A Glorious Beginning

Psalm 147:12-20 / John 1:1-18

In The Beginning - v1-5

Jesus is Divine (God)

Nicene Creed (excerpted)

We believe in one God,       the Father almighty,       maker of heaven and earth,       of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ,       the only Son of God,       begotten from the Father before all ages,            God from God,            Light from Light,            true God from true God,       begotten, not made;       of the same essence as the Father.       Through him all things were made... And we believe in the Holy Spirit,       the Lord, the giver of life.       He proceeds from the Father and the Son,       and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified...

So...

With God: distinct person from the Father

Was God: Shares in the being of God with Father & Spirit

God & thus… Creator

Jn 1:3 “3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Gen 1:1 “1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Life v4-5

Temporal as creator & Eternal as Savior

Isaiah 60:19 ESV

19 The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

No one can claim to believe Scripture and deny that Jesus is God

There was a man… - v6-8

Luke 1:76 “76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,”

We are not John, but we are to point people to Jesus still!

The World did not know him… - v9-11

The World:

Rev 7:9 “9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”

His Own:

Matt 23:37 “37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Only a minority, a remnant have ever followed God

We beheld His glory! - v12-17

But to all who believed

Jn 3:36 “36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

Glory

Isa 6:3 “3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!””

Born, but not of blood (v13)

Jn 3:3 “3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

Eph 2:8-9 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

He ranks before me (v15)

Matt 3:11 “11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Grace is through Jesus (v17)

2 cor 5:21 “21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Truly the earth is full of God’s glory because of Jesus; His person, His life, His death & resurrection; His eternal ministry to rescue us

He made Him known! - v18

No one has ever seen God (no one on Earth apart from Jesus)

Jesus made God (the Father) known

Heb 1:3 “3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Jn 14:9 “9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Church Family, there is no God apart from Jesus, The Word. There is no creation without Him. There is no salvation without Him. There is no knowing God without Christ Jesus. Praise be to The Father, enabled by The Spirit, in the holy and powerful name of Jesus!