In the Beginning

Please open to the gospel of John. I am so pumped to be here this morning, preaching the Word of God. Its been a hard week or so getting some stuff ready for whats going to happen in the church, and as excited as I am for those things to happen. I am MORE excited to in the house of the Lord worshiping with you all this morning.

We are starting a series in the book of John, and its going to take some time to work through this amazing gospel. The gospel of John is my favorite among the four gospels, and I have personally never sat under someone who has preached it. Im sure most of you know by now I want to preach and teach the full counsel of God.

John is one of 66 books in the bible. It contains 21 chapters. Now the gospel of John was written by John the disciple of Jesus Christ. In this book you will see him often named the disciple whom Jesus loved. Most manuscripts have two titles of this gospel. One is either John’s gospel or the gospel according to John. Most scholars believe this is the youngest gospel it was written last among the four gospels.

Now i believe John’s gospel is the most theological of all the gospel, it discusses so many important doctrines starting in verse 1 all the way through the end. It’s use of the Old Testament is quite fascinating and we will see that as we study this book.

Now the purpose of this book is the title of this series, and that is five simple words. So that you may believe. John says these five important words in John 20:30-31 “30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.”

One commentator said John asks three important questions. I want to say these questions and give you some sort answers.

What do we need to believe? We need to believe that Jesus is the Christ.

What does it mean to believe? It means to trust, to put one’s faith into something or someone. Trusting one’s whole-self into Christ and what has accomplished.

Why do we need to believe? To have eternal life, to have spiritual rebirth, to be saved from sin.

And I believe we will be able to answer each of these questions, and more as we study this life changing book.

That is just a brief into of the gospel, but lets get in the text. Todays text is going to be John 1:1-5 but i want to read 1:1-18 as we see a powerful intro to this wonderful book.

If you are taking notes this morning, or following on in your bulletin I want you to take note of the main point and its this.

Jesus eternally God who created all things came to bring life and light to a dark world.

Lets unpack this idea. To unpack that idea I want you to see three things…

Jesus is eternally God.

This great gospel starts with the saying in the beginning was the Word. This might sound familiar to you. Because John is using similar language to Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

And what John is saying is that the Word was in the beginning. Another gospel the gospel of mark states a similar idea. Mark 1:1 “1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark starts with the ministry of Jesus, but as I saw one man says about this text, John is showing you that the starting point of the gospel can be traced back even farther than that, before the beginning of the entire universe.

Its hard for us in the room often grasp time that we have not lived in. I love history and learning about all the things that happened throughout it are quite fascinating, however the idea of God being around forever is much harder for me, because I cant really understand in my finite mind what that actually looks like its not a number that can be written on a page like all these historical events. Most historical events have a date, but the Lord has been around forever, truly incredible.

Now who is this word? The word is Jesus. How do we know this well I wanted to read this whole section of scripture earlier so we could see this. John 1:14 “14 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 who became flesh is Jesus.

One man said, “Because this Word, this divine self-expression, existed in the beginning, one might suppose that it was either with God, or nothing less than God himself. John insists the Word was both. The Word, he says, was with God.”

So Jesus was not only in the beginning he was with God. So you see in the text some diversity here. You see the Word and you see God. It does not say the word was a god, it says the Word is God.

But whats so important to see is that Word and God are different You begin to see 2 members of the Trinity in just the first two verses. The Father and the Son.

Jehovah's witnesses would argue that Jesus is a god, of many gods. That he was created, that he did not exist forever, but this is not the case.

Oneness pentecostals would say that Jesus is just a form of God, and in there eyes there are not three persons.

This is not what the text says. It says John 1:1-2

John 1:1–2 ESV

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.

Jesus has existed for all eternity and he is God. And his beginnings show us so much more.

Jesus is creator of all things.

Again we see John use some old testament language. There is often a misconception about Jesus role in creation, some think wrongly and say he was not present at creation. But John himself makes it clear that all things are made through him. Jesus was active in creation. Jesus physical birth on earth through Mary was not the start of his ministry. Jesus has been around for all eternity. This cannot be missed.

If you have ever traveled around the State, Usa, or the world you see so much beauty. On a mission trip I hiked up this mountain and when I got to the top it was incredible to see the beauty all around me, and just realizing that it was God who created this. If if you have ever flown in a plane and seen what was below and how different the landscapes are as you travel. Or if you see the sunrise and sunsets and see the beauty that only God could create. Or the zoo or other wildlife and see how different each and every animal is, and how God expressed his power in creation, Its easy for us to see, its not just a bunch of randomness that just happened. It is God who created all these things.

But even better is he created people. Genesis 1:27

Genesis 1:27 ESV

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

We the human race are created in the image of God. We are not just randomness but created in his image.

And as creator of all things, He is the one who gives life. Amazing, listen to a few other scriptures that teach us about him as creator.

Rev 4:11 “11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.””

It the was the will of God that there was creation. It was the will of God that we exist that this world exists. And Christ was involved in all of creation.

Another verse. Heb 1:2 “2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” Jesus created all things. same that that is said in John.

Another section of scripture that really drives home this idea is, Col 1:16-20 “16 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. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

So we looked at several passages here, and a good rule in interpreting scripture is letting scripture interpret it self. So if we did that comparing the texts in both John, Revelation, Hebrews and Colossians and in doing so we do in fact see that Jesus Christ is eternal, he is before all things, and he created all things, and he holds all things together. But he is also God. And being God he came into this world just like you and I did, to accomplish something that we could not. Which was living a perfect life and dying on the cross.

The Eternal Jesus Christ creator of all things died on the cross so believers in Christ can have eternal life. Can you see the significance of this church family, visitors, those who are joining us online.

because Jesus is eternally God, and creator of all things and because of that Jesus can give light and life.

Jesus is giver of life and light.

Take a moment and just realize the power of language for a moment. This text is just one of those texts where the language brings to life the words that are spoken through scripture.

Verse 4 starts by saying in him was life and the life of men. This ties so much so into the creation account because in creation God created all things by his word, and part of the creation was giving life and providing light, but it goes deeper than his.

The Word was responsible is giving life. And providing light. Jesus is our source of the light and life.

And the light shines in the darkness, and darkness has not overcome it.

I like what one man said, “ Light and darkness are not simply opposites; darkness is nothing other than the absence of light.

The word shines here means in the original language still shining in the darkness. Its like a lamp that never runs out of oil. A flashlight without batteries that never run out. The amazing thing about light is that it penetrates darkness.

Now this darkness is evil. It represents all those who are not in Christ, it represents Satan, the demons, and all things going against the will of God, and Christ came to expose that darkness/ Darkness and light are a major theme in this book, and are mentioned many times in the book of John. Lets read a few of those examples in the book of John.

John 3:19 “19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” ONE MAN SAID, “The difference between the believer and the unbeliever does not lie in the guilt or innocence of either, it lies in the different attitudes they take toward the “light.” The unbeliever shrinks from the light because it exposes his sin; the believer willingly comes to the light so that his real motives may be revealed.”

John 8:12 “12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” One of the great I am statements, and Jesus light exposes the truth and what is not true. If you follow him you will not walk in darkness, and will have light.

John 12:35 “35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.”

One more. John 12:46 “46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” Trusting in Christ means that as dark as it may get if you follow him you will always have light.

And the reality of darkness is that no matter how dark something is when light shines it cant escape it. Here is an example where this is the case. If you have ever got to be in a cave and I mean deep down in a cave where light it not present it, where something like your hands you cant even see your hands in front of you. It seems that there is no way that light could be in this place, and wa la someone turns on the light, And the great thing about light is that no matter how dark in may be when light touches the darkest of places it will penetrate the darkness.

And when it comes to the creator of the universe, The one who has been around for all eternity his light overcomes the darkness. This is true both in a physical sense, but also a spiritual sense.

We unfortunately because of sin live in a dark world. Those who are not in Christ walk in darkness. But the thing about Christ is that he is the one who can provide you with a way to overcome spiritual darkness.

If you remember earlier in the sermon I read Colossians 1:20 “20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

I like what one man said, “The prospect of victory is the reason there is a church and a gospel and why small groups of Christians like a Johannine community, who were being squeezed by the world, could make a powerful confession concerning the Logos. The concept of witness in John might seem to offer the readers an open-minded choice, but not really. The decisive moment in history had already come, and that is why readers of the Gospel must always hold together the three important verses of John 3:16–18 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” In the combination of those verses is encapsulated the Johannine perspective of the coming of light here and elsewhere in the Gospel. The Johannine witness implies something about one’s response. What you decide about Jesus is absolutely crucial.

It is crucial indeed. What we believe about Jesus impacts our present and our eternity. Today the main Idea was Jesus eternally God who created all things came to bring life and light to a dark world.

That truth is essential for you to believe. Jesus has been around forever, he is God. He did not come out of thin air, Hebrews 13:8 “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He has always been God.

and being God he created all things. There is not a thing that we do not see where he did not have his hand in in creation. He created it all. And because he created it all and is God he has authority to do all things. Now God will only do things that are about his character and part of his character is that he is the giver of life and light.

and he came to bring life and light in this dark world.

Jesus light is brighter than the all evil, all darkness, and we will see, because he is light he will have the victory. His victory on the cross and the resurrection gives his children life.

I want to read John 8:12 “12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

If you are not following Jesus today, Lord willing the Holy Spirit and the word of God has opened your heart to see that Faith in Jesus is the only way to God. You can know him if you repent of your sins, and this means turning away from your sin, and trusting in Christ for salvation.

If you want to be baptized, or want to join this church or have any other response this morning make it, let us pray.