texas Ranger and translated with a shrug, “Jorge says, ‘Go ahead, you big mouth; go ahead and shoot ‘cause I’m not telling you where the money is.’”
E. The Word and Men (11-13)
Some rejected Him
“His own” – the people of His creation, not the Jews
“Some received Him”
F. The Word Incarnate (14)
1. He became flesh.
He was willing to step into time and be confined by a process. He who had never been confined by time or space was willing to become a microscopic cell in the womb of a woman.
2. He dwelt among us.
He pitched a tent. Temporary, but not an illusion.
3. We beheld His glory.
(theatre) study to discern the significance.
I John 1: 1-3
Glory…full of grace and truth.
GOD IS BEYOND OUR REACH …
… BUT WE’RE NOT BEYOND HIS REACH
God was not content to leave us in our sin and separation from himself. God meets us where we are to take us where we could never go.
God found a way. He sent his Word into the world. He intimately involved himself with his creation. God took the steps to meet people right where they were. His
desire was to reveal himself to sinful humanity and bring them into a relationship.
In the early 1800’s, President Andrew Jackson issued a full pardon to George Wilson, a man sentenced to be hanged. Wilson refused it. But could he legally refuse the President’s pardon? Supreme Court Justice John Marshall declared, "The value of the pardon depends upon its acceptance. If it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must hang." And Wilson was hanged.
The amazing magnificence of the glorious incarnation of Christ.
G. The Word Revealing (16-18)
“For of His fulness we have all received
“and grace for grace”
grace in the place of grace
The idea is that when the supply of grace is used, there will be more grace to take its place. There is a never ending supply. Our sins are constantly under the blood of Christ.
God fills us for a purpose. Like a flowing stream. As we give, we receive. As we love, love grows. Grace for grace.
v.17
The law was our schoolmaster
It taught us our shortcomings.
Law: Do this, and thou shalt live.
Grace: Live, and then you will do.
Law: Pay me what you owe.
Grace: I forgive you everything.
Law: The wages of sin is death.
Grace: The gift of God is eternal life.
Law: pronounces condemnation and death
Grace: proclaims justification and life.
Law: speaks of what man must do for God.
Grace: speaks of what Christ has done for man.
Law: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.
Grace: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us, and gave His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
v.18
Can you comprehend how Jesus can be both God and man? “No sir, I’d be ashamed to acknowledge Him as my Saviour if I could comprehend Him. He’d be no greater than myself. I need a superhuman Savior, one so great and glorious that I cannot comprehend Him.”
Jesus has explained Him.
Exago – to lead out. To bring out the meaning of something that is difficult to understand.
The idea is that the invisible God was in a hiding place. Jesus made Him understandable. We have a God with whom we can relate. The exegesis of God has been made.
Part of the art of communication is knowing the character and temperament of the person that you are talking with. The same message delivered the same way to different people will have different results. Some people want you to be totally straightforward with them and not beat around the bush. With other people you have to use a little more tact. One husband had not yet learned that his wife was that kind. She needed to be told things in a tactful way. This husband and wife had a poodle that they loved very much. The dog was the object of their affection. One day, the wife began a trip that would take her to Europe on some business. The first stop of her trip was in NY because she was to fly out of the airport there. When she arrived, she called home and asked her husband how everything was at home. The man replied, “The dog’s dead!” The wife was devastated. After collecting her thoughts, she asked her husband, “Why do you do that? Why can’t you be more tactful?” He said, “Well, what do you mean by that? The dog died. How many other ways are there to say that?” The wife then said, “Well, you could give it to me in stages. For example, you could say when I call from NY, ‘The dog is on the roof’. And then when I travel to London the next day and call, you could tell me, ‘Honey, the dog fell off the roof’. And when I call from Paris, you could add, ‘Honey, the dog had to be taken to the vet. In fact, he’s in the hospital, not doing well.’ And finally when I call you from Rome, ‘Honey, brace yourself. Our dog died’. I could handle that.” The husband responded, “Oh, I see.” Then she asked, “By the way, how is mother?” After a moment’s pause, the husband responded, “She’s on the roof.”